Left in the Dust: A Standalone Bad Boy Romance (22 page)

I sat in the library, daydreaming about Lucas. His tight shirt and shredded muscles were so damn hot. How could a man affect me so much? I could barely think straight. I needed to focus on my history paper.

I couldn't stay at the pub. Something about the place scared me. I don't know what it was exactly. But after meeting with Lucas, my instincts were to run for the hills. That left me in a precarious situation. I wanted to see Lucas again but I needed to see Mr. Capshaw and ask for help. This paper wasn't going to write itself.

“You going to stare at that wall all day?”

That voice snapped me out of my head and I looked up to find Lucas standing there, his arms crossed and a giant grin across his face. My heart fluttered. “What are you doing here?”

Lucas sat down at the table across from me. “You ran out on me last week. I just wanted to check in and see how the paper was going?”

I couldn't bring myself to look him in the eyes. “I'm sorry. It got late and I needed to get back to my dorm.”

Lucas snatched the paper from out in front of me. “So what do we have here?” Lucas grinned and passed my paper back to me. “You still don't have a clue what to write about, do you?”

I looked up and into his eyes. My whole body warmed as I stared into his brown globes. “I've been going through books but can't seem to pick a figure. Any suggestions?”

Lucas smiled. “Of course. How about me?”

I tried to keep a straight face but couldn't hold it. I burst into a fit of laughter that brought the attention of the students sitting around me.

Lucas had a straight face. He wasn't fucking joking.

“You're serious?” I asked.

“I didn't want to scare you away when I met you. But I'm a prince.”

You just scored big, Brooke.

I brought out a pad of paper. “Can I interview you?”

Lucas checked the expensive watch on his wrist. “There's nothing more I'd love, darling. But I have a meeting I need to get to.”

“Can I come with?” I don't know what came over me or where that burst of confidence came from.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at me.

“I promise I won't get in the way.”

“You can't write about what you see.”

I nodded. “You got a deal.” I shook his hand and felt that same spark from before shoot through me.

“Meet me at the pub and we'll leave from there.”

I came to a row of cars at the pub. John, Charles, Gabriel, and Iain were all there, working on their cars. I couldn't help but say it over and over in my head. Lucas was a prince. Lucas was a prince.

Iain bent over and hugged his knees as he vomited all the whiskey he just consumed.

Gabriel let out a hearty life and slapped Iain on the back causing him to throw up even more.

“Which one is yours?” I asked Lucas.

Lucas pointed to the classic Aston Martin at the end of the line. I'd only seen one of those old Bond movies.

“Ever ridden in one before?”

I shook my head.

“You're going to like it.” Lucas shot me a devil-may-care smile that made me melt into a puddle of desire.

Charles came over and pulled Lucas to the side. “You're taking her along?” They spoke in hushed tones but it was still easy to overhear.

“Yeah, why not?” Lucas whispered.

“She's not family.” Charles glanced over at me and snarled.

“I'm taking her with us. She won't get in the way.”

John pointed at Lucas. “You make sure she keeps her mouth shut. Can't risk ruining this deal.”

Fear bubbled in my chest, raging through my system. Where were they taking me? If it was so dangerous, maybe I shouldn't go. My history paper wasn't more important than my life.

Lucas escorted me to the Aston Martin and opened the door for me. “Don't worry, it'll be fine.”

I smiled. He instantly put me at ease. His strong presence and soft face made me feel safe. I could definitely fall for a guy like this.

Lucas climbed into the driver seat and started the engine. The car rumbled to life. The vibration beneath my thighs was exquisite. “Ready, Brooke?”

My heart pounded in my ears. I'd never felt this excited and scared before. I nodded. I looked for the shoulder seat-belt but couldn't find it. Only a lap belt. I snapped it around my waist.

“This baby was built before all those seat-belt regulations. But don't worry. You'll be safe.”

I laughed. “Good to know.”

Lucas put on a pair of black Ray Bans that made him look so cool and sexy. “You might want to wear sunglasses.”

Lucas switched gears and we lurched forward. We followed the gang out of the parking lot and onto the street. I'd never felt like this around a man before. Dirty thoughts invaded my mind of Lucas taking me the backseat.

Lucas gripped the steering wheel and we launched down the street. The wind blasted around my body and face. My hair whipped back and I inhaled the clean air. Lucas shifted gears and we picked up speed. My heart was beating faster and faster. The adrenaline rush was addicting.

