by L. R. Wright
Chase nodded. “Have you been able to get the cameras up?”
“They’re just running through their startup procedures now. It’s a good thing there was nothing important on the computers in the house.”
“A very good thing,” Chase agreed. Once Kendrick arrived, he could deal with the computer situation since that was his specialty. “The sooner we can get those cameras up, the better. The others should be here shortly. In the meantime, what the hell happened?”
“Well—”
A shrill alarm interrupted Nicholas’ explanation. He stepped into the hall with Chase right behind him. Logically, Chase knew it had to be the others, but he was still on edge. He waited cautiously, his hand on his gun.
When Lei walked into the large great room, Chase let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. As the others streamed in quietly, Ky, Alex, and CJ came out of their rooms. They ran up to their Uncle Lei and gave him big hugs.
Dro appeared last. Chase finally took his hand off his gun and smiled at the sight of his family.
***
Dro gripped the phone against his ear and tried to listen to Pop on the other end. “Pop, I can’t really hear you because I’m underground. Chase will be there when your plane lands.” He hung up just as Ky and Alex latched on to him, clinging to his legs. CJ followed suit shortly after.
Dro bent down to address his son. “What’s up, Alex?”
Alex grabbed his outstretched hand. “I had pajamas in my room, and games.”
Dro tousled his hair. “Good. Did you take care of Mama?”
“Uh-huh,” Alex replied, his head held high. “And I held Ky’s hand the whole time.”
Dro reached out to stroke Ky’s cheek “You took care of your brother?”
She nodded, standing taller and looking straight into his eyes. “Yes. Mama said not to let go of him, and I didn’t.”
“Good.” Dro pulled her into a hug. “Can you, Alana, and CJ make sure the little kids don’t get too out of control? It’s late and it’s going to be time for bed soon. I love you, baby girl,” he added in Spanish. “And you, too, son.”
“I love you too,” Ky said, wrapping her arms around him again.
Alex nodded his agreement and jumped into his father’s arms for a quick embrace before running off with Ky to help get the other kids settled.
Dro looked over at Chase. “Where is she?”
“She’s in the shower.”
Dro walked into the kitchen and pulled a six pack of beer from the fridge. He turned to find Chase standing behind him. Handing over a cold beer, he asked, “Have we gotten the cameras up yet?”
“Not quite. Nicholas is still working on it.”
After making sure everyone was occupied, Dro asked Kendrick, Chase, and Lei to join him in the security room. They all took a seat in front of the still picture-less monitors.
Kendrick set his beer on the counter. “What the hell is going on? I had about seven men come at me tonight with serious gun play. One of my kids could’ve been hit.”
Dro pulled his eyes from the uninformative monitors. “Whoever planned this knows too much,” he said, pounding his fist on the table. “Nicholas, I want everyone under my employment checked out. This has to be nipped in the bud as soon as possible.”
Nicholas nodded and began punching keys on the computer. “You got it, Dro.”
Kendrick patted Dro on the back. “Okay, jefe, now what?”
Dro cringed at the name jefe. It meant “the boss.” He had hoped no one would have to use that name again. When they were younger, it was a harmless way for his friends to address him. As they grew into adulthood, he used the moniker to conduct certain Martinez business until he felt it wasn’t necessary anymore.
Dro narrowed his eyes at Kendrick. “I want them found and handled. They come into my house, they walk right into the barrel of my shotgun. I’ll stop at nothing to ensure my family’s safety.”
Kendrick nodded. “Then let’s get to work. Since, there’s no telling how long these assholes are going to be ransacking the safe house, we should wait to make a move at dawn. They’ll probably be gone by then.”
“I agree,” Chase said. “The cameras are up—pictures anyway.”
“How long before we get sound?” Dro asked.
“I’m working on it now.” Nicholas frowned. “Kendrick, can you give me a hand?”
Kendrick traded seats with Nicholas and tapped at the keys. Without looking away from the computer, he addressed the group. “The attack on my house was a red herring. We all know who the real target is. And it’s time she dealt with that.”
Silence echoed in the room. Dro clenched his fists. It may have been easier to believe otherwise after the grocery store incident two weeks ago, but now they had no choice. Alexa was the target and they needed to figure out who was after her and why.
CHAPTER 5
Alexa sat on her bed, her hair wrapped in a towel. A soft knock on the door penetrated her thoughts. She pulled her thick terry cloth robe around her. “Come in.”
“Alexa?” Veronica called, poking her head in the door.
“Hi Ma!”
Veronica rushed to embrace her daughter. “I was very worried about you,” she said and held on tighter. “When Lei called, I couldn’t stand it. I called your father earlier. He’s on the plane now.”
“No!” Alexa pulled back to look into her mother’s expressive brown eyes. “Daddy shouldn’t be coming back right now. It’s not safe.”
“You know there’s nowhere else he would consent to be. He has always protected you before, and he’ll continue to do so until his dying breath.”
“I guess you’re right.” Alexa bowed her head, tears escaping from her eyes. “I feel the same way about my children.”
