Requiem (Remington Carter Book 2)

by Emma Cole

  "Do you know I jerked off twice, listening to you last night? Wishing I was between your thighs? That I was the one making you scream my name?" I gulp, eyes wide at the change in his demeanor. "I remember that night. It's played in my head regularly over the years. You've had a starring role in my fantasies, and even though you're here, you're still out of my reach. I don't know how I can want someone so badly. Someone I lost, but never really had." His words break my heart. The anguish is clear in his voice and dark blue eyes. "Can I have you now, love? Will you keep me?"

  By the time he finishes, he's inches from my face. My mouth is dry, and my panties are getting wet. So I do the only logical thing a girl faced with that kind of speech can do... I jump him. Literally.

  Throwing my leg around his waist and hands on his shoulders I press up, Dylan’s hands coming under my bottom to boost me the rest of the way up. The kiss is violent. Teeth and tongues colliding. We can't get enough of each other, and surely, we'll both have bruised lips. We eventually have to come up for air. I smile at him in challenge with swollen lips and sultry eyes. He takes it and lays me back on the desk grinding his erection between my legs.

  Unfortunately, we're interrupted by the buzzing of a phone. I tap Dylan on the shoulder to get his attention as he's busy pushing my shirt up and not noticing the ringing. I can see the frustration on his face. To his credit, he doesn't complain. He fixes my clothing and helps me sit up before adjusting himself. I hop off the desk and start opening drawers until I find the phone.

  I recognize the number and my heart sinks. Putting a finger to my lips for Dylan to be quiet, I answer it, putting it on speaker phone. "Hello, Greyside Security."

  "Samantha, what did you do?" The voice is frantic.

  "Adam? Samantha doesn't work here anymore, this is Remi. Can I help you with something?" There's a pause long enough that I look to see if he's hung up.

  "Remi, I'm sorry. I shouldn't– I can't talk right now. Do you know how to get in touch with Samantha?" He sounds like something is very wrong.

  "No, I don't. I can maybe see–"

  "No, it's fine," he cuts me off. "I gotta go. Wait, Remi? Stay home. Just do that for me, okay?" He hangs up without letting me answer. I frown at the phone as the 'call ended' information pops up on the screen.

  "What the heck? And how does he know Samantha?" I go into the call log and see multiple missed call and texts from Adam to Samantha. It only goes back to the day Samantha was let go, but it's more than enough to raise red flags and questions all over the place. I look up when Dylan doesn't reply. He's engrossed in messaging the guys, I think. While I wait for him to finish, I start reading the texts. They're vague, but each one is more distressed than the previous.

  "Dylan, I need to go see what's going on with him. He's acting weird. Even last night. What if he needs help?" That gets his attention.

  "Love, don't you dare think about setting one foot out this door without me."

  "I wasn't planning on it." I roll my eyes, even as it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside that he's so protective.

  "Ethan and Beck are gone following up with a client for an upcoming event,” he says. “They're in the city and it will take too long to get back. Eli is on his way down."

  "I have to get dressed, it's too cold to wear this outside." I don't wait for his reply, instead, I run up the stairs and into Eli. "I'm getting dressed I'll be right down."

  "Alright, we'll get the truck started."

  While I'm throwing on warmer clothes, I go through the garage in my head. The only trucks I remember are a big black thing and an off-road hybrid that's more suited for play. I wonder briefly why we aren't taking Eli's Jeep.

  I get back down to the garage, and sure enough, it's the big one. It has a full backseat with four doors and running boards to climb up onto. I get in and buckle up.

  "Should we call the police?" I ask. I can see the guys are asking themselves the same question.

  "If anything looks odd, yes, immediately. We're not playing hero. Ethan is seeing if he can get in touch with anyone today." Dylan glances at me in the mirror at the ‘hero’ part, I’d assume to reinforce it.

  With a plan in mind, we head for Adams place.

  "Uh, guys?” I ask. “Do you know where Adam lives? Cuz I don't." A snort from Eli makes me annoyed. "You did a background check, didn't you?" They both nod. Of course they did. "Why didn't we take your Jeep?"

