by Amber Lacie
Still in his jeans, I was desperate to have him in all his naked glory. Reaching for his hips, I fumbled with the button and zipper until he put me out of my misery. Making quick work of the button on his jeans, I watched as they fell to the floor. I arched a brow, questioning his choice to go sans boxers.
One corner of his mouth curled up into a smile. “Don’t judge me, lady. I hate doing laundry.”
A true, honest laugh escaped me. He looked at me as though it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. Our lips crashed together as he pressed his body firmly against mine. My skin was hot from his touch. I loved the feel of his bare skin against mine. It was euphoric. Pulling me closer to him, my skin squeaked against the granite countertop as he spread, my legs farther apart. He was so close I could feel the tip of his cock against my thigh. Desperate to have him closer, my nails dug into his hips, forcing our bodies to smash into a sweaty, slick mess. My breath hitched in my throat as I felt him slide my panties to the side and slowly thrust into me. Everything. This is everything. Moans echoed off the walls surrounding us in the large room. With every touch, with every thrust, I was coming more undone. I could feel myself, waiting on the edge for some great explosion, but he was drawing it out. “Please, Ben––I need it.”
My words hit his ears and suddenly I was gripping onto the edge of the counter as he slammed into me relentlessly. One of his hands slid between us, circling my clit, bringing me in and out of a blissful haze as I exploded around him. His head fell to my shoulder and I wrapped my arms around him, slowly stroking my fingers up and down his back as he slowed, releasing every bit of himself into me. It was so much more than I ever expected. I was so overwhelmed, a few tears slipped down my cheeks. I tried to wipe them away before he noticed, but I was too late.
Shifting in front of me, he gently grasped my face with his hands, inspecting me. “Tell me I didn’t hurt you.”
“You didn’t. It was perfect.”
“But the tears.”
“All I have ever wanted was to feel loved. I got that, and so much more, from you. I just didn’t know how to process it all.” My heart nervously beat in my chest. I had used the ‘L’ word, and from what I understood, most men ran at the sound of it. It’s not like I admitted to being in love with him, but still I was afraid of his reaction.
“Promise?”
“I would never lie to you.”
He smiled, a genuine, honest smile and my heart tripped. He was always so guarded, so angry, but in that moment his eyes were bright and light. Whatever worries he had weighing on his shoulders earlier had disappeared, even if only for a minute. “You’re filthy now.”
“Am I?” My eyes cast downwards. Had I looked at it all the wrong way? Is he seeing me the way the others did? Am I used goods now?
“Whoa.” Gently lifting my head to look at him, he softly whispered, “Hey, look at me. I don’t know where your thoughts are, but your eyes look so sad.”
“I–I don’t want you to think I’m dirty. I don’t want––”
“Baby, that’s not what I meant at all. You’re beautiful and perfect in every way. All I meant is that we should probably take a shower. That’s all.”
“Oh.” Of course, that’s what he meant, I silently chastised. I had let my insecurities get the best of me.
Slowly stepping back, Ben lifted me from the counter and set me on my feet. “Come on, pretty girl, let’s get you cleaned up.”
Suddenly, I was more than aware of my nakedness as I followed a very naked Ben into his master bath. I quietly watched his every move as he prepped the shower for us. Once the water was to his liking, he held open the glass door, allowing me to step in first. The warm water ran over me, a chill spreading up my spine. Glancing over at him, he was still holding the door open, allowing the cold air to hit my skin.
“In or out. You’re making me cold.”
“I was already inside of you once. You want me again?” he asked, his eyes darkening, full of lust.
It wasn’t exactly what I had meant, but the idea did have its own merits. I blushed at the mere thought of being with him again. Stepping into the shower, he closed the door behind him and grabbed a loofa off a hook on the tiled wall behind me. For the second time since I’d arrived, Ben washed me from head to toe.
I reveled in the feel of his fingers massaging my scalp. Between what had already happened between us, the hot water, and my scalp massage, I was more than ready for a nap. Satisfied with my cleanliness, he stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel for both of us. Squeezing the water from my hair, I tightly wrapped the towel around me.
