~ ~ ~
I opened the door to the hotel room and went in first. I checked the room and it was all clear. I had a bag of clothes and Winter had a bag of clothes. That was it. We were two people on the run, but at least we were together.
I shut the door and locked it.
Then I went after Winter. I grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close. I kissed her forehead, her nose, then her lips. My hand gently rubbed against her jaw. She winced and gasped. I kissed her harder, wishing I could steal her pain. It was my fault her jaw hurt because I had left her to be attacked by those two goons.
I kissed down her neck and caught myself burying my face into her neck. I could smell her sweet skin. One hand touched her face, the other hand at her back, holding her tight to me. A wave of emotion ran rampant and I thought I was going to cry.
Winter groaned and dug her hands into my hair. We were in silence because that’s all we had for each other. Years of bullshit brought us together, but at the same time, all those years left scars that wanted to tear us apart.
I slowly kissed back up her neck to her mouth. We kissed deep, fast, pulling away, staring at each other, going at it again. We kissed like that, over and over, for a while. Like one of us wanted to make a move but just couldn’t. Like we were afraid of each other. Our hearts raced, destruction all around us. We both felt the desperate need to be together.
Finally, Winter started to take my shirt off. Her bare hands ran up my bare body. I lifted my arms and saw the flicker of a smile as she took my shirt off. I let it fall to the floor and then she let out a gasp.
“You’re cut,” she whispered. “That looks nasty.”
I looked to my left and there was a decent sized gash. Maybe it could have used a stitch or two, but I wasn’t going anywhere near a hospital right now. There was enough of my blood in Winter’s house to implicate me, plus whatever the hell Stoney, the Red Aces, and Aldo had going on behind the scenes.
“I’ll be fine,” I whispered. “Just a cut. I’ll go wash it out in the shower.”
Winter slipped her hands to my chest. She stared at me. She was still hurt. I slowly put my hands to hers and squeezed.
“It’s…”
“No, not right now. You just have to trust me, Tripp. Just not right now.”
“Okay,” I said. “I’m going to grab a shower. Then we can talk.”
Winter nodded.
I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers again. On the tip of my tongue was I love you, but I wouldn’t let it slide.
I’d hurt her enough already for one night.
26.
(Winter)
I love you, Tripp.
He turned and walked to the bathroom. His back rippled were mountains of muscle. My fingertips had played on those ripples when he loved my body. Now I watched him walk away.
The door shut.
I reached down for his t-shirt. I balled it up and smelled it.
Tripp.
Sweaty and sexy man.
I looked at the cut at the shoulder, the blood on the shirt. Dana had come so close to slashing Tripp’s throat. And Kyle was on the floor. Dead.
I dropped the shirt.
One second it seemed like the pieces of the puzzle made sense. Then the next second they didn’t. But one thing was for sure. Those guys were from Skull X. And they knew about Autumn, and Andrea. That meant…
If they had Autumn and Andrea, why? What did that do for anyone?
My head started to spin.
Then I looked at the bathroom door.
There was one thing that could make me feel better.
Tripp.
I stepped to the bathroom door and it was unlocked. Slowly, I opened it and stepped inside. The shower ran, the hot water already producing a comforting steam. I shut the door as quietly as I could behind me. I saw Tripp standing in the shower, facing the water, head down. His hands against the wall. The water beat his head and neck, dropping down. His body cut with impossible muscles, the lines along the sides of his stomach splicing straight down between his legs. His cock dangled there, still thick and beautiful.
I walked to the sink and turned. I wiped the mirror and caught Tripp looking at me. Our eyes met in the reflection and I shook my head.
No talking about anything. Please.
I knew what I wanted, what I needed.
I started to strip.
Nothing seductive and sexy. Just me standing with my back to the shower, taking off all my clothes. I took my bra off, leaving my panties for last. I then slowly bent forward, my hands at my hips, gently pushing my panties down.
I stepped out of them and turned around.
Tripp had the shower door open already, waiting for me.
I walked to the shower and Tripp wasted no time in grabbing my hips and pulling me right into the water. When the water hit me, I jumped. But it quickly became soothing, just like Tripp’s touch.
His hands ran up my body, cupping my breasts. I put my head back into the water, letting it soak my hair, my face. I then felt Tripp kiss just above my breasts. Kiss after kiss, teasing his way down to my nipple. I was so sensitive, my chest gently thrusting, wanting him to taste me. His tongue cut over my nipple and then back up. His lips touched, mouth sucked, then he moved to my other nipple. After repeating the same motion, Tripp kissed up my chest, my neck, his hands going around my body, pulling me tight to his.
I felt the swell of his cock pressing between our bodies. I rocked my hips left to right, feeling his thickness rubbing against my belly. My hands moved up his arms, tracing the lines of his biceps, up to his shoulders. I put my right foot up on the ledge of the tub, opening my legs for him.
I was so ready. So desperate.
Tripp’s right hand cupped around to my ass, keeping me close. His other hand played with my leg, climbing around to my inner thigh. His fingers inched up until he touched me. His strong fingers pressed against my pussy, gently moving. There was nothing gentle about what was happening inside my body though. I throbbed with a wild need, my wetness and heat demanding more of Tripp.
