“She’s grouchy in the morning,” he mumbled into my shoulder. I chuckled, he was right. Araylia would get up in the morning, but she was never happy about it.
Araylia was in the same position as Liam when we walked in. I set Liam on the side of the bed that Araylia’s head was turned to. Liam got in her face while I got close to her ear. I used my fingers and counted down with Liam.
3…
2…
1…
“Mommy!” Liam whisper-yelled.
“Bright eyes,” I whispered at the same time.
Araylia buried her head under the pillow and mumbled something I couldn’t hear. I took a look her nicely displayed body and noticed her full ass begging to be slapped.
I swatted her ass then boomed, “Up!”
Liam stood on the bed and began jumping around Araylia’s legs. She groaned and pulled the pillow tighter over her head.
“Unh-huh,” I grunted and pulled the pillow off her head.
I got Liam to stop bouncing and tip-toed to the end of the bed. I grabbed her feet and pulled her body to the middle of the bed. She screamed in frustration and got off the bed. Before she stomped away she gave me a death glare, a second later I heard the bathroom door slam.
“Dad, I think we made mom mad.” Liam said from the bed. I looked down at him and raised an eyebrow. He did the same then smirked. He was already learning my mannerisms.
“You want to make it better?” I asked.
He giggled and followed after me to the kitchen. By the time Araylia came out of the bathroom she looked a little happier, not much though. Liam and I held out a cup of coffee and her face brightened. When she grabbed the cup I slid the arm that wasn’t holding Liam around her waist. I kissed my boy’s head then kissed my woman’s temple. I loved having this.
A family.
A reason to get up.
A reason to look toward the future.
A reason to want a future.
Ray stood on her tip toes and kissed Liam’s cheek then mine.
“Love you boys,” she smiled and took a sip of her coffee. My chest swelled even more.
A reason to live.
An hour later we had everything packed and waiting by the front door. Araylia and I were having a little spat.
“You are not driving the truck,” I growled.
“And why not? You drove this far, I want to drive the rest.” She was in a defensive stance with her hands on her hips and her lips pursed.
“Because I said Araylia. My truck,” I told her and crossed my arms over my chest. Her eyes zoned in on the bulging muscles in my arms. I smirked and flexed a little more for show.
Her eyes snapped up to mine and narrowed. Caught.
“May I remind you that you drove the ‘Stang? Nobody except my papa and I have been behind the wheel of that car,” she flailed her arms wildly, trying to get her point across.
I bent my head and pinched the bridge of my nose. She had a good point. Her car, the ‘Stang, was her papa’s before he passed. That was the first car she had been under the hood, behind the wheel, and loved. She let me drive it, although unwillingly.
I sighed and dug the keys out of my pocket. When Araylia saw me reaching for the keys she did a happy dance, wiggling her ass around.
“Half time, that’s it.” I told her sternly.
She pouted but nodded her head in agreement.
“Kiss.” She leaned up on her toes. Ran her hands through my hair, and slid her tongue in my mouth. I wrapped my free hand around her waist and yanked her body flush against mine. Araylia moaned and jumped up to wrap her toned legs around my hips. I put a hand on her round ass to catch.
We had our tongues down each other’s throat until I heard a throat clear from the open door. I saw an older couple gawking at us and I smirked. The gentleman gave me a disgusted look and the older lady blushed and dipped her head.
“Your looks know no boundaries,” Ray said as she untangled her body from mine. I grinned and shook my head in the negative to which she rolled her eyes at.
“Liam, baby, let’s go!” She yelled down the hall where Liam was using the bathroom.
Liam emerged from the bathroom a second later. We rode the elevator down to the lobby where the brunette was behind the desk. She turned her head and her smile died on her face. Araylia looked at her and winked. The brunette lifted her hand and waved with the fakest smile on her face.
I chuckled walking out of the hotel; Araylia had gotten me good with that little stunt the other night. I gave her props for it.
Ray put Liam in his seat while I loaded the truck back up with our stuff then I tossed the keys to Ray as I rounded the hood. I had already put my seat belt on and gotten comfortable by time Ray had gotten in the truck.
I chuckled, “Need help baby?” She shot me a glare and huffed.
She adjusted the seat closer to the steering wheel and the pedals, but still couldn’t see over the wheel. I laughed, hard.
“Mason, stop laughing at me! If you didn’t have the dick enhancing truck, I would be able to see!” She yelled, playfully hitting me on the arm. I growled and snagged her hand to lie on my dick.
“Does it feel like I need a dick enhancer?” She gave me a wide eyed look and shook her head.
“C-c-can you go get me a phone book?” She stuttered.
I leaned into her and kissed from her cheek to her ear, where I nibbled. . She moaned quietly and rested her head back against the seat. I abruptly pulled away and jumped down from the truck.
“Need to get that phone book for you,” I winked then walked away.
As I got about five feet from the entrance I felt like I was being watched. I didn’t want whoever was watching to know that I knew so I kept walking. I didn’t turn around and look like most people would have. I got a phone book from the hotel and strode back out. I casually swept my eyes over the parking lot, looking for anything out of the ordinary or suspicious. I didn’t see anything or anyone so I kept walking to the truck.
