Defending Her Dignity (Renegade Love Bodyguard Novel Book 3) Read online

  “Thanks, Law,” Daphni says. “I couldn’t have done it without all of you.”

  “Nah, Daphni that one was all you,” I tell her.

  She scoffs. “Law, are you serious? You have been getting me out of trouble since I was in the womb!”

  “It’s true, you know. When it comes to big brothers, there’s no one better,” Gabby adds.

  “Gabs, remember when I had dragged you to that party in Malibu? We got all dressed up and snuck out of the house. Finally, we get there, and realize that we’re completely lost and face it, we’re dressed like baby prostitutes. So, we call Lawrence, who is in college like three hours away. He figures out where we are, books us a room over the phone at this Holiday Inn across the street, and drives out at like, two in the morning to drive us back home, sneak us into the house, then drive back to school for his morning class.”

  Gabby smiles and leans forward. “Or how about when he flew to see me in Denmark after I had gotten my passport and wallet stolen? I was so scared, and he took me to the embassy and brought me all new credit cards, then flew back the same day.”

  When Gabby finishes, Daphni starts again with another story. I only half-listen, too happy to just watch the two of them happy and smiling. I wouldn’t trade the chaos and love they’ve brought to my life for anything. A lot of the time, I had been more of a parent than an older brother, but it had obviously paid off. I have two of the most loving, passionate, and driven women as my sisters.

  And seeing their animated, smiling faces, I push aside any lingering frustration or annoyance. I drop my cup on the ground and instead focus on my family around me. My gorgeous Daphni, who climbed out of the trenches of hell and addiction to reach one year of sobriety, while recording an amazing new record that I’m confident is going to shatter records. And Gabby, with her brilliance only outmatched by her compassion and desire to help others, who is on her way to finishing law school, after which, she plans to become a public defender—and obviously not for the paycheck. Roman, who can’t keep his eyes off my sister for more than two minutes, and who helped Daphni love herself again. And Liam, who is devoted to Gabby, and who takes care of everyone before himself. I was lucky to have these people in my life. And sure, I would be lying if I didn’t want Yael to be part of this, too. Who wouldn’t want someone as smart, as witty, and as passionate as her? She’s confident in who she is and she’s ready to conquer the world. And if that’s something she needs to do, I can’t stand in her way.

  And although the idea of her needing to leave to chase her own dreams saddens me, I know it’s for the best. Yael deserves the world, and I can only give her my small world. It was more than enough for me, but you didn’t have to be a genius to see that Yael was a stallion raised in a tiny pen: she needed to explore, and my life would only hold her back. I had to let her go.

  29

  Yael

  “Yael, it was so nice to meet you.” Daphni says, giving me a quick kiss on my cheek as she turns to hug Lawrence. “Same time next month?”

  Lawrence nods and gives his sister a kiss as he ushers everyone outside. I wave goodbye before stepping aside to let Lawrence close the door.

  “I’m going to get Isabel up to bed. I think she fell asleep on the couch again,” Lawrence says as we walk back down the hall. Something has changed in him. While he had been moody and annoying earlier in the night, his mood seemed to shift. He seemed…resigned. Not in a sad way, exactly, but still, it confused me. Watching him with his sisters, I saw a different side to Lawrence. I knew him as protective from the way he cared for Isabel. But then seeing him with his sisters, I realized that his compassion was ingrained within him. And it was in that realization that I began to acknowledge that maybe it could be possible that something between me and Lawrence wouldn’t end in agony or heartbreak. Maybe there was a chance there could be something real between us: something that could be beautiful.

  Maybe it was time I finally got out of my own way and took a chance. Took a chance on Lawrence, on letting myself fall in love and on trusting that there were things in this world I couldn’t control. All my life, I had been hyper-focused on always having an escape plan. I had been miserable confined to that small house with my father and all the lessons, training and practicing he had forced me to do each week. And then I gone straight to the army where I had dreamed of being able to escape again, which caused me to run into the arms of the first idiot that offered me an exit. And then all I could focus on was how to escape him. So much so that I ended up flying across the world. I just kept running and running and now that I had a chance at something stable, I realized that I never wanted to run. I wanted to belong somewhere. And I do here, and that is what terrifies me the most: if Lawrence and I don’t work out, will I be able to feel this sense of belonging anywhere else? Will I ever to be walk into another house and instantly feel like I have arrived home?

