Melting Steel: An Alpha Billionaire Romance (4 page)

Keeley

“What’s wrong with Lily, Mama?” I clutch Drew’s chubby hand in my own, and stand in the bathroom doorway afraid to look at my baby sister’s pale face. Her skin and lips have turned blue, and she isn’t crying anymore.

“Go back to bed, Keeley. I’ll come for you in a few minutes.” Mama’s kneeling beside the bathtub, a strange look in her eyes as she rocks Lily in her arms.

Drew is whimpering and I have to shush him, so that Mama doesn’t yell at him again. But she doesn’t look angry anymore. She seems happy.

But I’m scared and I don’t know why.

I take Drew back to the bedroom, and tell him to stay in bed. He puts his thumb in his mouth and nods, but I can tell he’s scared too.

The man Mama says is our Daddy came again tonight. But this time there was a lot of yelling. And when he left, Mama cried for a long time.

She cries a lot lately. Ever since Lily was born. I think it’s cause the man doesn’t come by much anymore.

I sneak out of the room, careful not to make a sound. Mama is in her bedroom now, softly singing as she dresses Lily in her prettiest dress, the white one she wore when we went to the big church and they poured water on her head.

“He’ll take me back now. Everything will be all right.” Mama is talking to herself, her eyes shiny. “He’ll take me back.”

I don’t want to get in trouble, so I tiptoe back to bed, and put my finger to my lips when Drew starts to cry, holding his arms out to me.

“Everything will be all right,” I whisper, repeating her words.

Footsteps echo down the hall, clickity ones, and when Mama comes into our room, she’s wearing her fancy shoes, and the dark red dress she wears only for the man.

I close my eyes tight and pretend to be asleep.

The floor creaks and I hear Drew whimper.

“Be a big boy and don’t cry. You’re going to have a bath and then everything is going to be just fine.”

When I open my eyes, Drew is gone. And so is Mama. I’m really scared now. It’s dark outside and we already had a bath tonight. I always make sure Drew has his first.

“Key-key.” Drew cries for me.

I jump out of bed and run to the bathroom, even though I know Mama is going to be mad.

Her back is to me. “Be a good boy and go to sleep.”

He can’t sleep in the tub.

I take a step closer.

Drew’s face is under the water, eyes big and scared.

“Mama, stop.” I pull at her arms, but she doesn’t let him go. I hit her, scratch at her face, but she continues to hold him down. “He can’t breathe. Mama, please, stop.”

I bite down on her arm, and she lets out a cry.

Drew sits up and starts to cough.

Mama grabs at me, but I’m quicker and she slips on the wet floor, hitting her head on the toilet.

I help Drew out of the tub.

“He doesn’t want me.” There’s blood on her head and on her arms where I bit her. She lays on the floor, crying. “Because of you, he doesn’t want me anymore.”

I cry too. But I know we can’t stay.

“Come on.” I pull on Drew’s wet arm, and run to Mama’s room.

Lily is still asleep, lying like a doll on the bed. I’m not allowed to pick her up without Mama, but I don’t want to leave her here.

She’s heavy, and I struggle to hold her.

My arms feel like they’re going to fall off by the time we make it out of the apartment and up the two flights of stairs to Mrs. Hutson’s apartment. She’s the lady that watches us when the man comes over, and I know she’ll help.

I bang on the door, trying to stop the tears from falling down my cheeks. I need to be brave for Drew and Lily.

Mrs. Hutson looks mad when she opens the door. She’s wearing her pajamas and her hair is in rollers. Then she looks down at us, and her eyes go wide.

She looks as scared as I feel, which makes me even more afraid. Her fingers shake when she takes Lily from my arms.

The police come. And the people who drive the ambulance. They keep looking at me and Drew with funny faces, and whispering.

They take Lily away. I scream and yell at them that I need to go with her. That she’s going to be scared without me.

