Hellbent Hero by Naomi Porter

17

Hero

TARA’S SHRILL SCREAM barely registered. My gaze locked on her beautiful brown eyes, then dropped to her gaping mouth, a mouth I’d missed the past couple of months.

I expected her to be shocked. What I hadn’t expected was the explosion of emotions inside me, upon seeing her. I was happy to be inches away, yet regretful for what I’d told her in the visitor’s room.

The love I felt for her burned in my chest. It was so intense.

My eyes drifted down to her stomach, to her thighs where she’d singed her flesh. Anger flared in me, ready to spank her ass for harming herself. In my next breath, sadness choked me up. One emotion battled with another for room in my mind.

But desire overpowered everything else….

I grabbed her by the hand, reeled her into the living room, and kicked the door closed. I flew at her like a bee to honey, crushing my lips to hers. I was sloppy and wild with my affections, but I didn’t give a rat’s ass. My woman was finally here. I would damn well kiss the fuck out of her any way I wanted.

She whimpered as I pressed her into the wall, pawing at her body through her coat. It was all I needed to continue. Jumping her bones wasn’t part of my original plan, but this woman, my woman, was fucking irresistible. I pushed my tongue past her perfect red lips and melted as I tasted her.

Another soft moan tickled my ears. Fuck, yeah. Roja wanted me.

I buried my hands in her silky hair, holding her head just the way I liked, to deepen the kiss. My heart pounded in my chest as a rush of absolute euphoria overcame me. My dick ached like an impatient motherfucker while I dominated her mouth, licking and sucking. Nipping her plump lips with my teeth. I had to have her. Right the fuck now.

Tara mewled and wiggled against me, seeking out my cock like a needy little minx. She rubbed against my thigh, guiding me, begging me to continue.

The drooling motherfucker in my jeans pushed against the zipper, trying to force his way out. This was how my dick responded when Roja breathed our air. It was ridiculous to be fully erect in less than ten seconds. Pulsing. Dripping. Straining for her sweet pussy. Hell, my cock and I were both angry as fuck to not be inside her. It felt so fucking good to throb and ache for a woman who awakened everything dead inside me.

Growling like an animal, I ground my hard-as-steel pecker into her pelvis, relishing the pleasure it gave me. It wasn’t enough. I needed so much more. I was the most backed up I’d been since before I was a prospect for KLMC. After I got patched, I could have all the pussy I needed. Needed, as in a release. Not needed, like I couldn’t live without them—as I felt for Tara. I’d been without my woman too damn long.

The kitten meowed behind me. I’d left her on the sofa when Tara’s headlights flashed through the living room window, anxious as all-get-out to see my woman. Hollywood had sent me the “head doctor’s” name while he waited for Tara outside the medical building. He’d tailed Tara after she had kicked copper out of her house. A quick Google search and I found out Dr. Kelly was a mental health therapist.

The kitten meowed again.

Tara froze at the sound, ending the kiss. “You son of a bitch!” Rage sparked in her captivating eyes. I should’ve braced for her wrath instead of smirking as if I’d outsmarted her.

“How dare you come here!” Her knee vaulted up, hitting me square in the balls.

Pain sent me dropping onto the floor, clutching the family jewels. I writhed, tears pooling in my eyes, unable to breathe. Christ, I might vomit.

I squeezed my eyes, clenching my jaw, cupping my nuts, willing myself to not bust her ass the second I could react without crying out in pain.

Tara fell on her knees beside me. “Hero? I… I didn’t mean to…”

I heard her, but fuck if I gave a shit about anything she had to say while I died on the floor. Her hand grazed my head. I jerked away from the cruel bitch. Kneeing a man in the balls was the mother of all offenses. Especially when the dude didn’t deserve it.

Or did I?

Fuck if I cared one way or the other.

“Should… should I call an ambulance?”

I cracked open an eye, hearing the tremble in her voice. “No.” I gritted my teeth to not writhe in agony like a pussy.

“Big guy, I didn’t think kneeing you would work. I’d seen it done in the movies, never in real life. I’m sorry.” She placed her hand on my shoulder. “You shouldn’t be in my house. You shouldn’t have kissed me like that after I told you we were over. But I shouldn’t have hurt you like this either…” The genuine concern in her voice had me relaxing.

I panted through the agony. “Clearly.”

“Did you break out of jail?” Her voice shook as she gripped my bicep, squeezing like I’d vanish into thin air. “Are you a wanted man?”

All I could do was breathe and hold my crotch. Did she really fucking believe I could have a conversation right now? I was literally dying on her living room floor and she fucking wanted to know if I’d escaped.

Was I angry? No. This vulnerable, scared side reminded me of when we were held by the Hunters. Despite the unbearable pain in my lower region, my fury faded.

