Junkie (Broken Doll #1) (18 page)

“Miri…” Jag reached for one of my hands but I curled back into myself, tucking them under my armpits. He frowned at my snub, but collected himself quickly. His eyes shone and for the first time since we met, the fearless man in front of me looked… scared. “You’ve been clean for two weeks.”

My mouth fell open and it took me a minute to snap it shut. “I-I don’t understand.” With my hands still under my arms, I gripped my sides, digging my fingers into my ribs. “I’ve… I’ve still been getting injections—”

“Saline.” Jag shifted on the bench, moving closer. The breeze caught the scent of his cologne and body wash, blowing it to my side of the swing. I inhaled deep, the smell bringing back memories of last night, of the time in the garage, of his hands and mouth all over my body. My eyes closed as I replayed the tenderness of his kiss, how it turned demanding and possessive in a way I couldn’t explain yet it thrilled me nonetheless. I recalled the velvet slide of his tongue across my skin and the sharp bite of his teeth as he brutally marked me.

“Miri?” A light touch on my leg jolted me back to the present.

“So what are you saying? I’m totally clean?” A bead of sweat trickled between my shoulder blades. It couldn’t be that easy. I couldn’t possibly be drug free. No withdrawals, no pain, no diarrhea, no cramping, no vomiting?

Jag’s smile faded and his tentative touch became a heavy weight, pressing down on my leg. “I’ve been weaning you off since you got here. You deserve better, Miri. I couldn’t… I
wouldn’t
, keep you hooked on that poisonous shit.” He squeezed his eyes shut and his beautiful face contorted in pain. When Jag finally opened his eyes, the heartache reflected in their depths was as plain as day.

“But you sell heroin. You’re a
drug dealer
and you’re calling it poison? I don’t understand.”

Jag stood, extending his hand. He was giving me a choice, to go with him or stay here. As angry as I was about last night, and his absence this morning, my inexplicable need for him won over holding a grudge. I slid my shaking hand into his and every anxiety melted away. Somehow, Jag made everything better just by being nearby. Yes, he was a violent drug lord. Yes, he was capable of horrific, terrible things. Illegal things. Yes, he hurt me this morning.

But I needed to know more. I needed to know the real Jag, the man who loved motorcycles and fast cars and took in homeless addicts only to clean them up and give them a second chance at life. He had his shitty moments for sure, but I knew deep down, Jag was a good person. A good man. A worthy man.

Jag pulled me to my feet until I was standing in front of him, separated by a couple of inches and a mountain of secrets. Secrets I intended on digging out one at a time, even if it meant revealing my own. His hand in mine, I threaded our fingers together and forced my body to relax. Jag gave me a crooked grin, revealing his swoon-inducing dimples, and tugged me down the stairs.

“Let’s go, doll.”

I’ll go wherever you want. You don’t even have to ask.

M
iri handed
me her helmet and hopped off the Ducati. I swung my leg over the bike and placed the helmet on the seat and put my own next to it. I didn’t come down to the lake on the Ducati very often. Maybe twice in the last year. Maneuvering the powerful bike across the sixty yards of treacherous, unpaved, rocky ground leading from the road to the edge of the lake meant fighting to keep the heavy machine balanced. Plus, with Miri on the back, even as small as she was, the entire process was a million times more difficult. Somehow, we made it without me dropping the bike.

“This is beautiful.”

Miri faced the lake, her back to me, but I could see her excitement in the way she held herself—shoulders relaxed, one hand at her side, the other shading her eyes from the bright midday sun reflecting off the lake. Pieces of her windblown hair escaped from their tie and fluttered in the breeze.

God, she is fucking gorgeous.

I wanted her by my side every minute of every day. I stepped up behind Miri and slid my hands around her tiny waist, pulling her flush against my chest. Miri was so petite I could rest my chin on the top of her head.

“I come here sometimes when I need to forget,” I said, ducking my head to inhale the sweet scent of her hair.

