WRECKER (7 page)

Sage said nothing. She’d acted differently because she felt differently. Not only was she mentally moving out of the apartment, but the sight of Ashley’s face made something inside her shift. She wasn’t going to hang around and hope the girls changed their ways. Not if Ashley was going to accept that sort of treatment from Trey.

Olivia let out a bark of laughter. “Did that dick just take his five dollar pizza with him?”

Theo stood in the garage, leaning in the doorway, waiting for her. He wore camo pants and boots. His chest was bare. She smiled at the sight of him. He’d dug out those fatigues just for her. He looked strong and sexy and she wanted to run her hands all over his shoulders. She wanted to explore the bands of muscles. But when she saw the look in his eyes she drew a sharp breath. His eyes were dark with anger. His mouth pressed into a thin line.

She parked the truck and got out. He filled the doorway and his posture suggested he wasn’t going to let her past. Hands shoved in his pockets, shoulders tense and eyes focused intently on her, he spoke in a voice that was a little too soft.

“You were supposed to tell me if Trey was there.”

Sage’s mouth went dry. “He was just there for a minute. How did you know?”

“You sent a picture to your phone. Of him and Ashley.”

Shit. She wasn’t thinking. When she took the picture, she wanted to send it to Darryl, one of the club owners. The contact was in Theo’s phone, but in an instant of indecision she’d sent it to her own phone instead.

“I think Trey beat her up,” Sage said.

“I think he’s doing more than that.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s doing a little pimping. Some trafficking. Ashley doesn’t want to play his game so he roughed her up. He has plans for you.”

Her stomach clenched and air huffed from her lungs as if she’d been struck. “Shut up, Theo.”

“It’s true. My little innocent girl. Men would pay big money for your cherry.”

She recoiled at his words. He’d never said anything so coarse to her before.

“From what I’ve heard he’ll get to add a zero to his usual rate if he delivers you.”

“Jesus Theo. That’s disgusting.” She tried to push past him.

He stood, unmoving, a mountain of strength and stubbornness. His shoulders were tense and his eyes blazed with rage. It made her sick to hear him speak about this and she wanted to get past him, to gain a little distance until he’d calmed down.

“While you were gone I took care of any sort of plans Trey might have for you.”

His eyes wandered down her body and back up again. They were arguing again, or was still. He was infuriating, but she couldn’t deny the way her body responded to him. His eyes flicked up to hers and she saw the gleam of recognition there. He knew exactly what he was doing to her.

She pushed against him. His chest was eye level and the expanse of muscle was distracting and a little intimidating, but she wasn’t going to let him keep her here.

“I know how put an end to that lily-white reputation you have.”

“That’s great Theo. I can’t wait to hear about it. I love how you stroll into my life and take everything apart, taking every plan I have and wrecking it.”

“You think I wreck things?”

“I know you do.”

His lips tilted into a teasing smile. “Not a nice thing to say to your husband on Valentine’s Day. Sometimes the old needs to be knocked down to make way for the new. ”Maybe I wreck things so I can give you something better.”

She scoffed. “Let me past. It’s cold out here.”

“I think I should carry you over the threshold.”

“If we were newlyweds I think you’re…”

With a quick motion, he lifted her and swung her over his shoulder. A shriek escaped her lips. She pummeled his back with her fists. Somewhere in the house, the dogs started barking. Theo stepped through the doorway and kicked the door shut behind him.

Tango and Charlie came bounding into the hallway. Their frantic barking echoed in the room.

“Good boys,” Theo said above the din. “Tell them you’re okay, Sage. They’re worried about you.”

“I’m okay, boys.” The dogs trotted behind her, quiet but alert, hackles raised as Theo strolled through the house.

“Put me
down
, Theo.” She kept her voice a gentle lilt so as to not upset the dogs.

“I like carrying my wife around. I’m fixing to punish her a little for not minding me and putting herself in a dangerous situation.”

He took her down the darkened hallway.

“Okay, fine. I’ll bite. How is it that we’re married suddenly?”

He stopped at his bedroom door. “Go on, boys. Go to your beds.”

The dogs turned and trotted back the way they came. Sage watched them trot away. So much for her guard dogs. She’d felt vindicated when they’d come to her rescue, but just as quickly they abandoned her on Theo’s command.

“They know I’m in danger and they just abandon me?”

“They know you’re not in danger. Not with me. They heard you scream and were ready to kick some ass.”

“Maybe I should scream again,” she grumbled.

He smacked her bottom and set her down. She backed away from him but he ignored her, shutting the bedroom door, and locking it. She looked around the bedroom. Candles lined the mantle, sending flickering shadows across the room.

The space between them hummed with a different energy. The look in his eyes was no longer playful, or gentle. It was possessive, angry and protective all at once.

“What’s going on?” she whispered.

“I made two calls. One to Darryl, the owner of the cabaret. He told me he planned to fire Trey anyway. He’d heard from clients about the pimping, and that Trey was trying to sell the rights to you to the highest bidder, since you were a virgin, and they don’t see a lot of virgins at the club.”

She shook her head. It couldn’t be true. Things like that didn’t happen in small towns. Not in
her
small town, anyway.

“You’re scaring me, Theo.”

“You’re safe with me. If anyone wants you they’ll have to come through me. I’m going to make sure everyone knows you’re off the market. That was the second call I made, to make it one hundred percent clear to everyone in town you’re not a virgin anymore. That you belong to me.”

A breathless laugh escaped her lips and she backed away from him. “What are you talking about?”

He crossed the room and cupped her shoulders, pulling her close. “I had Millie write up our wedding announcement. Knowing Millie it will be something really lovely. Hearts and flowers and all that good shit. It’ll go out in the morning paper.”

