‘He shot her?’ Ivy asked.
‘Only one of them could have survived in my inner circle,’ Mauri said. ‘Bruno knew that.’
To speak of the death of his wife without emotion was chilling to Ivy, but Dax seemed to understand. ‘It was one or the other,’ Dax said. ‘You forgave him?’
‘It was that or lose him too,’ Mauri said. ‘I told him that we had to find his child, and we spent years tracing you. Bruno was never interested, but he listened to me and by the time we found you, most of our issues had been resolved.’
Bruno might have loved Winnie, but it didn’t seem that Mauri loved her very much. Maybe he had in the early years, or maybe he only stood by her because she was the mother of his children. But now facing his mortality, he made no apology for covering up the murder of his wife. Men in his line of work had to be detached, but Ivy was pleased Dax wasn’t cut from the same cloth.
‘This is why we should remain together as a family,’ Mauri said. ‘There is a rich history between us all, and it’s one that Ivy will be a part of now too.’
‘Ivy and I want to build our own family, not be a part of anyone else’s,’ Dax said, rising from the couch, taking her and her backpack with him.
Mauri sprang up portraying panic through his expression. ‘You cannot just leave here.’
‘I can, Mauri,’ Dax said. ‘Thanks for… I have a lot of respect for you, and I’m sorry that you are sick. This is a time when you need to embrace your family and I’m not a part of that anymore. Ivy is all the family I need.’
‘We can give you money and security and—‘
Dax skirted the couch and took Ivy to the door, which he opened before he looked back at Mauri. ‘The Stark trade will carry on without you and without me. Fate will decide how it works out. Take care, Mauri.’
Ivy stayed quiet when he led her out of the room and through the house to the exit. The Starks were no longer a part of their life, they would never have to come here again.
The car was still in the drive when they got there, Dax took their things out of it and left the car keys on the front seat. Looping her purse up over her head and putting on her backpack, Ivy smiled when her husband put an arm around her.
‘What are you grinning at?’ he mumbled at her as they made their way down the drive towards the gate.
‘I love you,’ she said. ‘And I’m so proud of you.’
‘Yeah? You just remember that while I’m trying to keep you alive.’
‘I will. I don’t doubt that you’re capable of fixing this, not for a second. I have faith in you.’
‘I’m glad one of us does,’ he said.
Pulling her closer to kiss her head, Dax guided them out onto the street where they could call for a cab. Now that they’d dispensed with one dilemma, they only had one left to deal with – the bounty.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The cab took them to Dax’s storage unit where he retrieved his bike, which was the only mode of transportation that they owned here. There was no point in going to a car rental place or even buying a new vehicle, because she hoped that they wouldn’t be in California for that long.
‘We could just go back east,’ Ivy said as soon as they got back to Dax’s apartment. ‘Or we could leave the country entirely and take up residence on a deserted island in the South Pacific.’
‘For half a mill, I know a couple of guys who would still manage to find you,’ he said as they made their way into the bedroom.
‘Do you have a plan?’ she asked, leaning on the inside of the bedroom door after it was shut.
‘I’ve been thinking about that since we left Mauri’s,’ Dax said, sitting on the end of the bed, with his feet far apart, he rested his hands on the bed behind him.
‘And what have you come up with?’
‘If you want me to go back there, to tell Mauri that I’ll stay and do what he wants—‘
‘No, why would I want you to do that?’ she asked, crossing to crouch on the floor between his knees. Pushing her hands up his thighs, Ivy moved onto her knees and rested her head against his leg. ‘I don’t want you going back there, not for anything.’
‘What he said was right,’ Dax said. ‘Mauri can keep you safer than I can, he has the resources and manpower—‘
‘I only need one man and that’s you. For all we know, Mauri wants us to go crawling back, if he’s the one behind this—‘
‘I thought about that,’ he said, stroking her hair down her cheek. ‘If he had put up the bounty then he would’ve shown his hand in that last meeting. He’d have told us that he knew something or someone that would make it go away.’
