by Owens, C. M.
“You didn’t know because you didn’t care. You took everything from me. It’s only fair you pay me back. Every fucking time I try to kill you, it’s like someone steps in and saves your pointless life! It’s not fair! But not tonight. Tonight you’ll finally die, and no divine intervention will spare you from the cold place of death you deserve.”
“I would have died if you hadn’t called Tag. That was your fault the last time.”
She rolls her eyes and scratches her head with the gun that was pointed at me.
“That pissed me off. I wanted to mutilate your fucking face—show the world how ugly you truly are. Russell gave me the code, called me when you left, and I timed it perfectly for when you’d arrive. I wanted your boy-toy to reach the house before the cops. I didn’t want them to shield him from seeing the monster you really are. But, as I said, my plans have now changed. If your face is mutilated, it’ll haunt him. He’ll never forget you, and I need him to forget you in order to be with me.”
“This is never going to happen, you know. Tag loves me, and he won’t fall for your bullshit trap.”
Her eyes burn with a crazy glare as she stares at me with a smug smirk on her face.
“Oh, he’ll fall. You’re not as irreplaceable as you think you are. He’ll forget you and fall in love with me just like your dad forgot your mother and moved on. I’ll raise Trip who won’t even remember his dead mother, just as you don’t.”
My heart stings, burns, and falls to pieces. That stab hurt worse than the knife she literally twisted in my side.
“Now, I think that’s enough talk. I just wanted you to know so your last few moments of life would be spent knowing your son and fiancé would belong to me - the woman whose life you stole.”
She pulls the gun out, holding it directly at my head, and my breath leaves my chest. I close my eyes, awaiting my fate, and then I hear the blast ring out three times. I don’t feel anything, and I’m worried time has slowed in my adrenaline rush.
I open my tearstained eyes to see her body on the ground, blood seeping to the sand, as the bundle in her arms lays under her chest.
“No!” I scream, throwing myself at her, and then I hear more screams from the distance.
“Ash!”
Tag.
“Trip!” I squeal while struggling against her with my restrained hands, trying my best to pull my baby free.
“Please no!” I sob.
Arms wrap around me and jerk me up from the sand as Tag scoops me to his chest.
“Let me go! Tag, Trip’s under her! He’s dead!” I sob wildly.
“No, baby. Trip’s at home with Wren and the others. He’s safe, baby.”
I gasp, worried this is all a dream as the detective pulls free the lifeless baby doll that fooled me.
My sobs grow louder, deafening as I press my head into Tag’s chest, and he coos in my ear as he rocks me against him.
“It’s okay, baby. It’s okay.”
“I should have noticed her in the pictures,” the detective says, shaking his head. “Dyllan Mathews had several pictures of Ash with a blond woman following close behind. I never even noticed it, and it’s my fucking job.”
“You were looking for Rene,” Tag sighs.
“How did you find me?” I croak.
“Russell caved. I knew he was part of it when he didn’t set the alarm. I called the detective right away after I found Troy and two others dead. He killed them, and he planned to dispose of the bodies before we found out you were missing. He confessed to everything. Apparently he killed his wife and her lover when he caught them cheating years ago, and this bitch helped him get away with it. She used it to get him to help her out. I think he was just ready for it to be over.”
My tears stream feverishly, thankful to be alive and in Tag’s arms.
“Let’s get out of here,” Tag murmurs against my forehead.
Chapter Eighteen
Butterflies and I Dos
Tag
“You nervous?” Wren asks.
“Not at all. Just eager,” I say with a smile that refuses wipe from my face.
Everyone gets quiet as the music begins to play, and I smile when I see Bity take his place as Ash’s best man.
He’s all smiles because he finally gets to be the best man at a wedding, just not the groom’s.
My heart stops as she starts down the aisle to the sweet music playing gently. She smiles, her eyes burning into mine, and then she reaches me. Her dad reluctantly releases her while giving her a kiss on the cheek, and she takes her place in front of me, stealing my breath.
Her white dress flows to the ground, just the way a princess’s dress should. Her perfect breasts are pushed to the top, making my cock harden in my pants.
Damn it.
She smirks, noticing my arousal, and slips her lip between her teeth to taunt and tease me as the minister speaks of our unity.
I narrow my eyes, and she only makes me harder when she deliberately bites down on her lower lip the way she often does when she's about to scream my name.
Shit.
“Ashiara, would you like to read your vows?” asks the minister, and she releases me from her teasing hold while picking up her sheet of paper.
Her eyes fall completely sincere, as they find mine, and she never glances down at her writing as she says, “In all my life, I never thought it possible to love someone the way I love you. I didn’t think this sort of happiness existed outside of fantasy. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t fall more in love with you. I promise to spend the rest of my life completely and utterly… Tagged.”
She smiles, and I let out a small snicker while holding back my tears. Taking a deep breath, I get ready to say my own promise.
