by Sophie Oak
“What do the numbers mean?” Jen asked.
Nate dropped Callie’s hands as the world fell into place.
* * * *
Zane looked down at the artist. “What numbers?”
He turned his head down, trying to get a good look at his chest. He could see the tat that marked him as a Barbarian, but all he could discern was a mass of curly-cue-looking things around a big, mean-looking snake. He tended to not pay attention to the mass of ink on his chest. Of course, he tried not to look at the other side of his chest, too. It reminded him too much of that day when he was strapped down and tortured. Ellis had branded his right side with superheated metal, and he’d cut his face all to hell. The one part Ellis insisted on leaving alone was his Barbarian tat. That had been off limits when making the pig squeal.
Zane shook off the dark thoughts. He would never figure out how his cover had been blown. Someone had known and told, and then his life had gone to hell. Now things were looking up. His eyes moved around the small crowd of people on the lawn. They were smiling and teasing each other. He was a part of it. Max Harper elbowed him in a friendly way. Jen had hugged him and thanked him. Rachel Harper was apparently ready to accept him as an uncle to her baby. Damn, he was getting misty-eyed just thinking about raising a family in this little place. The last thing he wanted to do was think about his tat. He would get it lasered off as soon as he had the cash.
“These numbers,” Jen was saying. She had called Callie over and ran her index finger over the ink. “See? They’re kind of woven into the design. Did you do that?”
A cold knowledge rushed in, seeping into his bones. He might not have wanted a career in law enforcement, but he’d been a cop long enough to have instincts. “Ellis designed it.”
He turned quickly to Nate, who was pale, his eyes locked on the tat.
“Damn it, that would explain everything,” Nate muttered.
Zane swallowed as the full reality hit him. No wonder there was a bounty on his head. Hell, they didn’t give a damn about his head—his chest was another story.
“What’s wrong?” Callie’s eyes were moving between them.
Nate’s face had already taken on that hard-as-granite look he got when he went into full-on lawman mode. Nate’s eyes got cold, and his mouth became a flat line. Everything about him became still, like a rattler waiting to strike. Nate was a true cop, and that was a good thing because it looked like they would need one.
“Nothing’s wrong, baby. At least nothing we can’t handle.” Nate stood beside Jen, who also seemed to understand that something was wrong. “Jen, I’m going to need you to write down the numbers you see. If you can discern a particular pattern off of them, I would greatly appreciate it.”
“Oh, it’s there.” Jen’s hand ran across the tat lightly, tracing the ink. “See how it flows. It starts here and winds around all the way back in a counterclockwise pattern. It’s very subtle and very distinct. This man was a true artist.”
“Yeah, well, he’s also a drug dealer and a sadist.”
“Oh my god, the account number is on Zane’s chest!” Callie finally caught up. Her eyes filled with fear.
“We need to get you to El Paso first thing in the morning.” Nate was already reaching into his pants, pulling out his cell phone. “At least we have something to talk about tonight. All the town needs to do is keep a watch out for a day or two. Once we get that account and prove to Ellis we’ve found his cash, he’ll leave Zane alone. This was never about revenge, thank god. It’s always been about money.” He turned away. “Yeah, Worthington, I think I have a solution to our problems…”
Nate’s voice faded as he walked away.
Zane reached out and grabbed Callie’s hand. The Harpers were now quiet and watching him with solemn eyes.
“You going to be okay, Zane?” Max asked.
Not Hollister. Zane. This group wouldn’t use his last name. It wasn’t intimate enough. His heart seized a little. Damn, if he played his cards right, this would be his family. He would even forgo beating the crap out of Talbot if it meant belonging in this close-knit group. He pulled Callie into his chest, needing to feel her close to him. “It’s going to be fine. I’ll give the agency the info they need, and then I’ll be out of it. Once Ellis knows the game is up, he’ll call off the dogs.”
Callie wrapped her arms around his waist and held on like she would never let go. He kissed the top her head. If he had his way, she would never have to.
