Pure Iron by Holly Bargo

Hendriksen?”
    “Yes.”
    “Shit, sis. The guy’s a man-whore. What are you doing—oh, do I have to come across the country to beat him up for defiling my sister?”
    She wanted to laugh at the growl in her brother’s voice. Gavin was built like linebacker, had a fourth degree black belt in mixed martial arts, and was known as the neighborhood badass. He’d been the one to scare the bullies away when she was a child. His reputation had prevented her high school boyfriends from attempting anything more than a chaste goodnight kiss.
    “Gavin, I’m happy. Be happy for me? Please?”
    “Hey, sis, I’m happy for you.” His voice softened. He’d always had a soft spot for his cute little sister. “But if he hurts you or cheats on you, I’ll kill him.”
    She giggled at his protectiveness. “Mick’s not as big as you, but I think he could hold his own.”
    “Honey, ain’t no one as badass as your big brother.”
    “Of course not, Gavin. Now let me talk to Dad. I’m sure Mom’s given him an earful.”
    “Sonia, if you need anything, any help, you let me know.”
    Her heart melted at her brother’s love. “Yeah, I will. Thanks, Gavin.”
    “Love you, sis.”
    “Love you, too, bro.”
    Some footsteps, a bit of rustling, some indistinct conversation preceded her father’s light tenor: “Baby girl, what in the hell have you done?”
    “Hi, Dad, how are you?”
    “Don’t ‘hi, Dad’ me, young lady. Explain yourself.”
    She rushed through the summary of events again. A long moment of silence followed while her father controlled his temper. Then he growled, “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t fetch you home right damn now, Sonia.”
    “I’m a legal adult, Dad.”
    “Let me talk to that bastard who’s taken advantage of you,” he demanded coldly.
    Sonia held her phone out to Mick. “Dad wants to talk to you,” she explained softly, her expression twisting with regret.
    “Hello, Mr. Houlihan,” Mick greeted calmly.
    What followed was a long, low, growled list of imprecations and threats if he ruffled so much as a hair on Sonia’s head. His initial reaction was to spout his own dark, profane threats, but he forced himself to endure the calumny, understanding that his wife’s father merely wanted to protect her.
    “I understand, Mr. Houlihan. I can take care of Sonia.” He smiled when he saw her bristle at that statement. Her glower expressed that she could take care of herself, thank you very much.
    With a final threat, his father-in-law hung up.
    “Well, that was awkward,” he said.
    “I’m so sorry. They’re a bit over-the-top sometimes.”
    “They love you,” he stated. “So do I.”
    “You—?” Sonia’s jaw dropped in surprise.
    He set the phone down and wrapped her in his arms. “Oh, yeah, Mom called it. Apparently, it’s a Henriksen trait: when we fall, we fall hard.”
    “I thought you just wanted in my pants.”
    “Oh, yeah, I want that, too. A lot.” He rolled his hips against her, letting her feel the strength of his arousal. “But you’re so much more than that. You make my heart sing.”
    Sonia looked up at the handsome man and thought that her unwontedly impulsive decision had far better consequences than she could have ever imagined. Wet heat slicked her core and her breasts swelled and felt heavy.
    “Make love with me, Mick.”
    “You don’t have to ask twice,” he replied and lowered his lips to hers for a slow, gentle kiss that had her sighing into his mouth.
    They savored each other, drawing out the pleasure until Sonia pleaded with him to let her soar. Before her cries and moans could break his control, he moved down her body and anchored her to the mattress with a burly forearm braced across her hips. His broad shoulders kept her thighs spread wide. Thus restrained, he used his remaining hand and his lips, teeth, and tongue to propel her to greater heights of ecstasy. He drove her from one orgasm to the next while he wallowed in the heat and