Frosted (Frosted Series Book 1)

by Taylor Rose

  My body jumped again for the second time as a sharp stabbing pain pinched the skin below my breasts. Then just like that, the pain was gone.

  I inhaled a shaky breath, letting the numbness wash over me. The pain I’d been feeling for hours was finally gone. Keeping my eyes closed, I focused on my breathing. I heard metal clanking on metal as tools were being set down and picked up again.

  After about ten minutes, I opened my eyes slightly, wondering how much longer I had to sit here before the doctor was done stitching me up. To my surprise Dr. Harper was taking his gloves off. I looked down at my body, and noticed bandages covering my once open flesh. He was done.

  Thank god.

  Dr. Harper coughed and then said, “I’ve got to go and grab some papers for you to take with you. They’ll explain everything you need to know about taking care of your cuts while they heal. What you can and can’t do, how to make sure they stay clean and uninfected, and even a way that might help you so that you don’t scar as much. I’m also going to grab some disinfectant gel that you’ll need to apply to your cuts twice a day. I’ll be back in a second.”

  I watched him shuffle out of the room before I let myself speak again.

  “We have nowhere to go,” I said barely above a whisper.

  Kieran scoffed, loud and obnoxious.

  My head snapped up and my eyes locked on his glowing amber ones.

  I blew out a breath through my chapped lips.

  “Really, though. This whole time, I was sitting here thinking – contemplating – what to do, where we would go,” I muttered. “Only to come up with nothing. Not a damn thing. We have nowhere to fucking go.”

  He scoffed at me again, anger flowing off of him in waves. His lip curled up in disgust. What the fuck? Why was he acting like such an asshole right now? It’s not like he had nowhere to go.

  “What?” I hissed, my anger seeping through my words. I cocked my head to the side, letting my temper control my actions.

  “Both of you are coming home with me, baby,” Kieran explained, his teeth gritted together.

  Yeah fucking right. Nice one.

  “Am not,” I quipped, my head snapping straight in shock while both of my arms were crossed over my chest in defiance.

  “Like fucking hell you aren’t,” he growled. Again, his chest rumbled.

  I opened my mouth to reply, when he silenced me with his finger covering my lips.

  “Keep those beautiful lips sealed. This is how it’s gonna go. You’re coming home with me. End of discussion. No if’s, and’s, or but’s fucking about it. I will not stand for anything else. Your fine ass may be stubborn, but I will not budge about this. Get me?” he drawled all sexy like.

  Holy hotness batman.

  I nodded, unable to form words.

  He crossed his arms over his chest and smirked at me. His whiskey colored eyes blazing with satisfaction.

  “I said, get me?” he questioned louder, his voice deep and husky. Sex to my ears.

  “Got you,” I murmured, trying to sound firm but coming out all breathy and raspy.

  “Thank fucking god,” he sighed.

  “Time to go,” Cooper grumbled. Aqua was cradled to his chest still, fast asleep in his arms.

  “Meet you at the car,” Kieran replied. That’s all Cooper needed to hear before he was out the door, leaving us alone for the first time. Ever.

  His head swiveled to the side, his whiskey colored eyes met mine.

  His eyes traveled down my body hungrily, causing a trail of fire to blaze my skin, leaving a scorching trail of heat in its wake. His golden gaze was now swimming with desire and focused only on me.

  My nipples tightened into nubs begging to be strummed. Licked. Sucked. Pinched. Anything.

  My clit was throbbing in tune with my pulse, ready for release at any given moment.

  His mouth quirked to the side, taunting me, while his smoldering eyes continued to rake their way over my body. Stopping at the swell of my breasts, the curve of my hips and the bubble of my butt.

  A shudder shook my body from the intensity pouring off of him at an astounding rate.

  My throat constricted, becoming tight, and I forced a gulp of saliva down. My mouth felt dry and scratchy.

  Desire overtook my body without warning from nothing more than a look.

  Groaning, I pressed my thighs together, trying to get my emotions under control.

