Fighting Chance (Misty Grove Book 1) (19 page)

Trent prowled back to her, towering menacingly over her. There were times when she loved how his height made her feel so feminine. This was not one of those times.
 

“You need to take a step back,” Cassie stated pointedly.

Trent turned his head away briefly, swearing under his breath. When his piercing eyes returned to her, he said, “I’m done playing to your tune—to anyone else’s tune, Cassie. I’ve been patient, trying to keep the balance here, but you ended up nearly shot to hell—”

“I was fine.”

“No. Don’t—” He pointed a finger at her in a gesture to shut her up.

“Get that finger out of my face!”

He did, but he grabbed her shoulders instead and hauled her up against his hard body. Cassie thought when he lowered his mouth, he was going to kiss her, but he didn’t.

“Don’t say you were fine,” he snarled against her lips, eyes glittering with fury. “You have no idea how I was about to lose my fucking mind when I drove like a lunatic to get to you, hoping I wasn’t too late. You have no idea—” he inhaled raggedly “—of the helplessness I felt when those bullets went flying. I knew if I lost my shit then, I was going to lose you, and that was not an option. So no, Cassie. Don’t fucking say you were fine, because I was far from fucking fine.”

“Trent, I’m really sorry. I never wanted to drag you into this,” Cassie whispered, remorse unfurling inside her. His anger and frustration were so palpable, she didn’t know how to soothe him because what he’d been through was obviously still tearing him up inside.

“I’ve never felt this way for anyone before,” Trent whispered, his grip on her shoulders easing. “I’ve headed into missions before and there was always fear for my brothers, but I was trained for that.” He slid the back of his fingers down her cheek. “I wasn’t prepared for you. And as much as I want to talk to you about this, babe...” He looked around them. “Not here. So please get into the truck.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

This time he walked to the passenger side and opened the door for her. She hesitated a moment, but the day had been too long and she was tired. Sitting in a cell for six hours, thinking Trent had given up on her when she was beginning to care for him had drained the energy from her. And looking at Trent as he got into the truck beside her, he was weary, too. He was still handsome as hell, especially with the heavy stubble shadowing his jaw. His admission of how scared he was for her made her feel guilty that she was responsible for the lines of fatigue on his face.

The pickup drove away from Edington toward Misty Grove.

“Are we going to see Kate?” Cassie asked hopefully.

Trent shook his head. “Matt took her away to see a specialist. They left within the hour.”

“Do they know what’s wrong with her?”

“No, they don’t,” he replied. “All Colt said was that she was catatonic.”

When the truck took the turn off before hitting Misty Grove, Cassie became apprehensive. “Um, it’s getting late, Trent. I’d like to know where we’re going. I really want to get out of these scratchy clothes.”

He looked at her briefly. “I had Betty go over to the ranch house and pack you some clothes.”

Cassie wasn’t sure she heard him correctly. “You did what?”

“Your bag is in the backseat.”

She looked at the suitcase behind her. “That looks more like luggage. I don’t need that much for an overnight stay.” Well, she’d probably want to stay with him longer. She had missed him and hadn’t seen him for a few days.
Crap, was she becoming needy?

“You’re not going back to the ranch.”

“I’m not?”

“In case I didn’t make it clear, hellcat, after the shit that went down today.” Trent gave her a long look before continuing. “You’re mine.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Cassie froze beside him and her lips parted in surprise.

Or maybe it was shock, but Trent didn’t give a flying fuck right now. She had no say in this any longer. He was done. He was doing things his way.
 

“What exactly does that mean?” Her voice was soft and wary.
 

He returned his attention to the road, refusing to answer her and simply brooded. He wanted to lash out at how little importance she gave to her own life. Did having all that physical power give her the illusion that she was invincible? She was far from fragile, but fuck, those bullets could have hit her. Killed her. She’d been right smack in the middle of a firefight. If even one of those rounds ricocheted and hit her in the head...

Trent tried to shake off all the what-ifs that had plagued his mind since the confrontation. She was sitting beside him. Alive. Breathing with barely a scratch on her. He was making damned sure she stayed that way.