“You’re the only girl in this world I’ve ever felt was meant for me. You’re strong, honest, sweet, and incredible. I’ve been in love quite possibly since I met you. You opened me up in a way so many others had failed, and you made my life better than I ever thought possible. I love you, Ash, and I always, always will. I promise to remain Ashed from now until the end of time.”
She giggles a little as her tears drip free, and the minister smiles as she picks up my ring to place on my finger. An adorable grin appears, and I glance down just before she puts it on.
I laugh a little when I see the inscription - Ashed. She slides it onto my finger, letting the world know I belong to her. This ring will never leave my hand.
***
Ashiara
He can’t help but enjoy my playful counter ring to his Tagged ring. I smile giddily, my heart pounding in my chest as we near the finish line.
He pulls out my ring, and his humor leaves as he shows me the inscription on my wedding band. My heartbeat quickens as my tears start to fall when I read it. Forever.
He slides it onto my finger, tears glistening in his eyes, and I throw my arms around his neck to pull him to me. His lips crush against mine, and his arms embrace me, pulling me tighter to his body.
“You may kiss the bride,” the minister releases with a chuckle, and everyone roars out their cheers as we make a rather torrid scene.
“I love you, wife” he breathlessly murmurs against my lips with a salacious grin.
“I love you, husband.”
Epilogue
Ash
The house is full of happy people. Trip is being passed around and adored by everyone. Tag and the other guys are cursing Raya for winning another hand of poker, while her boyfriend snickers at them all.
I wish I had known who she was at Wren's wedding instead of assuming the worst about my husband. I might not have run off. I suppose things all work out... eventually.
Erica and Wren are having a heated argument about something, which seems to be more common lately, and I frown as she storms away from him. I'm pretty sure the past between them will eventually cause more problems than they thought.
"I don't think I've ever seen him so happy," a smooth voice from behind me says, and I t
urn to face the man I now know is Dane Sterling - the remaining most eligible bachelor of Sterling Shore.
"Tag?" I muse, trying not to grin like an idiot as my eyes find the incredible man at the table, still cursing the brunette ringer that is taking all his money.
"Yes. Tag. It's odd. I never thought he'd settle down. I'm glad he did. He deserves it."
Tag stands up from the table, pointing his finger at Raya who is taunting him with a daring grin.
"One day, Raya Capperton, I will beat your ass at some form of cards. I swear it."
She and Kade both burst out laughing before he pulls her against him and delivers a sweet kiss. Tag rolls his eyes when their kiss gets a little showy, and he walks away, defeated at the tables once again by the poker pro.
"If I could just find out how she does it," he murmurs to himself, shaking his head.
Dane laughs. "I gave up a long time ago. I take her warnings seriously now. If she tells me I won't win, I graciously bow out."
Tag smiles at him, but then his attention turns to me. His wife. That always makes me smile.
"You look incredible," he murmurs, raking his eyes over me. "I was starting to wonder if I was going to have to come get you."
I grin while shaking my head. "Sorry. I got held up at the store. I met someone new. Bo. We talked for a while, and I lost track of time."
"Bo?" he asks, cocking his brow.
I chuckle and shake my head. "It's a girl. It's short for Bolivia."
Dane laughs at the very tense Tag who has zero reason for jealously, considering I'm completely his.
"Hey," Kode Sterling says, joining us.
Tag growls something under his breath, and I stifle a grin. I shouldn't have ever told him I thought Kode was cute. It's funny to poke the bear sometimes though.
"What's up?" Dane says, not seeming too thrilled all of the sudden. "Have fun in New York?"
Kode shrugs before taking a sip of his beer. "A little. Um... I've got some news. Rain is moving back to Sterling Shore."
I don't know if I've ever seen the color drain from someone's face as fast as it does Dane's, and of course that piques my curiosity.
"Didn't see that coming," Dane says hoarsely, acting as though an alien invasion is in town.
"Yeah. She'll be back next week. I just thought I'd give you a heads-up."
My eyes move back and forth between the two. Tag starts to speak but Dane turns away before he can. I watch his back, wondering if he's leaving or just removing himself from the conversation that seems to have shaken him.
As soon as he thinks he's out of sight, he... runs? Is he really running out of here?
"What... just happened?" I ask, bemused.
Kode tightens his lips for a second, and then he lets free a loud breath. "Nothing. I'll talk to you guys later." Then he leaves, following the same path Dane took.
I look to Tag for an explanation, but his lips press against mine, and all is forgotten. As his fingers strum through my hair, I let out a content sigh. Everything is perfect right now.
"So," he says while pulling back, "I was thinking about getting a tattoo."
A mild grin quirks up, and I run behind him to catch up when he starts walking away.
"What? Why?" I gasp.
He shrugs, seeming too casual. "I figured since you got Tagged, it would only be fair if I got Ashed."
I laugh hard, drawing the attention of everyone around. We're crazy, but we're in love. I guess that makes it okay. Melanie stops in front of us, and Tag takes Trip from her arms.
