He made me open and exposed.
I gasped as the warm water touched my most sensitive parts. What was he going to do?
Both of his hands went to my thighs.
“Relax.”
That was next to impossible. I couldn’t relax.
He slowly began to skim the tips of his fingers up the inside of my thighs, going toward my pussy.
I took a deep breath, not sure how to handle his touch, or whatever it was he wanted to do to me.
I licked my dry mouth. I couldn’t think.
He cupped my pussy in his palm. No invasion or intrusion. Just his hand on top of my pussy.
His tongue glided across my neck, going to my pulse where he nipped at my flesh.
“I can feel you’re warm, Ashley. It’s okay to enjoy this. Even if you hate me. People can take pleasure from those they despise.”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child.” I gasped as a single finger slid between my slit. He didn’t touch my clit, but it was so close. I whimpered.
Earl knew what he was doing. He was a master manipulator.
Closing my eyes, I tried to think of all the reasons I should hate this. Yet as his finger worked up my slit, none came to mind. I drew a blank, and it pissed me off. The moment he touched my clit, my thoughts were not my own. I lost all focus and gasped again.
“Believe me, Ashley. The last thing I think of when I touch you is that you’re a child.” His lips grazed my skin, and warmth rushed through my body. I was so turned on, I couldn’t even think straight.
“Please.” I didn’t know what I was begging for, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.
“You see, I can make this easy for both of us. You want me. I can feel how your body responds to me, and you know how desperate I am to feel your virgin cunt wrapped around my dick. It’s all I can think about most days. You’re in my thoughts all the time. Your ass is red because you made me do that to you.”
How dare he? “I didn’t.”
“I’m given a certain level of respect, and if my men think you’re breaking them, I will lose theirs. I’ve built my empire through pain and fear. Don’t make me have to make an example out of you again, Ashley. Now, come for me.”
I wanted to deny him.
I wanted to tell him to go and fuck off and suck his own dick.
Instead, much to my shame, I came at his command. I was weak to him, and what was more, he knew it as well.
****
“What?” Ashley said, brow furrowed as she turned toward me.
I didn’t want to repeat myself because as far as I was concerned, what I just told her was not happy news. “Tomorrow night, we’re going to Crude Hill. You’ll get to see Emily.”
This made her jump off the bed and rush toward me.
Ever since I’d given her an orgasm in the bathroom, I’d kept some distance between us. Her ass had stopped hurting her when she sat down. The truth was I’d had important business to deal with.
I broke my word when I took Ashley away, but I’d kept my promise to the Monsters in keeping Emily safe. I’d arranged for the bounty on her head to be removed. It had cost me a small fortune and a couple of favors, but I’d done it. Mainly because the bounty on Emily’s head was also attached to Ashley.
The moment those assholes took Emily back to Crude Hill, it awakened the bounty and put my woman in danger. I couldn’t have that.
“You heard me.”
“We’re really?” she asked.
“I don’t lie.” That lie fell easily enough.
Some lies needed to be told to help people. Staring at Ashley, I saw the sparkle in her eyes. A jealousy I’d never known before reared up inside me, threatening to consume my very soul.
She reached out and grabbed my arm. “But, does this mean you and I are over?”
I turned to her now, giving her my full attention. “I’m going to help protect your friend. Our arrangement, Ashley still stands. Your virginity, all of your firsts, they belong to me now. I’m not going to give them up.”
Taking her to Crude Hill put her in the hands of the Monsters, of Emily. “Let me make one thing perfectly clear. You’re leaving with me. If you give them any reason to try and keep you, or to fight me on this, I will make it my mission to ruin their lives. I will hurt Emily in every single way a man can hurt a woman. I won’t do it myself, but I’ve got plenty of men who don’t mind taking what isn’t offered. She will be nothing more than a shell, and only when I’ve taken every single part of her soul, I’ll kill her, and make you watch everything I do. Do I make myself clear?”
Tears welled in her eyes.
I was angry.
She was hurt.
Ashley licked her lips, her gaze going to my shirt as she gave her head a jerk in acknowledgment.
“Good. Think about that when Emily’s asking you if you’re okay. If you want her to get those bastards of her to stop me.”
“I’ll be good.” Her voice was just above a whisper.
“Get ready.”
I left her alone, slamming and locking the door of my bedroom. This wasn’t part of my plan. With the Monsters on my case, as well as many enemies of my own, I always stayed one step ahead. I’d already gone over the logistics in my head, and the way to get Ashley off the ocean was to deal with the Monsters, keep Emily alive, and then I could take her to my private island, undisturbed.
The ocean normally felt freeing to me.
Since having Ashley with me, my life hadn’t felt normal.
I watched her. Living on my yacht wasn’t healthy for her. Of the food provided, she often only picked at it, and I’d noticed in the few days we’d been here, she was already starting to lose weight.
I didn’t want a skinny bitch in my bed.
Heading back out on deck, I spent an hour organizing the security detail and the necessary plans that would be in place while I was in Crude Hill. For a town, it was a piece of shit. Not a lot of beauty to be had.
The Monsters who had overruled their fathers had done so but not in a good way. If anything, they’d thrown a little temper tantrum, and the town had suffered for it. Not good. They were children doing men’s work. Not that their fathers were any good. They were just as bad, but at least they had more control.
I’d earned a great deal of money from working with them. Swallowing down my pride to make money was easy. Especially as I’d already set my sights on Ashley.
When the time was right, I made my way back to my room where Ashley waited. She stood the moment I appeared.
Holding out my hand, I waited for her to take it. She slid hers into mine. I was aware of how right she felt next to me. Just another reason as far as I was concerned why I needed to keep her.
We walked out of the room, and I took her to where we were docked. My men were all ready, and a car sat waiting.
I helped Ashley inside first, sliding in beside her.
Her body shook a little.
“All you’ve got to do is behave, and it will go well.”
She didn’t speak to me.
My warning to her clearly struck a nerve. I was now pissed off at the quiet, but I didn’t say anything.
Tonight needed to happen.
I didn’t want any more bloodshed, but if she decided to push me, I would strike.
Arriving at the Monsters’ house, I hated the garishness of the property. It was large and pointedly said they were the kings.