DEEP CUT (Men of the Woods Book 2) Read online

  “Okay.” She replies pulling her lips to the side her nearly black hair silky straight and hanging behind her shoulders to the center of her back calling for my hands wind through it and drag her willing or unwilling into my life.

  Her wide eyes tell me she’s as unsure about this whole set up as I am, but I’m sure her discomfort comes from a less perverted place than mine.

  She looks from her father to me, then back to him, her fingertips fussing with the locket that hangs at the base of her neck.

  I want my tongue there. I want it tracing around the gold pendant as my hands roam that sweet, young body.

  She’s wearing this white jean skirt with a frayed hem, paired with a button-up sleeveless blouse with tiny unicorns printed onto the light blue background. I can’t take my eyes off the tie of her bathing suit top, peeking out from behind her shirt collar as it winds up around the back of her neck.

  When I touched her to put the necklace on, the bow from her swimsuit drove me crazy. I imagined pulling it between my teeth, letting the scraps of fabric that have the privilege of covering what I’m sure are the world’s most perfect pink nipples fall away.

  Her skin felt like silk under the brush of my rough fingertips, and when I placed that chain around her neck a shock wave hit me. In that moment, I changed.

  That necklace was not just a birthday present, it was a claiming. Putting that on her was telling the world to stay the fuck away from what’s mine.

  Even if no one but me knows it yet.

  “Hey.” One of her friends walks up behind, tapping her on the shoulder. “Everyone wants to get in the pool.”

  The young girl with strawberry blonde hair looks over at me with a smirk, but all I can do is sense discomfort coming from Melody.

  She glances over her shoulder at the group whooping it up in the cabana. There’s a mixture of boys and girls almost her age, and when they walked in earlier, a rage tightened inside me. Watching the boys go by, looking at her, I wanted to scoop her up and run away with her so no man could ever look at her again.

  “Okay.” She agrees but doesn’t move as her friend reaches down and pulls at her hand.

  “So, your uncle will come here tomorrow and stay with you until we get back. He’ll take you to school in the mornings and collect you at the end of the day.” My brother is looking over to the hot tub where his girlfriend’s tits are practically hanging out of her bathing suit and a bunch of men’s eyes are half popping out of their heads.

  This whole scene sets me on edge. Knowing my sweet girl is living here, where men come and ogle other woman and their eyes undoubtedly roam on her as well, has me nearing my limit. The only reason I’ve come to the get-togethers here before is for her.

  To see her.

  To smell her.

  To protect her.

  “Come on.” Her friend tugs harder and Melody starts to sidestep with her.

  “Thank you for the presents.” Her blue eyes sparkle and she sets her teeth into her bottom lip, nearly making me cum.

  All I can do is nod as I watch her walk away, the ripe mounds of her full ass cheeks bouncing as she goes.

  “Well.” My brother gives me a look, then a half smile. “We all set then?” He claps his hands in front of his chest then rubs his palms together like he’s trying to light a fire with them.

  “Yup.” I answer back. The only thing on my mind is tomorrow and being under the same roof as my niece. My niece.. “We are good.”

  With that, Phillip makes his way to the hot tub, where the adults are acting more like the teenagers, and when I turn to watch Melody slipping out of her skirt and shirt, I think I might pass the fuck out.

  Under her clothes, she’s wearing a one piece. And thank fuck for that, because if it was a bikini I don’t think I would be able to not rush over there and cover her, announcing the end of the party and shoving everyone toward their cars.

  The bathing suit is a light green and white checkered deal that clings to her in all the right places, and I can see the peaks of her nipples showing through. She looks self-conscious, glancing my way before quickly taking the steps down into the pool as her friends strip down to their bathing suits and jump in the water behind her.

  My cock is raging against the inside of my jeans. I think of going inside and getting my dick out and stroking off, but I know it won’t give me any relief. I’ve tried hundreds of times since the first time I saw her, and it only seems to heighten my obsession.

