Connor (The Kendall Family Series Book 2) (16 page)

She looked at him in surprise, the significance of his words startling her as they slowly dawned. “Did you just say you love me?”

He hadn’t meant to but didn’t care anymore. They were all about to go to hell anyway. He shrugged. “Yeah, sure, whatever turns you on.”

She wasn’t sure what to say, the mocking words on her lips not coming out. She looked at his impressive cock standing there looking for attention, just like the rest of him, mixed emotions coursing through her. Amusement. Respect. Pity. Solidarity. A bit of affection, actually. There were worse things than having Mark touching her, not that she’d ever let him do much. He was better than Seth in every way except one—he had no confidence. And that had ruined him in her eyes. Or at least, until now.

She’d taken his virginity and then never really let him get his hands on her. She wouldn’t let him purposely turn her on but couldn’t stop herself from coming when he fucked her. Not once had they kissed. She only fucked or blew him because Seth told her to, except earlier today. Never mind that he’d made her cum a bunch of times and Seth never had. And Seth had tried, whereas she wouldn’t let Mark try and he did it anyway. That big cock and something about the way he thrust, well, it was the only time he showed confidence, which was ironic, because sex was the one time Seth never really did. Maybe there was some alpha male in Mark after all.

The one thing that stood out now—aside from his big penis—was her growing arousal. She’d never been touched by someone who loved her. No one ever had before. Feeling her nipples harden, she decided to try something new for once. She was a bit curious. And though she wouldn’t admit it, she was touched, too.

“Well don’t just stand there with your dick out,” she said, suddenly nervous. “Get over here and take my clothes off, kiss me like a boyfriend is supposed to, and then show me the real you, Mark.”

The lust that appeared on his face as he approached her was almost frightening. As if afraid she’d change her mind, he cupped her face in both hands to prevent her escape and planted his lips on hers. And that kiss changed everything. Warmth flowed between them, an instant, physical chemistry transforming their feelings. No longer were they at odds. All trivial disagreements or resentments vanished. It occurred to Jess that she’d never really been kissed before, and certainly not by Seth. And she knew Mark had never kissed anyone. Suddenly remorseful about that and thinking he deserved better, she kissed back more earnestly than she’d had any intention of doing, wanting to give back the feelings he was creating in her.

Jess was so caught up in the kiss that she didn’t notice Mark deftly undressing her, the zipper behind her dress already down, both straps beginning to slide down her arms as Mark bared her pert tits to the warm air. He’d seen them before, of course, but this was different. Jess thrust his shirt up and over his head. Then she pressed her nipples into his chest, her arms looping over his head as her lips sought his again. Mark could hardly believe it. She was reciprocating his interest.

With a throaty growl, Mark lifted her in both arms with a strength that startled and impressed her. More gently that she would’ve believed possible after all of Seth’s harsh attentions, Mark laid her on the bed and firmly pulled the dress down her legs. Only her panties remained until he gripped them in his teeth and slowly slid them off.

Wet between the legs, Jess arched her back, putting both hands above her head to touch the headboard. Part of her wondered at her behavior, surrendering and offering herself this way, and to the boy she’d always scorned at that. But he’d stirred something deeper, more primal in her than her conscious mind would allow before now, and that part of Jess was a thousand times smarter than her brain, which shut off.

He lay down beside her, one hand stroking her scalp while the other roamed over her flesh, teasing her nipples, belly, and tugging at the hair of her pubic bone. Jess began to tremble as Mark’s lips closed over hers again, his tongue deftly parting her lips to delve inside as if it knew the way and had all along. Before she knew what she was doing, she ran her fingers through his hair and began to caress his back, urging him on top of her. He obliged with a moan, slipping in between her slowly spreading thighs. Only as she wrapped herself around him did she realize both were naked together for the first time, as they’d always done it partially clothed.