“What are you talking about?” Her voice was shrill, bordering on hysterical. “You can’t just announce you’re marrying someone and broadcast it.”

“Sage, tell me you don’t want to marry me. Look me in the eye and tell me.”

“Who… who proposes like that?”

“I do.”

Before she could respond, he lowered to kiss her. The kiss was urgent, hard, almost punishing. He pressed his tongue against the seam of her lips. Immediately she yielded to him. His hands tangled in her hair. He overpowered her, but she couldn’t resist, nor did she want to.. Pressing her against the wall, he skimmed his hands down the front of her sweater. He tugged it off and flicked the clasp of her bra open and let it fall to the floor.

Now his kiss was slower and hotter. His bare chest pressed against her breasts. Arousal swirled inside her, sending darts of pleasure and aching need to her core. Her breasts felt heavy.

He straightened. “Clothes off. Now.”

Crowding her against the wall, he left her just enough room to tug her boots off and shed her jeans. His gaze drifted down her body.

“Everything, Sage. Panties too.”

“I don’t want to give you a lap dance, Theo.”

“I think we’re a little past lap dances.”

She set her hand on his shoulder. “What’s happening?”

“You’re going to wear that little toy for me.”

Her heart seized in her chest. The toy. Of course he hadn’t forgotten. Heat and arousal gathered inside her. Need made her slick. The idea that he would make her wear that seemed filthy and wrong and beyond even her dirtiest fantasies about Theo. “You seem mad. You’re scaring me.”

He lifted her chin. “I think you want to try it.”

“Maybe,” she breathed. “Just a little.”

He nodded. “”

She bit her lip and tugged her panties off, letting them drop. He reached down to a pocket on his thigh and pulled out the toy. A smile played upon his mouth as he fastened the belt around her waist. His fingers were rough and calloused. She shuddered as he moved to the strap meant to go around her thigh.

“Ready?” His voice was soft.

“You’re not still mad at me are you?”

The corner of his mouth quirked. He reached into his pocket again and took out the remote control. “Maybe a little. But I have the feeling I’m about to forgive you.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t call you about Trey.”

He set a hand on either side of her, caging her. “Apology accepted.”

She held out her hand for the remote.

He snared her wrists in one of his hands and lifted them, pinning them over her head. “I’m driving.”

“You didn’t tell me …”

Her words were cut off by a tiny click. Movement against her sensitive folds made her whole body jerk with surprise.

“Oh yeah,” he whispered.

The vibrations on her waves of pleasure, emanating from her core and rolling through her entire body. Like waves in the ocean, the vibrator’s intensity increased and decreased in a regular, intoxicating rhythm.

She closed her eyes and panted softly. Her body responded without any conscious thought of her own. She writhed and moaned. The sensation was both too much and not enough. She found herself lifting to her tiptoes, a reflexive attempt at escaping the torment. When she did that, she tightened her thighs and it made the sensation more intense.

“Theo,” she whispered. “I don’t know if I can take this.”

He said nothing and she lifted her lids to find him watching her. His eyes were dark with lust. His lips pressed together in a grim line.

“Please,” she said.

His response was a low growl. He lowered, sucked her nipple. The feel of his mouth and the lazy flick of his tongue across her tight nipple made her arousal climb. She gasped for breath, twisted in his hold and tugged, trying to free her wrists from his iron grip.

The toy’s contact against her skin was velvet and gentle, and with each crest she lost a little bit of herself. Everything faded from her consciousness, everything except for the unbearable need and Theo’s words, whispered in her ear.

“I need you.” His warm breath fanned against her skin.

“Anything. I’ll give you anything you want.” She wasn’t sure if she’s said the words or just thought them. The butterfly’s wicked torture increased, the crests climbing higher, the strokes coming faster. Theo tightened his hold on her wrists, stretching her taut.

Light burst behind her eyes. She arched beneath him. Pleasure exploded across her senses. She gave a keening wail as her climax gripped her. He flicked off the switch and tugged the straps from her, tossing the toy aside. She collapsed against his chest, trembling as her pleasure ebbed and receded.

He lifted her, carrying her to the bed, where he sat down, keeping her in his arms. She kept her eyes closed, her face pressed against the hard plane of his chest. He wrapped a blanket around her. The only sound that came to her was his heartbeat. The thud against his ribs was faster than it should be and his breathing was shallow and rapid.

“Theo,” she said quietly. “I want you.”

“I want you too, baby. I want it all. Every bit. Your first time. Your thousandth time. Your last time. All of it.”

He set her on the bed and got to his feet. She watched while he undressed, admiring his powerful build. His shoulders were broad, thickly banded with muscle. Biceps rippled as he tossed his boots aside.

Her gaze drifted down his body to his erection. “Condom?”

“I’m not on the pill or anything.”

He went to his bedside table, tore a box open and tossed a condom on the bed. “You want to put it on me?”

She heard the smile in his voice and noted the challenge. “Sure. I know how to do this.” She tore the condom open with her teeth and pulled it out. “I’ve done this many times.”

She paused to see his reaction. His eyebrow raised ever so slightly.

“Not with a real person. I got A’s on my human reproduction class back in high school.”

He laughed softly.

She was babbling like an idiot. That morning she’d stroked his cock, and she’d loved touching him. Now everything seemed so different. He stood a foot from her, His cock seemed so much bigger now.

“Scared?”

“Did you get bigger since this morning?”

He held out his hand and she handed him the condom. With a quick motion he sheathed himself. “We’ll go slow, baby.”

She nodded. He prowled over the bed, nudging her back to the pillows. Lowering, he sought her lips and kissed her. His cock pressed against her entrance.

She lifted her legs, clasping his hips with her thighs and he groaned as he pushed into her. He was barely in and already it felt unbearably tight.

Ragged breaths tore from his lips. “Hate to hurt you.”