Moaning, I relax, allowing myself to get lost in the feel of his mouth on mine. His tongue slips between my lips, and I meet his advances with my own. My hands travel up the expanse of his broad, muscular chest before I wrap them around his neck. I can’t press completely into him because two bundles of joy have decided to be cock blockers.
The reminder of pregnancy splashes cold water over my face. I want to get lost in his arms forever, but we have a lot to discuss.
Sighing, I step back, and Karl grumbles, making me snort. “We need to finish talking. I have questions. Ones that need to be answered before I can let any of you back in.”
He studies me more for a moment, then groans, “I know. I don’t have to like it, though.”
My snort morphs into a full laugh as I shake my head, tugging him to sit on my couch. None of my questions will be answered if we sit on the bed.
“You would laugh at my pain,” Karl grumbles, gripping himself through his pants.
Biting my lip, I reason with myself, arguing that just a few touches before we discuss things can’t hurt.
Down, you horny bitch. I hear him snicker and pinch his side. “Now, who’s laughing at who?”
His hand glides up my thigh and squeezes as a mischievous smile crests his face. Karl leans over, wrapping his lips around my peaked nipple and sucking through my shirt while cupping my other breast. I throw my head back, welcoming the sensations coursing through my body. My pussy clenches, and I desperately want to table our conversation until we both come.
Karl nips the raised peak before renewing his assault. His hand drops from my chest, dipping beneath the fabric of my lounge pants. My legs fall open, giving him greater access, and he rewards me by swirling the tips of his fingers over my clit.
Desperately needing more, I lift my hips and grind in sync with his pace. I’m about to say fuck it when his mouth and hands disappear. “Time to talk,” he teases, and now I want to murder him for a completely different reason.
“Stupid touching me and getting me turned on when you know we need to have a serious discussion fucker,” I mumble. Only serving to make him laugh harder.
My eyes narrow to slits as I reach down and grab his shaft, pumping him through his sweats. “Fuck, Angel,” Karl grunts as his gaze heats. I increase my pace, and he reaches for me. I pat his hand away and release my grip on his dick.
Karl protests, and I smile in victory. He shakes his head, then clears his throat, adjusting himself before raising his hands. “Okay. Okay. I surrender. Ask away. Just know once we’re finished, I’m going to make you choke on my cock after you ride my face.”
Licking my lips, I catch my breath and give him a few moments to collect himself before I ask, “Why couldn’t any of you tell me?”
“We couldn’t risk you getting hurt. There were and still are too many unknown variables, and none of us are willing to put you in harm’s way. Especially once we found out you are pregnant.” He pauses, staring deep into my eyes before he continues. “A snowball has a greater chance in hell than any scenario where we allow you to get hurt. We stayed away as much as it pained us. I was a literal walking time bomb.”
I clench my fists. All my earlier lust is doused at the reminder of the explosive implanted in his body. I’m going to peel Samantha’s skin off before feeding what’s left of her to that fucking prink of a senator.
Part of me warms to their steadfast need to keep me safe. The other part still wants to stomp on their dicks for not at least telling me.
“But the football game?” I inquire.
“It was a very slim window of opportunity I selfishly took advantage of. I was drowning without you. Seeing you but not being able to love you the way you deserve cracked me open. It was a stupid move. One of the guys made sure I understood.”
A scene I’ve desperately tried to scrub from my memory flits across my mind. “The engagement party. When she. . . when she. . .” I can’t make myself say the words.
Understanding my struggle, Karl replies, “It was the only way to get her close enough to deactivate the chip. I’ll be sorry for how I treated you that night and what it caused for the rest of my life.” His eyes well with tears, a lone one cascades down his face, but before they can finish its descent, I lean forward and lick it away. Then I lift his hand to the “O” near my heart.
“That musty cunt rag and the slimy senator don’t get any more of any of our heartache.” I rise and straddle his lap before continuing. “They only get to lay at the feet of our rage before we end them.”
LIAM
“Did you get the folder I sent?” I ask Teagan as she walks back into the frame with a plate of cake.
“Sure did. I’ll look at it once I finish this red velvet cake,” she replies, plunking down in her chair.
Snorting, I work on inputting the string code. Even though Baker and Samantha are on the campaign trail, we need to be ready. They won’t take their plans being thwarted well, so it’s only a matter of time before they strike back. “I think we can-” I pause, squinting to make sure I’m seeing things clearly. “Are you eating your cake with a knife and spoon?”
I watch Teagan do a happy dance while she cuts a piece of her cake and then pushes it onto the spoon. “Judge your mother, bitch, and let me be great,” she quips, kicking her feet up on her desk.
Stifling a laugh, I shake my head and refocus on the task before me. We’ve been working on a way to permanently take control of any chips and the devices made to activate them.
Moments later, my phone buzzes. Picking it up off my desk, I notice it’s Emma calling. “Dove,” I breathe, grateful she’s on the line.
“Hey, Liam,” she replies as I hold up a finger, signaling I’ll be back to Teagan.
I clear my throat, stepping into my bathroom for more privacy. “Are you okay?” I inquire, worrying something’s wrong.
“Yeah, I uh. . . I was reading Rowan’s journal and had a few questions about the explosive they implanted into Karl.”
My shoulders relax, and the tension I don’t realize I’m feeling eases. “Of course. Ask me anything.”
“Do you mind coming over? I’d really prefer to do this in person. It would be the most secure way to discuss what happened.”
I fist pump the air, ecstatic she wants to see me, even if it’s only to answer questions. Then I remember she’s waiting for an answer. “Absolutely,” I state, trying to sound composed. “What time did you have in mind? I’m finishing up a few things, but I should be done in the next two hours.”
“Perfect,” Emma exclaims. “I want to read more of the journal and take a nap. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” We exchange goodbyes, and I wait until she hangs up. Even more motivated, I burst through the door.
Teagan looks up, her plate now gone. “What has that ridiculously happy smile on your face, Washington?”
“My woman wants to see me,” I blurt out.
Smirking, Teagan states, “I take it things are going well then?”
“It’s moving in the right direction,” I confess because Emma wanting to see and speak to me is everything I’ve been wishing for since June.
“Well then, I guess we should get a move on,” Teagan infers, and I nod, sitting before she pulls the code up on our shared screen. “This part right here,” she circles with the computerized pen. “We need to switch a few commands, but I’m positive this is what we need.”
I study our work, reading to see what we need to change to make this work. Pointing to three other areas, I suggest moving around two more lines before we rerun it.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.