Menace Read online

  “Spread those legs for me, baby. Let me see.”

  I know what he wants to see. How wet I am, how very much I want his cock deep inside me. I’m coy as I do it, inching my hand down my stomach to the lace band of the panties I wear. When my finger toys with the edge, his eyes zero in, and then his fingers are fighting with mine.

  In seconds, I’m not sure where those panties are, and he’s pressing between my legs with his body, his lips coming down on top of mine. When they meet, I moan deep in my throat as his chest rakes against my nipples, and his cock taunts my clit.

  “Please, Mason,” I beg, and when he grabs hold of my wrists, holding them over my head in one of his hands, my body rejoices.

  Menace

  “You don’t have to beg, Rina. Just tell me what you want.” My voice is deeper than normal. If I didn’t know myself, I’d assume I’m a pack a day smoker who’s been doing it for years.

  Her legs catch the backs of my thighs. “You, inside me.”

  I wanna be there too, but I had hoped we’d be able to slow it down this time. Really explore each other’s bodies. But maybe that’s not in the cards right now. With my free hand, I reach up, pushing her bra up over her tits. As I do so, she lifts for me.

  “Take it off.”

  Letting go of her wrists, I take note that she keeps them up where I had them, never makes a move to bring them down. When I get the bra off, I clamp my hands back around those wrists and bring my mouth down to those nipples begging for my touch. When I lightly use my teeth, her fingers grasp mine, her nails biting into my knuckles.

  “Mason, oh God.” She pushes against me, bucks against my hips with hers, cries out as I soothe the nip with my tongue. “I can’t wait.” Her head thrashes, the ends of her hair hitting our outstretched arms.

  Using my free hand, I grab her ass, bringing our bodies into direct contact. Both of us moan loudly as her heat cups mine. “Gotta get a condom.” I tap her hip, motioning for her to release me.

  Getting up, I grab the condom off my nightstand, rip it open with my teeth, and look at the pretty picture she makes for me against my comforter. “Anyone ever tell you how sexy you look, Karina Holland?”

  Her cheeks flush, and she bashfully shakes her head. I wonder why they haven’t. She’s sex on a stick as she watches me, her hand flitting down to her core. “You wanna touch yourself while I get ready?” She doesn’t answer, just extends a finger and thrums her clit.

  In response, I give my cock a few jerks, not missing the way her pulse beats at her neck, the way she tilts her head back to get a little of a better view, the way her mouth opens with no sound as I bring my palm over the head, and then cover it with the rubber. Using both hands, I grab her thighs and pull her to me, plunging into her wetness.

  “Fuck, Mason,” she groans, hooking a leg around me, digging her heel into my ass.

  “Yes, fuck Mason,” I agree. My tongue goes to work on her neck, kissing down her chest, grabbing hold of those sensitive nipples she has. Her fingers tangle in my hair, yanking on it, the way she loves to do as she arches into me.

  She’s moaning, but I can tell she’s holding back. That’s the one thing I don’t want her to do. Not while I’m here with my abs flexed, thighs burning as I thrust in and out of her with every part of my body on high alert. “Give it to me, Karina, let me know how I make you feel.”

  I can see her glance at clock and I know what she’s thinking. Caleb’s probably home by now, but right now there are no fucks given in my mind. Using the flat of my hand, I pull us over onto our sides and deliver a smack to her ass cheek. “Don’t hold back from me,” I growl. “If he hears, he hears, I’ve lived like a monk for too long; I won’t let you censor yourself. Give me what I do to you.”

  Our eyes meet, and I see the arousal that’s flared. “You like that?”

  She nods. “Mmm hmm.” Her nails rake down my chest, tweaking my nipples as we strain against each other.

  Pulling her leg over mine, I get deeper. She moans, groaning loudly.

  “Oh my God,” she moans, tilting her head back, her hands moving down to my waist to hold on as I fuck her hard.

  Those hands move to my abdomen, and even that turns me on as I feel my cock elongate and harden further. Slapping her flesh again, she brings her head forward, resting it on my shoulder, her teeth biting deeply into my skin.

