Her expression relaxes with a tiny smile.
I push forward, and just like last night, my stomach is gripped with the urge to thrust. Slowly. I repeat it in my head. Inch by inch I ease into her. My eyes take in the sight of our bodies connecting. The silky heat, gripping pressure, and visual stimulation turn me into an emotional live wire. I pull out an inch and push in two more. Over and over, slowly until I’m buried deep. I pause and fight the explosion coiling in my body. Think of something else. I go over a list of choke holds. Triangle choke, gator roll, rear nak*d choke . . . Oh, no, not that one.
The image of my body connected to Raven’s becomes too much. I fall forward, bracing my weight with my arms and straighten my legs. Raven immediately responds to the closeness of our mouths by devouring mine. I move above her in lazy strokes, taking in each sensation. My chest brushes against her br**sts with each painstakingly slow thrust. She squirms with impatience beneath me.
“Faster, Jonah. Harder,” she says, grasping at my ass.
“Baby, you’re sore. I need—“
“Take me, please. I want you to.” Her words are breathy and hot as hell.
My body responds by thrusting in deep. I bite my lip to keep from calling out in blissful satisfaction as her gripping heat pulls me in. Fuck. She gasps against my neck. I check her face to see it’s not pain she’s feeling. It’s pleasure. Pulling out slowly, I push in again, harder this time. She moans and coaxes me on.
My girl.
Overwhelming emotion and raw need push my h*ps deeper. I keep my eyes locked on hers and roll my hips. The sounds coming from deep in her chest take me to the edge of my control.
A familiar twinge in my chest warms my skin as I continue to love Raven. My strokes increase in strength and her fingernails dig into my ass. She meets each thrust with a push of her own. Her dark hair is splayed wildly around her face. She arches back in the way that I know is her signal. She’s close.
Not ready for this to end, I roll to my back, keeping our connection. A light sheen of sweat clings to our bodies, her torso lies atop mine. Her face is buried in my neck where she kisses and licks below my ear.
She pushes herself up, straddling my hips. Her eyelids are low, and her lips part as she seems to absorb the sensations of the different position. My eyes roam her body from her hips, up her slightly rounded feminine stomach, to her perfect full br**sts. Gloriously nak*d and towering over me like an angel without wings.
I circle the tips of her br**sts with my fingertips, teasing the sensitive flesh. She presses them into my hands and sucks in a breath. Her heavy-lidded eyes sparkle and she begins to move above me.
Her hands brace at my chest, and I continue to caress her br**sts. I watch in amazement as she commands her body with practiced ease. She moves with confidence and control, and it’s hard to believe she was a virgin a day ago. Her pace quickens. She rolls her h*ps in bliss-ridden waves. I fight every urge to flip over and pound into her. She shifts, searching it out, desperate for the perfect combination.
I’m so close. Her cries alert me to the fact that she is too. I flex my h*ps into her. She grinds down hard against me. My toes curl and my stomach tightens.
“Fuck, baby . . .”
“Me too, Jonah . . .”
We’re panting and pushing. Grinding and moaning. Her beautiful eyes lock onto mine and bore into my soul. Wound tight, we reach together, pushing toward the edge. Her mouth drops open, and I bite my lip, our orgasms ripping through our connection together.
The shockwaves push through my body, lifting my shoulders from the bed. Her hands move to my knees, bowing her back. I hold her h*ps in place and continue to grind into her. She throws her head back, calling out my name as we ride out our cli**x.
Fucking amazing.
Her body falls forward against my chest, pressing her warm, balmy skin to mine. Heavy from the aftershocks of our lovemaking, we lay silently, breathing as one, our hearts beating together.
“Wow,” she mumbles against my neck.
“Mmm.”
She pushes herself up, resting her elbow on my ribs, and her chin in her hand.
“Is it always like this?”
Beautiful and cute.
“No. It’s never been like this. And, yes, with us, it’ll only get better.”
Her eyes grow a fraction before her lids drop lower. “Really?”
I run my fingers through her hair, from root to tip, the long strands falling against my chest. “Yeah, baby.”
She bites her bottom lip and softly moans. Her h*ps start to move again.
I smile. “My girl wants more.”
“Yeah, Jonah,” she says in that breathy way that makes me instantly hard.
“I aim to please.”
***
After another round of lovemaking, Raven is curled in my arms. Her head rests against my chest and her leg is thrown over my abs. I run my hand through her long, silky hair, twirling it around my finger. My other hand lazily traces patterns on her hip while her finger outlines my tattoo.
“You loved up enough to talk now, or do I need to give it to you one more time?”
She smiles, but doesn’t laugh. “I would love to do it again, but I’m too tired.” The yawn that follows confirms her words.
“Tell me about this Vince guy.”
She huffs out a frustrated breath. “I met him that day I went to see Dominick. He acted like he knew me, but I didn’t think much of it. Guess he’d been milking Eve for information about me for weeks. Then I ran into him at Eve’s. I wanted to tell you, but forgot with everything that was happening with us.”
