Dignity
Page 39
I let out a sloppy laugh and nodded weakly. “I guess I did. Ummm . . . how exactly did you know where to catch me?”
He took a step back, but kept one of my hands clasped in his. He bent and picked up my backpack and held it out in front of me. “You left your computer unattended more than once. I figured you knew I would install tracking software.”
Of course he had. If I could think beyond the terror that had me in a stranglehold at the mention of Aaron’s name, I would have taken inventory of everything he’d been around and could use to track me. It would have killed me to let go of the only thing I had to remember him by, but I would have ditched the laptop in the heat of the moment if I’d been thinking clearly. I was glad I hadn’t been. I was weak-kneed with relief that he hadn’t let me go without a fight.
His pointed gaze flicked around our audience and his lips started to quirk upwards. “You wanna get out of here?”
I nodded quickly. “Yeah. Take me home, Stark.”
He tugged on the hand he was holding and led me up the stairs he’d just stomped down. It was a cloudy, overcast day making the scenic little town look just as dreary and unwelcoming as the Point. I guess it was all about perspective. Yesterday, when I’d been motivated by the need to escape, this place seemed perfect. Today, now that my eyes were wide open, I couldn’t see a single thing that appealed to me. There was only one place that would ever be home, and only one man who would ever feel like he belonged to me.
He had to give me a hand climbing into his huge truck. The vehicle was black on black on black and lifted up to the sky. It was slightly ridiculous for a guy who lived in the middle of a city but the big machine fit him, nonetheless. It would dwarf a smaller man, make me question his virility, but Stark took up a lot of space. It only made sense what he drove did as well.
The rumble of the engine and the adrenaline crash from the day before had my head dropping and sleep pulling at me as we backtracked through the landscape that the train had traveled the previous day. I rested my head against the tinted passenger window and let myself drift off knowing I was in good hands. Hands I actually wanted holding and caring for me.
Stark’s phone rang and I peeled my eyes open, noticing we were through the mountains and on the coast. The big sea cliffs were craggy and dramatic, offering a much more spectacular view of the water that bordered the Point. There were no docks and shipping containers here. There was no city that seemed bleak and hopeless hovering on the edge of the waves. The water here was bright blue, stretching out endlessly, and crashing romantically into the rocks. It was hard to believe it was all the same body of water, that this clean water by proximity to its inhabitants turned so dirty and grimy the closer it got to the Point.
“What’s up, Titus?” The call echoed through the cab as the Bluetooth connection sent the cop’s voice through the truck.
“Goddard pled guilty to the charges. He didn’t ask for another lawyer after you laid his first one out. I don’t know what you said to him in there, but good job kid.” I gasped when Titus complimented Stark for manipulating the legal system. I also blinked at the man sitting next to me when the deep voice continued, “The lawyer didn’t say shit about pressing charges for assault, even though you fucked him up. His nose was drifting to one side of his face and he was holding his side like he had some busted ribs. I don’t know if I should ask you for lessons in handling perps or put a detail on you to make sure you don’t compromise anymore of my cases.”
I must have made a noise because Stark’s head cocked to the side and his eyebrows lifted. Wordlessly, he pulled the big truck off to the side of the road, the front wheels pointing toward a sheer drop off.
“My methods won’t work for you, cop. You’re one of the good guys.” He was watching me closely because I was suddenly wide awake. He’d taken on Aaron for me. He’d hurt him, just like I’d dreamed of doing for so long. He’d not only refused to let me go without a fight, he had taken on my fight as his own. It was hands down the nicest and most unforgettable thing anyone had ever done for me. I struggled to get my seatbelt off while pulling my beanie off my head and crawling out of my hoodie. I needed to be as close to him as I could get and I didn’t need any extra clothes getting in the way.
“You can be one of the good guys too, Stark. You already are when it’s convenient for you.” The cop sounded chiding and slightly put out. He wasn’t wrong. My guy had all the makings of a hero, he just needed to decide if he wanted to save the world or not.
“I’m one of the bad guys when it’s convenient too, King. I can go either way depending on the situation. You should toss a kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment charge against Goddard since he’s being so agreeable.” He let out an oomph of sound as I crawled into his lap, my back to the steering wheel as his hands settled on my hips.
