“Oh, you already have.” I smile widely, pressing my body against his naked one. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I reach down, slapping his firm ass.
“Go get dressed then, lover. Your girl’s hungry.” I giggle, stepping back and racing into the room where Layla is. I can hear the loud rumble of his laughter even in the other room. I slam the door shut, resting my back against it, my heart pounding in my chest. Something that is becoming a regular occurrence. Memories of last night flash through my mind, and I can’t fight the wide grin that appears on my face. I never thought I could feel this way. So alive and so wanted by someone. Maybe I really did have to kiss the worst possible frog to find my prince.
Layla clears her throat in an attempt to catch my attention. My eyes fly open. “You look so happy,” she says with a sad smile.
“I am,” I confirm, my smile reflecting how I feel on the inside. “And it’s all because of him.”
Ryder
We sit in the small, dingy looking eating area just off from the reception. I can’t say that Marco pulled out all the stops, but he did make sure we were safe. And that’s the most I could hope for. Thoughts of where to go from here and what to do about my brother weigh heavily on my mind. I can never forgive him for trying to take Kailee away from me, brother or not. No matter if I can be the man Kailee really needs in her life. But that would mean giving up everything I know and going straight. One thing I know with absolute fucking certainty is that I will do whatever is necessary to keep her. I never realized how much I needed someone until Kailee came along and unleashed a whole range of emotions I’ve never felt before.
Sliding my hand under the table, I firmly grip Kailee’s tiny thigh. She turns, looking at me before covering her hand with mine. I lean into her, my mouth stopping next to her ear.
“I’m sorry today couldn’t have been better for you. I promise to make it up to you,” I whisper. “I promise. We will celebrate your birthday in style. Shit, I haven’t even gotten you a gift.” I exhale heavily. She turns to me, nose to nose, her hand resting gently on the side of my face.
“I’m with you. I’m safe. That’s the greatest gift you could ever have given me.”
I nod, ever so slightly. “Believe me, pip. The best is yet to come.”
“Really?” she asks, lifting her brow.
“Hmmm,” I hum, sliding my hand up her thigh and to the waistband of her pants. The oversized table cover hides my actions under the table. I continue to eat the tasteless pastries piled on my plate while my other hand works between her legs. She tenses and squirms under my touch, but she doesn’t refuse it. I glance at her for a second; her head is down and shielded by her hand as she tries to sip on the glass of OJ. I slowly work my finger in a circular motion over her clit.
“You okay, Kailee?” Layla asks, noticing her head down.
“Fine.” Her word blurts out, all a judder. “I’m just tired,” she whispers before rolling her lip between her teeth. Layla looks at me suspiciously then back at Kailee before shaking her head in dismissal. She turns to Aston, making small talk with him. Or at least trying.
Kailee places her arm around my shoulders and presses her head into the crook of my neck.
“We need a word,” she whispers in my ear.
“Let me just finish up here,” I answer with a smirk. I reach my arm around her, pulling her closer to me. She leans into me, hiding her face from the others as I revel in taking her here, right in front of the others. Feeling her fall apart in my arms.
I work faster and harder until her body shudders against me, and she bites the skin on my neck, her hand squeezing mine so fucking tight with a strength I didn’t know that she had until now.
I position my mouth right next to her ear. “You did good, pip.”
She straightens herself as I remove my hand, her eyes boring into me.
“Not fair,” she mumbles, grabbing a pastry and taking a huge bite. “Be prepared for payback,” she warns, giving me the side eye.
“Can’t wait.” I press my lips together, cocking a brow in her direction.
“So tell me” —Aston leans a little over the table— “what’s the plan?”
“The plan right now is to go and have a smoke,” I say, scraping my chair as I stand up from the table.
“I’ll come with you,” Aston insists, stepping up from the table.
I lean down, kissing pip lightly on the head. “We’ll be just outside the main door.”