‘He would’ve blackmailed us?’
‘Yeah. I doubt he’d have come out and confessed to being the one behind it, but we’d have figured it out—‘
‘When he was magically able to make it go away.’
‘Yeah,’ Dax said. ‘But he didn’t, so I don’t think he put the bounty up. For one thing, he could’ve gone higher, made the bounty a whole million or more if he was that desperate.’
‘So that leaves us with nothing.’
‘Not nothing. I’m still trying to track down Winlow, if I can find out who was at that poker game then I will have my guy, I know it.’
‘I can come with you. I can—‘
‘No, you’re staying here, indoors. Outside, you’re just a walking target, and if I’m going to be out there scaring my contacts, then I need to know that you’re safe here. If I split my focus—‘
‘I’ll stay here,’ she said. ‘If you promise not to go back to the mansion, not for anything, Dax. I mean it. Even if I drop down dead this minute, I don’t want you to ever go back there.’
‘Why not?’ he asked.
‘Because they enjoy holding you for ransom. Trystan is beyond hope, and Brad cares only about his own interests. Mauri… I know that you still respect him, but I don’t trust him. He had all of that information about your mother and your upbringing and he never told you any of it.’
‘He had his reasons.’
‘Yeah, because it kept you where he wanted you, right there, doing his dirty work. I love you, Dax, and I know that I encourage you to make your own choices, but please, tough guy, don’t sink to their level again. You’re better than that.’
‘I’d make a deal with the devil if it kept you safe.’
‘And I’m telling you not to.’
‘Telling me,’ he said, arching a brow. ‘You forget who owns you?’
‘Not for a second,’ she said, rising up on her knees. ‘Did you forget who owns you? I told you that they can’t have you. Even if I’m dead, you still belong to me.’
‘Sure, until the first piece of ass comes my way.’
Grinning at his attempted joke, she dug her nails into him through his jeans. ‘That should be your number one reason to keep me alive, ‘cause if I’m not around, you’re not getting laid.’
‘How you gonna stop me?’ he asked. Slipping both hands under her jaw, he angled up her head to bring their mouths close.
‘I’ll haunt you and I’ll haunt her. Do you think that death would be enough to stop me from harassing and annoying you?’
‘If I thought it was then I’d have offed you weeks ago.’
‘You are a clever boy,’ she whispered and leaned in to meet his kiss.
Ivy thought that she gave Dax an anchor. But now she realised that he gave her one too. Making out with him never lost its magic, and using his grip on her jaw, he drew her up, onto the bed on top of him without breaking their kiss.
His mouth was never soft, but it was his rough hunger that engorged her, it whipped her into the depth of arousal that eliminated all fears and uncertainties about what they would face together. Kneeling astride him, Ivy crossed her arms to whisk off her dress then helped him out of his tee-shirt. The jeans were next, and as soon as she had them both naked, she climbed back on to seat herself on his erection.
Time and peril dwindled away as she worked
herself up and down on him. ‘You see something you want and you go get it,’ he said, skimming his hands up her thighs, her hips, over her waist to take hold of her breasts.
‘You,’ she said, clutching his face and lowering herself to kiss him, he rose up to meet her halfway.
Their bodies came together and with his arms around her they switched positions. Dax took over the dominant position of the union to control the movement of their forms. By now they knew how to tilt, when to rise and when to fall. But no matter how many times they made love together, she never lost the addiction to the feeling of him gratifying her with the bulk of his arousal pushing into her without apology for its mass pervading her.
‘Dax,’ she sighed, but his hand came over her mouth, and he locked his eyes onto her.
‘I’m going to protect you,’ he panted, still thrusting into her. ‘No one will take this away from me, and I’ll kill any man who tries.’
Digging her nails into his shoulders, her body ceased around his, bucking up to keep a hold of his dick within her. He pumped on through her clamping muscles and gave her no space to vocalise her relief, but he growled out his own. Whipping his hand out of the way, he closed his mouth over hers, delving his tongue into her mouth and consuming every part of her.
