Hammer's Fall (The Breakers' Bad Boys) (15 page)

“Really, Kalista Rose,” her mother said with a sigh. “A woman with your figure should never wear a strapless dress. Your arms are way too big for you to be flaunting them like that.”

Kalista had braced herself for whatever insult her mother threw her way, but that didn’t stop it from hurting. She sensed more than felt Jared’s large body stiffen next to her, then felt the sting of her mother’s words fade away as he took her hand and linked their fingers together.

Feeling bold, Kalista smiled at her mother. “Mother, you look beautiful as always. You’re so courageous wearing such a bold blue color. I hope I’m that daring when I’m your age.” She felt Jared squeeze her hand, and her gaze flickered to him to see him smiling as he took a sip from his glass of champagne.

“That was completely uncalled for, Kalista Rose. You never could take any criticism. You just don’t understand that I am trying to help you,” Gina hissed in a low voice as she tugged on Kalista’s arm. Jared refused to release her hand until she looked up at him with a weak smile. He let her go, but frowned at both women as Gina pulled Kalista a few feet away from the men. “Your cousin would have had you in her wedding party, but they didn’t make the bridesmaids dresses in your size.”

“I didn’t want to be part of her wedding party, Mother.”

“Still. If you couldn’t hold onto a nice man like David, how do you think you are going to hold a man like Jared? It’s obvious he is just using you, darling. You should end things before you end up getting hurt. How can you even be dating him so soon after David left you?”

Oh, for the love of…

“Mother, you don’t know what you’re talking about. First of all, if you think David is a nice man than he has you totally fooled, and Jared isn’t using me.”

“Of course he is. Why else would he be with someone like you?”

That was a direct hit. Kalista felt the tears burning in the back of her eyes, but she willed them away by sheer determination. “By someone like me, you mean someone short and slightly overweight, because I don’t look like a model, is that what you’re saying?”

Gina looked at her with such sympathy that it told Kalista that was exactly what she meant. “You’re really a very pretty girl, but you just don’t have what it takes to hold a man like Jared. Not unless he is with you for your money. You should turn over the rest of your trust to your father and me in case—” Gina was cut off by Jared, whose voice held a hard edge of anger to it.

“I have my own money, Mrs. Redford, and I certainly don’t need Kali’s. Obviously from the sapphires you’re wearing, you don’t seem to need her money either.”

Gina’s cheeks darkened with embarrassment at having been overheard, and she nervously stared back at him with wide eyes. Kalista looked up at Jared and barely held back a wince as she saw the fury burning in his dark eyes.

“You don’t understand. I’m just looking out for my daughter.”

“You don’t have to worry about that anymore. I’ll be looking out for Kali from now on. I won’t let
anyone
hurt her,” he said, his deep voice holding a dark warning. His menacing smile showed his white teeth as he wrapped his arm around Kalista’s waist, drawing her close to his body. “Excuse us,” he said before whisking Kalista away.

Hammer pulled her down a long hallway and stopped in front of a door to an empty conference room. He tried the door and was glad when it opened. Tugging her into the dark room he slammed the door shut and clicked the lock in place before pulling her into his arms.

“Goddammit, just damn it,” he snarled out as he held onto her. He felt her relax, leaning into him as if seeking comfort or giving it. He couldn’t tell which one.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” he snapped, then blew out a breath, trying to regain control of his anger. Hearing what her mother had said to her, how she’d so casually insulted both him and Kali had set his teeth on edge. It had been bad enough when her father had all but asked him how much money he had. Don Redford was a man that was driven by greed, and Hammer had no problem intimidating the smaller man, easily putting him in his place with a few direct insults. He’d thought he was holding it together, but when he’d heard what Gina had said to Kali, he felt his temper snap.

Jesus, what the hell was wrong with that bitch?

His muscles ached with the need to defend his woman, but how the hell could he when the worst perpetrator was her own mother? Light filtered into the room from the hallway through the frosted glass on the side of the doorway, allowing him to see her as he pulled back. The wounded look in her eyes made him want to howl in fury. He wanted to put his fist through the wall, or better yet, he wanted to tell her parents to go to hell and to leave them alone.

