Fragments (The Broken Series Book 2) (17 page)

I wanted to watch, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to taste again. I moved my head down to kiss her wet fingers and then used my tongue to pleasure and tease her. Her body tensed and I could tell she was close. But I put my hand over hers to still the movement.

She groaned in frustration. “Please, Jack.”

My tongue delved again into the wetness between her thighs. I used my tongue to flicker rapidly across her clit and then slid one finger inside her.

Her back arched as she pushed against me, desperate for pleasure.

She called my name as her body shuddered in a climax.

I pulled myself up, rested my arms either side of her head and stared down into her starry eyes. She looked so gorgeous. Her cheeks were flushed and her pupils dilated. I could have stared at her all night.

I felt my cock jerk as she reached down to cup my balls, her fingers lightly stroking and caressing me.

Her hand tightened around my hardness as she stroked me from shaft to tip, and then she did it again.

Her other hand slid over the muscles of my stomach, and she laughed as she shimmied down beneath me. I held my breath as she took me in her mouth. I don’t think I had ever been that hard before.
 

Pleasure flooded me as she sucked me. Her tongue licked and swirled around the head of my cock before she pulled off a little and then pushed down harder. I moaned as her fingers stroked me.

“Christ, Kristina. No more. I don’t want to come like this.”

I could feel myself swell in her mouth as she massaged my balls with one hand and stroked the length of me with the other.

“Christ,” I groaned again as she picked up the pace.
 

I had to pull away.

Kristina looked surprised as she blinked up at me.

“I don’t want to come like that,” I said, pulling her up so she was level with me on the bed. My hands found her breasts, and my fingers tweaked the tight peaks of her nipples. I wanted to come deep inside her.

She arched her body against me, pressing herself to me tightly as I lowered my head and took a nipple in my mouth, circling it with my tongue. I felt her nails scratch down my back as her other hand found my hardness again.

She squeezed the base of my cock and licked her lips as she guided me between her legs.

I pushed myself into her in one smooth stroke, and I felt her tighten around me. It felt so good. I moved against her, grinding my hips into hers.

“Harder,” she whispered.
 

And that was almost my undoing.

I thrust again and again, fast and hard as sweat coated my body. I couldn’t think of anything else other than the hot feel of her around me as the tightness built up. I was desperate for release.

Her head fell back against the pillows as she clutched at me, and I felt her tightening around me again as she moaned in pleasure.

It was enough to send me over the edge. I moved harder and faster until I came, and my shout echoed Kristina’s as I filled her with a final hard thrust.

Kristina

Afterwards, I pressed my cheek against Jack’s hard chest, listening to the steady thud of his heart as I tried to catch my breath.

I couldn’t believe I’d been so brazen, but Jack hadn’t minded me taking the lead. I smiled as I ran my fingers over his taut abs.

“That was amazing,” I said, unable to stop myself from grinning.

Jack smiled but he was quiet. Too quiet.

I propped myself up on my elbow and studied him. As usual, I could tell from his expression that something was bothering him. He couldn’t hide his feelings.

I felt a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. My voice was quiet and trembled slightly.

Jack turned to face me. The bed sheets covered his lower half but his torso was naked.

I leaned forward so my forehead rested against his. I knew what was coming. I should have been prepared. My heart was pounding.

“I need to talk to you.”

There it was, those six words I’d been dreading.

I took a deep breath and rolled onto my back, staring up at the ceiling.

“So talk.” I couldn’t keep the bitchy tone from my voice. Why should I? He was about to break my heart, and I wasn’t going to make it easy for him.

I felt the mattress shift beside me, and in the next moment, Jack rolled on top of me. His weight pinned me to the bed, and he grasped my wrists holding my arms above my head.

I wriggled, annoyed. “Well? You’ve got my attention. Talk!”

His eyes widened slightly in surprise. I felt mean as I saw the hurt flicker across his face. But I didn’t relax, and I didn’t apologize for snapping at him. My whole body was rigid, waiting for him to give me the brush off.

I mean, surely he could have waited until I’d at least put my clothes back on. He didn’t need to completely humiliate me like this.

“I went to see Rita today,” he said, studying me closely for my reaction.

I froze. Well, that wasn’t entirely unexpected, I told myself. They’ve got so much more in common. This wasn’t personal. We had both known it wouldn’t be a long term thing.

I bit down hard on the inside of my mouth. I wasn’t going to cry.

“Rita,” I repeated dully.

He shifted slightly and lowered his head so that his lips traced my cheek.

It was too much. He couldn’t go on giving me mixed signals like this. It wasn’t fair. When he looked at me like that, I could almost believe he loved me. Almost.

I struggled, trying to free my arms from his grasp. When he didn’t release me immediately, I shouted at him. “Let go!”

Shocked, he let go of me, staring at me as if I’d lost the plot completely. “What’s wrong, Kristina?”

I stared back at him in disbelief. Then I shook my head, and said, “You were saying?” I arched an eyebrow.

Jack ran a hand through his thick dark hair. He was struggling with this.

Good
. I didn’t want it to be easy.

I pulled on my robe as he continued, “Rita wants me to race for Volder racing next year. She’s had a contract drawn up.”

He nodded at the pile of paperwork he’d dropped when he’d first come into my room.

“And you?” I asked. “What do you want?”

He lowered his head and sighed before saying, “I want to race again.”

I tightened the cord on my robe. He sat there looking so miserable, I actually started to feel sorry for him. He hadn’t made me any promises after all.

“I hope it works out for you,” I said. The words tasted bitter on my tongue, but I meant them.

Jack took a deep breath and reached out for my hand. He raised it to his mouth pressing his lips against my palm. My whole arm tingled in response.