Miri tilted her head back to look up at me. “Forget?”

I pointed to a flat area next to the shore. “Head over to that spot, doll. I’ll be there in a sec.”

Miri’s eyes narrowed, those emerald green irises sparkling with curiosity, but she stepped out of my embrace and walked toward the small grassy square, somewhat brown from drought, without asking a single question. I unstrapped the tailpack and slung it over my shoulder. Miri was pissed at me over something, I just had to figure out what. I’d gone over the events of last night a million times and couldn’t think of a single thing I could have done to make her as furious as she was this morning when I found her in the gazebo. Hell, if looks could kill, I’d ‘ave keeled over on the spot.

Jase was scared shitless to inform me that Miri refused her morning dose of heroin. I just about laughed in his face. He didn’t know I had been waiting for this day to come, the day she decided on her own that it was time to get clean. It had to be Miri’s decision, not mine. She needed to be in a place mentally where she felt strong enough to not need the drugs anymore, even though technically I’d already weaned her off.

Right now, I was damn lucky Miri wasn’t pissed about being tricked with the injections. In fact, she seemed downright pleased to be drug free. Going by her hostile facial expression right before I told her, I’d half expected a kick to the balls.

Miri’s boots were discarded on the tiny beach and her jeans were rolled up as she dipped her toes in the lake. Smiling, I opened the pack and spread out a thin blanket. I put her boots on two of the corners and mine on the other two to keep the blanket from curling up in the light breeze. Miri must have heard me approaching, because she spoke without turning away from the view.

“This is something else, Jag. I can see why you like to come here.”

I slid my arms around her and followed her line of sight. Lake Travis sprawled out in every direction. Deep blue water gently lapped at the small strip of sand between the edge of the lake and the beginning of the tree line. It was the perfect temperature—cool enough to be refreshing but not cold.

“People camp here durin’ the high season, but it’s pretty much empty the rest of the year.” Miri giggled and the sweet sound made my stomach do flips. “What?” I asked, grinning at her amusement. She definitely didn’t laugh enough. I would have to change that.

“You.” She turned in my arms, putting her hands on my shoulders. I moved my hands to her hips, basking in the radiance of her smile. “When you’re excited, your Texas accent comes out.”

I let out an indignant huff. “I do not have a Texas accent.”

“You do. It’s adorable.” I was about to argue when Miri stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss on my lips. “And sexy,” she whispered against my mouth.

Groaning, I clutched at her waist and tugged her forward, holding her against my body. I deepened the kiss, desperate to taste her again—I had been since the minute I left her room last night. Miri opened beautifully, giving me free rein to greedily devour her mouth. I licked every surface of the hot, wet cavern, twisting my tongue around hers. Consuming. Claiming. Owning. Only when breathing became a necessity did I pull back. My gaze dropped to her swollen lips and up to her dilated pupils. I ran the pad of my thumb across her slick lower lip.

“So fucking perfect.” She nipped at my thumb and sucked it into her mouth, occasionally sinking her teeth into my flesh. “Jesus, doll.” I hissed when her tongue swirled around the end of my thumb and she increased the suction. “Shit!” My cock jerked and I pulled my hand away. Miri moped like a kid who had her lollipop snatched right out of her hands.

Chest heaving, I stepped back and ran my fingers through my hair, struggling to regain my composure.

Talk first. Fuck later.

“Come on, doll. Let’s sit.”

I walked to the blanket and sat. Miri took a moment to pout, but eventually followed, sporting an adorable, petulant look as she dropped next to me. I pulled a bottle of water out of the pack and offered her some. She shook her head so I put it away. With a sigh, I leaned back, my upper body propped on my elbows.

“Are you mad at me, doll?” With the sun shining in the sky behind her, I had to squint to see Miri’s face. Her brilliant red hair literally shone in the sunlight, forming a fiery halo around her head. A light breeze blew loose strands across her face, a few sticking to her lips.