Kalista looked up to see the fury evident on his handsome face. It warmed her heart because she knew he was angry on her behalf, and that meant more to her than she could put into words. She had never felt like she had someone on her side. Sure, she had friends that were there for her, but that was different than having a partner. To know that someone cared for her and would always put her first before anyone else.

Until now.

“Your parents are totally fucked up.”

That surprised a laugh out of her. “I tried to warn you. Unfortunately, that wasn’t anything unusual.”

He swore viciously, and somehow that made her feel even better.

“Christ, Kali. I can’t stand it.” He leaned down pressing his forehead to hers as he wrapped both arms around her waist so they were like steel-hard bands holding her to him. “I don’t…I don’t know what I’m allowed to say or do for you. I don’t want to piss you off or say something you won’t forgive me for, but damn it, I love you too much to just stand there and let your bitch of a mother cut you down like that.”

Kalista froze, unable to believe what she just heard. “Y-you love me?”

“God yes, baby. I didn’t mean to tell you like this, but I do. I fucking love you, Kali.”

The tears that she had held back now spilled over, falling to her cheeks. “I love you, too, Jared. So much. I feel like I was born loving you.”

His dark gaze flared with heat. “You’re mine now, and no one will come between us,” he snarled before his lips crushed down on hers.

He took her mouth in a brutal kiss as he pressed her back against the closed door. He groaned in pleasure and his grip changed, one of his large hands moving up to cup her chin so he could force her mouth open for his tongue to delve deep. She moaned as the taste of him exploded on her tongue, and she instantly wanted more. She could feel the steel-hard spike of his erection against her stomach, and lust curled in her belly as she felt a flood of liquid heat spill from between her thighs.

She couldn’t hear anything over the sound of her own blood roaring in her ears as she arched into him, pressing closer, needing to feel him against her. Lips crushed together, tongues stroking, tasting as they all but devoured one another.

Hearing Jared loved her opened something inside her, making her feel like she could fly. She heard the sound of the zipper on her dress in the stillness and pulled back to gasp. “What are you doing?”

“I need you now, Kali. Right now. Let me have you.”

Seeing the need burning in his dark gaze had her nodding, and she pushed him back slightly, letting her dress fall to the floor.

“Sweet Jesus…”

She smiled at his whispered words when he saw the black strapless bra and thong she wore, along with the matching garter belt and stockings she had bought. She had hoped to surprise him later, but right now worked for her. Lifting her he carried her over to the conference table and set her down on it. He pulled off his suit jacket, flinging it onto a chair and pressed his arousal against the junction of her parted thighs. The pressure of his cock against the wet material of her thong had her aching to feel him inside her.

“Tell me again,” he commanded.

“I love you,” she whispered, pulling his lips back down to hers. She heard his belt buckle release and the sound of his zipper as he pulled it down, but she could barely focus beyond the way his mouth worshiped hers. She cried out as he pushed the material of her thong aside and thrust one large finger into her dripping pussy. He pulled it out, then thrust two back inside her, parting her tight muscles.

“God, baby. You’re soaking wet for me. This is going to be hard and fast. I can’t wait.”

“Then don’t. Don’t wait, Jared.”

She gasped as she felt him take her thong in a firm grip and yank them off of her with one hard tug. Pulling back, she slapped at his chest lightly. “You’re always destroying my underwear.”

“I’ll buy you new ones. Tons of them. Better yet, stop wearing them so you are always ready for me,” he demanded. “Now wrap your legs around me, Kali.”

She did as he asked and felt the large head of his cock nudging at the entrance of her pussy. He pulled back enough so that their eyes locked just as he shoved inside her, filling her pussy with his hard cock. She gasped, that small sting just making her pleasure that much more intense. One of his hands gripped her neck, helping to hold her up as he began tunneling into her with fast, hard strokes.

“So tight! Your hot little cunt is so damn tight I can’t hold back. You squeeze my cock so good baby,” he growled out.

