RECYCLED MEMORY

  “Mmmiiissseeeddd yyyooouuu tttouggghhh ggguuuyyy,” I blathered.

  “I never left, baby,” he professed.” I’ve always been right here with you.”

  The warmth of the soft coverings mixed with the feel of Marcus’s strong arms was the perfect combination to soothe my internal conflicts. I was grateful for the early morning hour. Before long, the tremors subsided, and I was lulled into a fitful form of sleep. I dreamed of an endless ride on the back of a black Harley Davidson, the sun on my face and the wind in my hair; it was a pleasant fiction I welcomed for a short time. That’s the thing about dreams. Eventually, you have to wake the fuck up and face the harsh reality of life.

  THIRTY-TWO

  Marcus

  I ALWAYS FOUND IT oddly liberating that my girl was never one to show weakness or fear during our adolescent years. Maribel had thrived when challenged, where often times I had been the one who hesitated before taking a leap. She’d grab my hand and dive in headfirst without the slightest bit of apprehension. My girl was brave beyond measure. The day we’d started sharing our bodies, she’d focused on becoming an expert on how to satisfy my needs as well as her own. She read books and asked questions. The very idea of failing at something as intrinsic as lovemaking had been unfathomable in her mind. I was man enough to admit that once she’d gotten the hang of taking me inside her mouth, I’d barely made it five minutes if I had been focused on counting backwards. Our age differences had faded away, and we’d loved hard with passion and desire.

  Until it was stolen for us.

  And I lost her.

  When I watched Maribel fall apart in my arms, it devastated me more than anything I’d ever witnessed on the battlefield. What had happened to the girl with the crazy red hair who took on an overbearing Buck Calhoun in a fucking lab coat? The one who followed me around even after I’d been the biggest dick in the world to her? The person who had loved me with her whole heart when I told her goodbye? She wasn’t who I held in my arms for over an hour, that much was for damn sure. I’d be fucked sideways if I didn’t fight to get her back.

  “Come on, baby.” I leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Let’s get you up and moving.”

  “Marcus?” She looked up at me with her beautiful eyes. “What happened? Where...”

  “Right here, little pocket.” Fuck, she’s beautiful.

  “How long was I asleep? What time is it, and where is my uniform? I have to get to work.”

  She tried to sit up, but I held her steady in my embrace. It was still too fucking early in the morning for her to worry about her bullshit job, and there were more important things I needed to get off my chest.

  “You scared us, baby. You scared us so fucking bad.”

  I flicked my chin over to Fox, who sat stoically in a chair across the bedroom with his face in his hands. I knew parts of his story, the bits and pieces he was willing to share about his past. It made him hypersensitive to women in pain, especially those he considered friends. One meeting with my little pocket, and she had him wrapped around her little finger, just as she did with everyone who had the privilege of meeting her.

  “I didn’t mean to…” She tried to apologize, but this wasn’t about placing blame; it was about making things right. She struggled to bury her face inside the blanket that was covering her, but I needed to see her eyes for what I was about to say.

  “There are things you need to know about why I left the way I did, but that’s for later. For now, know this. No motherfucker will ever hurt you again. I swear that shit on my life. They’d have to kill me first, and even then, I’d come back as a ghost and hunt their asses to the ends of the earth to protect you. Do you believe that, little pocket?”

  She heard the words, but she wasn’t ready to accept them, not when there was a mountain of shit we had yet to wade through. I understood her hesitation; hell, I wouldn’t trust me either if the roles were reversed. We’d get there.

  “I know you’ll protect me, Marcus. You’ve already done that. It all came crashing down at once, and I guess I got a little frazzled.” The whites of her eyes were wide and unfocused. I could tell she was trying desperately to hide her fear.

  “Yeah, baby, there’s definitely a shitstorm brewing, but let’s deal with one thing at a time. I need to check you over and make sure the coffee didn’t burn your skin. I didn’t notice anything when you were in the shower, but I need to be sure. Will you let me?”

