“Obviously, I know you can get out by yourself. But this is a big deal. I thought you might like the comfort.” His handsome forehead wrinkled with sympathy. She smiled up at him and took his hand.
She paused, facing the steepled stone building before them. She felt exposed in the bare parking lot and lawn leading up to it, even though she understood the rationale behind removing cover for escaping fugitives. Emily glanced at a few other cars pulling up for visiting hours. She feared recognizing someone she’d interacted with while on the other side of this situation.
Javier squeezed her hand. “You doing okay?”
“Yeah. We have to empty our pockets. They have a bunch of really strict rules.”
She watched him anxiously as they prepped. He had to be thinking about Fernando and what it would be like to visit him this way. Emily worried she’d made the wrong decision bringing him here. She wanted to show him she understood his situation, but what if this scared him out of helping her or made him regret what he’d already done?
Javier stashed his things in the glove box, then straightened, his hands in his pockets. The jeans and T-shirt she’d bought him didn’t flatter the long lines of his body as well as the suit he’d been wearing initially, but he seemed more at ease in them.
She retrieved his hand and walked into the prison at his side. Emily gritted her teeth through the metal detector, the wand search, the pat-down and the questions from the guards. Javier got through this gantlet with easy good grace, never seeming impatient even when his name excited extra attention.
They rejoined and followed a guard to a long table where Scott waited. Emily took a deep breath and willed herself forward. Scott had filled out since she’d seen him last. His chest and arms had grown massive, though his cheeks were gaunt and his waist slim. A thin scar split his eyebrow. His skin was several shades paler than she’d ever seen it. Scott narrowed his hazel eyes as Emily and Javier approached.
“Are you engaged?”
Emily glanced at Javier, her face reddening. “No! Why do you ask?”
Scott leaned back and shrugged. “You haven’t been here in years. I figured there had to be an occasion.”
She sighed and took a chair across from him. “I’m sorry I let so much time pass. This is Javier.” She gave her lover a tight smile. “He was kind enough to come with me.”
“Right. To support you because it’s so difficult to have a brother who’s a criminal.”
“That’s not what I think. Has Dad been here?”
Scott nodded. “You’re all he talks about. He’s lucky I’m a captive audience.”
Emily smiled uneasily. Several continuations for the joke occurred to her, but each seemed like it might offend Scott. Before she could come up with something else to say, her brother looked more closely at Javier.
“You look just like your brother.”
Javier jumped and leaned forward. “You know my brother?”
“Only as a customer. I wish Emily had told me how much you look like him.”
“Emily told you I was coming?”
“Yeah, genius. They wouldn’t have let you in if I hadn’t put your name on my visitor list.”
Emily held up her hand, asking Javier to back off for a second. “Why does it bother you that he looks like his brother?”
Scott shrugged. His eyes took on a cruel light that told her he’d closed the subject for the moment. “Sis, you look shabby. You done trying to prove you don’t need Daddy’s money? Believe me, he’d love to have his little girl come home.”
“I’m not a little girl.”
“Is that why you’re running with him? You get yourself a Bonavita, then Daddy knows you’re really not going to accounting school.”
She glanced again at Javier. “It’s a complicated story.”
Scott snorted. “I’ll bet.”
Emily laced and unlaced her fingers in her lap. “Scott, I miss you.”
Her brother gave a short, bitter laugh. “You know where I am. It’s not like I’ve gone anywhere.”
“I would visit. I think about it all the time.”
“And then what stops you? Is there a barricade across 95 South?”
“No,” Emily said. She forced herself to look at Scott. Javier’s fingers closed around her thigh, and she felt glad for his presence. “The last time I was here, you didn’t seem like you thought much of what I’m trying to do with my life.”
Scott winced. He reached out as if he wanted to touch her, then dropped his hands to the table, palms down. “I’d just gotten sentenced here, Emily. The idea of you working to keep guys like me in places like this didn’t sit well at the time.”
She glanced at the other tables. She probably didn’t know any of the other inmates—most of the jobs she took for Guy were for fugitives who ended up in minimum security or work release. Still, she imagined coming here to visit Scott while Fernando Bonavita glared at her from across the room.
“I thought you were ashamed of me, Em,” Scott said, interrupting her reverie. “I bet it’s pretty embarrassing to visit your screw-up brother here while you’re working with the law. Won’t your friends think less of you?”
“I don’t have friends like that,” Emily said fiercely. She looked to Javier again as if she could find courage on his face. “I thought you were like Dad. That you figured I was too stupid and weak to do this job.”
Scott sighed, lifting his arms in a helpless gesture at their surroundings. “Trying to prove we’re not like Dad just doesn’t work, does it? I can be here and you can still think I’m just like him.” He shook his head, then quirked his lips in a half-smile. He jabbed a finger at Javier. “Look, man, don’t get confused about this. That girl might look little, but she’s been able to kick my ass since she was about fifteen. Last I knew, she had a third-degree black belt, and she’s probably added another level since the last time she came to see me. Don’t screw with her, man. She’s not stupid or weak.”