  “That’s it, I like that.” She’s humping against me allowing me to feel the wetness seeping from her body as she rotates her hips, and I plunge into her.

  “You like that?” My voice is getting louder too; I’m being carried away by the way this woman makes me feel. “I fucking love the way you grip me.” I navigate to where one hand is on her ass, lightly tapping it, before smacking it harder every few taps, and my other hand is in her hair, pulling and yanking to expose her throat to me.

  “Mason.” She reaches down from my abdomen, to hold the base of my cock. “I’m gonna come, I’m gonna come.” She thrusts against me, jacking the part she can reach.

  I’m at work on her neck; our bodies are sliding against one another. The heat in the room between us is almost unbearable as I maneuver her head the way I want it so I can get at the most sensitive part, where shoulder and neck meet. We’re leaning on each other, and as I feel her begin to tighten around me, she screams. I moan, groaning so deep in my throat it hurts, as I pump into her, rolling her over onto her back. I can’t stop my hips, can’t stop from coming as I fill the condom full, as I suck open-mouthed on her neck, and all but devour her body with mine.

  As I come down, my heart pounding, my hips still partially thrusting into her, and my lips lightly kissing her skin, I feel a peace I’ve never felt before. She’s breathing heavily too, but I whisper my thoughts. “Can you stay tonight?”

  Her gaze is surprised as our eyes meet. “I didn’t pack a bag, big guy. Didn’t know you might want that with me.”

  Entwining our fingers together, I capture her lips with mine. “Rina, I want it all with you, never fucking forget that.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Karina

  February

  I’m watching the kids that just filed into my classroom. On Friday afternoons, typically everyone is hyped up, not paying attention and ready to go. This afternoon, I notice one person in particular, is pretty far off that game.

  Caleb has a seat at the desk he normally occupies and puts his head down, burrowing deeply into the hoodie he wears, pulling it up over his head. I try to catch his eye, but he keeps his head down, eyes closed.

  “How’s it going today?” I ask the class as a whole.

  “Long day, Ms. H,” one of the guys sighs as he shakes his head. “Really long day. I can’t speak for the rest of the class, but I had a freakin’ pop quiz in Calculus that I’m ninety-nine percent sure I bombed. Happy Friday to me.”

  Reaching into my desk, I grab a chocolate bar. “Here ya go, Maddox. Bury your sorrows in chocolate, works for me.”

  He gives me a smile before he rips it open and eats half of it in one bite. “Anybody having a good day?” I prompt them.

  There’s a lot of frowning faces and dejected body language. “Nothing good? Y’all are downright depressing.” I speak to them in their language.

  “Welcome to our world,” one of the girls sighs the same way Maddox did as she curls her hair around her finger. “But I could get happier if you have another chocolate bar.”

  I give her smile, grabbing another one out as I hand it to her. “I don’t have enough chocolate to give to you all, so how about this? I’ll take pity on you, and let you have a study hall today. Do whatever you need to do to make your weekend easier, and we’ll start fresh on Monday. How’s that sound?”

  There’s an audible and physical relief in the room. I watch as almost everyone grabs stuff out of their bags and starts working. Everyone except Caleb. As they all work, I notice that he drifts off to sleep. When the bell rings, he doesn’t move. Getting up, I walk over to his desk, and lightly s
hake his shoulder. “Caleb, the bell rang, are you okay?”

  He lifts glassy eyes up to me and for the first time I notice his cheeks are red. “I feel awful.” He shivers, pulling the hoodie further around his body. “I called my dad.” He puts his hands in his pockets. “But he’s on shift and he’s trying to find someone to take over for him. He asked me if I could drive myself to the Urgent Clinic, but my head hurts too bad and I’m a little dizzy. I’m scared to drive myself, even if he does meet me there.”

  There are few times when Caleb looks like a kid to me, and right now he looks like a very sick kid. Immediately the answer is in my mind, and I don’t even think twice about it. “C’mon Caleb.” I grab his arm, helping him get up from the desk.

  He’s struggling, trying to walk straight as we approach my desk. I lean him against it, as I grab my purse and jacket. “I’ll call Mason on the way; I’m not going to let you suffer like this.”

