Holden's Resurrection (Gemini Group Book 6)

by Riley Edwards

  “Oh my God. I don’t know what to say.”

  “Nothing to say, baby. We need to find him, but none of the girls are talking. And the messages they’re sending are cryptic, leaving out his name. All we know is he’s older, he has a car, and he gave Sydney Malibu rum at a party hosted by a teenager. No description, no make or model or his car, nothing.” Holden gave her another squeeze then added, “And we know he’s seriously fucked in the head and he’s hurting these girls. I need you to do something for me.”

  “Anything.”

  “Do you have Sydney’s email or cell number?”

  “Yes, to both.”

  “If McKenna gives you something to text Sydney, will you do it?”

  “Sure. What do you want me to send her?”

  “You find a video or picture, it can be of anything, and McKenna will embed a virus so when Sydney opens it, McKenna will have access to her cell or computer. Though she’d prefer her cell.”

  “She wants to hack her phone,” Charleigh surmised.

  “Yeah. The kids are using a hidden messaging app and Micky’s been trying but hasn’t had any luck finding a way to break into the app. We need access to Sydney’s phone to see if she’s communicating with this guy.”

  “I know the perfect video to send her. The party’s next week and we’re finalizing the song list for the DJ.”

  “That’s perfect. Thank you.”

  Charleigh tipped her head back and gave him a small, sad smile.

  “She’s kinda a brat, totally spoiled, has zero respect for the adults in her life, acts like she’s thirty, not fifteen. But she doesn’t deserve to be preyed on by some gross old man.”

  “No, baby, she doesn’t. No kid deserves that. Jonny’s doing his best and feels like shit this has been going on for as long as it has and he didn’t see the pattern.”

  “It’s not Jonny’s fault.”

  “No, it’s not. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel like it is. After everything that happened with his brother, Doug, and his dad dying, Jonny’s been in a bad way. He feels guilt over what his niece Rory saw and what Caleb endured. But mostly, he’s feeling like he’s useless. And that’s the worst thing a man like Jonny can feel.”

  “Macy told me what happened. I knew a little bit of the story because Kennedy told me but I didn’t know Rory was kidnapped and witnessed her dad kill her grandfather, or that she was in the room when her dad died, until after Faith was taken. Macy told me everything and gave me the name of the counselor Rory’s been seeing.”

  Alec had come apart the day he found Caleb hiding in the woods after the boy had narrowly escaped Doug. Only to find that Doug had gotten his hands on Rory. From there, the events of the day went downhill. Jonny was left bleeding on his parents’ living room floor, his dad was dead, he killed his brother. Jonny’s emotional scars were so deep, Holden was worried he’d never recover. Rory had been traumatized, too. But the difference was, the little girl was surrounded by love. And Alec and Macy had found someone for her to talk to. Jonny had refused counseling.

  “I’m afraid if we don’t find this guy before he hurts another girl, Jonny will do something stupid.”

  “Like what?”

  That was something he wasn’t talking about with Charleigh. He and the guys had had a long talk after Jonny had taken off and they’d come up with three likely scenarios. The first was that Jonny would quit the force. There was a place at Gemini Group for Jonny if he left the sheriff’s department. Option two was Jonny would find the guy on his own and mete out justice. That justice would not be going through the proper legal channels, which would land Jonny’s ass in jail. And the third was something Holden didn’t want to think about. That outcome was unacceptable and all the men would go to great lengths to ensure it didn’t happen.

  Knowing he needed to answer, Holden went with the least of the three and told her.

  “Like quit the department. Jonny’s a good cop. He cares about the citizens of Kent County. It’d be a shame if he quit.”

  “I agree. I don’t know him well, but I like him. And Rory adores her uncle Jonny. She talks about him all the time.”

  Rory adored everyone. The girl came by it honestly—Macy was the same way.

  Silence fell and Holden figured he’d give her a minute to digest everything he’d told her, process it, and file it away before he moved their night along. He didn’t want to rush her but there was only so much a man could take, between her soft tits pressing against his side and her bare ass under his palm, which meant her bare pussy was a mere slide of his hand away.

