Page 25 of Ruthless

“You couldn’t expect me to stay where I wasn’t wanted.”

Hearing her say that is like a punch to the gut. The last thing I ever wanted her to feel was like she was a nuisance that was in the way. I lift my head but keep my gaze firmly planted on hers and cup the side of her face. The hurt brewing behind those icy blue eyes is enough to knock me on my ass.

“I know I fucked up, but I thought I was doing what was best. Forgive me.” My thumb traces small circles against the smooth skin of her cheek as I plead with her to see the truth in my eyes.

The softness of her soft skin is a welcomed contradiction against the roughness of my own. She’s soft where I’m hard. She leans into my touch, and I feel some of the tension leave her body. Her tongue darts out and licks her bottom lip, stretching the edge of my control even thinner. There’s no mistaking the hunger behind that look, and it’s the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. Everything inside me coils up tighter, barely holding on to the sliver of sanity that I have left. It’s been months since I’ve touched a woman—the same woman in front of me right now—and my dick presses against my zipper, demanding to break free and be buried deep inside her.

“Zane,” she moans out my name like a prayer, and that’s my undoing.

Something inside me snaps. I grab her by the nape of her neck and jerk her into me until our lips are crashing together. She freezes for a split second, but I’m not giving her a chance to stop me. Not now. After the hell that went through my head the entire drive over here, I’m not depriving myself of this.

“Open up for me.” I bite down on her bottom lip hard enough that the metallic taste of her blood fills my mouth.

Kennedy gasps at my roughness, and when she does, I take full advantage. An explosion of sweetness mixed with that citrus lemon scent unique only to her overpowers me the second our tongues collide. She’s the high I’ve been craving. The drug pumping through my veins. Everything about her is clean and good. Not tainted like me. Like the demons of my past. My tongue continues to work her over with promises of what I can do to her pussy later. Tasting. Devouring. Savoring what belongs to me.

She whimpers into my mouth as her hands claw down my chest, much like she did our first night together. Her fingers toy with the edge of my shirt, never going any further than that, but that’s enough. That slight touch only fuels the fire burning inside of me. I tilt my head to the side to gain better access, deepening the kiss and pressing the frame of her glasses tighter against her face. My hands slide down and grip her ass, lifting her up and slamming her back against the lockers as her legs wrap around my waist.

Kennedy’s moans hit my ears but quickly morph into something else. Something I can never escape no matter how hard I try. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block them out. The louder their cries echo in my head, the harder I attack Kennedy’s mouth, silently begging for her moans to block out the ones that haunt me every second of every fucking day.

“No. Please, stop.”

My fingers dig harder into the flesh of her ass as I grind harder up against her. The metal protests from under the pressure of our weight, but I give no fucks. I’m not stopping. I slide my dick against the seam of her leggings, making her moan even louder this time.

“Help me.”

I suck in a deep breath, letting Kennedy’s lemon scent wash over me, reminding me of where I am. In the present. Not back there. It doesn’t ease the ache in my chest, but then Kennedy shifts against me and moans my name like a prayer, making everything else fade away.

“Zane.”

Her hips thrust forward, meeting me, stroke for stroke, bringing me back to reality. That’s one thing I’ll never forget. Kennedy gives as good as she gets. She grinds against me, riding me like I’m her lifeline, and I swear I could come in my fucking pants from the heat of her pussy alone. It isn’t long before her body tenses up and convulses against me. Watching her let go like this has my dick pressing into the seam of my zipper so hard that I’m pretty sure the marks will be permanently embedded on my skin. Every bite of pain has my body coiled up tight and begging for more. Fuck me, if I don’t get myself under control, I’m gonna end up fucking her into the lockers loud enough for her entire family to hear.

“Hey!” And just like that, a bucket of ice is thrown on my balls. Connor bangs on the door, reminding me of where we are. “Both of you out here.”

When I break the kiss to look at her, my heart damn near explodes out of my chest. I’m pretty fucking sure my balls are gonna be blue, but I can’t take my eyes off of her. She’s a fucking sight. Face flushed, lips swollen, glasses crooked. That just fucked look. It’s perfection, and it’s all mine.

I help her slide back down until her feet touch the floor, but my hands aren’t ready to let her go just yet. My fingers splay across her waist as I stare down at her.

“Do me a favor?” She presses the palm of her hand against my pounding heart and gives it a small pat.

“What’s that?” I straighten up her glasses and reposition them on the bridge of her nose.

“Stop acting like an ass to me.” Her lips twist to the side as she watches me and waits for my reaction, digging the knife of guilt deeper into my back.

I nod at her request, trying to get myself under control, but it’s damn near impossible. Her attitude is hot as fuck. “I want you back home.” Where you belong.

“Not gonna happen.” She lets out a small laugh and shakes her head.

“Fine. Then I’m staying with you at your place.” I kiss her again before she can argue. I’ve learned she’s more pliant when I distract her with my mouth. “What time do you get off work?”

“Around six. Why?” She toys with the ends of my beard but watches me through hooded eyes.

“Because I’m taking you home.” There’s no way I’m letting her slip away from me again. Not with Isaac’s threat hanging out there. And not with all the fucked up shit wreaking havoc in my head.

“That’s three hours away.” Her forehead scrunches as she tilts her head to the side and looks at me like I’m insane.

“I’ll wait.” My meaning is clear—I’m not going anywhere.

“I rode with Connor.” She tries to push me away again, but she needs to realize that I’ll only push back twice as hard.

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