I step out, pulling out my smokes, lighting one up, and taking a huge drag. I have to sort shit out. Not just a plan, but the shit that’s flying through my head right now. Accepting that the bond I had with my brother is broken, irreparable, is like a goddamn punch to my stomach. But Marco is right. What he did was unforgivable, something I will never forget, but going to war with him, well, I’m just not sure that’s something I got in me.
“So here’s what we’ll do,” I say, letting out a mouthful of smoke. “We drop the girl a few yards from the nearest police station.” He nods in agreement. “I will then drop you wherever you need to be.”
He narrows his eyes until there almost nothing but tiny slits. “But Marco said the car would be mine, man.”
“They saw the car. If they got the registration, there’s every chance they will be on the lookout for it,” I try to explain to him. But the truth is I need this vehicle. “I’ll make sure to compensate you for your trouble,” I add.
“Sure, man,” he says, patting me heavily on the back. “If you need it, it’s all yours.”
“Thanks,” I say, pulling the cigarette between my lips and taking another drag. “Let’s get our shit together and make a move.” I smile before flicking my cigarette butt to the ground.
We make our way back through to the small room where the girls are chatting; Kailee wears the biggest goddamn smile on her face, and my heart picks up pace. I’ll never tire of the way that makes me feel, especially when I know I’m the one responsible for putting that smile on her face. I walk to the chair beside Kailee, leaning down on the backrest.
“So… we are thinking of making a move,” I say cautiously. “We’ll drop you at the nearest station,” I inform her, my eyes landing on Layla. I almost see a smile there, but as her lips pull together, she lets out a controlled breath.
“I’m ready.” She gulps down. I can only imagine how fucking difficult this is for her. “Remember what we said. You have to make sure there is no mention of any of us.”
“Got it,” she answers, interlinking her fingers and rubbing her hands together. “I escaped. I hitchhiked. I arrived at the station. No mention of you.”
“Good. Now, let’s get you home.”
Kailee reaches for my hand, and our fingers intertwine. “What about me?” She looks at me with those huge baby blue eyes. I pull my brows together as I narrow my eyes on her.
“You’re coming with me,” I bark, almost annoyed that she felt she needed to ask that question.
“But where, Ryder? Where do we go from here? Eric’s gone, your brother’s most likely on the warpath, and I’m not sure I’m even safe to be on my own anymore.”
“Don’t worry about Jax. I will figure that out. He won’t lay another fucking finger on you. He won’t even dare look at you in the wrong way, or so help me God.” I clench my teeth together as my words come out with a growl. I can feel the pulse in my neck thudding as the anger inside me reaches a boiling point.
“There’s only one place we can go.”
“Please not Marco’s,” she says with a roll of her eyes. “That guy is a whole different level of crazy.”
I laugh loudly. “Not Marco’s, pip.” I watch as her expression deepens to one of confusion. “Mom’s,” I whisper.
“Really? Are you sure about this?”
“It’s the only way I can keep my eye on both of you. Plus, Mom owes me some answers. I need the fucking truth about Eric. I need to know it was all lies.”
She smiles sympathetically. “I wish I cou
ld find out the truth about my father.”
“It’s on my to-do list, pip.” I wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her from the ground until her chest rests against mine. Fuck, I love the way her tits feel against my body, how her tiny frame fits so unexpectedly with mine. She tilts her head, planting a kiss on my lips.
“I’m not sure I ever did anything good enough to deserve you,” she says as she locks her eyes with mine. I’m fixed on her; the longer I gaze into her ocean blue eyes, the harder it seems to break the connection. My heart aches as it pounds so frantically inside my chest. Kailee pulls back, letting her eyes flutter shut as heat rushes to her cheeks, and the redness gives it away. Did she feel it? Did she feel the way my heart is reacting to having her in my arms?
“What?”
“Nothing,” she replies with a slight shake of her head. “I just realized that today feels like the start of the rest of my life.”
