Passion's Trust Read online

  The rhythm returned. She relaxed into the soft bout and moaned through the firmer strikes across her ass and thighs. A few snaked around her to make impact across her front. The shock made her gasp and cling to a heightened awareness.

  She rode the pleasure interspersed with pain until finally slipping into that blissful abyss she’d been close to before. Wave after wave of awareness exploded around her. She basked in the complete surrender, the trust she had with Lorenzo.

  Lorenzo held his need to fuck her here—in the center of The Brig—so everyone would know she was his. Jealousy mottled his vision for a moment but the need to attend her won over. She’d slipped into a euphoric subspace and the pride in her swelled to an almost palatable level.

  Her trust choked him up almost more than having seen his longtime friend Brendan take control of her. The fact he’d journeyed from Dallas had surprised them all since he was on the heels of a gut-wrenching loss of his submissive. His presence had humbled Kade—and them all—to the point of embarrassment.

  He remained steadfast beside Lorenzo, silent in observance of the scene he’d turned over. Appreciation hung between them, mixed with an already-present respect that bordered on reverence. The thought of losing Katey as he had Dana nearly brought Lorenzo to his knees.

  And he couldn’t even say she was his yet.

  The shock of the statement ruptured Lorenzo’s heart into a million pieces. Tonight he’d do what he should’ve done long ago—the moment he’d seen the video of her curled up asleep on his sofa at Brigade Financial.

  He set the flogger down and removed her from the cross. Brendan assisted with a silent diligence to detail, which made him a true friend. He understood the demon riding Lorenzo even if he hadn’t fully tamed it yet.

  Wrapping Katey in the blanket, he swept her into his arms and carried her over to a sofa away from the onlookers. His performing a flogging wasn’t a common occurrence since he tended to prefer more private sessions. The scene had drawn a crowd and ground the scavenger hunt to a halt.

  Katey’s first adventurous hunt would have to wait until another night. There was no way he’d let her go. Not tonight.

  She was a soft bundle cocooned in his embrace. The soft sighs she emitted were almost as empowering as the “Master” she’d whispered earlier. Had she even been aware it was him? The blindfold came off quickly. He waited patiently for her pleasure to subside enough for awareness to return.

  Brendan sat in a seat across from him in the small alcove. “She’s a treasure.”

  “Yes.” He cleared his throat and regarded his friend. “Thanks for what you did.”

  He nodded, a grim expression on his face. “You catch what I said to her?”

  “Some, not all.” It’d been a private moment between a Dom and a submissive—one Lorenzo had been pained to witness yet was glad had occurred. “I’m glad you’re here, man.”

  “Me too.” He pointed at Katey. “Don’t wait too long or someone else will steal her away.”

  Yeah. That was the bitch of having so many dominant friends. They were quick on decisions and lacked patience.

  “I’d be half-tempted myself if I didn’t see how blind she is to everyone but you.”

  “She does well with others. You, Gabe.” He seethed for a moment. “Montgomery.”

  “Only because you’re here.” Brendan paused. “Protecting. My Dana was the same way.”

  She moved in his arms, drawing closer. Her eyes fluttered open and all awareness tunneled to her. He kissed her softly and inhaled her sweetness.

  “You were good with her, man, but I knew you would be. Otherwise I would’ve finished the scene on my own.” Brendan sighed. “I still remember Dana’s first time on the cross.”

  “She was remarkable, even back then.” Katey remained silent, as if sensing even in her haze that the man needed the contemplative moment to mourn. Remember. “No one else ever had a chance the moment she saw you.”

  Brendan chuckled. “She wound around my heart real quick.”

  Two years had passed since she’d been memorialized. It seemed like yesterday for Lorenzo. He couldn’t imagine how his friend felt.

  “I’m glad I came down. I knew I had to for Kade.” Emotion choked his voice. “Seeing Autumn and Viviana earlier had me feeling more alive than I have in a while. Experiencing Katey awakened me fully. Thank you.”

  Lorenzo nodded.

