Double update. Make sure you read Ch 36 too. Or the first half of it at least, because the second half was a lemon.
Chapter 37:
– Blake –
…I woke up before Pepper did, the soft morning light spilling through the blinds and casting lazy shadows across the room. She was still passed out, sprawled across the bed, completely naked, the sheets doing nothing to hide the curves of her sweaty, sensual body. Her skin was flushed and glowing, a few stray strands of hair falling across her cheek, and I couldn't help but admire just how damn gorgeous she looked lying there so vulnerable and peaceful.
She must have been just as pent up as I was—didn't expect a regular human woman to go so many rounds. Hell, did I seriously make her cum ten times?
I smirked to myself, proud as hell, feeling that rush of satisfaction that only comes from knowing you owned the night.
I swung my leg off the bed quietly, careful not to wake her, and glanced around the room. My eyes landed on the bathroom door. Figured Pepper wouldn't mind if I used her shower—it wasn't exactly like we'd defined the terms of our sudden relationship. There probably wasn't even a term for it. Were we a forever couple? I don't know. But I was hoping it wasn't just a one-night stand.
Because the sex was just that goddamn good.
I cranked the shower and let the hot water rain down, steam filling the room as I closed my eyes and let the warmth wash over me. "Goddamn," I muttered to myself, "that woman was something else..."
I stepped out of the shower, the hot water still warming my skin as I grabbed a storage scroll from the small pouch I'd forgotten I even had. It was a backup, something my beautiful girlfriend Tsunade had given me for emergencies—just in case I ever got lost or separated from the people I trusted. I unrolled it carefully and in a small puff of smoke pulled out a fresh pair of black ninja pants and a plain blue T-shirt, the fabric soft but durable.
I ran my fingers through my damp hair, combing it back neatly before slipping on my ninja sandals. I couldn't wait to go shopping and get some real shoes again though.
As soon as I figured out how to get some money.
Too bad that the stray devil I killed last night had nothing on him except the evil piece he left in the sand after I vaporized his body.
I went back to check in on Pepper and found her still asleep in her bed. I wasn't the type of guy to just leave right away the next morning after sex—at least I didn't think I was—but Pepper had been pretty clear last night that she was going to be very busy pretty much all day today. She had to do a lot of damage control now that Tony Stark was back in the country and he went and apparently shut down his company's weapons productions…
I made sure her alarm was set for an hour from now before placing a kiss on her cheek.
When I reached the front door and stepped outside, I froze for a second. Two black SUVs sat parked right there outside. My gut tightened when I saw Agent
Coulson standing nearby—same guy from the military plane ride back to America.
That was no coincidence. How did he even know where to find me?
Who was I kidding? It was the government…
They were always out to get you.
Next to him stood a crazy attractive redhead, the kind that could make even a fallen angel's head spin.
I was damn glad I'd just gotten laid, otherwise, my instincts might've had me falling right into whatever honey trap this was.
As if reading my mind, the redhead smiled softly at me—smooth and knowing. "Hello, Mr. Himejima," she said, her voice cool but laced with something almost teasing, cutting in before Coulson even had the chance to speak. The woman sauntered toward me, her hips swaying with a deliberate, hypnotic rhythm that was impossible not to notice. The tight suit she wore clung to every curve, accentuating her toned legs and slim waist.
I forced a casual, awkward smile, trying not to let my nerves show. "Um, hi," I said, voice steady but a little unsure. Then I couldn't help but ask, "So, why exactly are you here? Were you following me last night or something?"
Coulson's expression remained flat and serious as he answered, "Yes, we were."
The woman stepped closer, her hand brushing lightly against my arm in a way that was both apologetic and provocative. "We're sorry for spying on you," she purred, voice low and smooth like silk, "but what you did last night was… very impressive." Her eyes locked onto mine, and I could feel the heat of her gaze. "You have some seriously amazing abilities…"
Shit, I had to assume they saw everything then.
The redhead gave me a look that could melt steel, her eyes raking shamelessly down my body. "Those wings of yours are sexy as hell, you know," she purred, biting her lower lip just a little. "Honestly, where have you been all my life?"