Chapter Twelve
Callie turned the shower to hot, as hot as she thought she could stand. It was only moments before steam started to fill the room. Callie watched in the mirror as her image faded in favor of a coating of moisture. She was an opaque ghost in the glass. She brushed the steam away, but it came back immediately. In a way, she was glad she couldn’t see her reflection. It would only show the truth—that she had aged more in the past couple of weeks than in the years before.
Tomorrow, Zane would leave, and there would be nothing here to bring him back. Sure he’d said a lot of stuff about wanting her, but he’d left her behind once. There was nothing to stop him this time. If Zane was safe and happy, then there was no reason for Nate to return, either. He would, of course. Duty would bring him back until they could find someone to take his place, but he would be marking time.
How had she run out of time so fast?
With shaking hands, she placed a towel within reach and stepped into the shower. They were leaving in the morning. She had one last night with them and only two hours before they had to be at the town meeting she herself had called. She’d thought about cancelling it so she would have more time with Nate and Zane, but these people were her friends and family. They had the right to know what was going on. The people coming after Zane were dangerous and would be until everything was sorted out. Bliss needed to be vigilant.
She felt sick at the thought of not being with them. For the first time, she really thought about going with Nate. Nate seemed to really want her to leave with him. Of course, he would probably regret it once she screwed up his career path by being a complete hick, hippy weirdo. Tears swelled in her eyes as she realized she couldn’t risk him coming to hate her when she didn’t fit into his world.
She was going to lose them both. This time it just might break her.
“Babe?” Zane’s deep voice cut through her misery. She turned away to hide her face as he pulled back the shower curtain. “Babe, are you crying?”
“How did you get in here? I locked the door.” The cooler air from outside her little shower stroked her skin, causing her to shiver. In an instant, the curtain closed, and she was warm again.
Unfortunately, Zane was on the wrong side of the curtain. She felt his hands cup her shoulders. “I spent years posing as a criminal. I can get through any door you put between us. If I can’t pick the lock, I assure you I can kick the door down.” He forcibly turned her around. “Now tell me why you’re crying.”
Callie was too shocked to hide her face now. He was still in his jeans. “Zane, you’re getting wet.”
He groaned and lowered his forehead to hers. “Yeah, well, I wasn’t thinking about my clothes. I was thinking about the fact that you’re crying.” His lips touched the tip of her nose. “Please don’t cry, babe. It tears me up.” His voice was rough, as though he was on the edge of tears himself.
He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and Callie’s hands smoothed over his skin, stopping at each puckered scar to run a loving touch over it. She loved his body, every inch of it, every scar and imperfection made him the man he was. She wound her arms tightly around his lean waist.
“I love you,” she whispered against his chest. It made no sense to hold it back. She would never say those words in this way to anyone but Zane and Nate. When they were gone, she would close off that part of herself. “I love you so much.”
His hand tangled in her wet hair. “Then marry me.”
Callie’s heart lurched, threatening to pound straight out of her
chest. Her head shot up to look into Zane’s painfully serious face. His eyes were a dark green, and he seemed to be waiting for her to reject him. “Marry you? I thought you would leave.”
Now a little smile curled his lips up. His hands ran down her back, waking every nerve in her skin until he curved his fingers around her buttocks and gave them a sizzling squeeze. “Never again, Callie. I will never leave you again. I made a mistake leaving the first time. Nate made a mistake, too, but I can’t force him to acknowledge it. We both love you so fucking much, but I think he’s going to leave. He’s my best friend, Cal. He’s my brother, but I’m choosing you this time.” He took a little breath. “Do you think you would be okay if it was just you and me?”
The thought of Nate on his own made her eyes water, but there was no chance she would turn Zane down. She would love him and make a home for him and thank her lucky stars that she had a man like this. She managed to nod.
He kissed her, deep and long. His tongue reached out to caress hers. She felt his longing in that kiss. He would miss Nate, too. They would be incomplete, but they would have each other.
