Absolution: A Salvation Society Novel

by Leaona Luxx

  “He’s been with her for a little over ten hours, Michelle. But I can report, the house is still standing, and there are no fire or rescue people around it.”

  “Will you stop, please! Creed is more than capable of handling a toddler. He’s a friggin’ navy SEAL, woman! His hand to hand combat is top rated. He’s a trained assassin!” She squeaks.

  I purse my lips. “I have no idea what his hand to hand tactics involve and right now, I’m not sure I care until I know my daughter is alive. Or he’ll need protection from me.”

  “Call me after you find out she’s perfectly fine and breathing.” I know she’s rolling her eyes as she ends the call, but I’m worried.

  I ease the door open, peeking in before I barge in and have a heart attack at what I’m faced with. There’s no sound, and the living room is clean. I sneak through, searching as I go.

  The television is on in the family room, I round the corner and stop dead in my tracks. The cushions to every piece of furniture are lying around the floor, every toy Emmie owns is littered about.

  A trash can sits to one side of the couch, and another beside a mound in the middle of the floor. Tiptoeing over, I kneel in front of the opening and gape at the sight in front of me.

  Emmie’s head is laying on Creed’s chest, her knees are on the floor, and his hand rests on the small of her back. They’re both sound asleep and from the looks of it, alive.

  I reach in, shaking Creed’s foot until he rouses. He blinks slowly, suddenly dawning on him where he is. He looks around and then catches my gaze with a shy wave.

  “Hi…”

  He throws his head back slightly. “Hey.”

  “Rough day?”

  He shrugs gently, so not to disturb Emmie. “Piece of cake.”

  “It looks like it.” My chest fills with all the warm and fuzzy feelings. He did it, and she’s okay. I can’t ask for more. His phone beeps, drawing my attention. A message from Liam.

  “Who is it?” His brows pull tight.

  “Liam.”

  And now, they’re in the opposite direction. “I’ll get back to him later.”

  “It’s nothing to worry about, he’s just asking if you remembered to clean out the tub. If not, you should do it before I get home.”

  “Emmie got the stomach bug from Michelle or her boys. She vomited like a waterfall and then shot it across the room with the precision of a sniper.” His eyes grow wider as the story goes on. “What do you feed this kid? Because my suggestion is that you should lay off the green stuff.”

  My cheeks puff up as I hold back the laughter that’s ready to burst from them, I can’t stop it, I scramble from the makeshift fort, hoping to get away before I wake Emmie with the jovial sound.

  “This is classic! I’ll be telling this story when I’m old and gray.” My giggles turn into boisterous, gut-busting, cackling.

  Creed crawls from under the blankets to find me crashing into the wall as I hurdle the mess lying around. I make a mad dash through the house, attempting to not wake her.

  “Hey, it’s not funny.”

  “Yes, it is!”

  He smashes his mouth shut in an effort to stop his laughter, only to snort. His face reddens from the slip. There’s no containing it now, the side-splitting, roar of amusement fills the house.

  Finally, making it a home.

  “She had vomit shooting out of her nose, all over me, trailing it from the front door to the kitchen!” He doubles over, no longer fighting it, and joins me in my fit of laughter. Then, something he said dawns on me.

  “You took her to my sink?”

  He holds his hands up. “What can I say, she caught me by surprise.”

  “You’re covered in green, from your shoulder all down the front.”

  He pivots, displaying the artwork going down his back. “Like a river and puddled at my waist.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Wanna make it up to me?” His boyish smile is the best, and the most genuine.

  “How can I do that?”

  He inclines his head toward the kitchen. “Dinner, a movie, and a hot shower.”

  “Dinner and the movie I can do, but I’m not showering with you.” I cross my arms and jut out my chin in protest. He places his hand on the wall above me, crowding me against it, the heat between us is palpable, and lust blooms south of my navel.

  “I wasn’t asking you to take one with me, I mean unless that’s something you’d be interested in.”

  Just as I’m about to make a break for it, I actually get one from my favorite wingman. Well, wing-girl, but you get the picture. She’s gives me a chance for a getaway from the sex god on legs.

