For the other man’s part, he ducked and jerked to avoid Lee’s lightning quick hands, only to spin and return each jab. He would block with his arm and strike with his other, only to have that blocked as well. After a few minutes Lee realized they were both equally matched, but even as that thought processed, it wasn’t long before the man’s moves became harder, fiercer. Lee punched with his elbow as he spun, dropped, and flashed out with his leg as he tried to bring his opponent down. However, the man instead jumped and grabbed Lee on the back of jacket and slung him to the ground. Not about to give up, Lee kicked out and hit his kneecap, and he crashed forward.
They tussled on the ground as warrior strength matched equally with blind rage. Lee punched with jabs and drives, using every inch of his arms and legs. Elbows thrust upward while knees tried to cripple, and Lee had to roll away to defend all parts of his anatomy, jumping to his feet once more. They dove for one another, causing each fist to connect with a jaw, only to stagger back, more than a bit dazed. With a roar, the assassin shoved Lee back and then swung. His fist connected with Lee’s jaw and sent him flying back. Lee shook his head to clear it quickly. The wind suddenly kicked in and a whiff of clove came over on the breeze. A memory from long ago teased Lee, but he couldn’t seem to make it coalesce.
“Who are you?” Lee asked again, this time with the slight frustration of a memory that seemed to linger just out of reach.
The man touched his forehead where a dent marred the skin. “You gave this to me years ago.”
The puzzle piece suddenly clicked into place and Lee remembered the man he’d hit with a skillet years ago. “You killed my father.”
“Twenty-two years ago, I was hired to find Harlan, but because of you, it was a botched job.”
“And now you’re out to finish what you started?” Lee shook his head. “Sorry, but Joseph Harlan died years ago.”
“I don’t give a shit about Joseph Harlan. The others do, but all I wanted was to put it behind me. And then you saved the senator. I was hired to assassinate him, and you were hired to save him. What were the odds we’d cross paths again?”
“If you say fate, I’ll shoot you in your dick. I swear it.”
The man reached behind him and brought out a small caliber gun, a very small pistol. “No, I’m finally going to put to rest the one thing in my past that bested me.”
The loud bang of a gunshot made everything go still. The assassin stopped, eyes widened in surprise. He looked down and Lee followed his gaze to see blood pouring from his chest. The small pistol fell from his hands as he toppled forward. Lee looked from where the gunshot had come from, and he saw Lidah holding his gun.
“He ruined everything,” she said tonelessly.
Lee rose to his feet. “Lidah?”
“He deserved to die.”
“I agree,” Lee said, holding out his hand. “Give me the gun.”
“Is he dead?”
“Yes. You hit him in his heart.”
She relaxed, lowering the barrel of the gun. Lee reached out and took it from her. “He had no heart,” she said. “He destroyed my life. And yours. Your father. Our baby. Now he can answer to the devil.”
The sound of a chopper overhead had them looking skyward. Lee took her hand and led her away.
Chapter Six
“Is she okay?” Mason Lake asked in his helmet microphone, glancing toward Lidah who stared out of the helicopter window.
“I don’t know,” Lee replied grimly. “Her whole world had just been turned upside down, plus the trauma that she just killed a man.”
“I handled everything with law enforcement. You can ease her mind that nothing will come back on her.”
“Thanks. You know this was an inside job, right?”
Lake frowned. “Yeah. I was thinking about that. You said this man had a strategic pulse emitter. Anything else?”
“Cloves.”
“What?”
“He smoked clove cigarettes. He reeked of the smell. And he was one of the men who killed my dad, twenty-two years ago.”
Lake shot him an incredulous look. “What the hell?”
“I know. He said it was coincidence he came across me again, but I have a difficult time believing in coincidence.”
“Me, too. I haven’t been able to get in touch with JD. Once I drop you two off, I’ll arrange for the sheriff to collect that asshole’s body and then I’m flying home.”
“That’s good.” Lee turned to glance at Lidah and she returned his look. Their gazes locked for a moment and he suddenly knew what he had to do. “I’m out.”
“What?” Lake asked.
“I’m not coming back. I’m staying here with Lidah.”
“But … but…”
Lee shook his head. “I thought I was putting her first by walking away and keeping her safe, but I’m now seeing it through her eyes. I let her think I was dead. She lost our baby. Now she’s lost her boss. There hasn’t been one single happy thing I left her with. What kind of man does that make me?”
“A fighter?”
“It makes me ugly,” Lee finished for him. “This time she comes first. She’s my future.”
“So, you’re walking away? But what about finding out who betrayed us?”
“I’m fairly confident JD can handle the traitor. Tell him when you see him, I’m done. Don’t come after me to change my mind. Don’t call. Don’t text. No contact. From this point on, Lee Masterson is dead. Okay?”
“Yeah,” Lake muttered. “I understand. Loud and clear.”
****
Lidah stood under the hot spray of her shower, letting the water not only warm her up, but wash away the memory of what had happened in the forest. She could hardly believe it had only been a day ago that her life had changed forever. The changes were hard to process, but somehow, she’d have to come to grips with it all.
