Page 11

TEN

ADDICTING

ROYCE

S ex is awesome. I mean, the act of fucking is great. It feels good, it’s a great tension reliever, and it’s a fantastic way to get some cardio in.

But sex with someone you actually care about? That you have a connection with?

Fuck, it’s addicting .

I already knew I was in trouble when I pulled a Link and started watching over Nicolette from the shadows back when all she thought was that I was the manager of the Devil’s Playground. I took the first opportunity to get close to her that I could, and while I patted myself on the back for not forcing her to sleep with me the way that twisted wallet would, I’d be lying if I said that I haven’t been dying to get this woman in bed with me.

I know my rep. From the way Nicolette regarded me in the beginning, I’m sure she did, too. I want to prove to her that, despite playing for that night with her, it wasn’t only about sex for me.

Sometimes I wish it was. If I just needed to nut and thought she’d be down, I could have turned her away for the waitress position, then been a class-A asshole and taken her out for an apologetic drink. With the right words, I could’ve landed her. I’m pretty sure of it.

But I didn’t want this woman to just be another one that I fucked, then moved on from. Do I know why? No. Do I care why? Not even a little. When some part of me told me that she was special, that she was the one , I listened… and fucking regretted it when I had to follow through with my self-proclaimed creed that I wouldn’t mess around with our employees.

Ah, well. There’s an exception to every rule, isn’t there? Looks like I’ve found mine, and her name is Nicolette Williams.

As the Sinners’ underboss, it’s my job to help Link enforce the rules for all of our members. I’ve never broken any—not even during the whole shit show with Jake and Heather—and, hell, it’s about time I did. Especially since it’s not a crew rule, but one that I made up for myself for no other reason than I’m the king of self-sabotage.

Besides, my rule says that I don’t go after Playground staff. I didn’t.

Nicolette initiated with me. Can I help it that, once she gave the signal that she was open to sex, I ran with it?

Now that it’s over, though, I’m waiting to see her reaction. Will the skittish waitress who seemed surprised I paid ten grand for a kiss return? Or will it be the determined, sexy vixen who climbed on top of my lap and fucked me on her couch?

I don’t give her the chance to be either. As she comes down from her orgasm, dripping with the evidence of mine, I try not to think about how long it’s been since I’ve fucked anyone without a condom. Since I was a dumb twenty-year-old maybe? The more wealth and power I accumulate, the more careful I am to wrap it up, just in case. I’ve heard too many horror stories of some of my fellow gangsters getting baby-trapped by someone who liked the idea of having a Sinner to support them.

Not me. I’ve never been big on the idea of having kids, and though I’m looking forward to being Uncle Rolls to Link and Ava’s, I don’t need a bunch of little McIntyres running around. Condoms are a must, but when Nicolette had my dick in her soft hand, assuring me she’s on birth control…

I know she’s clean. I didn’t ask—just like I didn’t offer my own status—but it’s another one of Link’s paranoid quirks. When he says he scans anyone affiliated with the Sinners, he means he has Tanner run a full detail. Our tech whiz can tell things about a vial of blood that I don’t even want to know about, but that didn’t stop me from checking Nic’s file like the obsessed man that I am.

She’s clean. I’m clean. She says she’s on birth control, and if she’s not? Well, I do want to keep her. I’d rather not have to knock her up to do so—I’d prefer she give herself to me because I’m amazing, not because she doesn’t want to be a single mom—but, hey, a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.

And right now? This man has to take care of his woman.

She’s still sprawled out on my lap. I dip my head, taking a quick kiss before lifting her lightly, settling her next to me.

The afterglow of fucking me lasts just as long enough as it takes for her to realize that my load is leaking out of her… and onto the couch she’s sitting on.

“Oh, shit.” She drops her hand, cupping her pussy. “My mom’s couch!”

I drop another kiss to the top of her head. “Don’t worry about it. I got it.” Standing up, my shirt is open, my cock is out, and I preen as Nicolette’s gaze travels from my chest to my dick. Her hungry expression has it already starting to stir again. Give me another ten minutes, and I’ll take her again.

But first?—

“Where’s the kitchen, Nic?”

She gives me a strange look, then points through a connecting door.

“Be right back.”

I tuck myself back into my pants as I head in the direction of her point; I don’t bother zipping up since I’m being an optimist tonight, hoping she’ll accept me again once we both recover. In the kitchen, I grab a plain white towel hanging on the oven door, wet it in the sink, then bring it back to the living room.