Miri shrugged and fiddled with a length of that stunning red hair. “I’m not sure.”

She was going to make me drag it out of her.

“Explain.” Miri huffed at my demand and rolled her eyes. It was so fucking cute I had to concentrate on not smiling. “Is it because I weaned the heroin?” I asked, knowing that wasn’t the issue.

“No. It’s…” Miri shifted and lay down on her back next to me, folding her hands over her stomach to stare up at the cloudless blue sky. “You left.”

I lowered all the way to the ground, angling my head to watch her carefully. “Left? I don’t understand.”

“It sounds so stupid.”

“You’re not stupid. Nothing you say is stupid, Miri. Tell me.”

She sighed and twisted to face me, our noses inches apart. “I woke up and you were gone.” Her cheeks flushed pink and she shifted her gaze. Nervous fingers picked at a thread on the blanket.

“Doll…” When Miri didn’t respond, I took her chin in my fingers and nudged it until she met my gaze. “There was an emergency in the middle of the night. I
was
with you, but I had to get up and deal with something work related. By the time it was taken care of, it was too late to come back to bed.”

Her face glowed an even deeper shade of red. That gorgeous, pale, milky skin colored so fucking perfectly, it had me hardening in my pants.

“Oh.”

She thought I fucked and ditched her. No wonder she was pissed.

Miri squeaked when I rolled, ending up on top of her, stretched out until every part of our bodies was aligned from chest to toes. “Nothing but an emergency could ever get me to leave your bed.”

Miri blinked those strawberry blonde lashes and her ruby lips fell open. I could feel the quickening beat of her heart against my own. “What you said before… That… that I’m yours. Is it true?”

I lowered my head until my mouth grazed hers. “Do you want it to be true? Do you want to be mine? Because I gotta tell you, doll, the thought of anyone else touchin’ you drives me fucking insane with jealousy.”

Those big green eyes never left mine. Miri swallowed and her pupils dilated. “You… you make me feel safe. I want to be with you. I want to be yours.”

“Then you’re mine.”

Without warning, Miri clutched the back of my neck and yanked me down that last millimeter, crushing our lips together. She attacked my mouth as her body arched off the ground. Miri locked her slender legs around my waist and rolled her pelvis against mine. Just like that, my cock was rock hard and leaking. It responded the same way whenever Miri was around, even when there was no actual physical contact. Like this? With Miri moaning beneath me? I was helpless to resist. Desperate for more skin, I sat back on my heels and yanked her shirt over her head.

A loud groan rumbled in my chest and my dick throbbed. I reached down and squeezed the base through my jeans to stop from creaming in my pants. “Fuck, you’re going to kill me. No bra again.”

The corner of Miri’s mouth lifted in a wicked, sexy as sin smirk. “Your guy didn’t buy me any.” She laughed at the expression on my face.

“I’ll talk to him later. If he did that on purpose to get a look at your tits, I swear—”

“He’s a man, Jag. I’m sure he just forgot.” Miri squirmed and bucked her hips again, crying out in pleasure. She slid her hands over her breasts and began tugging on her tight, rosy nipples.

“Fuck.” Watching Miri work her breasts caused my brain to erase whatever we were talking about, forgotten in an instant. Lightning quick, I tore off all of my clothes and stripped her jeans and panties off, adding them to the piles of fabric surrounding the blanket.

“Hurry, Jag.” Miri was still working those tight pink buds, twisting and rolling them between her fingers while her spine curved off the ground. Miri’s legs fell apart as she licked her lips and I nearly came at the sight.

“Jesus Christ, doll.” Naked, I climbed back on top of her, lowering myself, our skin scorching hot when we touched. Electricity snapped and sizzled between us and I could practically feel the shower of sparks as we came together.

Miri licked up and down my throat, swirling her wicked tongue over the sensitive skin and taut tendons. When she sank her sharp teeth into the thick flesh at the junction of my neck and shoulder—the same as I did to her in the garage—a primal snarl tore from my throat and in one brutal stroke, I shoved my cock deep into her tight, wet heat without warning. Miri cried out against my skin and bit deep into the hard muscle.

