Oh, God. It shouldn’t have thrilled me, but the Josie of a year ago who cared only about cookies and cakes and starting a family screamed at me to just let him in once more, to accept him, to take everything he offered.
“I need to know you’re safe,” Maddox said. His motions stilled. “I’ll protect you, Josie. I swear to God, I’ll find the man who separated us, who tried to hurt you, who destroyed your store…and I’ll take my revenge.”
His body slammed into mine, again and again, fierce and…
Frightened?
Like he thought he’d lose me?
Like he thought I was the one in danger?
My heart thudded, too hard and too desperate. I forced him to slow, only so I could touch his face. I kissed his perfect lips, ones that only knew how to curse and threaten to prove his love.
I could stay safe on my own, but I couldn’t protect Maddox from himself.
The man I loved was in danger, and I’d do everything in my power to keep him alive.
Even if it meant breaking his heart.
3
Maddox
Josie Davis belonged to me.
She was the only woman I ever loved, and she had been taken from me. Or I was taken from her. It didn’t matter. Every hour I spent apart from her razed into meaningless eternity. Without her touch, without her beautiful almond eyes, I was lost. Empty. I didn’t live my life for her. She was my life, and I was an idiot for taking that gift for granted.
Injustice separated us for an entire year, and I’d be damned if I let anything keep me from her now. Not the law. Not the town. Not even layers of clothing.
I didn’t know what time it was. Hell if I even knew the day. In the darkness, Josie writhed in pleasure. It was the least I could offer her. Christ only knew if she had been scared without me. While I was jailed, the monster who burned down her shop might have returned to harm her, steal from her, and threaten her. I went insane imagining horrible and heart-shattering visions of her in danger.
Somebody wanted me gone, and I knew exactly who framed me.
I’d get my revenge. I’d protect the one thing that mattered most to me.
And then I’d give her the life she deserved.
Josie was petite, pint-size—half a scoop of chocolate ice cream. Her dark skin tasted just as sweet. Luxurious. The first time I saw her, I made the mistake of labeling her as brown sugar. She wasn’t insulted, just thought I was causing trouble and trying to steal some of her desserts from her shop. She even accused me of plotting to take her chocolate-covered cherry.
It had been my plan—and a dirty one at that. But then I had a sample of that softness. A single kiss and I was hers. I knew then I wanted all of her. Body. Heart. Future.
Josie Davis would right every mistake I’d ever made, forgive every sin I’d committed, and heal me from every punishment of my past.
If she took me back.
If not, I’d fuck the doubt from her mind until she realized she was mine, and we were meant to survive this life together.
Her legs wrapped around me as I taught her, and she knew better than to move her arms from her sides or above her head. I rutted into her, hard and unforgiving, savoring her tightness.
No other man had taken her but me. No one had touched her but me. Her innocence and body were mine and mine alone, and I lost myself in that simple desire.
Her breasts bounced with every thrust—a handful of perfection that tempted me more than any sugar she baked or icing she licked off her finger. I clasped her dark nipple between my teeth. She liked that, especially when I bit on that sensitive, taut—
“Maddox!” Her voice shrilled. A ripple of pleasure bound through her, trapping her within her own orgasm and my relentless thrusts. “Oh, I can’t…I just keep…”
“Don’t stop coming for me…” I gripped her hips and tortured myself with her tightness. “You owe me a year’s worth of orgasms.”
She liked the sound of that. Or her body did. Josie was too sweet, still too damn innocent to admit to wanting to be fucked hard, fast, and without mercy. Not that I’d ever show her any, and not that she ever needed it. That slick little pussy accepted everything I did, and together we crested into every promised pleasure the world had denied us.
Josie’s soft voice whispered my name.
Her timid lips kissed me when she feared to speak the truth.
She submitted to my cock, so obedient and loving I didn’t know which one of us was in control.
I’d fuck her. Flip her onto the bed, pound her against the wall, and yet it was me, every damn time, losing my mind to her and her alone.
No other woman compared. No other person in the world understood me like Josie. She saved me from a life of darkness, crime, and violence. I owed everything to her.