The Dragon (G.O.N.Y. - Double Dragon) Read online

  “No one knew, Hannah. How could anyone when she was so good at hiding in plain sight?”

  Hannah nodded. Jezebel went back to her pickles. “I’m glad my son has you.”

  She froze, but gradually resumed her eating. “We’re not together.”

  The older woman smiled secretively. “No?”

  “No.” Jezebel looked around and wisely chose not to address the fact that she was in his room.

  “Okay.” Hannah looked at her belly and her eyes twinkled. “I’m glad you’re the mother of my future sohnja, my grandbaby. You’re a strong woman, smart and kind too. I know with you as his mother, he’ll be just fine.”

  Jezebel was touched. That sounded like approval from Ramsey’s mom. Not that it meant anything since her son was a mobster, but if he wasn’t, it could mean so much more. “Thank you, Hannah.”

  “Is he very active?”

  She nodded and ran a hand over the smooth bump. “Lately, he’s been very active, especially early in the morning and late at night.”

  “That’s good.” Hannah smiled. “Active babies are usually healthy.”

  The door opened behind her and Jezebel lifted her head to find Ramsey stepping in. Hannah took it as her cue to leave. With a kiss to her son’s cheek, she left them alone.

  Ramsey smirked down at Jezebel. “Pickles and peanut butter so soon after your release?”

  She ignored him, swirled her pickle into the peanut butter and bit down. “Yum.”

  He lifted a brow and walked past her and the bed, to the closet. He was still holding her coat. After minutes passed with her staring at the closet door and no Ramsey emerging, Jezebel grew suspicious. What was he doing in there? She was about to ask when he walked out sans coat and suit. He’d dressed down in sweats and a sleeveless T-shirt. When he slid under the covers, and reached for her plate, she snatched it back and glared at him. Ramsey only grinned as he moved closer to her.

  “What are you doing?” she finally asked.

  “What does it look like I’m doing?”

  “I’m not having sex with you.”

  He laughed but quickly sobered at her expression. Instantly, she schooled her features. Just because she felt crestfallen, didn’t mean her face had to reflect it. Where had her poker face gone? “Jez, whatever you’re thinking, you’re wrong.”

  She turned away from him quickly and forced a smile. When had she become self-conscious? When Ramsey laughed in her face as if the thought of having sex with her hadn’t occurred to him? So, yes, just a few seconds ago.

  Ramsey sidled up to her, hip to hip, and managed to take her plate of pickles. Before she could protest, he placed them on his lap and began to stroke her belly. “What are you thinking?”

  “That you’re trying to keep me from my pickles.”

  He snorted. “I know better.”

  “Good.”

  Jezebel felt a hard thump and looked down. She felt it again and next to her, Ramsey sprang into action, hoisting her shirt over her belly, placing the plate further away, getting to his knees above her and positioning his hands at the sides of her belly. It came again and excitement lit his face. Dimples appeared as he smiled wide, looking between her and her moving belly. Jezebel leaned back and watched him. It wasn’t the first time she’d felt a kick, but it was his first time. Ramsey had felt the shifts before as the baby turned or moved, but kicks had been rare until now.

  He murmured something low in Korean and she smiled. “What did you say?”

  “My little kick-boxer,” he answered, sliding his large hands all over her belly in the hopes of feeling another one. “Does it hurt?”

  “No.” She smiled to reassure him. “It’s just surprising.”

  Ramsey nodded and remained still for long seconds, waiting. Junior seemed to have found his position because the movement stopped. Ramsey moved back to his position next to her. He pulled the covers over her belly but his hand continued to stroke her naked skin.

  “Pickles,” she muttered after long minutes passed in silence with him stroking her.

  As he handed them to her, she realized her stash was waning. She only had two left. Grabbing the fattest one, she swirled it in the peanut butter, closed her eyes and continued her feast.

  ***

  She was seducing him.

