by JB Heller
Finally, something I can work with. “Okay, have you met Eastman?” I ask.
“Nope, but Danny has. Abe’s brother had a run in with him a while back too. Far as I know Eastman did what he could for him,” he says.
That could be useful. “You talkin’ ‘bout Axel?”
Michael nods. “Yeah, Eastman’s little brother is a shitbag, he was mates with the fuckwad that kidnapped Axel’s miss’s. Let him hideout on the compound. Eastman was pissed so he helped them as much as he could.”
Nodding to myself I let this information sink in. “Excellent. I’ll ask Abe to call Axel.” Then I think better of it after remembering the way Abe was such a dick the other day. “Actually I’ll get Alec to make the call.”
Michael chews at the edge of his thumb nail. “Yeah, what’s with him? I’ve never seen him like that. He’s not a confrontational guy. Unless it’s with your little leprechaun,” he adds with a chuckle.
“Excuse me?”
Michael stiffens at Red’s cold voice coming from behind him. He spins to face her, hands raised. “Hey, Ellie, didn’t hear you there,” he says, smiling brightly.
“Did you just call me a leprechaun?” Red asks with a raised brow. She stalks closer to Michael, so close he leans back, knocking against the counter behind him. “Well?”
Michael foreheads furrows with frown lines, feigning confusion. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replies. The slightly higher pitch of his voice giving away his lie.
Red’s eyes narrow dangerously, “Don’t bullshit me, I heard what you said. Are you making fun of my heritage right now? I never picked you as a racist, Michael.”
He balks, “Racist? What?”
“My mother is Irish, and you’re calling me a leprechaun. I’d call that racist, wouldn’t you, honey?” Red asks sweetly, looking up to me with a saccharin sweet smile.
I grin. “It does sound a little on the intolerant side.”
Reds smile brightens. “And what do we do to prejudice assholes?”
Michael’s face pales and he swallows hard, “I didn’t know your mother was Irish, I swear!”
My little Red ignores him. Still looking up at me, she tilts her chin, waiting for my answer, “I only know what I do, babe, but I really want to know what you do.”
Her lashes flutter as she moves her body back into mine, pressing her sweet ass into my crotch. Emerald green gems stare up at me, desire burning hot in their depths, then like a flash she turns her attention back to Michael and smirks, “You’re on babysitting duty. Kadyn’s asleep in her room. Bottle stuff is on the bench.”
As soon as the last word has left her lips I sweep Red up into my arms, and move us down the hallway to our room. I kick the door closed and approach the bed, gently laying Ellie down on the messy covers. She is breathtaking, her chest rising and falling rapidly as her eyes rake over me standing above her.
Pushing up to her knees she tilts her chin up offering me her pouty lips. I dip my head and wrap my fingers around her neck, tugging her up higher so I can press my mouth against hers. She moans into me and my cock thickens instantly. We haven’t even thought about touching each other since all of this started.
But now that my lips are on hers I can’t get enough. Moving my free hand to the small of her back, I press myself into her soft curves. “Now…Red,” I tell her, knowing she understands.
She swallows, bringing her eyes back to mine. “Now,” she says, her eyes gleaming with desire, thickening my dick even further. “Come here,” she whispers, and I do, bringing myself flush with the edge of the bed.
Reaching back, I tug my shirt over my head, throwing it behind me. Red licks her lips and reaches for my belt buckle, her fingertips grazing my hard cock beneath the denim. Jerking down my zipper she slides her eager hands around my hips diving inside my briefs to scrape her nails against my ass.
My entire body shudders and my head drops back, loving the feel of her nails sinking into my skin. I groan in satisfaction, my hips surging forward. Red pushes the band of my briefs down, taking my jeans with them, until my cock springs free. Her eyes fixate on my hardness, bringing her mouth to the head she blows warm air against it before sucking it into her mouth.
“Fuck,” I hiss in pleasure. It’s been too long since I’ve felt her. Reaching down, I grip my fists in the front of her tank and yank it apart.
