Cherry Hill 15 - A Love to Kill For Read online

  This was insane. What was she thinking, allowing this? She wanted more though. Felt so much. She was battling her own mind when Cassius released her lips and then adjusted his position and stroked his fingers into her cunt. She nearly shot upward, but Harley and Beretta were suckling on her breasts and lowering her back to the island.

  “Cassius! Oh God, this is crazy. Please slow down.”

  He lowered over her, held her gaze as he stroked her cunt. Her lips parted. His brothers released her breasts and remained right there. “Let go and feel. We’ll catch you.” She shook her head. The thoughts, the memories of the past, the betrayal she felt were still so strong. Or so she thought.

  “Let go,” Raven ordered. He was breathing through his nostrils, his face looked red, and the gruff along his cheeks, the deep, dark look in his eyes and how he stared at her breasts, was apparently all she needed to get past those fears from the past.

  “Oh God. Raven!” she cried out and came.

  “Holy shit,” Harley said and she felt Cassius’s fingers slide from her cunt. She panted for breath as Raven took his place and lowered his mouth to her cunt. Harley and Beretta released her hands and she grabbed on to Raven’s head as he thrust his tongue into her pussy. She must look like some wild thing right now with her breasts out of her bra and camisole just rocking in the air, her thighs spread wide and a man she just met hours ago was eating her out. She came again. She shook and shivered and then Raven lifted his mouth from her pussy, leaned over her with her cream on his lips and beard, his eyes looking wild and he kissed her. He just kept kissing her, plunging his tongue into her mouth until he got his fill. He was breathing just as rapidly as she was. When he lifted up, he and his brothers stared at her. At her breasts pouring from the top, her nipples showing, her skirt to her hips, her pussy exposed as cool air collided with heated flesh. They looked wild, hungry, speechless.

  “You look like a goddess,” Raven whispered, stroking her thighs.

  “An angel,” Beretta said.

  “Exceptional,” Harley added.

  “A woman who is going to be all ours,” Cassius said.

  The fear hit her all at once. The trepidation of being used, being cheated on, betrayed. Tears fell from her eyes. All four men narrowed their eyes at her. She gulped and started pulling up her top. When Raven reached out along with Beretta and Harley she thought they might stop her and she gasped. They helped her instead. Raven cupped her cheek and caressed away the tears. “Someone hurt you. We aren’t him.” She worried her bottom lip.

  “We definitely aren’t him,” Harley added.

  Her heart ached. “What the hell just happened?” she asked and Cassius and Beretta chuckled.

  “The ways of Cherry Hill. Just comes up and bites ya in the ass, I guess,” Beretta said and they chuckled.

  She covered her heart with her hand. Stared at Raven, so fierce, hard, cold, yet wild and passionate and caring. She stared at the four huge ass men and she couldn’t help but to worry. More tears fell.

  “I want to know who he is and what he did?” Cassius said as he reached out and stroked her cheek, cupped it. She closed her eyes and leaned into his masculine, large hand. She wasn’t too shocked. He was a lawman. Working with the Texas Rangers, a noble profession after the military. The knowledge that they were soldiers, too, just like Blake and his buddies, definitely made her fearful, but she couldn’t deny these feelings for them. The instant, deep attraction. Even though Faith and Genesis warned her about the men, about being so sweet, so friendly and not seeing their ulterior motives. None of that seemed the case with these men.

  “I didn’t expect this tonight,” she told them and they were all right there. All touching her, caressing her thighs, her shoulders. She felt so much and wanted so much.

  “I’ve been through a lot in the last year. I’ve conditioned myself to stay focused and organized. To have a plan of action and you guys…and you just appear and it’s not in the plan. This isn’t how my new life is supposed to start,” she said and felt a bit panicked.

  Raven held her in place. “Slow down. You’re freaking out. What are you afraid of? What is it that makes you scared to see this through and where it leads?” he asked her.

