by B. B. Hamel
Rage and adrenaline steadied my hands.
Becca jerked back suddenly as Jay’s hand reached to cup her breast.
I squeezed the trigger.
My gun fired.
Jay stumbled back, dropping his weapon. He blinked, shocked, not believing what had just happened. I watched as the red hole in his skull dripped blood and he slowly sank down to the floor. He flopped over, half of his head missing. His eyes were lifeless pits.
I dropped my gun and ran to her. I ripped off the gag and she took a deep breath.
“Reid!” she said.
“I’m here. It’s okay.” I ripped the duct tape from her hands and unwound the chain from around her neck. “Did they hurt you?”
She didn’t answer, just pressed herself against my chest, sobbing. I wrapped my arms around her as she rocked, holding her tightly.
“It’s okay,” I whispered. “It’s okay. It’s all over now. It’s all over.”
After a heartbreaking and agonizing and joyous moment, my brain filled with her smell and her body, so happy she was alive and safe but terrified of what happened to her, she pulled away.
“How did you find me?”
“Rigley. The deal with the Canadians worked.”
“I guess that’s why I heard all those guns.”
“Are you okay?”
She nodded. “They didn’t touch me.”
“You’re not hurt at all?”
“Tired. Scared. But they never touched me.”
I let out a long breath. I felt something inside me unclench and I pulled her against me, crushing my mouth against hers. She returned my kiss with a seriousness I hadn’t felt before. Hunger flooded my body, and the feel of her skin against mine sent shivers up my spine.
My cock began to get hard. I had to pull away before I fucked her right there, next to the corpse of the piece of shit who kidnapped her.
“Here,” I said, pulling off my flak jacket and shirt. “Put this on.”
She took my shirt and pulled it over her head. I dropped the vest down on the ground. The shooting upstairs had stopped, and there were only voices of men talking left.
“Think we won?” she asked.
I nodded. “We definitely won.”
“Is it really over?”
“It’s really over. I promise.”
Before she could say anything, the door to the basement opened. “Hello down there?” Rigley called out.
“It’s me,” I called back. “We’re coming up.”
“There’s my thief!” he laughed.
Becca gave me a look and I just shrugged. We walked back around the junk and the dirty work out equipment and made our way upstairs.
“So this is your stepsister,” Rigley said. “Nice to meet you.”
“Rebecca,” she replied. “You too.”
“Are we done here?” I asked him.
“Yes. The fucks are all dead, and we are victorious.”
“And you and me?”
“Square, Mister Thief. You did good.”
“Jay is downstairs,” I said softly.
“Ah. We have his girl. We thought he might have gotten away.”
“He didn’t.”
“You have Lindsey?” Becca cut in.
“Yes. “ Rigley paused and then grinned. “What should we do with her?”
Becca blinked. “I don’t know.”
“Should she die?”
“No!” she said quickly. “No, don’t kill her.”
“Are you sure?”
“She’s been through enough,” Becca said softly.
I looked at her for a second and then back at Rigley. “We’re going.”
He was already turning away. “Take a car. We lost a whole team today, so we don’t need it.”
“Thanks. I’ll leave it at Thom’s.”
“Keep the fucking thing. We have plenty to replace it now.”
I took Becca by the hand and we walked out of the house. I carefully steered her away from the worst of the violence but couldn’t help but walk past at least two bodies. She looked away until we were out in the sunlight.
I felt nothing but joy as we climbed into a car. The keys were already in the ignition.
“How did you do it?” she asked me softly.
“I don’t know.”
“Thank you.”
“Becca—”
“No, listen to me. Thank you.”
“It’s my fault you were there.”
“No, it isn’t. I didn’t have to take that key. Lindsey ratted on me. But you came and you saved me.”
I grabbed her face and pulled her toward me. “I’ll always keep you safe. I fucking promise.”
“I know you will.”
I kissed her softly on the lips.
“I don’t care about the stepsister thing,” I said.
“I love you.”
“I know,” I said, grinning. “I’m completely and totally yours.”
“Take me home, you big asshole.”
My grin widened. “Gladly.”
I kissed her again, our mouths lingering for a moment, exploring each other. Finally, I pulled away and began to drive back home.
I looked across the car at her, and she smiled back.
Neither of us bothered with the rearview mirror. Neither one of us wanted to stay rooted in the past.
It was forward and away.
It was living and moving on.
Together.
Epilogue
After a half hour up there he was just a speck in the distance, a tiny dot toward the top of the cliff.
It was his third competition back, and, if the time on my watch was right, he was in the lead by a huge margin. Not quite record-breaking, but he was still getting back into the swing of things. The records would come soon enough if he kept up his current training.
