Hard as Steel: Book four ( Surviving Series )

by Virginia Wine

As I rationalize the information, I’m deflated. “I’ve seen the soldier in action, and I can’t deny that he’s a powerful presence, and then just like that, in an instant, he’s gone, or here…” sounding bewildered. There was a time when Flynn was all that kept me going. My sounding board, my pillar of strength.

  “It isn’t you,” Grace says. “We all felt the excitement the first few times. Ultimately that’s all we can do for now is wait.”

  But I ignore the agony hidden so deep, so fresh it feels like an open wound. I can’t think about the what if’s, so I bottle everything up. Besides, I don’t have time to reminisce it’s time to act, and act now. Moving heaven and earth for retribution on behalf of my friend, my brother. I have a score to settle, for the sake of our friendship, revenge would be my reward.

  “Did you get everything squared away?”, Will asks. “I mean it was just a misunderstanding, right?” The smile fades from his face as I told him the details, and skimmed over what I planned. “And what about Nikki?”

  “What about her?” I answer, his brow lifted. “I plan on seeing her next.” I can’t deny the trepidation of seeing Nick. I’m a free man yes, but I put her through hell.

  Alex shows up. “Mr. Carlson called, you want him to drop off Whisky?”

  “No, I’ll pick him up on my way home.” I couldn’t deny there was something interesting going on between Will and Grace, but I push that aside for now. I had other issues to deal with. “I should go.”

  “You need a lift?”

  “No, but thanks, one of my men dropped off my Escalade.”

  After saying my goodbyes, I head towards the underground garage reading Bradly’s text, “keys are under the mat.” I enter the damp concrete confinement, the low ceilings claustrophobic. Searching for the black SUV parked several rows ahead. I reach the vehicle sensing something was wrong, but I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. As expected the truck was unlocked as I fall into the seat reaching under the mat for the keys. Paranoia setting in, then and only then do I listen to my gut, who had been tossing warning signals at me for the past two minutes.

  Everything starts to crumble; a wave of fear floods my senses. I felt my body stiffen like a board and lock up, tight contraction the pain, surging through the prongs on my neck. Taser. It happened so fast it was never even on my radar. Reprimanding myself for the rookie move. Pain ricocheted as I lost all motor skills, however I was completely cognizant of what was going on. For an instant I go rigid, in slow motion. My body folds in half as I hit the console, unable to do anything. Fifty-five thousand volts. In training it was for ten seconds, this fucker was hitting thirty, feeling like a lifetime. Every muscle in my body constricts, tensed, and clenched, unable to move it feels like a flash of lightening coursing through my body. Then abruptly, the pain subsides but it was followed by the sharp prick of a needle. It was already too late, reality rushes in, as darkness kindles like the embers beneath the fire. Fading into black as the engine roars to life.

  The air stifling, my vision blurs as I relive the final moments before the darkness set in. Glancing around the unfamiliar room, my chest tightens and twist as the walls close in, a suffocating feeling races up my spine. I try to move, realizing I’m bound by the sharp edge of plastic biting at my wrist behind my back, the ache spreading up my arms to my aching shoulders. As I sit restrained, tied to a chair. As if getting kidnapped wasn’t bad enough, panic spreads through every pore as I battle my way back. But the fog had yet to lift, lost in my thoughts spinning out of control. My stomach tightened, only one thing matters, getting out alive.

  My head shifts towards the sound of men talking. Everything stilled apart from my racing pulse. Footsteps echo in the hall becoming clearer as they both move closer to my location.

  “You indulged him and all his perverse weaknesses.”

  “That was my job, Myles.”

  Distant voices jar me into a semi conscience state.

  “Finally awake I see.”

  A figure stood over me, I couldn’t make out his face as thoughts scatter to the worse case scenarios, torture flashes through my mind. But, I was trained for this. As my focus slowly returns. I glance around the room, dingy, stained and smelling of something vile. “So, Carrington this is what your billions will get you?” I say evenly. “Some Hell hole you got here, Carrington. Is this where you sit and count all his fucking money?”

