The Debt Collector: An Underground Bad Boys Romance Read online

  Apart from dealing with the investigators, Locke was running his trading and consulting company as if nothing had happened, often working through the night—when he wasn’t ravishing her until her body shut down. The man was a powerful machine—not that she was complaining—and she helped wherever and whenever she could. The only cloud was Gage’s withdrawal. He was still pissed at his friend for acting like an ass. At least that’s what he’d told Locke last time they’d spoken on the phone, but Tessa suspected it was something else. After checking around, the latest update found Gage heading to where Knox had made his home after he was finally freed from Luther.

  Among all the changes to navigate, the main reason Tessa was stalling making the final move into Locke’s apartment was simple. She wanted him to clearly ask. No half-spoken words, no clothes or trinkets from her apartment magically appearing, no sudden sessions of mad sex when she went to go to her old apartment. He wasn’t the commitment type, that she understood completely, but she wanted at least a clear statement that he wanted her here for the long run.

  Tessa passed in front of the office’s closed door, where Locke was currently shouting orders down the phone to some poor guy and went directly to the master bedroom. Putting her bag down, she noticed some papers on the bed. A deed for the building.

  Locke had changed tactics and was trying to lure her by making a legal agreement. It made her smile. To be totally honest, she had decided to move in with him a month earlier but hadn’t said a word. Of course, it hadn’t been a decision she had made lightly. Thomas Locke was a force to be reckoned with. Stubborn and a control freak who still showed a good level of OCD around the house, Tessa knew it would be a challenge.

  She had no intentions of changing him, but he had to understand her boundaries too, and that required a bit more work, although she was getting there. After all, that was what partnerships were for. He could dominate in the bedroom as much as he liked, as for the rest, he would have to adapt. And his greatest challenge was to be clear about what he really wanted from and with her.

  Knowing he would be on the phone for at least an hour, Tessa discarded her clothes, letting them fall as they may on the floor. She would have time to gather them up before he arrived and had a fit over the mess.

  With a smile on her face, she stepped into the bathroom and started his enormous shower before indulging under the hot spray. The small shower was the one thing she wouldn’t miss from her small apartment.

  Even if she didn’t have time, it was hard not to linger under the multiple jets of hot water and the billowing steam. Scrubbing herself clean, Tessa finally let the beating water hit her shoulders and back, relaxing her tense muscles one by one.

  Skin red hot and with renewed energy, she turned to stop the shower when a tall shadow loomed just outside the glass wall. Yelping in panic, Tessa backtracked, almost slipping on the wet tiles until Locke appeared, a damning grin on his face.

  Hands on her chest, trying to keep her heart from leaping out, she leaned back on the cold tiles, the contrast helping tremendously to slow her heartbeat. She was tempted at that very moment to throw one of her shampoo bottles straight in his face.

  He was clearly not at all repentant at his little trick. And despite her fear of sudden arrhythmia, she rather liked his playful side. Locke laughed more, part of him was still in darkness, but some light was starting to shine through, revealing the man he truly was.

  “Are you in the habit of scaring helpless women?”

  Fully clothed and leaning against the shower opening, Locke crossed his arms, in full bad boy mode. The way he licked his lips while his eyes roamed her naked body made her temperature spike, immediately competing with the ambient heat.

  “I thought I would surprise you in the shower like the first time I saw you naked. I would like a repeat if you don’t mind.”

  To be honest, she wouldn’t mind either, but playing by herself wasn’t her first choice. With a sweet smile on her face, Tessa moved closer to him, and before he could react, yanked him under the spray. The sound of his curse and her laughter reverberated on the walls.

  Not giving him time to move, she plastered her wet body against his drenched clothes and took his lips. It amazed her how this simple contact, that bridge between them turned her heart to mush. Love expanded in her chest and she secretly prayed that it would last.

  Sweetness quickly dissolved when his hands slid down her waist to grope her ass. Breaking the kiss, she gently tugged at his earlobe with her teeth. “Too bad you’re still dressed, Mr. Locke. We could have played.”

  The pale green of his eyes turned to glinting hard gems at her taunt. Stepping back, he pulled the water-clogged t-shirt over his head, throwing it in the corner. Tessa would never tire of seeing him like this, in hunter mode, anticipating what came next.

  Knowing removing his wet jeans would take some effort, she leaned against the wall and started to cup her breasts. His attention never wavered, although his movements were a bit less effective as he tried to shed his pants.