“Son of a bitch. Ungh… Yes! Fuck, Miri. Mark me, doll.” I hissed and gritted my teeth as the pain of her bite sent a jolt of pleasure straight to my cock. “You fucking make me lose my mind. Goddamn!” Miri finally released me and dropped her head back to the blanket, her eyes closed in ecstasy. “You like marking me, doll?” Miri keened, unable to form words, her eyelids fluttering open and closed as I pounded into her tight pussy.

I pulled all the way out and her eyes flew wide open. Before she could protest, I grabbed her by the hips, flipped her to her stomach, and thrust back in. She wailed, shuddering with pleasure. I needed more contact with that soft skin, so I curled over her, covering her small body with mine, licking beads of sweat off the nape of her neck.

“Oh god, Jag… M-more.” Miri was thrashing beneath my heavy weight. I caught her hands and twined our fingers together to hold her still, then hooked her ankles with my feet, rendering her immobile.

“Don’t move, doll. Just feel.” Sweat dripped from my brow as I fucked her into the ground under the hot Texas sun. “Feel every inch of my cock as it claims your pussy.”

“I’m… ohgod, ohgod, ohgod… Jag!”

Miri’s entire body stiffened and she began to shudder almost violently. Her legs trembled and her breath hitched. A tingle shot down my spine and the familiar tightening in my balls let me know I was close. Our fingers tightened, gripping each other so hard it hurt.

“God, Miri… I’m gonna come. Oh shit.” I dropped my forehead to her shoulder and found my mark. I swiped my tongue over the dark bruise before biting it fiercely, sucking the sensitive flesh into my mouth as she cried out.

Miri jerked forcefully and seconds later her pussy gripped my cock as she let out a long wail. Her body clenching, Miri exploded into a loud, powerful climax, dragging me right over the edge with her. I came with a roar, shoving my cock into her slick heat as deep as possible while cum erupted from me in endless spurts of unthinkable ecstasy.

Dripping with sweat and exhausted, I fell to the blanket and closed my eyes to catch my breath. I could hear Miri next to me panting. I must have nodded off because the next thing I knew, something freezing cold and wet pressed against my ribs.

“Holy fuck!” I jerked to a sitting position and found Miri giggling uncontrollably, an icy bottle of water in her hand. I dragged my fingers through my hair and grinned. “You little…” Miri smirked and I couldn’t help but huff out a laugh. Her joy sure was something to see. “That wasn’t very nice.”

“I’m sorry.” Her tired grin let me know she was anything but sorry. Damn, but I loved this fun, playful Miri. It was so rare to see her relaxed and carefree.

“Yeah, sure.” I took the bottle and drank half of it down.

“You should get dressed, Jag. You’re going to get sunburnt.” As I chugged the rest of the water, I raked my greed eyes over Miri’s body, disappointed to see she already had most of her clothes on.

“I’m not a pasty-white ginger, doll. I don’t burn, I tan.”

“Don’t make fun of me, you jerk.” She giggled and shoved my shoulder.

I grabbed my clothes and threw them on, knowing we could have company at any time. The park might normally be slow this time of year, but that didn’t mean no one would stumble across us. After I shoved everything into the pack and started toward the Ducati, Miri grabbed my arm.

“What is it, doll?” Her playful expression was gone. Tiny lines formed between Miri’s brows and she chewed on her lower lip. “Hey, tell me. I won’t be angry, I promise.”

She released her lip and met my gaze. “I want to look for a job.”

My eyebrows just about launched into the air they flew up so fast. I was not expecting that. “A job?”

“I can’t live off of you forever, Jag. I need to do something. I was happy when I was working. You said I’m drug free?” She waited for me to nod in confirmation before continuing. “I want to go back to work. I supported myself for two and a half years working in a garage.”