Torn - Part Two (The Torn Series) (4 page)

I didn’t want to talk about it, I just wanted to get her alone and naked. Talking could wait - forever, for all I cared in that moment. But she flitted away, head down, smile gone. With a mumble of, “I ought to socialize,” she disappeared into another room as if she regretted running into me at all.

I didn’t get it. I thought I’d made it pretty obvious that I wasn’t angry, or really even all that upset anymore. I’d just told her that I wanted to fuck her, wasn’t that what she wanted? What was the problem?

Fuck it, I would socialize, too. Surly and Lockett were on their way, probably with a few more guys from the gym, followed by the girls who hung off of them. Maybe I could stir up a little jealousy. Maybe I’d embrace my inner asshole once more and flirt with them right in front of her. And leave with one of them. End things once and for all.

Even as I thought those things, I knew I wouldn’t do them.

“All right, now the party’s here!” someone shouted from the front door. Lockett and company arrived sooner than I’d expected, trailing just as many people as I was afraid they would.

“Mal!” he shouted when he spotted me, “Some of these ladies have some serious questions about grappling. Shall we take it out back?”

I grinned; I hadn’t even realized that Robin had backyard access, but it was the best news of the week. A little harmless showing off was just what I needed - and if Riley looked on, all the better. “Let’s do it.”

○●○●○●○●○

Maybe this was not the best plan.
I’d been excited about this little demonstration with Lockett, but with his arm locked tight around my neck and my airflow slowing to a trickle, it was hard to remember why on earth I’d thought this was a good idea. Lockett was bigger and heavier - a different weight class, we would never face each other in a proper match - and on the less-than-stable backyard ground of dirt and gravel, my speed was less of an advantage then usual.

He yanked me around to face the opposite direction. Vision starting to swim, I spotted her wide blue eyes watching, brows creased with concern. I certainly couldn’t let Lockett take me down with Riley looking on. I grinned - more of a grimace, really - and made a last-ditch attempt at freeing myself. I snaked one of my feet back between his and attempted to kick at his ankle. It didn’t have much effect on his balance but the distraction was just enough for me to wrench around and get a gulp of air.

Or maybe he just let me. The man really was fucking strong, so maybe he just spotted her in the crowd and didn’t want to make me pass out in front of her. Either way, I worked myself free and got an arm around his middle. I tried to grab his free arm and twist it, and almost succeeded, but he yanked back and out of my grasp.

I tried for a leg again, wrapping mine around one of his and pulling hard. He slid but held his ground. We were only grappling in the small space of the fenced backyard - anything more would have risked audience injury. Otherwise a good punch to the gut may have winded Lockett and gotten me into a more favorable position.

There was no way I was taking him to the ground if I couldn’t take some real jabs at him, but I could keep myself out of more trouble long enough for the round to end.

Sure enough, one of our guys blew a whistle just a moment later and we released each other. No blood or bruises but we were both sweating quite a bit. The guy with the whistle declared Lockett the winner, and I flipped him a good-natured middle finger as I pushed past.

“He almost had you,” Riley said when I approached her, a big shit-eating grin on my face. It was always a victory when I escaped Lockett without tapping out or passing out - even if maybe he went easy on me. Maybe. “Your face got really red.”

“It was close,” I said, wiping my brow.

“You need water.” I let her lead me inside.

The brief fight really had my adrenaline running, and watching her ass sway as she walked up the steps into the house, all I could think about was spending that energy on her.
That’s right, dummy, let’s invite more trouble.
Right then, I felt like it might be worth it.

I followed her into the kitchen where she filled a glass from the tap and passed it to me. “Drink it,” she said, and I did, keeping my eyes locked on hers all the while. She watched me swallow, hovering like she was worried, like she wanted to take care of me. It reminded me of that night we got caught in the rain, when she fussed over drying my hair. It had been the first sign that I was in trouble when it came to her; it had warmed my stupid cold heart then, and it was having the same effect now.

“You look nice,” I told her, and her lips twitched into a small smile. She did look good tonight - she didn’t have the raccoon look going on, she appeared to be wearing less makeup.

“Thanks. You look…. sweaty.”

“Yeah? I was thinking about getting sweatier.”

She rolled her eyes. She knew me too well to be offended by my dirty mouth. “I know, you were pretty unsubtle about it earlier.” Her eyes were just a little glassy - she wasn’t drunk but she’d had a few. Just enough to loosen her up a little.

“Don’t run off on me again,” I said. “I meant it earlier. Just because shit’s all messed up doesn’t mean we can’t keep having a little fun.”

She sighed and looked away. “I’m not good at casual, Mallet. It stresses me out.”

“Everything stresses you out.” It was true; her nervousness was one of the first things I’d noticed about her.

“I know.”

“Do you want me to leave?” I took a step closer to her.

“No. I just… I wish you were more angry. It would make more sense and I deserve it.”

I took another step. “Maybe.” I was close enough to touch her, so I took a strand of black hair between my fingers. “I
was
pretty mad. Doesn’t mean I don’t still want you.”

“I really did leave him,” she said, looking up at me with wide eyes. Eyes that I thought I could drown in. I didn’t see a lie in them, but I didn’t quite trust my own instincts just then.

“Okay,” I said, moving in closer and breathing her in. She smelled damn good, that much I knew.

“I moved out and told him to stop contacting me.”

“Did he?”

She shrugged. “I’m working on it.”

Of course.
I hovered closer, my lips against her ear, and exhaled a slow breath. She shivered. “I’m just concerned with tonight. You aren’t with him tonight.”

