by A. L Long
One of the men must have grabbed the phone away from Hanna. A male voice with a Mexican accent replied, “Meet me at the old train station.”
“On one condition. The girl comes with you,” I demanded.
There was a slight pause and then the man said, “Sí. She will be with us.”
Heading toward the front of the house before they came out, I ran to my car and waited for them to come out of the house. With one guy in front and one in back, I knew that they listened to my demand as I watched Hanna get inside the car. Giving them just enough time to round the corner, I turned on the engine and pulled away from the curb. Even though I knew where they were headed, I needed to make sure that they wouldn’t be making a detour somewhere to drop Hanna off. I felt that if I kept her in my sights, she would be safe.
~*~*~*~
As I pulled up to Union Station, it wasn’t hard to spot the car. There was no one around. It didn’t surprise me given that there was no game going on, and it was the Astros off season. This could either work for or against me. With no one else around there would be no witnesses, which could be very bad. On the other hand, there wasn’t a chance of anyone else getting hurt.
Parking close to them, I could see that there was no one in the car. This made me very uncomfortable since I had no idea where they were. Turning off the engine, I slowly got out of the car and headed toward the Old Stationhouse, which was now the main entrance into the ballpark. I knew that I would be searched making it a moot point to take it. The last thing I wanted was to put Hanna in any more danger.
Pulling on the glass door, it surprised me to find that the door was unlocked. I knew the lobby of the station well, having gone to many games as a young boy and many charity events since. So, even though it wasn’t very well lit other than the security lights, I knew my way around. Walking through the lobby area, I went through another set of double doors, which led to the Atrium. There was still no sign of Hanna and the two men that were with her.
There was only one other place that they could have gone that made sense. Walking toward the main concourse entrance, I heard a voice behind me. “No need to go any further.”
The accent was very distinct and I knew it was one of the men holding Hanna prisoner. Turning around with my hands held high, I began walking towards them, to get a better look at them and to reassure myself that no harm had come to her.
I was six feet away from them when the same man said, “That’s far enough.”
Holding my position with my hands still in the air, I felt confident that I could lower them without getting killed. Our eyes were like a magnet. Hanna’s on mine and mine on hers. Focusing only on her, I asked arrogantly, “So what kind of compromise did you have in mind?”
“Oh… mi amigo. There is no compromise. No one homes in on my territory. I think the only compromise here is whether you would like to die first or watch me put a bullet in this puta’s head.”
My situation just went from bad to worse and there was no way I could let Albert know to send in the troops. When he raised his gun, I was thankful that I could at least see Hanna one last time. She didn’t even know how I felt. Raising my hands in the air, it was do or die. “Wait,” I pleaded. “Can I at least have one more word with the girl?”
Shrugging his shoulders, the man to her left pushed Hanna toward me while keeping the gun on us. As she walked toward me, I could tell how scared she really was. When she was within arm’s length, I reached out for her and pulled her close. God, she felt so good in my arms.
Kissing the top of her head, I released her so that she could see the sincerity when I spoke. “Kind of a mess we’re in.”
“Yeah,” she answered in a soft voice.
“If we don’t make it out of here, I need you to know something,” I confessed, placing my hand on her cheek. “I could never marry a woman I didn’t love. I don’t care if I have to wait until I’m an old man. Being a CEO of Elite Exchange means nothing if I can’t share it with the woman I love. It would mean nothing if I can’t share it with you, Hanna.”
“What are you trying to say, Aiden?” she questioned, looking up at me.
“I…”
Before I could get the words out, I heard a male voice in the distance somewhere behind the two men. “The park is closed.”
It was like a door had opened, willing me to walk through it. As the men turned to face the voice, I only had a split second to save Hanna. Grabbing her by the hand, I led her toward the door leading back to the lobby. I needed to get her away from what was soon to be a full-blown battle.
The sound of gunfire rang out and it was way too close to us. We needed to hurry. Ducking our heads, we finally made it to the door. Taking hold of the handle, I pulled the door open. Just as we got through the door, the glass shattered into a million pieces from a bullet that was meant for us. It was too close for comfort as we ran across the lobby and to the entrance doors.
I had never been so glad to see blue and red light in my life. Pulling open the door, I held up one hand while holding Hanna’s with the other. The cops weren’t willing to stand down and they continued to point their weapons at us. I was about to tell them who we were when a familiar voice sounded. “Hold your fire, that’s my son. For God’s sakes, put your weapons down.”
As angry as I was with my father, I had never been so glad to see him. The only reason he would be there was because of Albert. God, he was a good man.
Chapter Twenty
HANNA
Aiden had taken the lead in explaining everything thing to the detective and the FBI agent that was also in the interrogation room. It turned out that they had been after Mendez and Ruiz for a long time but were never able to get any leads. Well, at least until I witnessed the murder of one of Mendez’s own men who double crossed him. The way they looked at it, it was one less drug dealer not only dealing, but recruiting kids to sell for them. Both men were going to be in jail for a long time.