  “Mmm mm.” Emmie toddles toward us with her hands held high. I duck out from under him, traipsing to Emmie. She sidesteps me, ambling into Creed’s waiting arms.

  “Betrayed! And by my own blood.” I throw my hand on my forehead, gasping as I do my best southern damsel in distress impersonation.

  Creed winks, and I tingle in all the right places. “She prefers older men.”

  “I told you so!” He follows me to her room, across the hall from the extra bathroom. “You’re powerless against her.”

  “She’s not the only crimson kryptonite that makes me weak.” The smolder in his eyes, darkening with desire.

  “Let me take her, order some dinner, and you two can get cleaned up.”

  “Fine, but showering with her wasn’t my offer.” He smirks, releasing Emmie to me.

  “Wait… do you have a change of clothes here? We’re not even there yet, and you’re already moving in? Woah, dude! Slow your roll!” I wink, earning me a sexy smile with a smolder in his eyes.

  “I have a bag in my SUV in case I wanted to stay at Crawford and Kathryn’s.”

  “Shit.” Emmie covers her mouth and giggles when I glare at Creed.

  “Are you kidding me? I’ve fought with her for months, working with her in hopes she’d become more verbal. I can’t believe this is the word she picks to have on repeat!”

  Creed winces, his shoulders jammed up to his ears. “Sorry.”

  “That’s all you have to say for yourself. How about teaching her some other words for a change?”

  “Dumm.” Emmie mutters. “Dumm assh.”

  My head whips around, Creed’s face is ashen as he blinks rapidly. Heat fills my cheeks, and I try to reign in my building agitation. “Seriously?”

  “It is a new word.” He grimaces, squeezing his eyes shut to keep from looking at me.

  “Ughhh!” I have no words, so I take my daughter and storm toward my bedroom. Slamming the door behind us, I fall against it and take a few deep breaths.

  Emmie tilts her head, raising her brows. “Dumm assh.”

  “You can say that again,” I pause, trying not to laugh. “no, do not say that again. Although he is one.”

  I run Emmie a warm bath to clean her up, only to have my mind on the hot guy in my other shower, getting lathered up and no one to wash his back. I know, don’t even start with me.

  I’m an idiot.

  Now, if I can only figure out if I’m one because he’s alone or that I am. “It’s complicated is such an underrated statement.”

  After wrapping Emmie in a towel, we walk to her room to find some fresh clothes. The door on the extra bathroom is still closed, I suppose he’s still in there naked, and slippery.

  “Scar! Stop it! You do not need this right now.” I grumble all the way into Emmie’s room. I put her into her crib and grab some clothes from her drawers.

  “Shoot! I forgot your hair tie.” I sprint from the room, heading back to mine. Once I round the corner, I bump into a towel-clad, wet, and wild body.

  Creed’s arms wrap me, holding me close to his tatted and muscle-bound chest. My eyes roam his torso as I grip his toned biceps. “Whoa, there! You tryin’ to tackle me.”

  “Oh! Uhm, no. We need bows.” I can feel my body heat pressed against his as my face flames.

  Desire swims beneath
his sultry gaze as his lip quirks. ‘No need for a bow, just tug on the corner.”

  “Oh, my gracious!” I flip around, running from him before I take him up on his offer. Yes, I’m embarrassed but not enough to leave a hard cock hanging between us.

  “C’mon, Scar. I’m only joking.” He yells to me as I hurry through Emmie’s door and slam it shut.

  I allow my eyes to close for a moment, and his perfectly sculpted body flashes before me. “Oh, my. We need to eat and say goodnight as fast as we can before I make a huge mistake.”

  “Mmm bbbmm dadddd.” Emmie’s brows bounce up and down.

  “Exactly!” I rush her, taking her down in a tickling fury. After dressing her, I straighten my clothes and realize I smell like a wet dog from work. Emmie and I go back to my room for me to freshen up before joining Creed in the kitchen.