  Brendan chuckled and rose. “Take her home before anyone else steals her.”

  Katey’s gaze followed him as he left. Her hands ran down Lorenzo’s chest. “He was in love.”

  “Yes. Dana’s passing nearly killed him.” Lorenzo kissed her forehead. “But you gave him hope.”

  “He gave it to himself.” Katey sighed. “I think I could sleep for an eternity right now.”

  “Come home with me.”

  Breath held, he searched her gaze for the response he needed to hear.

  Her grin made his cock harden. “Are you going to take advantage of me?”

  “You can count on it.”

  Chapter Seven

  Katey woke straddling a thigh. She inhaled the scent of fresh linens and male and settled her hand on a bare chest. Lorenzo. She trailed the small arrow of hair down his abdomen with her fingernail.

  Darkness masked the room but a glimmer of memory ran through her mind. He’d taken her to his home. His real home away from The Brigade.

  She’d fallen asleep.

  Riding the cusp of last night’s arousal, she grasped his shaft and kissed his face. His eyes widened and his hips thrust more of his cock into her palm.

  “That’s one hell of a way to wake up.” He claimed her lips. His tongue invaded her mouth and she lost whatever Domme intentions she’d had fluttering in her mind.

  Let the sexy Dom do what he does best.

  He guided her onto the pillow, his arms wrapped around her. Something about being in his bed heightened her arousal. Her tongue chased his, demanded the right to plunder his mouth as he did hers.

  Expert hands trailed down her back. “Turn over. I want to see your ass and back.”

  Okay. That wasn’t what she expected to hear. Complying, she sighed into her pillow when he began massaging and kissing a path down her spine.

  “Beautiful, as always.” He surged forward until she was on all fours underneath his powerful body. Warm lips nibbled her earlobe while fingers swept the interior of her thighs. “I’ve wanted you here for a long time. In my bed. Under me.”

  She shivered. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be, Sir.”

  He kissed her neck and wrapped a hand around her waist, caressing the underside of her breast. “Lorenzo. For now I’m Lorenzo.”

  The raw emotion behind the request drew her in like a moth to a flame. The potential for singed wings was there but he’d helped her soar so many times. How could she pass up the chance to touch the fiery emotion he offered tonight? The chance to experience a side of Lorenzo she’d yet to see.

  Vulnerability reflected in each stroke of her body. She writhed beneath his skilled touch and turned to face him once again. Winding her legs around his waist, she positioned herself to where her pussy taunted his cock with its nearness. Heat flowed beneath her palms as she explored his chest, his arms.

  There was a veritable world of masculinity yielding to her brazen exploration. Emboldened by the newfound prowess, she edged deeper into his embrace and sighed her contentment at his proximity. Would she ever get tired of feeling his breath against her neck?

  She demanded his kiss once more, palmed his face and pressed down on his chest until he was lying back on the bed and she was straddling him.

  He grinned up at her. Steady hands cupped and played with her breasts, her nipples, until every nerve ending within her body screamed for more. Her mind faltered for a moment when she realized she’d never felt this safe with anyone, this free to do what she wanted no matter what it might be.

  Lorenzo would keep her riding the pleasurable waves. He
’d make sure the landing into reality was smooth. His skin was hot beneath her lips. Sliding down until she straddled him just above the knee, she ran her nails across his upper thighs and groaned when his cock hardened more.

  Katey wrapped her hand around his shaft. “You tasted so good last time I thought I was dreaming.”

  “I thought I’d died you were so good.”

  Leaning down, she flicked her tongue across the tip of his engorged cock and admired the flexing of muscles beneath her. Knowing she affected him made her pussy moisten. She savored the glide of his shaft into her mouth, swallowed until the tip of him went deep.

  She worked his cock with her mouth and hands, playing with his balls until his groans made her molten with a need to ride him hard. The thought gave her pause and made her own vulnerability slide to the surface.

  Something on his face shifted, the dominant man he’d cast away returned. “Tell me.”

  “I’ve never ridden a man before.” The confession seemed impossible for a woman her age.