Mrs. Hutson tries to hold me, but I don’t want her to touch me. I just want my sister. And my Mom. 

Drew is crying, sitting on the couch, and there’s a strange lady with him.

They’re going to take him away too.

“No,” I scream at the lady. Ready to fight her if I have to. “I won’t let you take him.”

Drew wraps his arms around my neck, and we sit on the floor, both crying. And I promise him that I’ll never let anyone take him away from me. Ever.

Henry

“Dammit Keeley, wake up.” I shake her shoulders, trying desperately to wake her from whatever nightmare she’s reliving.

She thrashes against me, her mouth open in a silent gasp as though she’s trying to scream. But no sound comes out.

Her eyes open, wide and unseeing. She fights me when I try to hold her, but I don’t let go.

“I’ve got you.”

She glances frantically around the room, then at me. I see the moment she remembers where she is, remembers who I am. She goes limp in my arms like all the fight has been ripped from her.

“Henry?” She blinks up at me, the blue of her eyes so vivid it takes my breath away.

“You’re all right, sweetheart.” I brush her hair off her face. Her forehead is damp with perspiration, cheeks stained with tears.

The utter hopelessness in her gaze breaks something deep in my chest.

I know with every cell in my body that she’s the girl from my dreams. The one I swore to defend.

Twenty years ago I gave her something I’ve never given another woman – my vow. It may have been spoken with a child’s voice, but it’s the man’s heart that will honor it now.

She tries to push away from me, but I tighten my hold.

“I need to find Drew,” she whispers, grief thick in her voice.

“We’ll find him. I promise.”

Slowly, I feel her relax against me.

“It was just a nightmare. I’ve got you.” I hold her face between my hands, stroking her cheeks with the pads of my thumbs.

Her face is clean of makeup, and I see in the earlier morning light how beautiful she really is. Not that fake, made-up beauty, but the real kind. The kind of beauty that can break a man’s soul and make him do all kinds of fucked up things.

Shit, I haven’t even kissed the woman, but I know I’m in deeper than I ever thought possible. There’s nothing I won’t do to make her mine. To make sure no one ever hurts her again.

I brush my lips over her forehead, and let out a low, uneven breath.

We lay like that for several minutes, her body molded against mine.

“I’m sorry,” she says softly, her small fists clenched against my bare chest. She’s still trembling, but it’s no longer from fear. I can almost smell her arousal, it’s so thick between us. She blinks up at me, blue eyes wanting, needing, and so fucking vulnerable. “I should go.”

No chance in hell, sweetheart.

Her robe has come undone, exposing her shoulder and the top of one breast. I trace the outline of the tattoo that runs along her clavicle and across. I noticed it last night, some kind of flower – a lily, I think. I don’t usually like tattoos, but on her it’s sexy.

I lower my mouth, tasting the skin, running my tongue over the ink.

“Henry?” I hear the mixed emotions in her voice. Fear mixed with want.

“Let me take care of you.” My hand slips under the robe, brushing over her breast, the nipple hardening against my touch. I have to stifle the groan that builds in my throat.

Her hands start to go lower, fingers edging under the elastic of my boxer briefs.

I capture her wrists. I know what she intends, but I don’t want to rush things. I’m going to take my time. Devour every inch of her body.

Her brows furrow, and her bottom lip sticks out in a small pout.

I chuckle, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“I said I’m going to take care of
you
.” I can tell it’s not something she’s used to. But the primal part of my brain wants nothing more than to consume her, torment her until she surrenders fully, and admits she’s mine.

With my knee, I nudge her legs apart, and trail my hand down her hip, pushing the robe back and exposing every delectable inch of her.

“So fucking gorgeous.”

For a moment, I’m lost in her beauty and my chest tightens with emotions I’ve never felt before.

I cup her cheek and run my thumb across her bottom lip. Her mouth parts slightly, her gaze hungry and wanting.

The first touch of our lips and I know I’m a goner.