  “Hello, ladies.” He’s doing dishes in his bare feet, a tee-shirt, and basketball shorts. They cling in all of the right places if you know what I mean.

  I can’t control my raging hormones around him anymore, so I avert my eyes as I smile. “Hey, there.”

  “Dinner?” He nods to the pizza on the table. “We need plates for the salad.”

  “I didn’t realize it had come. Let me get those.” I turn to the cabinets, and he reaches for Emmie after drying his hands. “Thank you.”

  “I picked up some of our mess from today and laid out a blanket for a makeshift picnic. I hope that’s okay.” He walks over to the table, grabbing a box before sitting down with Emmie like a pro.

  “Well, look at you. One day with her, and you act like you’ve done this before.” I set the plates down and return for the glasses and drinks.

  He shrugs, placing her between us. “I think I was fast-tracked today.”

  “Ha! I would have to agree.”

  He pinches off a piece of food for Emmie, watching her closely as she eats. “She’s amazing, never once did she get upset when I didn’t know what to do. It’s like she didn’t care, as long as I was with her.”

  “Children are resilient, they’re usually happy to just be loved.”

  Creed’s eyes are unfocused as he stares off into the distance. Something flashes in them, and he’s lost in it. Another minute longer and then he’s back. “What I wouldn’t give to be so forgiving.”

  “You could be if you wanted to.”

  “If only I could remember who or what I need to forgive.” He drops his head. ‘What if it’s me?”

  I scoot closer to him, laying my hand on his forearm. “Why would you think that?”

  “The only memories I have of my time in captivity are the ones I’ve been told about except for a few stray dreams; I have nothing to piece together. What if it’s my brain's way of trying to protect itself?”

  He’s right. Creed’s the only person that can find the truth about what happened with his mission because he’s the only person to survive. My heart thuds at the thought that if he finds it, we may lose each other.

  “Well then, I think you should start your own investigation. You’ll be able to go at your own pace, and you might even regain your past. If you want to, that is.”

  His eyes are fixed on Emmie, the wheels turning in his brain. “I don’t even know where to start.”

  “That’s easy… your dad. He hired people to go get you, ask them too. There should be plenty of files and a paper trail a mile long.”

  Creed’s head snaps up. “You’re right, I could start at the beginning with what my… Crawford knows.”

  “Ya know, that’s just weird. They’re your parents, there’s no getting away from it. You obviously feel some attachment, why not call them who they are?”

  “I’m afraid of giving them false hope.” He grimaces, looking pained. “If there’s a chance I may never regain what I’ve lost, I would hate for them to lose me all over again.”

  I half shrug. “Why not give them a choice?”

  “Who are you?” He gazes into my eyes, searching them for some meaning or answer. My gut tells me he’s looking for a sign or beacon to follow home.

  “Just a girl, sitting with a boy… no, I’m kidding. I’m your friend. Or at least I hope I am.”

  Creed leans in, our mouths set just a fraction apart. The tension between us palpable, but before I can regain control, he takes my lips. I promised myself I’d fight this with everything in me.

  But as his tongue sweeps mine, I moan, and he forges in, owning me. His mouth commands my every need, making me his and marking me for the rest of my life.

  There’s a fierceness about the way he devours me, our lips moving in sync and becoming one as they meld together. The softness of his pressed to mine, with the firmness of wanton desire, sends me over the edge.

  I want him. Forever.

  “Damn, that was a kiss.”

  “No doubt about it, it sure as hell was.” He breaks our connection, running his nose along mine.

  I glance at Emmie, who’s fast asleep beside us. “I suppose I should put her to bed.”

  “Yeah, I guess so. I’ll pick up here.” He stands, taking my arm and helping to steady me as I stand with her in my arms. Chills break and run over my body as my heart pounds wildly.

  My mouth hangs slightly as I gather my breath. “I’ll be right back.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  Emmie’s suckling sounds pull me from the trance I’ve been in since Creed crashed into my life. His presence gives me solace, and I find myself wanting to be in his company all of the time.

