TUCKER: Valley Enforcers, #3 (22 page)

Emily tugged at my arm, taking their momentarily distraction as a sign to get me away from the situation. She looked past my body and her bottom lip wobbled. Her hand slipped into mine and she spun me around, walking as quickly as she could to her family. If she weren’t almost completely naked, I would have scooped her in my arms and carried her. Instead, I let her guide me to the small group that hung back by the door.

She only let go of me to hug her family. She even wrapped her arms around Justin, who returned the embrace with a look I couldn’t quite place. My heart spiked with jealousy, but I knew that she was mine.

“I was so worried,” Tanya cried, holding her daughter close.

“What the hell happened?” Ever the wordsmith, Shawn asked.

Emily returned to my arms. “We got away from the group. I don’t know how we slipped past the security officers.” Her body tensed. I didn’t want to hear any more; I didn’t want her to relive it. “Reid went down, and then everything went black. I woke up, human, in a cage. He was still in form. They…”

“Stop,” I pleaded. It was more for my sake than hers at that point.

She squeezed my hand. “Nobody hurt me. They know… knew about shifters. Wanted to sell us.”

“They didn’t hurt you?” Her sister asked with a frown, eyes riveted to the blood on Emily’s head.

“I tripped when we were escaping. Reid kept me safe.”

I growled, not wanting to hear his name on her lips let alone have her admit that he protected her when I couldn’t.
I
was the one who was supposed to keep her safe.
I
was the one who was supposed to love her. Not pretty boy Reid who obviously had a daddy complex. Emily was
mine
. I announced it to the room, and I had no problems doing it again with my fists if I had to. Mine. Mine. Mine. I’d shout it from the rooftops. Take out an ad in the newspaper. Tattoo her name across my heart. I planned on putting my mark on her as soon as I was certain there wasn’t a hair on her body out of place.

Kate handed over her puffy jacket and started shimmying out of her sweat pants. “Here, put these on.” When Justin quickly wiggled out of his own jacket to hand to her, she rolled her eyes. “I’m fine. I think everyone will be able to keep their eyes from my ass. If we don’t get her clothed, home, and bathed within the hour I think Tucker is going to have an aneurism.”

“Reid said I have to answer questions.”

“I don’t give a fuck what Reid said,” I grumbled. I turned her to me and made sure the borrowed jacket was zipped up to her chin. “I’m taking you home.”

“She needs medical attention.”

“It’s just a cut, Shawn,” Emily said while rolling her eyes.

The yelling behind us ceased and the hair on my arm rose. I tilted my head, holding back a snarl of disdain when I saw Reid walking towards us. “Emily, wait! You have to file a report with our Council representatives.”

I put a hand out to stop him from coming any closer. Now that my head was a bit clearer I could see just how beat to hell he was. I’d send the kid a thank you card, but he wasn’t getting any pleasantries until he backed the hell away and left my mate alone. “Reid, right? Listen, I’m taking Emily home. Deal with the Council. If you or anybody else tries talking to Emily before nine am tomorrow, I will have no problem challenging said person. I didn’t get this scar by sitting on my hands. Got it?”

He grinned at me and nodded his head slowly. “Nine am. I’ll hold you to that, Tucker.” His jaw tensed when he looked at Emily, but his light smile didn’t fade. “Don’t forget my wedding invitation, Red.”

His comment took me off guard, but I didn’t hate the idea. I wanted to give her my last name as quickly as possible. We’d talk weddings and seating arrangements later, though. I needed to get her home. I needed to make her mine.

Emily

I’d never been so tired in my life, but I fought the heaviness that weighed my eyelids. We didn’t make it back to my place until close to two. My family was weary to let me go, but I insisted I wanted to spend the night with Tucker. It was hard to look my mother in the eyes after my admission, but the second he and I were alone, I knew it was worth it. My parents were keeping Echo, and Kate opened her doors to Justin for the evening. I didn’t question it; I’d give her hell about it later. I was thankful to have Tucker to myself.

I knew our nine am wakeup call would come sooner rather than later, but I was trying to milk every moment I had with Tucker. I wanted to pinch him to make sure he was really with me, but the dull ache that resided in my bones was all the evidence I needed. That and the growing desire, despite my pain and exhaustion, to dig my claws into his sculpted chest and claim him as mine.

We needed to talk about our fight. We needed to talk about
us
. I was a ball of nervous energy the entire drive home. Instead of talking or pushing me against the wall, he slowly stripped me down in the living room. He shredded the shirt I borrowed from Reid, growling the entire time he handled the t-shirt. And then he went over every inch of my skin like he was an archeologist and I was a fine treasure. His lips brushed against my skin with light kisses that were his seal of approval.

He healed me with every touch and lingering kiss. I wanted to tell him how much I loved him – how afraid I was that I’d never get to see him again. I didn’t want to ruin the moment, so I kept quiet and enjoyed simply sharing the same space as him.

When my examination was over I thought we’d talk, but he led me to the bathroom. He warmed the water, testing it with his fingertips, before gently urging me in. I watched through the parted curtain as he put two towels on the sink and stripped out of his own clothes. There was no masking my lust as he trapped himself under the spray with me.

