11. Della

CHAPTER 11

Della

W alking up to the home of the Cavanaughs and Sinclairs', a sense of concern weighs down each step. I know this house and the people in it because of my friendship with CJ, but I've never been here as a girl interested in one of the boys.

It's a different feeling, to be sure.

"Stop stressing," Holy says with my hand in his. "Everyone loves you."

"Yeah." I can't help the doubt as we walk inside.

"Della!" Jermaine Sinclair, Holy's father, greets me with a huge smile and a warm hug that leaves me breathless. His genuine pleasure at seeing me hand-in-hand with his son makes me relax in his embrace.

"It's so nice to see you, Jermaine." I grew up with these two families, and I know they're not traditional in the sense that to the outside world, they're feared, but to us girls, we know we're treasured.

"I hear Holy is taking you to the mountains; that will be quite the treat." Holding my shoulders in his hands, he watches me carefully. Like he's worried I'm going to fall apart.

"I've never been." Squeezing Holy's hand, he pulls me into his side and kisses my temple.

"You'll love it," he assures me. Being with this man means I'll love anywhere we go. "We'll see you in a few days, Pops." With a nod, we head to the back of the house and down a wing I've never been to before. It was always just where Holy and Malice lived; we girls tended to steer clear of their space.

"I've never come this way before," I whisperingly confess.

He looks back at me doubtfully. "CJ or Aura never snuck you down here?" I shake my head. "Interesting. They were constantly trying to get into our space; meanwhile, Malice just wanted to be in Odette's." That isn't surprising.

"Where are they?" I ask, wondering about the new power couple of the city and if they still live here. Odette wasn't very clear on that.

"Probably at Malice's loft. They go there when they want alone time, which is almost all the time." Holy snickers and gives me a heated look.

Entering his room, I inhale deeply before closing the door behind me. He's quick to pack what he needs before pulling me into his arms and kissing the daylights out of me. "I can't wait to have you alone." Biting my lip, I do a horrible job of hiding my shyness because I know what he wants, what we both want, but I worry I won't live up to the expectation.

"Where in the mountains?" I ask instead.

"A couple hours to Bear Mountain." Grabbing his bag, he takes my hand and pulls me through the house to the garage, where we load up into a Jeep Wrangler.

"Uhm, off-roading, are we?" I've never done that either.

Chuckling, Holy shakes his head. "Just some rough roads, is all." I'm skeptical but get in and buckle up. As we pull away from the estate, Holy tells me to pick a station I like, and before I know it, I fall asleep, and by the time I wake up again, the sky is darker due to the trees covering the dirt road we're on, and I'm amazed at how relaxing I find the drive.

"Told you it wasn't too bad." Holy grins, taking my hand in his and bringing it to his mouth.

"I trust you." And it's then that I realize, I truly do. For all the years I've known Holy, despite not being able to read him until recently, I've always trusted the man.

"Good, because this wouldn't work if you didn't," he teases me.

We finish the drive in silence, the radio turned off and the windows down. The cool breeze and warm rays of dying sunlight make me feel more at home than ever before. I have a feeling that's also because of Holy.

"Here we are." He wasn't lying when he said cabin. A rustic log structure stands in the middle of a small clearing. I doubt it has more than one room, but the porch that spans the entire front wall looks so warm and inviting with the cover-protected chairs and overhang roof. "Come on." Holy hops out, and I follow suit.

"It's beautiful." He said they don't get up here much, but the wildflowers blooming along the cabin's edges make me smile and speak of welcomeness.

"It's nothing fancy, but we liked it when we saw it for sale." No explanation is needed; I can see why. There's a wooden hut for firewood and an outdoor fire pit with a sturdy-looking swing nearby.

"I love it." He guides me up the steps where the door is just what I'd have imagined—solid hardwood with a big window and curtains across. I saw a chimney stack, so I know there's a fireplace inside, as well. "Do you guys have someone taking care of the place?"

"One of the older park workers comes up once or twice a month or after storms to make sure it's still standing." Pushing open the door for me, Holy allows me to enter first. And I was right, only one bedroom.

A cozy kitchen is off to the right with a two-seater table, single countertop, bar fridge, and barn sink. The living space is much larger to the left, with a huge bay window looking out over the back of the mountain where, at the bottom, is a beautiful lake.

"I could grow to love it here." I already feel like I'm breathing easier.

Hearing the thump of our bags dropping behind me, I look over my shoulder to find Holy closing and locking the door. "I've got to be honest, Del. I wanted to get you out of the city, away from all the shit making you panic. But it's not the only reason, and while I won't go any further if you say no, I'm also not entirely sure I can stop if we get started."

Holy's shoulders are hunched forward, his eyes nearly black, and the veins in his neck are so strained that I'm a little worried they might burst.

Holy is a predator, and I'm his prey.

Chewing on my lip, I shuck off my cardigan and toss it on the couch. Glancing around the room, I'm unsure what comes over me, but I dart behind the piece of furniture and to the side. Holy growls and follows my movements, and his excitement is evident in the way his breathing picks up.

So does mine. I decide to get out and run into the woods. If he wants me, he'll have to catch me.

Heart pounding, I do my best to proceed slowly as he tracks my every move. Once there's a table and couch between us, I make my escape. Rushing to the door, I quickly unlatch the bolt, fling it open before slamming it shut, and dart as fast as I can to the tree line.