  Charleigh’s hand did a slow glide down Holden’s stomach while simultaneously pressing her lips to his chest.

  “Are we done talking?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  “Good,” she mumbled and engaged her tongue, swirling it around his nipple.

  Holden shifted and curled his hand around Charleigh’s thigh, but before he could maneuver her where he wanted, she slanted her leg across his, opening herself to Holden. Without delay, he accepted her invitation and slid his hand around and down and found her pussy already wet. He pushed two fingers in and he felt her moan vibrate across his chest.

  “Mouth, baby,” Holden demanded.

  She gave him one last swipe around his nipple and tipped her head back. Holden tucked his chin and captured her mouth at the same time her hand wrapped around his cock. He’d meant to start slow and work her up but when Charleigh’s fist started stroking him hard and fast, he deepened the kiss and pumped his fingers until she was rocking her hips, chasing an orgasm he wasn’t going to let her have.

  He slowed his hand but slanted his head and took more of her mouth. The kiss went straight to out-of-control—deep, wet, and wild. Charleigh’s hips bucked, still on the verge of coming but Holden keeping her on the edge.

  He tore his mouth from hers and stroked faster.

  “Knees,” he grunted.

  Charleigh scrambled to the side, got to her knees, ripped his tee off, tossed it aside, then her hands hit the mattress and she presented him with her fine, round ass.

  He took a moment to appreciate the beauty before he moved in behind her.

  “You wanna come, Charleigh?” he asked as he curled his body over hers and moved one hand around to her front and flicked his thumb over her clit.

  With his chest pressed to her back, he didn’t miss her body jolt, he didn’t miss the growl of need, and he really didn’t miss her ass pressing against his aching cock.

  “Yes,” she hissed.

  “You sure you’re ready? We can play awhile longer,” he teased and toyed with her clit until her legs were trembling and her groans were near-constant.

  “You have one second to get inside of me, Holden, before I finish myself.”

  “Oh, yeah? How will you finish yourself, baby? Will you rub here?” He lightly circled her clit. “Or do you need to be filled up?” He roughly pushed his finger in her wetness and finger-fucked her until her back arched and her head fell forward.

  “I need both.”

  Holden pulled his fingers free, grabbed his cock, and once he was lined up, he slammed home.

  Charleigh was so primed and ready, she came around his shaft on his second stroke. She continued to come as he roughly drove in. After the weekend’s events, having her back—really having her in a permanent way, her agreeing to be his wife—he couldn’t hold back so he didn’t. He didn’t take her slow and sweetly, he just took. He took everything that had always been his. He gave her everything that they’d missed.

  “Honey,” she moaned.

  “Not done, Leigh-Leigh.”

  “Okay.”

  “Hold on, baby, it’s gonna be a long night.”

  “Okay, honey.”

  One hand gripped her hip, the other glided over her ass until his palm was in the middle of her back, then he pushed her down while he told her, “Chest to the bed and tip your ass up.”

  “Holden,” she groaned and did what he asked
.

  Christ, but he loved it when she groaned his name.

  Nowhere near done, Holden slammed into her, roughly making love to his woman. He hadn’t lied, it was a long fucking night—literally.

  36

  “Daisy, no!” Faith shouted and I turned to find a furry puppy attacking a stuffed animal.

  “Faith, get that.”

  “Trying!” she yelled and chased the dog out the front door.

  Jameson paused with a box in hand and shook his head. “And that’s why I don’t want another one.”

  “Another child or puppy?” Kennedy asked.

  “Dog. Killer was a maniac when he was a puppy.”

  “Tank,” she snapped, and my eyes went to my friend. “Sorry. I’m starving and grumpy.”

  “The guys already brought the couch in. Go sit down.”

  It was moving day. Obviously, Holden’s bid was accepted. Yet, he’d waited another week for the inspector to show to view the property. I still thought it was crazy he’d bought a house sight unseen, but I’d stopped mentioning it to him. As luck had it, he loved the house, so all’s well that ends well.