  Once she nodded her head yes, I laid her down diagonally across the bed and started to unwrap her from the blankets. She put on a brave face, but her body shook uncontrollably either from the sudden coolness of the room or the fact that she was nearly naked aside from her bra and panties. I couldn’t hold back the sharp intake of breath as I peered below me at her absolute stunning beauty open and exposed for me to see.

  “Marcus? Am I burned?” Her concerned voice snapped me out of my stupor.

  “No, little pocket.” I exhaled. “You are absolutely fucking perfect.”

  I flattened my hand between her breasts and gently felt along her soft skin, never once breaking eye contact. She flicked out her tongue and moistened her pink pouty lips as she tried to control her labored breathing. It was no use. We both felt the zap of electric current that flowed between us. One touch, and my body burned to feel more of her, to taste her sweetness that I’d missed for far too long. I leaned forward and kissed the corner of her mouth, then her cheek, finally the soft, sensitive spot just below her ear that never failed to make her wet. I checked her body language just to be sure she was still with me when she glanced over her shoulder to Fox sitting silently in the corner.

  “The minute you’re mine again, no man will ever come near you, Maribel. Until then, you can have whatever you want, and that includes him.” I pointed to Fox. “He won’t hurt you or come any closer unless you want him to. It’s all up to you.”

  “You want me to fuck another man, Marcus?” She scowled.

  “No one is going to fuck you, Maribel, not even me. What we will do is make your body sing with pleasure while using our hands,”—I drew a line using my index finger from the top of her collarbone down to her sexy little belly button—“our mouths,”—I placed a kiss on the underside of her left breast—“and our tongues.” I licked inside the seam of her mouth while she squirmed beneath me with heated anticipation.

  “We’ll make you come so hard you’ll forget your own fucking name.” I eyeballed her hardened nipples through the front of her dampened bra.

  “Would you like that, little pocket?” She gave a low moan that hit me right in the dick.

  Yeah, baby. That’s what I’m talkin’ about.

  She nodded her head yes, but I needed to hear the words from her mouth. The heat coming from between her legs and the smell of her arousal were intoxicating. It took every ounce of my willpower to stop me from attacking her like a crazed maniac. I didn’t plan this shit; something about watching her broken and debilitated inside that shower fucked with my head. I wanted her to feel alive and hopeful as she once did before things got so fucking complicated. She needed this. Deep down, I think we both did.

  “Need to hear the words Maribel. Do you want to feel good? Tell me you want that, baby.”

  “Yes, Marcus, I want it.”

  The rise and fall of her chest quickened with every breath she took.

  “Good girl. Call for Fox if you want him. He won’t come near you otherwise. If you decide it’s too much, we’ll stop. It’s all about your needs, baby, yours and yours alone. You feel me?”

  “Yes, yes, Marcus... please,” she panted.

  That was all the permission I needed to attack, but with purpose. It wasn’t about getting her off fast and hard; she was already so worked up, one strong puff of air to her sweet cunt would set her off like a rocket. No, I wanted to taste every part of her until she begged me to put her out of her misery. She had been a young girl when I left, and I had barely been a man. What did we know about savoring the moment? One lo
ok at her full tits and round, ripe ass was proof positive that she was all women now and deserved to be worshipped.

  I kneeled on the edge of the bed and captured her leg in a sure yet strong grip. I started at the base of her tiny foot while I nuzzled and sucked each one of her digits into my mouth until all five were glistening with my saliva. Maribel spread her legs and arched her back off the mattress, offering up her soaking wet pussy to my mouth, but that wasn’t my destination. I could see the outline of her engorged clit through her cotton panties, juicy and sweet like a ripened peach.

  But not yet.

  She groaned in frustration when I averted my lips downward toward her open thighs but stopped short of reaching the promised land. Her one leg thrown over my shoulder gave me open access to her core; all it would take was for me to slide her panties to one side and slam my cock into her awaiting heat. That’s what she wanted. Her body shook with pent-up need while she struggled against my hold to press her legs together to create friction she so desperately required to come.

  But not yet.