She arches beneath me, her fingers digging into my shoulder and I taste her moan. That’s all I need to lose control. I devour her mouth, pleased when she returns my kiss with equal abandon.

Desire swirls through me like a fucking tornado. My balls ache and my cock is like steel, ready to dive deep and explode within her, and I have to fight the urge to take her swiftly.

She deserves more than just a quick fuck. She deserves to be worshiped, and that’s what I intend to do.

I travel down her body, kissing her neck, breasts, stomach, trailing down to the soft curls between her thighs.

Her hands are in my hair, and her eyes are half-lidded and slightly glazed when she looks at me, burning with passion and need.

When I swipe my tongue over her clit she jerks in response, arching upward, seeking more of my mouth. She’s so damn responsive.

I slide my tongue inside her and fuck her with short, rapid strokes. The taste of her is pure heaven.

She whimpers and her hands tighten in my hair, pulling me close as I work my tongue over her clit, and my fingers inside her pussy. The sounds she’s making are driving me insane.

“Henry.” My name is a harsh moan on her lips, sending a thrill down my spine and making my cock jerk in response.

Her muscles tighten around me, and I know she’s close, I can feel her body vibrating with the need of her release. I push harder until her body is shuddering beneath me, and she goes over the edge with a cry of pure pleasure.

I can’t hold back the groan that rumbles from my chest as she comes against my mouth. I’ve never tasted anything so sweet.

My self-control is disintegrating. If I don’t take her soon, I’m going to fucking explode. No other woman has done this to me, made me feel like this. She’s like a drug pouring through my veins, stripping away any willpower I have left.

And I’m going to fuck her until she’s mindless with it, until her nightmares and fears are obliterated.  Until she has no other option but to admit she’s mine.

Keeley

I fight to simply breathe. Even if I want to, I can’t resist his touch. All I can do is melt into him. Enjoy every heated sensation.

I arch toward him, needing more, and a low, muted grown vibrates between my thighs.

“You’re killing me.” His voice is rough, thick with arousal, his gaze dark, swirling with sexual power and something more. Something possessive.

He crawls up the bed, then reaches over me, opening the drawer of the bedside table and pulling out a condom.

“Don’t stop.”

“Not even a possibility, sweetheart.” His cock springs free as he rolls his briefs down and over his thick, muscular thighs.

I swallow hard at the size of him. When I look up and catch his gaze, his lips twitch up in a smug grin.

He tears open a condom and rolls it over the length of his wide cock. Every muscle in his body seems to tense as he strokes himself, dark eyes never wavering from me. It’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. And the need to touch him, to feel him inside of me is overwhelming.

When I reach out to run my hands down his chiseled abs, he catches my wrists and pulls me down, my back against the mattress, one heavy thigh between my legs.

“You have no idea how much I’m going to enjoy being inside of you.”

It’s been too long since I’d been touched. Too long since I’d felt the hard length of an erection pressed against me, because my senses are on overload, and I can barely form a cohesive thought.

His lips are on mine, and he growls into my mouth, “Do you have any fucking idea how beautiful you are?”

I’ve been told before, but I’ve never actually felt it until this moment.

I need this. His touch. His kiss. Or maybe my brain just needs an excuse to take what my body demands.

His thumb strokes across my clit and I swear I can feel the touch in every nerve ending in my body.

It’s too much. My heart is racing, my breath coming hard and fast. My body aches for him in ways I never thought possible.

“Please,” I cry out, shocked by the desperation in my voice. 

“I like when you beg, sweetheart.” He positions himself above so that his cock is nudged against my pussy, and I wiggle beneath him desperately. His fingers grip my hips, holding me steady. “But we’re going to do this my way. My timing.”

A rush of excitement shoots through me. The dominance in his voice, the edge of control and power beneath his dark gaze turns me to putty in his hands.

In this moment, there’s no denying that I’m his.