  He feels like home, and that scares me. The last time I allowed myself to feel this way, it ended tragically, and I know I will never recover from something like that again.

  Still, he’s here, and I can’t bring myself to ask him to leave, and without a doubt, I’ll be in his arms, and we’ll be in my bed by night's end. Chasing the dawn as we run from our pasts and the dreams that unite us.

  I kiss Emmie’s temple before tucking her in, saying a silent prayer that this night ends without anyone getting hurt. Life isn’t as simple as that, and everyone knows it.

  “If only I could protect us both from our demons.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Creed

  Scarlet’s fiery hair is only second to her matching attitude. She’s tenacious and sexy as hell. She gets under my skin like no one I’ve ever met. I get lost in her scent every time she’s around.

  “Why would you kiss her?” I mumble while cleaning up our mess. I mean, why wouldn’t I, though? Her perfectly supple lips beg to be taken and bent to form mine.

  “Did you say something?” My eyes flicker to where she stands, the light behind her plays in her hair. Ruby colored flecks bounce off her flaming mane, leaving her lips the shade of wine.

  For the first time, in a long time, the thrum I’m hearing isn’t from a headache, but the sound of my heart. Her face flushes pink as I drink in her beauty, beguiled by it.

  I take an uneasy step toward her, fear gripping me. “I know you asked to be friends, and with my many issues, I understand why, but Scarlet, I want you. I can’t explain my need for you, but from the minute you walked into that room, I’ve thought of nothing but you and making you mine.”

  “Creed…” her hair falls around her face as she drops her head. My heart’s in my throat as I wait for her to say what’s in hers. “there’s still so much we need to learn about each other. What if this is nothing more than infatuation?”

  I move closer to her but giving her space. “What if we never try?”

  “And all of the unknowns, what do we do with them when they show up?” She bites the corner of her lip. Although meant to appease her worry, it ignites my craving for her.

  “We face them together.” My final step brings me close enough that my hunger for her overwhelms me, burning through my body and leaving me uncontrollable. Before she can protest, my hands are on her. Tangled in her hair, and gripping her hip.

  I drag her to me, sliding my hand around to the small
of her back and press her body to mine. Her lips part on a gasp, giving me the chance I need. When our eyes lock, I find myself in them.

  “Are you sure?” I murmur as her intoxicating scent makes it hard to think clearly. She has invaded my soul, as hope springs and I dare dream of loving her forever.

  She shakes her head. “No, but I’m tired of living with regrets and what ifs.”

  “All I know Scarlet is that I’m tired of living without you, I need to give you all that I am or what’s left of me.” Our gaze locks with the synchronizing of our hearts.

  “As much as I like to say no, my heart has betrayed me and now my body wants you just as much.” She fists my shirt, pulling me in.

  Our mouths collide like two sides at war, fighting to become one and staking our claim. I lift her up, and her legs wrap around my waist without hesitation. We stumble through the hall, past Emmie’s room to Scarlet’s bedroom.

  She pushes the door closed with her hand when I pause to kick it shut myself. I amble over to the bed, letting Scarlet slide along my body until her toes touch the floor.

  We work hard on not losing our connection as we make quick work of our clothes. My chest tightens as I think of making love to her for the first time. Not that there’s an urgent reason to sleep together, but my need for her is.

  We fall on her bed, a tangled mass of arms, legs, and lust. It’s as though our bodies are old friends and new lovers. We move as one, as I slide deep into her, groaning every inch of the way.

  “Ahh, yes.” She moans with every sway of my hips. “So good.”

  The motion of our bodies meeting, pushing, and pulling on one another, drives us closer to the edge. Scarlet’s thighs tighten, hitched on my hips as I plunge deeper, thrusting as I mark her forever.

  Scarlet clutches my shoulders, bucking from the bed as I flick her harden nipple with the tip of my tongue. I trace her breast with it, kissing my way up between them.

  Her back arches once again, elongating her neck and revealing it to me. I nip it, sinking my teeth in just enough to send shock waves over her skin and leaving her trembling beneath me.