Avery Williams brings out the caveman in me. My men have seen me do some fucked up shit, but they’ve never seen me like this before. I’m on my fucking knees for her. I have never got on my knees for anyone before.
The scent of her skin seeps into my nose and crawls into my lungs. I brush my nose over her clit and she gasps. If she thinks this is going to be over quickly, she’s wrong. Sterling and Walsh, and every other man in the vicinity will be left in absolutely no doubt that she is mine. That I’m the only man who gets to touch her, to taste her, and to ogle her breasts.
‘Killian,’ her voice is breathy with need.
I tilt my head back until our eyes lock. Hers are pure molten lava. I trail my finger from her knee, up the inside of her thigh slowly, to the black Lycra triangle covering the junction between her legs. When I reach the hem of the fabric, I trace all the way down again.
‘I fucking hate you.’ She bucks her pelvis and satisfaction slivers into my soul.
‘I never said I’d make it quick, sweetheart.’ I grab her peachy ass cheeks and hold her squirming pelvis still, rubbing my nose over her clit in a circular motion. She writhes and moans and again, I find myself laughing. This is the most fun I’ve had in years.
‘If you don’t pull my bikini bottoms out of the way soon, I’m going to die,’ she complains.
‘Drama queen.’ But I take pity on her and yank the fabric out of the way. It’s my turn to hiss. Her arousal glistens like an invitation. Fuck, she’s so fucking perfect.
‘Everyone is watching,’ she whispers.
‘Eyes on me.’
Her pupils are enormous as they lock on mine. Electricity short circuits between us. My cock is so fucking hard it’s painful. I inch forward, without breaking our stare, and glide my tongue over her seam. Fuck, she tastes as good as I knew she would. Her pelvis jerks and she hisses, but I hold her hips firmly in position while I lick her, savouring every languid stroke like she’s my favourite flavour ice cream.
‘Killian,’ she pants, parting her legs further for me.
I love the way she says my name. I love the way she spreads her thighs for me. I love her like this, surrendered to me and writhing with need. All trace of attitude obliterated by sheer animalistic instinct.
I pause and she moans. ‘Don’t you dare come yet.’ If this is one time only, I’m nowhere near ready for it to be over yet.
‘I won’t be able to help it.’ Her hand reaches for my hair and she threads her fingers through it, which oddly enough feels almost as intimate as sliding my tongue through her sex. I don’t want to analyse why. Instead, I capture her clit with my mouth and suck. She moans so loudly they can probably hear her on the moon. I trail my fingers up her inner thigh. Her arousal is dripping from her. I knew she’d be responsive, but fucking hell, she is soaking for me. I dip my tongue lower, lapping up every drop while she watches through hooded, lust-filled eyes.
Her thighs tighten, quads tremble. She’s teetering on the edge of oblivion, which is why I slow to a stop.
‘Don’t you dare leave me hanging.’ Her voice is part desire and part demanding.
‘I’m just enjoying the view before it’s gone for good.’ I offer her another slow, thorough lick and she mews like a fucking cat.
‘Is that another compliment?’ She wets her lips. ‘I think I’m growing on you.’
‘Don’t get carried away now.’ I roll the tip of my tongue over her clit, which rapidly puts a stop to her smart remarks.
I push two fingers inside her tight little channel and pump. She’s so tight, so wet, so fucking magnificent I’ll be fantasising about sliding my cock in her every minute of every day for the rest of my life.
‘Please,’ she begs, when I slow to almost a stop. I’m still not ready for this to be over, but I think I’ve made my point—both to Avery and my men. She is off-limits.
‘Please, what?’ I snap my head away.
‘Please let me come now.’
I add a third finger and she parts her legs further again. Easy to tell the woman was a pole dancer; she’s lithe and flexible and supple. Sex with her would be sublime. Shame I can’t go there. ‘Are you going to be a good girl and put your top back on?’
‘Yes.’ Her voice cracks with desire.
‘Good.’ I flatten my tongue against her and increase the pace with my fingers. It takes less than three seconds for her to erupt. Her tight channel squeezes my fingers in a vice-like grip as her hands tug my hair.
‘Fuck,’ she screams, just in case anyone hadn’t quite noticed that she’s exploding from the inside out. I smile against her sex, lapping up every single drop without breaking eye contact.
Avery Williams is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I have every single picture she ever posed for in my office at home—not that I’d ever admit that to her—but this? With her starry eyes and orgasm flushed cheeks, this is the most sublime image of her I’ve ever seen. It will live rent free in my head for the rest of my days.
When she finally stops shaking, I pull her bikini bottoms back securely in place and give her one more little kiss there—for my benefit, not hers.
I stand, towering above her. The warm breeze wafts her loose lustrous hair behind her, exposing her long slender neck. What I wouldn’t do to sink my teeth into her—and my cock—but no.
Enough is enough.
‘Can I…?’ Her gaze falls to the bulge in my shorts.
