Page 46

C harmaine

Fate.

Was there really such a thing?

Or was it just a myth and we truly made our own destiny? Maybe a little of both. All I’d been able to think about after completing my testimony was getting to Maddox. All I’d been dreaming of was being in his arms.

Four long months of longing to talk to him, to see if he was alright. Of needing to be in his arms because he was the single man in my life who’d ever made me feel completely safe.

The single threat had jerked me from some insane haze of this great new life I’d been provided by the government. Yes, I’d been grateful and yes, I’d adored the new town I’d been shipped off to with my parents in tow.

But I’d felt like a prisoner the entire time when I’d done nothing wrong.

Maddox rubbed my face, staring into my eyes with such intensity I was breathless. When he pushed me over, pulling me onto all fours, I threw my head over my shoulder. The taste of his pre-cum lingered in my mouth and I’d longed to take every drop of his sweet cream.

He was having none of it. We were both aching too much, the hunger too intense to forego having his cock deep inside. Shivering, I was taken by the wild look in his eyes. Carnal, yes, but there was something else. As if our connection had been missed by the powerful man as much as I had.

Just the way he rolled his fingers down my spine was an awakening.

The moment was tender, but I had a feeling it would be short lived.

When he cracked his hand across my bottom, all I could do was smile.

I’d missed his dominant actions, his gruffness.

I’d missed his musky scent and the way the fragrance of his aftershave had always lingered in my nostrils.

I’d longed for his touch and the aftereffects of how my skin had tingled for hours.

And I’d wanted nothing more than to wake up every morning feeling the burn between my legs from the hours of rough passion.

Had that driven me to his ranch? I wasn’t certain, but I’d kept his address locked away in a safe place, memorizing every number and the street name so that if anything happened, I could have a refuge.

Here I was.

In his house.

And in his arms.

He smacked my bottom a few additional times before sliding the tip of his cock down the crack between my buttocks. When he placed the tip against my swollen folds, I lolled my head, digging my fingers into the soft carpet beneath me.

As soon as he pushed his cockhead inside, my muscles reacted, gripping his shaft tightly.

“Fuck. Still so tight,” he muttered and slid another inch inside.

I jutted my hips back to meet him, arching my back in a blatant invitation, showing him I was in dire need. He didn’t waste any additional time, plunging the entire length inside.

“Oh, yes.” My moan was as strangled as his had been and a blanket of stars floated in front of my eyes. This was everything I’d dreamt about, the makings of the perfect fantasy.

Maddox took a deep breath before pulling out, thrusting into me again. He stretched my muscles until I was tingling all over.

The man knew exactly how to please me, taking his time at first, driving in and out with intensity, but with deliberate movements. His body remained tense and I was shocked that he maintained some sense of control.

As he picked up the rhythm, I moved against him, pushing back until we were moving in time together. He cracked his hand against my bottom a few more times as a reminder that I belonged to him. There was nothing better. There was nothing I wanted any more than being considered his possession.

I’d never felt that way before. All the weeks of missing him, needing him made this moment taste that much sweeter.

He rolled his hips forward, switching the angle.

Moans escaped my lips, floating into the room as the heat we shared became explosive.

No other man had made me feel so electrified. Only him. Just him.

We rocked together to the sounds of our intense moans and the crackle of the roaring fire. We were both sweating, losing control together in a magical dance of passion. With every brutal thrust of his cock and every breath we took, I drifted closer and closer to pure nirvana.

The moment the climax rolled through me, a harsh buzz echoed in my mind. There was no chance I could hold back a scream.

He yanked on my hair, riding me like a wild bull, fucking me long and hard. The orgasm was powerful, sweeping through me like a tidal wave. I rocked with it, still moaning as his actions intensified.

“Come again, baby. Come on my cock.”

Maybe the man was magic because his command was immediately followed.

The single climax shifted into a lush wave cresting over me.

I could no longer think or speak, simply riding the moment as pleasure turned into pure ecstasy.

With another savage crack of his hand, I was pushed ever higher on the plateau.

This was special.

The moment shared was perfect.