  Maribel tried to reach down and rub her swollen clit, but that wasn’t happening. I grabbed her hands just before she made contact and held them over her head until she whimpered in defeat. She wouldn’t last much longer; her breathing became choppy, and she fisted the sheets so hard I knew they would rip if she didn’t get her way soon. That’s when she called for him.

  Fox.

  She thought he could save her from me. He couldn’t.

  Not yet.

  Fox slowly approached the bed, like a predator stalking his prey before deciding at which angle he wanted to strike. His hard cock was visible through his sleep pants. A round pattern of wetness from the leaky head darkened the silk with his pre-come. He lifted her up by the arms and held her steady as she stood atop the mattress facing him. He looked her over from head to toe, seeing for himself that she wasn’t burned or scarred in any way. The easiest way to break a man like Mace Fox was through the tears of a woman in need. He attacked her mouth in a searing kiss. That should have made me want to break his fucking neck, but it didn’t. Maribel melted into his arms and returned his burning passion with some of her own. The sight of her finally letting go turned my dick to stone. She moaned and clawed at his shirtless back while she dangled like a rag doll in his arms with just her toes touching the bed.

  We worked as a team as if we’d practiced this dance a million times before. Fox worked her top half. Her tits became the object of his hunger. Her flimsy bra was ripped to shreds, a barrier to her hardened nipples that begged to be sucked. They nearly disappeared in his large palms as he squeezed and lapped at each before latching on. Her bottom half was left to me, which was just the way I wanted it. Her awkward position made it easy for me to slide underneath and remove her soaking-wet panties from her waist. Her delicious cream dripped down the insides of her thighs, and my mouth watered to finally be able to taste her. I grabbed her ass cheeks from behind and spread her open, revealing her forbidden hole that I claimed with my tongue greedily. If we didn’t end this soon, I’d have to break my promise and fuck her within an inch of her life. Three hard flicks against her clit was all it took to push her past the point of no return. Maribel threw back her head and screamed my name, her climax so powerful she ripped a plug of hair from Fox’s scalp before she finally released her hold.

  It was the sexiest thing I had ever seen in my life.

  I wanted more.

  I wanted it all.

  THIRTY-THREE

  Maribel

  “ARE YOU CERTAIN THIS is the course of action you’d like to take, Dr. Laine? Once it’s done, there is no going back, I’m afraid. Surely, we could come up with other alternatives to…”

  Raised voices. I could hear them so clearly but couldn’t make out the words. I was so tired, and my body felt as if I were swimming in a sea of mud. I just wanted to run away, run to my playhouse in the woods where I could be with him. Marcus. The strength I needed to breathe could only come from being wrapped in his arms, where it felt the most like home. Where are you, my tough guy? Why haven’t you come for me when I needed you the most?

  “Of course, I’m sure. Look at her. She’s killing herself. Maribel is incapable of making sound decisions at her age, so it’s up to me to do what’s best. I want my daughter back the way she was, not that hollowed-out version of herself.” Daddy? What’s wrong? Why are you angry?

  “That may not be possible, Dr. Laine. We won’t know the long-term effects until after the procedure, and by then it may be too late. You’ve read the literature, reviewed my recommendations. I must insist that you rethink your decision or at the very least give it more time; give Maribel more time.”

  “ENOUGH! We’ll proceed as scheduled in the morning. Whatever happens, I’ll take full responsibility for my actions.”

  True strength doesn’t come from what you can do; it comes from overcoming the things you though you couldn’t. Eight years, and I was still fighting to conquer the mountain of devastation left behind when Marcus decided to leave. What had happened earlier between Mace, Marcus, and me was a temporary moment of weakness on my part, and it wouldn’t happen again. I’d drunk from them like one of those mystical creatures described in ancient folklore and absorbed their masculine energy like a powerful elixir. I wasn’t worried; they had plenty to spare.

  Marcus had my uniform freshly laundered before we left Mace’s apartment, for which I was grateful. I hated to say goodbye to the sexy beast with sleepy eyes, but the time had come for me to face the music.

  “You must be strong, little one, or the crows will eat at your bones.” Mace held me close and whispered in my ear.