Dropping to my knees, I push aside her hand, using the damp towel to wipe her pussy for her. Once I have, I fold the towel, flip it around, then scrub a little at the damp spots our fucking left on her mother’s couch.

“There. All clean.”

“Remind me I need to bleach my mom’s kitchen towel before she comes back from Florida,” she murmurs, tanned cheeks turning pink.

I grin, shoving the edge of the towel into the back of my pants for later. Then, taking her fingers so that I can help her stand, I say, “I know where your kitchen is now. So where’s your bedroom?”

For a split second, I’m sure she’s going to shake her head and refuse to tell me. I’m perfectly aware that I’m pushing kinda hard, prepared to take this thing brewing between us from casual to not-so-casual. Did she think it was just sex? I don’t know, but it wasn’t. Not to me.

And I won’t let it be for her, either.

I nuzzle her neck, squeezing her ass as I pull her so that she’s flush against the bare chest peeking through my open shirt. “Tell me, baby. ‘Cause I can stumble around and find it, or you can invite me up and we can get comfortable.”

Her tits push against my skin. “You don’t have to stay.”

Like hell I don’t.

I was already trying to figure out how I could earn a way into her bed. Add that to how fucking frightened she was earlier and, sorry, Nic, but I’m not leaving any time soon. She’s admitted that there’s been someone watching her house. I know that’s me. She doesn’t.

Is it sneaky and underhanded to use her fear against her? I know it is. I should be ashamed of myself, and I am. That’s not going to stop me, though.

“I told you that I’d stay and make sure no one bothers you. I’m gonna do it. You won’t make me sleep on the couch, will you? In the wet spot?”

Nicolette laughs. It’s a soft laugh, almost like she made the sound and didn’t mean to, but I heard it. It makes my chest puff out with pride, too.

I like her laugh. I like being the one to make her laugh.

Almost as much as I like being the one to make her cry out as she comes.

I drop my hand, laying it possessively on her naked ass. “Nic? Bedroom?”

“It’s this way,” she says, pressing a quick kiss between my pecs—and I know that she just needed a little push after all. “Upstairs. Come on. I’ll show you.”

I let Nicolette lead me nearly the entire way. Once she shows me to a smaller room on the upper floor, I verify that it’s hers, then swoop her up into my arms. She squeals, arms immediately going around my neck, though she doesn’t demand for me to put her down.

Good. It’s a small sign of trust from her, and I’ll take it.

And that’s not all I want…

Moving across the room, I lay her out on the bed. It’s smaller than what I’m used to—it’s maybe a double, while the bed at my place is a king—but if I could manage to fuck her on her mother’s couch, I’ll have more than enough room for this .

I start to bend over her, annoyed when my pants limit my range of motion. Add that to the open shirt getting in my way and, well, they have to go, don’t they?

The shirt is easy to get rid of. I kicked my shoes off downstairs, and I drop down to the edge of Nicolette’s bed to yank off my trouser socks. After that, I make quick work of my pants, all while she’s watching me curiously.

Completely naked now, my dick—semi-hard before her perusal—twitches, then grows bigger as Nicolette’s lips part, her eyes suddenly glazed over with desire.

I’m a vain bastard. When half the time I’m reduced down to my appearance more than anything, it would take a man a shit ton stronger than I am not to let it go to my head.

Giving my cock a leisurely stroke, I stalk back toward the bed.

“Scoot back, baby. Sit up against the pillows, grab the headboard, and hold on.”

It takes her two seconds to understand what my intentions are. When she does? She does the last thing I expect after what just happened downstairs.

Nicolette closes her legs, clamping her thighs together.

“What’s the matter, Nic?”

She mumbles something.

Frowning, I say, “I didn’t hear that.”

“I said, I haven’t trimmed lately, okay? You don’t want your face down there, trust me.”

Is that what’s going on here?

“Oh, Nic… I’m dying to find out how you taste straight from the source. You think a little hair is going to stop me?”

She shrugs, hugging herself.

This is happening. I just need her to be comfortable with it before I dive in…

“What’s the deal? We both know I didn’t have a problem with it before.”

“Well, yeah. I mean, in my experience, guys don’t care if there’s bush when they stick their dick in. It’s a little different when that’s where your face goes.”

My plan was to ease her into this. To make her so addicted to me so I can justify just how addicted I am to her .

Until she says that.