Ultimate Redemption

by Lydia Rowan

  7

  The heartbreak on his face was enough to rip the breath out of Lacey’s lungs.

  Maybe honesty wasn’t always the best policy, because if she could take the words she’d just said to Damien back, she would.

  It was true she wasn’t sure if she could trust him with everything that had happened, and the stakes were far too high for her to make a mistake. But to see the wound on his face was almost more than she could bear.

  God, she wished she knew what to do, but she didn’t and couldn’t act until she did. Couldn’t risk it.

  “Funny. You trusted me when I led you through the woods. You’re trusting me here, now. Why is that, Lacey?” he said, his voice sharp-edged.

  “I—”

  “Maybe I’m the one who should be worried. Tremaine always said you were a user, that you’d be my downfall. You had no problem tossing me aside, so it wouldn’t be that hard to finish me off. Maybe you’re working with Tremaine,” he said, his face twisted into a bitter expression that mirrored his voice.

  The words stung, and even though Lacey knew he’d intended them that way, she couldn’t help but try to defend herself.

  “Damien, I—”

  “Shut up.”

  “Don’t tell me to shut up again, Damien,” she said, her anger overtaking her.

  “So keep talking, spewing your bullshit. What the fuck do I care?” he said as he stood, bringing his lean but still powerful form to his full height.

  She stood as well, toe to toe with him, refusing to be intimidated, refusing to give in to his attempts to push her away. She wanted so desperately to comfort him, would do whatever she could to, but she couldn’t tell him everything, not yet.

  She reached up and cupped his cheek. “Damien, I—”

  “What? You gonna fuck me to make me feel better?”

  She cupped his cheek tighter, her pain intensifying with each moment she looked at his face, with each bitter word he hurled.

  He didn’t mean them, but Lacey did want to make him feel better.

  “I…”

  Her words trailed off when he pressed his mouth against hers and kissed her.

  But it wasn’t a kiss of passion.

  No, this was a kiss of domination, one designed to pour out all of the anger, hurt, and need that Damien felt. Feelings she felt herself.

  First she kept her lips closed against his kiss, but Damien was unrelenting and soon she lost the battle. She dropped her mouth open, and he quickly took his advantage, slipping his tongue inside and kissing her until she thought she might sink from the intoxication of his touch.

  She’d kissed Damien many times before, had known the complex contours of his body, his mouth, and he was still recognizable, but so different, the hard jaw the same, but thinner, the scruff against it brushing her skin a foreign sensation. The wildness, lack of restraint that seemed to drive him now were also new.

  Damien broke the kiss, and Lacey had to bite back a pout of disappointment.

  She knew this wasn’t about her, her pleasure, but she still wanted him, welcomed him, craved his touch.

  Before Lacey could really process the thought, Damien had lifted her and settled her on the kitchen counter, and then quickly worked her shirt up and over her head.

  She didn’t have on a bra, so Damien’s gaze lasered on her bare breasts, and as he watched, his blue eyes darkened, glittering with anger and desire, he reached for her, again stroked her with rough, calloused fingers.

  She shook against the touch and huffed out a breath.

  A breath that cut off in her throat when he quickly leaned forward and pulled one hard nipple between his teeth.

  Damien sucked hard, then nipped at the bud, soothing the sting with a swipe of his tongue.

  Lacey reached for him, locked her hands against his broad shoulders, felt the muscles straining there.

  There was truth in this time with Damien.

  If there was none anywhere else, it was in the passion they felt for each other, the wild, explosive energy that had always fueled them.

  “Damien—”

  He released her breasts with a wet-sounding pop, glared at her. “Shut up, Lacey.”

  She glared at him. “I thought I told you—”

  Her words were cut off when he again reached for her breasts, nipped at the fleshy underside before returning to his torment of her nipple.

  She still planned to protest, intended to let Damien know how little she appreciated being told to shut up, but anything she might have said was buried by the force of the pleasure he wrung from her.

  He still knew her body, and was now playing it, working at her nipple as he trailed his fingers across her back, letting them linger at the space between her shoulders, the one she had discovered with Damien was incredibly sensitive.

  She moved to touch him, but, without breaking his hold, he settled her arm back on his shoulders, and then, after he trailed his fingers down her skin and around, he worked her pants down her hips.

  She wasted no time helping, lifting her hips immediately to aid him.

  The cool marble against her bare skin was an interesting sensation, and at the back of her mind she thought about how odd it was to be here, with Damien Silver, making love on his kitchen counter.

  She stiffened then, pulled back, and Damien again glared at her. She looked into his dark, angry eyes, wondering at the question that had popped into her mind. Was that what they were doing? Was this making love, or was it something else?

  She searched Damien’s eyes for answers, her entire body a live wire as she watched him work his own pants down.

  He lifted his hard cock out of his pants and then put an angry hand on her hip, pulling her closer.

  She widened to accommodate him, shivering when he pressed his hardness at the opening of her sex.

  As she sat there, Damien so close to entering her, she decided it was lovemaking.

  His expression was pure anger, hurt, but Lacey thought, or at least hoped, there were other things behind those emotions.