  She held his gaze. “I don’t want to feel pain. I don’t want to be used, or to feel like I gave a hundred percent and that wasn’t returned to me. I don’t want to be betrayed, or feel like I’m no one. I don’t know if I can let down my guard with the four of you. You represent a lot of what I fear, of what I ran from, to get away from, to hold on to my identity, my rights.”

  “It sounds like a much needed discussion between the five of us. So why don’t we slow things down, grab those muffins and some drinks and head over to your cottage and start that fire? We can relax and talk things out. Get to know one another,” Cassius said to her.

  She held on to Raven’s arms. Ran her hands up and down his forearms, feeling the stone, the muscle beneath her fingers and palms. “I feel exhausted,” she said and Harley chuckled.

  “Those were some pretty intense orgasms,” Harley said and winked, making her blush.

  “Especially the one I gave ya,” Raven said and she stared up at him, those dark green eyes and stone cold expression.

  “I think it’s because it’s been so long,” she said, trying not to make him think he was so great. She was teasing him and it came naturally. He apparently didn’t expect that from her. Maybe he didn’t expect lip back from anyone.

  “Maybe we should do it again and see how hard and fast you come this time when I give an order?” Raven said to her seriously.

  Her cheeks blushed, her nipples hardened, and he saw it. He knew what he was doing to her. “Another time. Maybe,” she said.

  Raven cupped her cheeks, tilted her head back and stared down into her eyes. “Definitely going to happen again. Real soon. Maybe as we tuck you in tonight.” He pressed his lips to hers, and once again she felt ready to explode. Ready for more. She knew that these men would break down her defenses. She just hoped she was ready and didn’t screw it all up.

  * * * *

  Cassius was the oldest. Then Raven, Beretta, and Harley. They were all leaders. All commanding, in control, but Raven and Beretta had the hardest personalities and didn’t trust easily at all. It had shocked Harley to see Raven and Beretta so into Emerson, as well. He would like nothing more than to take her to bed, strip her of her clothing and explore every inch of her and claim her their woman. He knew that he couldn’t. They couldn’t. She was young, and maybe a bit inexperienced, where they were hard and demanding. This could get screwed up if they didn’t keep their cool and have patience. That was easier said than done, especially as they just all got to kiss her, touch her, taste her and make her come.

  He swallowed hard. He knew the difference between a woman to screw with no strings attached and one he could see himself holding on to and not letting go. The connection and attraction were so strong it sort of scared him, but Harley would never admit that, and definitely not to Emerson. What if she was playing them? What if she was leading them on, but really not as sweet or commitment material as they were all thinking? He was making himself crazy. Harley needed to focus on the here and now, and take this chance with his brothers.

  If he weren’t so scared to admit it, he’d say she was special and would belong to them. The thought of her with anyone else pissed him off. Now his mind was on her pain, on the fear she had and who it was that hurt her. What put that fear in her eyes, and made her hold back and not let go with them?

  As they walked with her across the grass to the cottage, Harley felt this extra connection between his brothers and himself. It was like Emerson filled in a hole that needed filling. A gap or something. It was the oddest sensation and revelation he had ever had. He squeezed her hand and she squeezed it back, looked way up at him and he felt so much, and desired so much. She was a stunning, sexy young woman. Her sweet, angelic smile lit up a room, hell, it got through a hardened, constantly p
issed-off man like Raven and even Beretta. He chuckled inside. His two brothers Raven and Beretta were going to have the hardest time taking things slow with Emerson. In fact, Raven may not let her stay in bed alone tonight.

  They walked onto the back patio and Cassius and Beretta began to make the fire and get things started. “Let me grab some napkins for the muffins,” she said and he released her hand and watched her go inside. Harley put his hands in his pockets, leaned back on his boots and exhaled.

  “Jesus, this is crazy,” he said aloud. His brothers mumbled in agreement. So Harley wasn’t the only one feeling on edge, possessive and needy for more of Emerson?

