Xavier Cold (Hard Knocks #2)(23)

Xavier shakes his head. “She put that on there. She didn’t want anyone in her room.”

“Were you curious as to why she kept it locked?”

“No,” he says flatly. “The thought of defying her never crossed my mind. I didn’t want to pay the consequence. Things were bad enough as they were. I didn’t need to create mischief to bring any more hell down on myself.”

I swallow hard. “She sounds horrible.”

“Yeah, but if you ask any of the neighbors around here about her, they’ll f*cking sing her praises like she’s Mother Teresa.”

“They obviously didn’t know her.”

He nods. “You got that right. She put on a face for the public, for her church, but she was no sweet old lady behind these walls. Her true nature came out here, where no one else but me could see it.”

My eyes burn, and there’s no way I can stop the tears from falling from them. I sniff, and it catches Xavier’s attention. His eyes flit down to my face, and the corners of his mouth turn down.

He slides his thick index finger under my chin and then tips my chin up, so he can set his gaze directly down on me. “It kills me when you frown. You know I hate that.”

“What you must’ve gone through . . . I can’t . . . it breaks my heart.” I have a hard time getting all the words out.

“Don’t,” he whispers with a slight growl in his voice. “Don’t cry for me. I’m not worth it.”

“You are worth it,” I manage to squeak out between sobs. “You’re one of the best people I’ve ever known.”

He squeezes his eyes shut, like my words physically cause him pain. “Anna, I’m not. I’ve done horrible things.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve told you that. I love you for the man you are now. I don’t care about your past. I love you, Xavier.”

Without warning or permission, he crushes his mouth down on mine. Fire courses through every inch of me as I press myself against his sculpted chest. I claw at his shirt as he backs me up to the wall. His fingers find their way under my shirt, causing a shiver to run down my spine. His cock hardens beneath those tight jeans, and it presses into my belly as we continue to devour each other. His tongue probes my mouth, and I’m so turned on that I can’t see straight. Between my legs, I ache, and I know only having him inside me can give me any relief.

“God, Anna, you taste so good,” Xavier murmurs as he slides his hand down my thigh. Then, he hitches my leg up onto his hip.

I toss my head back and moan as his stiff length creates friction through my jeans. He kisses a trail down my chin, leaving fire in his wake, and then he licks the soft skin of my neck.

This man has the ability to turn me on with the slightest touch, and there’s nothing more I want right now than to feel every inch of his bare skin pressed against mine.

I grab the hem of his shirt and push up. He drags it over his head, making his hair a sexy mess. I thrust my fingers into his thick hair and kiss him. The taste of him dances across my tongue, and I can’t get enough.

Xavier’s fingers work quickly to pop the button on my jeans, and then he unzips them before his hand snakes inside my panties.

The moment his digit makes contact with my most sensitive flesh, I bite down on my bottom lip. “Xavier . . .”

“Mmm . . . so wet and always so ready for me,” he growls into my ear. “I can’t wait to feel that tight little * of yours wrapped around me.”

The delicious torture on my clit continues, and my head falls back and bumps into the wall. “Oh God.” It’s all I can manage to get out before he flicks my clit one final time, and I come against his finger.

My entire body shudders as he pushes my pants and panties down in one quick swoop. My fingers fly over his belt. I need to feel him moving inside me.

“Patience, baby. I’m far from done with you yet.”

He bends down and pulls my shoes off, one by one, and tosses them to the floor. I step out of them as he pops up and then slowly slips my shirt over my head.

One finger traces the mounds of flesh on my chest while his other hand reaches behind me and unhooks my bra. I stand there, completely naked, in front of him, and his eyes take their time in raking over every inch of bare flesh exposed to him.

“So f*cking beautiful and all f*cking mine.”

Goose bumps erupt across my skin at the sound of his possessive words. It turns me on to know he claims me as his own, and the way he looks at me makes me feel like the most desired woman in the world.

He gently pinches my chin and then rubs his thumb across my lips. I open my mouth, wrap my lips around his thumb, and suck as I stare up at him.

I want to taste him.

He seems to know what I want to do because he drops his hand from my face, and I lean in and kiss his neck just below his chin. The scruff tickles my nose as I work my way along his neck before I turn my attention down to that toned chest of his.

I drop to my knees in front of him and unzip his pants. When I push his boxer briefs along with his jeans down, his cock springs free. I run my hand along the silky skin before popping the head into my mouth.

Xavier sucks in a quick breath through gritted teeth. “Fuck . . . Anna.”

The way he says my name encourages me to keep going because I like seeing him lose control.

I work faster, bobbing my head, taking as much in as I can. I feel proud of myself for resisting the urge to gag when he hits the back of my throat.