Javier grinned in reply. “I know.”
Scott’s intense expression cracked and he smiled at both of them. He raised an eyebrow at Emily. “Feel better?”
“Yeah. I’m glad you have faith in my ability to viciously assault people.”
“I do.” He rubbed the back of his hand over his face and took a deep breath. “I’m glad you came, Emily. I hope you do again. But don’t bring him next time.”
Emily frowned. “You don’t like him?”
“I didn’t say that.” Scott glanced over his shoulder, then dropped his voice so low Emily had to strain to hear him. “A lot of the guards here have it in for Fernando Bonavita. I’m probably going to get beat up tonight over this.”
“What?” Emily’s chest tightened.
“Don’t make that face. I don’t want you drawing attention.”
“Scott, I’m not letting anyone hurt you.”
“You don’t have a choice, sis. No matter how tough you are.” He shrugged. “I can take it.”
Anguish crawled up her neck, making it hard to breathe or swallow. “Scott, why did you put his name on your visitor list without telling me this?”
Scott turned his head. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come.”
She touched his hand. “Scott…”
“Look, Emily, don’t worry. I mean it. I’ll be okay. But I understand why his brother didn’t want to come back here. I’ve heard rumors that some gang wants him to die in prison.”
“Who?” Javier said.
Scott let out a short laugh. “I’m not crazy, dude. That’s all you’re getting out of me.” He cleared his throat and sat up straighter. “You guys had better go. We’re getting more attention than I’m comfortable with. And I don’t want to look too buddy-buddy with your boyfriend here.”
Emily’s heart wanted to break, but she had plenty of practice hardening herself to do what had to be done. She nodded to Scott and stood to leave.
“Emily?”
“Yeah.”
“I hope he makes you ha
ppy. Because I can kick his ass too, if it’s ever necessary.”
She was surprised to find tears in her eyes. “I love you, Scott.”
“Get out of here.”
She nodded and let Javier tug her toward the door. She’d have leaned on him all the way out if she hadn’t been so worried about Scott’s warning. As it was, she held herself together until they got to the car. Only then did she allow herself to collapse in Javier’s arms and sob.
“Your brother seems like a good guy,” Javier said after a minute.
“Yeah, I didn’t realize how much. That was nice of you to come with me. Thank you.”
He stroked her hair but didn’t answer. Emily checked Javier’s face and found a distant, thoughtful expression that snapped her out of her personal concerns. “You’re thinking about Fernando.”
“Your brother didn’t have to tell us as much as he did. I’m sure that was a big risk, maybe even more than letting me in there in the first place. You should make sure to go back and see him in a few days, make sure he’s okay.”
Emily took a deep breath. “I want you to come with me to talk to Guy about Fernando. He’s not going to throw him back in jail when the word is he’ll get killed there. I promise.”
“He could still be innocent, if this is why he ran.”
Emily stroked the side of Javier’s face. “It does change what we know. We’ll do what we can to help him.”
Javier glanced at her, his lips twisting. “He’s worth fifty grand to you. I haven’t forgotten that.”
Emily sighed. “I’ve never pretended about that. I do want the money. But I’m not going to send a man to his death. That’s not justice.”
Javier’s throat moved. He lowered his head. “It’s good that you’re so concerned with justice.”
“And you,” Emily whispered.
His head jerked up. “Are you saying you’ll help him for my sake?”
“I’m not going to help a guilty man escape,” Emily said firmly. “But otherwise… Yes.”
“Even if it means you don’t get your money?”
“Well, I hope you’ll stick around and help me pay the rent for at least a few months with a whole bunch of small-time jobs.”
Javier pulled Emily close and kissed her, his fingers gripping her jaw with almost painful possessiveness. “I love you,” he said.
Emily blinked. “What?”
“I love you.”
She could only stare.
“Do I have something on my teeth?”
“No.” Emily shook her head and tried to collect herself. “I’m sorry, Javier.”
“Did I offend you?”
“God no. I just—it seems a little soon.”
“After you just finished telling me you’ll risk your career for my brother? And that I ought to live with you for at least a few months? And after you take me with you to see a family member you haven’t seen in years? I didn’t question you on any of that or tell you those things happened too soon.” Javier held her gaze. “I said three words, Emily, and I did mean them. But people make too big a deal out of that. Your actions are speaking a lot louder than anything I can say.” He took her hand, and his voice softened. “Unless I’m taking this the wrong way. Maybe it’s about ‘justice’ after all.”
Emily swallowed hard. He seemed almost too handsome to believe, with his wide nose, dimpled cheeks and intense, dark eyes. She offered a shaky smile. “It’s not about justice.”
“Good.”
She wanted to tell him how she felt but words eluded her. An image of Matthew came to her unbidden, insisting she just hadn’t admitted that she loved him. A wave of anger brought her back to herself. “I’ve never said it to any lover,” she said suddenly. “Those words. They are a big deal to me.”
Javier kissed the back of her hand. “You say whatever you want, whenever you want to say it, Emily. As long as I’m not misunderstanding what we’re doing with each other.”
