The Devil’s Reward: An Opposites Attract Romance (The Devil’s Soldiers)

Am I rushing into this?

“Oh my God!” Peyton screeches loud enough that I have to haul the phone away from my ear. “You finally did it. You slept with him.”

“Shhhhhh,” I hiss, looking around to make sure that Macy isn’t within earshot. She likes Shadow, but I don’t feel like having the birds and the bees talk with her today. “We fooled around, yes, but not, you know, all the way,” I rush to tell her.

“It doesn’t matter, this is a monumental moment,” Peyton argues. “My little sister has finally found a man worthy of a relationship. Please tell me he knows what he’s doing,” she begs.

I blush, thinking about the wicked way Shadow used his fingers and tongue last night. I don’t think I’ve ever been so sated. “He does,” I admit.

Again, another squeal. “We need to get Mom in on this,” Peyton announces.

“No!” I cry, horrified, but of course, she doesn’t listen, bringing Mom into the call. I groan when my mother joins.

“Quinn slept with her biker man,” Peyton announces proudly.

My mother hollers in excitement and I collapse on the couch and put my head in my hands. Why did I think calling them was a good idea? I should have just texted and said everything went well, and left it at that. Then again, this is my family. They would have called anyway and hounded me until I gave up the details. Or worse, they would wait until next week and demand the answers from Shadow himself.

“Quinn, I’m so proud of you,” my mother gushes.

“Good job, kiddo!” my father hollers from the background, making me groan.

“I need to find another family,” I groan. “You guys are terrible.”

They laugh. “Honey, we’re an open kind of family. You should be used to this. Would it help if I told you about what your father and I got up to the other day? I found this new toy I wanted to try out on your father and—”

“For the love of God, do not finish that sentence,” I plead. “I’m going to need therapy.”

Mom scoffs. “Please. Your therapist would tell you this is healthy and they wish more families were like ours. But since you won’t give any dirty details, at least tell me if it was good.”

“Technically, they didn’t have sex,” Peyton interrupts.

“Why am I needed on this call again?” I ask drily. “I mean, if you’re going to tell the story anyway?”

“Fine, fine, sorry,” Peyton huffs.

“So what did you do, then?” Mom asks, confused.

“Ah, well, we fooled around a bit,” I say awkwardly, glancing around again to make sure Macy hasn’t come down from her room.

Peyton groans. “Would you stop acting like a nun, Quinn? He ate her out like a pro, and then she gave him a blowjob. And from what she’s said, it was damn good one because he stayed and held her until early morning.”

“Fuck’s sakes,” I mutter, face flaming. “I told you that in confidence, Pey.”

“We both know that you would have never said anything and I would tell Mom anyway,” Peyton says carelessly. “Personally, I think this is great. He plans on sticking around, and he was great with Macy this morning, right?”

My heart warms at the memory of Shadow sitting on the couch with her this morning, doing her hair. I wish I had thought to record it. I was already halfway in love with the man, but his treatment of Macy this morning, being so kind and gentle and taking time to help her before he left, cemented it.

“He braided her hair,” I tell my Mom. “And answered a bunch of her questions.”

“Macy’s always been a good judge of character,” Mom muses. “And she obviously trusts him.”

“I think she’s after him for his ability to take her to her favorite places,” I chuckle. “I think she’s angling for him to take her to Disney or something, and with the way she’s got him wrapped around her finger already, she might succeed.”

“He sounds like a nice man,” Mom says warmly. Then she pauses. “Did you tell him about Bobby?” she asks gently.

Bobby’s name sends a stab of hurt through me, but instead of the lasting pain that has always accompanied his memory before, this time, it’s duller. “I did,” I say absently, thinking back to the conversation. “I told him everything.”

“You did?” Peyton asks, surprised.

“He… he came over the night before our date. The neighbor’s house was broken in to, and Shadow’s company does security systems so I messaged and asked him for a quote. He came right away.”

“Oh my God,” Mom gasps. “How far away from you? Are you sure it’s safe to be there?”