  “The pizzas should be in here any minute,” McKenna said as she placed a stack of plates in the cabinet.

  “Maybe you should go home and rest,” I told Kennedy, feeling guilty she’d been on her feet all day. “We’re done anyway.”

  “And miss your welcome home party? No way. Speaking of parties, Jameson told me you got a ton of business from the Powell gig.”

  “I did.” I smiled.

  Thankfully, Sydney’s party had gone off without a hitch. Everything had been perfect despite the last-minute changes to the menu. And the fact that Lizza and Stone were less than pleased their daughter had received an alcohol citation the week before her party. But like any spoil-the-child parent, they blamed Jonny for his “heavy-handed” treatment of their princess. I’m not exactly sure what had gone down, just that a deal had been made that if Stone and Lizza kept Sydney on home restriction, he wouldn’t ask the State’s Attorney to file charges which could’ve landed Sydney in juvenile detention until her hearing. I had a feeling that was Jonny’s way of keeping Sydney safe since there hadn’t been a break in the case in the last month, even after I’d sent the text with McKenna’s virus. McKenna confirmed Sydney had been talking to a guy using an anonymous messaging app, but since it was anonymous, there was no email or cell number to sign up for the service, so all she had was a screen name. She’d spent a week researching the name but so far she hadn’t found that name associated with any other forum or social media.

  Now after a month, I, too, was worried about Jonny. He looked horrible. Not his appearance. He was still as good-looking as ever, but it was in his eyes—devastation. Everyone saw it and all of the guys had been working extra hours trying to help Jonny. Holden had explained there was a deadline—there was a three-month pattern between assaults, and that day was drawing near. Another reason I believed Jonny was behind Sydney getting in trouble. Not that he could’ve done anything if she hadn’t been breaking the law first and been drunk and in possession of alcohol, but he was relentless in his demands that the teenager not be allowed out of her house.

  “Pizza’s here, babe,” Holden said, coming into the dining room. “Do you know where my wallet is?”

  I glanced around my new house and took in the boxes scattered around the room. I forgot all about Holden’s wallet when my eyes rolled up to the fantastic pine boards that made up the vaulted ceiling, then over to the stone fireplace that was a magnificent work of art and focal point of the big living room, then farther down to the knotted wood floors that had been refinished and glossed to a shine. The living room was so huge we needed more furniture to fill it up. Even my dining room table that leafed out to sit eight looked ridiculously small in the space it was now in.

  McKenna’s soft laugh drew my attention to her still standing in the kitchen. It was a chef’s dream with granite countertops, double ovens, and a six-burner gas stovetop.

  All of it open, so I could be in the kitchen and have an unobstructed view out the huge windows in the living room. The house was perfect. I loved it. But I really loved that Holden was happy. He’d been on top of the world as he moved our stuff into the house, never once complaining about the boxes of junk I’d accumulated over the years. True to his word, I’d never stepped foot back into my apartment. He and the guys had packed everything up and brought it to the house without me lifting a finger. All that was left to do was return the moving truck, bring his Airstream over—which I’d flatly refused to allow him to sell when he’d brought it up, and unpack.

  Then we’d just be living.

  “I already paid for it,” Evie said and Holden growled. “Oh, shut up, you wouldn’t let me buy you a housewarming present. You don’t get to bitch about me buying pizza.”

  “New bedroom furniture isn’t a housewarming present,” Holden returned and I settled in for the same argument I’d heard three times already.

  I’d politely declined her generous offer. Holden hadn’t declined politely, he’d told her she was nuts and she absolutely couldn’t buy us a ten-thousand-dollar gift. Yes, ten grand, I’d nearly fallen over when I saw the price tag. His comment had led into a thirty-minute dispute about Holden saving Evie’s life. Seeing as Chasin was present for this disagreement and he hated being reminded his friend had been shot and almost killed protecting his woman, he thankfully ended the tiff by pulling a still-shouting Evie out the door.

