Chapter 11

Backdraft

My given name slips through her parted lips in a soft whisper. It's been years since anyone has uttered that name, and the way it sounds on her tongue is both pure and torturous. An unwanted reminder of who I used to be.

My body aches with the intense heat radiating from her and my hard cock twitches in response. The mere thought of touching her sends shivers down my spine. She has no idea how bad I want her, every inch of her flawless skin taunting me. My cock has been throbbing since the moment I laid eyes on her, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to resist the temptation. The fire in her gaze draws me closer, but it's when my eyes drop to her luscious lips that I'm consumed by an insatiable hunger to taste her. Leaning in, our lips hover only inches apart. Her warm breath dances across my mouth, begging me to give in to my desires. With each touch, she ignites a raging inferno inside me, but I know if I succumb to my urges, it will leave us both a smoldering pile of ash.

"I can't touch you, Little Lamb." My jaw clenches with a restraint that borders on pain. "There's enough blood on my hands to bathe the devil and you're an angel I can't tarnish."

"I'm not scared of you." Her delicate fingers curl around the hem of her shirt, slowly lifting it to reveal the smooth expanse of her soft skin. "I want you."

Every inch exposed is an invitation that teases and draws me in. Her movement is slow and seductive, intensifying the struggle within me, making it increasingly difficult to resist reaching out and touching her. My heart races, pounding against my ribcage with a desperate urgency, but I know I have to fight the overwhelming urge no matter how excruciating it feels.

"You should be." I reach out and cover her hands with mine, guiding them back down. "I'm a monster, Little Lamb. I'm a murderer. You've seen it with your own eyes."

She pulls away at the shock of my confession and my heart sinks in my chest. I don't know why I expected anything else. She watched me gun down members of her own family. I wasn't telling her anything she didn't already know.

"Who else have you killed?"

"What? You want me to give you names?" I'm taken aback by her question. She should run away, yet she's standing there with that warm fire blaring in her eyes.

"Tell me. If you're using it as an excuse, then lay it out there. Tell me, Dax. Who else have you killed?"

There's that name again. I grit my teeth. She has no idea she's prodding at the beast that lurks under the surface.

"My father." The words roar out of my mouth dredging up that long-suppressed rage with it. "You want to know more, Little Lamb?"

I stalk toward her, my boots pounding hard on the worn floorboards of the cabin as she steps backward, bumping her ass against the back of the couch. "I lit him on fire and watched as he burned alive."

Then I see it, the fear I need her to feel towards me swallows her whole. Her eyes widen, glistening with tears as she processes my darkest secret. I'm a fucking Bastard, but it's for the best. It's my job to keep her safe until I can get her back to New Jersey. Touching her will only complicate an already bad situation. I can't afford the distraction, not when her father's men are close to picking up on our location.

I grip her wrist in my fist and drag her from the couch. "Time to go."

"We can't leave." She pulls at me, trying to free herself from my grip. "It's not safe out there."

"It's not safe here." I pick up the bag from the floor and toss it over my other arm while tugging her toward the door. My foot kicks at the chair, sending it splintering against the wall, and I yank the door open. All that remains of the storm outside is wet earth and downed trees. The destruction matching the storm she's stirring inside of me.

"Dax, you're hurting me." I grip tighter, no doubt bruising her delicate skin. She doesn't deserve this reaction, but I can't stop it. I let the monster out and now I can't shove him back inside his cage.

Whirling her around, I slam her against the side of the truck. My face is so close to hers that I could give in and claim her lips, feast on her until I'm satiated. Her eyes stare up at me, fear and desire swirling in them. Her lips slightly parted. I lean in closer, drawing those luscious pouty lips between my teeth. I nip so hard I can taste the sweet tang of blood drip onto my tongue. Even when she flinches and lets out a yelp, I don't stop. She pushed me too far and now we're both going to burn.

I couldn't accept it as truth before, but whatever this is between us, I can't deny it anymore. I need her, and like the bastard I am, I take it. I pull her into me and press my lips to hers, claiming her innocence, dragging the sweet angel in front of me down into the fiery pits of hell where I live. I kiss her furiously until the voices in my head are silent and the most satisfying moan rips from her throat.

She will hate me after this, but I don't care. I have to have her. The swelling need inside of me is at odds with the reality of the situation. I can't keep her. She's not mine. We're from two different worlds and someone is waiting for her back in New Jersey where I'm supposed to deliver her. I don't know how I'll give her up after this, but I know I'll have to. That reality guts me deeply.