“We’re fine,” I rush out. “The cops feel it was an isolated incident. Anyway, he came over, and we got to talking and he asked me about Bobby. It just all spilled out. I think I was hoping that it might scare him off a little, make him think I had a lot of baggage, but instead, he was pissed on my behalf and told me that he was glad Bobby was dead.”

“I like him already,” my father says, obviously listening in.

“He’s been through his own trauma,” I explain. “It’s his story to tell, so I don’t want to share too much, but he was in the Forces and he lost his team on a mission.”

“That poor man,” Mom murmurs. “So he understands, to a degree, what you’ve been through.”

“Yeah,” I agree.

“Well, I’m looking forward to meeting him when we get there,” Peyton says brightly, changing the tone of the conversation.

“I don’t know how much you’ll see him,” I warn. “There was an accident yesterday, and someone tried to run him and a few others traveling with him off the road. They succeeded in running down their club President, and then hit the SUV carrying his wife, his two daughters-in-law, and their driver hard enough for it to roll multiple times. They’re all in the hospital.”

“Oh my God,” my mother gasps. “That’s awful.”

“Shadow was upset, which is part of the reason he was over last night. He was one of the ones to pull one of them out of the burning car just before it exploded.”

“Holy shit,” my sister mutters. “No wonder he wanted to come see you. After that, you need to get the adrenaline out of you somehow.”

I frown at her words. Wait, is she saying that Shadow only came over so he could work out his emotions with sex? I immediately dismiss that. I saw him, and I felt his anger at the whole situation. He even tried to leave, and he asked permission before we got busy. He didn’t press me for more, either.

“I hope everything goes well for his friends,” my mother says.

A knock on the door has me frowning. “Hold on, guys, someone is at the door,” I say, standing.

“Don’t you hang up,” my father orders. “It could be some crazed burglar casing the neighborhood.”

I look out the curtains and see Shadow on the step. I instantly relax. “It’s not, it’s Shadow,” I say, hurrying to open the door. I smile up at him and step back to let him in. “I’ll talk to you guys later,” I tell my family.

“Use protection!” my mother yells, loud enough that Shadow hears and starts to chuckle, a grin slowly pulling at his lips even as my face flames in embarrassment.

“I want all the details later,” my sister orders. “And if you call too early, I’ll know he’s lousy in bed and last night was a fluke.”

Shadow reaches out to take my phone, and my eyes widen in horror as he puts it to his ear. “Don’t worry, she won’t be calling you too early,” he assures them in that deep voice of his. I shake my head vehemently, trying to grab the phone back. I don’t hear what they say back to him, but he just grins and says, “Yes, ma’am, I promise to keep your daughter fully safe and satisfied. I look forward to meeting you. Okay, goodbye.” He hangs up and hands me back the phone, the look on his face wicked and smug.

Kill me now. Seriously, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look Shadow in the face again.

I start to back away from him, but he follows me. “Don’t,” I warn him when he opens his mouth to speak. “Don’t say it.”

“You don’t want me to say that your family seems nice?” he asks innocently. I’m forced to stop when I bump into the kitchen island, and he crowds into me, hands going to the counter on either side of me as I stare up at him. “Or maybe, you don’t want me to tell you that your mother told me that I better protect you in and out of bed? Oh, and that she expects me to be good in bed for you, or else she’ll make sure you dump me in a flash. So I guess I better step up my game, huh, gorgeous?”

“My family is insane,” I whisper.

He chuckles and leans down to brush his mouth along my jaw, making me sigh and tilt my head to give him better access. “Sounds like they want to make sure you’re happy, even if they’re blunt about it. And just so we’re clear, Quinn, I plan on keeping you deliriously happy. In bed and out. Got it?”

“Uh-huh,” I murmur, closing my eyes and absorbing the sensation of his mouth on my skin. He hums, moving his mouth to mine and kissing me. I sink into it, thoroughly seduced, everything else fading away. I have a feeling that he’ll use it plenty to get his way in the future. Though, if this is the result, is it really that bad?