Zane urged her close, rubbing his jean-clad erection against her belly. “I love you, babe.” He tangled his fingers in her hair and pulled her head back so she looked into his eyes, couldn’t miss an inch of his scarred, gorgeous face. “I’ll never let you down, Callie. I’ll try so hard to be the best husband you could have.” His throat worked up and down, choking on some unnamed emotion.
Callie easily read his face, knew what he was saying. She lifted her hands to cup his face. He would try to be everything to her. He would try to make up for the fact that Nate wasn’t with them. She sighed. She’d been so selfish. She’d thought only of how much she would miss Nate and not once of how much Zane would miss him. Nate and Zane might never have kissed or had any sexual feelings towards each other, but they were soul mates. Zane’s life would be less for the lack of Nate in it. She went on her toes and kissed him, her tongue licking along his plump lower lip, causing him to shiver. She felt a thrill race through her. She had power over this big, glorious man. It was a good thing because he had so much power over her.
“Touch me,” he demanded. His fingers tore open the fly of his jeans. He shoved them down over his hips, cursing the friction the wet denim caused. “Next time I’ll take the damn things off before I get wet.”
She grinned up at him, sliding her hands down over the hard plane of his chest to the well-defined abs. “No clothes allowed in the swimming pool. That should make it easier.”
He groaned as her hand grasped his cock. He filled and overflowed her palm. “Oh, babe, this is a great place to visit, but we can’t live here. I’m always hard around you. I can’t walk around with a naked erection. I might get called a pervert.”
He felt so good. Callie let her hand stroke him from the broad base of his cock to the engorged purple head. She was fascinated by the way he shook and moaned as her hand tracked across the silky skin. “That could be a problem. I don’t think there’s any way to hide this monster. It could scare the children.”
His eyes widened in startled dismay. “There are kids here?”
She laughed at his horror. She also noticed that his cock was weeping. She swiped her thumb over the slit of his cock, and he gasped. “No kids. This is an adult community, but there are family resorts if you like the lifestyle. I was thinking about our kids. If you want them, that is. I’m not getting any younger.” She brought her thumb to her mouth and licked off the pre-cum.
“Oh, god, that’s sexy.” Zane groaned. “Babies. You want babies.”
“I do.” Callie got to her knees. The water from the shower beat a nice rhythm along her spine. On this point, there would be no negotiations. She was going to have his babies. “You want something permanent with me, mister, then there better be some serious impregnation going on.”
She licked the tip of his straining dick, and his head fell forward. “Way to play hardball, babe. Damn, all I can think of now is the fact that I can ride you bareback. I’ve never had sex without a condom.”
She let her hand find his heavy sac. She rolled his balls gently in her palm. She was going to have to have him soon. Her pussy was throbbing, and her thighs were wet in a way that had nothing to do with the spray from the shower. “We can decide on the timing, Zane, but it better be soon,”
Zane reached down, locked his hands under her shoulders and lifted her up. With flawless accuracy, he hauled her up, shoved her back against the tiled wall of the shower and slammed his cock home.
Callie gasped as he penetrated her, his cock forcing its way deep into her cunt.
“No time like the present.” His face was strained as he held himself deep inside. “Fuck, you feel so good.”
She felt so full. Callie forced her legs to move, to try to grasp his hips. She steadied herself by placing her hands on his broad shoulders. She could barely breathe he was so deep inside her. “You didn’t even take off your pants, Zane.”
“No time. Get used to it. Now that I don’t even have to use a rubber, I’ll take you when and where I want to.” His voice shook as he held her in place. Callie was grateful for the restraint. He was big. It took her a moment to get used to him, to relax. The startling intrusion was quickly morphing into pleasure. Her pussy was wet, and she felt herself soften around him. He slid in another inch, and Callie felt his balls against the cheeks of her ass. “God, I’ll never stop wanting you.”
Callie gripped his shoulders, sinking her nails into the flesh there, willing him to move. She was so ready, so eager to feel him. “Then you should fuck me, Zane.”