His fingers gripped the steering wheel as the tension that coiled inside him so tightly threatened to spring free. Violence rooted deeply in emotions he couldn’t understand, raw and primitive, wanted to be unleashed. He needed to claim her.

Make her mine
.
 

In every way.

Cassie sighed. “Trent you need to talk to me.”

I need to fuck you first.

“We’ve talked enough already, don’t you think?” he replied tersely.

“Why are you being so difficult?”

He didn’t answer her because it was taking every ounce of willpower not to pull over, yank her from the vehicle, and fuck her by the side of the road. The more he thought about their situation, the more pissed he became. Three more minutes to where they needed to be. His hands tightened reflexively again. The threads of his control were rapidly fraying.
 

Cassie huffed irritably. “The silent treatment? Really, Trent?”

Oh, babe, you’re asking for it
.

He slowed down as their destination came up. Turning right onto a graveled driveway, the pickup rolled for a hundred feet before he parked in front of a two-story Victorian house. The night concealed most of the house’s features, but the light from the stars and half-moon provided a glimpse of its interesting architecture. It was a prime piece of property he had scored and he had hoped to surprise Cassie with it. If the military had taught him anything, it was to prepare for contingencies. His old furniture from his house in Dallas wasn’t arriving until next week. Their first time wouldn’t be after a romantic dinner he had planned to cook for her in this new house. Their first time wouldn’t be gentle and slow. His cock hardened. No. Their first time was going to be hard and fast.
 

“Whose house is this?”

“Mine,” Trent said shortly. “Let’s go.”

Thankfully, Cassie didn’t argue as she hopped out of the pickup, her gaze riveted on the house. “It’s hard to discern its details, but from what I can tell, it’s gorgeous.”

Trent grabbed the luggage from the back of the pickup and, with his other hand, guided Cassie up the wraparound porch. Unearthing his keys, he opened the door and gestured for her to enter. He didn’t bother to turn on the lights. Instead, he kicked the door shut behind him, dropped the bag, and grabbed Cassie by the shoulders.

He backed her against the wall and shoved his thigh between her legs. Her startled gasp caught in her throat as he crushed his mouth against hers, sweeping his tongue ruthlessly between her parted lips. She didn’t return the kiss at first and resisted by keeping still, but Trent kept pressure against her core, grinding his thigh in a shameless rhythm until she moaned in surrender. Her arms curled around his neck, pulling him closer as she returned his kisses with increasing urgency.

Yes. No turning back now.
 

He wouldn’t allow it.

He popped the button of her shorts and yanked its zipper down. His hand snaked inside and invaded her slick heat. Fuck, wet for him already. If his dick stiffened any more, he would explode before he was even inside her.
 

He shoved her shorts down.

“Off,” he snarled, steadying her by her elbows as she sidestepped her tiny piece of clothing. He was strangely gratified to find her legs wobbly.
 

Her shirt followed the fate of her shorts. Faint moonlight bathed her naked form in an almost ethereal glow. His angel. A fierce possessiveness gripped him. A need to claim her. He gathered her in his arms and lowered his head to kiss her again, slower this time, but more deliberate. And damn was she responsive, answering his demand by smashing her naked tits against his chest. Their kisses turned frantic as they tried to meld their bodies together. He pushed her up against the wall as she hooked her leg around his hip. He kissed down her neck, snatching little bites of her warm skin, pulling her leg higher and rocking into her. He wanted to devour her.
 

“Trent, please!” Her fingers tangled in his hair in desperation.
 

Catching a nipple between his teeth, he swirled his tongue around it, causing her spine to arch. A thready moan escaped her lips, triggering a growl of deep satisfaction within him. Her arousal filled his nose, the musky scent fueling a hunger like no other.
 

A need to taste her.
 

An ache to be inside her.

His cock won this round.

Working his hand between them, he freed his erection. Cassie looked down, staring unabashedly at his shaft.

“Oh my,” she whispered and caught her lower lip between her teeth.

This woman was going to kill him.
 

She was about to grab his cock when he stopped her.

