by Alex Grayson
“I think you might be exaggerating my healing time a bit.”
“I may be damn near crazy by the time I can have you again,” I grumble. “But I’m not fucking around with your injury.”
“But we can do other things, right? Like maybe getting to my knees, and I suck you off?”
Fuck me, this woman just does it for me. And from the look she’s giving me, she knows it.
“We’ll see,” I answer huskily. I foresee many long showers in my near future.
“There’s something I need to talk to you about,” I tell her once I’m done massaging her feet.
Her brows jump up. “Sounds serious.”
“It is. There’s a question I want to ask you, but there’s something you need to know before I do.”
“Okay.” She settles back against the pillow and folds her hands over her stomach.
I rub my jaw, suddenly feeling anxious. What if I’m wrong? What if she can’t get past the way we handle things here in Malus? I have no doubt in my mind that she wouldn’t report what we do, but I need more than that. I need her to be okay with it. I need her to want to stay, because if she doesn’t, if she can’t look past what we do, I have no fucking clue how I’m going to live without her.
“You’re starting to worry me, JW,” she says, pursing her lips into a frown.
I turn to face her, cocking one of my legs up on the couch. I need to see her face when I tell her.
“SO, YOU ONLY SENTENCE people to the… Expiration Penalty—” I nod my head when she looks at me in question, “—who have hurt women and children?”
“Yes,” I answer. I’m still not quite sure how she’s feeling about what I just unloaded on her, but she’s not scrambling to get away from me, so I call that a definite plus. “It’s case by case and depends on the severity of the crime.”
“What about people who hurt men? And what happens if it’s a woman who hurts another woman or child?”
“It doesn’t happen often, but they’re given the same sentence.”
Her finger is at her mouth and she’s chewing on her nail as she thinks. “How many have you had to do?”
“Seven.” I keep my voice calm when inside my nerves are still shot.
She drops her hand to her lap, her thumb nail bitten to the quick.
“What happens if you later find out they weren’t guilty?”
I shake my head. “That’s never happened and won’t ever happen. We don’t dole out the punishment lightly. We make sure all evidence points to them committing the crime. We only use the penalty if we’re one-hundred percent sure. We don’t kill for the fun of it, it’s not something we enjoy, but it’s something we feel is deserved if the crime warrants it. It’s what makes Malus so safe, because everyone knows crimes such as those will not be tolerated.”
Her eyes slide away from mine and she looks off toward the kitchen. I watch as the expressions on her face change several times. Some make me even more nervous and some make me believe this might end in my favor. All of them have my heart pounding in my chest.
Finally, after what feels like a thousand minutes, she looks back at me. Her expression has settled on acceptance.
“Okay.”
I lift a brow. “Okay?”
She nods. “Yes, okay.”
The simple word makes me want to laugh. Just okay. No, I need time to think or this is too much to take in. Just okay. I can work with that. Even so, I want to clarify.
“You’re okay with what my brothers and I do here? You’re okay with us taking the law into our own hands?” I pause and level her with a look. “You’re okay with us killing people we feel deserve it?”
She attempts to sit up, and I try to get up to help her. She stops me with a raised hand. “Stay.”
I sit back and clench my jaw when she struggles. She moves slowly, but she eventually moves down to my end of the couch and settles her ass right over my thighs, sitting sideways. One arm goes around my neck and her other hand cups the side of my neck.
“I trust you, JW. I trust that you’ll do the right thing. I trust that you wouldn’t harm anyone who doesn’t deserve it. I think it’s amazing and kinda heroic that you protect the people of Malus, even if it’s not always in the traditional way.”
My heart settles. It’s now that I truly believe that this woman was always meant to be mine.
“You’re really somethin’ special, you know that?” I rumble.
A big grin forms over her face. “I know.”
I chuckle and steal the grin right off her face with my lips. We’re both breathless by the time I pull back.
“Stay,” I whisper. “Move to Malus. Live here with me, Gypsy.”
I’m not beyond begging if it comes to it. Luckily, I don’t have to.
“It’s about damn time you ask that.”
“That’s not an answer.”
She leans down until her mouth is only a whisper away from mine and says softly, “Yes, I’ll move in with you.”
I want so badly to crush her in my arms. To take her to my bedroom and worship her body like it’s the holy grail.
For now, I settle for a feather soft kiss.
EDEN
JW AND I WALK UP THE STEPS to my parent’s place. When I agreed to move to Malus and live with him, he wanted it done as soon as I was well enough. Had I not been recovering from a stab wound, I don’t doubt he would have hauled my butt to San Antonio that same day to get my stuff. I have to admit, I was anxious myself. I’m going to miss my parents, Millie, Clayton, and Hannah, but I’m close enough that I can visit them often.
Before I get the chance to open the door, it’s flung open and Mom’s pulling me into her arms. I close my eyes and release a long breath, basking in the warmth of her tight embrace. The last month has been hard not having Mom and Dad around.
“Sweet Jesus, Eden,” she murmurs against my hair. “I’d take a switch to your hide for scaring me so much if I wasn’t so happy to see you.”
