Fighting Chance (Misty Grove Book 1) (23 page)

The old Cassie would have had a bitch fit, but the way her man cared for her, protected her, and yet respected her strengths and weaknesses, left little room for argument. She melted. If she was falling for the good sheriff, her heart was not doing a good job fighting it. Cassie wasn’t sure she had any objections either.

Oh, boy.

*****

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay, Kate?”

Cassie traced her sister’s delicate jawline while she squeezed her hand. The emptiness in Kate’s eyes broke her heart, but at least the prognosis was mostly positive. Kate would do as she was told but would not speak. She would feed herself if food was set in front of her. Chew, swallow, repeat. She was an automaton.

“So, that’s the plan, you hang out at the diner when you’re not with Trent,” Millie stated. “That way you can help me taste test the new fried chicken recipe I’m working on and spend time with Kate.”

After the admiral had left, the group decided how to handle this new threat. Colt wanted her back at the ranch, but Cassie refused to put her life on hold. The security at Trent’s house was top notch and there were perimeter tripwires and cameras that would alert them of any intruders. Even Matt was impressed when the sheriff showed him the schematics of the current and future security installations. But everyone agreed she should never be alone and the best place for her when Trent returned to work would be in town where she would be surrounded by ex-assassins.

There was also concern for the rest of the ES subjects—Matt, Lucas, and even Kate. Cassie might be the first choice, but there was no reason why they wouldn’t grab Matt and especially Lucas.
 

“Yes,” Cassie replied. “I’ll definitely be here.” Turning to Matt. “Where’s Kate staying? With you above the garage?”
 

“She’s coming home with me,” Colt declared. “I’ll see if she responds to Stella.”
 

“That’s a great idea,” Cassie agreed. Stella was a therapy horse. Their “visitors” were frequently injured operatives needing some rest, relaxation, and rehabilitation.

“Ready to go, babe?” Trent asked, coming to stand beside her. “I’d like to get home before the storm hits.”

The skies had darkened in the past hour with occasional rumblings of thunder in the distance.

Cassie registered the abruptness in his tone as she gave Kate a hug, but when she turned toward him, he was already headed to the door. He pulled it open and held it for her, impatience written on his face.

Millie pulled Cassie close, which surprised her since the diner owner wasn’t a hugger.
 

“You need to talk to your man,” Millie whispered.

She would if she knew what had made him do a 180 in the past five minutes.

She would if he talked, but Trent was nothing but a simmering mass of silence on the ride home. When they pulled into the driveway, Cassie couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Is there something wrong, Trent?”
 

Big drops of rain started spattering the windshield.

“No.”

“You’ve been quiet all the way home.”

“I have a lot of things on my mind.”

“Like what?”

“Things, Cassie,” he snapped.

What the hell is wrong with him?

She had no patience for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Trent slammed out of the vehicle and headed for the house.

Oh, hell no.

Cassie hopped out of the pickup but made no move to follow. Instead, she leaned against the Silverado. Waiting.

The wind whipped around her.

Sensing she wasn’t behind him, Trent turned.
 

“What are you doing standing over there?” he barked.

“I’m not going in with you until you tell me what’s wrong.”

“Don’t be childish. You’re going to get soaked.”

“I’m not being childish. I just want to know what I did to deserve this 180.”

“Not everything is about you, Cassandra.”

A punch to the gut would have hurt less.

She didn’t think she was that self-centered and it certainly wasn’t her fault that people were gunning for her. She wanted to shrivel up and hide in a corner, but instinct told her Trent wouldn’t go from fervent declaration of “following her to the ends of the earth” to being this hurtful.

“Are you really going to pull this crap?” Cassie snapped.

Trent stalked toward her until he was directly in front of her. “Like I said, not everything is about you. I’ve got my job to think about.”

“The sheriff position or your security business?”

“Which one is in jeopardy right now because of this shit you pulled?”

“You’re throwing this at me now?” Cassie cried. That wasn’t fair and he knew it. They were past this discussion. Or were they? She backed away from him. “Fuck you! I don’t need this bullshit.”