“Sure is, pip,” I agree, as she nuzzles her face into my neck.
“I also discovered I’m not the only one whose heart beats like mad when I’m with a certain someone.”
“You too, huh?” I ask, feeling the warmth of her breath against my neck as she lets out a little giggle. The sweetest goddamn sound.
Pulling up a few yards from the police station, Kailee and Layla step out and talk on the sidewalk. I watch intently for a few minutes, giving the girls time to talk over whatever shit needs to be said. I breathe out deeply before stepping from the vehicle, making my way to them.
“I guess this is goodbye,” I say with a slight nod, offering my hand to her. Instead, she rushes toward me and wraps her arms tightly around my waist. I stand there momentarily, feeling totally fucking awkward. I look up to see Kailee with her eyes wide as if instructing me to hug her back. I gently relax my arms around her loosely, patting her gently on the back. After a few seconds, I swallow down hard as I nervously part from the young girl. The look on her face gives me clarity. She’s like a caged bird being set free, and I’m the one who’s freed her. I’ve done a lot of fucking bad things in my life, but each bad act came with its own level of satisfaction, like some kind of sick thrill. But this feeling, this one right here, beats any thrill I ever got from the bad things I’ve done. Like this one good thing gives a real meaning to life. To know that I saved her life from whatever fate was waiting for her on the other side of that motherfucking curtain.
“You saved my life. I will be forever thankful for that,” she chokes out. “To both of you.” She turns to Kailee, and they hug one last time.
“Keep in touch,” Kailee says to Layla, a small tear trickling down her face.
“I’d love that.”
“Oh dammit.” Kailee stomps her foot against the ground. “I have no idea what happened to my cell phone.”
“I have mine.” I dig into my pocket, retrieving my phone. I swiftly step over to the car, leaning through the driver’s window, and Aston passes me a pen from inside the glovebox. I tear the top from my cigarette packet and quickly scribble down my number, handing it to Layla. “Call anytime.”
“Thank you,” she says as she takes it, clutching it in her hands tightly. I lean back against the car, watching as the girls say their emotional goodbyes. Kailee instantly falls into my embrace the second Layla finally turns to make her way slowly toward the entrance of the station. I watch carefully, my eyes scanning the surrounding area as she walks the few yards to the door. She pauses for a second, glancing over at us as she pulls open the door, giving one last tenuous wave.
“She will be okay, won’t she?” Kailee asks, her words rumble against my chest.
“I’m sure of it.” I push her back, offering a smile.
“Sit with me. In the back.” Her eyes plead. “Hold me.” Her voice becomes a whisper, and there’s no way I can ever deny a fucking request like that.
“Sure, pip. Whatever you want,” I say, opening the door to the back of the car and jumping in with her.
The motion of the vehicle rocks Kailee to sleep as I hold her tightly in my arms. I want to rest my head back, close my eyes, and catch up on the sleep we missed last night, but I know I can’t. I have to be alert and keep my wits about me. As of now, I’m not sure who I can trust, and which motherfuckers are after my blood. Although I know Jax is right at the top of the list, the mastermind behind the whole human cattle market is who concerns me. I don’t know who I’m at war with, but I feel it coming. I knew it was a risk, and I knew there would be repercussions, but right now, I have no idea who is in on this. The car’s pace slows, and we judder as the car comes to a complete stop.
“This is me.” Aston cuts the engine, turning and looking at me through the gap between the front seats. I carefully slide my arm from Kailee’s hold, her eyes blinking slowly as she wakes from her nap.
“Thanks, man,” I say offering him my hand. “Couldn’t have done it without ya, bro.”
He lifts and drops his shoulders loosely. “Just doing my job.”
“Where are we?” Kailee murmurs, her eyes scanning our surroundings.
“This is Aston’s drop. We’ll be home in about thirty minutes,” I say, planting a kiss on her forehead before exiting the car and making my way around to the driver’s seat. I stop just in front of Aston, offering my hand. He takes it, and I can’t help pulling him in for a hug.
