“Maybe it was because your father had it in the safe and lied about it. I don’t know. But if they do come and ask and we tell the truth, and perhaps they’ll leave.”
She grabs my face and says, her voice in a whisper, “What if they don’t? You didn’t hear them last night, Kade. They sounded like wild animals. And the shadow’s back was ripped up like I’ve never seen. He really did save my life. Took every blow for me.”
“Juliette, I know. I know he did, but whoever your shadow is, he’s not forthcoming. I don’t know what else to do. And those butchers are here. At least if we get out of here, they won’t know for a while anyway.”
Now she’s on her feet, pacing, hands wringing. She’s not going for it. I won’t interrupt her thoughts on this because this has to be her final decision. I can fool myself all I want, but what if she’s right and I can’t protect her?
While she’s doing all this thinking, I pull her into the kitchen with me. I’m hungry and she can think as I eat. I make her some tea in the hope it will help her, and I reheat my dinner. When I’m finished, she still hasn’t spoken a word.
“If this is so difficult for you, then we won’t do it. I don’t want to upset you any more than you already are.”
“It’s not that. Some of what you say has merit. I only worry that if they find me and I don’t have the necklace, the shadows won’t be there anymore. That’s my concern. And Kade, it’s not for me, it’s for you.”
Oh, God. She’s worrying about me. She’s agonizing over this because of me.
Pushing my plate away from me, I take both of her hands in mine and bring them to my mouth, kissing them. “I don’t understand, nor will I ever understand what I’ve done to deserve such a beautiful person such as yourself, but I will cherish you every waking moment of my life.”
“Kade, you didn’t deserve to be thrown into this mess of mine, with these crazy killers chasing me.” She gets off her stool and moves between my thighs as she circles her arms around my neck. “Remember what I told you about letting the light in?”
How can I not remember that? It was one of the most profound things I’ve ever heard and it finally pushed Langston out of my life.
“Yes. That’s what made me realize I had to stay clean. That I had to go forward on my path.”
“You’re my light. My world had been filled with darkness ever since my family died. Years of running, scared out of my wits, nightmares every night, and then you entered my life and it was like not only feeling the sunshine, but tasting it too. You chased my darkness away and not only that, you actually created hope for me again. I had been cold for so long, but you warmed me, physically and emotionally. I didn’t think I had a soul anymore. It splintered apart the day I found my family. It left my body when I walked away from them lying in their own blood. But you dragged the pieces and parts of it back and figured out a way to rebuild it. I don’t know how, but you did. Will you play for me? I remember the first time I heard you and I didn’t think I’d ever heard anything so touching. I think that was the beginning of my healing.”
I tuck her hair behind her ear, and kiss the corner of her mouth. “Looks like we’re perfect for each other, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah, except we have this huge issue hanging over our heads. You really think it’ll work?”
“I don’t know. But I think it has the best chance of anything.” I push her back so I can stand and we walk to the piano. After I play a couple of songs, I stand and tell her I’m going to call Kestrel.
We find out his boat is docked in Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands.
“Tortola is perfect. We can fly there directly and get on the boat. We could be there in probably six hours or so. I’d have to check with the pilot.”
“And he won’t mind?”
“Not at all. We’re not like that. My brothers are very generous with their things. Then on the way home, we can stop and visit Kestrel and Carter and their new baby.”
“No. They won’t want us now. It’s too soon. She just had it yesterday. They’ll want to wait a couple of months.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“Kade, I’m right. She’s a new mother. The last thing she’ll want is company.”
“Okay. Gabby’s probably there helping her anyway.”
“What about Carter’s mother?”
“No parents. Her family was killed in a hurricane a few years back.”
“Oh, that’s terrible.”
“Yeah, it was very tragic. Anyway, shall we do this?”
“So, if we go and I chicken out about throwing the necklace into the sea at the last minute, will you absolutely hate me?”
Jesus, how could she possibly think that of me? Hate her? Really?