  Besides, I can’t leave her surrounded by these raging bags of teen testosterone. So, I take a seat back by the edge of the patio and watch.

  Nearly an hour and a half later, the sun is almost down. The lights are on inside the pool, illuminating her curves under the water, and it’s all I can do to stay in my seat.

  My brother disappeared inside with Cynthia about an hour ago. The rest of the adults decided to go into town to some bar. So, I was left here, watching Melody over and her friends.

  She’s looked over at me every couple minutes, probably wondering what a grown man is doing dead eyeing a group of teenagers. Well, I don’t fucking care. I’m coming unraveled watching her and right now I’m just about ready to go over and let her know it’s time to break up this party, so I don’t have to watch every swinging dick in that pool like a hawk.

  Then one of them smacks her ass as she gets out of the pool.

  It’s been a long time since I moved so fast.

  I’m out of my chair and across the pool deck in a matter of seconds, reaching down and hauling the asshole that touched her out of the pool with one hand.

  “What the fuck?” He looks up at me with bravado, and the only thing keeping me from snapping his neck is the fact that if I go to prison for murder, I won’t be with her.

  And nothing will keep me from being with her.

  “What the fuck is you don’t fucking touch a woman like that. Ever. Not without her consent.”

  “I’m just having fun.” He draws his brows together and I glance over to see Melody wrapped in a towel, her eyes intent on me.

  The little fuck has no idea what’s boiling under my surface or he’d think twice about doing anything but dropping to his knees and apologizing while backing down the path and heading anywhere but here.

  “You know what I think is fun.” I close the inches between us, forcing him to drop his head back just to look up at me. “Teaching little presumptuous shits lessons their fathers should have taught them. Only, the way I teach isn’t as nice.”

  I bite the inside of my cheek until blood spreads over my tongue, trying to hold back. My fists are balled at my sides as I watch the rest of the kids get out of the pool and gather together to watch the drama. If my size isn’t enough, the fact that I’ve been sitting out here in near ninety degree weather wearing jeans a blue and black flannel shirt and heavy lace up boots I’m sure has them wondering just what the fuck I’m all about.

  “I didn’t—” He starts, but I can see in his arrogant eyes he’s not going to get it with talk and if I give him what I want to give him, there will be witnesses and that prison time will be guaranteed.

  “You have ten fucking seconds to get your shit and get the fuck out of here.”

  I turn to the rest of the group, catch Melody’s eyes, and instead of seeing embarrassment or horror, I see something that looks like pride.

  “The rest of you, get your stuff. Party’s over. If you want your friend here to get home with all his bones unsnapped, I suggest you help him along. I’m going to count to ten and his ass better be on the other fucking side of that fence.”

  They all look like statues. The kid in front of me is frozen, his lips hanging open as his swimsuit drips on the stone below, and I have to wonder if it’s all pool water or if he just peed himself. Wouldn’t be the first time someone had an accident when I threatened them and I doubt it will be the last.

  When no one moves, I give Melody one more quick glance and see one corner of her mouth turn upward in a smile. She
quickly brings one hand clutching a corner of her towel to cover the smile, but not before I catch on.

  I scan the group, catching each of their eyes for a split second, then boom.

  “One.” I raise my eyebrows at the kid standing in front of me. “Two. Move.”

  My voice echoes and suddenly everyone snaps to attention, scurrying like cockroaches under the light.

  I bring one fist up into my other hand in front of my chest and crack my knuckles. Then I switch hands and do the same as the ass smacker makes record time grabbing up some clothes from the cabana and running like Jessie Owens out to the driveway where the kids’ cars are parked.

  Finally, I take a deep breath, trying to calm the warrior inside of me hell bent on killing any challengers for what belongs to me. My whole world has become so small. The woods, my ax, the fell of a tree…the stories that come to me at night that I pour onto the pages…these things had become my life.