I watch as the swollen head of his cock eases into me. He’s huge, and I can feel the stretch of my muscles as I relax to accommodate the width of him.

A small cry tears from my throat as I take more of him. Then, in one hard stroke, he buries himself inside of me.

I gasp, my fingers digging into his arms. He holds himself still inside me, and our gazes lock. If I could stay locked in the moment, I would.

When he starts to move, I’m all but helpless against the pleasure that tears through me. The need for him drowns out the warning that this will only end in heartbreak.

His hands are on me, cupping my ass, molding my breast.

He eases back, and I wrap my legs around his hips, feeling the loss of his hard flesh inside me, and try to pull him back.

“My timing,” he chuckles, nipping at my bottom lip, before trailing his lips down my throat. I tremble when he takes my nipple between his teeth, swirling his tongue around the hard bud.

Without warning, he thrusts into me, lodging his cock deeper than before, sending out a flood of sensations racing through my body. He doesn’t give me time to adjust before pulling out, then slamming into me again.

His lips cover mine as his hips begin to move fast and steady, and I swear I feel each stroke in the very core of my being.  Waves of sensation gather and build, until I’m completely lost in the ecstasy that threatens to consume me.

Nothing exists but the feel of him moving inside of me.

Lust. Hunger. Desire. Whatever it is that drives me, I know that I’ll never be the same afterwards.

His kiss becomes more urgent, and I return it, taking his mouth every bit as hard as he takes mine. Our tongues roll and clash, our lips molding against each other.

Heat lashes through me, whipping over my flesh, driving me higher, closer to the point where I feel like my entire body is going to explode with the pleasure of it.

My heavy breaths become moans and I tighten my legs around his thrusting hips, lifting closer to him, trying to catch every last sensation that tears through my body. I clench around his cock and pressure tightens within me, until it’s burning out of control and explodes like wildfire across my flesh, through my womb.

The orgasm is so intense, so soul shattering that when I try to scream his name, I only have breath left for a whispered cry.

He thrusts hard, deep, one more time, before his body stiffens and I feel his own release explode within me.

“Fucking hell,” he whispers harshly against my ear.

He rolls onto his back, pulling me with him, so that his arms are wrapped around me in an intimate embrace.

At first I freeze, unused to being held.

I lay still, listening to his harsh breathing, unable, or unwilling to move.

We’re both silent, which is good, because I don’t know if I’d trust my voice to speak. I try to regain some semblance of control over my shattered senses, but he’s completely undone me.

I know I should move, before my mind starts to play tricks on me that this is anything more than it is, but I already know it’s too late for that.

Where am I supposed to go from here? I know this man will never be mine. But for the briefest moment, he’s melted the steel cage I’ve kept around my heart.

Dangerous.
That’s what he is.

As if sensing my mood, he places his hand under my chin and forces me to look at him.

“You okay?”

I give a small smile and nod, still not trusting my voice.

“I have to go into the office.” He kisses my forehead, then rolls out of bed, a sexy grin on his lips. He discards the condom in the wastebasket beside the bed.

My chest tightens. So this is it. I shouldn’t have expected anything more.

Pulling the robe around my shoulders, I throw my legs over the side of the bed.

“I’ll get dressed and leave.”

I don’t hear him move, but the next thing I know, I’m pinned to the bed, his hard body covering mine.

“I didn’t ask you to leave,” he growls, trailing his lips down my throat.

“I thought–”

“That I was kicking you out?” He looks at me, brows raised, then shakes his head. “I told you, you’re staying here. I have a couple meetings this morning, then I’ll be back and we can sit down and figure out what we’re going to do.”

“I don’t want you to get involved.” My chest tightens at the concern I see in his eyes.

“Too late, sweetheart.” He kisses me roughly, then bounds from the bed towards the bathroom. A moment later, I hear the soft hum of the shower.

Something I haven’t felt in years stirs inside of me –
hope
.