“Juliette, you could do a lot of things, probably things that even you can’t even think of in your innocent mind, and I could never hate you.” I pull her into the confines of my arms. “You decide when the moment is there. And if it’s not right, then we come home with the thing.”
“Thank you. For everything, but mainly for just being here when I need you.”
I watch her mouth for as long as I can stand it, and I finally submit, stumbling up the stairs with her in my arms.
Twenty-Three — Juliette
It’s been a long time since I’ve flown, but I’ve never been in a private jet. Kade tells me this is the smaller one. It’s G-500, whatever that is. It’s luxurious, with a creamy leather interior. The seats are the reclining type—large and comfortable, nothing like any airliner that I can recollect. He says there’s a small cabin in the back with a bedroom for overnight flights. I had no idea planes had such a thing.
“Kade, can you answer something for me, and don’t if I’m being too nosy. Is your family wealthy?”
“Yes, extremely.”
He seems uncomfortable with my question. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to pry.”
“It’s not that. Langston was a criminal, Juliette. He was a mobster and was involved in all sorts of illegal ventures. Drugs, human trafficking, racketeering, just to name a few. He came by his money so dishonestly it makes me sick. So the money I had growing up, and there was a lot of it, was abhorrent to me. Now my brothers on the other hand, are a completely different matter. Kolson walked away from the family fortune and started his own business from the ground up, on his own, and became a billionaire in his own right. And I guess you can say, Kestrel is now playing a huge part in that as well.”
“That’s so impressive. You must be very proud of them.”
“I am. Kolson worked his ass off to get his business going. Of course at the time, I was chasing the dragon so much, I had no idea.”
“Not following. Chasing the dragon?”
“Smoking heroin. Sorry. That’s why they both get so upset. They think they ignored me because they were so busy. Kolson with his business and Kestrel with Langston, trying to stay next to him in order to keep him out of Kolson’s affairs. But it wasn’t their fault.”
“No, it was Langston’s.”
“Yes.”
“Thanks for sharing.”
“Juliette, I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Just ask.”
“Do you always travel like this?”
“Yeah, unless the pilots are all busy with clients, which is very rare. They have such a large team of them.”
“You’re spoiled.” I can’t get used to this. “I feel like I need to pinch myself.
“Don’t do that. If anyone’s doing any pinching, it’ll be me.” He winks. “And yeah, it is a bit much. But I’m pretty grounded too. I’ve had the benefit of living in the best and worst places on earth. Seriously.” His face draws into a frown.
“It’s made you stronger. And humble. And much more empathic and sympathetic to others’ needs.”
My comment sinks in and he offers me a dazzling smile. I’m stricken again by how utterly exquisite he is. My body tingles just from his smile. How can he do that do me?
“You do the s
ame to me, Jules. I hope you know that.”
The flight attendant comes by and wants to know if he can get us anything. We both get bottled waters. He said a meal will be served in a couple of hours. A meal? Kade laughs at my expression.
“Don’t worry. It’ll be good, too. Kolson is very particular about his food, so he serves the best on his flights.”
“I didn’t expect to get food so I brought snacks.”
He chuckles. “I should’ve said something. The boat will be stocked, too. The marina knows we’re coming, so they’ll have orders to have it completely stocked for a week.”
“Can I tell you a secret?”
“Anything.”
“I’m afraid of the boat thing. What if a big storm comes in?”
He takes his thumb and forefinger and grabs my chin. “I would never intentionally put you in danger like that. The boat is equipped with all kinds of radar and other instrumentation that will let us know of anything like that. We will never lose sight of land and if a storm is coming in, we’ll head straight to the marina. Keep in mind, this is winter, and storm season doesn’t start until June.”
“Oh, I feel so much better. I was pretty worried about all that. I had visions of giant waves sweeping us overboard.”
“Don’t put another one of those thoughts in your head. And if you keep looking at me like that, I’m going to carry you back to that cabin, strip you naked, and fuck you until you scream.”
My mouth waters at the thought of Kade between my legs, driving into me, me gripping his ass, him sucking my nipples. Oh shit, did I just moan?