  Because no matter what, she would always love him, and maybe the fact that he was so deeply hurt meant that he felt the same.

  When he pushed inside her, again not relenting until he was seated in one stroke, Lacey decided that was what it had to be.

  Then there was no further thought, only feeling, Damien’s hand heavy on her ass as he held her still and slammed into her over and over again, the wet sounds of their bodies smacking so deliciously lewd in the kitchen.

  The rasp of his cotton shirt against her skin. The feeling of his body different now, but his warm skin under her hands a soothing relief.

  Damien continued to thrust, and something about this, probably just the simple fact of being with him again, had Lacey crashing over the edge.

  She stiffened and then came on a harsh breath.

  Damien was only seconds behind, staying inside her as he spilled his seed.

  Lacey rested her forehead against his shoulder, but only momentarily.

  A second later he wrenched away from her, began to fasten his pants, and just that quickly, the moment was gone.

  Lacey slid down from the counter, adjusted her own pants, and then searched for her shirt.

  “It’s over there. Put it on and get out of here. I’ve finished with you now,” Damien said, turning away from her to zip his pants.

  Her stomach clenched at his harsh words, but he hadn’t moved fast enough that she missed the streak of hurt on his face.

  “Damien, I…”

  “Guess I need to be more direct. Get out, Lacey.”

  He still didn’t look at her, but he barked, voice deep, certain.

  Lacey stared at him, searching for something in his expression, just a hint that he wasn’t still closed off to her completely. That he didn’t hate her the way his blazing eyes said he did.

  There was nothing, though, only anger, hate.

  Lacey was defeated.

  “Do you have a car I can take?”
she asked.

  He snorted, the sound full of disgust. “Sure, take whatever you want out of the garage. You earned it.”

  8

  When Tremaine crested the hill, his guards stayed behind him as they had the previous day, again not following when he entered the house.

  After he entered the foyer, he wiped the sweat from his face and dropped the towel. Then, he finally looked at Rebecca, who stood ramrod straight, her tall body dressed in a much more appropriate red pantsuit, while holding a silver tray with a single glass of orange juice atop it.

  A huge improvement from the previous day, and Tremaine hoped for her sake the trend continued.

  He had plans for Silver, and though the situation was under control, he wouldn’t be able to relax completely until he knew that everything had been taken care of to his satisfaction. Little upsets, wrinkles in his well-tested system, especially those that were avoidable were something he had no patience for.

  And he could see from the tension in Rebecca’s dark eyes, she knew further screwups wouldn’t be accepted.

  “Good morning, Admiral Tremaine. How was your run?” she asked a few seconds after Tremaine looked at her.

  She managed to say the words in a way that wasn’t robotic and edged damn close to sincere, which was one of the reasons he kept her around. Tremaine had no use for personal relationships, especially when they were not to his direct financial benefit, but he did appreciate a warm welcome, even one that might have been insincere and coerced.

  He retrieved the glass and drank half of it in one swallow, then lowered it and looked into Rebecca’s eyes.

  “It went well, Rebecca.”

  He continued drinking and kept his eyes on her as he drained the rest of the glass and then returned it to the tray.

  “Do I make you uncomfortable?” he asked.

  “Of course not, Admiral Tremaine,” she replied instantly, the response practiced, automatic, but still managing to sound sincere.

  “Good. Because if this arrangement makes you uncomfortable, you’re free to leave at any time,” he said.

  “Thank you for the consideration, Admiral Tremaine, but I’m quite happy with my position,” she said.

  He nodded curtly and then made his way upstairs as he did every day.

  Rebecca was lying, he knew that as much as he knew anything, but she played her role admirably, and for Tremaine, that was enough.

  Because everyone lied.

  It was an undeniable fact of human existence, but Rebecca would stay as she’d said because Tremaine didn’t leave anything to chance. No, having accepted the way people were, he didn’t rely on them to keep their word. He always made sure he had the leverage to make sure people did as he required.

  And it had always worked, too. Except with Silver.

  Tremaine ignored the surge of bitterness and anger, knowing those emotions were simply distractions, and showered, dressed, and then made his way to his office, where McMillian was waiting for him.

  “There’s been a development?” Tremaine said as he strode past the man who stood at attention and settled at his desk.

  “Silver intercepted Lacey Bowers.”

  “You consider that a development? I didn’t think it was anyone else,” Tremaine said, irritated but trying to beat that irritation back.

  “Of course not, sir,” McMillian said, “but he’s also back on the radar. He took her to the Silver Estate.”

  Now that was a development, and a ballsy move, taking her to the first place he knew Tremaine would look.

  “Should we retrieve them?” McMillian asked.

  Tremaine glared at the other man, irritated.

  “I don’t think we can access the Silver Estate without drawing far more attention than I’m interested in,” Tremaine said blandly, though he resented the fact he had to say anything.

  That should have been self-evident.

  “But he’s vulnerable, sir. He has something slowing him down,” McMillian said.

  Tremaine shook his head. “So impatient. That’s why you’ll never go anywhere.”