She turned and walked up the driveway. Shit, it was miles and miles to the ranch and the rain was coming down faster. At least she had her phone, that was if she could get a signal and call Mac. Reception could be pretty bad sometimes around this area. Besides, it wasn’t the first time she had run in a summer storm, and she needed to let off some steam.

Trent cursed behind her before she heard the scrape of his footsteps on the gravel road.

Cassie broke into a jog. Screw him.

“Cassie, dammit, wait!”

She didn’t slow down and, instead, threw up an arm and gave him the middle finger.

“Goddammit, Cassandra!” Strong fingers gripped her bicep. Before she could shake him off, he had both hands on her shoulders and was standing in front of her, blocking her path.

“I’m sorry, dammit!”

“Wow, that’s a wonderful apology.”

“You drive me crazy.”

“I have the perfect solution for that.” She sidestepped him, but he followed her movement.

“You are not leaving me,” he gritted out each word.

“I can’t have you blowing hot and cold about the situation I’m in. This is me and always will be. Trouble will follow me everywhere. Either you deal or I walk.” Brave words, but her heart just smashed into pieces around her. Cassie ignored the pain in her chest and the burn of tears behind her eyes. Better get hurt now than later when she’d be in too deep. Her instincts were telling her she was already there.

“Hellcat, I’m all in. It’s just ...” Trent exhaled heavily. “I’m falling hard for you and it scares the shit out of me, but one thing is clear: I can’t ever be without you.” He buried his face between her neck and shoulder and clutched at her desperately.
 

“Fuck,” he hissed. “Don’t you know I need you to breathe?”
 

The void filling her heart suddenly expanded with warmth that pushed up against her throat, robbing her of speech.

At her continued silence, Trent pulled away slightly to search her face. “Please say something.” Panic dripped from his tone.

“Why were you such a dick earlier?”

“You were right. I was full of shit,” Trent admitted. “The fact that you’d readily agree to end your life in case you got caught was fucking with my head.”

“Trent—”

“Am I not worth living for, babe?” Trent asked quietly. “Because if the situation were reversed, you can bet I’d fight through all the odds to get back to you. I’m madly in love with you, Cassie. I’ve wanted to tell you for a while, but I didn’t want to scare you off. I need to know I’m not the only one fighting for us. I need you to give me something, babe. I need to know I’m getting through to you. Because if I’m not, I’ll need to figure out a different way—”

“Trent, all this is new to me.”
 

“I know that,” Trent replied roughly and with an edge of frustration. “I’m never giving up on you, and I’m making sure you’re not fucking giving up on us.” The sky finally opened up and unleashed a torrential downpour. Trent swore under his breath, but his eyes darkened with unmistakable lust when they landed on her heaving chest. Her nipples had hardened from the sudden chill and she could only imagine them poking through her thin bra and wet shirt.
 

“In fact,” he growled. “It’s time to show you how fucking mine you are.”

Dragging her up against him, he lowered his mouth to hers, parting her lips forcefully with his tongue. Cassie whimpered into his mouth, the urgency in his strokes summoned a surge of wetness between her thighs. He hoisted her under her butt, and with their lips still locked, he carried her all the way back to the pickup.

Trent slid her body down his as he pushed her against the vehicle. “I’ve always wanted to fuck you against the Silverado. You’re a wet dream, do you know that?” His voice was guttural with need. “I’m hard as fuck.” He pressed his erection into her belly to emphasize his point. He removed her shirt and with one hand pushed a breast out of its cup and lowered his head to suck on a nipple. His other hand ventured south and slid under the waistband of her shorts, slipping under her panties and cupping her mound. He released her breast and muttered against her lips. “You’re wet for me, aren’t you?”

“It’s from the rain,” she squeaked.

“Liar. Your juices are all for me. You want my cock right here, babe?”

He inserted one finger into her pussy and then two, her eyes closing at the sheer ecstasy his thick, long fingers invoked.
 

“You like to be finger-fucked and then licked, don’t you?” he said as he continued to pump his way inside her. “But I’m punishing you today.” Her eyes flew open. “You’re not going to get my tongue. I’m going to fuck you hard and you’re going to take it.”
 