  The sexy grin on his face made her glad she’d shared it with him. “We’ll take it nice and slow.”

  She nodded, pumped his cock with her hand.

  “Why don’t you grab a condom from the nightstand and roll it on for me?”

  She leaned over him to comply and gasped when he licked her nipple. Fingers pinched her other one.

  “I knew there was a reason I liked this position.” She leaned down and kissed him, admiring the way he guided her without taking control.

  The attentive care brought an onslaught of emotions to the forefront and left her insides raw with a need to purge what she was experiencing. This man did things to her she hadn’t expected—and not in the sexual way she’d anticipated.

  He completed her somehow—made her feel whole. Important.

  The foil packet opened easily and she extracted the condom. Heat suffused her cheeks when she realized she hadn’t exactly done this either. Hell, she hadn’t really done much of anything with men other than let them do what they wanted and hope it was somewhat enjoyable.

  No man ever made her fall apart in his arms the way Lorenzo did.

  Okay, Gabe and Montgomery had been spectacular too. And Brendan. Good God that man was the personification of a wet fantasy.

  But they weren’t Lorenzo Garofali. They weren’t leaning back as if they had all the time in the world even though their dick was harder than granite and the need to fuck like a beast was probably riding them hard.

  But Lorenzo was. The man’s patience made him a candidate for sainthood in her book. Her fingers trembled so she avoided eye contact, pretty sure she’d fall apart completely if his hazel gaze was half as intense as she suspected.

  His hands massaged, stroked. She smiled her satisfaction when the prophylactic slid into place. What would it feel like to fuck him without one? She’d never done that. Maybe one day they could.

  Assuming they were committed. The word tumbled around in her thoughts like a tumbleweed seeking desert. She was far from ready for that. There were so many experiences still to have, to learn and explore.

  She rose and guided his cock into her wet pussy, moaning at the entry. Somehow being on top made her feel exposed. A shudder rippled through her as she seated herself fully on his shaft.

  Strong hands gripped her hips. His jaw flexed, his lips formed a thin, determined line.

  She rode his cock in a steady, fast tempo that made her thigh muscles tremble. Pleasure ran through her with each kiss, each taste of her skin. Lorenzo’s mouth was as busy as his hands.

  “Lorenzo.” His name was a plea, a causeway to connect him to the thoughts she couldn’t form. She rode his cock harder, determined to sate the hunger ravaging her insides.

  But this wasn’t how she wanted it. She shivered under his penetrating stare. There was no doubt he could see every indecision, every unspoken fear tucked within her soul. She was his to command and she wanted to experience him here—in his bed.

  “Lorenzo, please.” The plea severed her control.

  He growled and flipped them. Her knees went to his shoulders and he rammed into her pussy in one powerful thrust. He fucked her hard, the sound of flesh on flesh made her heart beat faster, her breathing became erratic with an inability to inhale anything but Lorenzo.

  Wrapping her hands around her knees, she kept herself open to his primal fucking. He took her harder, deeper, until shallow gasps were all she could manage.

  “This is how I want to fuck you every night, Katey. Hard and deep so you remember you’re mine.” He plunged balls-deep into her and rubbed her clit. “Come for me.”

  It felt as if she’d always been his. The man mastered her body with ease. The explosive release left her sole focus on him, the way he held her on the cusp of her orgasm without breaking his stride. He gyrated and worked the cock buried in her until the name tumbling from her lips became a new mantra.

  He growled again, the animalistic sound igniting a new fiery need within her. He turned her over and slid into her. Deft fingers taunted her clit, steered her back to the cliff she’d just tumbled from.

  “Mine.”

  “Lorenzo.”

  He cried out with his release and she surrendered to the need built within her. He thrust one last time and she collapsed on a breath.

  Labored breathing fell in her ear. “Damn, you were amazing, Katey.”

  “You weren’t so bad yourself.”

  He reached to the bedside table and grabbed his phone.

  “Calling in reinforcements already?” She grinned when he leaned up and swatted her ass.

