“You don’t understand!” I cry. “I can’t do this with you. I am supposed to be married to that man. It was arranged, and because I ran my mother is dead.” I let out a small sob and he pulls me back into his arms.
“I just couldn’t take the abuse anymore,” I whisper, and his body goes rigid at my admission.
“Abuse? As in he made you do things you didn’t want to do?” he growls, and I nod my head yes.
“I am going to kill him. We know people, my club and I, and we are just as lethal as those mother-fuckers. They will get nowhere near you when I am around.”
I glance at him with my eyebrows drawn in confusion.
“What do you mean? Are you part of a gang?”
“It’s not a gang; it's a biker club, but we protect what’s ours no matter the cost. And you, Erica Castello, are mine.”
“Jared, I’m already in too deep with these people. I can’t bring you and your friends along. I won’t do it.” I start to pace my dorm room and he stands.
“There is no way I’m going to let you do this alone. This is what we do. We help people if they need security and you, baby, need help. I fucking need to do this for you.” Tears cloud my vision. I start to protest, when he places a finger to my lips. He presses a gentle kiss to my neck, cheek, then lips. He starts to caress my mouth with his and we can’t seem to get enough of each other. He rips my baggy shirt and sweats off.
Admiring my naked body with lust in his eyes, he starts to move his strong hands to my core and brushes my center with his finger. I moan in response when he latches his mouth onto my breast as he rubs my sensitive nub.
“Jared, please, I need you so bad,” I whimper, needing to feel anything but the emotional pain I’ve endured.
“I am going to make you feel so good and you will come on my cock when I tell you to.” I nod, greedily pulling his pants down and grabbing his length to guide him to my center.
He tosses me onto the bed and lays his beautiful toned body over mine. His hands grip my wrists and he somehow manages to tie them to my bed. Where the hell did that come from? It doesn’t scare me; if anything, it only excites me more. The tattoos on his arms are on display and he looks so damn sexy. He has a skull on his upper left arm and some tribal signs I’ve never seen before.
“I love this,” I whisper, reaching up to kiss his tattoos, and he shivers at my touch.
“One day I’ll have your name here.” He taps his heart and my throat constricts.
“It sound like you want to keep me, Mr. Knox.”
“Fuck yeah, I want to keep you,” he murmurs. Jared lightly lifts my locket. “Beating as one,” he whispers, and my eyes widen.
“How did you know what it says inside?” My voice shakes, because my mom is the one who gave me this locket and now it means more to me than anything.
“When you were asleep,” he admits guiltily.
“My heart beats for you, baby. Beating as one is us, Erica. I’m only twenty-five but I feel like I’ve been waiting for you my entire life.” His admission makes my heart quicken, because I think he’s right. I feel like with Jared by my side I can get through anything.
Moments later he slams into me so hard I cry out.
“Mine, baby. I will protect you now and forever.” He continues to whisper sweet, encouraging words as he picks up his pace. My hands are bonded together just like I am with Jared.
“Ohhh…more,” I moan, and he kisses me passionately while our bodies meet thrust for thrust.
“Fuck, you’re so tight as you grip my cock, baby. Shit, you feel amazing.” He slams into me harder than before and I can’t hold back any longer as I pulsate around him, screaming his name over and over again. He soon finds his release and we lay together, breathing heavily as sweat coats our bodies. He unties my arms and I weakly wrap them around his neck.
I needed that so much. To get lost in his touch. To get lost in him. To feel vulnerability and have a man take control in the right ways.
“Thank you for being here,” I say as Jared catches the tear that falls down my cheek.
“I will always be here for you. I care about you more than I have ever cared about anyone.” That comment makes me smile, and I hold this man so tightly. Lying there, I think of how easily I could fall in love with him.
One month later…
I’ve been working a lot and going to school. I’m starting to get overwhelmed, so Darla cut down my hours. Jared refuses to see me stressed out and he also refuses to make me pay for anything. He has been amazing in every way. I am not sure where he gets his money from, but I have an idea. I’m not even sure I want to know.
He has been extra protective and possessive lately, which doesn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. He has one of his men with me at all times. Today it’s Glock. That’s what they call him and I don’t know why. I don’t ask questions anymore. It seems they all have nicknames for each other except Jared, who they call Knox or Prez.