Her mouth opens in shock. My cock pops out and I shove her back. “Scoot,” I tell her, and she shuffles up the bed as I climb on top of her. Resting on my haunches, I tuck my fingers into her yoga pants tugging them down her gorgeous legs. “No underwear?” I eye her, smirking.
She shrugs, “I got dressed in a hurry this morning.”
“I’m not complaining,” I mutter as I drop my mouth to her centre, running my tongue in one long stroke along her cleft. Red’s body arches up off the mattress and I flatten my palm on her lower belly. “Shh…” I murmur, making my way up her body with long licks, stopping to suck on her hip bone, the underside of her breast, her pink peaked nipple.
My cock nudges against her entrance, her warm wetness coating my tip. I groan, rocking my hips forward again, pressing inside just enough to engulf my knob. Have mercy, she’s so goddamn tight. The pressure is pleasure and pain.
Red surges her hips up, my cock sinking all the way inside her until I’m balls deep. “Ellie,” I breathe. “God I love you, baby.”
She pants, sinking her nails into my ass again. “More. I need more, Zak, please,” she begs.
I pump my hips, my pelvis grinding against hers with each and every thrust. Her body shuddering beneath mine, “Like that, Red? Is that how you like it? Deep and hard, you like my cock inside you like that?”
“Yes,” her voice tremors, her sweet pussy clamping down on me. My thrust become less measured, more sporadic. “Ah, Zak, yesss…” she whimpers, her nails biting so deep I feel my skin break beneath them.
Pounding into her, I feel out of control. “Red,” I grunt, pushing harder and harder. “So good, baby, so fucking good.” Her pussy pulses around my cock as I grind into her one last time, my come shooting deep inside her perfect body.
Red places her hand against my cheek sliding her thumb over my bottom lip. “Love you,” she whispers.
Sweeping a wisp of hair off her forehead, I lean down and kiss her. “I love you too.” Rolling to the side, I pull her into my arms, kissing her temple as she snuggles into my chest. For a few moments it’s just me and Red, nothing can touch us. Not time, or space, or any of the shit outside this room.
“You never got to tell me what it is you did to racists?” I murmur into the crook of her neck.
Red chuckles, “I was just going to knee him in the balls.”
“Damn, I love you, woman,” I rasp into her ear, nibbling on her lobe until she squirms away from me laughing.
Chapter Nineteen
ELLIE
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Because I’m sure as hell not, I want to scream. But I’m well aware it will do no good. Zak is set on his plan to go meet up with Paco.
“It’s the only way forward, Red. If I can just talk to him, reason with him…” he sighs, “I don’t know what else to do, short of waiting for him to show up here trying to take Kadyn. And I can’t let that happen.”
I lick my lips, nervous tension making me jittery. “I know you’re doing what you think is right, but are you absolutely sure there’s no other option?” I ask, rocking back and forth on the balls of my feet.
Tangling his fingers in my hair, he uses it to tug me closer. “If there were, I wouldn’t be doing this. But this all I’ve got, Red.” His lips rest against the crown of my head. “I’ll be back soon, Kadyn will keep you busy, and I’ll be back before you know it.”
My smile is fake. I couldn’t muster a real one if my life depended on it. I can’t shake the feeling something isn’t right. My heart beats in slow motion, heavy pained thuds forcing bloody to pump through my dread filled system. I jus
t want to wrap Kadyn up tight in my arms and run away with her. Her little hand wraps tightly in my hair as she tugs on it, drawing me from my thoughts. “Ouch,” I say, untangling her fingers.
Zak offers her his finger, which she immediately takes. Her tiny fist curls around his pointer. “You be good to Red, now,” he tells her, “I’ll be back soon, Princess, be good for your mumma.” Zak kisses each of her fingers as he slides his free of her grasp.
My heart thuds violently for a moment hearing Zak call me Kadyn’s mumma doing something to me I can’t explain. How did I ever get this lucky? He is so much more to me than anyone I’ve ever met, and Kadyn…she is all the incredible things my mother said and more. Now that I’ve got them both, I can’t imagine life any other way.
“I’ll be back soon,” Zak promises.
My heartbeat slows again at his words, anxiety that pulsing through my veins like poison. “Be safe,” I say, pushing up to my tip toes to kiss him one last time before he walks out the door.
