Traitor (12 page)

There was a small popping sensation as his engorged head fully entered me, and the stretching mercifully eased. He paused there, allowing me to adjust to his size. His fingers dug into my soft flesh with the strain of holding himself back.

“Fuck, Claudia, you are so tight,” he forced out through gritted teeth.

He reached beneath me, his fingers finding my clit. I moaned at the contact that mercifully eased some of the pain that had tormented the neglected area. He rubbed me in a circular motion, and the burning sensation in my ass began to turn to a delicious, hot tingling. His length continued to enter me, and my body went utterly still as I focused completely on accommodating him. He didn’t pause when he was in me to the hilt, instead drawing back slightly before pumping back in. He continued to rock against me steadily, drawing out of me a bit further with each thrust. And all the while, he continued touching my clit, alternating teasing around it before gently brushing over it, keeping me torturously on the edge of my orgasm.

He was pulling almost all the way out of me now, taking me harder and faster. My hips began to move against him, meeting his thrusts.

“You’re mine now, Claudia,” he growled as he drove into me harshly. “Mine!”

“Yes!” I wanted to say, but it came out as an unintelligible groan. Even if I hadn’t been gagged, I wouldn’t have been able to speak; I seemed to have lost control of my tongue. The only movement that I could manage was rocking my body back against him, and even that was pure instinct rather than an action that I controlled.

His words pushed me over the edge, and my inner muscles began to contract around him. Recognizing my building orgasm, Sean sharply pinched my hardened bud between his thumb and forefinger. My mind was hurled into oblivion as pleasure hit me with the force of a speeding Mack Truck.

I was dimly aware of Sean’s savage roar behind me as his heat lashed into me, scorching my insides with branding fire as he marked me as his. His final thrusts sent lightning shooting through my body as my nerve endings became hyper-sensitized, the erotic pain of it shoving me further into the darkness.

I wasn’t aware of my soft whimper as he withdrew from me, leaving me feeling empty. A part of my mind registered the feeling of the gag being removed from between my teeth and the sensation of blood rushing back to my fingertips as I was freed from my restraints. His gentle, calloused hands rolled me onto my side, and I instinctively snuggled up against him, my head resting submissively on his abs, just above his hips. My arm wrapped around him, clinging to him. I felt his hand tenderly stroking my hair as his hard breathing made his stomach rise and fall rapidly beneath me. The undulating motion rocked me like I was floating on gentle waves far out at sea.

“You’re perfect, Claudia,” he murmured down at me, and I wasn’t sure if the words were real or imagined. I found that I didn’t care if they were or not.

Sighing happily, I fell into sleep with a smile on my face.

Chapter 9

The sound of my alarm beeping insistently jarred me from my sleep the next morning. I sat up with a start, disoriented; I couldn’t remember getting into bed the night before. But the sudden movement caused a twinge of pain to bloom across my stomach, and I winced.

There was a warm hand on my back, and I jumped slightly.

“Claudia?”

Sean.
Memories from the night before came flooding back to me, and I felt my cheeks flame crimson as I recalled my wantonness.

He cupped my face gently, turning my head so that I was facing him. He traced his thumb over my hot cheeks and he smiled softly. But his eyes were darkened with concern.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

But as my mind flashed over the events of the day before, I recalled Bradley’s elbow driving into my gut. I didn’t want to remind Sean of the altercation.

“It’s nothing,” I lied quickly, but I stupidly moved my hand to cover my stomach to hide the damage.

He frowned and reached out for me. His hand closed around my wrist, prying my arm away from my body. He hissed in a breath and his eyes flashed as my flesh was revealed to him. I glanced down and held back another wince as I took in the angry purple bruise that marred my pale skin.

“It’s alright,” I said in a rush. “I mark up easily.”

His angry gaze turned against me then. “I’m the only one who should be leaving marks on you, Claudia,” he said harshly. “And certainly nothing like this.”

“Please,” I said. “Don’t be angry.” I was worried that I had reawakened the ire that had been directed at me the day before over my foolishness for confronting Bradley on my own.