“The DA had to agree to putting him in solitary for the duration of his sentence, but it was worth it to avoid a trial. He’ll never get out.” The cop sounded confident in his claim.
“Good. He doesn’t deserve sunshine and fresh air. I gotta go, King. My hands are full at the moment.” He leaned over and pressed the face of the display ending the call. His gaze locked on mine. “Even if they put him in solitary, there are still ways to get to him. Lockup is almost as brutal as the streets, and guys like Goddard don’t stand a chance behind bars.”
I put my hands on his cheeks, palms rubbing against the brush of his dark stubble. He was beautiful, conniving, and even if he didn’t want to save the world, he had saved me. That was more than enough. It was more than I’d ever had.
“You went after Aaron.” There was no hiding the relief and hint of awe that colored my tone.
“Of course I did. That’s why I didn’t get to you last night. He doesn’t get any part of you ever again.” His hands slid up to my ribs, taking my t-shirt with them.
I nodded slowly. “You’re right, he doesn’t, because you have all of me. You already had all of me even before I knew you kicked Aaron’s ass.” I leaned forward and rested my forehead against his, careful not to smash his glasses into his face. “I don’t have much Snowden, but I want to give all of it to you.”
He exhaled a breath and I parted my lips so I could taste it. “I’ve never wanted much Noe, just someone who understands me, someone who doesn’t want me to be anything other than who I am. All I want is you.”
His words, along with the rough press of his hands as he pulled my shirt the rest of the way off, made me shiver. His eyes burned with silver fire as they landed on the soft swell of my breasts underneath my plain cotton bra. I was never going to be a lace and satin kind of gal, but he didn’t seem to mind. I would take every complicated, difficult inch of him, and I loved that he appreciated every delicate and hard part of me. I wasn’t about to change him, and one of the big reasons I decided to stop running was because he didn’t see anything about me he wanted to alter.
His rough fingertips danced over my spine as he tickled his way between my shoulder blades so he could unhook the clasp of my bra. I wiggled the straps down my arms and grabbed a fistful of his shirt. “Off.” I pulled on it until he leaned forward enough so that we could wrestle the fabric off over his head. I sighed at the sight of all that coiled strength and power waiting for me, wanting me. His glasses tilted to one side and I reached up to set them back where they belonged. I didn’t want him to miss any of what I was feeling shining out of my eyes and stamped all over my face as I leaned forward to kiss him. My chest pressed against his, my heart thumping against his in a fast, furious rhythm. His answered, racing to keep up.
My fingers touched his pulse and fluttered down the column of his neck. It jumped at the caress and he took over the kiss. His thumbs rubbed the underside of each breast and his tongue twisted around mine. I was grateful for the donated toothpaste and toothbrush at the church this morning because there wasn’t a crevasse he didn’t taste and touch. He followed the lower curve of my breasts with his fingers until my nipples were trapped between them. They instantly pulled into tight points, happy with the rough contact.
He pulled back and came at me from a different angle. His teeth tugged on my lower lip, matching the plucking motion of his fingers. I felt the pull between my legs, felt my body quicken and pulse in anticipation. Since I was sitting on top of him, I felt his body respond as well. His cock thickened and hardened behind his zipper and I rocked against the rigid length wantonly. I didn’t care that we were parked precariously on the side of the road. I didn’t care that both of us were sleep deprived and emotionally drained. I didn’t care that it was going to be quick with clothes shoved out of the way so we could get to the good stuff. All I wanted was to be close to him, to watch him as I gave myself to him, as he took me.
I grappled with the button on his jeans, wrenching the denim open. I giggled, actually giggled, carefree and giddy, when he put a hand on my hip and lifted both of us up so that he could push the material out of the way along with his boxers. His cock rose up between us, wet at the tip, prominent vein throbbing along the underside. My fingers barely touched as I wrapped a hand around it and started to slide it slowly up and down. His eyelashes fluttered behind his glasses and his chest expanded as he sucked in a noisy breath. His hips shifted under me as I used my thumb to spread the moisture leaking out of the slit around the plump head. One of his hands cupped my chin as he positioned my face closer to his for a kiss. He bucked into my fist as I tightened my grip and squeezed the wide base.
