The Hustle (Irreparable #4)

by KJ Bell

  I straighten with all the seriousness back in my expression as I stare at Peyton, warning her this is not a joke.

  “What?” Her voice rises with apprehension. “Who is it?”

  “Eduardo Montez.”

  “Are you crazy, Aidan? Is that why you’re going into business with him? To get her back?”

  My hands rake though my hair. I’ve said too much and there’s no room to back pedal. “I don’t know.”

  “You can’t. Do you hear me? He sent you a human hand in a box for Christ sakes. Is this woman worth your life? Or mine, or your family’s?”

  “Why’d you come to my office tonight?” I ask, blatantly changing the subject.

  “Pretty sure I communicated my sexual frustration.”

  I lean over, skimming the tips of my fingers along her jaw. “Why’d you really come?”

  When her eyes move to the side, I know I have her. “I feel some connection to you I can’t explain, and thanks to Captain Morgan, I had the courage to prove you feel it too.”

  With a sharp inhale, I move my thumb over her warm lips. “How would you have felt if I fucked you and then told you I didn’t feel anything for you?”

  She pushes my hand away, her gaze focusing on the wall behind me. “I would have been disappointed, but it would have been worth it, because taking risks leads to things unexpected and brilliant. There’s no fault in exploring a connection and seeing if it leads to more.”

  I’m left dumbfounded by her words as they continue to swim around in my thoughts. I avoid risks that could lead to the unexpected and brilliant, but Peyton leaps in, feet first with her eyes and heart wide open.

  “Aren’t you afraid of getting hurt again?” I ask, still struggling to understand. “You’ve had two assholes break your heart. Why would you risk putting yourself through that kind of pain again?”

  “I just accept that a few assholes breaking my heart is worth finding the one person who won’t.”

  I blink several times, wondering how her heart can be so resilient when mine is such a quitter. “And if it’s more than a few?”

  She shrugs faintly. “The world has to run out of assholes eventually.”

  “That’s what you’re banking on? That someone will come along and prove they’re different from every other guy you’ve dated?”

  “No, I’m waiting for the one who comes along and proves he deserves me.” She leans forward, her voice lowering to a whisper. “Are you too chicken to find out if it’s you?”

  Her laugh, her smile and the way she makes me think awaken a feeling inside me that I thought died when Maria left. Her eyes widen as I stand and take her hand.

  “Fuck it,” I say quietly, pulling her up from the couch. “Come with me.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “To take a risk.”

  I guide her down the hall to my bedroom. As we stand facing each other in front of my bed, words aren’t spoken. We exchange thoughts instead as our hands slowly undress each other. I take my time exploring her body, noting the places that elicit a quiet moan, or cause her to shiver.

  If I’d allowed this moment to take place in my office, it would have been over quickly, and that, I would have regretted. I’m going to savor each slow moment I spend bringing her to climax and the way she screams my name when she finally lets go. I’m going to ensure our first time together is an event of epic proportions.

  Her warm lips press into mine, urging me to open. I welcome her kiss, slipping my tongue into her mouth and brushing it over hers. The kiss causes an explosion in my heart that branches out though my veins, filling me with warmth and lessening the darkness. She sucks on my bottom lip as she ends the kiss and lies on my bed. I’m signaled by her index finger to join her. There’s a brief moment where I hesitate as my heart fights with my dick to say no. I shove the doubt down. If Peyton can take a risk after everything I shared with her, then so can I.

  I crawl up her frame and cover her body with mine, absorbing the warmth of her skin like a blanket of comfort as her slim legs wrap around my waist.

  The intimacy I’ve avoided for months brings all of the emotional pain I expected, but I welcome the onslaught of feelings as a revelation that in the depths of my heart, I’m still capable of feeling more than hatred.

  She lifts her hips as I slide inside of her, sealing our bodies together. The intensity steals my breath and it takes me a moment to move. Before long we’re making love in unison as though slow dancing, and as if we were made to go together. It takes effort to contain my emotions, but it’s even harder not to put an end to what we’re doing because I want this. I want her. Something inside of me feels Peyton’s a risk worth taking. That she’s been sent to bring me back from the dead.