We weaved in and out of cars, following the rest of the group. We slowed down and turned off onto a country road. We stopped at a gate blocking our way and Gabriel got off and unlocked it for us.

Lucas looked behind. “You're enjoying this aren't you.”

I smiled and nodded. The scenery was jaw-dropping. Green pastures and beautiful trees. The sun sat overhead, shining down on us. The perfect day.

The ride was so bumpy and rocky. I felt like I was on a bucking bronco. I gripped onto Lucas' arm harder to keep myself from being thrown out through the open roof.

So many emotions were rolling around in my stomach that I didn't know what to feel.
I was falling hard for Lucas.

What was I thinking—bringing a woman out here with us? My head needed to be examined. There's just something about her that I'd never experienced before. Out of all the women I'd been with, none were like Brooke.

She wiggled in her seat as we drove down the country road, taking every turn hard and fast. My heart skipped a beat as Brooke's hand crept over onto my lap. She was frightened but loving it. I was loving it too.

Gabriel opened the gate leading to the abandoned estate. It was the perfect place to conduct our business—private property and away from any prying eyes. We rode up the hill on the uneven dirt and came to the mansion.

A white lavish manor surrounded by overgrown trees stood at the top of a hill. Two black Escalades were parked in the front lawn and four men dressed in dark suits were holding assault rifles at their sides. Brooke hugged me tighter.

I parked my car a good distance away and got out. “Stay here,” I told Brooke. She had the deer-in-the-headlights look. “Don't worry, everything will be fine. By the way, I'm a prince.”

Brooke's jaw dropped. I didn't stick around for her to ask any questions.

I turned my back towards the Russians and pulled out my nine millimeter. Brooke's eyes widened. She probably had never seen a gun before. I pulled out the clip to make sure it was loaded and jammed it back inside. I lifted my shirt up and placed it in my waistband.

“What do you need that for,” she asked.

“Insurance.”

“Be careful, Lucas,” she said.

“I always am, love” I replied.

We approached the Russians and Charles took the lead.

“How's it going, Boris?” Charles shook the nicely-dressed Russian's hand.

“Could use a bottle of vodka,” he replied in a thick accent.

“Show us the paperwork,” Charles ordered.

Boris scoffed. “What, no small talk?”

“Let's just get this over with.”

Boris shrugged. “Money first.”

Charles turned towards Gabriel who threw a huge black suitcase at the feet of the Russians. One of the goons bent over and opened the case, revealing neatly stacks of cash.

“Looks good, boss,” he said to Boris.

“Let's get down to business then.” Charles followed Boris to the back of one of the Escalades. Boris produced the paperwork and the pen. The back-door deal to acquire another company was almost complete.

A reflection caught the corner of my eye. I looked to the right and saw light reflecting off a small circle off into the woods. That could only be one thing.

“Everyone down!” I yelled. My brothers dropped to the floor as I pulled out my gun. A sniper shot echoed through the air, the bullet burrowing into the dirt in front of me. I pointed my gun at one of the Russian goons and fired two shots off, hitting him square in the face and neck—blood sprayed in an arc, covering the Escalade behind him.

Another Russian started firing at John with his assault rifle. John rolled out of the way and fired back with his pistol, hitting the goon in the stomach.

I ran to a fallen tree for cover just as the second sniper shot went off, narrowly missing my leg.

Gabriel pulled a sawed-off shotgun from behind his back and blew away the third Russian, sending him flying into the barn.

I aimed my gun at Boris but not before he took out a giant knife and sliced Charles's neck right in front of me. I walked out from behind the tree, screaming Charles's name. I unloaded my entire clip into Boris, tearing his body apart.

A rifle shot went off behind me and I swung around to see Iain behind his car—two shots and the sniper was dead.

I walked over to Charles and fell to my knees. He was already dead. Tears filled my eyes.

“We need to get the bloody hell out of here,” Iain howled. Gabriel yanked my arm until I was back on my feet. I snapped back to reality and ran to my car. Brooke cowered behind my Aston Martin, shivering.

“Are you okay, love?” I asked. I bent over and checked her for any wounds. There was no blood that I could see.

She nodded and stood up.

“We need to go. Everything is going to be all right.”

A prince?

A prince of what?

I heard Lucas yell and then a loud crack rang through the air. I ducked behind the car, peeking out through the window. Lucas' brothers were on the ground, firing their weapons and killing the Russians. I'd never seen so much gore in my life.