Neither of us spoke as we walked back into the bedroom. Sometimes I liked the quiet between us, and this was one of them. At that moment I didn’t need to fill the air with words, he knew exactly how I felt and what I needed.
After running a comb through my hair, I pulled it up into a wet knot at the top of my head and slipped into another one of his t-shirts. Sure, I had clothes of my own, but I liked wearing his. It made me feel closer to him. The fact that they smelled just like him was simply a bonus.
Curling up on the bed, I tucked a pillow underneath my head as I watched him slip on a pair of sweats. It wasn’t often that he wore them, but when he did, it meant he wasn’t leaving the apartment any time soon. That fact alone had me on cloud nine as he curled up against me on the bed.
“Piper, you know I won’t be able to go back now. I keep trying, and each time it gets harder. I can’t do it again.”
“Do what? Where are you going?” I asked, fear causing my voice to shake.
“Nowhere, baby. That’s what I mean––you’re really mine now. I give up, I can’t go back to the way we were before.”
“Good. I didn’t like it that way. This way is better.”
Grabbing a sheet at the end of the bed, he pulled it over the both of us. It was the first time I fell asleep in his arms while we were both under the covers. I could feel the heat of his body wrapping around me and for the first time in a long time––maybe even forever, I felt safe. Protected. Loved. It was the best feeling I had ever felt in my entire life. It was also the second night I fell asleep without reliving the darkness that was once my life.
Fuck me. I was in deep with Piper and I wasn’t the only one who realized it. After our little kitchen escapade, I couldn’t get enough of her. Whenever she was close enough to touch, I had to breathe her in. My hands were constantly searching for her. At first, Jim gave me the ‘about fucking time’ speech. However, once he found out what had happened, he gave me a warning. He wanted me to come clean to Piper. I agreed that I would, once I had somewhere safe for her to go. After the first couple weeks of me basically carrying her around the apartment, Jim put his foot down.
Jim knew I wasn’t trying to find a place for her. And he wasn’t wrong. I wasn’t. The thing is, Piper could have asked me for anything, and I would have figured out a way to make it happen. I so badly wanted to give her a life I never got to give Arlington, but I also didn’t want to taint her with all the bad that followed me. So, after much deliberation, I decided to heed Jim’s warning and meet with my Uncle Aaron.
Aaron had warned me straightaway that he couldn’t help out with the case we were building against Tate, but I told him it was a private matter. Fuck the FBI. They weren’t my concern anymore. That’s how I ended up sitting by myself in a donut shop, waiting for over an hour for him to show up.
I was just about to leave when I spotted Aaron through the window on the opposite corner, across the street. He wasn’t in his normal suit. Instead, he had on a pair of joggers, running shoes, and a sweatshirt. It was just after seven in the morning when the bell above the door chimed, letting me know Aaron had stepped into the shop. Scanning the shop, he quickly made his way over to me, slid into the booth, and pulled out a menu that was tucked behind the napkin dispenser.
“So, what’s good here?” he asked, sounding out of breath. He sounded as though he had actually run there.
“Fuck if I know. Coffee ain’t half bad though.”
A few minutes had passed when the waitress came over and made mental notes of everything we ordered. It wasn’t like it was a lot, but I was still impressed by her ability to remember it without writing it down. Aaron and I sat, staring at each other every so often, sipping our hot drinks in the silence.
“You dragged me out here, Ben––quit dancing around it. Why am I here?”
“Off the record.”
He sighed. I know he was expecting it, so it was more for show, but I hesitated for a second, questioning my decision. Eventually, he gave in. “Fine. Off the record. I hope you realize I could lose my badge for this. I’m assuming this isn’t about your Christmas list this year.”
“Far from it. I have a job assigned to me and there’s a mark on my head. If I don’t do it––well, you know what happens.”