I couldn't help but smirk at her blatant flirting. "I don't know," I shot back with a shrug, "but I've been in New York for about half of mine. Are you planning on stopping this blatant honey trap routine anytime soon?"
She stopped rubbing my arm and pulled back, crossing her arms under her chest so it just made her cleavage even more obvious. Her pout was almost comically cute, and then her expression shifted—she let out a low, annoyed grumble. "Damn. I can't believe you actually called me on it… Even when some guys catch on they don't say anything because a pretty girl is touching them," she said shamelessly.
Coulson cracked a tiny smile. "You were being a little too obvious, Agent Rushman," he said with a subtle nod.
The redhead rolled her eyes, but then stood up straighter and gave me a sly, almost professional smile. "Natalie Rushman," she said, extending her hand for a shake. "I'm a fellow agent of SHIELD."
I gave her hand a quick, firm shake, feeling the heat of her palm. She looked like she wanted to squeeze tighter, but this wasn't exactly the time. She continued, "After seeing your… altercation… with that thing on the beach last night, SHIELD wanted to bring you in, ask you a few questions, figure out what the fuck all that was about."
"It was quite disturbing," Coulson added.
I let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of my neck in annoyance. "Honestly, I was just about to head over to Tony Stark's place. I wanted to see my mom."
Natalie cocked her eyebrow, leaning in a little. "Do you even know where Tony lives?"
I paused, caught off guard. "I figured I could ask somebody for directions," I mumbled, realizing how stupid that sounded.
Coulson just shook his head, trying to hide his amusement. "Tony Stark is considered an American asset. His address is classified—no one's supposed to know where he lives… but then again, he throws parties every weekend, so half of Los Angeles probably has the GPS coordinates by now."
Natalie snorted, tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear. "He threw a hell of a party last night. Your alleged mother was there, by the way."
My jaw clenched. I was annoyed that I missed it—although I couldn't really complain, considering the kind of party I'd had with Pepper. I couldn't keep the smirk off my lips.
"Shuri is my mother. That's a fact," I corrected Natalie. If that was her real name...
Natalie rolled her eyes again, a little jealousy flickering across her pretty features. "How the hell does she look so young, then?" she grumbled, sounding both suspicious and seriously put out.
I just gave her a sly grin. "Good genes. Maybe a little magic, too. Who knows…?"
…You know how everyone warns you never to get into a van with strangers? Yeah, well, technically this wasn't a van—it was a sleek black SUV with tinted windows and that new-car smell, but the principle was the same.
And here I was, sandwiched in the back seat between Agent Coulson—who looked like he ironed his suit with his own tension—and Agent Rushman, who was a lot harder to read now.
I tried to play it cool, resting my arm on the door and keeping my expression neutral, but I couldn't help glancing at the bulletproof divider separating us from the driver. The engine purred as we sped down the Pacific Coast Highway, palm trees and ocean flashing by outside the window.
If we were heading to Tony Stark's place, great. If these government types were actually about to spirit me away to some secret S.H.I.E.L.D. bunker so they could poke, prod, or even dissect me, well… let's just say things would get a lot less chill, very fast.
The silence was finally broken by Coulson, who cleared his throat in that official, this-is-being-recorded sort of way. "So, Mr. Himejima, do you mind explaining what exactly that creature was on the beach last night? The one that tried to attack you and Ms. Potts?"
I raised an eyebrow at him. "You mean the mutant crab monster with the face only a mother could love?"
He cracked the tiniest hint of a smile. "Yes, that would be the one. S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists are pretty irritated, actually. Since you completely vaporized it, we've got nothing left to study."
I shrugged, trying not to look too pleased about that. "Sorry, guess I overdid it. Stray devils don't exactly come with a how-to-capture manual."
Rushman shifted closer, her perfume distracting and her thigh pressing against mine—maybe on purpose, maybe not.
Okay, her thigh pressed against mine was definitely not an accident. Natalie shifted even closer in the backseat, the heat of her body radiating through the thin fabric of her suit. The scent of her perfume—something expensive and sharp—filled my head. She leaned in, her lips almost grazing my ear, and whispered, "Pretty please, Blake, could you tell us everything you know about that monster? It would help S.H.I.E.L.D. so, so much…" Her voice dropped into a low, sensual purr, her breath tickling my skin.