His eyes softened instantly, but the lines of his face were still tight. “I’m not mad at you,” he told me. “It’s Bradley who -”

“Stop, please,” I cut him off. “Don’t go antagonizing him. It will only make things worse. If he really is thinking about going to your father, then the last thing you want to do is to push him further.”

Sean took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose. When he opened them again, their green depths were less stormy. “You’re right,” he conceded. “Even though I want to punish him with every fiber of my being, it’s only going to do more harm than good. I won’t risk you like that.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, relieved that he had agreed. The last thing I needed was for Ronan Reynolds to learn that I had been asking questions about him. That might blow my cover.

At the thought of my traitorous actions, my heart twisted. I was growing closer to Sean, more drawn to him with every minute we shared together. It wasn’t just the sex, either. Although he gave me mind-blowing, fantasy-surpassing ecstasy, my feelings for him went deeper than that. I loved our light banter, and I admitted to myself that I even found his cockiness endearing in an infuriating sort of way. He was sweet, silly, and sexy as hell. And vulnerable in a way that tugged at my heartstrings, making me long to heal him.

The thought that I was inevitably going to lose him was growing harder and harder to bear. I was falling for him hard. I had never done anything so reckless; it was diametrically opposed to the iron control that I had always exercised. But Sean had come along and turned my life upside down, changing me in a way that I feared was irrevocable.

I realized that he was peering into my eyes, studying me carefully.

“What are you thinking?” He asked.

“I…” I hesitated.

I’m thinking that I’m about to destroy my soul. And possibly yours as well.

“I care about you,” I heard myself admitting. I regretted the words almost immediately. Why was I tormenting us like this? Why was I digging myself deeper and deeper into this hole that I would never be able to claw my way back out of?

And to make it worse, Sean was completely oblivious to the agonizing fate that I was pulling him toward.

Still, I waited with baited breath for him to respond, anxious for his response. His jaw tightened slightly, his expression unreadable. For a moment, I feared that I had gone too far.

He let out a long breath. “I care about you too, Claudia,” he said softly. “More than you know.”

“I think I have a good idea,” I murmured, trying to keep the pain from my voice as my heart twisted.

We stared at one another for a moment, but then Sean shifted uncomfortably, pulling his eyes from mine.

“I believe I promised you a shower,” I said, trying to keep my tone light to ease the awkward tension that began to fill the space between us.

The smile he shot me was slightly regretful. “I got one last night,” he said.

I blinked, surprised that his movements hadn’t woken me. “Wow. I guess I was really out of it.”

He grinned smugly, clearly pleased with himself. “It’s not often that I get the pleasure of fucking a woman into a stupor. You completely passed out on me.”

I frowned at him at the allusion to the fact that he had done that to other women. It made me recall something important that I had been meaning to bring up with him. “Um,” I began. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

His brows rose. “Okay. Shoot.”

“I know you’ve been with a lot of women. Do you… You don’t have any STDs, do you?” The words came out in a rush.

“Oh,” he said, clearly surprised by my question. “No. Don’t worry about that. I just got tested, and I’m totally clean. I always use protection.”

I shot him a level look. “Not with me, you haven’t.” I reminded him.

He ran a hand through his hair, looking somewhat chagrined. “Sorry about that,” he said. “The first time… Well, it took me by surprise. I had wanted you so badly for so long… I kind of lost my mind that day.” He speared me with an intense look. “I want all of you, Claudia. It’s like some dark compulsion is driving me when I’m with you. It’s all I can do to cling on to my control. I’m sorry if I upset you. I promise I’ll do better.”

I was shocked by his confession. It was far more than the simple “yes” or “no” answer that I had expected. “I’m not upset,” I allayed his fears. “I was just concerned. And I’m on birth control, so you don’t need to worry about that.” I covered his hand with mine. “We’re okay, Sean. I didn’t think you would put me at risk. I just needed to know for sure.”

His smile was back. “Good,” he sounded relieved.

I returned it easily. “So about that shower. Are you sure that I can’t tempt you to take another one?”

