Liberating Lacey (Marks Mercenaries Book 3) Read online

  Lacey groaned and dragged her fingers through his hair, her grip strong and sure. Her skin was slightly salty, but underlying it was the smell of the earth, verdant and rich. He worked his way over to her other breast, licking and sucking, delighted in how sensitive they were.

  It soon wasn’t enough, so he continued his journey downward, over her torso to her hips. Her breathing quickened when he slid his fingers under the band of her panties. They were plain and white and just about the sexiest thing he’d ever seen, but only because she was the one wearing them.

  Gritting his teeth to ignore the throbbing of his dick, he concentrated wholly on her. He had to taste her. Her musky scent filled his nostrils, making him crazy with desire.

  He rubbed his fingers along the tops of her thighs and over her hips before delving back into her panties. This time he pushed the fabric down. She lifted her hips, allowing him to remove the final barrier between them.

  A neat nest of brown curls covered her mound. He buried his nose in them and inhaled her musky scent. Her legs moved restlessly. When he looked up, her eyes were closed, her skin flushed. Her eyes popped open, and she stared down at him, the color in her cheeks darkening.

  He smiled, unable to help himself. She was so open and honest in her reactions.

  Settling himself between her legs, he wedged them open with his broad shoulders. She sucked in a breath when he moved closer. The pink folds of her pussy glistened with her arousal. He licked them, tasting her for the first time. She was sweeter than Andalusan wine and packed more of a punch than the rotgut ale sold on Zardas 4.

  She bucked her hips toward him, silently demanding more. He obliged by working his way up to her clit and lightly sucking on the nub of nerves.

  “Garth!” Her thighs gripped his head, holding him in place. He continued to suck and lick and taste her while he ran his fingertip around the opening to her channel before pushing inside. She was small. Tight. Sweat beaded on his body as he imagined just how hard she’d squeeze his dick once he got inside.

  His balls were clenched and so full he was surprised they hadn’t exploded. His cock was leaking, a not so subtle reminder that he was walking a razor’s edge. And he wanted inside Lacey before he found release.

  First, he needed her to come. Concentrating on only her pleasure, he used every bit of skill he possessed, as both a lover and a tracker. As he touched her, he gauged her reactions, learning what she liked and what she didn’t.

  She enjoyed it when he licked the soft folds of her pussy, but her enjoyment shot to a whole other level when he sucked on her clit. She really liked his finger inside her, so he quickly added a second, pushing them apart slowly to stretch her.

  “So good.” She was panting hard now, swiveling her hips this way and that, as if uncertain how to best get what she wanted.

  He began to move his fingers in and out of her core, loving how her moisture coated them. Supple thighs clamped around his head, strong fingers digging into his skull, she held him to her, as if she’d never let him go.

  He fucking loved it.

  He sucked her clit and pushed his fingers deeper with each thrust. Suddenly, she tensed and then released a long moan. Her inner muscles clamped down on his fingers. Her entire body shook.

  When her legs slipped away and her fingers loosened their death grip, he surged upward and kissed her. She made a murmur of pleasure when he slid his tongue inside, tasting herself on his lips.

  His cock had a mind of its own and nudged insistently at her opening. She widened her legs in welcome. Her skin was flushed from her orgasm, her eyes partially closed. She licked her lips, her small tongue swiping over the thicker bottom one before doing the top.

  Garth wanted to tell her she was beautiful but was afraid to speak, least he break the sensual spell surrounding them.

  As she watched, he slowly eased forward, the thick head of his shaft pressing inward. There was some initial resistance, but he wouldn’t be deterred. He pushed harder. Then he was in, barely. Her slick channel gripped his sensitive cockhead. He wasn’t sure if she was trying to pull him deeper or shove him away.

  The muscles in his arms bunched, a tingle started at the base of his spine and raced upward as he hung on, giving her time to adjust.

  She was so damn tight.

  Then she moved the slightest bit, canting her hips upward. Any semblance of rational thought deserted him. He drove forward, filling her in one quick, hard thrust.