He pulls me to him, kisses me again, and then murmurs, "I love you, Ash Masters." Then his eyes move down to his son. "And I love you, too, little man."
Sometimes the men you doubt are the ones who love the hardest. I'm just happy I get to experience that first hand.
The End.
Book 3 of the Sterling Shore Series is coming soon. Curious about Dane Sterling? Get his story in The Sterling Boys. Get a small teaser right now.
Meet Rain Noles-
Corbin isn't smart like Maverick, and he makes one major mistake—holding me like this gives me so many access points. I grab a handful of sensitive flesh between his legs, and I twist hard to bring him to his knees. A startled gasp and a painful cry ring out in unison, as the giant crumbles.
The second he loses his grip on me, I charge through the restaurant like a bull seeing red. The fear on her face registers before the shock, and before I have time to think about it, I'm sliding across her table like it's home-plate, screaming like Xena the warrior princess, and kicking her ass like I'm Mike Tyson. Okay, so maybe not Tyson. But I am pulling her hair and jerking her head around like I'm a pro, damn it.
"Fuck," spews out of Maverick's mouth, but I don't see him until he's punching Fiona's piece of shit date.
Tables crash to the ground, glass shatters, and screams echo through the restaurant, but my attention stays focused on bitch-slapping the hell out of this troll—at least until I hear the first whoop of the siren. Crap.
Meet Dane Sterling -
I'm going to fucking kill them if they don't stop texting me. I already told them I'd be in and out of meetings all day. That's why I ignored their sorry asses last night. I should have called and told Rain to ignore them, too. A night in jail would have served them right.
I huff as I finally read one of the texts, and I can't help but burst out laughing.
Hey, Jerkoff! Rain is in here too, so come get us now!
How the hell did they get Rain in trouble? Rain in jail? That's fucking hilarious. Little Miss Does No Wrong is stuck in a holding cell, praying for someone to come rescue her. Not me. I think it's about time the three of them grow up. My phone goes off again, and I glance down.
She's hurt. She has stitches on her forehead, but a jail cell isn't good for wounds.
Fuck. What the hell did they do to her? My phone buzzes again as I excuse myself from the meeting.
Cop just found my phone. Fuck.
Then I get a text from Dale right behind it.
Go get them. I'll fill you in later. This one is on me.
He was the one saying the guys and Rain needed to stop being so fucking childish. I'll kick some asses for this. I swear. When the hell are they ever going to grow up, and when will Rain learn to simply say no? It's a simple, one-syllable word.
I drive to the damn town Maverick had already given me the address to in one of his prior texts I originally ignored. It only takes about twenty minutes, considering I might have broken a few speed limits.
The small jail seems to be lacking room for more than one person, so they only have the one holding cell, I think. I'm pretty sure Corbin and I ended up in here after a party one time.
Yep. This is definitely the place.
I look around, gauging the surroundings of the cold concrete stones that have been painted stark white. I can hear them bickering from here, and I smile while I take care of all the paperwork.
"I thought you said you'd never get arrested," Maverick taunts, chuckling.
"And you were supposed to get me out," Rain growls, making me sigh in relief. At least she's okay.
I finish up, keeping my voice low when I talk to the plump man behind the desk, and he mumbles something about slapping around the guys. I smile as I follow him around the corner, and it's all I can do not to laugh when I see Rain.
Her sundress is barely hanging on, considering one strap is broken. Her feet are bare, her hair is everywhere and smothered in what looks to be some type of sauce, along with numerous particles of food. Her dress is just as marred by food. Did they have a food fight?
Corbin is groaning in pain while leaning against the wall and clutching an icepack to his crotch. Rain and Maverick are having a silent standoff, and I notice Maverick's hand has blood on it. What the-
"Here you go. You'll be informed of a court date soon enough," the officer says while unlocking the cell.
Rain's eyes widen when she sees me, and she nervously tugs at her
dress and her hair. There's no fixing it.
"Care to fill me in?" I ask while casually propping against the wall, not even trying to hide my amusement.
Rain turns an accusatory glare toward Maverick. "I thought you said you were calling Dale!"
"I did. He was busy taking care of his personal shit!"
"What?" I ask, losing the amusement in my tone. "Is this because of the fight Fiona had with Tria?" I ask, looking toward Corbin.
He shakes his head while cursing and trying to stand. Rain bites back a grin when she goes to help him and he glares at her with an I-hate-you-because-you're-evil look.
"Tria fought with Fiona?" Rain asks absently, walking away without looking at me. Her bare feet on the dirty jail floor makes me cringe, but I can't exactly go and pick her up.
"Yeah. Long story. What happened here?" I ask, following her out, doing what I can not to stare at her perfect ass.
"Long story," she mumbles, mocking my answer.
"I had to bail you out of jail, so I think we've got time to hear the story on the way back to your cars."
Maverick chuckles when Corbin curses Rain behind her back, and I tilt my head curiously when I see her proud but mischievous smile. Something tells me this story is far more interesting.