“Yeah, I do. Why are you telling me? I was relieved of the case for being too close, remember?”
“I don’t trust anyone else. There’s something off about the entire situation. That fuck-twit in a suit, shows up, kicking and screaming about me hiding a girl. He wreaked havoc on my apartment. Completely turned shit upside down. No warrant. No reasoning. He just said he was following a hunch.”
“I have some feelers out on that situation, but we’re moving slowly. You have suspicions of him––I get it. He filed a report of that night, completely clearing you of hiding anything a few days later. Why he felt the need to be a dick about it, I don’t know, but there’s a paper trail.”
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about. Why did it take a few days? He’s up to something. I don’t fucking trust him.”
Aaron smiled as the waitress approached the table, a pink box in-hand with six donuts inside, and a plate with an egg and cheese bagel. Giving him a wink, she set the box down in front of him. The plate with the bagel was dropped in front of me without so much as a glance. It seems that no matter where he goes, some chick is always drooling over him. It’s ridiculous. Leaning in, she laid her hand on his arm and asked if he needed anything else. After shaking his head no, he sent her on her way. I dramatically rolled my eyes at his smirk.
“Aww––are you upset she didn’t want you? You’re such a young pup. You need to learn how to work the ladies.”
“Ha. I’m far from young.”
“Right. Sorry, I forgot thirty-eight was so old.” Reaching in the box, he grabbed a chocolate donut and took a huge bite out of it, smearing chocolate around his mouth.
“At least I have manners. Wipe your mouth.”
He scoffed at my attempt at humor and wiped his mouth with a nearby napkin. “You don’t trust the suit…we’ve established that. What does that have to do with why we are here?”
“Tate is looking for the same girl.” Aaron’s eyes went wide. Finally, I had his attention. “I don’t know why he wants her. He didn’t say. He practically grilled me about what went down at Momence. Whatever the reasoning, he wants the girl. Desperately. Now, you tell me why the suit and my asshole father are looking for the same girl. If she were just some trick, Tate wouldn’t give a shit if she was dead or alive. This girl, he wants her. He wants her bad enough that he put a mark on her head.”
“How much?”
“For the girl? Twenty-five.”
“That’s thousand, right?” I nodded my head. “And on you?”
I swallowed, trying to calm my nerves. “Only fifteen on me, but that’s not all. There’s a mark of fifty thousand if someone brings us in together.”
“Fuck.” Aaron leaned back in the booth and rubbed his temples at the impending headache I had just brought him. “I’m missing a piece to this puzzle. Why does he want you two together?”
“No fucking clue. The suit didn’t find her at my place, nor did I give her up to Tate. I saw what they did to her, Aaron. I watched the tapes. They used her to keep their dicks wet and that’s all. What could she possibly know that would be worth anything? It doesn’t make sense.”
“What. Did. You. Do?” Aaron splayed both hands on the table, staring me down as though I had just committed the worst crime possible. It took me a second to realize my mistake.
Fuck, I told him I didn’t give her up. Now he knows I’ve at least seen her, I silently cursed myself for making such a rookie mistake.
“Nothing you wouldn’t have done.”
“Jesus fucking Christ! You’re in the shit now, Benny. I can only protect you from so much. Where is she?”
“I can’t say.”
He nodded his head as he looked around the shop, trying to process everything I had just thrown at him. “Does she know?”
“About the mark?” I questioned. Aaron nodded. “Nah, I haven’t told her yet. Jim’s pretty pissed about it, but I don’t want to worry her. I’m going to take care of it.”
“Fuck me, you got Jim involved in this mess? Why is it you always have to do things the hard way? Why can’t it ever be easy with you?”
I shrugged my shoulders. What else could I say? I never learned from my mistakes. That’s how I lost Arlington and my chance at a family along with it. Lucky for me, a second chance had fallen so perfectly in my lap, and I wanted it so much more than the first one. I was going to be damned if I let it slip away. “Her name is Piper. She had a sister, but they were split up in foster care when she was young. Could you find her? If she was with someone she knew, someone she trusted, I would feel better. Ya’ know?”