“Ugh you guys really need to cut down on the P.D.A in front of the baby,” Will says, rolling up behind me.
I scoff, “You’re just jealous,” I mutter, plastering on my fake smile again. “I know you want a piece of this,” I say, waggling my brows at him.
He chokes on air. “Ugh don’t flatter yourself.” He rolls his eyes, then trails behind me as I take Kadyn into the lounge room.
“So, what are we watching?” I ask Will, placing Kadyn in her swing then dropping onto the couch. Despite Zak wanting to hold her all the time, I see sense in what the nurse at the hospital told me. She needs to be able to chill on her own too, so I set the swing up on my own. And guess what? She loves it.
“I’ve watched everything,” Will says, “Being in hospital for months on end is boring as shit. I’m talking worse than high school, Smurf,” he mock cringes and I laugh. He’s the only person besides Zak who I let give me a nickname.
I nod, “At least you had Netflix, dude. Can you imagine if all you got was regular TV? Ugh suckfest,” I jest. “What about Orange is the New Black?” I ask, and Will gives me a look that speaks louder than words. I shrug, “Okay…” I mumble looking for something he definitely hasn’t watched. “Oh, I’ve got one that only just came on Netflix, I guarantee you haven’t seen it.”
He raises his chin, “And if I have?” he rebuts, “What do I get?”
I snort, “I think there’s some triple-choc ice cream in the freezer, I’ll share it with you if you’ve seen it. If not, I’m eating that sugary goodness all on my own.”
“You have yourself a deal, Smurf,” he says, offering me his outstretched hand to shake on it.
We shake then I pull up To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Will’s face drops. “No. No, and fuck no,” he says, crossing his arms.
“I didn’t say you’d like it, just that you haven’t seen it. Guess that means I win.” I grin at him and he glares back. “Fine,” I drawl, “I’ll share the ice cream with you. Ya big baby.”
“It’s not about the ice cream and you know it. You’re a sadistic, little Smurf. And here I was thinking we were friends. Friends don’t make friends watch chick flicks,” he mumbles, still giving me the stink eye.
Keeping eye contact with him, I hit play. We stare at each other as the movie begins playing, neither willing to lose this battle. His jaw locks right before he drops his head back, closing his eyes. “Dammit,” he grumbles more to himself than me, and I jump up doing a little victory dance, shaking my ass in his face.
He slaps my butt, “Go get the ice cream, you little freak.”
I shimmy into the kitchen while Will positions his wheelchair next to the couch so he can see the TV and share the ice cream with me. I return with one tub of triple-choc and two spoons. Curling my feet beneath me, I snuggle into the corner of the couch, resting the tub on the armrest between us.
The movie is better than I expect and we relax into a comfortable silence. I wish I could focus on it though, the bits I’ve absorbed have been funny—like the main chick’s crazy best friend. But my mind keeps wandering to Zak, to where he is right now and what he’s doing.
My throat thickens. I’m trying my best to keep my shit together, but the longer he’s gone the harder it is. I pick at my nails and the remnants of red polish on them, scratching at it repeatedly until it comes off and I move to the next one. Out of nowhere Will’s hand snags mine and my head shoots up. “What?” I ask.
His eyes soften, “It’ll be okay, Smurf. He’s not alone, the boys have his back. That’s how this lot operate. I know I haven’t been around long, but I’ve got your back, babe. Just like you’ve had mine since I got shot last year,” he says, bringing my hand to his mouth and kissing my knuckles, “I’ve got you, Smurf.”
I sigh, so much for keeping my shit together. “Thank you,” I whisper as one fat tear slips from the corner of my eye. “It should have been m—”
Will drops my hand and slaps his over my mouth. “Not again, Smurf, we’re solid, remember? You promised me you’d let it go. It was never supposed to be you, everything happened the way it was supposed to.”
My emotions are all over the place. Talking to Will about the shoot-out, worrying about Zak, my eyes drop to Kadyn, snoring softly in her swing…it’s all too much. Tears fall in rapid succession. “I’m sorry, Will, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to let it go. I want to, but I don’t know how. And with all this happening, it’s like it’s going to happen all over again. I can feel it, Will. Something isn’t right.”