“Gross,” Macy cries, making Shadow pull away as both of us look up at the top of the stairs where Macy is looking at us in disgust. “Are you always going to be kissing Mom?” she demands of Shadow, hands going to her hips.

Shadow clears his throat but doesn’t move, and I quickly realize why. His erection is pressing against my belly. I have to bite back a laugh. Seriously, this is just crazy. “I like kissing your mom,” he tells Macy, giving her an arch look. “Do you not want me to?”

Macy looks at me, as if assessing whether or not I actually want this, and then heaves out a large, dramatic sigh. “Finnnnnne,” she groans as she rushes down the steps. “But since you’re here, you have to play with me,” she orders, a cunning look in her eyes.

“Alright,” Shadow says easily. I snicker, and he looks back at me in question, but I just give him an innocent smile. He has no idea what he’s agreed to, and I’m not about to enlighten him. It’s time for Shadow to realize what he’s getting into with a little girl like Macy. If he can survive that, then he can survive anything.

An hour later, Shadow is sitting in Macy’s room, while I try to control my laughter and fail miserably. He glares at me over Macy’s head, but I just lift my phone to take a picture that I plan to send to my family. Macy has gone all out. She’s put small pieces of his hair into bows of all different colors, he has bright blue eye shadow on his lids, heart-shaped stickers on his cheeks, and she’s braided some strands of his beard and clipped them with brightly colored barrettes. And if I’m not mistaken, she’s put some glitter lip gloss on his lips.

He looks utterly ridiculous, especially sitting there in his cut and looking all manly. I have to walk away because I can’t contain my laughter anymore. I make it down to the kitchen, and shoot the picture to the group chat.

Me: Macy caught him kissing me and got all grossed out. She conned him into playing with her. (laughing emoji)

The replies are instant.

Mom: OH. MY. GOD. This is going on the Christmas Card!

Peyton: That poor man. He’s going to need serious therapy after this.

Dad: Poor bastard. Tell him I’ll bring him some beer to make it up to him.

I start laughing, feeling light and carefree. A first in a long time. I forgot how good it was to have someone else around, and how crazy Macy can be with people. But he let her do it, so I have to consider that a good sign. I force myself to clean up the kitchen and the living room, because I know if I go back up there, I’m just going to start laughing all over again, and I doubt Shadow will be too pleased.

I just finish putting away the broom and dustpan when two hands grab me by the hips and spin me around. I yelp in surprise and stare up at Shadow, who is now free of all make-up, clips, bows, and glitter. A couple of water droplets linger on his cheek from where he washed his face, and I feel my grin trying to break free, so I have to bite my lip.

“Macy is cleaning up her room before bath time,” he rumbles down at me, hands squeezing on my hips. “Which means that I have you all to myself for a few minutes,” he says with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

My heart kicks up. Uh oh. “I should probably go and help Macy get ready for her bath,” I tell him with a weak smile.

“I don’t think so, gorgeous,” he purrs. “I saw you take that picture.”

I giggle before I stifle it. “You were just so pretty,” I say innocently. “I thought it would be a great moment for the scrapbook.”

“You already sent it to your family, huh?” he asks.

“Mom says it’s going on the family Christmas card, and Dad promised to bring you some beer,” I tell him sweetly, batting my lashes at him.

“You know you’re going to pay for that, right?” he warns, a low purr in his throat as he leans down to press his lips close to my ear. “And by pay, I mean, I’m going to eat that sweet pussy so slow, bringing you to the edge time and time again. Then, I’m going to do the same with my cock. I’ll have you begging me to cum so prettily.”

Holy shit. Heat sears my belly. Bobby and my high school boyfriend never said things like this. I never thought men actually talked like that, outside of books or TV. Or maybe in porn. I swallow hard. “That doesn’t sound like much of a punishment,” I moan softly.

He chuckles, making me shudder. Desire is building in my belly, making my pussy wet enough that I’m going to need some new underwear. “We’ll see how you feel after the fifth or sixth time I deny you your orgasm,” is his response before he takes my mouth in a heated, passionate kiss.