The kitten ambled over to my face, brushing against my forehead. I so didn’t need this. I wasn’t an animal person.

Tara picked her up. “Luna, leave him alone baby. He’s in a lot of pain.” She grimaced, looking guilty as hell.

Pain? I was fucking dying. Fighting through nausea. But it didn’t all have to do with my balls. I’d seen hate flash in her eyes right before she kneed me. It confirmed my fears. She wasn’t about to forgive and forget what happened at county or what I’d said.

Unfortunately for her, when I wanted something or, in this case, someone, I was relentless and ruthless. I would never stop fighting for her.

Tara sat beside me, rubbing my arm while cooing to Luna. I enjoyed her touch and the sound of her husky voice. It was low like a whisper, rough like sandpaper, and when it left her lips, it glided over my skin and made every nerve ending tingle with desire. I had never heard a sexier voice than my Roja’s.

Finally able to inhale a deep breath, I took her hand and carefully rolled toward her.

“I’m sorry,” she told me as our eyes connected. “You didn’t deserve that, even if I hate you. Will you be okay?”

Hate me? Jesus, her words sliced me open.

I had my work cut out for me. “I don’t think there’s any permanent damage. We’ll find out next year.”

She screwed up her beautiful face. “What do you mean, we’ll find out next year?”

“If you’re not pregnant, there’s permanent damage. Are you open to adoption in the event I’m sterile? I want a few kids.”

She stared at me like I was a few fries short of a happy meal. “We’re not together.”

Still holding her hand, I entwined our fingers and pulled her hand to my lips. “I’m sorry, Roja. I’m sorry for not coming back after the run and for lying to you.”

She tried to pull her hand away.

“Don’t, baby. I want you. You’re mine, and I’m never letting you go.”

Tara blinked back tears and shook her head. We stared at each other for a long, hellish minute. I wished I could hear what was going on in her head. Was she warring with what to do? I already knew her secret. Had seen the video back at the club and found the evidence in her bathroom while I waited for her to get home. No way in hell was I giving up on this woman because of a couple of skeletons in her closet. We all had some we didn’t want anyone else to see.

I wasn’t just anyone, though. I was the man who would love and protect Tara for the rest of her life. I was her man. Even if she didn’t want me, she had no choice. We were it for each other. Period. End.

I raised myself into a sitting position, screwing up my face from the pain. “Roja. We’re doing this, baby.” With my free hand, I cradled the side of her face. “Gimme a chance to make it up to you.”

“I told you at county—”

“I know what you told me.” I held her face firmly. “And I’m telling you I lied. I was in fucking jail, woman. I’ve got shit in my past I was dealing with and—”

“And that makes it okay? We all have shit in our past.” She snapped her mouth shut. I didn’t like her holding back from me.

“How do I know you’re not lying now just to get in my pants? How am I supposed to trust you?” She tilted her head, assessing me. Searching my eyes for the truth.

“I’ll tell you the truth from here on out. Well, not anything to do with the club.”

She rolled her eyes. “Right.”

I stroked my thumb across her cheek. “You can trust me. You’re right. I won’t deny wanting to get in your pants. I fucking want to live between your thighs, Roja. But I don’t only want your sweet-tasting pussy. I want your heart and soul. In return, I’ll give you mine.”

She jolted as if taken aback by my speech. “You’re full of shit. You told me you couldn’t give me what I wanted.”

I dropped my head in shame, then lifted it, getting eye to eye with her. “I thought you deserved better than me. Hell, I figured I’d be in jail for years.”

She jutted out her chin defiantly. “Yet here you are. How is that?”

“Grizz got proof the weed was planted on me.”

The corner of her lips curled. “I knew you were innocent.”

“Then you also know I’m not feeding you a load of shit.” I pulled her face to mine. When she didn’t pull back, I kissed her softly. “I’m sorry, mi vida.” I pressed my forehead to hers. “I’m sorry for everything. I won’t let you down again.”

She sniffled, hooking her arm around my neck, releasing Luna to scamper off. “You better not let me down again, if you know what’s good for you.”

I smiled wryly, taking her hand and placing it on my dick. “Feel that?”

“I don’t feel anything.”

“Exactly. Before you kneed me, I had a raging hard-on. My cock is dead now… for a little while anyway. I don’t ever want to experience this again. Not after you brought me back to life.”

“Jesus, Hero. I really didn’t mean to hurt you.” She pursed her lips, regret in her beautiful brown eyes.

“It’s okay. Next time, punch me or slap me. Leave my balls out of it.” I winked, moving to taste those lips I’d never get enough of. “Let’s take this to your bed.”

She stilled. “What?”

