During my internal pep talk, I moved to stand before him. I looked up and stated in a firm voice, not betraying my inner thoughts, “We need to be clear here, Mace. I’m not looking for a Prince Charming to swoop me off my feet, and I don’t need anything more than a little fun.”

He smirked down at me with a cocky look crossing his face. “Right,” he replied, amusement evident in his voice. He grabbed my bag off the kitchen counter and started for the door.

“Wait! Rules. We need some rules,” I rushed out a little loudly.

Mace stopped dead and spun back to me one eyebrow raised. “Rules?”

“Yeah, you know, rules. What we can do, can’t do. Rules,” I explained. “No feelings, no drama, just naked fun, no more dates either. Oh, and I don’t share my toys.”

He crossed his massive arms over his chest. Smirking, he asked, “Toys?”

I was getting pretty mad at his one word comments. My inner snarky bitch decided to rear her ugly head. “Yes, Mace, TOYS!” My voice started getting louder. I wondered why the hell he kept smiling at me. “This is serious,” I snapped. “I need to know where you see this thing going, Mace.”

With that comment, he dropped my bag, took a large stride forward, grabbed me roughly and planted a hard, scorching kiss on me. Grabbing under my ass, making me automatically wrap my legs around his waist, I grinded against him. Sparks shot through me at his hard length pressed tight to my now hot, wet core.

He pushed me against the wall, pulled his head back slightly and all but growled against my lips, “Right now, babe, the only place this is going is as deep in your tight little pussy as I can get.” Accentuating his words with another hip grind made me whimper as his mouth crushed down on mine again. My body ignited; my movements became frantic.

I needed him, all of him.

I ripped open the Velcro of his shorts exposing the swollen tip of his raging hard-on. I pushed past his boxer briefs, and wrapped my hand tightly around his silky smooth length. He was so damn big it didn’t matter how many times I touched him, it still took me by surprise. I could barely wrap my hand around him. My thumb swept over the drops of pre-cum and our moans cut off as our mouths moved against each other. Knowing I could turn him on so much that he was heavily panting, urged me on. With a tortured groan, he pushed me harder against the wall, his hips pressed tight to mine and one hand braced beside my head. The other held a tight grip on my ass, I pumped him harder, up and down, up and down with a slight twist of my wrist. His legs were locked tight from a mixture of pleasure and the need to hold me where he had me.

He tugged my sundress up around my hips, and pulled my little string bikini bottoms over so he had access; his long fingers flicked over my clit ring a few times before he plunged two long, thick fingers deep into my heat causing me to moan low and deep from my fast moving chest. I watched his eyes become heavy with desire as he pumped his fingers faster. Holding on tight to one of his shoulders, my head thrown back against the wall, my hand continued to grasp and pump his angry looking cock.

“More,” I panted, “I need…Mace, I need more.”

He groaned as he pulled his fingers out, put them in his mouth and sucked. “You taste so fucking good, baby”

He reached behind him into his back pocket, producing a small foil packet which he ripped open with his teeth.

My lips parted in a groan, and I moved my hands pushing his shorts and boxer briefs down off his hips while he rolled the condom on. My head fell to his shoulder, only to shoot back up as he entered me swiftly, balls deep. “Mace, oh God!”

“So God damn tight and wet,” Mace ground out. “Fuck! This is gonna be quick, babe.”

He’d started pumping his hips hard, quickly finding a perfect rhythm. His pelvis ground against my clit every time he pushed up and in. I felt my orgasm building seconds before it hit me. “Oh God! Fuck, Mace,” I yelled as colorful sparks burst behind my eyelids. The world exploded as my walls gripped him tight, setting off his own release with a roar. “Fuck! Baby!”

His cock was still hard and twitching when he slid me off him and down the wall. He looked down at me and said in a still effected voice, “Let’s get a few things straight. I’m not a toy. You being pissy at me only turns me on, and this ‘thing’ has no Goddamn rules, except you are mine, Scar.” He helped me fix my dress, quickly disposing of the used condom before retrieving my discarded bag and said, “We’re late. Let’s go.”

Apparently, my voice and reason had left me during the afterglow of great fucking sex. Through his speech, I simply looked on, wide eyed, bruised lipped and breathless. It was definitely not as I’d planned it to go—stupid freaking hormones! God! Apparently, I had turned into some kind of hussy. All he had to do was caveman speak at me and I wanted to jump him. No rules my ass. I wasn’t giving into him; he could think what he damn well wanted; it was fine by me.

Then I went and followed him out to the car like some kind of... Some kind of girl! I was starting to dislike myself.

Something needed to change. Soon.

Chapter Nine

We pulled up to Ma’s after a fairly quiet ride, since Scar was mad at me or some shit. She had this stupid idea about rules. The only one I agreed with was that I wouldn’t share her. Not with anyone. The thought of anyone touching her sweet little body made my blood boil. I wasn’t sure if she even realized the flaw in her cute little display of said rules. Even after she laid down the law, she still came on the date with me.