A bang in the distance rips a sharp breath from my lungs.

"Get in the truck." I pull the passenger side door open.

Zoey nods once, slipping into the old pickup truck and I close her in. I dart around to the other side and slide onto the cracked leather seat next to her. Maneuvering my hands below the steering wheel, I pry off the cover and fiddle with the wires. After a few tries, I connect the right two, making the truck's headlights flicker on and the engine click.

Sucking in a deep breath, I jump out of the truck and run to the front to pop the hood. Spotting the hammer that I left on the ground earlier, I pick it up and bring it down in a hard strike against the starter. After the third hit, the engine finally turns over. I let out a sigh of relief and slam the hood down before climbing back into the driver's seat. I toss the hammer onto the cluttered floorboard behind the seat. I shift into drive and give the gas pedal gentle taps. The engine sputters and jerks after sitting idle for so long, but with a little finesse, I coax the heap of junk into moving forward. Pressing the accelerator further to the floor, I will the truck to go faster. It lurches forward, throwing up a cloud of smoke as I speed down the muddy trail.

"Hold on tight."

Zoey clenches the door handle, her knuckles turning white from holding on so tight as we take off down the mountain road. My fingers curl around the steering wheel as the old truck rumbles away from the security of the cabin. We wind our way through the trees, the branches whipping past the windows like angry fingers trying to pull us back. Zoey shifts in the seat beside me, her knee brushing my thigh. Even the most subtle contact shoots sparks through every part of me.

I shift in my seat, trying to ease the ache in my cock. But moving only makes it worse, grinding my erection against the rough denim of my jeans. I risk a glance at her, taking in the soft curve of her cheek, the way the sunlight kisses her hair with gold. My chest tightens. A maelstrom of conflicting emotions races through my mind. Being close to her is sweet agony.

She's good and pure, and I'm anything but. Kissing her was wrong. I need to keep my distance for both our sakes, but I know I won't be able to bring myself to do it.

Silence lingers between us, broken only by the churn of gravel under the truck's tires when I emerge from the dirt trail onto a more promising route.

***

The road stretches endlessly through the thick woods. We drive for hours, winding back and forth, descending one mountain to climb another. I have no damn idea where we are or where to go next, but with Zoey safe next to me, I keep driving even as the sun begins to set beyond the treetops. I can't risk stopping.

Zoey's hand comes to rest on my thigh. I swallow hard, keeping my eyes fixed on the road. Her hand stills on my leg, her warmth seeping through my pants. After a long moment, Zoey yawns and leans back in her seat, withdrawing her hand and drawing my eyes along with it. I'm helpless to resist her, and that scares the hell out of me.

"Watch out!" Zoey yells and darts up in her seat.

I jerk my head back toward the road and spot the deer running in front of me. My foot instinctively slams on the brake. The tires screech in protest and the truck lurches forward, losing traction and fishtailing half off the road as it skids to a stop a few inches from colliding with a tree.

"Shit." My heart is pounding, and I exhale the breath I was holding. "Are you OK?"

"I think so."

Shifting the truck into park, I reconnect the wires that broke loose but the engine only gives a dull click in response.

"Stay here."

I step out of the truck and lift the hood. A cloud of steam billows out. Cursing under my breath, knowing damn well this piece of shit overheated and the starter died again from the sudden stop and the strain of the drive. With gritted teeth, I let out a loud growl and give the truck a swift kick. The sound of my steel toed boot meeting metal echoes through the deserted woods as if mocking me. Stalking around to the side, my eyes sweep over the muddy truck and the area surrounding it. Trees and shrubs. Dirt and rocks. Nothing but the same old shit stretches out before me with no sign of civilization in sight. The sun is slipping further behind the mountains and soon we'll be stranded in complete darkness. The crunch of gravel under my feet only adds to my irritation.

What is wrong with me? I'm trained to handle situations like this, to remain detached and professional. Yet around her, I feel like I've lost my fucking mind. Nothing about this assignment has gone right. I need a minute to think.

I shove my hands in the pockets of my pants. My fingers curl around the silky fabric wedged in the creases. Withdrawing my hand, I stare down at her panties I forgot I had.

"Dax?" My name on her lips shatters my control.

Spinning around again, I catch her amber eyes glowing like flames in the dark. I trek towards her. Each step falls heavier than the last as I close the distance between us, pinning her against the rear of the truck. With her panties still in my hands, my fingers encircle her throat. Not tight enough to constrict her breathing but just enough that her body jerks taut.