And yet, neither of us made any attempt to speak. I kept my hands to myself while he lathered the sponge and tentatively cleaned the grime from my body. He lathered the shampoo and conditioner into my hair, long fingers massaging my scalp. Tucker was never too rough with me, but the gentle way he handled me was surprising. I could feel how much he loved me with every tender touch. He kissed me, heating me more than the warm water ever could.

His reaction jutted out against my stomach. I whimpered as his erection seared my skin, my hands crawling up to lock in his hair. I wanted to swallow him whole. I never wanted to let him go. I’d never been more tired in my life, but I’d never felt more alive. With a new sense of urgency, I nudged him against the shower wall.

He complied, sliding his arms down my back to grab a handful of my bottom. I scraped my nails down his chest, needing to wrap my hand around his cock. His mouth went slack, a groan shooting down my throat. But instead of directing me to put my foot up on the side of the tub, he broke the kiss and pressed his cheek to mine. He grabbed my wrist just as I inched through the dusting of curls above his member. “Em, baby. Not now.”

“Not now?” I panted, eyebrows bunching together. “I’m fine, Tucker. I’ll
be
fine. I need you right now.”

He stole a kiss. “I need you, too, but I’m not fucking you in the shower. Your ankle hurts, you’re tired, and I want to have you beneath me.” His hands caressed my chest, making me dizzy. “Do you feel okay? Are you ready to get out?” He leaned forward again, head nuzzling the crook of my neck. I felt anxious and excited, knowing that by morning I’d wear his mark there. When he spoke next, his voice was gruff. “I don’t smell them anymore.”

“Make me smell like you, Tucker.”

His eyes darkened and he reached to the side to shut the water off. I waited while he slicked his hair back and stepped out, wrapping a towel around his waist. He straddled the tub as he tried drying my curls. It was a sweet gesture, but he had no idea what he was doing. I took the towel from him and fluffed my hair. Without product, it would look like a rat’s nest the next morning, but I was beyond caring. Despite Tucker’s silent protest, I dried my own body. When I was done, I took his hand and led him to my bedroom.

I wasn’t in the mood to sleep on wet sheets, so I grabbed a few throw blankets and spread them on top of my comforter. When I turned back around, Tucker was staring at me with his lips pursed.

“What’s wrong?”

He shook his head and released his hold on his towel. He hadn’t lost any interest since leaving our safe space in the shower. I forced myself to keep my eyes trained on him as he walked closer. “I never thought I’d see you again. Before all of this happened, even. I fucked things up between us, and I didn’t know how to fix it. I’m not good at admitting it when I’m wrong. Em, I was wrong.” There was an inch of space between us, and it was still too much. He cupped my cheek and stared down at me with a sad smile. “I’ve been running scared since the first time I saw you, I think. Afraid to admit what was right in front of me. You’re mine, Emily, and I am yours. You’re my forever.”

I’d never get tired of hearing those words. But there was a rotten pit in my stomach, and if I didn’t tell him my side the guilt would haunt me forever. I leaned into his palm and kissed the side of his hand. “I’ve been afraid, too, Tucker. You’ve thrown me off guard from day one. You challenge me, and I love you even more for that.” The words stopped in my throat. I didn’t want to ruin our night, but I had to tell him. “But that day… you were right. About Connor.”

He stiffened, the fluttering smile on his face dropping. The hurt was all over his face, and he tried pulling away. “Emily.”

“Let me finish.” I stopped him, grabbing his sides and pulling him against me again. “It’s only been you for a long time. I didn’t love him the way I love you, and I wasn’t harboring any romantic feelings for him. But that day I realized that I was holding onto a lot of baggage because of him. I was confused and hurt. Those days without you, I admit, I sometimes thought I still loved him. Most of the time, I hated him. Then I came to terms with what happened. I realized yeah, you were right, but you were so wrong, Tucker. Connor will always be a part of me, but I don’t love him. I cherish the good memories. From the moment you showed up on my doorstep, I knew you were my forever. You’re it, Tucker. You are the keeper of my heart. The only keeper of my heart.”

My heart fell with every passing second. I didn’t expect him to walk away, but he made empty promises in the past. More than sadness, I started feeling an annoying rage. Just when I was on the verge of snapping, he kissed me. God, he kissed me, and I felt it in my toes.

He surrounded me, strong arms lifting me up on the bed. The fire inside me licked and snapped with a need that had me dying to devour him. I was too tired for a frantic, desperate fuck. I
needed
him. In more than one way. The weeks without him made me crave his touch, but my soul cried out to him more. I was safest in his arms. More than that, I needed to know he loved me. I needed to know he was as lost without me as I was without him. My skin burned in the absence of his mark.

Tucker positioned me on my back, covering half of my body with his lean frame. I missed his lips the moment he pulled away. I committed him to memory, wanting to remember the look of love on his face for the rest of my life. He was in need of a shave and a haircut, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Still, he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen.

“I thought my life was over when I got the call from your sister today. I can’t… I can’t even begin to put what I felt into words, Emily.” He wasn’t kissing me, but his hands roamed my body. I shivered under every long stroke. “I thought I lost you. I felt empty. Hopeless.”