Scarlett was going to learn a few important things about me; if I wanted something, I’d do almost anything to make it happen. It had been part of my job in the special ops for around ten years. It was drilled deep in my head: work any angle you could find to your advantage, the end result should never be any less than victory. Scarlett triggered something in me that I hadn’t felt for a long time. She seemed to calm the storm in my mind; my anxiety and hurt dimmed when she was around. It didn’t matter her mood, so long as she was near me, shit was just easier. The only nights I managed to sleep without the nightmares was when she was beside me. I hadn’t known her long, but I had a way of reading people. Scarlett had been hurt by someone she trusted, someone close to her. She had trust issues, that much was plain as day. I was determined to break down her carefully built walls.

I wasn’t without my secrets, ones that haunted me night and day—secrets she would find out about eventually. It was an asshole move, but I hoped I could get far enough under her skin before she knew about my past. I wasn’t a good person. I was responsible for the loss of more than one life; I wasn’t good enough for a woman like Scarlett, but she made me want to be the person she deserved.

The hardest part of it was that I was keeping the darkest part of my life a secret which was attached to the most precious thing a person could have. Love. Losing her had broken me, shattered a piece of my heart that would never heal. One mistake that had cost me my world.

“Mace?” Scarlett’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned toward her concerned face. Shit, I was zoning out. “Wait there and I’ll help you down.”

By the time I made it to the passenger side of my truck, she was stomping toward the house. I smirked to myself; she was trying to prove a point; however, all she’d served to do was turn me on again. Scarlett in a pissy mood was hot as fuck. With a sigh, I followed behind her watching that perfect curvy ass sway seductively with each step. I wanted to bend her over and take her from behind.

Once at the door, I reached over and pushed it open, grabbed her hand and pulled her behind me. “Fuck, you’re cute when you’re pissy, babe”

“I’m annoyed. Annoyed isn’t cute. It’s just annoyed. I don’t do cute,” she hissed, making me chuckle.

Yep, cute as fuck.

An hour later, watching from my spot at the grill with Trip, I was irritated and ready to lose my shit. My mood must have been rolling off me in waves because Trip was riding my ass. “Reel it in, brother; he’s harmless and Scar can take care of herself. I’ve seen what she can do. You make a girl like that mad and you’re gonna pay for it.”

“That little prick puts his hand near her again, I’m gonna break it for him,” I growled which made Trip burst out laughing. “Not funny, asshole.” Without taking my eyes off the scene in front of me, I reached over and punched his arm.

“Not really my place to say, but be fucking careful there. I love that girl’s attitude, but beneath it, she’s a little damaged.”

Why hadn’t I thought to ask Trip?

Trip clearly cared for Scarlett, so he probably wouldn’t say much, but it was worth a try. I just had to be careful with how I approached.

“What kind of damaged?”

“Scar’s had some shit luck with douchebags takin’ her for a ride. Especially that last one Mick…Rick…Nick, whatever the hell his name was.” Trip sobered. “He screwed her around, screwed around on her, and generally was bad fucking news. You’re my blood and all, but you know, you hurt her and I’m gonna have to knock you around a bit, right?”

“You know you haven’t been able to get a hit in since you were six, and then it was only because Ma would’ve kicked my ass if you didn’t win a few.” I would have laughed at the idea of my little brother knocking me around if the situation was any different, yet the guy in Scar’s face was bugging the shit outta me. My temper was flaring and I had the strong urge to break the dude’s face.

I watched her from across the yard.

There he was. Again. I scowled.

Fucker better watch himself.

Rage coiled in my gut as I watched the douchebag reach past Scar for a fresh drink. It looked accidental when he brushed past her tits, but I knew better. That was a move I would’ve used in my youth to let a girl know what’s up.

When he moved back from her, he tipped his cup ever so slightly causing the contents to pour out onto Scar’s chest. She squeaked from the sudden cold no doubt. The front of her dress was saturated, and my stomach dipped when I realized I could see through it. If I could see through it from here, the fucking douche was getting a front row view of my girl’s tits.

Not fucking happening

The demon awoke in me, and before I could think, I was making my way over there in long strides.

Halfway there, I saw the guy smirk and wipe the front of Scar’s transparent shirt. Scar’s shoulders tensed and her face became devoid of any expression. The fucker was making her uncomfortable.

Fuck no. I don’t like it.

He leaned forward and whispered something into her ear. Her shoulders stiffened even more.

The pressure in my skull built till the blood roared in my ears. My jaw ticked.

Go time.

As soon as I reached them, I cocked my arm back and stopped mid punch.

Holy shit.

Scarlett had knocked him on his ass; blood was pissing down his face. My eyes didn’t leave Scarlett’s. I could hear him cursing. Teeny, who had been standing beside them, gave him an earful and punched into him while Trip was pulling her off, trying to calm her down. All that going on, and my rage was instantly taken over by lust. The blood that was raging in my head went south. I watched Scarlett shake her hand out; that was a hell of a punch. I blinked once, twice, grabbed her by the waist, and threw her over my shoulder in a fireman’s hold.