  “Phone rang earlier. I figured it must be important since it’s not even four.” He kissed her temple and rose from the bed. “Be right back.”

  Lorenzo expended a deep breath and cleaned up quickly. Katey had blown his mind a hundred different ways the past couple of days. The whirlwind of emotions shredding his insides left him on uneven terrain.

  Forcing aside the thoughts, he glanced at his calls again. What the hell would Stryker need at this hour? He hit the speed-dial and took a deep breath.

  “Lorenzo.”

  “What’s up?”

  “I just wanted you to know Chase is in the hospital.”

  “What?” His gut clenched and he cringed when he realized he’d screamed the last question. “Sorry, was a little surprised. What happened?”

  “Lance and I got worried when he didn’t show up. We went looking and pulled up on the scene just as they were loading him into the ambulance. His car veered off the road.”

  “Is he okay?”

  “Concussion. Pretty banged up. He’ll need surgery on his leg.” Stryker cursed. “I should’ve gone looking for him sooner.”

  “Wait. Was Montgomery with him?”

  “Yeah. His side of the car fared better in the flip down the ravine. He needed a few stitches, but is otherwise okay.”

  The door creaked open and Katey slid into the bathroom, concern etched on her sexier-than-hell face. He drew her against his body, inhaling the comfort she offered as though it were a drug.

  “What can we do for our man? Is he home?”

  “No, he lost consciousness for a while. He’s gotta spend the night in observation, which has him quite unhappy. The surgery will be later this morning.” Stryker exhaled. “That’s why I called. He insisted Katey be given as much notice as possible.”

  “For what?”

  “She’s in charge of the ceremony now, man. Kade and Autumn offered to postpone, but Chase insists Katey can handle the event without him. He says she’s the best planner he’s ever worked with.”

  Lorenzo chuckled. “Aside from him.”

  “Yeah, pretty much.”

  “Which hospital?”

  “South Austin, but Chase says if he sees you or Katey’s ass here he’s going to run you out with both crutches.” Stryker chuckled. “Not that I think he’s up for much except flirting with every nurse in a skirt. He’s pretty drugged up.”
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  “We’ll see you in a couple of hours, closer to visiting hours.”

  “Probably a good idea. There’s already too many of us here since it’s not visiting hours but I can’t leave him alone.”

  None of them would. They’d all endured something fucked-up in their younger years. Some in the latter ones too. The Brigade stayed together no matter what.

  He set the phone down on the bathroom counter and expended a breath he hadn’t realized he’d held. Delicate hands ran down his torso.

  “What happened?”

  “Chase’s car went off the road. He’s in the hospital. Surgery’s scheduled for later this morning.” He looked at Katey and his gut clenched.

  There’d be no easy way to divulge the rest. Terror had risen in her widened eyes already. She suspected what he was about to say.

  “He wants you to handle the ceremony.”

  “No.” She shook her head and backed away slightly as if running from an unseen enemy. “There’s no way I can step in for him. I don’t even know where all his stuff is.”

  “Stryker has instructions a mile long if I know Chase.” He kissed her forehead and squeezed her shoulder. “More importantly, he trusts you with this just like I do. There’s no doubt in any of our minds you can handle anything that comes up.”

  “Couldn’t we postpone for a few days, until he’s better?”

  Lorenzo shook his head. “Getting everyone here was difficult enough. There’s no telling how long it’ll take Chase to be fully functional if it was bad enough for surgery.”

  She gulped the anxiety like a fish out of water. Damn, he wanted to curl up with her in the bed and forget about everything except for them.

  “You can do it. We’ll do it together.”

  “Okay.” She looped her arms around his waist. “Are you okay? I know you two are really close.”

  Her concern warmed him. Guiding her into the bedroom, he spooned with her on the bed. Feeling her in his arms was all he needed right now. The softness of her body against him made the memories easier to manage.

  “My mom was an addict. I was raised by my grandmother and uncle.” Lorenzo ached with the loss of them. “But it was a pretty hard life until then.”