“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Fuck yes.” My voice was rough with desire. I wanted her so badly I could barely see straight.

Her body rocked against mine and I was done.

Grabbing her ass, I stood and turned to lay her on the bed. Stripping her of the skimpy tank top and shorts she had on, staring into her eyes, I asked, “Do you trust me?”

“I do,” she answered without hesitation.

I reached behind me into the dresser drawer and pulled out a blindfold. Slipping it over her head, I watched her body respond. She could no longer see what I was doing. Removing one of the five senses heightens the others. Right about now she should be a mass of overwhelming feeling.

Which was exactly what I wanted.

Her thighs clenched together and she squirmed on the bed. Gently, I stroked my fingers down the inside of her calves, watching them quiver beneath my touch.

“Don’t move.”

A deep breath escaped her lips and she nodded. Darting down the stairs to the kitchen, I grabbed a bowl and filled it with ice cubes, before joining Elena on the bed again. I set the bowl on the nightstand, letting the glass make a sound as it touched the wood.

“Ashton?”

“Shhh.” I climbed up on the bed next to her, stroking up the inside of her thigh, across her stomach, and up around her pert, pink nipples.

Reaching behind me, I grabbed a cube from the bowl, replacing my finger with it. The sound of her squeal as the ice hit her skin sent waves of fire through me. With a tight grip on the cube, I snaked it around both nipples until they stood up hard. Her breath was coming in pants. I knew I was bringing her closer and closer to the edge.

That didn’t stop me from gliding the ice down the valley of her breasts onto her stomach, my tongue following behind to lick up the water. A moan slipped passed her lips when the cubed circled her naval, traveling down to her clit. Her body arced up. I placed my hand on her stomach, still stroking her with the cold ice and warned, “Be still, or I’ll have to tie you up.”

At the mention of restraints, a tremble traveled through her body, tightening at her core. She swallowed hard and nodded. Satisfied she’d do as she was told, I moved the cube down, stroking through her core until I found her puckered entrance. Her lower body started to come up off the bed, but she got a handle on it and dropped back, her chest rising and falling rapidly with the effort.

“That’s it, gorgeous.”

I took another piece of ice. Moans and whimpers permeated the air as she did her best to stay still. It didn’t seem possible, but my dick continued to get harder with each and every sound and if I didn’t slip into her wet heat soon, I was going to end up coming all over the bed.

One last cube.

I placed it between my lips, rubbing it lightly over hers, watching her tongue dart out to taste the water as the ice melted where it touched her heated skin. Tracing the cube down her body once again, I let my cold tongue bring her over the edge, her body convulsing in wave after wave of pleasure.

“Oh, baby, it’s so hot watching you come,” I groaned, crawling up her body, unable to take anymore. “And I’m going to make you come all over my dick this time.”

Her head thrashed on the pillow as I slid in slowly, inch by inch.

That’s where my ability for slow and steady ended.

Slipping out, I thrust back in, picking up my pace each time. The muscles tightened in my thighs. I did everything I could to hold back the orgasm, wanting her to come first, but when her body quivered and clamped down on me, it brought me over as I surged into hers. I almost blacked out when I came, over and over again.

Panting, I reached for the blindfold. “Get ready for the light.”

I slipped the fabric from her face and her eyes closed tightly for a few seconds before she began to blink. Eventually, her gaze focused on me. A languorous smile formed on her lips.

“That was unbelievable.”

Placing a tender kiss on her forehead, I said, “It was.”

I picked up the bowl and brought it to the bathroom, dumping the leftover ice and water down the drain. When I returned to the bedroom, Elena was sound asleep. Turning out the lights, I slipped beneath the covers, pulling her close. Warmth spread through me the moment her hand landed on my chest.

She said the words.

Now I knew how my dad felt when he talked about my mom. The man was the definition of a hardass with everyone but her, and Elena did the same thing to me. She melted me in ways I never expected.

I ran over the events of the day in my head. While we’d waited on Elena and Arthur, my dad and Miller had filled me in on what had happened in the lobby: from Tolley’s ridiculous accusations, to his tirade against Elena. Apparently he hadn’t learned his lesson a few weeks ago when I used his face as a punching bag. They told me he’d been arrested for falsely accusing me of kidnapping, but that wouldn’t keep him in jail for long. He’d either serve his days or bail himself out.

He’d be safer doing his time.

Either way, it was time for Elena to learn how to handle a small caliber gun. I’d start looking into those things tomorrow morning. I knew Elena would probably be hungry when she woke, so I forced myself out of bed, tossed on a pair of gym shorts and my glasses, and went downstairs to find something for dinner, and to call my dad.

The phone only rang twice. “Ashton.”

“Dad,” I said dropping down onto the couch in the living room.

“That bastard is going to pay for all this.”

The mention of Tolley made my blood pressure rise. “Yeah, well until the cops release him, we’re not getting our hands on him.”

“You don’t think I have people watching for when that fucker gets released?”

“I’m sure you do. I want to get Elena a gun and spend some time at the range.”

He sighed. “I’ll end that son of a bitch before he gets anywhere near her.”

“You had mom take the same classes as Elena’s been taking, and she didn’t even have a crazy-ass ex. No harm in her knowing her way around a gun.”

“You have a point. With our business the way it is, it wouldn’t hurt—especially if you two are going to try and make this work. And after the display in the station today, I’m guessing that’s the case.”

“I told you she was moving in.”

“An actual relationship?”

I rolled my eyes, knowing he couldn’t see me. “Yes, I want her by my side for as long as she wants to be there.”

“Good. Just don’t do something fucking ridiculous, like not being honest about everything you do. She needs to know and be comfortable with all aspects of your life. Or you’ll regret it later when she leaves you.”

Dad knew what he’d been doing that night at his house.

“I’m taking her. She needs to know what she’s getting into, not just remembers from that first night.”

“Good.”

Leaning back against the cushions, I said, “I’ll make sure she keeps taking the self-defense lessons but I’ll start sending Brock with her when she goes somewhere, even with Lewis. Oh, and I want to increase security around the house as well.”

“I think that’s a very good idea.”

“Good. Now I gotta go. I need to make dinner for Elena. I’ll call you tomorrow and let you know where we stand.”

Dad and I said our good-byes and hung up.

Walking down the stairs to the kitchen, I wondered if attacking Tolley that night pushed him even farther over the edge. Was it my fault she was in danger? Did being with me make him even crazier?

Either way, it was too late now.

CHAPTER 29

Elena

I woke up feeling deliciously sore. After my nap, Ashton had made us dinner, which we ate without bothering to dress. Despite my hunger I was barely able to finish my meal; the sight of his hard length and muscled abs almost drove me to distraction. I did my best not to make it too obvious but I wasn’t quick enough because the second Ashton noticed, he scooped me from the stool and carried me over his shoulder back to our room. After that . . . I wasn’t distracted anymore.