  Her warm hand presses into my cheek. “Are you okay?”

  The doubt I feel must show in my expression, or she feels it in my touch. I nod before burying my head in the crook of her neck.

  With each drive forward, her hips meet mine and I feel a little more for Peyton. Feelings that are both unexpected and brilliant.

  As each days passes, I grow a little more numb to the hate I feel for Eduardo, as though my feelings are actually transitioning into love for him. There’s a murky area in the far reaches of my conscious that reminds me what a horrible man he is, or maybe only the man he used to be.

  He spends time with Javier and I, ignoring pressing business matters and seeing to our needs. As far as appearances go, one would believe he’s the epitome of a doting father and lover. All of his rough edges have softened. There are moments where I speak my mind and wait for his rage to surface and remind me that I’m merely a prisoner in this life, but he remains calm. We talk through arguments like we’re a happy couple.

  I spoke with Guadalupe, who advised me against believing him. She feels I’m suffering from a sort of Stockholm syndrome and reminds me I’m not free to come and go as I please. That I live my life on Eduardo’s terms.

  Marco refuses to help me get a message to Tug. I understand that he has concerns for his safety and that of his family. It was wrong of me to press him.

  Maybe I’ve reached the pinnacle of understanding my situation and now I need to accept it. This is my life, and if I can continue to pretend, I can be happy. My son and I have love and family. That’s all I’ve ever wanted and Eduardo provides it.

  As we sit at breakfast, Javier enters the room, giggling. “I think I need knew pants,” he says, looking at his feet. The bottom of his jeans ride two inches above his ankles.

  I smile over at him. “It appears you do.”

  “Why don’t you take him shopping in town today,” Eduardo offers with the utmost sincerity.

  “Me?” I respond in surprise.

  “Yes, I think this is a job for Mama.” Eduardo smiles at Javier. “Marco will drive you.”

  “Really?”

  Eduardo smiles, leaning in next to my ear. “Really. I’m going to show you that I’ve changed. You’re free to go into town with our son. Marco has to go with you because I need to know you’re safe not because I don’t trust you.”

  I nod. “Thank you.” I absorb my disbelief and smile. “I love you, baby.” The words leave my mouth honestly for the first time. I do love him. And I do believe he’s changed. We are happy together.

  After breakfast, I change and go to Eduardo’s office to say good-bye. I hear his voice as I approach and stop outside the door to listen.

  “Thank you for the information. When the deal closes, I’ll be an extremely rich man and Mr. Hunter will be ruined . . . Then he’ll be a dead man.”

  My smile fades as I turn and walk toward the foyer to meet Javier. I’m such an idiot. For a fleeting moment, I wanted to believe Eduardo is doing this for me and Javier, that he loves us enough to change. But his transaction with Tug is merely about removing Tug from my life permanently. It’s all a play to prove once again that he has all the power.

  I won’t let him kill Tug, even if it costs me everything. Tug
has suffered enough because of me and the thought that more is on the way reminds me Eduardo is a despicable monster incapable of loving anyone but himself. I don’t love him or this life. I love the illusion I’ve created.

  Regardless of the effort Eduardo puts into being like my father, he’ll always be a gang banger and a thug. His true nature can’t be contained. I can never be happy with him.

  As I load Javier into the car, I come up with a plan to reach Tug. He has to know what he’s walking into. I have to save him.

  Her skin glistens in the sunlight filtering in through the window as Peyton sleeps peacefully beside me. I want to wake her and see if last night meant for her what it did for me. Hope is the best word to describe what I feel. Hope that I’m not afraid of how I feel. Hope that she feels the same way. Hope that it’s possible for us to have a future.

  As I watch her sleep, I continually shut out the doubt and the worries of what life holds for us. There are a million outcomes that can steal the joy I feel this morning, but I refuse to allow that to happen. Instead, I snuggle in close to Peyton and pretend that we’re the only two people alive as I drift back to sleep.

