Soul Ties (Club Ties #4) (17 page)

Connall made it appear he was racking his brain for the answer to Jamison’s question. He shook his head. “I can’t remember, man. I’m sorry.”

“The only thing he was meant to pick up were guns. He did that.”

“Maybe this wasn’t club business,” Connall led them on a side track.

“Harris, did he say anything to you?” Jamison asked.

“No, boss.”

“The only person closer to him is Sarah.” Jamison lightly thumped a fist on the table. “I think we’ve got to question her.”

Fuck.

Connall stared at the head of the table and the man who could make or break a young and vulnerable woman. If questioned, Sarah would crack, and then they’d toss her out. Connall wouldn’t be able to stop it.

“Let me talk to her,” he offered, getting to his feet. He met Jamison’s gaze. The prez looked at him for a long time, as if assessing whether or not he could trust Connall to do this job.

“I have her trust. She’ll tell me whatever she knows,” Connall pressed.

At last Jamison nodded. “Make it happen.”

»»•««

Sarah awakened to someone slipping into bed with her. Bolting upright, she reached for her knife in her boot. Her grip was off and she adjusted her fingers just as a big hand clasped around hers.

Oh God. O’Dovey.
His strength made her drop her knife and then reality flooded in.

“Rocket?”

“Fuck no,” Connall swore heatedly. “It’s me.”

She threw herself back on the bed and curled onto her side, arm slung over her eyes. Her chest bubbled with delayed terror, and her breathing was harsh. The clink of her knife on the nightstand plucked her nerves.

“Sweetheart.” He rested a warm hand on her thigh and crawled up the bed beside her. When he took her in his arms, she clamped her fingers on his shirt front and gave herself over to his care.

She counted backward from one hundred and envisioned things she loved—the wide open highways and wind in her hair. Calmer, she relaxed her grip.

“Better?” He grazed his lips over her forehead.

She nodded, eyes closed, sucking in deep breaths of his scent. He was leather and whiskey. And an underlying hint of fabric softener. “Better,” she murmured.

“Why did you think I was Rocket?” His tone was half annoyed, half amused. At least she thought so. She wasn’t good at reading Connall yet, especially in the dark.
And when he’s clothed.

She extracted herself from his hold and stole a glance at him. “When I fell asleep, he was the only person in the house.”

“So you automatically thought he was getting into bed with you? Sweetheart, I need to know—were you used that way?”

“No,” she said at once.

He leaned onto one elbow and hovered over her.

“It’s true. I was respected. I
am
respected. Only O-O’Dovey crossed the line.”

“Good. Because I’d go around killing every man who touched you without consent. Hell, if they’ve even sent you an unsolicited dick pic, I’ll cut out their fucking hearts.”

Goosebumps prickled all over her body at his dark oath. “It’s not that way, Connall.”

“Good. Now flip over.”

She woke up fully, blinking at his shadowed face. “What?”

“Have you forgotten? I told you I’d have you on your hands and knees when I came home.”

Her nipples pinched hard. She sucked in a sharp breath and battled between apprehension and utter lust. The idea of Connall’s hand on her ass made her pussy soaking wet. It worried her even as it thrilled.

“Now.” His command made her look at him more closely. His mouth was stern and his face unreadable.

“What if I don’t want to?”

“You need this, Sarah.” His scrubbed a hand over his face, and for the first time she saw how strained he looked.

“I need this or you do?”

“We both do.”

They stared at each other, at a standoff.

“Sarah.” His warning tone infiltrated her whole body. Goosebumps broke out on her overheated skin. He sat on the edge of the bed and drew her hand into his. The light rasp of his fingers on the back of hers eased some of her worry. But not all. “You compromised yourself.”

“I kept Rocket alive.”

“Do you actually believe they would have killed him?”

“Don’t you?”

He didn’t answer right away, but finally he shook his head. “No, but he got what he deserved. I know you agree with me.”

She jutted her jaw and refused to reply. When he pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger, she resisted the urge to lean into his touch. What she needed, he could give. He offered it freely.

When she drifted, he pulled her back to reality. Even his raw, primal side centered her.

“And you brought him here, knowing the Sons wouldn’t agree with it.”