He was close to erupting deep inside. I felt it in every move he made, the extreme tension in his body. As I closed my eyes, I envisioned so many possibilities, hopes for the future.

His grip on my hips tightened and he pumped with intense brutal actions. And I loved every moment.

The savage roar brought a smile to my face. Seconds later, he draped his massive body around mine, intertwining our fingers as he held me, his cock still throbbing.

Seconds later, he pulled me down to the rug, cradling his body around mine.

While we’d shared passion before, there’d been no true aspects of romance.

We’d simply felt a need that couldn’t be denied or satisfied.

While I still felt the closeness, a hunger that furrowed in my blood, at this moment, after everything we’d endured, just being held meant so much more.

We both remained quiet for a long time, the hard beating of our combined hearts finally slowing. He nuzzled into my neck, keeping his arm wrapped around me. The man was so protective, refusing to let me go.

There was no real reason for a single tear to slip past my lashes, but the bead slowly fell, dripping from my nose onto the rug. I cinched my eyes closed, shifting even closer until our bodies were molded together as one.

We remained locked together in a beautiful symphony.

“What happened?” he finally asked.

“I gave my testimony. There was nothing out of the ordinary, no red flags. I left the courtroom about an hour later.”

“And?”

Swallowing, I didn’t know why I was hesitant to share the full story. “I was threatened.”

He tensed. “How?”

“A text on my new cellphone. On the new number that only my parents and my contact at WITSEC knew. The moment I set foot inside the courthouse I received a text.”

“Saying what?” he snarled.

“If I testified, I could end up dead.”

“Goddamn it. Did you show it to anyone?”

“I honestly didn’t have time before the grand jury session began. My guess is the threat came from a burner phone. No one is going to be so stupid as to use their real number.”

“Maybe not, but you should have stopped the proceedings right there, Charmaine. You can’t go off acting like you’re not vulnerable.

You have far too much information stored inside that pretty head of yours and someone wants access to it.

They won’t stop with sending a damn text as a threat and you know that. ” He grumbled under his breath.

I turned around to face him, sliding my hand over his shoulder. At least being this close to the one man I could trust provided comfort. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you cared about me.”

“Don’t throw that in my face!” The hard edge of his voice matched the cold look in his eyes.

He softened almost immediately. “I’m sorry.

This entire situation pisses me off. And fuck, yes, I care about you.

Too much. Enough that I refuse to allow you to go continue going off half-cocked on your own.

Look what happened before. That will get you killed. Over my damn dead body.”

“I’m fine, sweet cowboy.”

Maddox bristled and eased onto his forearm. His anger was evident by his body tensing once again. “Any idea who sent it?”

“Of course not.” I reached out, touching his arm.

“Did anything happen?”

“There were people watching me, or at least that’s what it seemed like. Granted, there were plainclothes officers everywhere and certainly not only because of my appearance. I can’t be certain, but I felt their presence. Two, maybe three men.”

“You have excellent instincts. You should have called it off.”

My turn to laugh. “They wouldn’t allow me to back away and you know it. Besides, I have a feeling they’re closing in on their case. I’m not sure if a date for a single trial has been established, but I overheard the attorney talking about the fact this would all be over with late spring.”

“It’s fucking late February.”

I looked him directly in the eyes. “Exactly. Maybe I’m wrong, but I have the bad feeling there won’t be as many guilty verdicts as I’d originally suspected.”

“Meaning what?”

“Meaning there were certainly other prominent citizens who’d testified before I’d taken my turn.

At least that’s what I’d been told by the prosecuting attorney.

But my gut tells me their testimonies were simply tidying up loose ends.

It’s entirely possible I wasn’t the one being watched.

They were. While I can’t be certain, I have no doubt in my mind their testimonies were coached. ”

“Let me guess. You weren’t told who was also taking the stand.” He kissed my shoulder before sitting up.

I laughed and rolled onto my back, staring up at the ceiling.

“Of course not. I was kept in a room for almost two hours before the grand jury was ready. No one referred to anyone else by name. In truth, the questions were cut and dried and had nothing to do with what we found on the drive. It was about how I obtained it in the first place.”

“Fascinating. What happened after you were finished?”