“Don’t,” Trent gritted harshly. “I ... dammit, Cassie ... I’m too close.” He grabbed his wallet from his back pocket and took out a condom. Dropping the wallet to the floor, he tore the packet open and rolled the condom on.

His fingers dug into the firm globes of her ass to lift her up. “Legs, babe.” She dutifully wrapped her limbs around him. Supporting her with one arm, he fisted his cock with the other hand and positioned it at her slick entrance. His eyes scorched her face possessively. “You’re mine now.” He shoved up inside her and,
fuck
, the most torturous pleasure gripped him in a fucking vise.

“Cassandra,” he groaned. The anticipation didn’t prepare him for the exhilarating sensation of finally burying himself inside her. Tight, wet heat sucked him balls deep and stole his damned breath with that one thrust. He wanted to savor the moment, but her strong legs locked him in, causing him to be suddenly overcome with the need to pound the shit out of her.

“Oh, Trent,” Cassie’s breathy whisper fanned the flames of his impassioned body.

 
He pulled out and plunged back in, setting a punishing pace as he drove into her again and again and again. He pounded into her with an urgency borne of the desperation to claim her and the fear of losing her. Her broken cries, his heavy breaths and grunts, and the slapping of flesh surrounded the air and space between them.

“Fuck me harder. Oh, God, I’m close.” Cassie’s hands fell to his shoulders, fingers biting into his muscles as a distressed sob broke from her lips. “Don’t stop, Trent. Oh, God!”

Trent canted his hips and thrust hard at an angle targeting her sweet spot. He felt her inner muscles clenching around his shaft right before she screamed into the darkness. Blood pounded in his ears as he chased his own completion. After three hard, deep-seated thrusts, his climax roared inside him. His head fell to her shoulder as a dizzying blindness exploded behind his eyes. And when the waves of his shattering release subsided, clarity was left in its wake.

This woman owned him.

“Trent, that was...” Cassie exhaled a shuddering breath before her lips curled in a sated smile. “Amazing.”

He didn’t respond, not immediately, because he was still reeling from an epiphany. He lowered her legs, but pushed her against the wall, pinning her with the length of his body. His hands rested on opposite sides of her face, caging her in. He lowered his head to kiss her tenderly before pulling back to stare intently into her eyes.
 

“You ruin me, Cassie,” Trent whispered. “You’ve ruined me.”

It was the most amazing and scariest feeling in the world.

*****

An exquisite throbbing in her sex woke her from a deep sleep. Forcing her groggy eyes open, Cassie levered up on her elbows to see Trent’s dark head moving between her thighs. Before she could say anything, a hard lick up her slit sent her reeling her head back in pleasure.
 

“Good morning to you too, babe.” Trent’s lazy voice made her look down the length of her naked torso again. Heated blue eyes scorched over her face hungrily, and she blushed, remembering their frenzied fucking of the night before. At least they’d finally made it to the bed.
 

“Hi,” Cassie said a bit shyly and then, “I wouldn’t mind if you continued as you were.”

“As you wish.” Trent chuckled before he lowered his head and resumed his assault. The man was brave. He knew she could crush his skull with her legs. What he didn’t know was that Cassie was well aware of how to control her strength, even when she was mad with lust. She snorted a short laugh.

The licking stopped. His head came up, eyes narrowing at her. “That’s not the reaction I was expecting.”

“Uh, sorry,” Cassie apologized.

“You’re asking for it,” Trent muttered.
 

This time he inserted a finger into her dripping pussy, thrusting in and out once, before he added a second long, thick finger. Then his tongue massaged her clit in sure, practiced strokes, bringing on a surprise orgasm that had her clawing the sheets beside her as she cried out her climax. He backed away and she was left on a frustrated cliff, but before she could grab his head to force him to finish her off, he pressed his tongue once more on her sensitive flesh and triggered the mother of all orgasms.
 

Oh, God, the man’s wicked tongue will kill me
. This time he continued licking her as she rode out the waves of her release. When she was boneless in the aftermath, he bolted up her body, positioning his erection right at her slick entrance. He gazed upon her like a cat who’d had his cream. Well, in this case, her cream.