She looked away. “I’d do it again.”

He ran his thumb over her lower lip, back and forth, mesmerizing her with his gaze and the lust she saw there. “That’s who you are, and I wouldn’t change you. But I will teach you that you need to start putting yourself first. On your hands and knees, Sarah.”

Her breath hitched, and need swallowed her. Dizzy, she rolled onto her hand and knees. He shifted behind her and she could nearly feel his hot gaze roving over her backside. A deep flutter began in her core, spreading outward until she could barely hold still. She needed his touch so damn bad.

And he knew it.

“Ease down your jeans and panties.”

Heart pounding like a jackhammer, she unfastened her fly and slid her tight jeans over her hips. She dragged her panties with them, too aware of her wet pussy. When she bared her entire ass, he said, “That’s enough.”

With her thighs still trapped, she thought she’d go crazy if she couldn’t spread her legs and feel his fingers in her pussy. She started to shimmy her jeans down further.

“No,” he barked.

Pressure spread through her belly and her pussy clenched hard.

“Stay just like that. I want you to concentrate on the sound of my hand on your ass. And think of yourself totally in my hands, in my control.” He placed his big hand around the curve of her right ass check. “Ready?”

Oh God, no.
She hesitated for several heartbeats.

His hot breath caressed her neck as he leaned over her. “I’ve got you. Trust me, Sweetheart.”

She barely nodded and the first smack came. Stinging tender flesh. She squeezed her eyes shut as he spanked her left buttocks. Harder. She shied away. He planted a hand on her hip and held her. God, she needed him.

“Connall!”

She felt his rising excitement. It hung in the air like a blood-red miasma. She was breathing it in, choking on it. No, those were her tears.

A sob rushed up, and she realized she’d been holding the emotion in for hours. Since Rocket’s mess back at the club, she’d needed a good, cleansing cry.

By the fourth smack adrenaline hit her system. She flipped over. Connall grabbed her, and she fought as if he were her attacker. As if he were O’Dovey.

“No!” She batted at his hands. He crushed his lips down on hers, but she didn’t taste O’Dovey’s fetid beer breath—just pure, delicious Connall.

She sank her teeth into his lower lip, and he rolled her back onto her hands and knees as if she had no muscle power. Against him, she didn’t. He seemed determined to continue, but she was finished.

“Let me up, you fucker,” she cried.

“Call me that again and you get another smack tacked on.” When he caressed her ass, she bit off a groan of need.

“Fuck you!” She kicked and made it onto her side. Panting, she stared up at him.

“That’s it, little wildcat.” His eyes glowed with something that both excited and frightened her. She balled a fist and swung at him. He caught her hand and pinned it above her head. Then he ground his thick cock right where she wanted it most. She arched upward, but he was gone.

He rolled her over again and delivered three more smacks that left her breathless. One more and her tears erupted. She issued a long wail—both fury and agony.

“You won’t get yourself in any more trouble, Sarah. Do you understand?”
Smack, smack.

Tears dripped to the sheets. For a moment she watched the pale blue color darken and then her eyes blurred too much. “Connall,” she whimpered.

He massaged each globe with all the tenderness of the lover she knew. He skimmed a fingertip down her seam, over her pucker, to her pussy, still mostly trapped in her jeans.

“My little beauty. You won’t put yourself in harm’s way again. Understand?”

“Y-yes. Please touch me.”

“I’m not finished. Not by far, Sweetheart.” He smoothed his palm over her hot skin. Juices soaked her.

“Touch me, Connall.”

He blanketed her back with his chest and snaked his tongue over her ear. “Like this?” He pushed down the bulk of her clothes until cool air rushed over her swollen pussy. Using a single finger, he probed her slit from behind, running down, down, to settle over her throbbing bud.

A cry left her.

“Fuck, you took that so perfectly. I hate to stop. You were just letting go.”

“No. Please. I’m ready.”

“Ready for this?” He dipped his finger into her pussy. Her body clamped around the invasion, but it wasn’t enough. What had he said? Not by far.

“I need more.”

“You get what I give you. I’m in charge of your pleasure from now on. You don’t even go to Ever without asking me first.” He plunged two fingers deep.