  She returned with some napkins and then held the plate and brought them to each of the men. When Raven took one he slid his palm up under her skirt against her thigh. She paused and stared up at him. “I bet these are delicious,” he said to her.

  “I hope you like them,” she replied.

  “I like you. A lot,” he said and she shyly walked to the table, set the muffins down and then looked around to where to sit. Harley patted the lounge chair next to him and Cassius.

  She took a seat, kicked off her heels and then leaned back as Beretta stoked the fire. “That feels so good. It’s such a beautiful area back here. How did you guys come up with it?” she asked.

  Harley reached over and took her hand. He brought her knuckles to his lips. “We wanted something nice and relaxing. We figured one of our buddies from the military might need a place after retirement or someone who needed to relax and get some therapy,” Harley told her.

  She looked at him. “Therapy?” she asked.

  “After experiencing violence and war, and being in the service, a lot of soldiers have a hard time transitioning back into civilian life. Sometimes it can lead them down the wrong path,” Cassius added.

  “Did all of you?” she asked, and Harley saw the uncomfortable expressions on Raven and Beretta’s faces.

  “We all had a hard time. Had to find our way to get through it. This cottage helped a lot,” Cassius told her.

  “How so?” she asked.

  “Well, we started out just wanting to fix it up, but then Raven and Beretta lost it one night and started tearing down walls, ripping out the kitchen. It was a fierce mess,” Harley said and chuckled.

  Emerson pulled her hand back and sat up straighter. She looked concerned. “Sounds violent to me. Like maybe you have tempers and certain things spark them,” she said and then looked at the fire.

  “We would never hurt you, Emerson,” Cassius said.

  She snorted. “No need to get so deep. We’re friends, and what happened back at your house should maybe not happen again.”

  “What? Why not?” Cassius asked, but none of them moved. It was like they knew she had been hurt and now was resistant. He and his brothers needed to find out what happened to her.

  “You know, you’re not the only one taking a chance here, Emerson,” Harley said to her. She leaned back into the chair to look at him. “We have our own fears. We’ve been back for almost a year, and we haven’t exactly been with any women, or even been socializing. Except for Cassius and me. Raven and Beretta keep to themselves and like it that way. In fact, I’m surprised at how much they’ve come out of their shells around you and are talking,” Harley said.

  She looked at Raven and Beretta. “Why is that?” she asked, sounding like they had hidden motives or something. It felt wrong.

  “You’re easy to talk to,” Beretta said and sat forward in his seat. His chair and Raven’s were at the edge of Emerson’s chair. They both reached out and caressed her ankles. She gasped. “You feel that right there? That connection? That sensation?” Beretta asked her. She gulped. “We feel it, too. Obviously you’re scared. Tell us about the guy that hurt you. Tell us about your life, the place you moved from and the reason why this is a new start for you,” Beretta pushed.

  She let out a small sigh. “Tell me more about each of you first. Tell me why you think this is so special and not just lust or our loneliness, considering we all haven’t been with anyone intimately for quite some time?” she asked.

  Harley could feel the walls she put up growing higher and thicker since leaving their house. She was going to start pushing them away and he didn’t want that. Raven leaned closer, gripped her ankles and slid his palms up and down them. She held on to the side of the lounge chair and locked gazes with Raven.

  “What did he do to you?” Raven asked. She was breathing a little more rapidly. “Did he make you feel like this? Want, like this?” Raven asked and pulled her lower. She gasped and he pressed over her on the lounge chair and between her legs. The sight aroused Harley. It also revealed how feminine and petite Emerson was compared to all of them. He slid her hands and arms up above her head, causing her breasts to push forward.

  “Raven, oh God, this is crazy. I can’t let go. I just can’t,” she said and her eyes filled with tears.

  Harley reached over and stroked her jaw. “Explain it to us, please,” he asked her and she gulped as Raven kissed along her belly, then over the deep cleavage of her breasts and continued to push her for more information. He was caressing her thighs, her hips, pressed over her and kissed her lips, her forehead and then lifted up. He slid his palms along her wrists, her forearms and then to her hips. He was leaning between her legs.