Unable to take it, she let herself fall back on the table so she was splayed before him. She reached up to cup her breasts over her strapless bra, holding them in place as he pounded into her. He pulled her thighs wide, holding her completely open to him as he stroked his cock into her over and over again, thrilling her with the brutal passion they shared.

“I’m close, baby,” he said with a grunt.

“Jared, I need…”

“I’ve got you,” he assured her even as he moved one of his hands to her clit, rubbing furiously until she felt her body tighten with impending release.

“That’s it. Come for me, Kali. Come and take me with you.”

She couldn’t help but obey as her back arched off the table, and she came, sobbing out his name. His large body came down over her, sheltering her as waves of pleasure tore her apart from the inside out. He muffled her cries with his mouth as his large frame shuddered against her and he poured his seed into her body.

“Love you, Kali,” he whispered against her lips, making her heart soar.

She was loved just as she loved him, and that was all that mattered.

Chapter Nine

Kalista headed into the bathroom after she and Jared left the conference room. He had tried to clean her using his handkerchief, but he had filled her with so much of his cum she had to take care of it if she didn’t want a big wet spot on the back of her dress when she sat down at dinner.

After seeing that the room was empty, she was surprised by her appearance as she stared into the mirror. Her handy no-smudge lipstick was long gone since it didn’t stand a chance against Jared’s passionate kisses. Her eyes had taken on a sensual look that she thought would tell anyone who looked at her that she’d just had sex with her big, strong man.

Thinking about that put a smile on her lips.

She did a quick repair to her makeup, grateful that she had remembered to throw a compact of press-powder into her clutch purse, then headed into one of the private stalls to clean herself up. When she was done, she took a moment just lean back against the wall and think about how her life had just changed.

A secret smile spread across her lips, and she closed her eyes, basking in the glow of Jared’s love for her. She never thought she could be this happy. She’d been worried that she had fallen so completely for him so fast, but knowing he was right there with her filled her with a joy that she could barely contain.

The door to the bathroom opened, and her body tensed as she heard the voices of two of her cousin Bethany’s bridesmaids, Suzie and Chantal. Most of Bethany’s friends had always treated Kalista as if she was beneath their notice, but Chantal had always been particularly nasty to her. Chantal was a tall, beautiful blonde who always used her looks to get whatever she wanted.

“Did you see him? Hammer is so hot,” Chantal said with a little laugh.

“He is. I think I’ve seen one of his fights on pay-per-view or something, but he came here with Bethany’s cousin, what’s her name.”

Chantal let out a little snort. “That fat cow? Please, he must have lost a bet or something. Or maybe she bribed him in baked goods.”

Kalista body stiffened at hearing that. Usually, her reaction to this kind of thing would have left her in tears, but she refused to worry about stupid woman like Chantal or her mother anymore. Jared had said he loved her, and he didn’t lie.

“You can be such a bitch sometimes,” Suzie said.

“And I’m so damn good at it,” Chantal said with a laugh. “I’m totally going to sleep with him tonight. Did you see that body? I bet he’s an animal in bed.”

Fed up, Kalista opened the stall door and stepped out into the bathroom and watched the two women in dark purple dresses standing in front of the mirror freeze as they saw her. Suzie had the good sense to at least look a little ashamed by being caught, but Chantal just lifted a sculpted brow as she met Kalista’s gaze.

Casually walking back to the sink, Kalista washed her hands and patted them dry on one of the towels set out for guests. She opened her purse and put another layer of red lipstick on her lips. “Actually, he is an animal in bed. I wouldn’t hold your breath about tonight, though, seeing as he sleeps next to me every night. I’m sure you can find some other poor man who doesn’t know who you really are to take you home. Enjoy your evening.”

With that, Kalista opened the bathroom door and walked out, satisfied that she had left the bitchy woman sputtering. She smiled as she saw Jared waiting for her. Several other women were looking at him, but he only had eyes for her. Her big, bad boy looked so handsome standing there bathed in the golden light of the chandeliers, but even the dress clothes couldn’t camouflage the savage beauty of his lethal body. Those intriguing hints of his tattoos showing just made it even more obvious that he was like a wild animal in disguise.