Kade’s hand reaches around me and unbuckles my seat belt.
“Get up.”
I have no mind to disobey him. He takes my hand and pulls me behind him as he kicks the door open to the cabin. Inside is a bed, all tidily made up. I don’t have time to take in anything else before the door is kicked closed and Kade’s mouth is sucking on my lower lip. My shirt whips over my head, revealing a black lacy bra. It’s one that was laid out on the bed for me this morning with a little note from Kade. “Wear me today,” was all it said. It came with a matching thong.
“Oh, God. I knew I’d go crazy when I saw you in this. You’re so damn beautiful, Juliette.” His fingertips trip over the lace of the cups, then move to the flesh of my breasts that spill over the top. His head bends, and his mouth covers one breast, sucking it though the lace of the bra, pulling, drawing on my nipple, until the stiff peak hardens to such a point it seems like it will pierce the fine lace. I grind my back against the cabin door, lost in the ecstasy of Kade’s mouth. When his teeth bite down, I groan, and my hands plow into his hair, twisting into it as I pull him closer. His hands move to my jeans, unbuttoning and unzipping. I feel the whisper of cool air across my abdomen as he tugs my pants off, and he lifts his head, standing back to look.
His breath comes fast and hard, like mine, and he gazes, examines. I’m instantly shy. But he shakes his head, saying, “Gorgeous. Perfect.”
One finger traces the top of the lace of my thong, and then it trails down to between my legs, running over and around the lace. Moisture nearly drips from me, I need him so much. He drops to his knees and kisses my thighs, but he moves to the lace, scraping his teeth and chin against me. His stubble creates the perfect amount of friction, making me even wetter for him. My hands find his hair again.
“Your scent, it’s heavenly. But nothing comes close to your taste. Turn around, Juliette.”
I do as he asks, and he groans as he kisses my ass, biting and nibbling. Then he says against me, “I want to take you this way, but first I want to taste you. I want one orgasm of yours on my tongue.” He spins me so fast, my back is flat to the wall, and his mouth is buried against me. But only for a minute. Soon, he pulls my thong down to my ankles and his mouth and tongue are on me, inside me, licking, sucking, nibbling, biting, pressing, circling, fucking, until I shatter into thousands of pieces around his mouth, crying out his name. Then he licks me from my slit all the way to my mouth, and his tongue possesses me in a deep sensuous kiss. He’s like velvet as he sweeps through my mouth, leaving nothing unexplored. He deepens the kiss even further, stealing my air, my heart, my soul, my everything.
And suddenly, he stops, and spins me yet again. I hear the ripping of the condom packet, then he spreads my legs with his knee and enters me. Oh my, it’s sublime. He’s deep. So damn deep, kissing parts of me he never has before.
“Jesus, Juliette,” he murmurs against the back of my neck. His warm breath sends currents of heat spiking down my spine and recharging my nerve endings. He takes my hands and raises them over my head, holding them with his. At some points he moves fast; others, he inches in and out until I’m on the edge, about to scream. My rock-hard nipples brush the wall, teasing them, making me want more. I arch my back and jut my hips into his.
“Harder, Kade. Give it to me.”
One hand lets mine go. It wraps around my waist and pulls me tight to him. Then the thrusting begins. And it’s sheer bliss.
“Yes, there.”
“I’m close, Jules. I need you to come again. For me.” His hand moves to my sex and he rubs me in a circular motion. It doesn’t take long for that to push me into my climax. I feel him coming, too, as his cock throbs against me. When he’s emptied, we lean there, me on the wall and him against me, trying to catch our breath.
I wiggle enough so I can turn and when I’m facing him, I kiss him. “Wow. That was pretty wow-ful.”
“I would have to agree. I’m going to have to get you some stilettos.”
“Why’s that?”
“It’ll be easier on my legs to have you a bit taller.” He laughs.
“Oh, I didn’t think about that. Or maybe I can just kneel on the bed and you can be behind me.”
“That too, but you standing against this wall was … no fucking words. Damn, Juliette, seeing your ass like that. You don’t know what you do to me.” He takes my hand and we fall onto the bed.