He nods, “I feel it too. But that’s what I’m here for,” he winks. “If I could scoop you up and hold you, babe, I would,” he pauses and points to his legs, “But I can’t.”
I stand up and step to the side, placing my hands on his shoulders, I sit sidelong on his lap. Wrapping my arms around his neck and snuggling into him, he rubs my back as I continue to cry. “Shh…” he murmurs into my ear.
Ten minutes later I’ve got my emotions under control. “Thanks, Will,” I smile at him. He smiles warmly in return then kisses my forehead then I slide off his lap.
“Coffee?” I ask and move into the kitchen.
“You know it. And don’t be cheap with the milk.”
“All I hear is blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…” I sing, feeling a little lighter.
I’m about to start pouring when a knock sounds from the front door. My head jerks at the sound—I’m not expecting anyone. Quickly finishing up, I carry our mugs into the lounge room. My eyes meet Will’s, silently conveying that I don’t know who it is. He nods, unfastens the breaks on his chair, and follows behind me as I approach the front door.
My hand wraps around the knob as I unfasten the deadbolt above it. I take a calming breath and swing it open.
Chapter Twenty
ELLIE
Flying through the air I crash into the wall with a thud. My head cracks against the brick. Sparks shoot through my vision, little bolts of lightning flash behind my lids as I stumble and fall to my knees. My palms slap to the ground as I catch myself, then they’re kicked out from under me, my face taking the brunt of the fall, smashes into the tiles. Metallic liquid pools in my cheek as I blink heavily, my head spins then everything goes black.
ZAK
“Thanks. I appreciate it, man,” I tell Eastman, reaching over and shaking his hand across his large mahogany desk.
His grip is strong as he claps mine back. “I’m sorry there isn’t more I could do. If he comes back, I’ll get in touch.”
Nodding, I release his hand and step back. “Thank you, really.” For a drug running kingpin he’s seems like a decent guy. How do people like him even get into this shit?
Michael, Abe and Abe’s brother Axel walk at my side’s as we’re led out by one of Eastman’s men.
Eastman said Paco bounced this morning, and from the second the words left his mouth, agitation sunk its claws into me. When we’re inside the car, I can’t handle the tension flowing through my body—my fist shoots ou
t, smashing into the dash, “Goddamn it,” I yell. Did he know I was coming?
“Cool it,” Abe snaps, “Michael, can you call Danny? See if he’s heard anything else,” he instructs as he reverses out of the parking area on Eastman’s estate.
“Already on it,” Michael says, his phone pressed against his ear.
I actually didn’t even want Abe here today, not with his fuck Zak attitude he’s been throwing around the last few days. But apparently Alec was busy so they traded places. It’s just another thing out of my control today and it’s grating my nerves.
Tilting my chin towards him I ask, “Why’ve you been such a dick lately? Is this situation not fucked up enough already without you being a prick?”
Abe’s hard glare locks on my face as he pauses the truck at the end of Eastman’s drive, “Excuse me? Am I not here right now trying to help you figure this shit out?”
I throw my hand up in his face, “Yeah you are, but that’s not what I’m talking about and you fucking know it.”
His jaw locks and his grip on the steering wheel tightens, “Kalista and I have been trying to get pregnant. It’s not working out so well. Actually, it looks like it’s probably my fucking fault and here you are,” he jabs a pointed finger in my chest, “Going around makin’ a baby—by fucking accident.”
“Wha? I, shit,” I breathe. I’m not sure what I expected him to say but that sure as shit wasn’t it. “I didn’t know man, I—” have absolutely nothing to say.
We drive in silence for a few minutes before my ring tone blares, filling the tense cab. Will’s name flashes on the screen, I answer immediately. “Hey man, we’re—”
“You—here now!” his voice comes through the line all glitchy from the shitty reception out here.
“What’s going on?” I demand as my spine stiffens.
“They—her–tried to stop—but I—they took—Ellie—hurt real bad—need to get here.”