  As he battled against the fabric, Tessa upped the ante by pulling at her nipples. Lust flowed between her legs and her hips undulated in a silent plea. Unfortunately, that didn’t help Locke get naked any faster. Her hand went between her legs, but she made sure not to stimulate herself too fast, or too much.

  “Well, if you don’t get naked quicker, I might as well give you the show you wanted so much earlier.”

  The deep growl he made as he finally threw his wet pants away told her she had played with fire. And she was now trapped with a wild man, without a way to escape.

  He was on her so fast, she didn’t have time to make a single sound. Instead, she was now trapped between cool hard tiles and unyielding, pulsing flesh.

  His mouth didn’t stay long on her as he turned her around and forced her legs open.

  “You’re playing with fire, Tessa. Be careful or you might not like what you get.”

  Breathless, she turned her head enough to connect. “I only want you. Give it to me.”

  There were no more words to be said when he entered her slowly, her breasts plastered against the slick wall. Her hands tried to find something to hold, to steady herself, but there was nothing. Locke was her only anchor his cock sliding in and out her. It wasn’t the deepest penetration, but the friction of his muscled body against hers, his breath hitching in her ear with each of his thrusts, inflamed her to no end.

  “You haven’t signed the contract.”

  Tessa blinked, pushing through the increasing haze of lust, before she understood what he was talking about. “You want to talk about that now?”

  “You’re not answering my questions, it’s getting frustrating.”

  Gaping at his crazy statement, Tessa pushed herself from the wall, disengaging herself from him and as she turned, her foot slipped, making her lose her balance. Locke caught her before she hit the stall’s floor, cradling her body as he let himself slide down against the wall with her. Now sprawled over his body, her back pummeled by the jets, Tessa looked up at him, clearly worried.

  “Are you hurt? Did you hit your head?”

  In answer, Locke rolled his eyes. “You’re a danger in the shower, woman.”

  Reassured that he was unharmed, it was her turn to roll her eyes. “It’s your floor that’s too slippery. I’m going to buy you some adhesive yellow duckies, so we don’t kill ourselves if we have sex in the shower again.”

  Locke snorted, clearly not interested in safety at all.

  As they were both unharmed, and with free access to the amazing body under her, she decided that it would be a shame to let it go to waste. Tessa started lapping at the water sliding over that delectable golden skin, and it only took two seconds for the male under her to have an undeniable interest in her plan. So much that his erection returned to steel as she took him in her hand and squeezed.

  He would have switched positions and slid over her if she hadn’t been quicker and straddled him. When she slid hers
elf down, taking all of him inside her, both their groans of pleasure echoed in the small space.

  Immediately, his hands went to her breasts, teasing her nipples as she started to ride him. “If you’re so keen on having a conversation here, I think we should have one.” And with that statement, she squeezed her muscles hard, making him hiss between his clenched teeth.

  “Why does it feel like we’re having an argument all of a sudden?”

  Settling into a steady rhythm, Tessa enjoyed the moment, admiring Locke—his eyelids almost closed, looking up at her as she took control of both their pleasure, his hands caressing her thighs. Tessa knew that it was an image of him that would be burned in her mind for a long time. The desire she saw on his fallen angel’s face, his hard body streaming with water, she couldn’t ask for more. In a moment of clarity, she knew that the dangerous and stubborn man was at her mercy, even if only for a moment.

  “I thought we were talking to each other.”

  Confusion passed in his sea-green eyes. “What?”

  “You know what I mean. Using words to form sentences.”

  Tessa quickly erased the snarl on his face by twisting her hips on her way down. “Don’t play dumb. I thought we could at least discuss stuff.”

  Locke’s body tensed, gritting his teeth. He grabbed her hips, trying to slow her down. “You have to be a little bit more specific.”

  “The half suggestions, my stuff magically appearing in your apartment, the contract on the bed… What do you mean by that?”

  Having a conversation was becoming more and more difficult as he grew larger, pulsing inside her, but she was determined to see it through.

  “I thought it was self-explanatory.”

  “You want some clothing and a bunch of papers to do the talking for you?”

  “Damn it, woman! What do you want from me?” It was clear his patience was wearing thin as he put his feet flat on the tiles and started to pump up, meeting her downward thrusts. The want was trying to take control again, and she wasn’t finished with their conversation.