I shivered, feeling my whole body tense up. Damn this sexy spy woman. I fidgeted, trying to scoot back, but there was nowhere to go. Coulson's shoulder was like a wall of steel on my other side.
I turned to face her, catching the sparkle of mischief in her emerald eyes and the sly, knowing smirk curling on her lips. "Look, your flirting didn't work on me before and it's not going to work on me now," I shot back, voice a little tighter than I wanted. My legs pressed together, hoping she wouldn't notice the effect her little act was having on me.
Of course, she noticed. Her gaze flicked down, lightning-quick, right to my lap, then back up to my face, her smirk deepening.
"Well," she purred quietly so only I could hear, "you say that, but your body's giving me some pretty honest feedback."
"Yeah, well, it's got a mind of its own sometimes. You're not as charming as you think, Agent Rushman."
She leaned back, feigning innocence, crossing her legs so her skirt hiked just a little higher. "Whatever you say, Mr. Himejima. But just in case you change your mind… we do have a lot of ways to make a man talk."
Coulson finally cleared his throat, giving both of us a dry look. "Natalie, let's try to keep this professional."
Natalie winked at me, unbothered. "Of course, sir. Strictly professional. For now…"
…The rest of the drive passed in an awkward, heavy silence. At least Natalie stopped trying to mess with my head—though her thigh kept brushing mine every time we hit a bump, just to keep me guessing.
My pulse settled a little when I saw the SUV finally turn off the main road and roll up the long driveway to Tony's place. The house was absolutely massive, perched right on the edge of a Malibu cliff over the ocean.
Fancy sports cars and expensive sedans were parked everywhere, half-crooked, and a few stragglers—looking hungover and half-dead—stumbled out of the front door or lounged on the steps, sunglasses crooked and hair wild.
There was a guy with a shiner the size of a golf ball pressed up against his temple, holding a slab of raw steak. He grumbled as he limped past us, muttering something about "never picking a fight with goldfish again."
No one asked for details. None of us wanted to know…
Okay, that wasn't true—I really wanted to know—but the guy was already in his car driving away.
Coulson was the first out of the SUV. He moved with that perfectly rehearsed government-guy efficiency, already brushing off his suit and scanning the mess of a party aftermath. I climbed out next, stretching a little, and then Natalie slid out behind me, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear and giving the partygoers a look of mild amusement.
Coulson cleared his throat, businesslike as always. "Mr. Himejima," he said, "S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't want to be your enemy. Or your mother's. We want to help. If you need anything—anything at all—call me." He reached into his pocket, handed me a crisp business card, and held my gaze for a moment longer, making sure I got the message.
I looked at the card, turning it over between my fingers before slipping it into my pocket. "Alright," I said, pausing. "If you guys actually want to prove you're not just another bullshit government agency, maybe you can help me out with something."
Natalie perked up, a sly smile spreading across her lips as she stepped closer, laying her hand on my shoulder. Her grip was warm, but her fingers squeezed a little too intimately for 'strictly professional.' "We're good at finding people," she purred, eyes locked on mine. "Just tell us who you're looking for."
I rolled my eyes at her theatrics, but the words came out rougher than I meant. "My older sister—Akeno Himejima. I haven't seen her in almost ten years.
– Pepper –
Pepper woke up alone in her big, rumpled bed, the morning sunlight filtering softly through the curtains and painting lazy golden lines across the sheets. She stretched her limbs, the soreness making her wince—and then grin. Her muscles ached in all the right places, a deep, throbbing reminder of just how hard Blake had worked her over last night.
She felt a small pang of disappointment at the empty space beside her, but then the memory came back—she'd asked Blake to slip out early so there'd be no distractions for her marathon day of meetings and chaos. Still, it stung a little, waking up alone after such an intense night.