“It will mean a lot of traveling,” Jack said. “Mostly in Europe.”

I pulled my hand away and crossed my arms over my chest. I tried to smile. “I suppose I had better start looking for a new job.”

“No,” Jack said quickly. “That’s not what I want at all. I want you to come with me.”

My jaw dropped open. That certainly hadn’t been what I expected.

“But I…”

Jack stood up and pulled me into his arms. “Hear me out. I’ve got things worked out. There’s no reason you can’t come with me. We can change your role. You’ll be my assistant.” He winked at me. “My very
personal
assistant.”

Despite everything, I blushed and smiled.
 

Seriously, surely I should be past the blushing stage by now.

“What about Alexander?”
 

Alexander was the one who had actually employed me in the first place. I wasn’t sure he would be very keen on this idea.

“It’s nothing to do with my brother,” Jack scoffed. “I’ll be employing you. Not him.”

Talk about a one eighty. My mind was reeling. Could I really accept his offer?

Jack nuzzled my neck. “Just think of all those countries you’ll be able to visit. England, France, Italy, Spain,” he said, interspersing the countries with soft kisses on my neck that made me shiver.

I felt a delicious pleasure building deep inside me as I turned my head so my lips met his.

Who was I kidding? Of course I would accept his offer. When had I ever been able to resist Jack Harding?

Two days later, I was looking after Elizabeth while Kate took a shower when I heard the sound of a car door slam outside.

I carried Elizabeth over to the window and pulled back the drapes. I felt icy fingers of dread crawl down my spine.

It was Rita Volder.

She was dressed in a black pant suit and white shirt, which was low-cut at the front; too low-cut for my liking, especially if she was about to see Jack.

I took Elizabeth with me downstairs. I reached the galleried landing just in time to see Jack greeting Rita with a kiss on the cheek.

No need to be jealous, I told myself. It’s just business.

Rita caught sight of me then. She raised a hand to wave, her gold bracelets jangling on her arm.

I waved back and continue down the stairs to meet them at the entrance way.

“This is it then, Jack. No backing out now,” Rita said with a grin.

Jack showed no sign of wanting to back out. I knew he couldn’t wait to put his signature on that contract.

A group of men in suits appeared behind Rita, I hadn’t seen them from the upstairs window.

“Witnesses and my lawyer,” Rita said, by way of an explanation.

Jack directed everyone into the drawing room, and as Rita walked past me, she cooed at the baby. “What a cutie,” she said.

Jack stood by an antique oak writing table, his pen poised above the contract. Just before he signed, he looked up and grinned at me.

This was his future. It was everything he wanted. But I couldn’t help being terrified of what might happen next.

As Jack stood talking to the two lawyers, Rita sidled up to me, pulling back Elizabeth’s pink blanket to get a better look at the baby’s chubby face.

“She really is adorable,” Rita said.

I looked down at Elizabeth in my arms and had to agree. I guessed I was biased, but I thought my niece was the most beautiful baby I’d ever seen.

“Congratulations,” I said to Rita. “I hope this works out for both you and Jack.”

“Thank you. I have always known that Jack Harding would be the perfect fit for our team.”

Elizabeth began to stir in my arms and I shifted her weight slightly so she could get comfortable. “Well, you got what you wanted. Jack is now a Volder driver.”

“Oh, honey,” Rita said, leaning in close to me. “I always get what I want. Eventually.”

I swallowed. “And you want Jack?”

She tilted her head back and laughed. She placed a hand on my arm. “Yes. I want Jack as a driver. Nothing more.” She held up a hand and waggled her fingers at me, showing off the diamond solitaire and gold wedding band she wore. “I’m a happily married woman. Although, I can’t vouch for the groupies that follow the team. I’m glad you’re going to be coming with him. If anyone can keep Jack Harding in line, I think it might be you.”

Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, and I knew she was teasing me. I deserved it, too. Jealousy was such a pathetic emotion.

Before I could say anything else to Rita and apologize for being such an idiot, Jack was by my side. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed me tightly.

He was grinning at Rita when he said, “So, when do we get started?”

***

Jack

Brian arrived two days after I’d first called him.

I found him waiting in the hall after one of the members of staff had let him in to Benjamin’s house.
 

He held out his hand to me formally. “Jack. It’s good to see you, man.”

I ignored his outstretched hand and pulled the big man in for a bear hug, slapping him on the back. “I’m glad you could come. I appreciate it.”

Brian looked a little taken aback at my enthusiastic welcome. I guess I’d never really shown before quite how much I appreciated what he had done for me. I would be the first to admit that I could be difficult. Maybe it came from being a youngest child, or maybe it was because I’d coasted through life without many setbacks, until now.
 

Before Brian, there had been lots of physiotherapy staff and medical personnel who had abandoned their jobs as they’d refused to put up with my shit. Who could blame them?

But Brian had ignored my temper tantrums. My cruel words left him unaffected, like water off a duck’s back.

“You didn’t really leave me much choice,” Brian said. “But I’m still not convinced I’m the best person for this job.”

I understood what he meant. Brian might not have the appropriate level of training and experience to train a racing driver, but what he had was more important. He knew me. He knew my weaknesses and he knew my strengths. I had every confidence that Brian would kick my butt until I was in the best shape of my life.

“We’ll get another coach in as well. One of the best. But he’ll work for you,” I said dismissively. “Did you settle in at the hotel okay?”

Brian nodded.
 

I’d arranged a suite for him at a hotel in Providence, figuring that Brian would prefer some privacy, and that Benjamin Easton probably didn’t want me and my entourage taking over his house.