“Oh, Ben,” Aaron said softly, “you fell for her, didn’t you?”
“It’s not her fault. She was never supposed to end up there. She was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.”
“That’s what they all say.”
“Fuck you! You don’t know what they did to her, Aaron. They kept her in the basement. She had no access to food or water, other than what scraps they threw at her. Men came and went from her room, beating her and raping her until she bled. If you saw her, you’d have seen how broken she was. How broken she still is. I took her from there, and I won’t let her go back.”
“So, what––you’ve got this chick hidden away in an ivory tower somewhere, and now you’re the knight going to battle the dragons? Have you lost your fucking mind?”
“Look, all I need you do is find her sister.”
He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. “Why the fuck not, right? Might as well, since you’ve decided to fuck everything up for some pussy. You got a name to go with it?”
“One––that’s the one and only time you get to refer to her like that. Family or not, I’ll fucking end you before you even walk out that door. She deserves more than that. I’ll get the last name to you later, not now.”
The look of shock on his face was one I had never seen before. I guess he wasn’t expecting that kind of response from me. It wasn’t a front either; I would have ended anyone who disrespected her. She had already lived through Hell. She deserved so much better than the world had offered her.
“Okay. I can see that this is important to you. Don’t send anything to my phone.” Grabbing a napkin, he began writing on it. “Send it to this email. What does this girl I’m looking for look like?”
“I don’t know exactly, but this is her sister.” I slid a picture I had taken of Piper, just a few days prior, across the table. She was sitting in front of the window in my bedroom, staring out into the city. Her hair was pulled over one shoulder, revealing her bare back where her shirt dipped. Her knees were bent to her chest and her hands were tightly wrapped around them. She looked so innocent. So beautiful. So perfect.
Aaron took a long look at the picture before tucking it into the pocket of his sweatshirt. “Since you obviously can’t be swayed from this plan of yours, I’ll do what I can. Try to find out what your girl might have seen or overheard while she was in the house. They wouldn’t put a price tag that high on her if she wasn’t worth it.” His expression turned serious. “Ben, you need to be careful. The mark is for both o
f you. Either Tate knows you have her, or he suspects you know where she is. Be careful––move slowly and cautiously.”
I nodded my head, taking his words to heart. If I were going to trust anyone to help me locate Piper’s sister, it would have to be Aaron. I was all out of options. My uncle dropped a couple bills on the table and took one last sip of his coffee. “If I asked nicely would you tell me who the job is?”
“If I tell you, then it would just be added guilt on your conscience. The job isn’t my worry, I just need Piper to be safe, and her sister is the key to making that happen.”
“Got it. I’ll do my best. Be careful, Benny. I’m running low on nieces and nephews these days.”
I understood his warning. He didn’t need to explain it. After Brooke died it left me and my cousin, Drew. He was the closest thing I had to a brother. In fact, I often introduced him as my brother to people. Drew was also the reason I met Arlo. If I hadn’t been renting an apartment in his building, I never would have met Daniel, which means Arlo would have never even been a blip on my radar.
It’s crazy how one simple moment can change your life forever. While I was doing time an armed robbery at a gas station took my cousin out. From what I understand, a thief tried to take the cashier hostage and Drew jumped in the way. He got shot three times and bled out before the ambulance even made it to the scene. They never caught the guy who did it. So, besides my mom, I was the only person my Uncle Aaron had left that was actual blood to him. I guess that meant something to him.
“Will do. Thanks.”
“You can thank me when I actually find what you’re looking for, and then you’re going to say it in person, that way I know you’re still alive. Deal?”
“You bet.” As quickly as our conversation had started, it had ended. Aaron was already out the door and long gone before I even got up from the table. I waited a few minutes longer, just in case anyone was lurking around. The distance between us would at least give Aaron an advantage if something were to go down. However, to make all this work, I needed some more information from Piper. I just needed to keep my focus.