He took a step back, but kept one of my hands clasped in his. He bent and picked up my backpack and held it out in front of me. “You left your computer unattended more than once. I figured you knew I would install tracking software.”
Of course he had. If I could think beyond the terror that had me in a stranglehold at the mention of Aaron’s name, I would have taken inventory of everything he’d been around and could use to track me. It would have killed me to let go of the only thing I had to remember him by, but I would have ditched the laptop in the heat of the moment if I’d been thinking clearly. I was glad I hadn’t been. I was weak-kneed with relief that he hadn’t let me go without a fight.
His pointed gaze flicked around our audience and his lips started to quirk upwards. “You wanna get out of here?”
I nodded quickly. “Yeah. Take me home, Stark.”
He tugged on the hand he was holding and led me up the stairs he’d just stomped down. It was a cloudy, overcast day making the scenic little town look just as dreary and unwelcoming as the Point. I guess it was all about perspective. Yesterday, when I’d been motivated by the need to escape, this place seemed perfect. Today, now that my eyes were wide open, I couldn’t see a single thing that appealed to me. There was only one place that would ever be home, and only one man who would ever feel like he belonged to me.
He had to give me a hand climbing into his huge truck. The vehicle was black on black on black and lifted up to the sky. It was slightly ridiculous for a guy who lived in the middle of a city but the big machine fit him, nonetheless. It would dwarf a smaller man, make me question his virility, but Stark took up a lot of space. It only made sense what he drove did as well.
The rumble of the engine and the adrenaline crash from the day before had my head dropping and sleep pulling at me as we backtracked through the landscape that the train had traveled the previous day. I rested my head against the tinted passenger window and let myself drift off knowing I was in good hands. Hands I actually wanted holding and caring for me.
Stark’s phone rang and I peeled my eyes open, noticing we were through the mountains and on the coast. The big sea cliffs were craggy and dramatic, offering a much more spectacular view of the water that bordered the Point. There were no docks and shipping containers here. There was no city that seemed bleak and hopeless hovering on the edge of the waves. The water here was bright blue, stretching out endlessly, and crashing romantically into the rocks. It was hard to believe it was all the same body of water, that this clean water by proximity to its inhabitants turned so dirty and grimy the closer it got to the Point.
“What’s up, Titus?” The call echoed through the cab as the Bluetooth connection sent the cop’s voice through the truck.
“Goddard pled guilty to the charges. He didn’t ask for another lawyer after you laid his first one out. I don’t know what you said to him in there, but good job kid.” I gasped when Titus complimented Stark for manipulating the legal system. I also blinked at the man sitting next to me when the deep voice continued, “The lawyer didn’t say shit about pressing charges for assault, even though you fucked him up. His nose was drifting to one side of his face and he was holding his side like he had some busted ribs. I don’t know if I should ask you for lessons in handling perps or put a detail on you to make sure you don’t compromise anymore of my cases.”
I must have made a noise because Stark’s head cocked to the side and his eyebrows lifted. Wordlessly, he pulled the big truck off to the side of the road, the front wheels pointing toward a sheer drop off.
“My methods won’t work for you, cop. You’re one of the good guys.” He was watching me closely because I was suddenly wide awake. He’d taken on Aaron for me. He’d hurt him, just like I’d dreamed of doing for so long. He’d not only refused to let me go without a fight, he had taken on my fight as his own. It was hands down the nicest and most unforgettable thing anyone had ever done for me. I struggled to get my seatbelt off while pulling my beanie off my head and crawling out of my hoodie. I needed to be as close to him as I could get and I didn’t need any extra clothes getting in the way.
“You can be one of the good guys too, Stark. You already are when it’s convenient for you.” The cop sounded chiding and slightly put out. He wasn’t wrong. My guy had all the makings of a hero, he just needed to decide if he wanted to save the world or not.
“I’m one of the bad guys when it’s convenient too, King. I can go either way depending on the situation. You should toss a kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment charge against Goddard since he’s being so agreeable.” He let out an oomph of sound as I crawled into his lap, my back to the steering wheel as his hands settled on my hips.