  She gasped and trembled beneath him. He wanted to stop, to slow down, but he was lost in a sea of need.

  Then he began to move.

  ****

  Lacey had just experienced the greatest pleasure of her life. Garth was amazing. He’d touched and tasted her like he was in no rush. She’d lost all her nervousness and simply enjoyed herself. She’d even had her first ever orgasm with another person. It was totally different from the times she’d pleasured herself in the privacy of her tiny home.

  It was like flying. No, it was more exciting than flying. It was like being catapulted into the sun without burning up. Every part of her tingled and throbbed. She was more alive than she’d ever been in her entire life.

  But before she could really soak it all in, the head of his cock nudged her opening, a blunt reminder he hadn’t come. He pushed the head of his shaft inward. His fingers had stretched her, but this was different, more invasive, and certainly more intimidating.

  Garth was a big man and was built to proportion everywhere. While she knew they’d fit together, theory was one thing and reality quite another.

  He’d held himself still, and she’d tilted her hips the slightest bit to see if she could take more of him. He’d thrust forward, pushing his way inside until he was buried balls deep. She couldn’t speak, could barely breathe at the invasion. It hurt but not enough to make her stop. She sensed a deep-seated need inside Garth, this strong, quiet man, and wanted to give him whatever it was he needed.

  He didn’t move for some time, hovering over her, the bulk of his weight resting on his forearms. His muscles flexed and glistened with sweat. His head was lowered, his breathing labored. His cock throbbed inside her, matching his heartbeat.

  The initial pain subsided, leaving her only slightly uncomfortable. His girth was stretching her to the limits, but it also felt good in an odd way. Before she could analyze things further, he began to move.

  She sucked in a breath when he pulled his hips back and drove them forward again. Her earlier orgasm had made her wet enough that it eased his way. It was still a tight fit, but she didn’t fight it. She clung to his shoulders as he powered in and out of her. He shoved one hand beneath her behind and tilted her hips so his pelvis rubbed against her clit with each thrust.

  Sensation burst inside her. It was like biting into a succulent fruit and discovering it was even better than she’d imagined—sweeter, but with a bite of something spicy.

  Pleasure spread throughout her entire body. She’d already orgasmed but was close again. Garth groaned, his thrusts getting even faster, harder, and shallower, as though he couldn’t bear to pull out very far before he had to get back inside her.

  A deep groan escaped him as he threw his head back, exposing the thick column of his neck. His warmth filled her as he came. It was the most intimate experience of her life. It also sent her over the edge again. It was like being hit by lightning, every cell in her body exploding with pure sensual delight.

  He collapsed on top of her, his weight a heated blanket. A very heavy blanket. Before she had a chance to worry about being crushed to death, he heaved himself off her, lying beside her, face buried in the pillow.

  Conflicting emotions coursed through her. She didn’t know whether to laugh or burst into tears. She felt slightly bereft now that he’d pulled out, but she was also tender between her legs. Not to mention the ribs she’d injured earlier.

  Garth’s arm snaked out, and he gathered her close. Everything inside her settled at his touch. She snuggled closer and let her
eyes drift shut. Fatigued settled over her. Was it only this morning she’d awoken on Eden and started another normal day?

  She hadn’t even met Garth before today. Now she was in his bed on a spaceship heading away from the only home she’d ever known. Everything had happened quickly between them, but she wasn’t going to have regrets, no matter what happened from here on.

  When she shivered, he reached down and yanked a blanket over her. She was as close as she could get to him, but it still wasn’t enough.

  Lacey couldn’t shake the notion that something bad was going to happen. And soon.

  Chapter Eight

  Garth wondered if a person could smother themselves with their own pillow. He’d rutted on Lacey like some bull in heat. He’d been doing okay, but he’d lost it at the end. He had no idea if he’d hurt her or not.

  What kind of man did that make him?

  Knowing he couldn’t avoid facing her forever, he turned onto his side so he could see her. She was snuggled beneath the blanket he’d pulled over her, her eyes closed, her cheeks pale. As he watched, a lone tear tracked down her cheek.