A huge wave of pride surged up through my chest as I watched him move. I could barely make out what he was doing, but I knew Reid saw the cliff’s rivers of handholds better than anyone else. He was moving methodically and slowly, conserving energy for the final push.
After the shootout, we drove straight home, barely talking. He put me to bed and I slept for something like twelve hours. When I woke up, he was napping in a chair right next to me, still wearing the exact same outfit he wore the day before.
We never heard from the mob again. Reid said Thom had tried to get him involved, but Reid’s mind was already on other things. He was already thinking about the future.
“I’d rather climb than smuggle drugs,” he said to me a few days later. “The money isn’t as good, though.”
A cheer went up through the crowd as Reid pulled himself up over the edge, cresting the cliff and making it to the top. I stopped my watch and smiled at the time. He was going to win by a pretty damn good margin.
It was his first first-place finish since he’d started climbing seriously again. He had placed second in the two competitions prior, and I knew he really needed a win.
I really needed a win, too. Because in two weeks I was headed out to Texas to start my graduate program.
Things between us only got better once the mob was gone. Reid was less sullen, less closed off than he was before, like a huge weight had been lifted from his chest. He laughed a little more often and smiled more freely.
Cora noticed the change, too. She had no clue that a big part of that was because he snuck into my room every night and fucked me until we both fell asleep panting and sweating in each other’s arms.
I watched him standing up there, his arms up above his head in triumph. He must have known his time was good enough to win.
That was the Reid I knew, standing on top of a cliff and grinning down at the world below him.
That was the Reid I fell in love with.
“So, what did you think?” he asked me, leaning casually against the hood of his truck.
“You were amazing today,” I said honestly. “Although watching people climb isn’t the most exc
iting thing.”
He laughed. “Sorry I bore you.”
I moved close to him, putting my hands on his chest. I could feel his heart beating and the slight, sweaty damp.
“That’s okay. You keep it exciting in other ways.”
“Dirty girl.” He grinned and kissed me. “Can’t get enough, can you?”
“Just trying to fit it all in before I go.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m going to Texas. You know that.”
He looked at me like I was crazy. “So what?”
“I mean, I’m going to be pretty far away from you. We aren’t exactly going to get to see each other every night anymore.”
He laughed loudly. “Are you kidding? I just got you. Do you really think I’m letting you out of my sight?”
I cocked my head. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m moving to Texas with you.”
I didn’t know what to say. Joy and shock pulsed through me, stealing any words.
“That is, if you want me to,” he added.
“Yes!” I said quickly. “Yes, please. Move to Texas!”
He laughed and kissed me again. “Down girl. Don’t get too excited.”
“But there aren’t any mountains in Texas.”
“I know.” He leaned back and stretched. “I figured I’ll travel while you’re busy with class, climb where I can, and make sure I’m home all summer long.”
“But what about my dad and your mom?”
“I guess we’ll have to tell them eventually.”
“Do we really have to?”
“If they’re going to come to the wedding they’ll have to find out sooner or later.”
I felt a huge jolt run through me. “Wedding?”
“What, you think I’d let you move to Texas and live as a dishonest woman?” He grinned his cocky, soul-melting grin and pulled a small black box from his back pocket.
“Reid,” I mumbled, shocked. “What is that?”
He flipped it open. Inside was a ring. It was the sort of thing I dreamed about, saw on TV, but never thought I’d have.
I took a step back, my mouth hanging open.
“Come on, Becca. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember. I want to marry you.”
“Holy fuck, Reid,” I said, tears coming to my eyes. I tried to fight them back but it was impossible.
I had always dreamed of this moment. But even my wildest fantasies paled in comparison to the real thing. Reid was grinning massively, his whole body slightly sweaty and ripped, and he looked perfect leaning up against the truck. I couldn’t imagine him down on one knee, and he didn’t even bother. That wasn’t his style.
My heart was pounding in my chest. I never thought he was the marriage type. It never even crossed my mind. I always assumed we’d have to live in secret together, maybe one day go somewhere nobody knew us.
“What do you say?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said, throwing myself at him. “Hell yes.”
He laughed and kissed me as I kissed him back and cried, heavy happy tears of joy, all the horror and the anxiety of the last few months suddenly washed away.
I wanted him. I had always wanted him, even when I fought myself to stay away. But he was the only man I could ever see myself with, even back when we were little kids meeting for the first time.
I was Reid’s. I was always going to be his.
He moved away and slipped the ring onto my finger. I was shocked at how well it fit.
“Where’d you even get this?”
“Used the winnings from my last two competitions, plus some savings.”
“And it fits.” I held it up and looked at it.
“Used one of your other rings for that.”
“Reid. This is perfect.”
“I love you, Becca.”
“I love you too.”
We kissed again, bodies pressed together. Finally, after a deep, passionate kiss, we moved apart.