“The DA had to agree to putting him in solitary for the duration of his sentence, but it was worth it to avoid a trial. He’ll never get out.” The cop sounded confident in his claim.
“Good. He doesn’t deserve sunshine and fresh air. I gotta go, King. My hands are full at the moment.” He leaned over and pressed the face of the display ending the call. His gaze locked on mine. “Even if they put him in solitary, there are still ways to get to him. Lockup is almost as brutal as the streets, and guys like Goddard don’t stand a chance behind bars.”
I put my hands on his cheeks, palms rubbing against the brush of his dark stubble. He was beautiful, conniving, and even if he didn’t want to save the world, he had saved me. That was more than enough. It was more than I’d ever had.
“You went after Aaron.” There was no hiding the relief and hint of awe that colored my tone.
“Of course I did. That’s why I didn’t get to you last night. He doesn’t get any part of you ever again.” His hands slid up to my ribs, taking my t-shirt with them.
I nodded slowly. “You’re right, he doesn’t, because you have all of me. You already had all of me even before I knew you kicked Aaron’s ass.” I leaned forward and rested my forehead against his, careful not to smash his glasses into his face. “I don’t have much Snowden, but I want to give all of it to you.”
He exhaled a breath and I parted my lips so I could taste it. “I’ve never wanted much Noe, just someone who understands me, someone who doesn’t want me to be anything other than who I am. All I want is you.”
His words, along with the rough press of his hands as he pulled my shirt the rest of the way off, made me shiver. His eyes burned with silver fire as they landed on the soft swell of my breasts underneath my plain cotton bra. I was never going to be a lace and satin kind of gal, but he didn’t seem to mind. I would take every complicated, difficult inch of him, and I loved that he appreciated every delicate and hard part of me. I wasn’t about to change him, and one of the big reasons I decided to stop running was because he didn’t see anything about me he wanted to alter.
His rough fingertips danced over my spine as he tickled his way between my shoulder blades so he could unhook the clasp of my bra. I wiggled the straps down my arms and grabbed a fistful of his shirt. “Off.” I pulled on it until he leaned forward enough so that we could wrestle the fabric off over his head. I sighed at the sight of all that coiled strength and power waiting for me, wanting me. His glasses tilted to one side and I reached up to set them back where they belonged. I didn’t want him to miss any of what I was feeling shining out of my eyes and stamped all over my face as I leaned forward to kiss him. My chest pressed against his, my heart thumping against his in a fast, furious rhythm. His answered, racing to keep up.
My fingers touched his pulse and fluttered down the column of his neck. It jumped at the caress and he took over the kiss. His thumbs rubbed the underside of each breast and his tongue twisted around mine. I was grateful for the donated toothpaste and toothbrush at the church this morning because there wasn’t a crevasse he didn’t taste and touch. He followed the lower curve of my breasts with his fingers until my nipples were trapped between them. They instantly pulled into tight points, happy with the rough contact.
He pulled back and came at me from a different angle. His teeth tugged on my lower lip, matching the plucking motion of his fingers. I felt the pull between my legs, felt my body quicken and pulse in anticipation. Since I was sitting on top of him, I felt his body respond as well. His cock thickened and hardened behind his zipper and I rocked against the rigid length wantonly. I didn’t care that we were parked precariously on the side of the road. I didn’t care that both of us were sleep deprived and emotionally drained. I didn’t care that it was going to be quick with clothes shoved out of the way so we could get to the good stuff. All I wanted was to be close to him, to watch him as I gave myself to him, as he took me.
I grappled with the button on his jeans, wrenching the denim open. I giggled, actually giggled, carefree and giddy, when he put a hand on my hip and lifted both of us up so that he could push the material out of the way along with his boxers. His cock rose up between us, wet at the tip, prominent vein throbbing along the underside. My fingers barely touched as I wrapped a hand around it and started to slide it slowly up and down. His eyelashes fluttered behind his glasses and his chest expanded as he sucked in a noisy breath. His hips shifted under me as I used my thumb to spread the moisture leaking out of the slit around the plump head. One of his hands cupped my chin as he positioned my face closer to his for a kiss. He bucked into my fist as I tightened my grip and squeezed the wide base.