When he was finished filling her with the liquid of his climax, Dax pulled away and pounced off the bed, giving himself no time to savour the moment. Ivy was curious about why he wasn’t lying with her to recover from his exertion. But she was too busy breathing through the tingling aftereffects of her orgasm that shimmered through her every time she tried to move to question him.
As if Dax had somehow known it would, his cell phone started to ring, so he crouched to swipe through their clothes until he came across the device.
‘Yeah?’ Dax asked the phone.
Opening her eyes, Ivy observed him standing above her at the foot of the bed. Because he was still close, she prodded his knee with her toe. Dax snatched the digit and pulled it high, which forced her legs further apart. Whilst he continued his phone conversation, his focus suggested that he was watching the evidence of their previous union seeping out of her.
‘I’m not on the job anymore, Serg,’ Dax said into the phone. ‘I told Mauri that I wasn’t coming back… Ok… Great, I’ll see you in five.’ He hung up and dropped her foot.
‘What was that?’ Ivy asked, gathering the sheet to wrap it around her body. ‘I can be ready in two minutes if we have to go out, but Serg… what did he say when you told him that you weren’t going back to work with Mauri?’
‘He said this was personal,’ Dax said, throwing the phone onto the end of the bed.
Leaving her, he went into the bathroom. Ivy was up and across the room in a flash, leaving the sheet in a discarded trail on the path she’d taken to get there. Dax switched on the shower then retreated from the stall to give the water time to heat.
‘I’ll grab a towel and—‘
‘You’re not coming,’ Dax said. ‘I want you to stay here and stay away from the windows. I’ll close all the blinds. If you keep the door shut, then you should be safe.’
‘They could come here, anyone who knows where you live… Word will be out about the bounty now and—‘
‘Don’t panic,’ he said, taking her shoulders to square their bodies. ‘I’m going to be as quick as I can. The only way someone will get through that door is to kick it in or blast their way through and in spite of the money at stake here, most criminals don’t want to draw that kind of attention to themselves. This is a good block without many shootings, so if anyone hears gunshots, they’re going to call the cops.’
‘Great, except I’ll be dead by then.’
‘Come here,’ Dax said.
With their fingers linked, he led her out of the bathroom, through the bedroom and into the closet. Reaching up to the top shelf, he pulled down a metal box, which he flicked open to show a nine millimetre.
‘Do you know how to use this?’ he asked, checking the ammunition and loading the chamber. ‘It’s ready, loaded, and the safety is off. If you have to, aim and shoot, just squeeze the trigger.’
‘I’ve used a gun before,’ she said, taking the piece away from him.
‘I’m not surprised.’
‘What does that mean?’ she asked, the gun fell to her side when her arm loosened.
‘I mean you have that kind of personality,’ Dax said. ‘I’ve thought about shooting you a few times myself.’
‘You don’t use a gun, I’ve never seen you even touch one. Why would you use one on me?’
‘I’m not going to hit you, am I? That wouldn’t be right.’
‘But shooting me is ok?’
‘I haven’t done it yet, have I?’ Dax asked.
‘Yet?’ she asked.
He didn’t exactly smile, but his frown was far from sight. He squeezed past her, and she heard him move through into the bathroom to take his shower. Ivy wasn’t sure where he was going, but it was admirable of Serg to show such loyalty to Dax. That proved to Ivy that Dax had respect among Mauri’s men that outshone the loyalty they had to the Starks. She just hoped that was enough to help them get to the bottom of this.
Ivy was going stir crazy, it had been an hour since Dax had closed all the blinds and curtains then kissed her and left the apartment. There was plenty for her to do, she could watch TV and clear out the fridge, or finish packing Dax’s belongings ready for them selling this apartment.
But no matter what she did, Ivy couldn’t forget that Dax was out there, in the streets, and a target himself. Anyone who wanted her knew her as Ravager’s wife. So they might try to use him to get to her. Dax could take care of himself in a fight, but that didn’t save him from bullets and knives.
