Desolation

I look down at my beer. “It was my first time.”

“Aw,” Ash croons.

“Oh, that’s so sweet. Mack was my first oral. It was amazing,” Jaylah says, and we all burst out laughing at her.

“What?” she cries. “It’s true.”

“Okay,” Ash laughs, shaking her head. “Moving back to Pippa. What was it like?”

I mumble, “Painful.”

“Aw, Pip!” Jaylah whispers, clutching my hand. “I forgot how painful it was.”

“It gets better then?” I ask, my eyes hopeful.

I loved being with Tyke. I loved everything about it. But I’m praying it gets better. I don’t want to feel pain every time we are together.

“Yes, gosh yes,” Ash says. “But you have to experiment.”

“Experiment?” I ask.

“Yeah, you know. Play around. Use your mouth. Your hands. Explore. Find what makes it feel good.”

My mouth?

Oh boy.

“Mouth?” I squeak.

Jaylah giggles. “Oh girl, we have so much to teach you.”

They spend the next hour telling me about how to give Tyke pleasure with my mouth, receiving pleasure from his mouth, and all the things in between. My cheeks are red-hot by the time we were done, but my curiosity is spiked and my eyes instantly go to Tyke who is sitting beside the guys, feet up on a table, laughing.

Beautiful.

Mine.

Our eyes meet, and he sees it. I see it.

We both want it.

~*~*~*~

NOW - Pippa

I take a walk outside as the party begins to liven up inside. I head out, desperate to see the trees. There are some beautiful clusters of them in the far corner of the lot. I weave through them, breathing them in, enjoying how they feel against my fingers. I do this for what seems like hours, and then finally I head back in.

I’m part of the way there when I crash into a hard body. I squeak and leap backwards. “This is the second time we’ve done this. Anyone would think you’re following me.”

Raide.

I rub a hand over my face and laugh softly. “Sorry, I don’t have great night vision.”

He chuckles in the dark, a deep, sexy sound. “No. Funny that.”

I smile at my stupid comment.

“What’re you doing out here in the dark?”

“Just walking through the trees.”

He snorts. “In the dark?”

“You don’t have to see them to feel and enjoy them.”

He chuckles. “No, I suppose you don’t. You’re a fascinating woman, Pippa.”

“So are you.”

“A fascinating woman?”

I bark a laugh. “Sorry, no, a man. What’re you doing here, anyway? I didn’t think you were associated with the club.”

“Maddox is still getting my information. I was there when they were ambushed, too. It was fuckin’ ugly.”

“I heard,” I say softly.

“I’ll get on my way soon, but for now it’s nice havin’ somewhere I don’t have to hide.”

“You’re really running from the police?”

“Yeah,” he mutters. “They’ll send a goddamned bounty hunter after me soon, so I’m runnin’ out of time.”

“A bounty hunter?” I question, a little confused.

“You know, when you skip bail or don’t show up for a trial, they send someone after you. It’s usually a big angry man who tackles you to the ground and drags you by your fuckin’ legs back in.”

I laugh softly. “Surely it isn’t that bad.”

He snorts. “No, probably not. But I don’t have long. I’m already being searched for.”

“Is it really so bad that you have to bypass the police to seek justice?”

“You ever had someone you loved more than life, Pippa?”

“Absolutely.”

“Imagine if they were taken away, and you were left with no one. All you have left is a bitter anger, deep in your chest. You want to make the person pay who took that person from you.”

“I do understand that.”

“I imagine you do. Maddox let slip about your life before this.”

“Yeah,” I whisper.

“Anyway, we better get out of the dark.”

He turns and walks back into the darkness.

“Hey Raide?”

He turns and stares back at me.

“Yeah?”

“I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

He flashes me a smile, then disappears back inside.

I think I like Raide Knox, and his story has certainly piqued my interest.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

NOW –Pippa

“It’s been nearly two days,” I whisper against Tyke’s mouth.

“Baby,” he murmurs, squeezing my waist. “You’re killing me.”

“Don’t you want me, Tyke?”

He groans. “You have no fuckin’ idea how much.”

“Then make love to me again, please?”

We’re standing at the edge of the bed. It’s early in the morning and Tyke has just come fresh from a shower. He has a towel wrapped around his waist and his skin is hot. He looks down at me, his eyes full of lust and need. He wants this as much as I do. We’ve waited nearly two days since the first round. We both want more.

“Don’t wanna hurt you again, darlin’,” he murmurs, staring at my mouth.