by Mia Knight
“And you think that’s me,” she said dubiously.
“He likes you.”
“That’s nice, but I’m not about to get mixed up with another crime lord.”
“Why not?”
She sighed and tipped her head back against the wall. “Angel got shot three times in the chest.”
“So?”
“That’s exactly how my husband died. Three to the chest.”
A pause and then a very quiet, “Oh.”
“It was my nightmare come to life right in front of me.” She could still hear the sound Angel made as he got hit, and the image of the men coming to finish him off, just as they’d done to Vinny. The surge of helpless rage threatened to sweep away her satisfaction over her productive day. “I can’t do it twice.”
“But Angel’s a beast.”
“I can’t take the chance.”
“This fucking sucks,” Luci whined. “I already designed a Roman tattoo for you.”
“What?”
“We all have eagle tattoos. It’s tradition. I was getting one ready for you.”
Holy shit. “Uh, thanks, but I’m good.”
Luci blew a raspberry. “Fine. No new sister-in-law. You know, I’ve been waiting for one of my brothers to get with someone, but they’re taking their sweet time.”
“I’m sure it’ll happen soon,” she said consolingly as she inched toward Honey. She grabbed a handful of food out of the bowl and put it near her. Honey turned her face away. If she didn’t eat by tomorrow, she’d have to take her to the vet. Fuck.
“You don’t understand! I’m like Rapunzel stuck in this brownstone. It’s not fair! When are you gonna visit?”
“I actually just moved into a place.”
“No! I was going to tell you there’s another brownstone for sale three down from mine. It would have been perfect!”
She chuckled as she padded down the hallway to the master bedroom and ran the water in the luxurious tub. Thanks to her amazing assistants, all her toiletries were unpacked, and a basket of salts and oils sat on the ledge of the tub. She put in a generous amount of eucalyptus oil while Luci tried to convince her to move to New York.
“I’ll just have to convince you when you visit. Angel told me you and I would get along swell, not that I needed his input. I already knew we’re sisters from other misters. Other than killing that guy and buying a house, what else have you been up to? Banged anyone new lately?”
“I adopted a dog. I just brought her home, and she’s scared stiff. It’ll take time for her to unwind, and as for banging, I’m still doing Gavin’s COO, Marcus.”
“Oh, the hottie with nice eyes? Yeah, I’d hit that. You guys are dating?”
“Friends with benefits.” She put the phone on the ledge and stepped into the tub. She moaned as she submerged her aching body.
“That good, huh? Damn, Angel needs to step up his game.”
“No Angel,” she snapped.
“But you’re not super committed to Mr. COO. You haven’t even tried Angel yet, so there’s still hope.”
“There’s no hope.”
“Yes, there is.”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say, Luci.”
“Ah, I like hearing that. My brothers never say that to me, those assholes. Anyway, I’ll check in later. Keep me posted on your shenanigans. I need to live vicariously through you.”
“Sounds good. Bye, chick.”
She sank chin deep in the warm, scented water that turned her bones to mush and made her skin tingle. Bubble baths were the unspoken cure for many things. Some woman had to make a living off cure-all bubble baths for overworked, overstressed women. She’d have to look into that and buy stock in bath bombs or oils or whatever.
Her phone rang again. She scrunched up her nose and peered at the screen before she reached for it. “Hey.”
“Hey, baby,” Marcus said.
Her toes curled. “I’m taking a bubble bath.”
“Send me a picture.”
“Why don’t you visit and see me in person?”
“I would, but there are some issues in the casino tonight. I’m taking a break.”
“What happened?”
“Someone tried to rob the cage cashier, and now, I’m all tied up in paperwork and cops.”
“Did they get away?”
“No. He was shot in the leg by a guard. He didn’t reach the doors.”
“Nice.”
He chuckled. “I’m glad you’re impressed.”
She held the phone up and made sure to shoo away the bubbles to expose her body as she took a selfie. “Poor baby.”
“What about you? You moved in yet?”
She glanced around the bathroom, which bore no resemblance to what she walked into yesterday. An iron mermaid stood near the tub with seafoam-colored towels draped over one arm. Her assistants organized all her shit across the length of the vanity. Her jewels winked at her and begged to be shown off. Marcus’s meager belongings took up one corner while she dominated.
“You wouldn’t recognize the place,” she said.
“Really?”
She could tell from his voice he didn’t believe her. She took a variety of selfies before she settled on one and sent. “I brought home Honey.”
“Honey? Who the hell is that?”
She blinked. “My new dog. Her name’s Honey.”
“Oh, the pit bull.”
“Who’d you think I was talking about?”
“Knowing you, it could be anyone.”
She raised her brows. “I’m not going to bring any guys here.”
“Good.”
“Jealous, Marcus?”
“I’ve got my shot, and I’m gonna hold onto it for as long as I can.” A pause and then he said hoarsely, “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“Done what?”
“Seriously? You can’t send me pictures like that.”
“You told me to.”
“God, I can see everything. Fuck. I’ll come home when I can.”