She couldn’t hold still. Bucking against his hand, she took what she needed. Right now, it was an absolute need to come. Release would be as healing as her tears had been.

“H-how do you know about Ever?” she said unevenly as he curled his fingers against her inner wall. Cream flooded his hand, and she melted into his touch.

“Jamison told me. I wanted to punch his goddamn teeth out.”

She shook her head. Or rather, she wagged it back and forth, listening to her inner hum as hot pleasure spiked inside her.

“I wanted to hurt him because he knows your flavors. Now tell me, Sweetheart, how does he know?” He pushed upward, right in her g-spot. She pulsated, on the crest of ecstasy, but he wouldn’t let her reach it.

She tossed a glance over her shoulder, but couldn’t get a good look at him. She needed to see his eyes when she told him, but he wasn’t giving her a choice.

“Tell me, goddammit.” He started to withdraw his fingers. To leave her.

Gasping, her words came out in a rush. “After I’ve been with Ever, he kisses me. He says her tastes belong to…to him.”

Connall fell completely still. His power was harnessed but she felt it back-building.

In a wild flurry, he tossed her onto her back and ripped off her clothes. In seconds she was bare and he was coming into her, sinking again and again. Without barriers.

“Connall, I’m not on birth control.”

He threw his head back and roared. The cords standing out on his neck were the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. His wildness contradicted everything her mind knew about him.

Pushing away, he got a condom on in two jerky moves. Then slammed back inside her. She splayed her legs to bring him deeper. Their gazes collided and another tear rolled down her cheek.

“Oh Sweetheart.” He caught it on his thumb and brought the wetness to his mouth, sucking it off. “You’re mine. You hear me?”

She nodded and wrapped her arms around him and her legs around him. Letting him mold her to fit him perfectly.

∙
•
∙

Connall pumped his hips to the wild beat of his heart. Fuck, she was hot and tight. Wetter than ever. All because he’d loosened her, broken her down, and now was claiming her body and soul.

Heat gathered at the base of his spine, and he held onto the feel of stepping down and finding the stairs weren’t there. “You aren’t taking all this burden. It’s mine. You’re mine, do you hear?”

“Yesss. Connall. So close.”

He focused on her beautiful face and bitten lips. Reaching under her, he brought her off the bed and drew her into his thrusts. The bed shook and in the other room, he heard the faintest creak—Rocket rousing from his pain-med stupor.

Let him hear and know who she belongs to.

Connall stared into her eyes just as she came apart. Shuddering at first and then quaking as she dragged her nails over his spine and screamed his name. Tight heat clenched around him, and he felt it down into his balls.

“Fuck,” he grated out as his own release slammed him. Hot, throbbing spurts stole his mind, and he claimed her mouth with a beastly grunt. She plunged her tongue into his mouth, and that was it for him.

He lost a piece of himself.

Not a tiny scrap of feeling—the only thing he’d believed he had left after Lorraine. No, the portion he gave Sarah was much, much bigger.

He lowered her to the bed and collapsed atop her. She continued to kiss him. Each slow sweet move of her tongue healed him as much as her tears had eased her. He tasted her salt and let the moments sink into his memory.

When she broke the kiss, he realized he still slid in and out of her pussy, extending so much pleasure. He didn’t deserve it, but he’d grab it with both hands, dammit.

As he curled a hand around her backside, she winced. “All right?”

“Yes. A little tender.”

“Let me take care of you.” He withdrew from her body with a final shudder. Then he went into the bathroom and let cold water run over a washcloth. He wrung it out and returned to her.

Her face was wet with tears and her throat red. But the slightest hint of happiness shone in her beautiful eyes. Pushing back a lock of her hair, he rested his gaze on hers. “Roll over and let me take care of you.”

She did without hesitation this time, and when he saw his livid red handprints on her ass cheeks, pride tightened his chest.

Biting back a noise, he spread the wet cloth over the reddest part. She hissed, and he watched her closely. “Is it bad?”

“No,” she said quietly. As he cooled her flesh, she seemed to calm so much. Far more than he’d expected. Hell, she was so giving, even when he was trying to take everything from her.

He lay beside her and gathered her into his arms. She tucked her head beneath his chin. When he felt her lips moving over his throat, he hardened instantly.