  I don’t expect him to say anything, and he doesn’t as we slowly make our way out of the school. I’ve got my phone out, calling Mason as we walk.

  “Rina, now’s not a great time,” he answers on the third ring.

  “I know.” With one hand I open the passenger side door, slipping Caleb inside. Shutting the door, I grab hold of the cell phone. “Caleb is really sick.”

  “Rina, I know, I’m trying to get someone to come cover my shift, but the weather is shit, and Caleb is technically an adult – or so I’ve been told five times already.”

  The worry and irritation in his voice is palpable. He was right about both of the things he said. The weather is shit; I would have to agree as I stand in the rain, shivering because of the cooler February temperatures. I also concede that Caleb is technically an adult, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t need help right now. In this moment, I want to kick some ass of those who are making this difficult on Mason. “I know all of this.” I keep my tone even, light, the way I soothe a student who’s gotten a bad grade and is in the middle of an epic freak out because they’re totally sure they won’t be accepted to the college of their dreams. “Which is why I’m taking him to the Urgent Clinic. Finish your shift big guy; I got Caleb taken care of.”

  “Karina.” The word is rough, like he can’t believe what I’m telling him. Raw in the way it feels after something really salty is eaten. “You don’t have to do this.” His voice is quiet this time.

  “I want to.” I pull my jacket tighter around my body. “From just feeling his forehead, I can tell his temp is high, and sometimes you just need someone to take care of you. We’ll be at the house when you get off shift.”

  He’s quiet for longer than I like. “Mason?”

  “Thank you isn’t enough.”

  Even though he can’t see it, I grin. “Thank you is plenty. I’ll let you know what the doctor says.”

  “Please keep me informed.”

  We end the call as I get into the driver’s seat. “You good, Caleb?”

  He’s leaned back in the seat with his arms wrapped around his chest shivering. “So cold.”

  Reaching over, I turn on the seat warmers and then crank the heat up. A part of me wants to leave him alone, let him rest until we get to the clinic, the other part of me is worried about how high his fever is, since we didn’t take it with a thermometer. “When did you start feeling bad?”

  Audibly he swallows, and I wonder if his throat hurts. “I didn’t feel good this morning, but when the weather changes like this, I always feel like shit. Typically I get those pressure headaches, but around lunch I felt like a Mac Truck had hit me. That’s when I texted Dad.” He rolls his head on the headrest. “My body hurts so bad, and I wanted to leave, but I was scared to drive myself. Turns out three of the other MTF guys are sick, and Havoc is covering the shortage, so he was asking other officers to come in, but no one was responding.”

  “Caleb, I’m so sorry you had to sit through half a day feeling like that.” I reach over, grabbing onto his clammy hand. Even the skin there is hot to the touch.

  “S’ok.” He pries his eyes open. “Kinda used to it. The only time I ever had someone to take care of me besides Dad was when my grandmother lived with us while Dad was deployed.”

  My heart breaks, literally breaks as I hear him tell the story of the two of them against all the odds. How many times has Mason needed help and had no one to turn to? How often has Caleb been sick and needed to feel the soft touch of a mother but had no one? Fighting back tears, I pull into the patient drop off for the clinic and then rush to park before hurrying inside. When I get there, Caleb is number three in line.

  “My back is killing me,” he moans as we move up.

  Pushing my hand up under his jacket, I do my best to massage the tight muscles at his back and up around his shoulders. “It’s where you’ve been shivering.”

  “So fuckin’ sore.” He coughs into the crook of his elbow.

  When it’s our turn, we move forward. Caleb, obviously a pro at this, tells them his name, tells him that his insurance hasn’t changed, and his symptoms. They hand him a mask to wear, as well as one for me. Then the registration clerk asks a question, and I know the answer will completely change my relationship not only with Caleb, but with Mason as well.

  “You’ve got a fifty-dollar co-pay, Caleb. You want us to bill it to your dad? And we need consent to treat too.”

  “I’m eighteen,” he answers, fumbling in his wallet. “I can take care of this on my own.”