He withdrew his hand and ripped her shorts and panties from her body, and then he worked his buckle and zipper and freed his shaft. The broad head of his cock rubbed up and down her slit, teasing her opening.

His eyes glittered with a feral light.

“I’m taking you bare,” he snarled against her lips and then whispered oddly, “Trust me.” He thrust and stretched her with one thick slide. The force with which he’d taken her pushed her up against the side of the pickup as his arm lifted her left leg around him. He didn’t give her time to adjust to the massive erection inside her, pounding into her just as mercilessly as the rain pounded the surface around them. Cassie cried out as exquisite pleasure ripped through her core. Watching Trent taking her aggressively turned her on beyond belief. His face, sinister and primitive, moved above her as he continued to possess her. Just when another tide was about to hit her, he bared his teeth, growled, and pulled out. She protested, but he flipped her around quickly, her breasts smashing against the hard metal of his truck. His fingers dug into her hips and lifted her off the ground before entering her from behind. She clawed against the vehicle, trying to gain purchase, her toes skimming the gravel as Trent continued to pump viciously behind her.

“Oh, God. Yes!” Cassie wailed.

“You’re mine. Say it!” he yelled.

“I’m yours,” she sobbed as the throbbing between her thighs grew unbearable. He was keeping her on the brink of a momentous release and it was driving her crazy.

“You’re going to fight for us, hellcat.” His voice turned gruff, but she could still hear him clearly despite the tempest swirling around them.

“I will. I promise, Trent.” And she meant it. There was so much she wanted to tell him, but her mind blanked except for the realization that she was being branded. No one owned her like Trent did. And she wanted to belong to him. “I belong,” she gasped from one particularly deep slide, “to only you. Only you.” She felt his fingers rub against her clit and she exploded in the most intense orgasm yet.

“Oh God, I love you, Cassie. I fucking love you,” Trent roared as one final thrust sent hot cum spurting into her slick channel. He collapsed briefly against her back before lifting away from her, turning her gently around. He didn’t say anything for a while, just nuzzled and kissed her face, her neck, and her breasts. Cassie had come to expect this. No matter how hard or slow Trent would take her, he always ended up touching her gently, never turning away from her and always making her feel wanted. Needed. Loved.

Thunder started to rumble closer, reminding them where they were.

An involuntary shiver skittered down her body as a wet chill set in. Trent lifted his head and gazed upon her tenderly. “Let’s get you inside.”

And with that statement, he swung her into his arms and carried her into the house.

*****

Trent paused at the bedroom door, berating himself for the nth time about losing control with Cassie. What if he had spooked her for good? Though she had submitted to him during sex both outside in the rain and when they took a hot shower together, he didn’t trust those declarations made in the heat of the moment. He twisted the handle on the door to the bedroom. Time to face the music and consequences.

His good intentions nearly dissipated at the sight of the beautiful woman standing naked in his bathroom, oblivious to his arrival because she was blow drying her hair. Trent never failed to be awed at the spectacular view of her sculpted ass and legs. There was a bit of softness around her torso and her tits were small but perky, and damn those rosy nipples were just begging to be sucked.
 

She saw his reflection and turned off the dryer to smile at him. Her gaze dropped to the hardening flesh behind his boxer briefs.

“I thought we took care of that thing.” Cassie smirked.

“I’m always hard for you, babe,” Trent replied, grinning wickedly.

Her husky laugh only made him harder, dammit.

“You should put some clothes on before you catch a cold,” Trent chided.

Cassie raised a brow. “I rarely get sick. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a cold.”

“Ever?”

“Yup. I just slip into comas.”

“That’s not funny.”

“I’m sorry.” Cassie averted her eyes, her cheeks flushing as she absentmindedly ran her fingers through her glorious mane. He loved everything about her, from the top of her head to the tip of her toes.

“We need to talk, Cassie.” He cleared his throat as he handed her a robe. “It would really help if you’d put this on so we can avoid distractions.”