“I love you, Alexa,” Veronica told her, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
“I love you too, Ma.” She couldn’t help but admire her mother. The years had been hard on her, but she was still beautiful, her Native American heritage showing in her high cheekbones and exotic features. She had beautiful, caramel-colored skin, and her jet black hair hung long and straight.
Veronica squeezed her hand. “Get some rest. I’m going to check on the others.”
As her mother walked away, Alexa plopped down on the edge of the bed. When she heard the door close, she looked down at her feet and smiled as she squished her toes into the plush carpet. Chase had thought of everything. He knew she needed a carpet plush enough she could run her toes through it, she mused and wiggled her feet.
At the faint creak of the door, she closed her eyes. The warmth of his presence filled her senses. She didn’t need to see Dro to know he was there. She looked up into his steely-gray orbs. Her gaze moved on to travel over his six-foot-three-inch frame—a truly gorgeous sight.
Her husband.
Her Love.
***
Dro gazed at his precious wife.
“Do the kids know you’re here?” she asked.
He nodded and stared into her gorgeous dark eyes. She looked tired, but as beautiful as always. “Come here.”
As she slipped into his waiting arms, he pulled her close, afraid to let her go. The smell of fresh citrus filled his nostrils. He unraveled the towel from her hair. When the dark, curly locks tumbled down, he ran his fingers through the thick waves.
“Look at me,” he urged.
She complied. His eyes never left hers as he trailed a thumb down her cheek. Then he brushed the fingers of one hand over her full bottom lip and tightened his hold on her hair with the other.
“I missed you,” she said, burrowing into his embrace.
He tilted his head back, drinking in the sight of her. When he’d gotten the call from Chase, it felt as if his heart had been ripped from his chest. The thought of her and his children in danger had made his blood run cold. If something had happened to them, he wouldn’t have stopped until he’d ripped every last person responsible to shreds.
“Dro?�
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He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to you.” Caressing her face with both hands, he whispered in Spanish, “I love you, my heart.”
“Dro...” His name came out in a breathless whisper,
“Shhh. No words, baby. I just need to feel you,” he murmured against her lips. “Let me love you.”
Tenderly, he brushed his lips against hers then deepened the kiss, demanding that she open to his probing tongue. When her teeth parted, he held her face in his hands and ravaged her mouth.
She tugged at his shirt, shoving it up and caressing his skin. His stomach quivered under her roaming hands and a low groan escaped his throat.
He only broke off for an instant to breathe before he went back for more, crushing his lips to hers before taking her bottom lip into his mouth. She gasped as his teeth nipped her lip, but he quickly soothed the bite with his tongue.
They fell back on the bed with him straddling her legs. She pulled his shirt over his head, breaking the kiss, but he wouldn’t be deterred.
He immediately recaptured her lips, using just the right amount of tongue and teeth he knew would drive her into a frenzy. Placing his hands on either side of her head, he made love to her mouth.
Finally, he broke the kiss and blazed a trail along her jaw to her neck where he placed soft, wet, kisses down her throat to her shoulder as he slowly untied her heavy robe. His lips worked their way her back up her neck to her ear.
He knew she loved it when he spoke to her in Spanish, so he did, telling her how beautiful she was, how much he loved her and how badly he wanted her.
She raked her fingernails over his back, and he hissed in sweet pain. He lifted his head and stared down at her. Her mouth was red and swollen from his kisses and a blush was beginning to overtake her golden skin.
Dro couldn’t get enough of her. He moved his right hand to the edge of the robe and slowly pulled it off her shoulder. Leaning down, he placed open-mouthed kisses on her bare skin then repeated them on the other side. As she pulled her arms out of the robe, he trailed his lips between her breasts and down her stomach, until she was a writhing bundle of need.
He hovered over her right breast. When he blew on it, the nipple hardened. He licked it once then sucked it into his mouth. She moaned softly and placed both hands on the back of his head, holding him in place. He plundered her breast with his tongue, while his fingers teased her other nipple. Then he switched, working his way over to pay her other breast the same attention.
Alexa fiddled with his belt, unbuttoned his pants, and slid them past his hips in one smooth motion. He kicked them off the rest of the way along with his underwear then shifted until he rested between her legs.
Brushing a gentle kiss over her swollen mouth, he plunged into her in one long thrust. Leaning his forehead against hers, he closed his eyes as she took in every inch of him. Then she wrapped her legs around his hips and matched him thrust for thrust.
Dro bumped her nose with his before taking her lips in a long, sensual kiss. Alexa ran one finger down the side of his face and then caressed his cheek with her hand.
He kept his thrusts slow and easy, wanting to last as long as possible. It was rare that they were like this with each other—slow and tender. More often than not, they let their passion get the best of them, getting so caught up in each other and the race to completion to really enjoy the moment.
This time, he took her leisurely, relishing every minute, every second of their lovemaking. He didn’t know when the next time would come, and a small part of him feared he might never get another opportunity.
He bit her earlobe lightly. “Te amo.”
“I love you too, baby,” she whispered.