Cleaning up, she turned off the shower and stepped out of the cubicle. Patting herself dry, she wrapped the towel around her before opening the bathroom door and heading toward her bedroom. She stopped, however, once she saw Lee sitting on her bed.
“Do you need to shower?” she asked.
“Yeah, but before I do, I thought we could talk.”
Nervousness clenched her belly, causing her heart to flip-flop in a painful stutter.
“How are you?” he asked softly.
“I’m fine,” she answered automatically, not really thinking of what he’d asked.
“You’re not fine,” Lee said. “You shot a man.”
“I shot a bad man.”
“Some would say I’m a bad man. I’ve killed as well.”
She took a deep breath. “Have you ever killed an innocent man, like a dentist?”
“No. Never. Just men who deserved to die.”
“Well, so did I. And I’m not ashamed. Nor do I feel any guilt, Lee.”
He stared hard at her. “I did.”
“You did what?”
“Had guilt. The first time. I killed one of the men who killed my father, but that didn’t make it any less horrible.”
Lidah searched her emotions, internally shifting through the decisions that led her to pick up Lee’s gun and take aim. She firmly knew and believed it had been a life and death moment, combined with the justice she wanted for Wally.
“He got what he deserved,” she said, hugging herself. “Perhaps I may be a little numb to everything that happened, but I understand exactly what I did.”
His mouth thinned out and he stood. “All right. Let me go shower.”
She moved out of the doorway to let him pass.
“I guess you’ll be leaving soon,” she murmured. If anything was really going to damage her feelings it would be when he walked out the door.
He paused, standing next to her. They looked at each other.
“No,” he replied, shaking his head. “You blamed that assassin for ruining your life, but I’m equally to blame.”
“I never thought that.”
&nb
sp; “I have.” He sighed. “I put everything else first, instead of you, and now I can see what a mistake I’ve made. My life has absolutely no meaning, no depth. Without you … I’m nothing.”
She reached up and cupped his cheek. Hope bubbled up in her soul. “You’re everything to me.”
He enfolded her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. “And from this day forward, I will place you first in everything I do. I am yours, Lidah, heart and soul. I always have been.”
“I love you, Lee.”
He kissed her. Lidah wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back as the world faded away. The only thing that existed right then was her and him, reunited, and this time they were no longer teenagers. The young love had morphed into something strong and lasting, and as much as she might have tried to ignore it, or squash it, that love had endured.
“I’m never letting you go again, Lidah,” he murmured against her lips. “I know we have a long road ahead of us, but I want to walk that road beside you.”
“Oh, God, Lee,” she said achingly. “I don’t think I could live in your world.”
“Shh,” he said. “That’s not what mean and not what I want. I’m staying here with you.”
Lidah took a deep breath and grabbed his shirt and balled her fists up in the material. “You don’t leave me ever again. From this point on, we’re in this together. Okay?”
Slowly, he nodded. “Okay. Let me wash up and we can talk more.”
She stepped back to let him go and knew this night would change everything. Love had been reborn in her heart and she vowed to never let it go again. As the shower ran, she shed her towel and positioned herself on the bed. Her heart thundered with anticipation as butterflies danced around in her belly. The last time Lee had seen her naked she’d been a nubile seventeen-year-old. The body she possessed now belonged to a forty-year-old woman. Nerves had her second-guessing whether or not she should cover up.
Then he stood at the foot of her bed, a towel around his hips and wet strands of silver streaked hair plastered to his head. The lust in his gaze more than eased her nervousness over how her naked body had aged.
“Are you sure, Lidah?” he growled, sounding like a wild beast.
In response she held out her hand. He dropped the towel and joined her, scooping her up in his arms. Running his fingertips over every inch of her body, starting with her neck and moving down, they feathered over her collarbone and down her chest. Her breasts ached for his touch and, as if sensing her need, teased her nipples with light strokes until they puckered and strained for more. Lidah moaned and titled her head back as he continued his exploration, over her rounded tummy, tracing the V-juncture to where her thighs touched. He dipped his middle finger through her slit, stroking her clit. Lidah jumped, then pushed her hips forward, trying to get more caresses. He teased her, revving up her senses more and more, until she squirmed and begged for more.
“Please, Lee!” she gasped. “I need you.”
“You’re so fucking beautiful, Lidah,” he murmured. “My perfect woman. Say you’re mine.”
“I’m yours, Lee. I’ve always been yours.”
Lee bent his head and took one nipple into his mouth, sucking it deep. Lidah screamed with pleasure and broke apart in a hundred pieces, flying up into the sky before crashing back down. Panting, sweating, she opened passion-clouded eyes to see Lee’s satisfied gaze.
“Damn, I’ve missed you,” he said. “I want to make you come for the rest of our lives.”
“Only if I can do the same to you,” she said, a bit breathless.
