Grabbed by Vicious (3 page)

homemade sin.

Compared to the other men she’d glimpsed since

arriving on the sky ship
Valiant
, Vicious seemed so much

bigger and terrifying. It was no wonder he’d managed to

catch her in that grassy field. She’d really never stood a

chance against him.

The other soldiers aboard the transport ship had seemed

skittish around him. During the ride on the surface-to-sky

shuttle, they’d been given a set of seats near the front of

the craft. They were far away from the other couples. Part

of that she put down to his rank. Most of it, though, seemed

to be respect and fear. After the way he’d actually

growled
at one of the medics trying to examine her during

the intake procedure, she understood why the soldiers

gave him so much space. Who would want to invite that

kind of wrath?

He hadn’t made any attempts to chat her up, either.

She’d found his lack of conversation incredibly grating.

The man had just stolen her away from her home and other

than asking her basic questions, hadn’t offered much else.

She didn’t know what he did, how old he was, where he’d

come from or even what he wanted from her.

Judging by her current predicament, he wanted things

she’d never given any other man, and in ways she’d never

even imagined. It appeared the rumors of rough sex, of

bondage and beatings and all other perverse behavior,

were true. Soon enough, she’d have firsthand knowledge

of it. Vicious hadn’t placed her here in this dimly lit room

on this uncomfortable table, her limbs shackled and her

skin bare, so they could play board games. No, he was

going to claim her body whether she wanted it or not.

She choked back a sob of frustration. A petty voice in

her head hoped Bernie was enjoying her new life in the

colonies. Hallie wouldn’t have even been in the Grab this

morning if it hadn’t been for her older sister. She wanted

to be angry with Bernie for putting her in this position but

honestly wasn’t. Bernie had done a bad thing—by their

village’s standards, at least. If that information had

become public knowledge, Bernie would have been a

marked woman.

Smuggling her off the planet the same way Hallie had

been helping others was the only way to save her sister. It

had cost Hallie her savings and forced her into her sister’s

spot in the lottery to satisfy her family’s quota, but it was

worth it. In four months or less, Hallie would be an aunt.

Protecting that precious, innocent life was worth all of

this.

Heavy footsteps echoed in the silent room. She held her

breath as tears rode the curves of her cheeks. Even though

he hadn’t made his presence known to her, Hallie had

suspected Vicious waited nearby the entire time she’d

been in restraints. He didn’t strike her as the kind of man

to take unnecessary risks like leaving her alone in a dark

room with a leather strap across her neck, even if it was

loose.

Humiliation burned her face. She’d never been naked in

front of a man before this day. She sure as hell had never

shown
that
part of herself to any man. Now it was on

display, her thighs spread so wide that the lips of her sex

were parted for his enjoyment.

She flinched at the first touch of a rough
,
warm hand on

her foot. He poked her flesh in various spots. It occurred

to her that he was probably checking her blood flow. That

was something, at least. If he was thorough enough to

worry about injuring her, surely he wouldn’t hurt her too

badly tonight?

His hand slid down her calf and along her inner thigh.

Panic seized her lower belly. She sobbed loudly as the

realization of what was to come hit her hard. This man,

this stranger, was going to take her, probably brutally, and

there was nothing she could do to stop him.

She squeezed her eyes shut as Vicious climbed onto the

table, insinuating himself between her thighs. The stiff

fabric of his pants scratched her tender skin. She gulped

but kept her eyes shut, hoping with every fiber of her being

that she would be able to block out this horrible memory

someday.

His bare fingertips trailed her cheek and jaw. There

was such softness in his touch. It confused her greatly. She

didn’t understand this man or his world.

“Why do you cry, little one?”

Her eyelids parted at his question. His icy-blue eyes

displayed concern. He looked almost as confused as she

felt. How in the world could he possibly be surprised by

her near hysteria?

Finally, she found her voice. “I’m scared.”

“Of me?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t fear me, Hallie,” he urged, his voice silken.

“You are precious to me.”

“Precious?” She pulled on her wrist restraints. The

tugging made her wince as pressure was applied to the

spot where he’d had her new identification chip implanted

during the intake procedure. “You’ve got me chained up

like a dog.”

“To protect you,” he explained. “I feared you would try

to run away. Was I right?”

She glared at him. “Of course!”

“That would be dangerous, Hallie. Women who

abandon their mates during the bonding period are

available to the first man who catches them. Do you

understand? I know you think I’m a monster but you must

believe me when I say I will protect you. No other

unworthy man will touch you.”

She didn’t doubt that. Considering he’d growled at a

medic who was just trying to take her blood pressure and

listen to her heart, she couldn’t imagine what he’d actually

do to someone stupid enough to try to touch her in a sexual

way.

Vicious dipped his head. His lips hovered above hers.

She could feel his warm exhalations on her skin. He

teased his mouth across hers. “Don’t fight me, Hallie.

Submit to me and you’ll know only pleasure.”

She didn’t get a chance to tell him to go to hell. He

claimed her mouth in a punishing kiss. The air rushed from

her lungs as his lips moved against hers. She’d been

kissed a few times but those stolen moments of excitement

in barns and behind the bleachers at the annual harvest

festival dance now paled in comparison.