  And I don’t know the answer to that question. But I also can’t keep denying that there is something real and true between Lawrence and I, and I have to explore it. To take a chance.

  So I follow silently behind him, watching as he picks up a sleeping Isabel and disappears down the hall to carry her back up to her bed. Meanwhile, I head into the kitchen and combine the leftover pizza in one box before sliding it into the fridge.

  When I hear him come into the kitchen again, I look up. He wears his usual easy smile on his face as he watches me. “Thanks for cleaning up.”

  I still haven’t grown used to his compliments, the way he acknowledges and thanks me for the smallest of tasks. I shake my head. “It’s not a problem.”

  We continue to stare at each other from across the kitchen while I crack my knuckles at my sides. “You know, I was going to watch a movie, if you wanted to join?” I ask, forcing myself to look at him straight on. I catch the confusion flash in his eyes, but he quickly nods his head.

  “Yeah, let’s do it.”

  I step down through the doorframe into the empty living room and grab the iPad off the coffee table. Lawrence sits on the large sectional, stretching his legs on the long cushion. I take a seat next to him, my arm brushing against him as I sit down. I can read the confusion on his face so easily. I hate that I’ve done this to him: played so hot and cold.

  “Do you have any movie preferences?” I ask as I scroll mindlessly through the iPad.

  Lawrence looks at me, his green eyes searing my skin. I wonder if he can sense the change in me, the walls that have disappeared. “No.”

  “Great,” I say, forcing myself to look back at the screen. I continue to scroll through, but I’m not even looking at this point. All I can focus on is the man next to me. And how I can tell him I want him— and not just for tonight. And while I had hoped for a more elegant approach, the throbbing ache between my legs and the proximity of him beside me is just too much.

  “Oh, God, fuck it,” I declare as I throw the iPad on the couch cushion next to me. I turn around and straddle Lawrence, thrusting my hands through his hair as I pull his face toward mine. Our lips crash and I can feel Lawrence’s hands grab my hips, pulling me closer against him. I open my mouth to him and he groans as he thrusts his tongue inside of me, just as hungry for this as I am.

  His hands wander down until they reach my ass and he grips me tighter, guiding me to position myself on his already-stiff erection. I eagerly center myself against the base of his hard cock and let out a moan at the sparks of pleasure that come from that delightful friction.

  “Fuck, Yael. Is this what you want?” Lawrence asks me as he pulls himself away. His eyes are heavy with desire and his breaths come out in heavy pants.

  I nod slowly as I lower my hands to my shirt’s hem and pull the material over my head. A curse leaves Lawrence’s mouth as his hands skim up my back to tug my lace bralette off. Bare in front of him, Lawrence’s eyes burn into my flesh. Eager for his touch, I arch toward him and he eagerly obliges me, taking one nipple into his mouth and swirling his tongue against it, making it hard
en in seconds. His other hand rubs my free breast, his thumb rubbing against my nipple as his warm mouth continues its assault. Another moan escapes my lips as I start to rock my hips against his hard length. The sounds unleash something inside of him and he lets out a growl as he flips me over so I fall against the couch, landing on my back.

  “You’re so gorgeous, Yael,” he says as he looks down at me. I pant as he looks at me, loving the way his greedy eyes roam over my body. “Tell me you want this.”

  I lick my lips and nod. “I want this.”

  Lawrence kneels down in front of me, his hands on the waist band of my jeans. “Tell me exactly what you want, Yael.”

  I squeeze my eyes closed and bite down on my lip. With a deep sigh, I open my eyes to look at him, locking my eyes on his. “I want you to fuck me, Lawrence.”