  Ramsey stared in fascination as the pickle went into Jezebel’s mouth yet again, and emerged intact, without so much as a bite mark. She was licking off the peanut butter, slowly but surely. Her eyes were closed, her body relaxed, and she was seducing him.

  Stroking his hand down her belly, he slid his fingers into her pants and panties.

  “Hey!” She turned to him, pickle in one hand.

  “Hey what?” he murmured, spreading her sex apart with his fingers. She gasped, her eyes going wide as he traced a finger along her slippery slit. “You’re doing it on purpose.”

  “I was eating my snack.” She seemed genuinely surprised.

  He smirked. “I’d like my snack too.”

  “What? You don’t even like it―oh!” She moaned as his finger slid into her sex. “Ramsey, what are you doing?”

  Removing his fingers, he pushed the covers back, got between her legs and pulled her down so she was lying flat on her back. She gasped and stared at him with wide eyes and that pickle still gripped in her right hand. One fluid motion had her pants and panties off. He spread her legs wide and continued to play, teasing her with his fingers and thumb until she forgot about her pickle and arched off the bed in need. Looking down at her, her thick waist, her exposed sex, Ramsey couldn’t help the powerful surge of lust that rushed him. As long as it was Jezebel, he’d be hard. He’d accepted it.

  As he stared, she suddenly shifted, drawing her legs together as she tried to roll away from him. He held tight to her hips as he looked into her eyes. Even those, she tried to shield from him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m not in the mood.”

  He looked from her face to her glistening sex and back. “You seem in the mood to me.”

  “Just leave me alone, Ramsey.”

  Moving back to her side, he slid a hand under her and pulled her against him. “What did I do?”

  “Nothing.”

  He stared into her pinched face and drew a breath. “I love you. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I’d like to make love to you.” She seemed surprised and he frowned. “You know this.”

  When she looked away, he groaned and reached for her hand. He dragged it along his lower abdomen and pushed it into his trousers. From there, she needed no encouragement, closing her fist around his rigid sex.

  “One look at you,” he began softly, watching her eyes darken in need, “This face, these lips, these breasts, this belly, and this pussy…” She groaned as his fingers slid between her legs again. “…and I have to restrain myself from fucking you wherever we are.” She groaned and her legs opened, giving him access to her heat. “How can you not know what you do to me?”

  When she only swallowed and whimpered, he leaned forward and kissed her slow, swirling his tongue into her mouth as he slid two fingers into her body.

  “Ohh,” she breathed. “Ramsey.”

  “Yes, baby,” he murmured against her lips. “I’m going to show you so you never doubt how much I want to be right here.” He stroked up into her again, dragging another moan from her lips. “Always.”

  He removed his fingers, gently pushed her onto her back, and rose over her again. Her eyes were dark again, filled with desire and need for him. He pulled her up to remove the shirt and expose her fully to him. When he parted her legs, she let him. When he lowered his face to her weeping sex, she slid her hand into his hair in anticipation. As his tongue burrowed through her sweetness, she clutched his hair and lifted her hips, telling him silently where she wanted him. When he finally settled over that tiny bundle of nerves, her body jerked and she moaned loudly.

  “Oh God, Ramsey…”
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  He licked her with slow, long, torturous licks that had her whining and crying out in frustration, before he licked her fast, flicking his tongue against the hard bud as she whimpered, moaned and ground her sex against his face.

  When he pulled away from his feast, he lifted her to straddle him and lowered her on his thick shaft. He couldn’t wait any longer. He needed to feel her opening around him, needed her wet warmth stroking him.

  Jezebel slid her arms around his neck, pulled her lower lip into her mouth, and began to slide down.

  “Slowly, baby,” he murmured, clutching her succulent bottom in his fists and lifting her away when she gasped. As she slid down again, taking him deeper, and deeper, he leaned forward and nipped her ear. “You feel so good, Jez.” She whimpered and took him deeper. “Feels like you were made for me, made to take me deep into your pussy.”

  As she lowered herself again, he thrust a few inches up. She tossed her head back as she took him fully. “Ramsey!”