  Gently pushing him aside, I grab the pen from the clerk, sign my name, and dig through my purse before sliding my debit card toward her. “I’m responsible for him, and I’ll pay the co-pay.”

  Later on when we’re in the waiting room, Caleb turns to me. “Why did you do that?”

  “Do what?” I glance up from where I’m texting Mason. There’s still one person in front of Caleb and me, probably by the time Mason gets off shit, we’ll be done.

  “Sign as responsible for me and pay that money? Ms. Holland, it’s too much.” He stretches his legs out in front of him.

  This right here, this is a loaded conversation we’re about to have, and while I wouldn’t choose to have it in the waiting area of a doctor’s office, it needs to be said. “I think under the circumstances, you can probably call me Karina, or a nickname if you want. Your dad calls me Rina.” I put my phone away. “Look, you aren’t a child, so I’m not going to sugar coat this for you. There’s something about Mason that’s attracted me since the first time I saw him. He’s considerate, a good dad to you, and a stand-up guy. I enjoy spending time with him.” I push my hair back behind the mask they’ve had me wear. “And I enjoy spending time with you too. I know you aren’t a little kid who needs someone to take care of him, but every once in a while, like when you’re sick, everyone wants a little compassion. There was no way I was going to let you wait hours for Mason, not when I know it was killing him, and I could help the two of you out. That’s just not who I am.”

  Caleb looks at me, his gaze so very much like his dad’s. I almost feel as if I’m looking at younger version of Mason. “We’ve never had anyone in our lives like you, Karina.”

  “Good.” I laugh. “Because I’ve never had anyone like the two of you in mine.”

  Folding his arms back over his chest, he levels me with his stare. “Don’t hurt my dad, please don’t hurt my dad. If there’s anyone in this world who deserves love, it’s him.”

  “That’s a little further than we’ve gone.” I squirm in my seat. My feelings for Mason are strong, which is why a little over a month after our first date I’m taking his son to the doctor, but love? I swore I’d never take that lightly again.

  “I know my dad, and I know what kind of a woman you are. You two can fuck around with each other all you want, but feelings are involved. I’d have to be blind and deaf not to see or hear it.” He flashes me a tired grin.

  Hearing it. Good God. That night when Mason told me he didn’t care who heard what he was doing to me. Caleb had heard it.
Shit. I don’t know what to say, I’m stunned, and then I’m saved as they call his name to be taken back. “Want me to go with you?”

  “Yeah.” He reaches down, grabbing my hand. “I’ve never been to a doctor by myself before, and honestly, it’s a little scary.”

  The flashes of vulnerability are what endear this kid to me, and I question what in the hell kind of woman could abandon him. Quickly I follow him, wait as they take his weight, blood pressure, and temperature. “One hundred and two point nine,” the nurse says as she looks at me. “Good thing you brought him in, he sounds a little dehydrated. Heart rate is a slightly elevated.”

  For the length of the visit, I’m a quiet reassurance to him, putting my hand on his back when they make him take a flu test, and grimacing when the test comes back positive.

  “Good thing it’s a Friday, right?” He tilts his head to me.

  I agree with him. “Really good thing, sounds like you need to rest.”

  My phone buzzes in my hand, and I glance down to see who it is. “One second please, it’s his dad.”

  M: Any update?

  K: In with the doctor right now, I’ll text you once we get home and he gets situated.

  “And lots of fluids.” The attending doctor hands me a prescription after I finish my text with Mason. “If his fever doesn’t break in forty-eight hours, or gets higher, we need to see him back here. I can’t stress enough the amount of fluids he needs, and here’s an excuse for school. Don’t send him back until Wednesday – this particular strain is not a laughing matter. Watch yourself and anyone else in the home. First sign of symptoms, call in here, and we’ll get some of the Tamiflu called in for you too. Any questions?”

  “Nope.” I shake my head as I help Caleb back into his jacket and watch the doctor wash his hands. I do the same before we leave and head to the grocery store where the pharmacy is located to pick up his prescription.

  “Do you have Gatorade at your house?” I ask him as we walk back to see if they have his medication ready yet.

  “No.” He shakes his head.