  Lawrence closes his eyes and inhales sharply. “God, Yael. Do you know how long I’ve waited to hear that from you?” He leans over me, taking my nipple in his mouth as his hands work to unbuckle my jeans and slide them off. I use my hands to tug at his shirt and he quickly lifts it off over his head, discarding it onto the floor. I let my hands hungrily wander over his hard chest, discovering his body with my fingertips as his mouth moves back to my mine.

  My hands continue wandering downward until they reach his pants buckle. His hard cock is pressing against his pants, and I want to set the beast free. I want him inside me. Now.

  I stumble to unbuckle his pants and Lawrence smiles into my neck. “Greedy girl. I’m not done with you yet.” He kisses a trail down my chest and belly until he reaches my panties. He loops his thumbs in the band and inhales. “God, I’ve dreamed of this for so long,” he mutters as he slides my black lace panties down my legs. He dips his head between my legs and lifts one of my legs to rest on his shoulder as he inhales again. I feel a heated blush rise to my cheeks at the sight of him so obviously turned on by my scent. Any embarrassment immediately disappears when he licks one torturous, long lick down my slit and I completely shudder at the intimate touch. Encouraged by my reaction, he licks again and groans when he tastes me again. As I buck against him, he sucks on my hard clit as his hand roves up my body. He continues to suckle my clit with his tongue, sending me into a delirious state of pleasure, before placing the tips of his two fingers at my entrance. Too desperate to be filled, I thrust against him, forcing him to push his fingers inside of me. I moan at the sensation. He continues to suck my clit, and I shamelessly ride his face as he pumps his fingers inside of me, readying me for him.

  My release comes quickly, and I let out a yelp as I orgasm. Lawrence moans at my climax, tasting my release on his tongue. Temporarily blinded, it takes a few seconds for me to come down from the incredible high of a desperately needed orgasm.

  Lawrence pulls away and unbuckles his pants, letting them slide down to the floor. He steps out of them and hooks his thumbs into his boxers, sliding them down next. My eyes glaze over as I watch his hard cock escape his boxers and hit his stomach. I can see the moisture pooling at his tip, and he takes his right hand to grip the base of his cock, sliding up and down as he stares down at me.

  “You’re so beautiful, Yael,” he says. “I want you so badly.”

  “I want you, too,” I tell him, barely recognizing the need and huskiness of my own voice.

  He squeezes his eyes shut, his head falling back as he continues to stroke himself. “You have no idea what your words do to me,” he says through gritted teeth.

  He opens his eyes and looks down at me before his face transforms and a look of sheer panic takes over. “Oh, fuck!” he swears as he quickly looks around the room, before looking down at me. “I don’t have a condom!”

  I push myself up from the couch. “You don’t have one upstairs?”

  He rakes his hands through his hair as he closes his eyes in frustration. “No, I haven’t…needed them for a while. The one we used… that was my last one.”

  I nod, forcing my orgasm-addled brain to focus for two minutes. “Well, have you been tested?” I ask.

  “Yes, after my last…encounter a few months ago. I’m clean.”

  I take a breath and look at him. “I am, too. I’m not on anything, so you will need to pull out or I can, you know, take care of it tomorrow.”

  Lawrence looks down at me. “Are you sure?”

  I nod and his face breaks into a large smile as he descends upon me again, covering my body with his as his mouth finds mine again. “Oh, thank fucking God,” he murmurs as he positions his hard length against my opening. I can feel how wet and ready I am, and yet he continues to tease me as he strokes his hard cock against my wet slit, readying me for another sure-to-be-Earth-shattering orgasm.

  I moan with each thrust. “Please, Lawrence,” I beg. I’m desperate to have him inside of me, filling me.

  Lawrence groans as he positions himself against my slick center. He slowly starts to push his hard length inside of me. When he’s fully inside me, we both let out a moan. I can feel him filling every single inch of me, and the pressure feels so good.

  He looks down at me once fully inside, his green eyes heated with need. “Are you okay?”