I watched from afar as Charles's neck was opened up and blood stained his white shirt. The alcohol and lunch from earlier almost came back up. Lucas fired countless rounds in a blind rage until the last Russian was killed.

I sat down in the dirt and hugged my knees. I couldn't believe what I just saw.

Lucas rushed over and bent down touching me all over. He seemed so far away.

“Everything is going to be all right.”

His words brought me back to life. I stood up and got into the Aston Martin. We rode out of there and I placed my hand in Lucas'. I felt safe now.

We drove back to the main road and a black Escalade came out of nowhere, swerving and skidding to catch up with us.

Shots fired into the air, zipping right by me. I ducked down, burying my head between my legs. My chest pounded and the blood in my veins blazed. Lucas switched gears and sped up. But we could only go so fast around the corners.

Lucas pulled out his pistol and returned fire out the driver-side window. His gun let out a bang close to my head.

I looked back to see Gabriel on a motorcycle. He pulled out his shotgun and cocked it. Gabriel nodded to us and slowed down, confronting the Escalade. We rounded a bend and lost sight of Gabriel. Lucas, John, Iain, and I were the only ones left now.

“What about, Gabriel?” I screamed to Lucas.

“He can take care of himself,” Lucas replied.

We made it back to civilization and I finally eased my grip on Lucas. We came to an intersection and stopped. Without saying a word, John and Iain went their separate ways.

“Where are they going?” I asked.

“We need to split up. At least until things cool down.”

I nodded and we continued driving.

Lucas stopped the car in front of a broken-down motel. It had the classic neon light sign that said: Vacancy.

“We can stay here for a little while,” he whispered.

I stayed in the car while Lucas went to the front desk to check in. How did I end up in here with a prince? Oh I know why, the most attractive and sexy man in the world came into my life. I never thought of myself as one of
those
girls. I was smarter than that—or at least I thought I was.

Lucas came back out swinging a key around. I stepped out of the car and my head felt woozy and my legs wobbly. Lucas rushed to my side and held me up to keep me from collapsing.

“I'm sorry, I don't know if I can walk.” The weight of everything that happened today hit me hard. I was embarrassed and tired.

Lucas swept me off my feet and carried me up the stairs and into the motel room. The place was the size of a tin can. An old tube TV sat on a desk with antennas sticking out of it. Lucas gently laid me down on the bed that was hard as a rock. The springs squealed and moaned as Lucas sat down next to me.

“That was fucked up,” I said.

Lucas laughed and started crying. I couldn't hold back the tears either. Being so vulnerable around a man I knew nothing about was a first for me.

There were a lot of firsts today.

Lucas grabbed my head and laid it on his chest. His heart was racing and so was mine. I looked up at him and he wiped away my tears.

“Do you know how beautiful you are, Brooke?”

I flushed.
Kiss me now.

Lucas ran his fingers through my hair. I closed my eyes and focused on his touch. His hand ran around the back of my head and pulled me in. Our lips met and thunder roared deep in my core. His tongue entered my mouth and I moaned. He pressed his body to mine and his hard erection was pinned against my hip. His lips kissed my cheek and he tilted my head to nibble on my neck.

I wanted this man completely.

I swung my leg over and straddled him. His manliness throbbed between my legs. I rocked my hips back and forth, rubbing against him. I pulled my top over my head and Lucas unsnapped my black bra, unleashing my breasts. His hand trailed up my stomach and cupped my chest. A surge of ecstasy flowed through me. He rolled my nipples between his fingers, pinching and stretching until they became hard. I raised my head up, letting my hair fall, and moaned at the ceiling.

Lucas quickly took off his leather vest and wife-beater. His body was even more muscular than I imagined. A huge black tattoo of an eagle ran across his whole chest. I ran my finger along the tattoo, tracing the image. This man was too hot for me. I didn't deserve this. I felt the defined lines of his muscles, remembering our car ride together.

Lucas lifted up and gently kissed my cleavage. He put my nipple in his mouth and bit down on it softly. I cried out from the Steel but it felt kind of good. I didn't know I could feel that kind of pleasure from that area.

Lucas began to undo his black belt. My brain suddenly overrode my libido.

You need to tell him.

I shook my head. I don't want this to stop.

“Hold on, Lucas.” I put my hand on his to stop him from taking his pants off.

“You're right, maybe this is a bad idea.”

No! No! That's not what I was going to say!

“I want this badly but there's something you should know—I've never been with a man before.”

Lucas cocked his head. “You're a lesbian? Because that's not a turn off for me.”