  Emerson reached up and cupped his bearded cheek. “He was a soldier like you guys are.” Harley’s chest tightened.

  Raven turned his head and kissed her palm. She lowered her hand to his shoulder and massaged it. “He told me he loved me. That I was his world, his everything. I let down my guard and gave him my virginity and it turned out he lied.”

  “He was your first lover?” Cassius asked.

  She looked at him. “My only lover.”

  “Jesus,” Beretta said.

  “How did he lie? Did he cheat on you with some chick? Break your heart and leave? What?” Raven asked.

  “All of the above, and a bit more.”

  “Was he abusive?” Cassius asked.

  She swallowed hard as tears spilled from her eyes. “On occasion. More often than not and for no real good reason.”

  “He was an abusive asshole is what you’re telling us?” Beretta asked.

  “That he was a soldier like us and you think that we could do that to you? Could use you for sex and then toss you away?” Raven asked.

  She nodded her head. “I trusted him, then in a matter of a week, things got bad. He got pissed off one night because guys were hitting on me at a party, and he drank too much,” she said and more tears fell. “He was extra aggressive in bed that night.”

  “Fucking asshole,” Harley said, and he felt sick to his stomach. No wonder she was so scared of them. They were big men, capable men and soldiers.

  “That dick was too fucking stupid to realize what he had with you. He blew that, Emerson. You gave a hundred percent and he destroyed that,” Cassius told her.

  “It hurt so much though, and I almost forgave him for the violence and the flirting, as he tried to make up with me, and tell me how sorry he was and how much he loved me, and then we were at a gathering with some family and friends, a group they all hung out with, all soldiers, and his team…his team started touching me, flirting with me. They each showed interest and my boyfriend didn’t stop them.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me? He was trying to force you into bed with them, too?” Cassius asked.

  “Yes,” she said and more tears fell.

  Raven cupped her cheeks between his hands, held her head and shoulders between his forearms. “We aren’t them. We do this, we make you our woman, it’s a commitment.”

  “I’m scared about that, too, Raven. I know other people are in ménage relationships and they’re great, but the fear I have from what they tried to make me be a part of ruins my belief that true love, honest, caring, committed men exist and would love me the way I think I deserve to be loved. I won’t be able to survive more heartache
like that.”

  “You won’t have to. We’re older, Emerson, set in our ways, demanding but we’re committed and honest. You will always come first,” Harley said to her and she stared at them as tears fell.

  Raven kissed along her breasts and her neck. “How did you get out of there? End things with him and them?” Raven asked.

  “I just did,” she said but wouldn’t make eye contact with any of them.

  “No, there’s more to this. You’re telling me this soldier, he didn’t try to make you stay? He didn’t try to convince you to come back to him?” Raven asked in his typical hard, deep voice.

  “Oh, he tried, even made another attempt a couple of weeks before I moved to Benter to get away from all of them. It’s what made me take a trip out to California to visit an old roommate from college,” she said to him.

  “But you went back. Are you sure this ex doesn’t have a hold on you? That really you still love him and could forgive him?” Raven asked, sounding pissed off.

  She shook her head. “I hate him, and I hate what he did, how he betrayed me, how he treated me, Raven. It could never ever be forgiven. I was stupid, I gave all my heart to him, my body to him and he disrespected it all. He hurt me so badly by what he did, I could never forgive him. I left my family, that life behind me because of him,” she said to Raven.

  “To your family, too?” Beretta asked.

  She closed her eyes and took a few unsteady breaths. “My sister was the only family I had left that I even cared about. Otherwise I would have never gone back there.”

  “What did your sister do?” Harley asked with concern.

  Emerson stroked Raven’s cheek. He held her gaze and tears fell from her eyes. “She did the unforgivable. She slept with my ex, and his team of soldiers, too.”

  “Son of a bitch,” Cassius whispered and Raven hugged her tight as Emerson cried.