  “Talk to me, Jez,” he whispered, kissing her slowly. “Tell me how you feel.”

  “I feel so…full of you.” She rotated her hips and he groaned.

  “Do you love me?”

  She stilled and he smacked her bottom. She whimpered but clenched down on him. He lifted her a few inches and lowered her again.

  “Tell me, baby. Tell me you love me.”

  She shook her head and whimpered. He stilled, and gripped her hips to still her.

  “Don’t you love me, Jez?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Her sex clutched him again.

  “That’s the only thing that matters.” With that, he lifted her away, ignoring her protests as he lowered her to the bed and covered her. He gripped his wet sex and slid himself home. He needed Jezebel, much more than she needed him, but tonight, she was going to admit that she loved him even if he had to torture it out of them both.

  ***

  Why was he doing this to her?

  Jezebel moaned as he slid into her again before pulling out completely. She tried to clutch him to her with her legs but he was strong, easily breaking her hold. One hand held both of hers above her head, allowing him to torture her while she lay there and took it.

  “What do you want?” she finally screeched.

  He kissed her and she eagerly returned it, gasping in pleasure when he tunneled into her again. “Oh yes, Ramsey…please…” He began to slide out again. “No!”

  “You know what I want.” His lips closed over her nipple as his cock grazed her belly. “You know what we both want.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” she repeated. “It won’t work―doesn’t matter. I can’t.”

  His tongue moved to her other breast, stroking, sucking, teasing.

  “Fuck me, please. Ramsey!” When he continued to ignore her, she screamed, “I hate you!”

  He paused, lifted his head and smiled down at her. His lips moved to her neck, and he sucked hard before kissing her lips. As she eagerly returned his kiss, he pulled away. “I hate you.”

  His cock brushed her slit and she arched, taking him deep as he came into her again. “Oh, I hate you…” He withdrew but thrust forward over and over again.“Yes, just like that. I hate you. I hate you, Ramsey. I hate you so much!”

  “You love me.” He kissed her again, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth as he continued to thrust into her.

  “I hate you.”

  “I love you.” He plunged his tongue into her mouth, mimicking his hips. “I need you.”

  “Because of the baby.”

  “Even without the baby.”

  She moaned and shook her head. She was close, so close. “I can’t.”

  “Do you love me?”

  His thrusts grew faster, harder, and she moaned and whimpered, loving every inch of the virile man above her. “Yes…oh God, yes!”

  “Say it.”

  He stopped.

  “I love you,” she whimpered, she rolled her hips against him. “I love you, Ramsey!”

  Ramsey pulled from her again and she cried out her frustration. He rolled her to her side and got behind her. She eagerly parted her legs and cried out when he entered her from behind.

  His finger slid between her legs and found her clit. “Oooh!”

  As his thrusts increased, she closed her eyes and let herself feel.

  “I love you too much to let you go,” he groaned. She couldn’t focus on the meaning of those words so she focused on his cock. He tunneled deep and withdrew almost to the point of leaving before slamming back into her.

  Her body jerked once, twice and her body seized, locking down on him as the drawn out orgasm finally made itself known. She felt him thrusting on, his grunts making her shiver, before he groaned her name and warmth splashed her insides.

  Neither of them moved for long minutes and then he did. His hips shifted back, leaving her bereft of him. He reached for the tangled covers and pulled them over their bodies. Curling around her back, Ramsey placed his hand over her belly and gently caressed her.

  “You’re my family, Jezebel.” She froze. The slow stroking made her relax again. “You and this baby are my family.”

  Moving her hand to his, she halted his caresses. “I won’t be with a gangster. It’s too dangerous and I won’t do that to myself or this baby.”

  “I know.” He brushed his lips against her shoulder. “You won’t have to be with one. I’m walking away from it.”

  What? She rolled to face him. “Can you do that?”

  He smirked. “I can do whatever I want. I’m The Dragon, remember?”

  She frowned, unconvinced. “Won’t they try to hurt you?”