  Feeling like a bastard, he brushed it away with his thumb. “I’m so sorry.”

  Her eyes popped open, and her forehead wrinkled when she frowned. “You’re sorry?”

  He nodded, but before he could say anything else, she sat up in bed and turned away from him. Knowing he couldn’t let the most incredible experience of his life end this way, he reached out and grabbed her arm.

  She flinched and gave a cry of pain. He immediately released her, cursing himself for grabbing her injured arm. “I’m sorry.” He was beginning to sound like a parrot.

  She flinched again. “You seem to be sorry about a lot of things.”

  Frustrated, he rolled up in bed and knelt in front of her. “I should have been gentler with you.” He dragged his fingers through his hair and released a huff of breath. “I lost it at the end. Did I hurt you?” He had no idea if she’d even be honest with him.

  Her lips compressed, and she picked at the blanket she had wrapped around her. He hated that she felt the need to hide her body from him.

  “No, you didn’t hurt me. It wasn’t pleasant at first, but by the end…” She shrugged and pulled her legs up to her chest as if trying to make herself even smaller.

  Garth wondered if asking one of his brothers to beat his ass would appease her. It sure as hell wouldn’t absolve him from the guilt pressing down on him. Never in his life had he hurt a woman. And now he’d done it to the one he’d never wanted to harm.

  He reached out and caught her hand, relieved when she didn’t automatically pull away from him. “I wanted to make your first time special.” He should have known better. “I shouldn’t have been as rough.”

  Her brows drew together, and her frown deepened. “You weren’t rough.”

  He shook her head, refusing to believe her. “Maybe not at the beginning, but by the end…” He was lucky she hadn’t yelled the place down. Would he have even heard her protests if she had? He’d like to think so. Obviously, he wasn’t fit for a decent woman like Lacey. She was too kind, too delicate for the likes of him. He’d been fooling himself to think they could have any kind of future together.

  She turned her hand into his and squeezed it. “You didn’t hurt me, Garth.”

  “You cried,” he accused. And that would haunt him the rest of his life.

  “Because it was emotional, you idiot. I just lost my virginity, not to mention my home.”

  Damn, she was cute when she was angry. He immediately felt like a bastard for thinking such a thing. “I’m sorry,” he said yet again.

  “I’m not.”

  That stopped him cold. “You’re not.” Needing to be closer, he inched forward until he was practically surrounding her. Instead of trying to move away this time, she leaned her head against his chest. Something dark and tangled inside him began to relax. Maybe he hadn’t fucked things up beyond fixing. Maybe she’d give him a second chance. And maybe she was simply afraid to be on her own.

  “No. I wanted to leave Eden. And I wanted to make love with you. I don’t regret either.”

  Unable to keep his hands off her any longer, he lifted her onto his lap and held her to his heart. “The only thing I regret is not making your first time better.”

  In reaction to his confession, she smacked him in the chest. It was more of a tap really. She couldn’t get any real power behind it, and he was built like a rock anyway. He was more concerned she’d injure her hand.

  “What?” he asked.

  “Were you not there when I orgasmed?”

  He nuzzled her neck. “Yeah, and I loved it.” Her taste still lingered on his lips.

  She cleared her throat. “I loved it, too.”

  “But I was forceful, too impatient to wait when I shouldn’t have been.” And that bothered him greatly.

  She grabbed his face in her hands. “Listen to me, Garth Marks. I loved making love with you.”

  The sincerity in her voice and the directness in her green gaze couldn’t be denied. A knot uncoiled in his belly. A slow grin split his face. “Yeah?”

  She nodded. “While it was overwhelming at times and did hurt a bit, it wasn’t for long.”

  He couldn’t doubt her honesty. “I’ll do better next time,” he promised. Assuming there was a next time.