“Do you think our quick getaway and takeoff worked?” I ask.
“I have to think so. Did you see any of them around?”
“No, but I’m sure they were. I just didn’t have a good visual from inside the plane.”
“Let’s not think of them. I have this unbelievable almost naked woman on top of me, so I have better things to think of.”
“Indeed you do.”
An hour later, we emerge from the cabin. I’m a bit embarrassed, but when the flight attendant approaches with our meal, he acts like nothing’s amiss. Since he’s the employee, I suppose he is trained to mind his own business. Kade explains that all the attendants that are hired are very discreet. It’s in their employment contracts.
The remainder of the flight goes quickly and we land in Tortola around two p.m. We’re whisked through customs and our ride awaits us to take us to the boat. When I get my first glimpse, I think that this is no ordinary boat. It’s sleek, pristine, and like nothing I imagined. Oh, and it’s huge. For some reason, I had in my mind some small thing. This boat is huge. I don’t know how Kade will ever operate this thing by himself.
“What do you think?” he asks.
“It’s awesome, but can you run this thing?”
“It can almost run itself. Come on. Let me show it to you.”
The interior is much larger than I expect. It contains three bedrooms (which I’m told are berths or cabins), three bathrooms (which Kade tells me are called heads), a kitchen (a.k.a. the galley), salon or dining area, and all kinds of cool storage space. Then there is the navigation station where all the electronic equipment is located. That’s all down below. Above is the cockpit and everything else you’d expect.
“It’s all very nautical.”
Kade lets out a howl of laugher. Then he hops back down below and makes sure we have everything we need. He does a check on all the boat’s systems and announces she’s seaworthy.
“That’s great news.” I make a face at him.
�
�What’s that for?”
“I don’t know. Nervous, I guess. Do I need to wear a life jacket?”
“No, sweetheart. I’ll keep this thing from running aground. I promise. Have faith in my sailing skills. I only need you to do a couple of things for me. See those lines that go from the boat to the dock?”
“Yep.”
“I’m going to toss them to you, one by one. All you need to do is catch them. Okay?”
“Sure.”
He does and I do, and then he jumps aboard and we pull out. I thought this thing was a sailing vessel, but I hear a motor running so I ask Kade. He explains that it does have a motor, too, but it goes faster under sail with a big wind. Okay, makes sense. When we pull away from the marina, I’m astounded by the beauty that is all around us. I hadn’t had a chance to take any of it in after we arrived. We went from customs, to the car, to the boat in such a rush, I didn’t pay any bit of attention to the island. But, oh my word. This place is truly paradise. Palm trees, mountains, tropical flowers, crystal clear aqua seas—I have never seen anything so stunning.
“Oh, Kade, this place. It’s like Eden. Have you ever seen such beauty?” I smile as I face him.
His sculpted face lifts, and almond-shaped ice-blue eyes pierce mine as he says, “Plenty of times. I see it every day when I look at you, into your eyes, when you smile, hold my hand, kiss me, love me. Nothing compares to you, Jules. Nothing.”
And everything, all the picturesque scenery that surrounds me, fades away as I dissolve into someone who wants nothing but Kade Hart.
Twenty-Four — The Seven
“Explain? Explain! There is nothing to explain. They went to the airport, got on the plane, and left for fuck’s sake. With Judgment Day! Without protection! And now they’re on a private jet, going WhoTheFuckKnowsWhere! It’s going to take a hell of a lot more work to track them,” Sabin grits out. He picks up a chair and it splinters as it hits the wall.
Edge speaks out and says, “Well, sir, we were tailing them but by the time we got there, the door to their aircraft was closed, so it wasn’t possible for us to get on board. And she doesn’t exactly know she has Judgment Day.”
The Hart Brothers Series Box Set (Including the bonus book Sabin: A Seven Novel): Freeing Her, Freeing Him, Kestrel, The Fall and Rise of Kade Hart, Sabin: A Seven Novel Page 109