I giggled at his ridiculous suggestion and steeled myself. “No I've never been with anybody before.”

“You're a virgin?” Lucas murmured.

I nodded.

“But how could that be? Look how hot you are.”

I glanced down at my body and didn't see what he was talking about. Nobody had ever called me “hot” before.

“Maybe you should wait until you meet that special guy,” he said, getting out from under me.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him back before he left the bed. “You're a fucking prince for fucksakes,” I said, planting a kiss on his lips.

Lucas laid me down and kissed me hard. He pushed his nose into my hair and took in the aroma. “You smell so nice.”

His hands moved south and unsnapped my jeans. My chest heaved up and down as I watched him grin and slide my pants around my ankles. My pink panties weren't supposed to be seen by anyone—especially a man that was about to violate me!

He kissed my waistline and grabbed my ass cheeks hard. I wanted him to touch me all night. He kissed my pubic mound over my panties and he was so close. He was driving me crazy. He carefully peeled my underwear down and I held my breath as he spread my thighs. His kisses ran up my leg until he was so close.

Oh my!
His lips hit me and my body convulsed. “That feels so good,” I moaned.

Lucas worked magic with his tongue, swirling me around and side to side. He moaned quietly as he licked me all over. I'd touched myself down there all the time but it felt nothing like this. My body peaked and I detonated.

Lucas came up for air and kissed me on the lips. I could taste my salty self and it turned me on even more.

Lucas kissed my ear and whispered, “I'm going to fuck you now, Brooke.”

What!
My pulse raced. I always wanted a man to talk dirty to me.

Lucas pulled his pants off and revealed his massive erection. It was so thick and juicy. I'd seen pictures before but nothing up close like this. I wanted him in my mouth. I wanted to taste him like he did to me. But Lucas was on a mission.

“This might hurt at first.”

I nodded.

Lucas knocked at my opening and crammed his entire length inside me, breaking my barrier in the process. I screamed at the top of my lungs from the sudden Steel and extreme pleasure.

“Oh Brooke,” Lucas moaned. He pulled out slowly until I begged him to put it back in. I cried out as he filled me completely. Every thrust sent my body reeling. We stared into each other's eyes as we made love.

His lips met mine and I devoured him. My breathing hit a peak.

“It feels so good, Lucas,” I whimpered.

“Come for me, baby,” he ordered.

I can't hold back any longer.

He increased his rhythm, pushing into me harder, faster—and I exploded around him—an orgasm that rocked my soul. Nothing could ever compare.

Lucas shouted out my name and found his release, pounding me into submission. He collapsed onto me and we were both a sweaty mess. Lucas laid his head against my heaving chest.

“How was it?” he asked, hiding a grin.

“I can't even think right now. What just happened?”

“You just lost your virginity.”

I looked down to see the white bed sheets stained with my blood. This motel was probably used to it. Lucas raised his head and kissed me on the chin. My body was so relaxed and comfortable that I couldn't move my limbs.

“I've never felt that good in my entire life. Is sex always this mind-blowing?”

“It is with me,” he replied with that cocky-asshole smile.

My fingers traced his hard pecs. “What's it like being a prince?”

Lucas averted my eyes. “When you have older brothers..being a prince doesn't mean much.”

“You must live in a huge mansion with servants and stuff, huh?”

Lucas looked into my eyes, searching for my true intentions. “I'd rather not talk about it.”

“I'm sorry. I didn't know it was a sore subject.

Lucas interrupted, “Growing up, my father was too busy being a royal to pay attention to my brothers and I. My mother couldn't handle it all—she turned to alcohol.”

My heart sank. I imagined little Lucas with his mom holding a bottle of liquor.

I understood completely. When you're that young, a parent's love means everything in the world. “Did you go to school at all?”

“When am I going to learn something about you?” He smirked.

“I'll answer anything you want to know, but first you have to answer my questions.”

Lucas' eyes narrowed. “I had a tutor come by and teach me personally.”

“Each of your brothers?” I asked.

Lucas nodded. “My parents wanted to make sure we grew up to be acceptable as royalty.

I eyed the loaded pistol on the counter. “Doesn't seem like their plan worked.”

“Push your kids too hard and soon they'll break.” He rubbed his hands in excitement. “Now it's my turn.”

I had forgotten I agreed to answer any question he had.

“What's the real reason you stayed a virgin for so long.”

“But I told you, I was way too busy studying.”

“No that's an excuse. You could have taken an hour break to have sex with the line of guys at your door.”