  “Wake up, sleepyhead,” Peyton sings in my ear as her fingers toy with my hair.

  I open my eyes, groaning as I wrap my arm around her waist and draw her body flush with mine. “Come back to sleep with me.”

  “It’s almost ten and we’re supposed to be at your brother’s by noon.”

  The vague recollection of inviting her to lunch pops into my thoughts. It was right before shower sex. Am I ready for her to meet my family? They’re perhaps more fucked up that I am.

  “Peyton?’

  “Yes,” she hums as her lips trail lightly over my chest.

  “Was last night worth the risk?”

  “Hmmm . . . and then some.” She slips in under the sheet and lies on top of me. “Let’s find out how this morning feels.”

  Who am I to deny a woman looking for answers?

  We pull into the driveway at Brady’s house, but before we go inside I feel like I should warn Peyton. “I need to tell you something.”

  “Okay.”

  I take in a breath and let it out along with my confession. “My brother’s wife and I have a history.”

  “Okay.”

  Her response is instant and unexpected without any hesitation. Not even a follow-up question driven by curiosity.

  “We slept together,” I add in the spirit of being completely honest with her.

  “Okay.”

  Again, her expression doesn’t show any interest. “She’s why Maria left me.”

  “Okay.”

  I release a frustrated breath, gripping the steering wheel. “Stop saying okay. It’s not okay.”

  “For you maybe, but for me . . . it’s okay.”

  “I need you to know that I don’t always make smart choices where she’s concerned.”

  “Says who?”

  “Me . . . Whenever she’s needed me, I’ve chosen her over anyone else in my life, regardless of how much I cared about them.”

  Now her brow furrows as she takes in my words and then her eyes widen with realization.

  “Your brother’s the baby daddy?” I nod, watching her expression closely. “Ah, and you chose her over Maria?”

  “Not exactly. Tori was going through a rough time. My brother was on the road and she was severely depressed. She kept phoning me and I kept going to her. I lied to Maria to go see her.”

  “Why did you lie?”

  I’m not certain I even know the answer to that question. “Maria was tired of my shit. She felt Tori had other friends and family she could depend on and didn’t need me.”

  “How did you feel?”

  “Tori’s my best friend.”

  She grins. “Now who’s lying?”

  “I loved Maria.”

  “And you loved Tori, too.”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay.”

  I shake my head, trying not laugh as her understanding is almost comical. “Why is it okay? What if I make the same stupid mistake with you?”

  “What if you do?” She motions between us with her hand. “Then whatever this is we’ve started isn’t meant to work out.”

  “Faith?” I blink, and turn my head. “You’re speaking about faith?”

  “No, I’m speaking in reality. Look, Aidan . . . I’m not some insecure girl that needs a man to define who I am. I’m a grown woman and responsible for myself. Maybe that makes me a bitch or stupid, or whatever, but I don’t care. I have feelings for you. Last night was amazing, but if it doesn’t work out, if something or someone keeps us apart, then so be it. I’m not about to dwell on a past I was never a part of, and worrying about it won’t do any good.”

  Her naïveté prickles my skin, because it’s not Tori I’m actually worried about coming between us. “And what if Maria turned up tomorrow and wanted me back?” I inhale deep before letting the truth out. “I have to be honest, Peyton. I’m still in love with her.”

  “You’ve been clear on how you feel about Maria, but I can’t live life focusing on the ‘what if’s’ and neither should you. Life is meant to be lived in the right now’s. And right now . . . I want to spend whatever time I can with you while I have you. Right now . . . Got it, grumpy pants?”

  She shoots me a sassy look before getting out of the car, leaving me stunned. I’ve never met anyone like Peyton. I finally understand it’s Peyton’s spirit that has revived me. She, like me, refuses to be broken by the things in life she can’t control; only Peyton goes about in a way that makes her happy rather than miserable. She’s a survivor.

  I can learn a lot from her.

  And in time, I could fall hard for her.