He glanced over at the clock. “I don’t think I can,” he said regretfully. “I wanted to let you get as much sleep as possible, so I’m afraid I don’t have time.”

“Okay,” I said, trying to keep the disappointment from my tone. “I’ll call you a cab.”

“No need,” he said. “I called and ordered one last night.” He looked at the clock again, then grinned predatorily. “I still have ten minutes to ravage you before I have to leave.”

I pouted dramatically. “That’s not nearly enough time.”

He moved in, pressing my body down into the bed with his weight, caging me in with his arms on either side of me. “It’s plenty of time to tease you,” he said, an evil glint in his eye. “Then you’ll think of me all day. It’s not fair that I walk around with my balls constantly aching because of you. I’m going to return the favor.”

I gasped. “You wouldn’t.”

“Watch me.”

He crushed his mouth against mine, stifling my protest. I pressed against his hard chest frantically, trying to shove him away. I felt his lips tug up at the corners as they caressed mine. He didn’t even bother restraining me. There was no need; he knew that I would never be able to fight him off, as he had made abundantly clear the night before. The cocky bastard.

But I felt myself melting for him, and my hands shifted to curl around his shoulders, my fingernails lightly pressing into his skin. His tongue was in my mouth, claiming me with deep, demanding strokes. My body arched up into him, my hips grinding against his. I had thought that he would reprimand me for my actions, but he let me continue to stimulate myself against him. He reached down between us to tweak my nipples, pinching them hard before rolling them deftly between his fingers, easing the ache.

My nails bit into him harder as warmth bloomed between my legs. I began grinding faster, needing more friction against my clit.

Abruptly, he shoved off of me, and I cried out at the sudden, shocking loss. He stood and grinned down at me cruelly, drawing the duvet up over my body as a further barrier between us. My eyes were wide and I was panting hard. I couldn’t believe that he was truly going to deny me.

I shot him a scowl and moved to touch myself, desperate for release.

His expression shifted into a forbidding mask. “Stop, sub,” he barked. “Don’t you dare.”

My hand stilled instantly, and I quivered under his hard stare.

Oh, shit.

“Now, you’re going to be a good girl and wait for me. You are not to touch yourself without my express permission. If I even suspect that you have…”

He trailed off, leaving the threat open ended, making it all the more terrifying.

“Okay,” I said quickly.

His glare didn’t ease. “Promise me. Tell me you’ll be good.”

“I promise.”

He just raised an expectant eyebrow at me, silently demanding more.

“I promise I’ll be good,” I said, blushing furiously.

His smile was back, and I glowed at the sight of it. He bent down and planted a swift, sweet kiss on my forehead.

“I’m glad we’ve reached an accord.”

I snorted. “That would imply that there was some sort of compromise involved,” I said huffily as I watched him pull on his jeans.

He chuckled at me. “Pedant,” he accused.

I couldn’t help cottoning on to his levity. “I suppose I am. It’s all part of my charm. You love it, really.” I echoed his words from the night that I had found him waiting for me on my front stoop.

He laughed again as he slipped his shirt over his head. “You wish,” he threw my retort right back at me.

I started to get out from under the covers so that I could give him one last kiss before he left me, but he stopped me short.

“Don’t move,” he warned. “If I see your body I won’t be able to help myself. Then I’ll be late for work again.”

A car tooted its horn outside my house. The taxi was here.

“That’s the last thing I want,” I said seriously.

“Will I see you later?” He asked, his tone eager.

I bit my lip. “I have to work late,” I lied.

I have to go spill your secrets to the FBI.

He gave me an exaggerated puppy-dog look. It was so wrong on him that I couldn’t stifle a giggle.

“Alright. I’ll call you when I leave the office if you promise never to look at me like that again.”

His smile was wide and boyishly genuine. “It’s a deal.”

The taxi driver honked his horn again.

“Get out of here,” I made a shooing motion at him.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said mockingly.

I rolled my eyes at him, and he winked at me before turning and striding out of my room.

I tried to cling to my moment of happiness, but it melted away as I glumly contemplated the long day that I had to get through before I could see him again.