“Your wish…” Zane grunted just before he started to thrust into her. Callie felt every nerve in her body ignite. He held her so tight her nipples rubbed against his chest. His mouth covered hers. His tongue plunged and retreated in time to the rhythm of his cock. Callie did nothing but hold on as Zane pounded into her. She was caught between the tile and Zane and the pulsing heat of the shower.
It happened suddenly. He hit that perfect spot, and Callie went flying. She moaned and buried her face in his shoulder as the sensation took her. A second later, Zane stiffened, every muscle tense. He pumped into her as though he wanted to fuse them together. As he slowed, he leaned over to kiss her again. This time he was gentle, nibbling at her lips as his hips pumped softly.
“Sorry for the quickie. You felt so good, so right. Callie, that was amazing. We’re going to make a baby. Nate’s going to freak out. He’s always…” Zane’s face fell.
Callie let her feet drop to the floor, though she held on to Zane. “He always wanted kids?”
Zane pulled her close. “Yeah. He wanted the whole white picket fence thing, though I suspect his fence would have been much more expensive than a plain picket fence. Maybe wrought iron. Babe, don’t take his moving on as a reflection of you. He loves you. He just needs more than this place can give him.”
“Do we have to give up on him?” Callie asked, hearing the longing in her voice. “Maybe we should just go with him. It’s not like we have jobs we’re married to.”
Zane kissed her forehead and reached for the soap. “You like your job. I don’t even have a job, but I know I’ll like the one I get. I’m going to take out a loan on the empty building beside Stella’s.”
Callie knew it well. “Oh, that’s supposedly haunted.”
Zane soaped his hands and then started to clean her. His fingers rubbed and massaged until she sighed and leaned against him. He was already stirring, his erection coming back to life. “Then the ghost better get used to me. I’m going to open a bar. I’ll go to the bank on Monday. If I can’t get a loan from there, I’ll hit up Stefan.” His voice cheered measurably. “Yeah, maybe I’ll just do that. He’s like your brother, right? A family loan. If you want, you can help me run it, or you can keep working with Nate. It’s up to you. Just know that I’ll take care of us. I’ll provide for you. When I get the bar running and making money, you won’t have
to work.”
His hands skimmed along her breasts and down to her pussy, where he rubbed for an awfully long time. “I like to work, Zane. If we can’t convince Nate to stay with us, I’ll help you with the bar. I think I’ll be a good waitress.”
He cleaned her thoroughly. “As long as the patrons understand you’re a taken woman, I’m fine with that. Maybe I should just beat Nate until he agrees to stay.”
There was a loud snort, and Callie jumped.
Zane just sighed and muttered, “Sneaky bastard. How long have you been out there?” He peeked through the shower curtain.
Callie sneaked a glance and saw Nate sitting against the wall of the bathroom. He had one knee up, and his eyes stared at some place below the shower curtain.
“Long enough to know I should leave.”
Nate’s words cut through her. She scrambled out of the shower. She dripped across the tile, but Nate’s arms were open as she kneeled in front of him. He didn’t seem to care that she was soaking him through. She felt his breath as his arms closed around her.
“Zane’s right. I’m not very smart. But I need more than I can get here, Callie. Can you forgive me?”
She felt the hitch in his chest when he said the words and knew how much they cost him. She also knew she couldn’t reject him. She loved him. Zane loved him. Wherever he went, he would be a part of them. “Know that you’ll always have a home with us. I love you, Nate.”
His arms tightened around her. “I love you, too, baby.”
She wanted him. For as long as he stayed, she wanted him. “Come to bed with us.”
There was the saddest smile on his face. “You sure you want me there?”
Zane reached out a hand. He’d shoved his soaked jeans off his body and stood there in all his glory. “Come to bed with us. She misses you. I don’t, but she does.” There was wicked grin on his lips and a twinkle in his emerald eyes. “Come on, Nate. Stay with us for as long as you can, man.”