He kissed her again. “Nothing will ever change that.”
“I know.”
Bright lights pricked his vision and he felt himself unraveling. She squeezed his hips with her legs. He fell over the cliff, spilling himself inside her. Her walls tightened around him as she shattered with him, calling out his name.
***
Making love to Dro was an adventure all in itself, Alexa thought as she lay next to him. He was an amazing lover. That had not changed in all the years they had been together. From the first time when she was seventeen, to now, he had always set her heart on fire, giving her exactly what she wanted every time.
“Te amo,” he repeated against her hair.
“I love you, too.” She brushed the stubble on his jaw with her thumb. She couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t loved him. Of course, this was the wrong time to be taking time out for this, but she didn’t know when they would have another chance.
He pulled her close. “I was so scared, baby.”
She traced small circles on his chest with her finger. “I know. But we’re okay.”
“What happened?”
“I had a bad dream,” she said, sitting up, although she loved the feel of Dro’s hand stroking her back. “When I woke up, I decided to look outside. I looked for the guard. I didn’t see him, but I did see a strange man dressed in all black. The house was dark, so I don’t think he saw me. I woke the kids, and we came down here.”
“Ky told me she held Alex’s hand the whole time.”
She smiled. “She did, although Alex was surprisingly calm, just like you.”
He laughed softly.
“Everything was so surreal,” she continued. “We took the elevator down to the basement to get Nicholas, and he was asleep.”
“Asleep?”
“Yes. I was so irritated with him. If I was younger, I probably would’ve kicked his ass. If he’d been watching the damn security monitors, maybe this could’ve been avoided.”
“I’ll have to talk to him about his sleeping on the job. It doesn’t sit right with me either. Which staircase did you use from the attic?” he asked, in an abrupt change of subject.
“The hidden set behind the curtain. I know Chase told me not to use them yet because they weren’t finished, but we didn’t have any choice.”
“Were the kids scared?”
She sighed, thinking of the frightened looks on their faces. “They were. And Sara was terrified, especially when I told her where we were going. Everything worked great, though. All the walls and doors worked. I have to give Chase another hug and thank him for giving me such good instructions.”
Dro ran his fingers through her hair and down her back again. She lay back on his chest as he pulled a blanket around them.
“We got here and Chase came shortly after with CJ,” she said. “I was so worried, Dro. I hate to think what would have happened if that dream hadn’t woke me.”
“Me, too.” He kissed forehead, then her nose. “My life would have been over.”
She swept her hand across his chest. “I can’t believe they came here. Someone from inside the Martinez organization has to be helping them. How else would they have known where we were?”
He arched a brow. “Nicholas is already running a check on all the employees. I want to find out who it is and make them pay. I’m just glad you were able to get out of there before anyone got hurt. If anything ever happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to take it.” He ran the back of his fingers down her face. “I might as well die too because I can’t see myself living without you.”
“Dro, you know I feel the same way. But we don’t know what’s going on, or who they were even after. We’ve done a lot of dirt throughout our lives. It could conceivably be anybody. And I hate to say it, but—”
He held a finger against her lips. “Then don’t say it.” Sitting up on the edge of the bed, he bowed his head. “Baby, we know who they’re after. We just don’t know why.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder. “We have to be prepared for anything. Dro? Look at me.”
“So you can tell me to prepare for living without you? There’s no way in hell that’s going to happen. I’m not going to sit here and
listen to you give me dying wishes, Alexa. My life doesn’t work without you, so we are going to have to take steps to prevent that from happening. And we’re going to start by recognizing who this is really about.”
She tried to pull away from him, but he wrapped his hand around her wrist. “Dro, I—”
“Don’t. Don’t pull away from me now.”
“I can’t do this right now,” she whispered.
As he turned to face her, she swore when he looked at her, he could see her every part of her soul.
“Yes you can,” he said. “You have to do whatever it takes to protect our family.”
She tried to escape his gaze. “I promised myself and my children I would never—”
“You promised them you would protect them at all costs.”
She shook her head, ready to argue.
“Alexa, you promised me,” he insisted in a lethal tone. “You promised me you would be here with me. You promised that we would live and die together. Live and die. Together. That means you can’t die unless I’m dying too.”
“Dro, that’s not fair. You know things aren’t the same as they were then. I’m not the same person.”
“Do you deny there is a problem here?”
“No, of course not. But—”
“No buts. This problem has to be solved. I need you here to solve it with me—no matter what it takes.”
“Dro—”
He grabbed her face between his massive hands. “Stop. Masked men came into a safe house and threatened to take away everything we’ve worked so hard for. Now, it’s true that things are different, but there’s no way the woman I love would sit down and take this. I know you’re scared, but this is who you are. This is the life we lead. It doesn’t matter how much we want to be different, we were born into this legacy. And we have to protect the people around us at all costs. And I need you with me fighting for everything we have to lose.”
He was right, and she knew it just as surely as she knew her name. But it didn’t stop her from worrying. It didn’t stop her from wishing this could all simply go away.