  The prominent lines in his face were creased deeper than I’d remembered, he’d aged, but not well. I could hear him swallow, the veins in his neck stood out. The first blow came quickly dispensing his fury in one clean stroke to my eye. His gaze slid back to mine. As the pain burst like a fireball exploding throughout each nerve ending.

  “So, you aren’t having one of your flunkies doing your dirty work? I thought you were afraid to get your hands dirty.” His body tenses, his eyes grow dark, bracing for the next strike, which lands on my right cheek.

  “I’m disappointed in you Steel, you’re not that tough. But that shouldn’t surprise me you murdered my son from behind a rock, like a coward.”

  “You want to talk, I can talk.” Common sense told me to keep my mouth shut, I only made it worse by antagonizing him, but that plan flew out the window. I’ve been chasing after this asshole for so long I’d get my digs in, no matter the cost.

  The arctic air in his gaze shot over my shoulder towards the man standing behind me. Eyes dart back and forth until his focus lands on me and the second man appears out of my peripheral vision. None other than Godfrey, Vane’s butler himself. His eyes scrutinizing me with every glance. This was the connection, but how? It didn’t fit.

  I couldn’t hide the shockwaves soaring through me. He folded his arms across his chest. A gun holstered at his hip.

  “Do I have your full attention?”

  “I don’t like surprises, never have.”

  “Steel, meet my brother, Godfrey Carrington.”

  Our eyes connect, I didn’t like the sound of that. My gut was screaming things weren’t right.

  “Ring a bell, Archer?”

  Shit this is bad.

  “And Vane?”

  “My eldest.”

  Words twisting inside as the truth pours out. Needing to know more, every detail, I remain silent. My racing heart confirming my fears, this goes much deeper, more insane than I ever dreamed.

  “Ah, you’re curious, I’ll indulge you. It started at such a young age, turning a fairy tale into a sick and twisted story. His early stages demonstrated an abnormal sexual behavior. He couldn’t control his impulses, he couldn’t hide it, regulate it. So…”

  “I stepped in.” Godfrey announced. “Raised him as my own.”

  “You see, my brother fought the same demons as my own son. Unorthodox, wouldn’t you say Godfrey? Freud wrote extensively on the subject of perversion.”

  “And the young girls?”

  My nerves shot up. I was taking a huge risk the more I knew, the higher my chances were I’d be buried among the others.

  “Godfrey killed that girl, and others, he wasn’t ashamed of what he’d done.” He took pleasure delivering the last detail as my world slipped out of control, and darkness presses in…left for dead.

  “We wrap ourselves in self-doubt but in the end, it’s justified.”

  “It’s only fair.” Godfrey says. “An eye for an eye.”

  He’s justifying killing me. I killed his son, correction killed both of his sons. My gaze drops to his hand, the gun. His eyes dart from me back to his brother Myles. Awaiting the word, his twitching finger on the trigger.

  Nick, she was good at her job. She might put the pieces together. And we’ll end this once and for all. Godfrey, exposed as a murderer, standing he braces both hands on the old Formica table. The wicked smile fades from his lips. “If we wait brother, we may snare his woman too.”

  My first instinct was to struggle, get my hands on him. But my hands were behind my back and zip-tied, the restraints cutting into my flesh, the more I struggled th
e more I bled.

  “Aren’t you the clever one, Godfrey.”

  Both fear and nausea hit simultaneously, the bitter bile rising in the back of my throat. Overwhelming emptiness consumes me as I figure out what to do to get out of this nightmare. There’s no point worrying until there’s something to worry about, she’s safe. She doesn’t even know where I am. Even if it means sacrificing myself, I’ll protect her. I watched as they both climbed the steel grated steps and disappeared into an office.

  Within thirty minutes a rush of heat filled my senses. “Steel.” Fuck, I wanted to rush towards her voice. But considering the restraints, I was forced to patiently wait.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Saving your ass right now.”

  She’d come to save my life. Her eyes search mine, she was meticulous, reaching in her side pocket snipping at the bindings, freeing my swollen cut wrist. She stood abruptly and gazed out the window.

  “How did you find me?”

  “Tracking device.”