  So focused on keeping to myself, the part of me Melody has awoken is now storming the gates. Before her, I don’t remember the last time I’d jerked off, let alone spent any time with a woman. A smarter part of me knew.

  Knew that she was out there, I only needed to be patient.

  A few minutes later, Melody is hugging the red headed girl goodbye while the rest of the group tiptoe by me with wary glances as they head out onto the driveway.

  When the headlights come on and the few cars they all piled into are on their way down the street, I turn to see Melody clutching her towel around her body, one foot on top of the other and an unsure grin on her face.

  “I think you scared them.” She finally says as I step her way. My cock jerks in my pants knowing her eyes are on me, but there’s a shy softness that only fuels the thought of how to protect her from anything in the world that would cause her harm. Physical or otherwise.

  “Oh well.” I answer on a low, uneven breath. “He got off easy.”

  Her cheeks ripen to red and she crosses her arms over the towel. I love her modesty, but I will teach her that around me, there is no need. She’s the most magnificent creature on this earth and when we are together, I want her to flaunt herself for me. To dance and tease and drive me insane.

  More insane, that is.

  Her blue eyes glimmer in the light of the cabana like precious sapphires. Outlined with her dark lashes that flutter my way before glancing down. If she only knew she could drop me with a single look, she would understand her power.

  Since I met her, it feels like my soul is in pieces and the only person who could put me back together is Melody. Until then, I’m a broken man, hell bent on capturing her and watching her heal me in ways I didn’t know needed healing.

  “Well, I better go inside.” She whispers the words, her chest rising and falling with soft breaths.

  My cock jumps at the sound of her voice, and I see her tongue behind straight white teeth. Her hips fill out the towel and I think of the way her ass spilled out the bottom of her swimsuit, making cum drip out of my cock and pushing me to near insanity. Her tits jut below the fabric of the towel, swelling under her arms where they hold tight to the soft cotton, and I want to rip it away and shred any clothing from her body.

  It’s as though I’ve reverted back to a time before civilization. Fantasies of fisting her hair and dragging her naked back to my cave and owning her as my property rage through me.

  It only makes it worse that I’m her uncle. I mean, blood or no blood, I shouldn’t think of her this way. But I’d do anything in my power to possess this girl, and no amount of right or wrong will stop me.

  Her dark hair sticks to her neck and down her chest and I take a breath as I commit every minute detail of her to memory.

  “Yes.” I look over at the table where I sat earlier, then make my way to the box that still sits there and return it to her. “Take this with you.”

  Her eyes twinkle as she takes the box in one hand, the other still firm on her towel.

  I know she’s too sweet for me. Too pure. I live like an animal out in the woods while she’s a princess in an ivory palace. But none of that seems to matter now.

  “See you tomorrow then.” Her eyes catch on mine for a long moment before she eases a quick smile onto her full lips.

  “Yes.” I nearly bark back. “You will.”

  Chapter Three

  Cain

  It’s one thing to be tempted from afar. Forbidden fruit still clinging to the tree.

  It’s another thing to have it delivered directly to your doorstep wearing pink tennis shoes and cotton candy lips.

  All her pastel innocence sets a stark contrast to the log beams and walls of my cabin, but the truth is, the pink that is driving me crazy is what she’s got between her legs.

  Fuck. I’m a horrible man. I’m going to hell, that’s for sure. But as long as I can take Melody with me, I’ll still be in heaven. Her dark-chocolate hair is loose around her face, the locket I gave her secured around her neck, driving my feeling of ownership further toward obsession.

  “Uncle Cain?”

  Just the sound of my name on her lips makes me nearly double over with lust.

  “Yeah.” That single word is all I can manage. My hard on is throbbing along with the pain in my head.

  This is wrong. So very wrong.