I hate how I react to the sound of my name, even when it comes out of her perfect fuckable mouth. "Don't call me that."

"Why? It's your name and I like it." Her voice quivers when she says it again, pushing me further past my breaking point. "Dax."

"It's Backdraft. Haven't been anyone else in a long time." My voice lowers, my eyes dropping to her lips.

I kiss her, hungry and desperate, pouring all my frustrations into her. She responds without hesitation, meeting me need for need. Her mouth molding to mine is a perfect fit. Slightly pulling back, I loosen my grip on her neck and search her eyes. She's not afraid in the least. She's staring up at me with needy eyes that make my cock throb. Her hand slides under my shirt, her touch like a brand against my scarred skin. Her fingers trace the edges of my scars.

"You're a good man, Backdraft, and I want you. Scars and all."

The fierce conviction in her voice cracks my resistance. I crush her to me, claiming her mouth again as my hands roam over her body. There is no turning back. Now that I've had a taste of her, I need more.

"Be careful what you ask for, Little Lamb." My deep voice rumbles in my chest, vibrating against her and sending goosebumps down her arms.

I draw my rough hands down her arms, soothing the chill. She lets out a soft moan and I slide my hand behind her back. In one swift move, I spin her around. I don't fuck face-to-face. I don't like having eyes on me when I get off. The scars and burns that make me look dangerous cover most of my body. She might find them dangerous now, but that thrill will run its course. It always does.

Her front is pressed against the side of the truck, my hardness pushing against her ass. My heart races in my chest. I know it's not fair, but I can't stop it. I've lost all control, and I need her more than I've ever needed anyone.

I yank at the sweatpants hanging off her hips until her bare ass is displayed before me. "Fucking hell woman. Do you know what you do to me?"

"Show me." She's all but begging me to take her and I can't refuse her pleas anymore.

My hand strokes her leg, sliding up her inner thigh. She moans and it sounds so damn sexy I almost jizz in my pants. Using my feet, I spread her legs wider letting my fingers roam higher until they reach the wetness between her legs. My thumb rubs against her clit and she releases a breath in a sharp pant that only makes me want her more. I slide my finger inside her sweet pussy, and she jerks forward, her hands clinging to the side of the truck.

"Is this what you want, Little Lamb?" She rocks back against me, her body needy and demanding.

She's so fucking wet for me, I can hardly think straight. I yank at the button of my jeans and draw the zipper down. Working them over my hips, I free my hard cock from its confines. My erection presses against the swell of her ass.

"Yes," she purrs. "I want you."

Gripping my hands on her hips, I line myself up and push inside. No foreplay, no easing her into it. I'm a fucking Bastard and I know it. She gasps when I enter her, her fingers gripping tighter to the edge of the truck. She feels so fucking perfect. I push deeper, sheathing my full length in her welcoming heat. For the first time in my life, I feel whole. With Zoey, I'm not broken or scarred. I'm just a man, giving myself to a woman who wants me.

"Remember, you asked for this, Little Lamb."

Her head falls forward and her breath quickens as she moans for me. My hand roams up her spine, arched perfectly into me until I reach the nape of her neck. Fisting her hair, I tug her head back bringing her closer and nip at her neck. I suck her soft flesh between my teeth, marking her.

"You make me so fucking crazy."

With hard deep thrusts, I fuck her mercilessly until her thighs shake and her pussy pulses around me. My balls seize up and jerk taut, making me quickly pull out of her heat. My hands close around her panties and I cover the head of my cock like I did before, exploding thick hot torrents into the silky fabric.

Releasing my satiated dick, I watch as the shockwaves continue to rack her body. I roll her onto her back, the scent of sweat mixing with her sweet aroma. I look down at her, her body shaking in my grasp as our breathing slowly returns to normal. I brush a strand of hair away from her face, my fingers lingering on her soft skin. She opens her eyes and looks up at me with a mix of pleasure and vulnerability. My mind is still reeling from what I just did. I let my desire and need consume me and now I feel like an asshole.

A warm, rosy blush spreads across her cheeks, as her gaze flickers between me and her panties. "I was wondering what happened to those."

A small smile plays on her lips as she waits for my response. With a dismissive shrug, I fling the panties into the back of the truck. As she pulls the oversized sweatpants up to cover herself, I tuck myself into my jeans.

"It's too dark to work on the truck. Get in, we'll be sleeping here tonight."