Even though Mendez and his men wouldn’t be doing business in my neighborhood, Aiden insisted that I shouldn’t go back there. His position on the matter was that it was still a bad neighborhood, and someone new would soon take over the territory and pick up where Mendez left off. He was probably right, so as of right then, I was back at his house in the guest room.
After spending nearly three hours at the HPD, I couldn’t wait to get the scent of the shit hole that they held me in off my body. Lying in a pool of bubbles, my mind began to drift back to the events of the evening, especially the part where Aiden had made his confession. I still didn’t know what he was about to tell me before everything went to hell. I might have been too quick to judge him. It wasn’t without concern. After all, he was a businessman by nature and getting what he wanted was his ultimate intent. It was that way with the diner, so why wouldn’t it have been with me?
The more I thought about it, it became clear that I needed to find out what Aiden didn’t have the chance to tell me. Grabbing my towel off the counter, I stepped out of the tub and wrapped it securely around my body without even drying myself. With my feet still wet and my hair dripping, I left my room in search of Aiden. I wasn’t sure where he would be, but I wasn’t going to stop searching until I found him.
Descending the stairs, I headed to his study, which was the first place that I suspected he would be. The door was slightly open when I got there, so I pushed it open and found him sitting at his desk. Clearing my throat, I got his attention before bluntly asking, “What were you going to say to me at the station?”
His eyes left his computer screen and turned my way. There was a mischievous grin on his face, followed by a smile. When his eyes began moving up and down my body, I knew I should have taken the time to get dressed. Watching him very closely, it didn’t surprise me that he began walking toward me.
Inches from where I was standing, he dipped his head and captured my lips with his. As much as I wanted to break free and get the answer I came here for, the feel of his lips on mine stole that desire away, a
t least for the time being.
Lifting my arms, I wrapped them around his neck. Little did I know, doing that caused my towel to fall away. Breaking our kiss, I looked at him and down at my naked body, ready to lower myself so that I could pick up the towel and cover myself with it. In an instant, Aiden had me up off the floor and in his arms. Placing me on the couch brought back the memory of what took place not so long ago.
Aiden had way too much on and with me completely naked, I felt at a disadvantage. Beginning with his shirt, one by one I began undoing the buttons so that I could remove it. When his chest appeared, the sight sent a surge through my body to the core of my womanhood. Never had a man done this to me.
When I started struggling with his belt, he could see my frustration and offered his assistance in getting it off. More of the hair trailing from his navel to the waistband of his pants was revealed as he lowered them down his hips. Kicking off his shoes, he pushed them completely off, leaving only his boxers to contend with.
Looking over his shoulders, I could see that the door to his study was still open and the last thing that I needed was one of his staff members to walk by and get a free show. In a heated breath I said, “The door.”
Looking over his shoulder, he reverted his gaze back to me and said, “Don’t move.”
I had no intention of going anywhere. The only thing that I wanted was to have him back over where I was. Watching him walk to the door, I could see the muscles contract in his legs. It was when he came back that he got my attention. His boxers showcased the amazing part of his body that I had been introduced to intimately, and I wanted nothing more than to relive that introduction.
Lowering his briefs, his shaft spring free. He was perfect in every sense and all I wanted was to have a piece of that perfection. But because I was still uncertain about what was happening between us, I had to stop this before it went any further. I pushed him back by placing my hands on his hard chest and said, “Please tell me what you were going to say at the station.”
“I was going to say how incredibly sexy you are and also what a pain in my ass you are,” he began, lowering his lips to mine, kissing me while expressing his feelings, “and how you are so different from any woman I have ever known.”
The kisses continued as he spoke between them. “Everything about you is perfect. Your eyes, your hair, your smile, the small scar on your left knee. There isn’t a single thing about you that I don’t desire, need, love.”
“Wait, did you just say love?” I asked, unsure what I heard.
“What I said to you at the station was true. I don’t want the CEO position at my father’s company if I don’t have you to share it with. I know what you’re thinking. I didn’t say all those things because our lives were on the line. You opened my eyes to everything important in life, Hanna. I don’t care about the company. All I care about is you.”
I never questioned what he said at the station. The look in his eyes had confirmed that everything he said was coming from his heart. Pressing my lips to his, there was an overwhelming need to tell him exactly how I felt. “I know Aiden, because… I…”
Before I could finish his lips were on mine, reclaiming them. Parting my lips, I allowed him entrance. Taking control, Aiden pulled me closer, deepening the kiss even further. His tongue warred with mine, sending a wet heat to my core. The heat of his mouth moved from mine, leaving a kiss upon kiss down my throat to the dip between my collarbone. The kisses were too many to count as he continued layering them down my body. Enveloping my nipple, his tongue teased the tip, bringing it to a hard peak. Feeling only pleasure, I pressed my breast against his mouth. I reeled with pleasure as the touch of his hand moved down my body, petting and teasing me with the softest of touch.