Vicious might be a ruthless soldier, but the man could

kiss.

He nibbled her lower lip before sucking it between his

teeth. His tongue touched hers, just briefly, and

disappeared again. When his tongue returned with more

insistence, she surrendered to his invasion. He swiped the

roof of her mouth and sucked the tip of her tongue. She

shivered beneath him. He kissed her again, deeper this

time, and let his tongue thrust in and out of her mouth. The

similarity to another sex act wasn’t lost even on her

virginal mind.

Vicious breathed hard when he abandoned her mouth.

He seemed as if he were trying desperately to maintain his

control of the situation. Was it possible that she affected

him as much as he did her?

Her breasts ached in the strangest way. They felt

heavier than usual and her nipples stood erect. At his

slightest movement, his shirt grazed the stiff peaks. She

gasped when his mouth lowered to her neck. His hand

pressed her face to the side, baring her throat to his

attention. She shuddered beneath his big, hard body as he

licked and nipped at her neck. He sucked a certain spot

until it was tender, then laved the area with his tongue as if

to soothe her.

“So beautiful,” he murmured. He cupped her breast in

his hand and captured her nipple between his fingers. He

squeezed lightly, not enough to cause pain but enough to

cause little darts of sharpness. She gasped and tried to

twist away but there was no escape. “Don’t fight me,

Hallie. Let me show you how good it can be between us.”

“Please,” she begged, her face burning with shame. “I

don’t like this.”

“Are you sure?” He traced her nipple with his fingertip.

“Look how your body responds to my touch.”

He dropped his mouth to her breast and traced her pink

flesh with his tongue.

There was no stopping the moan that erupted from her

throat. Her entire body vibrated with a new awareness as

he teased her nipples with his tongue. He moved from

breast to breast, his tongue twirling and his lips suckling

gently. His fingertips pinching lightly. Her lower belly

wobbled as wild frissons of white-hot heat fluttered in her

core. She’d never imagined a man could evoke these kinds

of sensations.

Down below, her clitoris throbbed. Every swipe of his

tongue across her nipple seemed to transfer to the pink

pearl hidden there. She could feel wetness seeping from

her core. The unwanted evidence of her arousal would no

doubt be visible soon. With her legs in the air and her

thighs pulled wide open, there was no hiding her shame.

“Don’t,” he ordered, his voice soft but firm. He placed

a hand against her cheek and forced her gaze to meet his.

“Don’t ever be ashamed with me, Hallie. There is nothing

between us that is improper. I am your mate now, your

husband. This body,” he swept his hand down her

stomach, “is mine to enjoy. And this body,” he touched his

chest, “is yours to enjoy.”

Surprise rippled through her at his last statement. He

chuckled and nipped at her chin. “What? Do you think I’m

the only one who gets to have fun?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I don’t know what you

want from me.”

“I don’t either,” he said after a long moment’s pause. “I

thought…”

She waited for him to finish the statement but he never

did. “You thought what?”

He smiled and kissed her tenderly. “Later,” he

whispered. “No more talking.”

“But—” He silenced her with another kiss, this one so

wildly erotic it made her toes curl. His warm hand

caressed her belly and slid along her hip to her upper

thigh. His tongue danced with hers. He’d said his body

was hers to enjoy. She decided to do just that. Thinking

about what-ifs and whys wasn’t going to get her anywhere

right now. Restrained beneath him, her only choice was to

feel and enjoy.

His hand moved to her inner thigh and stroked toward

her secret place. He cupped her bare mound and she

gasped. He lifted his head and trapped her with his gaze.

She tried to look away as her cheeks blazed with heat but

he wouldn’t let her.

“Look at me, Hallie.” His thick fingers parted the soft

folds of her sex. “You’ve never been with a man.” It

wasn’t a question. He’d been with her during the intake

procedure and had heard her answers to the extremely

personal questions asked. “I’ll be gentle with you.”

He kissed her again but she tore her lips away when his

fingertip tapped her clitoris. She gasped against his cheek

as he expertly manipulated the little nub. His lips drifted

along her throat to her breasts again. His short hair rubbed

her chin and cheek as his mouth teased her nipples and his

fingers explored.

“Kitten, you’re so wet,” he whispered, his voice tinged

with awe. “So hot and slick.”

She’d never been called a pet name like that and had

definitely never had someone remark on her degree of

arousal. His fingertips swirled in the slippery wetness. He

lifted his gaze to hers as he slowly penetrated her virgin

entrance with one finger. Her body clenched in protest.

Her heart raced with excitement and embarrassment.

“Relax. Let me inside you.” He kissed her gently. “Let

me show you pleasure.”

“I—”

“No.” He shook his head. “I don’t want to hear
can’t
. I

want to hear one word, Hallie. Just one.” He eyed her

seriously. “
Yes
.”

She gulped. “Yes.”

His expression softened. “Good girl.”

The finger inside her slid a little deeper.

The feelings he awakened amazed her. Living in a small

house crammed with sometimes as many as a dozen

people hadn’t provided her with much privacy to discover

her own sexuality. The few times she’d been brave enough

to touch herself in the shower had ended quickly and

without ever realizing the full depth of an orgasm.

But this? Oh god. Vicious had touched her intimately for