  Kieran leaned down, wrapped his arms around me and picked me up. I tilted my head, looking at his handsome face and a smile snuck through my bravado, leaving him speechless.

  For a couple minutes, all he did was stare at me while he held me in his arms, as if transfixed on me.

  Voices bled through the doorway, hitting my ears.

  “What do you mean, he got away?” an angry male voice hissed.

  “He wasn’t there when we arrived at the scene, Declan,” a female voice lightly said.

  A male groan sounded.

  “Fuck,” the guy who must be Declan hissed again. “This cannot be happening.”

  “I’m sorry, honey. I know how much this means to you,” the female voice murmured.

  “I… It’s just… I don’t understand… Fuck!” Declan bellowed. A booming sound exploded. “I thought this was all over, April.”

  “We’ll get him, honey. We’ll find him. For you. For your mom. For her. For all of them. We’ll find him,” she gently coaxed him, trying to dissolve his anger.

  “We have to,” Declan whined, his voice wobbly with emotion.

  Kieran carried me out the door, as if he hadn’t heard the conversation. And honestly, he probably didn’t. I mean, he seemed pretty out of it back there. But I can’t help but wonder what that conversation was about. Whatever it was seemed important to whoever this Declan guy was. Looking over my shoulder, my eyes landed on a young couple. Like barely eighteen looking couple. The woman had a short blonde pixie cut hair styled and was in a police uniform, her arms were wrapped around the big burly guy. His only distinct feature was his brown spiky hair. His head was tucked into the nape of her neck, his hands were clenched into fists behind her back. Unable to hear them anymore, I turned my head around.

  Dr. Harper stood at the reception desk, waiting for us with a manila envelope in his hands.

  “Read this when you get home, dear,” he explained. He handed me a card as well. “Once you’re feeling better, please call me. We have something we need to talk about.”

  He scurried away, as if terrified I would turn him down.

  “Thanks!” I yelled out to him, hoping he heard me. After twisting my head so that I was facing the way we were walking, I flipped my hair over my shoulder. Pain radiated my torso, causing me to wince.

  I may want him, but wanting something and needing something are different. Wanting him doesn’t mean he’s what’s best for me. If anything, the fact that I want him makes him bad for me.

  The faster I heal, the faster I can go home and get the hell away from him. He may portray the benevolent prince charming, but we all know in reality he’s just a royal pain in the ass.

  “Let’s get you home,” Kieran rumbled, while walking to his car.

  “Alright Charming, let’s go home,” I murmured sarcastically.

  Kieran laughed long and loud. His laughter shook his chest, my body bounced from the action.

  “I’m the King, baby. Not some kind of bitch ass prince,” he smirked, looking down at me.

  I rolled my eyes. How can one person be so sweet one second, and such a cocky asshole the next?

  And why was it something that excited and scared me all at the same time?

  My mind was hoping and praying that I would be able to dodge his sweetness and attempts to weasel his way inside my heart. The last thing I needed right now was to fall for someone when I couldn’t even take care of myself.

  Kieran had become my weakness.

  I was just hoping that I had enough strengt
h left to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground, because falling was not an option.

  I was broken into pieces. Some of them lost forever.

  My mind said that this was the smart thing to do.

  While my heart screamed that all I needed was him.

  They say home is where the heart is and truer words have never been said.

  My house never really felt like a home, though.

  I slept there every night. I ate there at least once every day. I bathed there regularly. I relaxed there when there was nothing I had to do. I even decorated a little bit. Well, if you count the television that hung on the wall a decoration.

  But until Figgy and Aqua walked through the door, my house just felt like a place.

  A lonely, empty space.

  Now, it felt like home.

  Warm and welcoming.

  It takes hands to build a house, but only hearts to build a home.

  Their hearts, to be exact.

  The drive home was eerily quiet. Cooper sat in the back seat with Aqua cradled in his arms. I swear to god, if I hadn’t known him my whole life, I would think she was his daughter. Or something as equally important. They have this unbelievable connection; one I would have killed to have at her age. Well actually, at any age really.