“I want to get reacquainted with my woman. You gotta problem with that?” I knew she would, because of the fresh scars on her body. Tara had to be the one to confess what she’d done to herself. I was giving her an easy way to tell me her secrets. If she didn’t, I’d come clean that I already knew.

“I can’t.”

Slowly, I rolled onto my knees, then onto my feet. I stretched my hand out, praying to God she’d accept it.

And she did.

“I really can’t be with you right now. Anyway, you’re injured.”

“My tongue isn’t.” I wiggled my eyebrows to entice her. “My dick will be okay, eventually.” I winked.

She bit her bottom lip, dropping her gaze to my jeans. “It’s not just about your pretty pecker.”

I snorted. “Woman, don’t call my pecker pretty. I’m already feeling emasculated by a sexy redhead.” I took her hand, leading her to the bedroom. In only a few long strides, I was at her door. I flicked the light switch on the wall. I wanted to be able to see her wounds.

“Seriously, Hero. I can’t. I mean… I don’t want to.”

“I thought you liked it when I fucked you with my tongue.”

She shivered and sighed as I stopped us at the end of her bed. “Have you no shame? We haven’t been together in two months. How can you just pick up where we left off?”

I slid my hand under her hair, gripped the back of her neck, and massaged it. She was tense. More reason to give her a few orgasms to help her relax. But I sensed she was trying to rile me up, maybe get into a fight to avoid spilling her guts.

It wasn’t happening. We were doing this, whether she liked it or not.

“Because I care about you.”

“You said you’d never love another. So what’s this going to be? You drop by when you want to bury your nose in my red curls?”

“Christ, Roja.”

That mouth of hers burned me the fuck up and turned me the fuck on. As wounded as I was, my dick hardened at her spunk, filling with my own.

“What? If you want to be fuck buddies, I’m not down with that. I may like it wild between the sheets, but I’m a one-man woman. I don’t want to taste kitten pussy on your tongue.” Miss Attitude zigzagged her head, lips puckered all sassy and shit.

“I don’t fucking want anyone else.” I raised my voice louder than I intended. Roja’s eyes flashed in surprise. “Just stop trying to push me away and take off your goddamn clothes.” This woman just might be the death of me.

“No,” she snapped back. “We need to be clear on this. If you fuck me. You best not sink your dick into anyone else, or I will… Chop. It. Off.” My fiery Roja enunciated each word in a cold, warning tone. “With a serrated bread knife.”

I stifled a laugh. She was fucking awesome.

“Damn, Roja. You’re vicious.” I released her neck, slipping her coat off her body. I tossed it aside and went to the hem of her sweatshirt.

She grabbed my hand. “No.”

“Baby, I need you.”

“You’re overwhelming me. This is going too fast.” She stepped out of my grasp, hands shaking at her sides. “I need to think about this. Maybe I don’t want to mess around with a biker. Maybe I want someone who doesn’t kill people for a living and does all kinds of illegal shit. Maybe I don’t want my life in danger like Maddy’s.”

Fucking hell if her reasons didn’t give me pause. For about two seconds. Then I figured out what was happening.

Her speech wasn’t how she really felt. Like Madeline, Tara would fight alongside her man before giving him up. Why else would she have gone to the jail to see me after I’d run away from her? She wanted to fight for us.

“Why you lying to me, mi vida?” I reached for her arm, reeling her into my embrace. “Thought we were gonna be honest from here on out? I need to trust you too, baby.”

She dropped her head to my chest, hiding her face. My stomach tightened, sensing she was about to reveal her secret. This conversation wouldn’t be easy. Roja needed to know she could trust me. I brushed my nose in her hair, inhaling her sweet scent… strawberries.

“I didn’t have a good childhood. It scarred me. I’m fucked up, Hero. You don’t need me complicating your life.”

I cradled her face, lifting it up and pressing my lips to hers, holding them there. “I’m not going anywhere. So pushing me away is futile.”

“You’re an idiot, then.”

“I’m your idiot, then.”

Tears pooled in her eyes. “I don’t want you to think bad about me. I don’t want anyone to. I’ve worked so hard to overcome… Well, it doesn’t matter. I’d been in a good place until—”

“Until what?” A massive boulder of regret crushed my chest because I knew I was to blame for sending her spiralling.

“Until you broke my heart.”

I stared through her brown depths, straight into her soul. I should let her keep her secrets. Let her go. Let her be free.

But I couldn’t. I needed her.

My damaged soul cried out to hers. I hadn’t realized until this very moment how perfect we were for each other.

“I’m not letting you go, mi vida. You are my life.” I kissed her again. “Together, we will rise from the ashes.” I sealed my words on her lips. “Strong and fierce for what we’ve suffered. We share an unbreakable bond forged in the fires of hell. I know you feel it too.”