He thrust with his fingers, opening me. I sighed and jumped, loving the feeling. His fingers turned and pulled out. He then put a little distance between us, looking down at my body. Our eyes met for a moment and then Tripp went on the attack.
His mouth grazed mine and then inched down. His lips and tongue kissed between my breasts and right down to my stomach. I shuddered and cried out when his tongue flickered at my belly button. I reached up and grabbed the top of the shower door, my other hand at his hair.
I felt his tongue moving down beyond my lower stomach. The tip of his tongue sliced between my legs, curling, tasting me. He came up, found my clit with ease and then pulled away. Tripp looked up at me. Even though he was on his knees before me, he controlled everything. He was my protector in more than one way.
His mouth connected with my sex again, suckling my folds, his tongue making circles, gently penetrating me, then curling up to my clit again. He stayed there this time, his lips holding tight, pulling, making me cry out and thrust harder at him. His hands kneaded into my ass, fingertips pulling at my cheeks.
As his tongue continued to explore, I put my head back. I kept my eyes open, losing myself in the sexy moment. The water beat on my chest, on my nipples, and it actually felt really good. With Tripp between my legs and the water hitting my chest, it started to make me feel way too good. My legs started to pump as I felt an orgasm already building.
But as fast as that started, Tripp stopped. He pulled away and stood back up, his hands still at my ass, positioning me so he could enter me.
But I didn’t get my turn.
I put my hands to his hard chest and pushed him away.
“What the hell?” he growled.
I grinned and came forward, kissing his chest. My right hand reached down and found his cock with ease. My fingers slipped around the hard, wet skin, and I jerked at him. I kept kissing down
his body, dropping to my knees before him. My hand stroked his cock, up and back. The water hit the back of my head and my back.
Tripp’s fingers ran through my wet hair.
“Oh, fuck, darling,” he whispered. “You have no idea…”
I gripped the root of his cock as hard as I could, allowing my mouth to slide over the tip of his cock. My mouth opened as wide as it could, sliding down on him. My lips moved over the soft ridge of his tip right to his steel hard shaft. My hand gently pumped as I sucked him, pulling back slowly, moving down slowly. Back and forth, tasting his beautiful cock, feeling his fingers digging into the top of my head.
Tripp then started to gently thrust, groaning each time my lips pulled back over the tip of his cock. I came forward again, wanting to see how far I could take him in. But as I tried, Tripp pulled away from me. He stepped back, forcing my mouth away from him.
I looked up and saw him gritting his teeth. He took his hands away from my hair. His right hand stroked my cheek. Bending forward a little, his left hand grabbed for my elbow and he helped me up. Before I could take a breath or say a word, Tripp came at me. His lips crashed to mine, our mouths opening. He turned me and pinned me against the shower wall. The tile was cold and I wanted to scream but I couldn’t. Tripp’s kisses took my breath, my words, my heart.
His right hand moved down the side of my body to my leg. Reaching down and around he pulled at me, opening my leg, letting me wrap it around him. I then felt his cock touch me. Right against my center, pressing, the pressure already enough to make me moan.
Tripp grunted as he thrust forward, opening me. He welcomed himself deep inside my body. I grabbed at the backs of his shoulders, kissing his neck, losing myself again.
He pulled back and thrust forward again, even harder. My ass crashed against the tile over and over, taking him in. Feeling him so deep. Feeling one orgasm after another cresting, crashing, building up again.
There was a small gap between us, just enough for me to get my hand on his body, feeling his stomach muscles flexing, working so hard at fucking me. I moved to my tip toes on my left foot and then made a daring move. I jumped up a little and hurried to wrap my left leg around him too. Tripp’s hands were there to catch me, holding my ass again. I was now all his.
He put his forehead to mine, our noses touching and flirting. But our eyes were locked tight. The connection was undeniable. This was far beyond the circumstances that brought us together.
“Fuck, Tripp,” I groaned.
“I know, darling, I know.”
He sped up even more. The shower water hit our bodies. The steam blanketed the bathroom. The sound of the rushing water was gentle, the opposite of the collision course Tripp and I had been on together.
“Fuck,” I cried out.
I was coming again. I had no idea how my body was able to do it so many times like it was. The pleasure and pressure just kept crashing together, making it impossible not to keep letting go.
As I squeezed at Tripp, I felt him thickening. His body was getting ready to come, too. I kissed him, my lips grazing his. I kissed him harder, my tongue licking his lips. There was nothing hotter than a sloppy kiss with Tripp.
Tripp kissed me back and thrust deep, holding there.
I felt the explosion of his orgasm, his cock pulsing deep inside me, spilling everywhere. He kept fucking me, staying deep, throbbing with each thrust. He stayed like that until he was done. Then he pulled back slowly and eased forward again. Going super slow, in and out of me, leaving my entire body tingling.
Tripp then put me on my feet, hands touching my ass.
“I… I love you, darling,” Tripp whispered.
“I love you too, Tripp.”
His forehead touched mine again. “I’m not going to let anything ever happen to you again. I swear on my life.”