Before Holy bursts from the house, I'm able to hide behind a large tree just inside the woods. I'm not foolish enough to keep quiet and get lost. I whip my shirt up and over my head, toss it one way, and run the other.

Holy's bellow of delight echoes around the mountain, sending birds flying, and I quickly hear the sounds of his pounding feet. Hiding behind another tree, I close my eyes and listen, trying to figure out if he's close.

Unbuttoning my shorts, I slip them down my legs and step out of them before peering around the tree, where I notice Holy stealthily stalking closer.

Giggling, I pick up the shorts and toss them towards him, taking off again. At this point, I realize he's allowing me to stay ahead of him. Holy could easily catch me should he want to.

The thrill of the chase is in my veins now, and as I reach a gentle creek, I decide I've gone far enough. Kicking off my shoes, I remove my panties and bra before tiptoeing into the cool water, coming up to my thighs. The slow, clear stream makes me shiver, but I dip down until I get my hair wet.

Spying Holy from the corner of my eye, I turn my body so he'll only see my profile as I seductively stand, water streaming down my breasts and the curve of my ass. He swiftly discards his clothes, his hand firmly gripping his elongated cock and stroking angrily as he splashes towards me.

Not done with playing with him, I step back a few times until he dives for me, taking us both under. His arms encircle my body and spin us around so he takes the brunt of the impact.

Once his feet gain purchase, I wrap my legs around his hips and tug on his hair as he stands up. For once, I initiate the kiss that sends us reeling. Dropping to his knees, Holy holds me so tight it hurts. Our emotions are so all-encompassing that I can hardly breathe, and when I feel my back hit the moss ground next to the creek, I'm more than ready to relinquish myself to this man who has given me more than anyone else.

"I have to tell you, Della"—he kisses along my throat, sucking until I know there'll be a mark—"I fucking loved chasing you."

"Me too," I whisper in his ear and feel his body shudder in response.

"I need you to know that once I take you, that's it, there's no one else for either of us. So, if you want this, you're committing yourself to me for the rest of our lives. You understand?" He draws back to stare down at me.

Licking across my lips, I press my pelvis up into him, forcing a groan from his chest. "I want nothing more, Holy."

I don't get a second of warning before he slams into my virgin pussy, tearing through my hymen and sending agony piercing through my body. "Fuck!" he shouts, making woodland creatures scatter as I scream.

He doesn't stop, either. I don't get a second to recover and grow used to his size and invasion. Holy fucks into me until all I feel is what he does. Lightness. An amazing sort of peace that comes with two souls melding together, and when I finally register the caress of pleasure wrapping me up in a tight embrace, I'm already on the precipice of falling off a cliff and taking him with me.

"Fucking pussy is perfect. Virgin tight, fitting me like a glove." He pants laboriously in my ear. "Della, Della, Della, I can fucking feel you." His hand presses into my heart. "You fucking love me." He sounds so amazed. I am because I hadn't realized it until just now. "You have me forever. I'm your fucking slave."

Cupping his cheeks in my hands as his thrusting slows and I can catch my breath, I tell him, "No, Holy, you're my predator, and I'm your prey. Always catch me."

"Until the day I die," he promises, and this moment feels more intense, more important than if we were reciting vows to one another. "I can't fucking stop; I need in deeper." Pulling off me, I feel empty until he flips me over to my knees and slides back home. "I could stay here for eternity."

"Please, Holy, please don't stop." His hands grip my hair, holding me down as he thrusts forcefully enough that we move up the bank.

"I'm not wearing a condom." My heart stutters.

"I'm not on the pill." His grip tightens.

"I'm not pulling out." He's a machine as he slams in harder again and again.

"I know." I'd never be satisfied if he did.

His grunts and growls are all that can be heard as we mate like animals. I should be crying and trying to push away from the power of his body taking over mine, except I can't find anything but desire in the way he treats me.

"Need you to come for me, Del. One more time." His teeth scrape along my throat as his hands slide across my body. One goes between my legs to massage my clit, and the other pinches and plucks at my nipples.

"Oh god, Holy, please. Stop playing with me." Sparks dance across my nerves, causing goosebumps to rise on my flesh, and my body begins to tense as this carnal hedonism flows through my body before I explode into a million tiny pieces.

Holy follows me over, and together, we cry out into the mountains as we're taken to new heights of sensuality. Unable to process what's just happened, my body twitches and collapses beneath Holy's rugged frame.

He slips down with me, and we lie in a tangle on the creek bank. Rolling me over, he stares at me, searching my eyes as we catch our breath, and deep within the heart of me, I'm aware of everything he is.

A lightness has made it easier for him to breathe. The darkness that surrounds Holy has been given a reprieve, and I can sense his relief.

"Is it always like that?" I whisper up at him, drawing circles on his chest with a finger.

"Fuck, no. Never. It's me and you, Del." I like that a lot.

As we settle into a companionable silence, I become intensely aware of where we're lying and all the dirt and mulch in places it doesn't belong. "I think I need a shower." Holy snorts at my comment, then runs his fingers across my head, tangling in my hair and plucking out leaves and small branches.

"Yeah, I got you a little dirty." He leans forward to suck on my lip. "I'd like to do it again." That predatory gleam is back.