  Marco opens my door for me after finding a spot close to a children’s clothing boutique. As I step out, my eyes move two doors down to the store I need. With his guard up, doing his job and making no effort to engage in personal conversation, Marco follows me and Javier inside.

  I quickly gather enough clothing to keep Javier busy in the changing room for at least fifteen minutes. Once he’s inside, I tell Marco to keep an eye on him so I can shop for something special for Eduardo at the boutique next door. He nods, appearing not to see through the mountain of bullshit I’ve just fed him.

  I slip into the alley and single out a young teenage boy to recruit. His eyes stay on me as I approach him. “Qué quieres, señora?”

  “Quiero hacer un trato,” I respond, and wait as he stares at me with curiosity. “Did you hear me? Do you speak English? I said, what I want . . . is to make a deal.”

  It takes less than a minute to negotiate terms of our agreement. The kid could have asked for more and I could have offered less, so the arrangement is fair. I pay him up front and pray he follows through. He’s my only hope as everyone in town knows who I am and they’ll report back to Eduardo.

  While my new friend completes his task, I go into the store Marco expects me to be in and pick out a nice piece of lacy lingerie to surprise Eduardo, one that will keep him happy and calm. As I pay for my purchase, the kid slides in behind me, living up to his end of the agreement as he slips the disposable cell phone into the pocket of my jacket and continues on to the back of the store.

  My stomach sinks as I walk the sidewalk back to the children’s boutique and spot Eduardo’s car parked in front. His eyes find me the moment I step through the doors of the boutique and stay on me until I reach him. I force a bright smile, telling him hello as I wrap my arms around his neck. His posture remains stiff and his arms don’t reach out to return my embrace. As I release him, I watch his tightly set jaw tick with agitation. His eyes narrow as his hand curls tightly around my arm.

  “Where were you?” he asks. There’s no mistaking the bite in each word, emphasizing his anger and disappointment. The man asking isn’t the one who has professed his love for me recently. This man is my captor and I’ve betrayed him.

  Thinking quickly, I hold the smal
l bag of lingerie in the air and say in a sultry voice, “I was picking up something special for you.”

  The tightness defining the fine lines around his eyes relaxes, but his posture remains stiff as he puts a finger in the bag. My heart pounds furiously behind my ribs as he peeks inside, maintaining a firm grip on my arm with his other hand.

  I exhale slowly when his lips curve into a smile and he releases my arm. “I’m sorry,” he says, kissing my arm where his hand had been. “I went crazy when you weren’t here.”

  His arms snake around my waist. As he pulls me close, I feel the cell phone poking into my hip bone. If he feels it too, my plan will be exposed. Sweat breaks out over my brow and my hands tremble.

  “Papa,” Javier yells as he exits the fitting room with a ball of clothing in his arms.

  Eduardo releases me to go to his son. Relief rushes out of me as I take the clothing to the counter to pay for the items, feeling Marco directly behind me. While the cashier rings me up, Marco leans in close. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

  “I’m fine,” I snap, keeping my eyes forward.

  “You’re foolish. Whatever you’re planning . . . don’t.”

  His warning is far too late. My heart will always belong to Tug and I won’t allow Eduardo to hurt him.

  Eduardo takes me and Javier to lunch, before we return to the mansion. While I was given permission to go into town with Javier, the freedom I crave never comes. Because, I’m not free. I’m a prisoner and I always will be. As will my son if I don’t find a way to escape with my family.

  As we enter the mansion, Eduardo hands the bags of clothing to the housekeeper and then offers to remove my jacket. Denying him will raise suspicion, but I’m terrified to hand over my jacket with the only possession I have that means anything to me.

  I decide not to stop him and as the jacket slides from my arms, heat rushes to my face. He hands it to the housekeeper, who hangs it on the coatrack in the foyer.

  “Are you all right, baby?”

  I glance at Eduardo, realizing my focus on the jacket lasted too long.

  “I’m a little tired,” I say, noticing his expression remains wary. I extend to my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. “Someone kept me up late.”