I moan into his mouth, my tongue dueling with his as he moves one of his hands from my hip to the curve of my ass, cupping it and hauling me closer to him. Close enough that I can feel his erection pressing tight against me through his jeans. I can’t resist rubbing my body against him, making him groan and pull his mouth away from mine. He drops his hand from my ass, but I swear I can still feel the heat of his grip. “You’re going to be the death of me,” he mutters. “Quinn, I need you tonight. Are you up for that? Because if not, I need to get a cold shower or I’m not going to last.”

This is a big step for me. I barely know Shadow in the grand scheme of things, but my parents always say that when you know, you know. And with Shadow, I know. I know without a doubt I can trust him. Not just with my body, but with my heart. With Macy. So I tell myself not to overthink and take the plunge. If I fall and end up hurt, I already know I can put my own pieces back together again.

“Yes,” I murmur, forcing myself to look up into his eyes so he can see my answer there as well. I take in the hunger in his eyes, the way he clenches his jaw, and my clit throbs in response. My body is fully on board with this idea.

“Go get Macy ready for bed, gorgeous, and I’ll meet you in your room after she’s asleep,” he directs, stepping away from me before reaching down to adjust himself in his jeans.

“What are you doing?” I ask stupidly, staring at the bulge.

He groans and drops his head forward. “I’m trying to get this to calm down, gorgeous, and you staring at me like you can’t wait to taste me again isn’t helping,” he scolds me jokingly.

I force myself to pull my gaze away from him. “There’s some beer in the fridge,” I tell him as I head for the stairs. “I picked some up for you this afternoon.”

He nods. “Thanks, gorgeous. I’ll see you in a bit.” Then he turns and heads to the couch, while I hurry upstairs to get Macy.

By the time Macy is through her nighttime routine, it’s an hour later, and my clothes are wet from when she splashed me in the bath. I tuck her into bed, and she looks at me with tired eyes. “Is Shadow sleeping over?” she asks me tiredly.

I pause, unsure what to say. The answer is yes, but will she understand at her age? Am I being a terrible mother by letting him stay the night again? Will it confuse her? “Are you okay if he does?” I settle on asking her.

She nods her head. “He played with me, so it’s only fair,” she yawns. “Can he come and say goodnight to me too?”

I hesitate. It’s one thing to have the two of them spend time together, but it’s another thing entirely to have him do something so important. Especially in the eyes of my daughter. “He’s downstairs, honey,” I murmur. “Maybe next time, okay?”

She pouts but is too tired to argue with me. “Okay,” she murmurs, and then her eyes close and she’s out. I’ve always envied the way she can fall right into sleep.

I tiptoe out of the room and walk towards the bathroom to clean it up. Only, when I reach it, it’s clean, and Macy’s bath toys are already put away in the basket by the tub. I turn my head towards my closed bedroom door. I don’t deserve this man. I look down the stairs and see that he’s also already turned everything off and locked up.

I take a deep breath and head to my bedroom, slipping inside and locking it behind me. Macy rarely wakes up, but just in case, I want to make sure she won’t walk in and see anything she shouldn’t.

When I turn around, Shadow is standing by the window in only his jeans, the low light of the lamps illuminating the ink on his back. It draws my gaze, and I marvel again at the incredible work. Whoever did it for him is an artist.

Shadow turns to look at me. “Macy asleep?” he asks me, watching me with an unreadable expression.

I nod. “She was out like a light,” I tell him, a nervous smile on my lips. “Thank you for cleaning the bathroom for me. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I figured you might be a little bit, so I took care of it,” he says with a careless shrug. He steps towards me, and though I don’t move, he must sense my nerves. “We don’t have to do anything tonight you’re not comfortable with, Quinn,” he says gently when he’s a few feet away from me. “If you’re not ready for—”

“I am,” I rush to interrupt. “I just need to get out of my head, that’s all.” I swallow hard, and he looks at me for a moment, assessing.

He must realize I’m telling the truth because he steps forward and orders softly, “Then I suggest you get naked, Ms. Holt, because I don’t want to waste a single moment with you tonight.”