When I hopped into it I gave Ray the phone book. She could tell my mood had shifted and not in a friendly way. She, wisely, didn’t say anything. After she got situated with the phone book under her ass she peeled out of the parking lot.
Liam had fallen back asleep and Araylia started asking questions.
“What happened?” She peeked at me for a second before returning her eyes to the road.
“Didn’t like the feeling I was getting,” I told her trying to rack my brain for who would be following us.
“What kind of feeling?” She asked more than a little curious.
“I was walking up to the door and felt like I was being watched.” I clenched my jaw at the thought. I was going to find out who it was and make sure they backed the fuck off.
“It happened to me too,” Araylia said timidly.
I froze.
If she felt it too I knew for certain somebody had followed us and was watching.
“When?” I growled.
“The first day. When I got Liam out and was walking up the walkway,” she told me. Her grip was so tight on the steering wheel, her knuckles were white.
My body locked up tight.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me then?” I was trying to be quiet for Liam, but I was having a hard time not roaring in rage.
I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed Cade’s number.
“Yo,” he answered.
“Cade. Status. Now,” I ordered.
“Jail still. He should be escorted back to Chicago in the next week or two,” he reported.
“Somebody is following us. Araylia felt it when we got to the hotel, two days ago. I just felt it leaving about two hours ago.”
My chest felt tight. I felt as if I couldn’t breathe. I had finally realized the family I had with Araylia and Liam and I knew…I knew somebody was trying to take that from me. I would fight until my dying breath to keep us safe. There was no way in hell my world was going to ripped from me again. No fucking way.
“Thanks man.”
“Right, out,” he said before disconnecting the phone.
I had promised Araylia this trip was going to be about us. Now we were going to have to look over our shoulders every corner we turned.
“I didn’t tell you because my head has been so crazy for the last few weeks. I didn’t want to worry you over nothing,” I heard Ray’s soft voice tell me.
“You should have told me, bright eyes. I would rather worry over nothing than to not worry enough,” I said to her and put my hand on her leg, right above her knee.
I looked toward the mirrors, noting all the cars around us. I needed to pay attention to any car following us for too long. I hoped that this was all a misunderstanding, but I knew that was a pipe dream.
We had stopped to fill up the tank and grab some food. Liam had long since woken up. He had quietly sat in the back watching his cartoons. Although he had been good I could tell he was getting restless as was Araylia.
After we got done eating Araylia tossed the keys to me. I was grateful she didn’t put up a fight about me driving the rest of the way to the mountains. I just wanted to get to my cabin as soon as possible and put this day behind us. Liam fell asleep shortly after getting back on the road; Araylia wasn’t too far behind him. As I was about three hours away from the house I noticed the same black sedan that had been following us since the hotel.
Chapter 22
Two weeks previously…
“Follow them. No matter where they go,” the man said. He looked at the guards flanking him and knew his time was almost up.
“Got it. Do I need to report in regularly?” He heard the other man ask.
“I will call you every chance I get, check in then, the plan will be set in motion and ready soon. Be prepared.” He put the phone back in the holder and walked away.
Chapter 23
Ray-present day
“Babe.” I heard whispered in my ear.
I groaned. I just wanted to sleep, no interruptions. I was so tired from this trip, it was draining me.
“Bright eyes.” I heard whispered once again in my ear, this time with a feather light kiss to my neck.
My eyes fluttered open and I squinted at Mace who was looming over me.
“We’re here babe,” he whispered and tucked a stray hair behind my ear.
I lifted my head then ran a hand through my hair. I so didn’t want to get up. I had been sleeping so good, actually dreaming about Mace fucking me, hard. Oh what a wonderful dream that had been. Too bad I was too tired for it tonight.
Mace splayed his hands on my hips and lifted me out of the truck. He then turned to the back door and got Liam out, handing him to me.
“Go on in; I need to get some stuff.” He handed me the keys to the house then turned back around.
I made my way down the stone pathway to the front door. After getting the door unlocked I didn’t bother looking around, I was too exhausted to care. I took off Liam’s shoes then mine and found the first bedroom. I peeled the covers back and fell into the bed with Liam. I felt Mace come in not long after.
I woke early the next morning with Liam cuddled to my front and Mace cuddled to my back. The sun was filtering in from the window behind me. I tried getting out of bed as quietly as possible, but I woke Liam up.
Liam and I got out of bed without waking Mace, which was a shock. Usually if I tried sneaking out of the bed, Mace caught me before I had moved an inch. After we had successfully gotten out of bed Liam used the bathroom and I took the opportunity to look around.
The floors were a gorgeous dark wood. The walls were a lighter shade of wood, no less gorgeous though. The king size bed was in the middle of the room. There was a large picture of the mountains hanging above the bed, it was absolutely breathtaking. Directly across from the bed there was a dark dresser with a T.V. hanging above it. The window was to the left of the bed. The whole room screamed cabin in the mountains and I couldn’t wait to explore the rest of the house.
Liam came out of the bathroom, rubbing his eyes. I crouched down in from of him and took his small hands in mine.