She did a long, fake yawn. “Promises, promises.”
“I gotta go. I’ll talk to you soon.”
She tossed the phone on the ledge and sank back into the water. “You gotta keep up, Fletcher.”
She soaked until the water turned cold and reluctantly hauled herself out. She wrapped herself in a silk robe and checked on Honey. The food on the floor and in the bowl was gone, and there was a pool of water under her mouth to show she drank water. She clapped her hands together excitedly and instantly regretted it when Honey went rigid.
“Fuck, Honey, I’m sorry. Mommy’s just so happy. You’re such a good girl.” She slowly approached, but Honey’s wide, terrified eyes stopped her in her tracks. She pressed her hands against her aching chest. “It’s going to get better. I promise. You’re safe here.”
She cracked open the sliding door, so Honey could go outside and padded toward the velvet sofa and mound of pillows. She flopped on the couch and turned on the TV. She put on Psych, which Maddie had gotten her addicted to and settled down with a contented sigh.
An earsplitting howl jerked her out of sound sleep. She lurched upright as a light flipped on to reveal Marcus coming through the door that led into the garage. She looked around wildly for the source of the noise and saw Honey on her feet, emitting that awful sound.
“It’s okay, Honey,” she said as she rushed toward her. “He’s a friend.”
Honey stopped immediately and backed into a corner. She stopped a few feet away with her hands out, unsure what to do.
“You were protecting Mommy. You’re such a good girl. Thank you,” she said.
Honey curled into a ball and tucked her face away. She turned to find Marcus surveying the living room in silence. He touched the head of a gold and white elephant near the front door before he examined an oil painting of a woman covered in flower petals of every color.
“You weren’t kidding when you said you decorated,” he said.
&nbs
p; She rubbed her eyes. “I told you. What time is it?”
“Just after three.”
She dropped her hand. “In the morning? Oh my gosh. What are you doing here?”
He came up the steps and glanced at the marble top dining table, which had a cheery flower arrangement on it before he focused on her. She realized her robe had come undone. She was too tired to care about her nudity. He took a step toward her, then stopped when Honey let out a warning growl. When he looked at the dog, she immediately averted her face.
“She okay?”
“Yes. She’s just on edge.” That was an understatement, but she wasn’t going to lose hope.
He went to the fridge and pulled out a slice of turkey and went on his haunches near the dog. Honey sniffed the air but didn’t turn her head in his direction.
“You’re fine,” he said and dropped the turkey near her nose. “I’m one of the good guys.”
Her heart warmed. She smiled as he rose and came toward her. He picked her up, and she wrapped her arms and legs around him and dropped her head on his shoulder.
“You are a good guy.”
He tucked his face into her neck. “You smell good.”
“Eucalyptus,” she mumbled sleepily.
He settled her on the bed. She closed her eyes and floated. She heard him flip on the bathroom light. He wouldn’t mind the seashell chandelier she put up, would he? Maybe the mermaid was a bit much, but a tub like that deserved an ocean theme. Marcus exited the bathroom and went into the closet. She waited for the explosion. He had a tiny section of the closet since he didn’t have much clothes here. Her assistants unpacked her new wardrobe, and she was thinking of having a carpenter come in to see if he could do something to create more room.
“What are you looking for?” she called.
He came out of the closet. “You did all of this in one day?” he asked as he began to strip.
“I had help. I told you I would move in,” she grouched and turned on her side. “If you don’t like it, you can sell the house to me. By the end of this week, you won’t even recognize this place. I can’t believe you’ve had this house for two years and never—”
He flipped her on her back. He cupped one side of her face before he kissed her deep. He rested his body over hers and tilted his head to the side as he made love to her mouth with his tongue stroking hers. She ran her hand through his hair. His muffled groan made her nipples tighten. His hand caressed her cheek, slid over her neck, and then rested on her breast. He massaged gently, which made her nails dig into his shoulders. He detached his mouth from hers and kissed the curve of her jaw and then her neck.
“Never,” he muttered.
“Never what?”
“Never settled anywhere in my life.”
She shifted restlessly beneath him. “What are you talking about?”
“Never unpacked.” He licked her pulse and then kissed it before he moved lower. “Never bought furniture. Never decorated anywhere I lived.”
She clutched his hair as he sucked on her breast. “Why?”
“Never stayed anywhere long enough.”
“What about when you when you lived with your parents?”
“I never had parents.”
Her eyes opened. “What do you mean you didn’t have parents?”
“Went into the system at six. Never stayed anywhere long.”
“You were a foster kid?”
“Yes.”
She shook her head. “That’s not possible.”
“Why isn’t it possible?” he asked as he pressed gentle kisses over her face.
She was having a hard time concentrating when he was drowning her in affection he claimed to never have experienced, judging from his background. “Because you’re Marcus Fletcher.” He knew how to dress, how to talk. He was intelligent and business savvy and didn’t have a mean bone in his body. What the fuck? The man she knew had no correlation to the story of his childhood he was painting.
“Someone gave me that name. I didn’t have one before that.” He raised his head and looked down at her. “The house looks great.”