  I believed every word.

  An Irish mob boss thought I owed him a shit ton of money, my so-called boyfriend had skipped town, and my high school sweetheart was thoughtful enough to share me with a friend. Granted, there was no actual fucking involved, and I came so hard I saw spots. I’d say shit was about to get real interesting. Working in a sleazy diner all day without the use of my underwear was not my idea of fun, but there wasn’t enough time for a pit stop and still make it before the start of my shift. Marcus tried to persuade me to take a sick day, which of course, I flatly refused. No work meant I couldn’t pay my rent for the month or buy food. The job might have been shit, but it was all I had. I didn’t have my father’s money to fall back on anymore. I gave all that up a long time ago and never looked back. Marcus gave it his best shot, laid out all the reasons why it wouldn’t be safe for me at Nipsy’s until we figured out a plan. In the end, he decided that I was being too stubborn for my own good, and if I said another word, he’d put me over his knee and “spank my sassy ass.” His words, not mine. Tempting prospect, but I chose to get my kicks by watching him drink the motor oil we called coffee all day while he played the dutiful watchman.

  Marcus parked the bike out front, and I ran inside Nipsy’s with only a minute to spare. The horrible events surrounding last night’s shooting weighed heavily on my mind. Still, if I had any hopes of making it through the day, I had no choice but to ignore them. Odie was behind the counter ringing out a customer when she spotted me at the door and made a beeline in my direction. She barely reached halfway before her arms started swinging wildly, her head whipped side to side, and she hit me with so much shit I could hardly catch my breath.

  “Maribel, ohmigod, girl, you’re never gonna believe what happened.” I clocked in without responding, knowing full well she would tell me.

  “Nipsy threw a bitch fit because someone left the back door unlocked last night. Not like anyone would want to steal week-old hamburger meat, but you get the idea. Oh, and some Barbie-looking chick came looking for you earlier, but I told her to kick bricks. She was a nasty bitch anyway, so that part was fun.” Barbie bitch? The hell?

  She still hadn’t mentioned the blood stains on the floor, which should have been her lead off, not Nipsy and his bullshit. Odie continued to follow me until I’d stowed my person
al items and made my way back out front. It wasn’t until she caught sight of Marcus sitting at one of the tables that she finally took a breath from her animated narration.

  “Punch me really hard across the face, Maribel.” She gasped.

  “What?” I gasped. “Why, Odie?”

  “My future baby daddy is here, and I need to make sure I’m not dreaming.” She grabbed me by the arms and gave me a little shake.” Do you see that gorgeous piece of fuck my asshole and come all over my tits specimen of masculine dominance over there?” She pointed.

  “Yeah… about that.”

  “Just a second, Maribel.” She held up a finger and closed her eyes.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” I whisper-yelled.

  “Picturing my beautiful babies.” She sighed. “Six strapping boys with matching chin dimples dressed in leather jackets and black riding boots. One adorable little girl who is the apple of her daddy’s eye and has him wrapped around her little finger. Think it’s too early to get a head start on practicing my patterned breathing for the natural child birth?” Jiminy Cricket.

  I needed to know what had happened to the blood before Odie had a complete sexual meltdown.

  “Odie, I need you to focus. Was there anything unusual about the diner when you opened this morning? Anything at all that you might’ve considered… strange?”

  “YES! Usually, the object of my obsession sat at the counter during one my wet dreams, not at a table. Don’t you think that’s strange?” I loved that girl, but sometimes I wanted to strangle her.

  “Go take his order while I get everything ready for the lunch crowd.” I shooed her way. “And Odie? Try not to drool all over the paying customers, would you?”

  Odie squealed with excitement before she composed herself enough to walk over to where Marcus was sitting. I didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth about him and ruin her perfectly well thought-out fantasy. She’d find out soon enough, Lord help us all. Odie was the closest thing I had to a sister considering the turbulent relationship I had with my real one. I’d let her have her fun; it was worth it to see the look on Marcus’s face when she flirted shamelessly with him like I knew she would.