  “It is to me,” she retorted.

  “Well, it isn’t to me. Love you like a sister, Genevieve, but you are not now nor are you ever buying us furniture.”

  “Fine,” she huffed, and tears sprang in her eyes.

  Holden’s face fell and he took a step to her but she put up her hands to stop him.

  “Evie, sweetheart, I didn’t—”

  “I know you didn’t,” she hissed and angrily swiped at her face. “Stupid pregnancy hormones.”

  Evie’s eyes widened in shock and she slammed her hand over her mouth like she could shove the words back in, but it was too late. The whole room was stunned into silence.

  “Come again?” Chasin barked, and Evie jumped and her eyes sliced to her best friend, Bobby. The look could only be identified as “eek”.

  Thank God, Bobby broke the tension and roared in hysterics.

  “You suck at…” Bobby stammered, “keeping secrets. It hasn’t even been an hour and you’ve already blown it.”

  “An hour?” Chasin growled. “Why does she know you’re having my baby before I know you’re having my baby?”

  Holden stepped closer, put his arms around me, and tucked me to his side. When he had me where he wanted, he bent down and whispered, “It’s a shame Nixon and Alec went to Nix’s to get a toolbox.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Because they’re gonna miss Chasin throwing a tantrum.”

  “That’s not nice,” I mumbled and glanced back at a red-faced Chasin.

  “It might not be nice but it’s gonna be hilarious.”

  “You say that, but how mad would you be if you found out I told Kennedy I was pregnant before I told you?”

  Just as I expected, Holden went solid and his hand went to my chin and forced me to look up at him.

  “Did you tell Kennedy you’re…are you?”

  I shrugged and smiled. “No. I didn’t tell her. But I am three weeks late, so I asked her to pick me up a test.”

  All the color bleached from my man’s face and his beautiful brown eyes went lazy.

  “Have you taken it?” he whispered.

  “Nope. I thought we’d wait until everyone was gone.”

  “Party’s over!” Holden shouted. “Everyone out.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” I smacked him on the chest and glanced around the room at our startled friends.

  Our friends.

  Mine and his.

  And Faith’s.

  Friends that were
more than friends—they were family.

  Blessed.

  “Dad, why’s the party over when we haven’t had pizza yet?” Faith asked, holding a squirming ball of fur that was licking her face and mouth.

  “Daisy, stop. Faith, don’t let her lick your mouth, that’s gross. And the party’s not over, your Dad’s being silly.”

  “No, I’m not. I want—”

  “To enjoy a house full of friends and thank them all for helping us move in because we appreciate all their hard work.”

  “Yeah,” Holden muttered. “What she said.”

  “I’m unclear how you got him as far as you did,” Silver said. “I’ve been trying to get Weston to behave for-freaking-ever and I still can’t get him to—”

  “That’s because you like it when I misbehave.”

  “See? Little ears, Weston.”

  “Sorry.” He smiled, not looking sorry at all.

  “Hello? Anyone care that my woman told her best friend we’re having a baby before she told me?” Chasin griped.

  “No,” McKenna tossed out and went to Evie to pull her into a hug. “Congratulations.”

  “What’d we miss?” Nixon asked, coming into the house. “Pizza’s here, cool.”

  “Chasin and Evie are having a kid,” Jameson informed the newcomers. “And Chasin’s salty because Bobby knew first.”

  “Right, like that’s a surprise, those two are surgically attached,” Alec added.

  “Let’s eat!” Macy shouted. “Paper plates are on the counter.”

  The gang shuffled into the kitchen and helped themselves to the food, but Holden and I remained where we were.

  “Dad, tomorrow can we put together my new bike?”

  “Yep. And we’ll start your first lesson.”

  “Awe-some!”

  Daisy barked her agreement then licked Faith’s face and I groaned.

  “Gonna have to get over that, Leigh-Leigh.”

  “It’s gross.”

  Holden’s smile died and he stared at me with a look I knew well. It was full of love and gratitude. It was hopeful and happy.