  Ramsey seemed to contemplate it for a while before he shook his head. “No.”

  “What about your obligations to your family?”

  He caught her lips in a kiss that made her toes curl. “You’re my family now.”

  She frowned. “What about your businesses?”

  “Most will shut down within the next six months. The only ones that will continue are the legitimate ventures: the spas, the investment company. I opened them after business school.”

  “Why now?”

  At his look of confusion, she amended, “Why are you giving it up now? Why didn’t you do this before?”

  “I always had plans to make this inheritance legitimate, Jezebel.” His eyes grew haunted once more. “Lily’s death changed that. I needed to find the people responsible.” She nodded, understanding. “I found them. That part of my life is now over.” He stroked her belly. “I want this. I want you and the family you’re going to give me.” He smiled and her heart did something silly in her chest. “Is that okay with you?”

  Hope bubbled to the surface and struggled to get out. She pushed it down. “Don’t tell me what you think I want to hear.”

  “You’re smarter than that, Jezebel.” Black eyes bored into hers. “I’d never do that to you.”

  “You’re leaving all of it behind?”

  “From now on, everything I do will be in compliance with the law.”

  When she only stared at him, he leaned close and murmured, “Do you think you can put up with a boring businessman?” At her wide-eyed stare, he added, “I’m not as savvy as you when it comes to business but I do pretty well for myself.” He smiled. “I also give full body massages. I’ve been told I’m very good.”

  “Ramsey…”

  “Marry me.”

  “What?”

  He grinned. “Don’t you want to make an honest man out of me, Jez?”

  When she only stared at him wide-eyed, he smirked. “I’ll give you all the pickles, peanut butter, and barbeque potato chips you want.”

  She tried to hold in her smile but failed. “You’re silly.”

  “Only with you,” he murmured. “I love you. You love me. I want you and my son in my life. I want to give you my name, see you next to me every night I go to sleep and every morning I open my eyes…” Jezebel wasn’t particularly romantic, but she
came very close to sighing at those words. He stroked her belly. “And I want more of these.”

  “More of these?” she repeated.

  “Yes.” He nodded. “Five.”

  “Five?” Not two or three but five? She shook her head. “I’m not having five of these for anyone.”

  “You’ll have five for me.” He kissed her protest away. “And you’ll enjoy making the other four as much as you enjoyed making my son.”

  “Did Dr. Chen tell you it’s a boy?” The question had been plaguing her for a while. Ramsey just seemed so confident about ‘his son’ and she wouldn’t put it past the good doctor who just couldn’t resist jumping at Ramsey’s every command. If she wasn’t so good, Jezebel would have already complained about that twinkle she got in her eye when Ramsey did something even Jezebel admitted was cute.

  He shook his head. “Paternal intuition.”

  “What?”

  “It’s a boy,” he whispered. “I feel it here.” He pressed a finger to his golden pectoral, just above his heart.

  “Sure.” She groaned. “Does that mean she told you?”

  Ramsey grew serious. “You’re going to marry me and expand our family.”

  She scowled. “Was that a question because it sure sounded like a statement?”

  “A fact,” he corrected. “It’s a fact.”

  “It’s not a fact.”

  He brushed his lips against hers, unperturbed. “It is.”

  “I’m not the barefoot-pregnant-kitchen type in case you missed that.”

  Ramsey chuckled. “You’ll make barefoot-pregnant-boardroom the new trend.”

  “You’re trying to distract me.” She sighed, wondering if this was real. Had she fallen asleep? Imagined that Ramsey Stone told her he was leaving the family business behind to get into family business with her. “Don’t lie to me, Ramsey.”

  He kissed her nose. “You’re the one person who doesn’t have to worry about that.” When she only continued to stare at him, he murmured, “Aren’t you tired?”

  She was. Who wouldn’t be tired after the torturous workout she’d just had. But how could she sleep? Too much had happened. Ramsey wanted her to marry him, wanted them to be a family. She hadn’t accepted his proposal but she hadn’t denied him either.