Jess suddenly felt vulnerable, almost like when she’d had sex for the very first time, but that hang-up had been about her body. This was about something more important. Something deeper. Someone who loved her was making love to her. The head of Mark’s cock gently prodded her wet folds, teasing her, reminding her of his impending conquest. With their tongues intertwined, she opened her eyes to see his face and chest red with desire, and yet still he held back. The obvious reason came to mind. She reluctantly broke their kiss.

“No condom,” Jess whispered.

“I know,” he croaked. “Do you want me to get—”

“No. Go without.”

“Are you—”

Jess planted her lips on his, thrusting her tongue into her mouth and gripping him with both legs as if to force him inside her. Mark lost it and plunged into her with his customary confidence, a deep moan escaping him. He felt so alive, from head to toe, and a moment of panic struck him that this would never happen again, Jess welcoming him this way. But then determination filled him. He would make her want to.

And with that in mind, Mark proceeded to fuck her goddamn brains out when he wasn’t pausing to make love to her. The first time he made her cum, she let out a cry and shook beneath him like never before, losing herself. The sound of her own surrender rocked Jess, who moaned his name the way she’d always imagined she’d one day do with Seth.

Mark was well aware of how hotly she was reacting to his attention. The way she grasped at him, clawed his back, and thrust her tongue into his mouth and ears told him he was getting to her. But he wouldn’t let up. Again and again he made her cum beneath him. His hips thrust with lascivious purpose, grinding into her pubic bone. Fingers stroked her hot flesh from nipple to ass, scalp to cheek, belly to the hard nub between her folds. When he finally erupted inside her, Jess flushed to the bone with pleasure.

And still he kept going, pulling out long enough to expertly reposition her on all fours and enter her from behind. She gasped, but not because he’d never done this before. In fact, this was the position they usually did it in because it was so impersonal. And that’s exactly why it shocked her, to have someone who was making love to her just
fuck (italics)
her, too. She’d never imagined that someone could have both. While he expertly thrust into her pulsating pussy, Mark’s hands stroked and teased her, something about the way he touched her having “love” written all over it. She’d always told him to keep his hands to himself before, but now he showed her what she’d been missing, and Jess shuddered in appreciation and fear of where he was taking her.

Within minutes, Jess came hard, her pussy clenching his still-thrusting manhood helplessly. Sounds she’d never made before erupted from her throat for minutes on end as he made her cum yet again. At some point, she looked back at him over her shoulder, her expression almost one of horror, which worsened on seeing the outright glee on his face, his eyes wide in exultation, a line of drool actually hanging from one lip. He was enjoying this even more than she was. Their eyes met.

And both of them knew Jess belonged to Mark forever.

* * *

Jess lay on her side, staring unseeing, humming quietly to herself, and listening to the sounds of water splashing the floor around Mark, who was taking a shower in the other room. She would join him in a minute, she’d told him. And once he’d kissed her tenderly and disappeared, the water proving his location, she’d started crying. It only lasted a minute before she pulled herself together a bit. She wasn’t really upset. Quite the contrary. She’d never felt so at peace in her life.

She wanted to hold onto this moment forever. It seemed almost like a dream but she knew it was real. She felt as if she’d woken from a nightmare that had been going on her entire life. So much pain, longing, darkness, despair, and lost hope. It had enveloped her, infused her, defined her.

But not anymore. A new reality she had only dreamed of had conquered her so fast, so resolutely, that she’d had a defining moment of clarity. The great things in life were not denied her after all. They were attainable. They were real. She’d just experienced one, for the first time. But not the last, she vowed. Maybe it was crazy, but she suddenly felt like anything was possible now. All those stories of Bonnie and Clyde or whichever crazy couple doing things together had always seemed cool but ridiculous, that two people could love each other so much that they’d do anything together. She’d sometimes imagined she and Seth would do capers that way. It was one reason for her involvement in this stupid scheme about Sophia.

But not anymore. Mark and Jess. That’s who belonged together, who’d do capers together. But she didn’t want some fucked-up adventure like this. She wanted to actually have the life they’d only been pretending to have tonight. A life of bed-and-breakfasts, of romance, of fine dining. Of affection, tenderness, and sweet things. She suddenly
got it
. Those mushy couples that made her want to puke before weren’t the losers.
She
had been.