  “Fucking FBI.”

  Adrenaline pumping, my fist tightening in her hair kissing her deeply. Breathing shallow, savoring every part of her in a split moment.

  Peering past the staircase. Focusing on finding a way out.

  “How did you enter?

  “Crawl space.” It’s the most logical possibility. “Back-up, is on their way.”

  “We don’t have time we need to decipher our next move, a plan to escape.”

  Instantly at the sounds of footfalls, followed by voices, we took off running, I had her six. Gun fire confirming my fears Godfrey’s gaining on us. He yelled again and shifted directions, but he was on our heels beating me at the pass. I lunged for the assailant with enough force to knock him down but he scrambles to his feet faster than expected. Toe to toe, fire in his eyes as he reveals a large bladed hunting knife.

  “Play-time, Archer.” The blade cut through into my body as I hit the floor and we both stumbled. As the knife went flying, we both lunge for the same knife. I landed short only to feel the kick to my ribs, a whoosh of air escapes. Blood dripping, I have to put space between us before it’s too late.

  That’s when I heard it, the crack of the bullet.’ Godfrey s body landed at Nick’s feet. The horror cut to the heart of me. Nick saving my life. She caught her breath her expression tensed as she waited for me to recover.

  “The butler did it?”

  “You said it, not me.”

  “I need to get you somewhere safe.” I say, as visions of the past ten seconds replay in my mind. “We have to keep going.”

  “You’re bleeding.”

  “It’s nothing, I’m fine.”

  “He could have shot you.”

  “That would have been too quick.”

  We slip into the darkness, making our way back to the crawl space. “If I remember correctly, it’s this way.” We move quietly through the old house. And come to the back door, my hands shake as I attempted to jimmy the lock.

  “It’s impossible to infiltrate, they’re locked securely, I already tried.” Hearing the panic in her voice, I turned to run but…

  Unexpectedly, a clam voice came from behind. “Don’t move. That’s it, slowly turn.” We watch as he takes the last hit off his cigarette blows the smoke in the air, drops the butt to the floor crushing it with his Italian leather shoe.

  “I tried to move on, I really did. Only to find you’ve killed yet another one of my sons.”

  Watching in shock, I draw in a deep breath. Nick could be dead in seconds. Anxiety shoots through me, knowing exactly how he would even the score.

  “Let her go, you have me. I’m the one who pulled the trigger.” Instantly he raises the gun, I had a fraction of a second to move, he fired clipping me in the shoulder. I fell hard leaving Nick vulnerable. But she acted with military precision. One shot to the head and Carrington dropped like a sack of bricks.

  “Jesus, Nick.” I’m on my feet, her gaze lifts to mine but her guard is firmly in place. The moment that didn’t need words, I felt lucky as hell to have her.

  “I’ve got you.”

  “Yeah.” Brushing a hand through her hair. “I see that.”

  No siren’s come blazing, no armed guns kicking in doors, the FBI whose presence in life is to protect us, did just that, protect me. And go quietly into the night.

  She looked closely at the wound on my upper arm. “Superficial, you’ll live.” But her arms circle around me with more care than the words she uttered. “Let’s go home.”

  The engine revved, as we sped away.

  We barely make it to her bedroom, turning her then pushing her back against the wall. Every emotion locked inside is now bursting to be set free. Holding her face in place to devour her mouth. Arousal settles in my groin. Sending a rush of need down my body.

  I drag my mouth off hers and kiss my way to her neck and behind her ear, my tongue invading anything in its path. She shudders in my arms, and I bury my fingers in her thick dark hair. “Take me to bed,” I whisper, tracing the line of her jaw. Her hand reaches for mine and I follow.

  Capturing her mouth, kissing her and she is kissing back with unleashed passion. I need her, I need her to need me. Desperate to show her my desire, my greedy hands tugging on her clothes. As she peels away mine.

  My tongue against hers as electricity races down my flesh, burning, waiting hard and ready. Loving the taste of her, the feel of her. “I want you to touch me,” she begs. My blood on fire turning liquid into flames. Soft creamy breast exposed, sending my lustful thoughts sky-rocketing. Cupping and coaxing until her nipples peek taking one in my mouth, my tongue swirling. Working the other with the touch of my hand. I was breathless with a need so powerful it roared. “Your trembling.”

