Page 41 of Blood of Vengeance

The growl came back as he said, “Yeah.”

“Occasionally.”

“I’ll fucking kill him.”

I gripped him tighter, unwilling to let him go. Needing the feel of his body against mine to relax. “Don’t. He’s not worth it.”

“But you are.” He dropped his head and kissed my shoulder, sighing. “Fuck, short stack. I thought this bikini was going to kill me when I first saw you in it.”

I giggled, still clinging to him. “You like it?”

“Like isn’t the right word.” He pulled back, those light eyes locking on mine. “Can I show you how much?”

I had no idea what he meant or was about to do, but I knew whatever it was, he wouldn’t hurt me. So I nodded my consent. Flinch dropped a quick kiss on my chin, and then we were in motion. For a second, I had no idea what had happened, but then water enveloped me. I held my breath and waited, inhaling and laughing as I came back to the surface. Still in Flinch’s arms.

“You’re still dressed!” I released him, laughing as he kept his hands on me. As he refused to let me go. “You probably ruined your phone.”

“It’s on the table.” He grinned and disappeared under the surface, rubbing a hand over his face when he reappeared. “Fuck, this feels good.”

“It does.” I leaned back, still with my legs around him, my upper body floating in the warm water. “Does the water get too hot in the summer to swim?”

“Sometimes. Some people have coolers to keep the water chilled.”

“That’s amazing. There’re only a few good months for outdoor swimming in Detroit—or really anywhere up north. It gets too cold when it’s not summer.”

He hummed some sort of agreement, bringing his fingers to my neck and running them down my body. Between my breasts. Over my stomach. All the way to the top of my bikini bottoms. I floated and reveled in his touch, wanting more. Letting myself surrender to the haze being around him caused. So much more pleasurable than the one the creepy man had made me feel.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” Flinch said, his voice rough, his cock growing hard against me. “Do I get to touch, short stack?”

I nodded, moaning his name softly when he moved us to where he could lean against the side of the pool. I felt the rough wall on my toes, the feeling in such contrast to his skin and the water that I shivered when it made contact.

“That’s my good girl,” he said in a voice growing progressively deeper. One hand dropped to my thigh, tugging me until I let the leg drop. For a split second, I worried about slipping under the water, but then he slid that hand up my back. Supporting me. Holding me up as he let his other explore. As the heat of his fingers left sparks along my skin. I floated and I breathed and I surrendered to him.

“Fucking strings.” He tugged on the ties holding my bikini together, the ones at my hips. “You’re putting a lot of faith in these fucking strings, assuming they’re strong enough to keep all that ass covered.”

“They haven’t failed me yet.”

He grunted then tugged, my bottoms releasing against my skin. I felt a rush of coolness then the heat from Flinch’s hand. Under my top. On my skin. Slowly moving lower. I kept hold of him with one leg, the other dropping, and opening myself to him. Ready for whatever he had planned. Needing it.

But floating was becoming impossible. “You’re going to drown me.”

Flinch grunted then moved us again, turning and lifting me so I could rest against the side of the pool. Grabbing my discarded towel from the ground and bunching it up to protect my head from the hard concrete.

“Better?” he asked. I nodded, reaching for him. Wanting to return to the haze of him. And he was going to take me there. That hand of his was right there on my thigh, climbing higher. About to be where I so wanted it…and yet…

“Flinch, I?—”

“You know why I want to kill that prospect?” he asked, distracting me from the progression of his hand. Not completely; I still felt those fingers dipping between my legs. But my focus was split.

“Why?”

“Because he covets.” He leaned forward and bit my bikini top, tugging it down before kissing my breast. Licking a trail over my nipple as his fingers danced right over the folds covering my clit. “He covets what’s going to be mine. You’re not yet—I haven’t earned you—but he’d take my place in a heartbeat if he could.”

One finger pressed harder between my legs, sliding over my clit and making me jerk. I wanted to grab his shoulders and feel his weight on me, wanted to know the warmth of his naked body against mine, but I floated in salty water instead. Teased with the feel of his hand under my back, his lips on my breast, and his hand between my legs. Anchored in place by the concrete at my neck and under my head. Such a cacophony of sensation.

“I wouldn’t want him to take your place,” I said, grabbing his bicep with one hand. Wanting so much to feel even more. To overwhelm my senses with him. “You’re the only one.”

“Good. That’s my good girl.” He refocused on my breast, suckling my nipple as he moved the hand between my legs lower. As he gently pushed a finger inside me. The water wasn’t actually helping anything, and our skin stuck together in ways that weren’t perfect, but I couldn’t ask him to stop. Didn’t want to.

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