‘Absolutely not.’ Even if my poor dick is disgusted with me. I head back towards the sun lounger and snatch up Avery’s bikini top between my fingers. ‘A deal is a deal.’ I hand it to her, staring at her pointedly.
She blows out a breath. ‘Fine. But if I have tan lines next week, I’m blaming you.’ She slips the black strings around her shoulder and ties it, securing those perfect tits with two triangles. She leans back on the half-height wall, fingers gripping the chrome bar lining the top of it like she doesn’t quite trust her legs not to give way beneath her. A fresh wave of satisfaction curls in my core as her perfect white teeth dig into her lower lip. She hesitates, like she wants to say something but can’t.
‘Spit it out, Avery. It’s not like you to be quiet.’
‘I, er…’ She glances at the wooden decking, then back up to meet my eyes. ‘Thank you,’ she whispers, almost shyly. Her gaze darts to the front of the yacht where Sterling and Walsh suddenly appear engrossed in something ahead of them.
‘It was my pleasure.’ I just hope it’s not my undoing, because even though I was the one that said “just once”, now I’ve had a taste of her, doing that again might be something even I can’t control.
Thomson arrives back on deck from below with Avery’s cocktail in one hand. Great timing. I don’t give a fuck what any of my men think of me. They once watched me remove a rapist’s fingers one by one, but Thomson’s married happy heart would probably have felt violated at the show I just starred in. Though I don’t doubt he’ll hear every depraved detail from Sterling later.
One look at Thomson’s furrowed features informs me we have a problem.
‘What is it?’ I bark, striding towards him.
‘There’s something below deck you should see, boss.’ His tone is low and hushed.
Every muscle in my back tenses, every single hair on my neck pricks to attention.
‘Sterling.’ I beckon him over.
‘Take this to Miss Williams,’ I snatch the drink from Thomson and push it into his hands. ‘Do not leave her side until I return.’ I turn to Walsh, who’s hovering next to me. ‘You too.’ The graveness of my tone has them standing a little straighter.
I follow Thomson down the narrow winding stairs below deck. My Glock presses against my thigh as I pull it from the pocket of my shorts, nodding for Thomson to do the same. The master cabin door is ajar. On the crisp white bedding lies a single black calla lily, its stem wrapped in cream cardstock. The message hits like a tactical round to my chest.
You let him taste what’s mine. It won’t happen again.
I check my watch.
Ten minutes.
That’s how long I spent with my face between her legs. Which means this sick fuck was watching, waiting.
‘How?’ I whisper to Thomson. This psychotic bastard is terrifyingly good at evasion.
‘I heard footsteps earlier, sir. Assumed it was one of Marcel’s crew. I checked the entire yacht before we left. There was no one here but us.’ His face is ashen.
‘Time frame?’
‘Eight minutes ago.’
I motion toward the stern exit. ‘Take port side. I’ll go starboard. Full sweep.’ My voice is low but lethal. ‘Then we get her the fuck off this boat.’
We clear every cabin, every storage space, even the engine room.
Nothing. Which means our stalker is either a highly skilled diver, or I’ve got a serious fucking problem in my ranks.
No. That’s impossible.
How could I have been so careless? He was within shooting distance, a fact which I might have noticed had my face not been buried between Avery’s legs. Her killer curves and my own obsession with them could have been the literal cause of her death.
I will never touch her again.
Not because he said so, but because I can’t afford one second of distraction, because in one stupid moment of weakness, I handed this psychopath exactly what he wanted—proof she’s vulnerable. Proof I can be distracted.
And I had the cheek to call her reckless. Fuck.
Back on deck, Avery’s sprawled on the sun lounger, martini balanced between manicured fingers, completely oblivious to how close danger came. For a moment, watching the sunlight play across her peaceful features, I hate that I have to shatter her tranquillity. But better a broken bubble than a broken neck. Maybe now she’ll finally understand the gravity of what we’re dealing with.
‘We need to get back to the hotel.’
Sterling and Walsh start gathering Avery’s things.
‘What? But we haven’t even reached Colombier Beach—’
‘And we’re not going to.’ I bite. ‘There was another lily. With another message.’
I watch as confusion sweeps over her face. ‘But how?’ She sweeps an arm around the deck at my team. ‘Where?’
‘Below deck.’ I hate myself for putting her in danger because of my own selfish needs.
Her blue eyes dim. ‘What did it say?’
I debate how much to tell her, then opt for everything. Maybe it will terrify her enough to stop goading and distracting me. ‘He was watching us on deck. Saw everything.’
‘Everything?’ A blush stains her cheeks. Her hand flies over her mouth in horror. ‘What did he say?’
‘His exact words were, “You let him taste what’s mine. It won’t happen again.”’ Rage rips through every fibre of my body.
The colour drains from her face. ‘How did he even get onboard?’
‘That’s what I intend to find out.’
I motion to Sterling and Walsh. ‘Call ahead. Have forensics waiting when we dock.’
This fucker is even more dangerous than I gave him credit for.