But not anymore
.

So many things she’d thought about or cared about seemed pointless and stupid now. She only wanted one thing—to feel like this all the time. And if that meant that her old life and self were gone, then good riddance. She’d never liked either, really.

The old Jess was dead. Mark had just fucked her to death.

But the new Jess had a problem. The old Jess had come here to kidnap Sophia. The idea repulsed her almost as much as the thought of Seth now did. She saw her phone lighting up with ignored text messages from him. Only now did she realize their room was at the front of the house, where he couldn’t see, if he’d been spying. That was good. She wouldn’t be able to handle any scorn from him. The thought made rage grip her so strongly that she almost broke her skin with a fingernail. This thing between her and Mark, whatever it was, well, it was not something for the likes of Seth to ever know about, see, hear, or comment on. She’d kill him in an instant if he ever found out and said a word.

And Seth would. Both find out and say something. Just one look at her and Mark together and he’d see it, which was odd, because he seemed to have no clue how she’d felt about
him
despite her trying to point it out for a few years now. Funny how a guy could be stupid that way.

Then again, she’d had no idea Mark loved her. She’d thought he was opportunistic and desperate, and that was all his interest in her had amounted to. That Mark actually loved her was impossible to ignore now. The tenderness she now felt for him still surprised her a little, but she was learning to ignore her mind and listen to something else—a quiet part of her that she’d beaten into silence about its lack of fulfillment over the years. It had suddenly woken up in Mark’s embrace. She wanted that and to forget all the pain and bitterness.

As for Seth, she had to get rid of him. He’d never let Mark and her be. They could run off together, in theory, but both were dirt poor and had no prospects. And why should they have to leave here? No, with the police after Seth already, he was the one going away, and for a long time. She smiled. He belonged in prison. He always had. She had sort of liked some of that bad boy crap with him, thinking he’d be sweet when they were alone, but he never was. Certainly not like Mark. Her tastes in men had just changed.

She had to get Seth caught tonight and in such a way that he didn’t turn in Mark and her, so he had to think it was an accident. He could squeal on them anyway, she knew, but there wasn’t much she could do about that. She couldn’t tell Mark too much tonight because he couldn’t lie to save his life, especially to Seth, who could see right through him. So Mark had to believe Seth getting caught was an accident. If Mark believed it, Seth would, and Jess had been lying to
him
pretty well for years. Seth wasn’t half as smart as he thought he was.

So she had to think of something plausible and then convince Seth not to betray them. And convince Mark to go along with a story to save themselves. Maybe they could say they were elsewhere during the first kidnapping attempt. She didn’t know. She had to work it out, and fast.

And now there was no way she was hurting Sophia for that prick. Sophia had never done a thing to any of them and deserved whatever she’d apparently found with Connor. Jess no longer felt a shred of jealousy. She actually felt solidarity, as if by some miracle, they were the same. They weren’t, of course, but they were closer than Jess had ever imagined she could be. She was actually happy. And her conscience had returned after having been slowly siphoned off by Seth’s relentless bad influence. Her fingers went to the stolen earrings she wore, regretting the theft. She almost wanted to make reparations to Sophia, but she wasn’t going to go that far.

Still, at the very least, this abduction was off.

* * *

In the shower, Mark stood under the water and let it pour over his smiling face, wetting the nose splint. He had her. He knew it. Part of him couldn’t believe it. Never would. But most of him knew. He let himself grin like a schoolboy for now, hoping to get it out of his system before Jess joined him. This was the best night of his life, and despite starting off badly, it had ended wonderfully.

Well, almost. He’d briefly forgotten why they were really here. There was still the problem of Sophia. As long as Seth couldn’t have Sophia, Seth would have Jess. Sure, Jess had just submitted to Mark, but Mark knew firsthand just how manipulative that bastard could be. Seth would find a way to ruin this. To ruin him. To ruin
Jess
.