I wince at the pinch of pain in my side from her hug, but I mask it when she pulls back. I never lie to my parents, but this one time, I won’t be revealing the full truth. There’s no point in telling her about Diego stabbing me when the problem’s been taken care of.
I laugh and wipe away the moisture forming in my eyes. “Hey, Mom. I’ve missed you too.”
She palms both of my cheeks, her eyes flying all over my face critically. Lines appear by her eyes as she frowns.
“You’ve lost weight,” she accuses.
I quirk my lips up. “It’s nothing I won’t gain back in a couple of weeks.”
As if she just noticed him standing there, her eyes leave my and settle on JW, who’s a couple of feet behind me.”
“Who’s this?” she asks just as Dad walks up behind her.
Instead of answering, I move around her and walk into Dad’s arms. His familiar masculine scent comforts me. I reluctantly pull back.
“Don’t pull any shit like that again, you hear me?”
I nod, remorse over their worry for me making my chest tight. “I promise.”
I step beside JW and he laces our fingers together.
“Mom, Dad, I want you to meet JW. These are my parents, Melanie and Charles.”
JW holds out his hand for them to shake. “It’s nice to meet you both.”
They assess him as they shake his hand.
“You the reason my girl couldn’t come home?” Dad asks bluntly.
I cringe.
“No, Sir.”
Dad’s eyes move to me. “You finally going to tell us what’s going on?”
My gaze slides to JW’s before I look back at my parents. “Yeah.”
“SO, YOU’RE TELLING ME THIS DIEGO, a man you never told us you were seeing, murdered a woman and you saw it? Then proceeded to threaten you if you didn’t give him back a microchip you didn’t know you had?” Dad asks, pacing the floor in front of us. Mom’s on the couch, her hands clasped together in worry.
“Yes,” I
answer.
He stops, propping his knuckles on his hips and glares at me. “You could have come to your Mother and me. We would have helped you.”
“I couldn’t, Daddy. You don’t know the things Diego was capable of. I wasn’t going to put you and Mom in danger.”
He opens his mouth to speak, but JW does so first.
“With all due respect, Sir. I have to agree with your daughter,” he states calmly. “Diego Tomas wasn’t the type of man to get involved with.”
Dad’s eyes narrow. “I know all about the Tomas family and what they’re capable of. But I’ll be damned if I sit around and let someone threaten my daughter.”
“That’s exactly why I couldn’t tell you. I knew you would try to help, which would have only put you and Mom on his radar. I couldn’t take that chance.”
Mom comes to her feet and takes one of Dad’s fisted hands from his waist. “Let it go. It’s over and done with. She’s home and safe. That’s all that matters.”
I can tell Dad wants to say more, but he turns his gaze to JW and asks something else instead. “You said Diego wasn’t the type of man to get involved with. What does that mean?”
I shift on the couch, uncomfortable with telling him he was blatantly murdered. Apparently, JW has no qualms with it though.
“He’s been taken care of. He’s no longer a threat to Eden.”
Dad gives a stiff nod.
“You the one who kept her safe?”
“Yes, Sir. My brothers and me.”
He gives another nod. “Then I’m in your debt,” he says gruffly.
“That’s not necessary.” JW puts his arm around my shoulders and tugs me closer. “I did it for purely selfish reasons. I love, Eden.”
Dad crosses his arms over his chest and regards JW. I almost laugh at the stern look on his face. It’s fake. I can see the mirth in his eyes he’s trying to hide. “Do you now?”
“I do.”
“Stop it, Daddy.” I roll my eyes, get up off the couch, and go to him and Mom. “JW’s asked me to move in with him, and I said yes.”
“But, sweetie, you’ve only known him a few weeks,” Mom says, grabbing my hand.
“I love him, Mom.”
She searches my eyes, and finding the truth, gives a single nod. “Okay.”
When we were explaining what happened with Diego, JW told them he lives in Malus and that was where I was the last few weeks. They immediately recognized the name from when it was changed from Sweet Haven and what happened all those years ago.
“I expect you to come visit often,” Dad states.
“I will.”
I feel JW’s hand settle against my lower back. “And you’re more than welcome to visit Malus. Just give us a couple of days’ notice so we’ll have a room ready for you.”
“I’m sure we’ll take you up on that.”
“Who’s hungry?” Mom asks suddenly. “I was just getting ready to put together a pot of goulash. I insist you both stay for lunch.”
Seeing the hopeful look on Mom’s face and having not seen them in so long, I turn to JW. “You don’t mind, do you?”
His lips tilt up into a smile. “Of course not. I’d like to get to know the two people who raised such a wonderful young woman better anyway.”
I hear Mom’s sigh as I lean up and press my lips against his in an easy peck. “Thank you.”
“Come on, dear. I’ll help you in the kitchen.”
Mom and Dad leave, giving us a few minutes alone.
“You’re something special, you know that?” I ask as I wind my arms around his neck and finger the small hairs there.
His smile is still in place. “Only because you make me so.”
“Thank you for pulling me over that day.”
His chuckle is deep and raspy. “I never thought I would say this but thank you for speeding.”
I toss my head back and laugh, happy knowing that something that started out ugly and disturbing turned out to be something beautiful and forever lasting.