Ivy was on the couch in the living room, tapping her cell phone on her knee when it rang. She jumped to her feet. ‘Hello?’ she answered, having not even checked the number.
‘Ivy?’
The voice was female, so definitely not Dax, and the quiver of the tone made Ivy frown. ‘What is it? Who is this?’
‘He… he’s dead.’
Her first thought was of Dax and the ice of the breath she drew in parched her lips. ‘Dead?’
‘Yes, oh Ivy, I’m so sorry, I… I didn’t know what to do. He said I could use the pool, and I came out and… I didn’t hear a thing, but there he was on the carpet, in the living room, dead.’
‘Wait? Who is this? What are you talking about?’
‘It’s Carina,’ she sobbed. ‘I’m talking about Vegas. I’m talking about Saul.’
‘Saul?’
It disgusted her that her first emotion was relief. One wave crashed over her, and she immediately experienced revulsion. Hearing about the death of a man she once loved shouldn’t please her, and it didn’t, but she was pleased to know that Dax was still alive.
‘They must have come in while I was swimming, maybe they didn’t see me, I don’t know. But he’s dead.’
‘Did you call the cops?’
‘I… I called the cops then left, I hired a car and came back to California.’
‘You’re back in California? Why?’ Ivy asked, sitting on the couch again.
‘Yes, I came back here to Mauri, I… I don’t have experience with these things. I knew… I thought maybe bounty hunters were looking for you. I wouldn’t have been able to answer the cops’ questions, I… I didn’t know what to do.’
‘You’re at Mauri’s? Now?’
‘Yes!’ Carina said. ‘He told me that he would keep me safe. We’re all in danger now, anyone who has been near you… Saul died because you went to him. That means Dax is in danger and me and Rosie and—‘
‘Rosie,’ she exhaled. Her sister had left Mauri’s without any form of protection. Anyone watching the house who may have seen Rosie enter with her and Dax could have taken her.
‘It’s ok. I’m sure she’ll be ok.’
‘Rosie should be long gone by now,’ Ivy said.
‘I hope
so, Carina said. ‘Mauri said you should come here, you and Dax, it’s just not safe on the streets.’
She had no interest in going back to Mauri’s, but if it was the only safe place, then Ivy would have to put her pride and personal prejudices aside. ‘Stay there, Carina, I’m going to call Dax.’
‘Call him? You mean you’re not together?’
‘Just stay there, Carina,’ Ivy snapped. ‘Worry about yourself.’
Disconnecting the line, she immediately dialled Dax. He answered on the second ring like he too had been holding the phone waiting for it to ring.
‘Dax?’ she said the moment the line was active. ‘Carina called, she's back at the Stark mansion. Saul is dead, the bounty hunters got to him.’ She hated the panic in her voice but guilt came with clarity; Saul was dead because of her and the people who had done it could be right on their tail. ‘What do we do? Mauri said we should go over there, but—‘
‘Listen to me, babygirl, I need you to stay where you are. I need you to stay in the apartment.’
‘Are you coming here? Is everything ok? You sound like... Like you're on a mission.’
‘I am. It's a mission to keep you safe. We got him. We know who's behind this.’
‘You do? Who?’
‘It's Bruno, babygirl. He’s been hiding out at Benny's that worthless piece of shit. Bruno just left there, but we're on his tail. We’ve got him. This will be over soon. I need you to stay right there. Get naked and get into bed, ‘cause when I get home, I'm gonna expect you to be very grateful to me for saving your life.’
‘Don't flirt with me when you're walking into danger, tough guy. I love you.’
Gratitude didn't begin to cover the maelstrom of emotion warring in her now. Her love and guilt swirled together because the danger wasn't over yet. There was still a chance that Dax wouldn't make it through this and if she lost him it would be her fault.
Fighting Back (Harrow #2) Page 26