This all makes sense. Now for the tough question. “What happened tonight at the club?”
She cowers against my chest.
What the fuck?
“We were at the bar after dancing. We had a little too much to drink, and before I knew it, these guys were harassing us—“
“Harassing you? Fuck, Raven! Why didn’t you call me?” My words are flying before my brain has time to consider what I’m saying. And I wonder why she’s cowering? Not wanting to lose my shit, I push my anger down and take a deep breath. “Sorry, baby. Go on.”
She continues to tell me about her night. I try not to dwell on the motherfucker that put his hands on my girl then pressed her up against the bar. I swallow the angry retorts that bubble up from my all-consuming frustration. I nod and listen, unsuccessfully suppressing the occasional growl.
“Did he say where he was taking you?”
“No, he called me a slut and told me it was none of my business. He said that if I didn’t shut up, he was going to make it my business, um . . . allnightlong.” Her chin drops again as she ends the sentence in a whisper.
Did she say all night long? He called her a slut!
My head starts to buzz. “He’s f**king dead,” I say with a calm I am not feeling.
“Um, I’m pretty sure you got him back. I didn’t even recognize his face when you were done with him.”
Her body shivers in my arms. I hold her tighter.
“I can’t let this go, Raven. I’m going back to talk to Dominick. If he doesn’t get his boy in check, we’re going to the cops.”
“Jonah—”
“I’ll do this Dominick’s way. I’ll throw my fight. He’ll get his money. But the moment his goons put their f**king hands on my girl . . .”
What? I have no options. I’m the one with everything to lose, not Dominick. The f**ker’s backed me into a corner and he knows it.
“We can’t go to the cops. Even you said he’s got them on his payroll. If Dominick feels threatened, he could leak to the media that you agreed to throw your fight. Even without evidence, the rumors could get you banned from the UFL.”
Fuck. She’s right. My mind spins with unanswered questions. The most important thing is to keep Raven calm and safe. That’s where my focus needs to be, at least until this shit is over.
“I’ll talk with Dominick again. He wants his money. I’m sure he’s not pleased that his boy got his ass handed to him tonight. Don’t worry, baby. I’ll take care of this.”
She nods into my chest. “Please be careful.”
“Always. Now go to sleep. We can talk more in the morning.”
“Okay, Jonah. I love you,” she says through another yawn.
“I love you too, baby.”
After shutting off the light, I stare into the dark room. Raven’s breathing shifts to the rhythmic cadence of sleep. I hold her a little tighter, absorbing the contentment I feel from having her safe in my arms.
This clusterfuck with Vince has complicated my deal with Dominick. He needs to know now, especially after I turned Vince’s face into ground beef, that I’m not going to allow him to f**k with Raven. There’s no way—
My thoughts are redirected by the sound of my phone ringing. With a slight lean, I grab my phone from my bedside.
I don’t check the ID, but instead hit answer and bite out a quick, “What!”
Raven stirs, and I rub her arm reassuringly.
“Mr. Slade.”
Adrenaline floods my bloodstream, making my head buzz.
“Dominick.”
Twenty-two
Jonah
I kiss Raven’s head before slipping out from under her and into the hallway.
“I see you and Vince had a little difference of opinion this evening,” Dominick says, sounding bored.
“Difference of opinion? He assaulted her! He was taking her to God knows where to do God knows what! You call that a difference of o-f**king-pinion?”
The usual buzz in my head has amplified to a roar. I’m vibrating from head to toe.
“I’ve taken care of him. I’m not happy with what transpired at the club.”
“I told you to pull your tails. That was part of our agreement.”
“Yes, well it seems Vince has grown fond of this Eve girl. You can’t blame a guy for sticking around for a little easy p**sy. I’m sure you of all people can understand that.”
“I could give a f**k what Vince does with his dick, but I swear to God, if he comes near Raven with it or with any other part of his body again, I will kill him. You get me? I hope like hell you do because I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.” I pace the living room, trying to keep my voice down.
“I won’t apologize for Vince’s behavior.”
“You want Raven so bad, but you’d let that animal put his hands on her?”
“Vince knows the girl needs to remain unharmed. Whatever his plan was, I’m confident it wouldn’t have left any permanent—”
“You sick motherfu—”
“Our deal is still as it was agreed upon at Zeus’s.”
“Only if you and your men agree to leave Raven alone.”
“Mr. Slade, you are in no position to make threats.”
“The f**k I’m not. Say it!”
“I will protect what’s mine.”
“She’s not yours!” The intense buzzing between my ears travels down my arms to my fists.
“We will see, Mr. Slade. We will see.”
The phone disconnects. My call log lists the number as unknown.
“Fuck!” I throw my phone into a club chair across the room. It lands with an unsatisfying thud.