JW
I WALK UP THE STEPS TO the older brick house and ring the doorbell. The sun has already set and with the warm temperature, there’re bugs flying around the porch light.
As I wait for someone to answer the door, I think back to the note Eden received a week ago. It was from a female housekeeper who used to work for Diego. Apparently, one of the girls on the microchip we found in Eden’s birth control pack was her daughter. She had suspected Diego had done something to her. One day, when she was cleaning his office, Diego left his computer on. Frozen on the screen was a video of Diego with his knife jammed in her daughter’s gut. She found other videos of him murdering women and took the microchip. She planted the chip in Eden’s birth control pack, knowing she would eventually find it. She didn’t go to the police herself because she was living in the states illegally and was worried she would be deported back to Mexico, where her husband, who had been abusing her for years, was looking for her.
I understand her fear, but it still pisses me off that she put Eden’s life on the line. She apologized in her letter and Eden forgave her. Me, not so much. I’d never want what happened to her daughter to happen to anyone else, but I’ll always chose Eden’s safety over anyone else’s.
She went on to explain she sent the picture I got the day I visited Emiliano, gathering more evidence against Diego. When he went to take a shower, she snuck in the room and took the picture of the girl, then sent it to me, hoping that it would motivate us even more to turn over the evidence to the police.
I’m brought back to the present when I hear footsteps on the other side of the door, and I brace myself. I recognize the man who answers right away, and it takes every bit of will power I possess to not plant my fist against his face. He’s older, twenty-four years older to be exact, but he’s smaller than I remember. Smaller than I am by several inches and at least forty pounds.
“Can I help you?” he asks, his brows lifted in expectation.
Instead of answering, my hand darts out and my fingers wrap around his neck before he knows what’s happening. His hand flies up to mine and he tries to pry it away as I shove him inside, slamming the door closed with my boot. Spotting a couch in the living room, I push him backwards until he falls onto it. He coughs and sputters as he tries to catch his breath.
“Who… in the fuck… are you?” he wheezes.
I cross my arms over my chest. “I’m shocked, Trey. You don’t recognize your little brother?”
His hands are braced on his knees while he leans over to pull in much-needed air. At my words, he sits up straight and stops breathing again. His eyes narrow as he looks me over.
“Liam?” he croaks, his eyes growing big in disbelief.
I spread my arms wide. “In the flesh.”
I have to give it to my brother. He’s not stupid. He knows just what this little visit means for him. He proves this when he jumps from the couch and tries to dart to the hallway. He only gets three feet before my fist is in his stomach and he’s once again wheezing for breath. I throw him in the closest chair and he slumps over.
A shocked gasp has me turning. An older version of the woman I remember my mother being walks out of the dark hallway. Judge is at her back, not letting her too far out of his grasp.
“Liam?” she whispers in a broken voice through the hand she has covering her mouth.
Like Trey, she looks a lot older. Her hair is mostly grey and her face has wrinkles now. I fucking hate that I have her eyes and nose.
“Hello, Mother.”
When she stops walking, Judge nudges her forward. She stops about five feet away.
“Oh, my, God. I thought you were dead,” she breaths.
“As you can see, I’m very much alive, but I can guarantee you’ll wish I were dead by the time I’m through with you and Trey.”
Tears appear in her eyes before they run freely down her face.
“I can’t believe it.” Her voice is still low and she still appears surpris
ed. “I can’t believe you’re really alive. Your father died that night. I thought you did too, or we would have looked for you before we left.”
“Thank fuck for small miracles,” I mutter. I jerk my chin to the couch beside Trey. “Take a seat.”
Seeming to come out of her stupor, she glances back and sees the hunched over form of Trey. Her head swings back to me. “What did you do to him?”
“Not nearly enough. Now sit down,” I order in a hard tone.
Her chin quivers, but she does what she’s told. Judge stands off to the side with his hands shoved into his pockets.
“I’ve been looking for you both for a long time. Imagine my surprise when I find you’ve been running a daycare here in Arizona. And to name it Sweet Haven Tykes, no less.”
That tidbit of information that was in the envelope that Judge gave me that day almost a month ago damn near made me lose it. The only thing that kept me from going after them the moment I read the report was knowing Eden needed me. She knew of the information Judge gave me because I told her. She tried a couple of times to force me to go take care of things—she saw how much it bothered me—but I refused until I knew she would be okay.
“And to make it worse, you’re playing husband and wife?” I spit that last part out in disgust. That piece of information almost made me vomit. “I thought you both were sick back then, but that’s just fucking repulsive. Are you two actually sleeping together?”
“We love each other,” Trey states simply, sitting up more in his seat.
I bark out an incredulous laugh. “Like you loved me?”
“We did you love, Liam,” Mom inserts.
“You didn’t love me. You loved the sickness that resided in you. If you loved me you wouldn’t have let those twisted fucks touch me. You wouldn’t have let my own brother rape me.”
My mother opens her mouth to response, but Trey cuts her off.
“You don’t have a brother,” he says, his voice gaining strength. I cast my eyes his way. A slow smile creeps across his face.