“I believe you,” I said. I reached up and touched his face. “I swear, I believe you.”
“Good. Now what?”
I said the first thing that came to mind.
“Wash me, Tripp.”
27.
(Tripp)
She turned her back to me. I stared up and down. She was the sexiest and prettiest woman I’d ever been with in my entire life. And she didn’t even know it. She didn’t understand it. Her beauty was assumed to be bought and her heart always left behind.
I couldn’t let that happen again, but there was just so much out of my control.
Except this moment right now.
I grabbed a washcloth and a bar of soap. I lathered it up and touched her shoulder. She reached back and grabbed her hair, holding it up with both hands, giving me access to her neck. As I slid the washcloth along her neck and down her back, my cock ached. I was getting hard again, already. I couldn’t help what she did to me and how she made me feel.
I eased down to the curve of her ass. Down and around, I bent my knees a little and touched the back of her legs.
When I came back up the other side, I slid the washcloth around to the front of her body. Winter let her hair back down and put her head back, to my chest, as I ran the washcloth over her breasts. If this was a cruel game of torture, she fucking won. She fucking won it all. She left me standing there, gritting my teeth, my eyes wide as I brought the washcloth up to her neck and then back down her body. I touched just below her belly and then tossed the washcloth to the side.
I brought my mouth down to hers, kissing her, walking her forward into the water. The kiss only lasted a few seconds and then Winter turned around to face me. The look in her eyes told me she had something to tell me.
“What happened before…”
“I should have never left you alone,” I said. “I’ll never forgive myself.”
“No. Maybe it was good.”
“Why?”
“I know what’s happening. I think.”
“What do you mean?”
“The woman who took Autumn… the woman I gave Autumn to…”
“Yeah?”
“I know who it was. That was at least one thing I had been involved with besides carrying the baby for nine months.”
I slipped a hand to her belly, touching her. I couldn’t imagine Winter pregnant. I also couldn’t imagine her giving up her baby and trying to live life like nothing bad ever happened.
It pained me and angered me.
“She was a close friend,” Winter said. “So smart. She worked at the club to pay off her loans.”
“Another stripper?”
“Yeah. But she’s not anymore. Not for a long time. She was done right after I started there. When everything happened, Endo insisted on her.”
“Why?”
“Andrea had been pregnant. She’d been with some guy who was crazy for her. And crazy in general. She told him she was done with him after he started to stalk her. But he wouldn’t let her go. Andrea had a one night stand and got pregnant. Her ex set out to take care of her… and he came close.”
“What happened?”
“He crashed her car. Ran his car into hers. She wasn’t far along, but she lost the pregnancy. She had to get emergency surgery and was told she’d never have a baby. Then she met Endo and he killed her ex for her. They probably slept together for all I know. It wouldn’t surprise me. So when everything happened with me and Endo, he wanted to give the baby to Andrea. And she wanted it so badly. I just went along with it all.”
“She’s a good person?” I asked.
“Yeah. But she has tendencies.” Winter took a breath. “Those guys at my place talked about her. She has Autumn and they have her. I know it, Tripp. They have her.”
“Skull X has her? Why?”
Winter and I looked at each other. I could tell she knew the answer before I spoke it.
Leverage.
Skull X had Andrea and Autumn, which meant they had Endo’s deep, dark secret. They were probably holding that against him. They had power over Endo, which meant favors, money, anything they wanted. It also meant
a direct line not only to Aldo but a direct line to the Red Aces MC.
“Shit,” I whispered. “That’s… that’s heavy.”
Winter nodded. “It’s all my fault, Tripp.”
“No. It’s not your fault at all. You should have never had to give up…”
“I wouldn’t change that. Andrea is a good person.”
I swallowed hard. “When this is done, you can…”
“No,” Winter said. Her eyes filled with tears. “No. I would never do that to her. If she calls Andrea Mom…”
“Christ,” I said. I pulled Winter close. I held her, knowing I could only protect her present and her future. I couldn’t do a thing about her past.
I killed the shower and grabbed a towel for her. I wrapped Winter up and got a towel for myself. A few minutes later, she was in bed. I crashed down next to her and pulled her tight to my body again.
“Tripp, what’s going to happen?”
I stared at the ceiling. I wanted to lie to her. I wanted to tell her everything would be perfectly okay. That there was nothing in the world to worry about.
“I don’t know,” I whispered. “I’m still piecing all of this together.”
“Aldo wanted you to kill me.”
“Yeah, he did.”
“If you don’t listen to him…”
“Hey, I’ll worry about that, okay? He thinks you are hiding Autumn. Or you know something.”
Winter looked at me. “Tripp, you know everything.”
“I know. I believe you.”
“You’re the first person to tell me that in a long time.”
“I understand that. You needed to hide. I don’t blame you. I hide too. But when I’m with you, Winter, I don’t want to hide. I want to be normal. I don’t even know what that means. But if it’s us together, in bed like this, then I want it.”
“You have it,” Winter whispered. She kissed my chest and put her head down on me.
I held her until she fell asleep.
I looked at her and realized something.
I may never get to hold her like this again.