  Dylan answers for him. "My truck and Ethan's SUV have been reinforced. It's safer." He sees my quizzical look in the mirror. "Eli and Beck haven't decided if they want new vehicles or just upgrade the ones they have."

  I shrug, curiosity appeased. It makes sense.

  Nothing looks blatantly out of place when we pull up to a duplex not too far from the brownstone. The guys tell me to stay in the car with 911 ready to go on my phone. I lock the doors and blanch when I see both Eli and Dylan pull out handguns from under their jackets. I mean, I know in an abstract way that they'd have them in their line of work, and my dad had a collection and taught me to shoot, but I haven't been exposed to this side of their lives before.

  They do their thing at the door, like real professionals; one on guard while the other knocks. There's no answer, and they split when Dylan tries the handle and it's unlocked. Eli goes around the side, presumably to the back door. I'm on tenterhooks waiting for them to come back out. Dylan appears in the doorway, trying to tell me something, except I can't hear him through the closed window. I get exasperated when the control won't work to roll it down. The child locks must be on, I bet it's a prank from Beck. I crack open the door and the sound of his voice filters in.

  "Remi, call an ambulance. Adam is unconscious. Eli is with him. I left my phone in the truck."

  I glance down to push the green icon to connect my call.

  "911, what's your emergency?"

  I put the phone to my ear and start to tell the operator the address and situation, when a shadow comes up behind Dylan. Thinking it's Eli, I don't immediately call out a warning. By the time I realize it's not him, it's too late, and a syringe is jabbed into his neck. He begins fighting his attacker off until his movement slows. I scream for Eli and start running toward the house, speaking as rapidly and clearly as possible to the operator. I don't make it more than a few steps when someone tackles me from behind.

  My phone slides across the driveway, the operator’s voice becoming tinny and distant. I skid to a stop, the breath knocked out of me and my hands scraped where I tried to break my fall. I hurt all over, with sharp pains in my wrist and both knees. I struggle to push past it and flip to face my attacker.

  That bitch. It's Samantha, and she's gleefully maniacal. I manage to get my unhurt arm free and punch her in her smug ass face, making her rear back. My victory is short-lived, though, when a cargo van pulls up and a figure dressed in black with a ski mask on, flies out at us. I try to break free and yell for Dylan. If there are neighbors, I hope they called the cops.

  A sting in my neck makes my horror complete. Whatever it is, it’s fast acting. My vision goes fuzzy and dark. I don't know what happened to Dylan and Eli. I know my call to 911 went through, and as long as it stayed connected, they know something happened. I can't remember if I got the full address out or not.

  Dylan

  I wake to Adam being carted out past me to a van that two others are loading Remi up in. I don't fucking think so. I must have dislodged the needle before my attacker pushed the plunger, since whatever was used in the syringe didn't have me out long. I'm weak and uncoordinated yet manage to get to my feet.

  With a glance toward the living area, I see Eli is out cold on the floor. His chest is rising, and I don't see any blood. I leave him to quietly follow the masked person whose carrying Adam. I spot Remi's phone and can make out a voice. I scoop it up as I pass, my movement catching the attention of the kidnapper. I quickly rattle off the address before dropping it and rushing the guy. By his size and ability to carry Adam, it has to be a dude. He tries t
o dump Adam, but it's too late. I plow into him, Adam’s dead weight landing on top of him. Not stopping, I run as fast I can, wobbly with the drug still in my system, to get to the van. Jumping in, I pull up short.

  Samantha.

  "You, fucking, bitch."

  My surprise is my downfall, as something hard collides with my head. With a groan, I fall over, barely catching myself from landing on Remi. She's unconscious but breathing. As long as she's alive… I don't want to imagine otherwise.

  I hear a man's voice saying to leave me. I'm too stunned to do much, but I try. Suddenly, I'm pushed out onto the grass at the curb, the fall jarring as I hit my head again. The last thing I hear are the doors slamming shut and the van taking off.

  To be continued….

  Watch for announcements on book 3!

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