I’d been shocked to see him in that meeting hall. The only thing pushing me through our escape was knowing I’d have the chance to see him again, and then there he was. The car ride back to my place was somber, but Tucker filled me in on the phone call. My questions were short and his answers were terse, but I knew the gist. 

“I felt that, too,” I whispered hoarsely. “I was scared; they said… they said some terrible, terrible things.”

His fingers skidded to a stop. “They didn’t touch you, though?”

We ran into two members of the gang – or as Reid called them, the militant survivalist group – in the maze of hallways that made up the warehouse like building they called their home base. Reid shot one of them before he spotted us; the other managed to knock his gun out of his hands and engaged him in a short-lived fight. He covered me until we ran into an agent from some black ops looking team that found us. Everything from that point was a hazy memory.

“No. They didn’t get that far.” I didn’t want to tell him that Reid protected me, so I left it at that and went back to my initial thought process. “I thought I’d die without your mark. I didn’t want you to go the rest of your life thinking I didn’t want you or that I loved somebody else. I was kicking myself for being so stubborn. And I knew you’d blame yourself for whatever happened.” I grabbed his hand and kissed his palm. “That hurt more than anything. What happened was terrible and scary and stupid, but it brought us back together. No more hiding. No more running. I love you, Tucker.”

“No more running,” He parroted. Propping himself up, he chewed on his bottom lip. “Come back to the Valley with me. There’s plenty of room for Echo to play. We can set the spare room up as your workspace. You can decorate the whole house how you want. I’ll follow you to the end of the world, Em. If you want to stay here, say the word, but I just feel… I feel like we belong in the Valley.”

I didn’t even have to think about it. I’d find a new job; hell, maybe I’d stay home and focus on Emmy Lou’s Creations completely. I’d miss Kate and my family, but I wanted a fresh start with my mate. “Yes.”

He kissed the side of my face, smiling like the Cheshire Cat. He tilted my head and trailed his lips down my neck, sucking at the tender flesh. “I want to make you mine tonight, Emily. I don’t think I can go another minute knowing you don’t wear my mark. I’ll buy you the biggest diamond ring we can find tomorrow, but I need you to promise me tonight.”

“I don’t need a diamond ring.”

“Emerald, then, to match your eyes.” His torturous mouth moved south, latching onto a nipple. I’d never come down from his soft caresses, but he was creating a whole new inferno inside of me.

I arched into him. “Give me your mark. Claim me, Tucker.”

“Yes,” he growled, shifting his weight to cover me completely. I wrapped my arms around him and branded him with my heat. “God damn, Em, I missed you.” He sighed around my nipple, prickling my skin with goosebumps. “So perfect.”

We moved together; our bodies were a seamless display of our love. He nipped and kissed everywhere
but
my collarbone, working me into a frenzy. I itched for his bite just as much as I itched for his body. Any time I tried to gain the upper hand and do more than graze my fingers over his skin or flick my tongue across a nipple he would capture my hands with a moan and hold me back until he got his fill.

While he seemed to surround me completely, willing our souls to entwine the way our bodies were, his hands never seemed to touch the one place I wanted them to. He traced circles on the outer part of my thigh and rested a palm against my flat stomach, but his teasing never progressed. When he finally covered the apex of my thighs with his hands, fingers pushing through the curls, I almost came apart with anticipation.

I reached out for him, kissing him sloppily as he circled my clit. He swallowed every moan and sigh and turned them into fuel for his pursuit to completely shatter me. His warmth seeped into me, making even my atoms scream for him. While Tucker seemed content to drag out our night, his body said otherwise. His steel rod rubbed against my thigh, massaging beads of pre-cum into my flesh.

He finally sunk two fingers inside of me. This time, we both moaned.

“So slick, Em,” He groaned, biting my bottom lip.

I dug my fingers into his biceps. “Please, Tucker. I’m going to come already. I need you to –
yes
, that!”

He bypassed slow, teasing strokes and went straight for gold. It was like we hadn’t spent weeks apart; he knew just what to do to make me cry out with pleasure. I wanted to come clenching his cock, but after weeks without him and a traumatic day, my body was desperate for release. His name was a prayer on my lips as my heart stopped and my body pulsed with orgasm.

Tucker encouraged me, warm breath tickling my skin. “That’s it, Em. I love feeling you come on my fingers.” He wiggled and pressed and plunged, riding out my release alongside me. Relentless yet loving, he pushed me straight in the direction of another. Adrenaline coursed through me almost as much as my need for Tucker.

I knew my high wouldn’t last long, and I needed to have him inside me – needed to break him as much as he broke me – before I crashed. It was an awkward reach, but I wrapped my hand around his cock and tugged. He bucked into my hold, fingers involuntarily slipping from me. He tried to position himself we could both explore the other’s body, but he was far too tall. With a groan, he tried removing my hand from his member.

“No, please,” I begged, not caring how desperate I sounded. I applied pressure to the head, massaging the silky skin. “Fill me up, Tucker. I don’t want to come again unless you’re inside of me. Make me yours.”