  McMillian nodded, though Tremaine saw the moment’s hesitation in his eyes. “I apologize, Admiral Tremaine. It’s just that—”

  “Just what? We should just rush in there, guns blazing, with no idea of their defenses. Maybe we should call the press ourselves?” Tremaine said.

  “I understand, sir, but…direct action is effective,” McMillian said.

  “Foolish and shortsighted. With your kind of thinking, I wouldn’t have lasted a fraction of the time I have. I fear what your leadership would do to my organization,” Tremaine said.

  “Of course, sir,” McMillian said. “So what does this mean, and what do we do?”

  Tremaine, who had sat up, leaned back in his chair, relaxing at least a little. McMillian was asking for insight, something Tremaine didn’t have enough chance to provide, so Tremaine would indulge him some.

  “Going back there is daring, but Silver is daring. Do we know if Damien has contacted his brother?” Tremaine asked.

  McMillian blinked but stayed silent.

  “Did it even occur to you that might be a good thing to know?” Tremaine asked, keeping his voice even, which took a great deal of effort.

  “No, sir,” McMillian said.

  Tremaine shook his head. “Damien went after her, and he knows me well enough to know that it would be foolish to try to hide from me. It’s smart, in a way, going back to the turf he knows best. It’s only a matter of time before he brings in his brother and the rest of those idiots at Silver Industries.”

  “So what do we do?” McMillian asked, watching Tremaine intently.

  “There’s been a change in mission directives, McMillian,” he said.

  “Go ahead, sir,” McMillian responded.

  “I was content to send a message and leave Damien and his brother alone,” Tremaine said.

  “You’ve changed your mind?” McMillian asked.

  “Yes. I won’t get a better opportunity than this. My issue is with Lucian, but Damien and I have unfinished business, and it’s time to bring it to a close.”

  “Meaning, sir?” McMillian asked.

  “Meaning Damien isn’t half the man he used to be. Plus he’s angry, and that anger will make him restless, impulsive, which will make him sloppy. I’ll give him a little push, and Damien will take care of the rest on his own. He’ll make a mistake, and when he does, I’m going to take everything he loves from him—again—and then I’m going to take his life,” Tremaine said.

  9

  “Thank you for setting this up and coming to get me,” Lacey said as she looked at the man who slipped behind the steering wheel.

  Cade McManus, the man who was her brother in all the ways that counted, glared at her, but then turned the key in the ignition. “Didn’t leave me much choice, did you?”

  “Cade…”

  “Lacey…”

  His face was set in a grimace, not uncommon for Cade, who was not given to smiling, especially not in circumstances like these.

  “Had to call in a lot of favors, bend a lot of rules to get you on that flight,” he said.

  “I know, but you know I wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t absolutely vital.”

  “Yeah, I figured. But maybe I’m not the one you should be asking for help. At least not with this,” he said.

  “Cade, you know the situation,” she said, though she couldn’t put the feeling into defending herself that she normally would. She hadn’t yet recovered from Damien, which left her precious few reserves to spar with her brother.

  He scoffed. “Yeah, I know the situation.”

  Lacey felt the tendrils of her patience and calm begin to fray. “I don’t need you judging me right now, Cade,” she said, her voice tight.

  “Then you need to act like you have a brain. Do you know what you’re doing, Lacey?”

  She raised her hands in surrender. “I know what I’m doing, and I know you don’t agree with it. But we�
��re in the situation we’re in, and right now, I have other things to worry about. So can we please just get to the ranch and go from there?” she said.

  Cade just looked at her, dark eyes lasered on her, blond hair bright in the evening sun. For a moment, she didn’t think he would relent. He did, though, nodding and pressing the gas hard.

  Lacey leaned back against the seat, but she didn’t relax. Couldn’t do that. At least, for the moment, she could breathe and count on her brother’s support.

  “Did you tell Roy and LaTonya that we were coming?” she asked, hoping he had prepared her parents for her arrival.

  “They know. Daniel is there too,” Cade said.

  Lacey smiled despite herself.

  The day she’d met Roy and LaTonya had been the best of fourteen-year-old Lacey’s life, even if she hadn’t known it at the time. Her mother had left her in the middle-of-nowhere, Nevada, never to return, and she’d found herself with foster parents Roy and LaTonya on their ranch.

  Lacey had been terrified. She hadn’t missed her mother; if anything, the woman’s departure had been a blessing. But she’d known enough to know that she didn’t want to get caught in the system, so she’d kept her head down. She’d never been outwardly defiant, but she’d definitely kept her distance, did everything she could to avoid participating in the patchwork family of foster kids Roy and LaTonya had taken in.

  They hadn’t pushed, either. Had just gone on, showing Lacey with word and deed that some people could be trusted, and that she could have a family if she just let herself.

  Once she’d taken that step, she’d felt at one with them, and knew that she’d found her home, the one place she could always go back to.

  Through the years, Roy and LaTonya, and her brothers Cade and Daniel had been there, were people she trusted implicitly.

  Damien too, much as her actions seemed to suggest the contrary. But she’d been so unsure and he’d been so angry, Lacey had retreated. She’d work this out, though. See that Tremaine got his long-awaited just deserts and then she’d go to Damien, beg for his forgiveness, and pray he gave it.