He turns, pushing his hands into his pockets. I watch him walk off into the distance before jumping into the driver’s seat and starting the engine.
“Hey,” she shouts, her lips curled into a pout. “Wait… I’m sitting up front.” Climbing through the gap, she drops on the seat beside me. “It’s lonely back there.” She lifts a brow before reaching for her seat belt.
“Buckle up, pip. It’s sure to be a hell of a ride.” A wicked smirk finds my lips.
“You don’t just mean the ride to your mom’s, do ya?”
I love that she gets me. I laugh, leaning over and placing a kiss on her cheek. Deep inside my dark and twisted mind, I worry about what will happen next, but in my heart, I’m fucking soaring.
She does that to me.
My pip.
Jax
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
That bitch has ruined everything we worked so fucking hard for.
I’ve lost my father, my brother, and she’s to blame.
She made him choose.
He chose her over me.
I race into Eric’s trailer, and reminders of him are everywhere. I scream out, thrashing my arms out, which sends the table flying, along with everything that was on there.
I slam my body to the floor, my mind a whirl of anger and guilt. How did it all go so wrong? How did I allow this to happen? I’m smart, calculated. I covered my tracks. How did he find out where I was? Where we had taken her? It had been the plan all along. That waste of space she calls a father put a price on her head. She could have made us thousands and got our asses outta this motherfucking trailer park and into somewhere we could really call home.
It was never personal. She was the payment, and this whole plan was about business.
But he had to get involved. Ryder had to give in to the dick twitch he had for this girl, letting his emotions get in the way.
It can’t be this way.
Questions have to be asked. Answered are needed.
I have to find out where they are.
I feel the unexpected vibration of my phone inside my pocket. I reach in to retrieve it, checking the name on the screen. Three times I’d avoided it. But I couldn’t put it off any longer.
“Donny,” I answer with a croak.
“Jaxon, my boy. You left pretty swiftly. We have things to discuss.”
“Like what?” I ask, already knowing what he wants from me.
“Like the fucking money I’m owed. Your brother left you in one hell of a motherfucking mess, didn’t he?”
“I’ll figure it out.” I breathe out heavily.
“How? Tell me how, boy? Those girls were set to fetch me pret
ty big fucking bucks. Not to mention we have to relocate, and the fucking Feds are going to be sniffing so deep…”
“I’ll get more girls,” I cut in.
“Hmmm, I’m not sure.” He hums down the phone. “How can I be sure this won’t happen again? Seems to me you’re a fucking liability. And now the organ grinder’s gone…”
“I got this,” I blurt out, my voice louder than intended.
“The girl?” he growls. “The redhead. I had big clients who had their eyes on that one.”
“I’ll make it happen,” I say with absolute certainty. “I just have to deal with my brother first.”
“Make it happen, Jax. I will no longer be able to guarantee your safety if you don’t. You get me?” he orders.
“Got it,” I snap.
“I’ll be in touch,” he replies before disconnecting the call, and all I hear is the dead tone.
“Fuck,” I yell, clenching and punching the floor. The bastards will come for me if I don’t do as Donny says. He was a big gun, one I couldn’t afford to fuck with. I have no idea what I’m going to do, but whatever it is, I guarantee it won’t be pretty.
Ryder
“I have no idea where we are,” she says, giving my thigh a little squeeze. “These roads all look the same to me.”
“Sure,” I say with a tone of sarcasm, my eyes catching her brilliant smile. “What you looking so happy about?” I ask suspiciously.
“Oh, nothing,” she says, closing the gap between us and resting her head on my upper arm. I can’t help but want to bury my cock in her so fucking deep until she’s screaming out my name again. It’s only been a few fucking hours, but my body is craving her like some sort of drug.
Her hand slowly wanders to the growing fucking bulge between my legs.
The edge of life: Official cover - coming soon Page 22