  My brother called me early this morning to tell me Melody woke up smelling rotten eggs. He said he was still half drunk from the night before, but quickly got them out of the house and called to let me know plans have changed. I’m not going to the house, he’s going to bring Melody here. There’s a gas leak in the house, which doesn’t surprise me; old pipes and years of neglect will do that. When our parents died, I guess they thought I’d move in there myself, but that place was way more house than made me comfortable and the woods always felt like my home.

  He got a plumber there to do a temporary fix until he gets back from the conference and can make sure it’s safe to inhabit again. But until then, she’s here. With me.

  In my place.

  Since I left the party last night, my control already fragile, I couldn’t settle. I took my ax and chopped down more trees in twelve hours than I usually do in a week, then told my boss, Harry, that I was taking the next few days off. There’s simply no way I’m going to be spending time logging when I could be with her.

  I work hard, always have and always will, but I’ve been fighting this rage for two months now. Even my coworker and closest friend in the world, Vin, has come to give me a lot of space. So when I told them I needed time off, after not missing a day of work in seven years, they could see in my eyes that saying ‘no’ was not an option.

  “Are you okay?”

  She’s wearing a blue jean skirt and a thin tank top with the word ‘Juicy’ across her perfect, perky tits, and it’s certainly making my mouth water. The way her skirt rides up on her smooth, flawless thighs has me biting back a groan and wondering how I expect to get through the next week.

  “Yeah.” That seems to be the only word I know at the moment.

  But I’m not okay. I’m pretty fucking far from okay.

  “Your place is pretty small. Are you sure I’m not going to be a bother? We are going to be so close. I’ll try not to interfere.” Her teeth set into her bottom lip as her fingers twist her nearly jet black hair into a braid.

  She looks nervous and I feel like I’m charged with electricity, barely able to keep from exploding and fucking into her like some inhuman demon.

  My parents adopted my brother, Phillip, five years before they had me, after trying for years to conceive a child of their own. Melody is not my blood niece. But that doesn’t change the fact that I’ve been jerking off thinking about her for two months since they moved back here to Roanoke and I saw her for the first time.

  She’s legal and will be sleeping under my roof. God give me strength. If she knew what I have planned for her, I’m sure she would run.

  Phillip had been living in London since Melody was born. We st
ayed close, spoke a lot on the phone, and I told him several times he should come out here. I guess he was just too busy with his life over there and I get it. He had his life just as I had mine.

  I was surprised when he didn’t come back for the funeral though after our parents both died within a week of each other. I mean, I was never that close to them, but even I attended. There was a lot of water under that particular bridge, what with me pursuing a life outdoors instead of on Wall Street or in Silicon Valley.

  Phillip was, without doubt, the favored son. He followed the life that was expected of him. I guess the irony is, they probably would have approved of him being too busy with work to go to their funeral. Anyway, so with him being in London and me having little interest in travel, it just never worked out that I met his daughter.

  I look over at the innocent eyes watching me, waiting for what’s next.

  I’ve wanted her here since the first moment I saw her.

  Back in the woods with me, where no one will hear her scream.

  Except me.

  “I loved my birthday present.” She smiles and blood rushes into my cock. “I’ve read it a bunch of times. You’re an amazing writer.”

  I stifle the half growl that rumbles from me as she sits down on the sofa, her toes pointed in and her hands nervously fussing in her lap. I’m sitting at the kitchen table, two axes in front of me as I oil the handles and run the sharpening stone over the blades, my cock raging under my jeans to get at her.

  “I wrote it just for you. I didn’t know what to get a nineteen-year-old that has everything.”

  Her giggle is a bit sad and that immediately breaks my heart. “I don’t have everything.”

  No, you don’t. Not yet. But I’m going to give you what you need.

  The story I wrote for her was about a long-lost princess, a forest hermit and a wishing tree. I don’t do much besides chop down trees, sleep, eat and write. I don’t have television, although I do have a cellphone. The one concession I make to modern life, but I only use it for calls. I don’t fucking text or understand this obsession with social media and videos of cats.