“Stay right here. Don’t touch anything and don’t wake up daddy, okay?” I whispered.
He nodded and I went to the bathroom and did my business then washed my hands. The bathroom was just as beautiful as the master bedroom. When you walked in there was a huge shower to the left and the sink across from it. There was a wall on the other side of the sink that led to the toilet.
When I walked out Liam was in the same spot I had left him in. We strode out of the bedroom hand in hand and stepped into a narrow hallway. I made the split decision to go right and knew I had gone the right way when the hallway opened into a beautiful living room.
The living room looked like something out of a magazine. It was an open floor plan so it was quite large. The flat screen T.V. was mounted on the wall facing the room. The couch was pure white and L-shaped. The main attraction in the room was the lovely fireplace. It was in the corner and the back of the fireplace took up the whole wall. It was made out of multi-colored pebbles. Right along the fireplace were two doors, but the shades were drawn so what was on the other side was hidden.
I took Liam with me in the kitchen and instantly fell in love. The counters were granite, my favorite, and the cabinets were the same soft colored wood as the walls. I set Liam on the counter and rummaged around for coffee. After I had found the coffee I set to making some. The cabinets really didn’t have much in them so we would have to go shopping for food.
I took my coffee mug and headed for the double doors. I stepped outside and felt my eyes get as wide as saucers. I knew Mace said he had a cabin in the mountains, but I didn’t know he literally had a cabin in the mountains.
Staring at me were the beautiful Colorado Mountains. For miles and miles all I could see were the peaks coated in snow. The view was simply stunning. I could imagine myself waking up every morning and drinking my coffee out here.
I leaned my arms against the rail and took in all of the beauty before me. Being here, seeing this, I felt my troubles and my worries float away. In its place I felt a peacefulness take root inside and I couldn’t help but to let that peacefulness spread throughout my body, leaving warmth.
I felt a hand come around my waist and almost dropped my coffee mug.
“You are going to have to stop scaring me,” I told Mace.
“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” He whispered, nuzzling my neck.
“Beautiful isn’t the right word for it,” I said softly.
“No, you’re right. Beautiful isn’t the word.” Something in his tone told me he wasn’t talking about the picture before us.
I set my coffee down then turned around and wrapped my arms around his waist, burying my face in his chest. I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. As scared as I was to admit it, I wanted to spend my life with Mace. He was an amazing man and I trusted him with my life. He had been nothing but amazing to me since meeting him.
“Want to get something to eat?” Mace suggested.
I nodded and tried to move away from him, but he snagged my arm, effectively stopping me.
“Kiss.” He demanded, like every day.
I went up on my toes and took his mouth in a soft kiss. With my tongue, I let him feel everything I was feeling. I wanted him to know how much I loved him. He groaned and pulled me closer. My fingers delved in his hair and gripped hard. I felt my pussy moisten at the thought of him taking me out here. Mace must have had the same thought if the hardness at my stomach was anything to go by.
I ripped my mouth away from his. I knew if we didn’t stop now we weren’t going to. I was panting, my chest heaving with the labored breaths I was forcefully dragging in, when I pulled away. Mace’s eyes were the color of moss, darkened by lust.
“I-I’m…going to get dressed,” I told Mace then
stumbled away. I knew if I would have stayed on the deck with him he would have mauled me.
I took in a shaky breath and continued through the living room to the master bedroom. I looked around in my bag for some clothes and came across my favorite pair of skinny jeans and shirt that was sexy as hell. It was black and chiffon, my breasts were covered but everything else was visible. The material was see-through. I loved that top. I felt sexy in that top. I found a pair of sexy black pumps that completed the look.
I walked into the living room and as soon as Mace caught sight of me he started shaking his head vehemently. Puzzled, I stared at him. I thought I looked good so I didn’t know what was wrong.
“You are not wearing that,” he growled.
I held my arms out by my side, “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” I asked honestly confused.
“Showing too much,” he grunted like a caveman, which he was.
“Are you serious?! Do you not realize I’m an adult and can wear what I please?” I put my hands on my hips and stood my ground. He was not going to tell me what I could and couldn’t wear. Nu-huh, no way!
He growled deep in his chest and stalked toward me.
“Have you forgotten that you are MY woman? I do not take kindly to other men staring at you and that’s exactly what they will do with you in that top. I do not want to end up in jail by the time breakfast is even served. So Araylia, go change your top.” By the time he had finished speaking his chest was heaving and his nostrils were flared.
I turned on my sexy high heels and walked away. I came back ten minutes later and held my arms out at my side once again.
“That better for you?” I asked.
“Oh for fuck’s sake, get in the truck!” He flung his arm out in the direction of the front door.
I snickered as I walked passed him and grabbed Liam’s hand. I had only put a black tank top on underneath the shirt. It was still see-through, but at least there was no skin showing. He could kiss my ass; I was not going to change my shirt just because he was a possessive alpha male. I was a grown woman and wore what I pleased. The only reason I did put a tank top on was because I didn’t want him in jail. I had no doubts he would get into a fight if some guy looked at me sideways.
The Lucky Bullet Page 17