Sliding his hand between my legs, he worked his strong finger inside, setting fire to my heated channel. Lost in pleasure, my body moved as he pushed a second finger inside. Wanting nothing more than to feel him, in a hushed breath I said, “Please, Aiden.”
Spreading my legs wider, he lowered his body and placed a kiss on my mound. Teasing me with his tongue, he lapped and sucked my clit, bringing me to the edge of release. His mouth never stopped working as he moved lower, using his tongue to separate my slippery folds. Dipping inside my heat, the taste of my juices was on his tongue as he moved to the hard nub of my clit. Finding my trigger spot, he fired off short little licks and sucks. My body was spinning with pleasure being sent into pure ecstasy.
Totally satisfied, Aiden moved his body, positioning his legs between mine. His eyes met mine and just then, it was clear. He didn’t need words to tell me how he felt. His eyes said everything. Placing my hand on his cheek, I whispered softly, “I love you.”
His lips were on mine and he slowly entered me. Our connection was perfect as he moved deeper inside. Thrust for thrust, I met his as I lifted my hips. He was perfect and filled me completely. Pleasure raked over my body with a magical sensation that I had felt before. Feeling the pulsation of his imminent release, I knew he would be matching my own. The sound of his release delighted me as he moaned, “Hanna.”
Lying on the couch in complete satisfaction, the knock at the door couldn’t have come at a worse time. “Aiden, it's your father, you need to get over to Elite Exchange as quickly as possible.”
~*~*~*~
By the time we had gotten dressed, precious time had slipped away. Aiden insisted that I stay at the house until he came back, but being left alone in the large house wasn’t what I wanted. He knew exactly how stubborn I could be, and there was no way he was going to win.
As we headed out the door, I could tell that Aiden was nervous and anxious. Reassuring him that everything would be okay, I took hold of his hand and said, “I’m sure when we get there, everything will be fine.”
“I hope you’re right, Hanna. While you were getting ready, I tried contacting my father. He isn’t answering his phone at Elite Exchange, nor his cell.” I had never heard Aiden sound so hopeless.
The ride into Houston was quiet. The only thing that could be heard was the tension from Aiden. His focus was on something other than his driving and it was evident by the way he was weaving in and out of traffic. If we managed to get to the Drake Building, it would be a miracle. People from all sides of the street were honking at him.
We reached the building without injury and Aiden exited the car. He was at my side of the car before I could get my seat belt undone. Assisting me out, we hurried to the garage elevators and waited until one arrived. As soon as the door opened, Aiden reached for my hand and led me inside. I think it was more for reassurance than anything. Pressing the button to the top floor, he swiped his corporate card and the elevator began to move. The elevator moved quickly and other than us, there was no one who needed to get on.
I had never been to his office, but when the doors opened, it was just as elegant as his home. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Leading down a long hallway. I could hear voices coming from the office at the end of the hallway. The door was closed, but there was no mistaking who was on the other side. I would recognize my brother's voice anywhere.
Aiden stopped just shy of the door and put his ear against it. From where I stood, I could only hear mumbling. When I tiptoed closer to Aiden, he held his hand out telling me to stop. I didn’t move and I held my breath as long as I could, afraid that even my breath could be heard. Backing away from the door, Aiden took hold of my hand and slipped into another office. Closing the door, my focus was on him.
“Your brother has gone crazy. He is holding my father at gunpoint and saying things that don’t even make sense. I need you to wait here, Hanna,” he commanded as I watched him walk behind the desk and pull something from the drawer.
Adjusting my eyes to the darkness, I was able to see what was in his hand. “Aiden, what are you planning on doing?” I asked, concerned as he pulled the magazine from the drawer and clicked it into place.
“Hanna, please just listen to me. Stay here.”
/> As Aiden left the room I had never been so scared in my life. Watching him walk down the hall, I felt completely hopeless. I didn’t know what happened to my brother and what could have made him so unstable. This wasn’t like him. He may have been a dreamer, but he wasn’t a killer. As Aiden came closer to the door, I could only think about what would be waiting for him on the other side. When he opened the door, I couldn’t breathe. The surrounding air got thick and it was as though I wasn’t getting enough air. Then the door closed.
It was silent and I had no idea what was happening behind the door. I couldn’t stand it. I knew Aiden told me to stay there, but I couldn’t. I needed to know just how unstable my brother was. Taking slow steps towards the end office, my focus was on the door and any type of noise coming from it. As I got closer, just like Aiden, I put my ear to the door to see if anything could be heard.
“You have ruined my life. Do you know how long it took me to raise the money needed to invest in your project? All I wanted was for my sister to be proud,” I heard my brother confess.