  “I don’t want that.” His heart almost stopped at her pronouncement. He had fucked things up beyond fixing. “I want you to be yourself,” she blissfully continued, not realizing he’d almost been destroyed by her words. “I want you just the way you are—protective, strong, giving.”

  “Rough, uncivilized, greedy,” he added.

  “That, too. I like you just the way you are.”

  No woman had ever said that to him in his entire life. He’d always been accused of being too rough or uncivilized, but the women who’d sought him out in the past had wanted that from him. Only Lacey had ever called him protective and giving.

  “I like you, too.” His voice was husky and his hand unsteady as he cupped her face and leaned inward.

  Their lips were almost touching when the intercom beeped. Knowing his brothers wouldn’t interrupt him unless it was important, he rolled over in bed and hit the button by the bedside. “What?”

  “We have company.” Flynn’s announcement made his blood run cold.

  “Who?” Had Jasper Freeman returned early?

  “Not sure. It’s not a large vessel, but it is fast and it did originate from Eden, best we can tell. It will be within laser-fire range in less than twenty minutes.”

  “We’ll be right there.” He ended the transmission. Lacey was bone white. He approached her slowly. “Sweetheart, what is it?”

  “It’s Ian. He’s come for me. I’m so sorry.”

  ****

  When she walked into the control room about ten minutes later, every gaze landed on her with varying degrees of curiosity. It was Flynn she was most worried about. A black scowl greeted her. His brows were lowered, his one good eye gleaming with barely suppressed fury. She didn’t know if he was angry with her or if he was perpetually pissed at the world.

  She was glad she’d taken two minutes to use Garth’s gel cleansing unit to clean up. She might be wearing the same clothes, but at least she no longer smelled like sex. He’d also taken a turn in the unit and was fully dressed, including his battlesuit and, of course, blasters.

  “I’ll go back,” she blurted. Ian might kill her, or worse, marry her, but at least Garth and his brothers would be safe.

  “What the fuck?” Garth pulled her around to face him, shaking her lightly.

  She pressed one hand against his heart and the other against his face. His features were too blunt to be called handsome, but there was something about him that made all other men disappear whenever he was around.

  “It’s the only way,” she told him. “I can’t let you and your family put yourselves at risk. It was selfish of me to even ask it of
you in the first place.” She could see that now in hindsight. Her actions had placed them in jeopardy. “Ian won’t stop.”

  “Why does he want you so badly?” Flynn asked. For a big man, he moved silently and had come up alongside them. It was like being in a land of giants. She had to crane her neck to look at them both.

  “I’m a master gardener.”

  Flynn shook his head. “It’s more than that.”

  “He wants her,” Garth announced to one and all. She hunched her shoulders and looked down at her boots. “Doesn’t he?” He used his thumb to tilt her head back up.

  “He wants to marry me. Not because he really wants me,” she continued in a hurry, “but because of the prestige it would bring him.” Ian was all about power and prestige.

  “Should we get out of here?” It was Amos who asked. Now that the first wave of fear had passed, Lacey noted that none of them seemed particularly worried.

  “You can outrun him?” she asked.

  Amos shrugged. “Probably.”

  Then why weren’t they running? Before she could ask, Garth was shaking his head. “We run now, you’ll always be looking over your shoulder.”

  He was right, but that didn’t change facts. “I’m not sure what weapons he has on board. They make a big show of not using manmade things, keeping things simple and basic, but he has a spaceship. And you can be sure it has the best technology on board.”

  Ian had a sense of entitlement a mile long and was prideful, always wanting the best of everything from food to living accommodations to clothes. And Jasper indulged him because Ian kept the colony operating profitably while he was out in the universe gaining more money and converts.

  Flynn pinned her with his one good eye. “You’d really go back?”

  A chill went down her spine even though she was sweating. Her heart was breaking, not at the thought of going back, but of leaving Garth. Wild, untamed Garth. He was like a creature from her woods, mistrustful of others and ready to protect what was his. Unlike the beasts she’d grown up around, he also wanted affection, seeming to crave it as much as she did. With him, she’d found a haven, if only for a couple of hours.