  Figgy sat in the passenger seat, eyes fixed on the road ahead of us; the only sound she was making could be heard when she breathed. She sat Indian style, so that my huge shirt covered her battered and bruised body. Her fingers played with the hem, pulling a fly away thread.

  I did my best to focus on the road, but with both girls in my car - upset, hurt and damaged - it was hard to keep my eyes where they needed to be.

  Pulling up in the driveway, I put my car in park. Cooper was out in a flash, carrying Aqua to the front door as fast as he could. Figgy stayed seated, her eyes unblinking. Looking over, I let my eyes rake over her body. She might be curled up in a ball right now, her hands wrapped around her legs, but she was a vision. Her golden hair was a tattered mess, all knotted up. And while she was looking at something, she wasn’t really focusing. She was somewhere else. Dark circles were cast under her eyes.

  Dirt and blood smudges were painted on her skin, and bruises and scars covered her delicate body.

  But her strength only made her more beautiful.

  Looking up, Cooper was no longer standing outside of my house, but my front door was swinging open in the night air.

  “Let’s go inside now baby, yah?” I asked, making sure my voice held little to no heat, needing to comfort her with everything I could.

  She nodded her head, not answering me with words.

  She opened the car door with a creak, stepped out in the cool night air, and slammed the door closed. Like a zombie, I watched her walk up the side walk and head straight in the house.

  Taking a deep breath, I walked in the house a minute after her. As soon as I walked in the door, I slammed into something. My arms flew out, catching Figgy from falling flat on her face. My fingers touched her skin in the process, causing her to jump from the contact. Not that I blamed her. I released her arms, after making sure she was steady on her feet once again. A shiver overtook her body.

  “Wanna shower, baby?” I cooed to her, knowing she needed to wash the feeling of his hands on her. But, she also needed to wash the dirt and blood off of her skin. I didn’t want to push her to do something she didn’t want to do, but I knew from experience it would help her.

  Recognition flared in her eyes.

  “Please,” she murmured, nodding her head frantically.

  Headed towards the bathroom, I walked down the hallway with her right behind me. Once we reached the bathroom, I walked in and turned on the shower head, making sure the water was just hot enough to steam up the mirrors.

  Turning around, I started walking out of the bathroom. A girl needs her privacy and all that shit.

  “Stay,” she choked out, her voice catching in her throat. One hand clutched her throat while her other hand reached out, but didn’t actually touch me.

  I shook my head, unable to say the word “no” out loud.

  I’m a red-blooded man for fucks sake.

  “Please,” she whispered, leaving me no choice. She needed me, I would just have to control my damn self.

  “I’ll be back, baby. I need to get you a clean shirt and a pair of my boxers for you to wear. I’ll also get you a fluffy towel to dry off with. It won’t take me long,” I murmured, letting my voice calm her nerves. She tilted her head to the side, probably wondering why I was turning down her naked body. But right now, after she had already been taken advantage of today, I couldn’t bring myself to look. And by that, I mean I couldn’t look at her without getting a boner, which in my mind meant I shouldn’t be looking at all. At least right now.

  Damn conscience.

  The last thing she needed to see after her day was my dick as hard as rock, knowing that the reason it was hard was because of her. Her face. Her body. Her scent. Her strength. Her fucking everything.

  “Let the water wash off all of the dirty, baby. Get me?” I asked her, quirking a brow.

  She nodded, understanding dawned on her beautiful face.

  “Got you, Charming,” she whispered, her voice a little bit fuller than before.

  I smirked at her. Even now, she was messing with me. Little spitfire.

  “King, baby,” I murmured, my eyes gleaming with amusement.

  Before I could change my mind and strip down to nothing, jump in and shower with her, I scurried out of the bathroom, quietly closing the door behind me.

  I took a deep breath, calming my jumping heart.

  This woman was going to be the death of me.