  “Am I?” she answers. Her skin smooth, eyes dark, her full lips pink and swollen.

  “You’re just so beautiful.” Overcome with need, our lips find each other, and I lose myself in her. Kissing her deeper, holding her tighter. As my hand slides between her legs finding her wet and ready. But I still wanted more. I slid down her body and parted her thighs. Tasting her pussy. My mouth devouring her sweetness. Her hands fisted in the sheets melting with a moan, and my name falling from her lips. “Steel, yes like that.”

  I can’t stop myself, the taste of pleasure filling her. Drowning in her scent. She arches as I work her towards the edge. And just one touch inside penetrating her, she comes undone. Her release erupts in waves as her fingers twist in my hair.

  “I want to make love to you, Nick.” I climb her body, blood humming in my veins. My eyes riveted on her luscious curves. I rested between her legs spread wide. Chasing my own self-control. I push in deeper, invading her body. Drowning in her heat, easing into her. A quivering rhythm pulsed between us. My thrust in a slow and steady pace,

  “So fucking good.” Buried in her slick heat; pushing so hard so fast that clearly, I can’t resist. With explosive force my self-control evaporating. My cock thickening as I come, filling her with every part of me. My soul at peace, a warm glow inside burns as I watch as her climax rolls through her.

  We lay entangled in a mess of sheets, our bodies spent, collapsed, wrecked, and perfectly alive. Bliss pure bliss, pleasure so perfect, I was sure I heard angels sing. She smiles, her gaze drifts to meet mine. Those haunting brown eyes, my heart beat faster, tucking a lock of her long-slickened locks behind her ear. “I love you so damn much.”

  “You do?”

  “Isn’t it obvious?”

  “It is,” she chuckles. “I love you too Steel.”

  Lying beside her utterly, madly in love. “I want you, you’re all I’ll ever want, now and forever. What we have together is special. You’re the only one Nichole, for as long as I live. Marry me.” My voice is low. “I’ve been longing for this moment, Nick.”

  “Oh God.”

  “That’s not a no.”

  “It’s a yes.” Her lips slightly parted, once again my sex pulsing, surging with nee
d. I let myself consider Nichole loving me. Running on raw emotion I reach for her, capturing her mouth with mine.

  I suddenly break away. “Wait,” reaching for my discarded jacket, rummaging through the inner pocket hidden safely was a small black velvet pouch. Finally finding the tiny object ready to present it to her. I slide the ring onto her left finger. “This makes it official.”

  “Oh my God, Steel, how long have you had that?” Her gaze reaches mine filled with gentle tears, glistening in her eyes.

  “My entire life.” I raise her hand and press my lips to her fingers. “It was my Mother’s.”

  Darkness

  you are the darkness

  in my night

  you are the shadow

  in my light

  you are the monster

  in my fright

  you are the tempest

  in my sight

  you are the pain

  in which I fight

  Glancing through the window, I lie my journal down. The sun stilled on the horizon casing a colorful show of pinks` and purples. Eleven days and counting, Elijah lying in a hospital bed, he hasn’t responded to my voice or touch, they say that’s normal. The doctor says a coma rarely lasts more than two to four weeks. But a persistent vegetative state may last for years. Some people may never wake up. And if a person may wake from a coma with physical, intellectual or emotional problems. I know Elijah, he would sooner die.

  In the meantime, I write and wait. Comfort and soothe and to remain his consist companion. Whether he recognizes my voice or feels my touch is irreverent, I feel him.

  Visitors come and go. Will has been most generous with his time, carting me from the hospital and back. In-between his stint at the police academy. But I see the doubt lurking in his gaze, it’s a matter of logic. The longer Elijah exists in a comatose state the odds run against a full recovery. Or God forbid a recovery at all.

  “Knock knock.” My heart pounds as a surge of fear runs through me. I didn’t respond well to sudden surprises, even if they were in jest.

  “Not cool Will Lancaster.”