As she sat up, the covers slipped down and pooled at her waist. She glanced down at her naked body—her breasts and stomach were peppered with dark hickeys and love bites, marks of Blake's teeth and mouth. Her nipples were still sensitive, peaking slightly in the cool air, and every movement reminded her just how thoroughly she'd been fucked.
Pepper ran her hand down her stomach, pausing at the aching heat between her legs. She touched her pussy lips, feeling how tender and swollen they were, still slick with the aftermath of too many creampies to count. A soft, slightly embarrassed laugh escaped her lips as she muttered to herself, "Jesus, Potts. Maybe sleeping with all that cum inside you wasn't the smartest move…" She made a mental note—Plan B, definitely, as soon as she could sneak away from the office.
She swung her legs off the side of the bed and slowly stood, feeling her thighs tremble beneath her weight. "Damn, he really wrecked me," she whispered with a smirk, her hips rolling a little as she adjusted to the soreness.
Making her way toward the bathroom, still naked and delightfully sore, Pepper caught sight of herself in the mirror. Her hair was a wild mess, her cheeks flushed, and the marks on her neck and chest made her look downright ravished. She grinned at her reflection, shaking her head.
"You are a mess, Pepper," she said aloud, voice husky with pride. "And you totally deserved it."
She turned the shower on hot, steam quickly filling the air, and stepped in, letting the water wash over her battered, satisfied body. As the droplets traced down her skin, she couldn't help but think, 'Yeah, I need more nights like that in my life…'
…
Pepper had just finished her shower, the bathroom still steamy and her skin flushed and fresh. She'd pulled on a pair of comfortable jeans and a simple, fitted buttoned tee that would look fine in the office. Her hair was still damp, heavy and clinging in waves around her shoulders, when she heard her doorbell ring.
…Once, twice, then a persistent third and fourth time.
At first, she tried to ignore it—probably just a delivery guy, maybe some fans of Tony's who knew her address unfortunately. That happened from time to time.
But when the ringing didn't stop, her annoyance spiked.
"I'm coming!" she shouted, padding barefoot down the staircase, still towel-drying her hair. She stomped over to the front door and yanked it open, already halfway to telling off whoever was there.
"What—?" The word caught in her throat as she took in the two women standing on her porch.
Pepper prided herself on being above petty jealousy. Usually. Well… maybe not always. But after last night—getting absolutely, thoroughly ravished by Blake, until her legs were still shaky this morning—she thought she'd have a little more self-confidence. Until now.
Standing before her were two of the most stunning women Pepper had ever seen. One was tall, with vibrant, fiery red hair that tumbled down her back in soft waves, her skin pale and almost luminous, eyes a piercing green that seemed to see through everything. The other was equally tall, with a sheet of platinum blonde hair, skin like polished porcelain, and icy blue eyes that sparkled with intelligence and attitude. Both women had the figures of supermodels—long legs, tiny waists, curves in all the right places.
Pepper couldn't help the slight flicker of insecurity that darted across her face. She quickly masked it, straightening her spine and planting her hands firmly on her hips, determined not to let these drop-dead gorgeous strangers see her sweat.
"Can I help you two?" Pepper asked, raising an eyebrow, her tone clipped but polite.
The platinum blonde glanced at her companion, then turned her icy blue gaze back to Pepper with a faint, almost condescending smile. "We're here for Blake," she said.
The redhead tilted her head, her green eyes flicking over Pepper's outfit, her damp hair, the faint love marks peeking from beneath her shirt collar.
Pepper crossed her arms, trying not to let her irritation show. "Blake's not here right now," she replied, matching their coolness with a steady glare. "And who exactly are you?"
The redhead stepped forward slightly. "I'm Jean. This is Emma," she said, motioning to the blonde. "We're… friends of Blake's. We came across the country to see him!"
"And we're not planning on leaving until we see him!" Emma added.
Pepper held their gazes for a long, tense beat. She wasn't about to back down, not even to two supermodels who claimed to know her new lover. Not when her legs were still trembling from last night, and she still tasted victory. "Well, he's not here right now, try someplace else." Pepper then slammed the door in their faces
"Hey—"
"That bitch!"
Pepper couldn't help but smirk when she heard Jean whine and Emma curse through the door.
XXX
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