  Walking down the hallway to my room, a splash of light caught my attention from my extra room. Slowly, I crept up to the doorway. Peeking my head in, my heart slammed into my throat. What was once a bare room, was now something out of every little girl’s dream.

  Everything of mine that once took up this space was gone.

  All of the walls were painted a light pink, except one that was painted black. On the black wall, there were chalk drawings everywhere. A chalk board wall. How fucking cool. A full sized bed was pushed in the left hand corner of the room, a bright pink fluffy comforter placed on the top. Hanging from the ceiling was a light pink colored mesh canopy that went around a third of the bed. A white colored trunk was placed at the end of the bed. A white wooden dresser was pushed against the wall with the window. Both of them had floral designs etched into the wood. Pictures of Figgy and Aqua hung up on the walls. A crown nightlight was plugged into the far wall, and the last touch was hanging on the door. “Princess Aqua’s Room” was written on a crown sticker that was in the middle of the door. So that anyone who walked by would know who this room belonged to.

  Squirt laid on the bed, her new pink comforter covering her small body. She was curled up protectively, grabbing the edge of the blanket in her fingertips. Her blonde hair was covering the extra pillow lying next to her.

  My heart was filled just by looking at how beautiful she was.

  I watched her, transfixed by the little sleeping angel.

  I walked over, unable to stop my feet from moving. Once I reached her new bed, I leaned over and placed a kiss on her temple.

  “G’night Squirt,” I murmured softly, the words fell off my lips and I realized that I liked the way they sounded. Just like I liked how she now had her own room in my home.

  A smile played on my lips, thinking about both of my girls in my house.

  I tip-toed out of her room slowly so that I didn’t wake her up, flipped the light switch, and closed the door most of the way. I left it open a crack, just in case.

  Standing in the hallway was my best friend with his arms crossed over his chest. He was leaning up against the wall, clearly amused that he made my extra room into the new and improved, princess room. Little did he know that rather than bother
me, it felt right. As if I had always had a pink colored room in my house.

  I smirked at him.

  “You’re not mad?” he asked exasperated.

  “Not even a little bit, brother.”

  “But, but, but…” he sputtered. “It’s fucking pink.”

  I laughed.

  “That it is,” I sighed. “My Squirt loves pink.”

  “You can thank Eight for it then, he was the one who decorated it,” Cooper griped while throwing his arms up in the air.

  I nodded, because I really did have to thank Eight. Squirt having her own room was a huge deal. It may not have been my idea, but it was amazing nonetheless. I just hoped she was going to love it as much as I did.

  Running into my room, I grabbed everything Figgy needed and rushed back into the bathroom. I had been gone longer than I anticipated.

  Steam assaulted my vision. The bathroom was foggy as shit from how hot the water was running. Using my free hand, I felt around until I came to the sink. I placed a clean t-shirt and a pair of my boxers on the counter for her to wear as pajamas. Twisting around, I glanced around the bathroom until my eyes locked on her. She was still wearing my shirt as if she were afraid to get naked. She was standing on tip-e-toes, her back to me. The curve of her ass was barely visible, but if she lifted her arms up, I would get a full view.

  Sweet Jesus.

  I watched her, transfixed by her beauty.

  Water fell through her hair, and spotted on her pale skin.

  Without warning, she crumpled to the shower floor and when her body smacked against the tile, a cracking sound sounded throughout the bathroom.

  I rushed to her side, lifting her arms up so that she was sitting in front of me. Her head snapped to mine, her eyes bore a deep pain.

  Water drenched my clothes, making my pants and shirt stick to my skin. Water droplets clung to my beard and eye lashes.

  She leaned close to me and wrapped her arms around my body, hugging me. She laid her head on my shoulder, relaxing while she let the water wash over her body.

  Her hands went under my shirt. I closed my eyes, relishing in the feel of our skin to skin contact. A trail of heat followed her fingers and she stopped her hands from moving around my back, keeping them in one place and her head flinched back as if she’d been slapped.