“You’re not.”
“Then let’s switch places. I’m driving.”
“What are you talking about?”
He touched the tip of her nose. “You are going to be too busy to drive.”
“Huh?”
“Switch, Emily. Unless you don’t want to surrender to me anymore?” The sharp tone of his words moistened Emily’s folds even when she had no idea where this was headed. She left the keys in the ignition, got out and moved to the passenger seat.
“Sit cross-legged,” Javier said, once she’d taken her place and fastened the seatbelt.
She raised an eyebrow, but she obeyed, the subtle force of his control settling over her like a snug embrace. Javier leaned down into her lap, his lips teasing her clit through her pants. He lapped it through the material, his tongue hot and wet even through the barrier. Emily closed her eyes and arched her back, embarrassed about their surroundings but too aroused to tell him to stop.
He opened her pants with one hand. “I can smell you,” Javier whispered.
“That’s because I’m really turned on,” Emily returned, the words complete with a bratty eye roll.
Metal clinked and a cold, hard band closed around her right ankle. She jumped, alarm pouring through her despite her trust for him. Javier moved his head out of the way, allowing her to see one side of the handcuffs she’d used on him, encircling her right ankle. The other side rested in his open palm. “If you don’t want this, you can still kick my ass. Or tell me to stop.” Javier studied her with a half-smile on his face. “Or you can trust me and enjoy the ride.”
She worked to catch her breath. She could hear her pulse racing in her ears. “I’ve never let anyone restrain me before.” Desperation came through clearly in her voice.
“You’ve never been restrained?”
“Well, Matthew used to tie me up sometimes. He’d make me surrender to it. We’d fight it out until he overpowered me.”
Javier’s face hardened. “Do you mean he tied you up against your will?”
“No! We had a safeword that I could have used.” She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. She had wanted to use the safeword sometimes but hadn’t wanted to admit defeat to Matthew. She wasn’t about to tell that to Javier though. It would complicate matters too much. She looked for a better way to explain. “I needed him to force me to accept the rope. I couldn’t just lie there and let him put it on me.”
Javier touched her chin. “Emily. It turns me on to control you, but only because I know you’re choosing to let me. I’m never going to ‘overpower’ you. I probably wouldn’t be able to. But even if I could, I don’t think that’s what dominance is about.” He trailed one finger over her ankle, bringing her attention back to the metal locked around it. “Dominance is about you trusting me. If I had to force you to accept the rope, I’d think it meant you weren’t ready to be tied. I would wait until you were. Do you understand?”
Emily took a deep breath and nodded.
“You scared me a little the day I spanked you. I felt like you would let me beat you to a pulp before you asked me to stop. I started out wanting to tease you and at some point I realized I had to protect you from yourself.”
“I love you too,” Emily said, then wanted to laugh because she felt as stunned as Javier looked.
“I thought we just finished talking about how you weren’t ready to say that.”
Emily touched the handcuffs pointedly. “Sometimes just knowing someone would wait until you’re ready makes you ready,” she said. “Put them on me, Javier. Please.”
A slow grin spread over his face. “As you wish.” He slipped her pants and panties down off her body, guiding them carefully over the handcuff attached to her ankle. She didn’t think anyone in the parking lot could see her considering the angle of the window, but she still felt exposed with her pubic hair waving in response every time the air moved inside the car.
Next, Javier took her left wrist and snapped the other cuff on, trapping Emily in at least half of her cross-legged position. It was
a clever way to restrain her and she shivered with the sense of helplessness it gave her. If she tried to move, she’d be off-balance and easy to control. Javier kissed her forehead. “How are you doing?”
She smiled bravely. “Good.”
“Glad to hear it. Now, I’m going to assume you want to put your pants back on before we walk back into your building.”
“Uh, yeah.”
“And they’re not going to go on very well while your leg is attached to your arm like that.”
“So I need to get these handcuffs off.”
Javier’s smile showed a lot of teeth. “Oh I’m not going to let you have anything that could be used to pick locks. You’re going to have to convince me to take them off.”
Another jolt of arousal quivered through her body. “What would convince you?”
“Well, I took your pants off because I want to see you come. A lot. But.” Here he paused and smiled wickedly. “I’m going to be too busy driving to make you come myself. If you’re very good and come three times before we get to your apartment, then I’ll take the handcuffs off and give you back your pants before I take you inside.”
Emily worried she’d drip onto the seat. “And if I don’t?”
“It’s going to be really interesting to see how you move when you’re restrained like that, isn’t it?” Javier started the car while Emily gaped. “Hey, I was nice,” he added. “You’re right-handed, and that’s the one I left free. Imagine if you were trying to bring yourself off three times with your non-dominant hand.”
“You are a bastard.” Emily slipped her right hand between her legs. She’d gotten so wet that her clit eluded her touch, slipping out from under her finger when she tried to rub it. The car jerked as Javier drove, making her task even more difficult. “Why are you driving so fast?”
“I think the look on a cop’s face seeing you like that would be worth the speeding ticket. And better yet, I think I know a shortcut back to your place.”
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