“I had to do that before we left,” he said. “Wouldn’t have felt right getting engaged anywhere but Ridgewood.”
“This is perfect.” And I meant it.
He moved away. “Come on. Let’s go try to break this to our parents.”
I shook my head. “Tomorrow. Let’s just enjoy this for today.”
He looked at me for a second. “Okay. How about we hike out to the van and consummate this thing.”
I laughed. “You only consummate the marriage.”
“I’m going to consummate whatever I want as often as I want. You’re mine now.”
“Okay. I’m not arguing.”
He laughed and kissed me again and then got into the driver’s seat. I climbed into the passenger seat. He started the engine and pulled out.
We drove down the long highway, back toward our house. But it wasn’t going to be our house much longer. We’d have our own place, a clean and comfortable place, where we’d have our own life together.
A life outside of Ridgewood and everything that had happened.
I put my hand over his on the gearshift. He smiled at me.
I watched as the woods flowed by, the love of my life sitting next to me, bringing us closer to the future.
Thank You!
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Love dirty alpha bad boys? Then you should check out Based! Keep reading for the first two chapters.
I can’t stop thinking about my sexy, broken stepbrother.
Lincoln “Based” Carter is an arrogant asshole and the most famous extreme sports athlete in the world. His idea of fun is jumping off of skyscrapers and parachuting between buildings.
Until the day he crash lands through a car windshield and shatters both of his legs.
When I come home for summer vacation that year, I’m greeted by the grunts of my hot-as-hell stepbrother working up a sweat with his cute blonde Physical Therapist. All in front of the camera crew that’s working on a documentary about his recovery.
Part of me wants to run, but I can’t stop staring at his tattoos and his ripped body.
We have a history, but we can’t be together. We can’t even be near each other without a camera around. And yet I spend all day fantasizing about his slightly damp white T-shirt clinging to his muscular frame. His constant cocky teasing is driving me crazy.
We may live the same house, but I’m afraid that if I let him get any closer then we’ll both fall right over the edge.
Available on Amazon!
Chapter One: Aubrie
Summer vacation.
Those words are meant to evoke glorious, sun-filled afternoons lying by the pool or in the sand. Summer vacation is supposed to be relaxing, stress free, an escape from the daily struggles of normal life.
As I lugged my suitcase up the front steps of my dad’s huge Colorado house, I knew my summer vacation would include absolutely none of that stuff.
Two weeks before the end of the semester, I got a call from my stepmother. Julia was an ex-supermodel, and although she was pushing forty, she was still drop-dead gorgeous. She didn’t do photo shoots anymore, and so she spent most of her time organizing charity events and appearing on minor fashion TV programs. I could still remember what I was doing just before I picked up the phone that day: booking a plane ticket to L.A. to stay with a friend. Just before I could click “Confirm,” she called, almost like she had a sixth sense for anything fun about to happen.
Stupidly, I answered. “Hello?”
“Aubrie? Hi, swe
etie!”
“Hi, Jules. How are you?”
“Oh I’m great. How are you? Semester is almost over, right?”
“Yeah. Two weeks from now.”
“Wow, that’s so amazing. Look at you. Almost a senior.”
“I know, it’s crazy.”
“Listen, sweetie, what are you doing this summer?”
I should have lied. I should have told her that I had already made super-important plans, which was only half a lie, since my plans were mostly beach oriented. Instead, I told the truth. Like an idiot.
“Well, I might go out to L.A. with a friend and just hang out all summer.”
“Oh that would be so fun. But listen. I need a huge favor?”
I should have just hung up the phone.
“What is it?”
“We’re having a few charity gatherings this summer, all held near your dad’s place in Boulder. I was really hoping you’d consider coming home and helping me organize it all.”
I should have screamed no. I should have thrown my phone down and ran the other way. I should have clicked “Confirm” and never thought about it again.
“Do you really need me?” I asked instead.
“Oh, I really, really do. And it would mean so much to your dad to have you home all summer. You know how he misses you.”
That was it. She had me. She knew exactly what to say to guilt me into canceling all of my plans (hot surfer guys, lots of sun, reading too many books) and making the long trek out to Boulder, Colorado.
Which was how I ended up lugging my suitcase into my dad’s big foyer two weeks later.
“Hello?” I called out. The place was eerily quiet. The only sound was the cab I had taken from the airport turning around and driving off.
I looked around the empty space. Home again. Or, back to one of my dad’s several homes again. He was a pretty successful businessman turned director and producer, and that kept him busy. Our main house was the Boulder estate, which was where I grew up, though he had places in New York and Napa Valley as well. Despite the film industry gigs, he wasn’t much of a Hollywood person and preferred to live as far away from there as possible.