Page 8 of Desiderium
He grasps her face in his hands, reassuring her. “Of course, sweetheart. They’re in my pack, safe and sound.” He lightly pecks her nose before pulling back, smiling down at her. Fucker just earned himself more brownie points, but I’ve still got the ace up my sleeve.
“Good boy,” she says, lightly tapping his cheek with her hand before they both turn to me.
“So, what wasyourexcuse? You own this place yet you couldn’t find… What was it again?” Hawk asks skeptically.
“My knife set,” I reply.
“Your fucking knife set.” Hawk places his hands on his hips, cocking his head skeptically. “The man who makes it a point to cook and/or prepare three square meals a day couldn’t find his… knife set?”
“Oh, no. I found it.” I give a toothy grin and cross my arms over my chest. “I just didn’t want to win.”
Hawks jaw drops to the deck. He quickly shoots his hand up and points his finger at me accusingly. “You set us up! You fucking… motherfucking… ass kissing… horny toad son of a bitch!”
“Yeah… I guess he did.” Aly says seductively as she saunters away from Hawk and Cole, giving her ass a little shake as she takes her place in front of me, facing them. She reaches back with her hand, pulling my face to hers over her shoulder before muttering, “Thank you, Jax,” in the sexiest, raspiest voice you could possibly imagine.
“Anything for you, baby doll,” I reply just before she presses her lips to mine, kissing me like I’m the real winner.
When we separate, she turns back to the guys and tilts her head to the side, sticking her tongue in her cheek. The smile she gives them is downright sinful and I love it. “Aww, don’t worry… I won’t use my winnings just yet.” She winks before she walks up to each of them, kissing them in turn and strutting off to the side. Sexy little minx.
“You… You’re lucky you’re so damn sexy, sweetheart,” Hawk huffs, deflating a bit even though his hands are still clenched into fists at his sides.
Cole, however, stalks over to where she stands, refusing to let her go so easily. She pauses, probably not expecting him to advance on her, and gasps as he invades her space.
He dips his head close to hers, running his stubbled jaw against her cheek and speaking in a low grumble, “I dolove your competitive side, beautiful. And I can’t wait to hear what you’d like for your reward, whenever you choose to enlighten us.” Reaching up, Cole quickly grasps her jaw hard between his thumb and forefinger. He leans back a bit while lifting her chin, forcing her to meet his dominating gaze. Licking his lips, he pauses a moment; tempting her while also stirring panic and alarm. The vindictive smile he gives is nothing short of promising punishment. “Just remember... my gorgeous girl... I can be just as… Oh, what’s the word I’m looking for?” He looks around as to try and pluck the word out of the sky. “Suspenseful?”
He pauses, thinking on it for a second before drawing a single finger down the center of her pouty lips, pulling the bottom one out just a bit. His eyes follow the movement just as Hawk and I do. I catch myself, realizing I’ve stopped breathing, and shake my brain back into the here and now. Cole does that: surprises the fuck out of us, putting us into a damn trance whenever his Dom persona comes out to play.
He licks her outstretched lip teasingly, groaning before talking again. “That might not be the best word for this particular situation,” he purrs, low and threateningly. “But I sincerely cannot wait for what your...,” he brings his hand down to her throat, pulsing his grip while rubbing the skin, hypnotizing her in the moment, “...brilliant mind conjures for your prize. I know I’m sure to love anything that you come up with, and will keep it firmly tucked away in the hidden recesses ofmymind for… future purposes.” He smiles like a wolf before kissing her lips and returning to Hawk’s side.
Aly’s legs quake and tremble, almost buckling, as Cole moves away. She catches herself with a hand on her chest, her face flushed with lust, want and need.
“What the fuck, man? You’re not nervous at all?” Hawk whisper shouts to him.
“Why should I be? We each know one another’s limits, both soft and hard. She knows how far she’s allowed to take it. Not to mention, I love Aly and will do anything to make her happy. Wouldn’t you? Besides, I can always tame her bratty ways in the future if she gets too far out of line,” Cole says easily with a confident smirk on his lips.
Hawk’s eyebrows shoot up, shock and understanding behind his eyes. “Well, fuck me. Fair enough.” He looks over to Aly, smiling. “Bring it on, babe.”
* * *
“The easiest way to get to Tryon Palace would be to take the interstate that runs just north of the lake. Since we have to head in that direction, and we’re gonna be going right passed it, what do you guys think about scouting the old place? See if there’s anything left to salvage? Maybe one of the trucks that was left behind? Could be useful for our little road trip even if it’s only for a little bit,” I suggest to the group. We’ve been slowly strolling up the lakefront for only about fifteen or so minutes but I can’t seem to shake the thought that the place I’d put so much work into after allthese years is going to be right there. Regardless of how much of a gut punch it might be to actually see what’s left, it refuses to leave my mind.
“Might as well. I mean we practically have to walk onto the property to get to where we’re going so, why not? I’m game if y’all are,” Cole replies, kicking a stone into the ditch as if it were a soccer ball. I let my bittersweet frustration out and decide to kick a stone as well.
“Oh! Does that mean there may be even more hidey-holes filled with goodies scattered around the property?” Hawk asks excitedly. I remember how surprised both he and Cole were when I revealed the hidden weapons cache in the trail mounts. I wish they could’ve seen their faces. Absolutely priceless. But seriously, who builds a doomsday worthy fortress and doesn’t have a hidden supply of awesome tech? That just doesn’t make any sense.
Proper planning prevents poor performance!
Hawk shuffles closer to me, looking to get a tiny bit serious for a second. “Dude… tell me you have a helicopter hidden in that bitch somewhere.” I side-eye him, wondering where he might have gotten that wonky thought from. Weapons cache—yes. Multi-million-dollar aircraft? Who the hell does he think I am? When I don’t answer right away, he snaps.
Ah, here we go…
Hawk’s jaw hits the deck as he sucks in a deep gasp and leaps into the air while pointing his finger at me accusingly. His sudden movement inadvertently scares the shit out of Sadie, causing her to jump to the side and let outa single warning bark at his crazy ass. “I fuckingknewyou were holding out on us even more than you already were! Where is it? Which tree do I have to tap and dry hump to make a pit open up to the depths of Hell where you buried the fucking thing? Oh my fuck! A fucking helicopter! Wait, how do you even know how to drive that shit? You weren’t Airwing. Holy shit! Did you—”
Oh, for the love of God. We didn’t even have sugar this morning in our coffee since we ran out a few days ago but he’s bouncing around like a four-year old at a free, all-you-can-eat candy store. Unlike me, Aly and Cole don’t seem to be bothered by his overly rambunctious and energetic outburst. In fact, they’re laughing their asses off at his reaction. Aly reaches down, soothing an overly agitated Sadie with a few pets to the back of her head, calmingherreaction to Hawk’s overreaction.
I try to tune out his rambling fit as best as I can and not get swallowed up by his accusations but I need to stop this right, quick and in a hurry or he’ll act like I’m a freaking international spy complete with a suspenseful theme song if I let this rant of his continue. I turn to him laughingly and whip out the ‘knife-hand’ from basic training to show him just how ridiculous he’s being. “Bro, there’s not a fucking helicopter or a plane or any other type of aircraft on the fucking property, you weapons-grade over stimulated dick-nugget. Calm. The fuck. Down.”
Hawk instantly stops jumping around like an eager puppy. His hands flop down to his sides as his shoulders slump in defeat. “So, there’s no more secret stashes to surprise us with?”