“No. Not any night anymore.”

“Whatever you say, baby.” I licked her earlobe, earning a soft gasp. My hands traced her spine and lower. “It was a slip-up on my part anyway. Casual is all I do.” I planted a slow, hot kiss on her neck, tasting her skin, savoring the familiar flavor. God, I’d actually missed it. “So, can you handle that tonight?” I cupped her ass and yanked her hard against me. She yelped with surprise.

I knew it was all a bad idea but my body craved her. I was hard as a rock just from touching her over her clothes. What did it matter to me if she was still waffling about her ex-boyfriend? I wasn’t going to date this girl, I wasn’t going to put a damn ring on her finger. There was no way I was letting myself get emotionally tangled again.

And if she couldn’t do casual, that was her problem. She was free to walk away. I was clear.

But she didn’t walk away. Her hand slid into mine and she said, “Have you had the tour? I can show you my room.”

“Show me.”

CHAPTER 4

Riley’s room was borderline bare. The girl had no furniture - I assumed that meant everything in the old apartment had belonged to the ex, but I wasn’t about to bring that up. She had the old futon and nothing else. All her things were still in boxes, all open, with clothes and books leaking out of them all along the walls of the room.

“Home sweet dump,” she said, sweeping the space with her arm. Even her little lamp had no lampshade. I had to kick back the desire to help her. Goddamn, I’d come upstairs to have casual sex and there I was thinking about fucking furniture shopping.

“Better shut off the light, baby, or we’ll both be too depressed to get it up.”

She giggled and traced the front of my jeans. It was my turn to groan. “I don’t think you’re having any trouble.” But she flicked the light off and shut the door. “I know it isn’t much yet,” she said, “But once I have another job…”

I gripped her tight around the waist and pulled her to me, her back against my chest. “Don’t worry about it.” My lips found her neck and I kissed her there, tasting her, tracing slow circles with my tongue until she shivered against me.

“Mallet,” she sighed, reaching behind her and threading her fingers through my hair. I loved her like this. She didn’t get self-conscious like other girls; didn’t try to hide herself, silence herself, cover herself. Alexa Riley was strange like that - a jumpy, nervous girl until you either put her onstage or got her in bed.

I was hard already; I rubbed my erection against her ass, making her gasp. “You ready for me, baby?” I breathed against her ear. My hands found their way beneath her shirt and kneaded her breasts beneath her bra - those perfect, fleshy globes that I wanted to bury my face in. I squeezed and lifted them until she was panting and moving with my hands. “You wet for me, Riley?” I asked, and she moaned softly again. She was always so responsive to my words - it was so easy to drive her wild.
Or maybe it’s just me. Maybe it’s just us together.
I pushed that thought away. We were here to have a little fun and to feed a need and that was it.

She pulled away and sat on the edge of the bed, grinning a mischievous grin that I could just make out with the streetlights streaming in through her curtainless window. “Take your shirt off,” she said, biting her lip with anticipation.

I yanked it over my head in one smooth motion and stood before her. She traced my abs with a rough finger, calloused from her years playing the bass. Another quirk that I enjoyed - she was so soft all over but she didn’t have the softest touch. She traced the hard lines of my muscles, leaving tingles everywhere she touched. I inhaled sharply when she placed both palms against my chest. Her lips brushed the skin just below my collarbone, one side and then the other.

Part of me wanted to take over, to flip her onto her back and take her, but I was enjoying this too much. Letting her take control for a while was kind of hot, though it wouldn’t last. Not the way I liked to do things.

Her mouth made it’s way to one of my nipples, and then the other, engulfing them in wet heat. Arousal raged through me, making my breathing ragged. My hands gripped her hair but I slowed myself.
Patience.

She pulled me free from my pants. I couldn’t help groaning at the sight of her diminutive hand around my thick erection. I pumped once, watching it slide through her fist, and groaned again. She licked her lips and smiled.
Oh, fuck yes.
Sometimes she surprised me like that - she showed this uninhibited side, this slight wild streak that I was sure she kept buried in the outside world. She slid the head of my dick between her red lips and I inhaled a ragged breath. Fingers entwined in her hair, barely restraining myself from pulling her closer and plunging myself deeper, I thought
mine,
and gripped tight.
Shit.

It felt incredible - she was so good. She seemed to be enjoying it, too, especially when she drew a grunt or a groan of pleasure from me. She rocked on the edge of the mattress with her own impatience. Knowing her, she was soaked already. My whole body tensed at that thought. I had to have her. I didn’t want to finish like this.

I withdrew with a regretful sigh, taking a step back. She looked up at me with swollen lips. “You’re too fucking good,” I growled, kicking my pants the rest of the way down and away. I attacked her pants next, tearing them and her panties away from her body and hurling them across the room. Giggling, she pulled her shirt and bra up and over her head, revealing those heavy breasts to the moonlight. I crawled over her and buried my face in them, just as I’d wanted to, breathing her in and nuzzling against the soft flesh. She stroked my hair and muttered incoherently.

My fingers found her cleft, so hot and wet and ready for me. She squirmed as I stroked her until I drew another soft moan, another curse, another utterance of my name, before I crawled the rest of the way up and over her and plunged myself deep inside. “Fuck, Riley. Goddamn,” I grated. She felt so fucking perfect. I paused there where I was, rooted deep, feeling her twinge and ripple around me. “I think I’ve got a condom in my wallet,” I whispered, “I’ll grab it in just a second.”

She wrapped her legs right around my waist as if she could trap me there. “I’m on the pill.”