“Marcus,” she began and didn’t know what else to say.
“Bought this house to start my new life, to make it my first home, but I didn’t know how.” He kissed her still lips. “You did more in one day than I’ve done in years. Thank you.”
She swallowed hard. “You can have it all.”
“What?”
“Don’t sell it to me. Keep it… and all the stuff.”
“Even the elephant and mermaid statue?” he teased.
“Everything.”
He ran his hand down her body. “Why would you do that? The painting in the living room must be worth thousands.”
“Fifteen thousand.”
“Why give it to me?”
“Because everyone deserves a home.”
He stared down at her for a long moment before he pressed his forehead to hers. “There she is.”
“Who?”
“The woman Vinny raved about.” When she stiffened, he cupped her face. “I wanted you before I met you.”
She stared into his eyes and had the sensation of falling.
“I wanted to meet the woman behind his projects, the woman in the photos all over his office. And now you’re here.” He stroked a hand down her body. “I never had access to beautiful things until recently.” He licked her skin. “And it tastes amazing.”
He slid down her body and paused at her belly button to lave it with his tongue. He looked up the length of her body, eyes glittering shards in the dim light.
“You never gave me an opening.” He stroked her belly. “You weren’t ready. Now that you’re awake, now that you see me, I’m gonna take advantage.” He spread her thighs and surveyed her body. “A lot.”
He went down on her. She hissed through her teeth as his tongue went deep. She lifted her legs and planted her feet on the bed so she could lift her hips up to his mouth. He was damn good. She was moaning and thrashing within minutes. He didn’t let up until she erupted beneath him, her limbs going rigid as pleasure rocketed through her. He slid into her as she orgasmed and rode her rough. The sound of slapping skin filled the room. She raked her nails down his back.
“Fuck, Carmen,” he panted.
“Harder.”
He obeyed, doing her so hard she knew she would be feeling the effects tomorrow. His face was carved in animal ecstasy as he fucked her. No teasing or laughing this time. He gripped her hair and yanked her head back as he pounded into her. She took what he offered and reveled in his possession as he planted himself deep and came. His hand loosened in her hair and then began to stroke.
“Too rough?”
“Just right,” she husked.
“I don’t know what you’re bringing out in me.”
She nuzzled his face. “I like it. Whatever you need, Marcus.”
He didn’t respond, and she sensed he wasn’t happy about what happened. She stroked his face.
“We all need an outlet. Let me be yours. You won’t break me.”
“I’ve never been like this with a woman,” he said finally.
“You’ve been with pussies, that’s why.”
He laughed and rolled, putting her on top. “So, what are you?”
“A badass motherfucker.”
He grinned. “Yes, you are.”
She settled over him. “I’m going to ruin you for all other women.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Corrupt you,” she said around a yawn.
“Already done.”
“I’m gonna make you get hard every time I say Daddy.” She paused and then shook her head. “Wait, I can’t call you Daddy. That’s Blade’s name.”
He stiffened beneath her. “What?”
She raised her head, which felt as if it weighed fifty pounds to investigate his incredulous expression. “It’s a nickname.”
“Why?”
“Because he doesn’t want to be
one.” Marcus relaxed, and she tucked her face under his chin. “You’re getting possessive.”
“We’re nowhere near done.”
“And when we are?”
He wrapped his arms around her. “Then we’ll still be friends.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because we understand one another. Neither of us is looking for a relationship and both of us need this.”
She couldn’t argue that point.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, and we’ll make it through.”
“Promise?”
“Yes. Now, go to sleep.”
She didn’t need telling twice.
18
“Come on, Honey. You’re safe here. You wanna go for a walk? Toss a ball? Cuddle on the couch?”
She lay on the floor two feet away from Honey, who was still curled in the fetal position. Her ears flicked back and forth, but otherwise, she didn’t move. It had been five days with no improvement. She felt so fucking helpless. She tried to tempt Honey with food, toys, and a soft voice, but nothing worked. She even slept on the sofa a couple of nights to see if proximity would work. It did nothing.
She sighed and got to her feet. She opened the front door and waved at Mickey and Frederick. Mickey got out of the car and came toward her.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“Can you carry Honey? I want to go to Lyla’s house.”
Mickey winced. “I’ll ask Frederick to do it.”
She was due for a visit and maybe Lyla had some doggy advice for her. Honey whimpered when Frederick picked her up. She tried to comfort her as Frederick deposited the trembling dog into the passenger seat of the Aston. She turned off the radio and backed out of the driveway with Frederick and Mickey following in their SUV.
Aside from Honey’s lack of progress, it had been a satisfying week. With help from her assistants, the movers, and a professional decorator, she had been able to transform Marcus’s house into a real home. Everything was in its place, and she couldn’t be happier. Her belongings that didn’t fit in the house would be auctioned off with all proceeds donated to the Pyre Foundation. Alice had been ecstatic and then alarmed when she found out how much some of the paintings were worth. She reluctantly accepted them when Carmen said they would be locked up in a container somewhere.