  I nod, and he presses a soft kiss to my lips before pulling himself halfway out and then slowly thrusting inside again. He grits his teeth and I can see he’s holding back. I dig my nails into his arm and lock my eyes on his. “Please, don’t hold back, Lawrence. Just fuck me.”

  My words turn a switch inside of him and he drops his head, resting it against my neck as he pulls himself out and then thrusts himself inside of me, harder and faster this time. I let out a long moan as he continues to grind against me, the angle of his cock both fully filling me, and creating the perfect friction against my hard clit. His strokes increase, growing faster, each thrust eliciting another moan. I drop my head back against the couch and Lawrence bites down on my ear as his hand reaches up to squeeze my nipple in his fingers. The sound of his pants combined with the sensory overload of every part of my body being invaded by his touch sends me over the edge and I gasp as I feel another orgasm coming. I lift my legs to squeeze around him, locking my ankles as I feel my body shudder. My own orgasm triggers his, and he thrusts inside me once more, groaning loudly as he fills me with his own release before collapsing on top of me. Our two chests heave as we both try to catch our breaths. Lawrence tangles his hands in my hair, pulling me against him.

  After a few long moments, Lawrence shifts and pulls out of me. He maneuvers me to rest on top of him and places a gentle kiss on my forehead as his arms wrap around me.

  “Yael, that was incredible.”

  I don’t respond, and as if he can sense all the thoughts racing through my head, Lawrence shifts so that he’s facing me. “Don’t run away now, Yael. Don’t escape into that beautiful, overthinking brain of yours.”

  I force a smile to my face and shake my head. “I’m not going to run away.”

  Lawrence smiles and pushes himself off the couch, shifting to take me in his arms. “Great, because I’m taking you up to my bed now,” he announces.

  I go stiff in his arms. “No, we can’t. It’s too complicated.”

  Lawrence shakes his head and continues to carry me out of the living room and down the hall toward the stairs. “No, it’s not. You’re sleeping in my bed. We’re both up early in the morning before Isabel so she won’t even know.” As we reach his room, he kicks open the door before shutting it with his foot. He brings me to his bed and deposits me onto the soft mattress. “And now that I’ve had you, there’s no way I’m letting you go.”

  30

  Yael

  My eyes pop open as I hear another “ding” from my cellphone. I try to move, but feel a heavy weight holding me down. I look to my side and see Lawrence’s arm draped over me.

  My phone beeps again and I slide out of the bed, careful not to wake him up. I crouch down on the floor and search for the source of the sound. A third beep and I find the phone, fishing it out of my pants pocket of the
pile of clothes we had brought up from our escapade on the couch last night. A series of texts from Eva are waiting for me.

  Got some intel. Call me ASAP.

  It’s juicy. You’re going to want to call.

  Bitch, pick up your phone.

  Seriously, I’ve got some good stuff.

  CALLLLLLLLLL MEEEEEEEEEEEE.

  I roll my eyes and throw my T-shirt on over my head, slip my panties back on, and tip toe to the bathroom. Carefully closing the door behind me, I sit on the toilet and dial Eva, who picks up on the first ring.

  “Took you long enough.”

  “Hey, nice to hear from you, too,” I answer.

  “So, you were right about your hunch,” Eva tells me. “They weren’t after Isabel, per se. They wanted that lollipop.”

  “What did they want her lollipop for? Unless they needed some kind of…” I feel my breath catch in my throat as I finally put the pieces of the puzzle together. “They wanted her DNA,” I whisper into the phone.

  “Ding! Ding! And, I did a bit of digging on my own based on those names you gave me. And guess what? A Miss Fiona Chesterfield ordered a DNA paternity test exactly one week before the lollipop incident. Delivered straight to her house.”

  “She doesn’t think Lawrence is the father?” I whisper, stunned.

  “Why are you whispering? You sound super creepy,” Eva says before loudly gasping into the phone. “Yael, where are you?”

  “I’m in my room,” I quickly lie.

  “Don’t you dare lie to me, Yael! Tell me where you are!”

  “Just keep going,” I whisper, annoyed.