He rolled, bringing her legs on either side of his hips. She sat astride him, her hair flowing loose around her face and shoulders. He collected her hair in one hand and yanked her head back, not causing pain, but allowing him better access to slide up with his tongue, taking nibbling bites along the way until his mouth met hers.
Her hips rocked, and she could feel his hard cock sliding between her ass crack. She reached behind her to grasp it, tracing the lines and contours, learning how it responded to her touch.
“I don’t have a condom,” he said.
“I’m clean.”
“So am I.”
“Then fuck me, Lee. Please!”
He gripped her hips and helped lower her down. Excitement gripped her stomach as she sank onto his cock. They held still for a moment, staring into each other’s eyes. So much love passed between them it took her breath away. Very tenderly and slowly, she rocked on top of him, until she got used to his size. Lee made a moaning-hissing noise that she took as a good sign, so she rocked her hips again.
Little by little their tempo increased until Lidah wasn’t sure if it was him out of control or her. His balls slapped against her ass as he moved her faster and she gripped her pussy walls around him so tightly there was a sucking sound as he pulled in and out.
“Ah, Lee,” she breathed just as her climax hit, coursing through her body with exquisite pleasure.
“Lidah,” he gasped just as his body surged against hers, shuddering with each spill inside her. After a moment, he relaxed back down and pulled her sweaty body with him. Both their hearts beat frantically in unison. “I love you.”
“And I love you.”
Epilogue
Three months later
“Doctor Wilcox,” Tina, the receptionist called out. “You have a phone call. Line one.”
“Okay, thanks!” Lidah looked up from the charts she was writing on the patients she’d see that day and grabbed the phone. It had been a hectic pace in taking her dental boards and obtaining her license, all the while living and loving with Lee every day. The past few months had been the best of her life. She picked up the phone and punched line one to connect the call. “Hello, Dr. Wilcox.”
“I love hearing you say that,” Lee said through the line.
“And I love you.”
“Any chance you can step outside?”
“Outside, like from my work?”
“Yep.”
“Okay,” she said, confused. “I’ll be right there.”
She hung up, rose and walked toward the front of the building, absently noting Tina no longer sat at her desk. Stepping outside, however, had her halting in surprise. Lee waited in a perfectly fitted tux, surrounded by her staff.
“What’s going on?” she asked smiling.
Lee knelt down in front of her and held up a ring box. “Will you, Lidah Wilcox, do the honor of being my wife?”
Tears of happiness sprung in her eyes. “Oh, my God, really?”
He opened the box and the diamond inside sparkled in the sunlight. “Don’t make me beg, woman.”
“Yes! Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!”
Lee wrapped her in his arms as all the spectators clapped and laughed. Right there in front of everyone, he kissed her long, deep, and hard.
“I can’t wait to become Lee Wilcox,” he murmured into her ear.
She pulled back, a little confused. “Lee Wilcox?”
“My old life is dead,” he said. “Come to find out, Masterson wasn’t invincible after all. Are you ready for a house husband?”
“Only if you’re ready to be a house father.”
His eyes widened, and he glanced at her belly. “Really?”
“Really.”
He picked her up in a bear hug and spun her around, and around, and around…
The End
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BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER
LAWLESS HEARTS
Beth D. Carter
Copyright © 2018
Sample Chapter
&n
bsp; “Here ya go, Scharlie,” Tom Kern, the store keep, said as he laid two stacks of brown wrapped bundles on the counter. “They came in just an hour ago.”
Scharlie Thorn smiled and gave a large sigh of pleasure. Finally, after waiting for five months, the new books had arrived.
“Thank you so much,” she said, reaching out a gloved hand to touch one bundle almost reverently.
“What are they?”
“Hm? Oh, books, for the children,” she answered.
Tom scratched his head. “You pay for these yourself? ‘Cause I don’t remember sending money in with Tommy.”
“These books are at no cost for the parishioners of Stoddard County, Tom. Just my way of helping the children learn.”
She smiled at him and she saw his eyes flicker over to the right side of her face. The old shame of her scar reared its ugly head, and she couldn’t help but turn her head away, trying to hide the ugliness on her face, which was ridiculous because there simply wasn’t a way to eradicate her disfigurement.
Her stepfather had made sure of that when he had cut her.
“Here, let me put them in your wagon,” Tom offered, coming around the counter and grabbing the heavy book stacks.
“Thank you,” Scharlie said, following after him but keeping her head bent.
Usually, she wasn’t so embarrassed about how her life had turned out. She knew the people of Rock Ridge had grown used to seeing her and the scar that ran from her temple, down her cheek, to dissect her upper lip. She had more than gotten used to the pitying looks cast her way, but Tom was different. He had been her first love, although that infatuation had been one-sided. She had been fourteen when Tom’s blond hair, blue-eyed handsomeness had captured her young heart. Of course, a world of change had happened since that summer, least of which had been eighteen-year-old Tom falling for Angie Bursting. Now she taught their son.
Invincible (World of Danger Book 1) Page 5