  “Tell me what you want, dammit! I don’t want to be tricked, I want to be asked.”

  When he hesitated, Tessa started to rise. However, Locke wasn’t the kind of man to be denied. In a show of strength, he reversed their position, so she was lying on her back and he was kneeling between her legs. Despite the water and the slippery tiles, he pushed her legs up, opening her to him, and plunged back inside her heated sheath. Tessa bowed, eyes closed, as he pushed deep into her, her pleasure cresting at an alarming pace. Her mind blank, all thoughts replaced with pleasure, she started to pinch her nipples, sending electric shocks throughout her over-sensitized body.

  “You want words, Doctor. I’ll give you your words.” When he used her title, she knew she was in trouble. Trying to keep a bit of sanity, he started to ram hard into her, punctuating his words, the mix of pleasure and pain quickly sending her over the edge. “I want you here, do you hear me?” His voice, so low and raw, so charged with possessiveness, made her mad with want and her own dose of greed for this man. “I want you here, in my place. I want to fuck you on every surface, every corner of this apartment and make you scream until you lose your voice. I want you to only have my name on your beautiful lips when they are not around my cock. Do you hear me?”

  Tessa tried to open her mouth to respond, but only a whimper resonated in the shower. She had her answer, the words clearly stated, and she knew she was exactly where she wanted to be. It would always be a battle with him, but she knew deep down that not only was he sincere, but that if need be, she could win too. And, as his hand made its way to the apex of her legs, pushing back on her hood to unveil her throbbing clit, it was obvious she was winning right at this moment.

  “I’m done waiting for anything, Tessa.” And at his words, he let one of his digits rasp against her clit. The touch too direct, too hard, but she reveled in the sensation and wanted more. More of him sweet, more of him rough, more of him when he was using his cock as a weapon and she was his willing prey. “Get rid of your apartment, sign the papers, move all your stuff in here. Make a mess of my life and I’ll make one of yours.” This time, he strummed the bundle of nerves, making her lose her mind, just when she was about to fall from the edge, he pulled his hand away. The cry of denial that came from her was anything but human. He only smiled. “You thought you were the only one who could use sex to make a point?”

  As she was about to take care of her needs herself, Locke grabbed her hand and resumed his thrusts. “I will make you change your mind, Tessa. I swear I will, even if I have to die of exhaustion in this shower.”

  “That won’t be necessary.” She had gained back some sort of steadiness… if only for a second.

  Frowning, Locke looked down at her. “What do you mean?” Was that worry on his face? It pulled at her heart.

  “I mean I’d decided to move in with you about a month ago. I was only waiting for you to ask.”

  Locke froze in place, water splashing on his back, disbelief on his face until it was replaced by joy and a wicked gleam in his eyes. Only then did he plunge back inside her, his finger circling her clit. “You played me.”

  “No! I’m done playing games. There are too many gray areas in our lives as there is. If you want something, ask for it.”

  His slight nod confirmed to Tessa that he understood. When he pushed back inside her, his hips slapping against her ass, she knew they had reached an understanding.

  Under assault by the man she’d lost her heart to, he plastered his entire body over hers, slick skin slapping, mouths lapping water from each other, Tessa could hardly breathe. Twisting his hips, Locke’s cock circled and crushed her clit and she could only scream as she came hard. Through the whooshing of blood in her ears, Locke growled his release, spilling deep inside her, his cock jerking with the beat of his heart, before collapsing partly over her.

  The shower still battered them with hot water. “I’m in love with your shower.”

  His form shook a little from laughing. “Is it enough to convince you to live with me? You want words? I’ll give them to you, doc. What words do you need to convince you?”

  “Only that you love me. I knew the rest a month ago.”

  When he pushed himself up, Tessa knew she was in trouble, but didn’t care and offered him her brightest smile.

  “You will pay for this.” His hard eyes softened as he kissed her, confirming her decision.

  She was willing to put herself in trouble with him and repay her debt a thousand-fold to make this man her personal and unique debt collector.

  The End

  About the Author

  Writing for me is like being caught in the eye of a storm and loving every single minute of it.

  Dear courageous readers, who dared to thread inside my wild imagination, filled with adventures of amazing women and courageous men, welcome to my world. When all seems to be lost, strength, intelligence, and love will help my heroes fight back darkness, and find their way to each other. And you know what? That’s my favorite kind of story!

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