Redemption

by Alla Kar

  And those stupid tight ass yoga pants. Goddammit. Didn’t she have any real clothes?

  “Declan, you want some more to drink?”

  I glanced up from my plate at Wes. He smiled over at me, offering me the jug of sweet tea. “Thank you, yes.”

  I poured myself another glass and wished it was Bacardi. Shit, I needed a fucking drink.

  Dinner had started off awkward and it hadn’t gotten any better. Cooper kept his eyes on Neveah almost as much as tossed me dirty looks. There was no way the kid trusted me and frankly, I didn’t give a fuck.

  “Aunt Shelly said y’all done a lot of shopping.”

  Neveah pushed her mashed potatoes around on her plate. “Yep. Got me some underwear and new workout clothes.”

  Wes frowned. “I don’t want to think about your underwear.”

  She rolled her eyes and dipped her hand below the table where I knew she gave Lucy food. “I don’t want to think about yours and how you let Declan wear them.”

  What?

  Wes’ fork rattled against his plate. “And how do you know—,”

  “Oh, please!” she cried out. “I took him his food and noticed he had your underwear on.”

  Wes’ shoulders relaxed and the nervous flutter in my stomach stopped. “Well, you can take him to the mall tomorrow to get some then.”

  Neveah’s mouth popped opened. “Stop volunteering me for things.”

  Cooper snorted and shook his head. There was something I didn’t like about that little prick.

  “Declan.”

  God it would take some time to get used to that name. I wanted to tell them my real name, but I couldn’t and wouldn’t. There were too many things I needed to figure out before I told them the truth. And one was finding my damn sister.

  “Sir?”

  “Neveah will take you into town tomorrow morning to get you some clothes. I think my shirts are a little too tight on you.”

  “A little?” Neveah mumbled.

  Wes smiled and tossed a roll at her plate. “Why aren’t you eating? You need to eat. All that damn running you do and you never eat. No wonder you have that six pack.”

  Pink rose to her cheeks, and she flipped him off.

  Six pack? There was part of me that wanted to rip that stupid tank top off and see what he was talking about, but the rational side of me was screaming ‘don’t even fucking think about it, or her, or those sexy legs.’

  “Whatever. Can we just please finish supper and not talk about inappropriate things?”

  Cooper laughed and sat back in his chair. “Do you remember the time we snuck out and went to the Halloween hayride?”

  Something coiled in my stomach. Why in the hell did that make me so angry? Why in the hell did he even bring it up? Neveah narrowed her gaze at Cooper and pressed her mouth into a thin line.

  Wes glared at Cooper. “Y’all snuck out? I guess it’s time for an ass whooping, Neveah.”

  She gave him a smartass grin. “You’ll have to catch me first, old man.”

  After thirty minutes of listening to Wes replay the story of that day for Cooper, I could feel the tension grow in the room. It was pretty obvious that Cooper didn’t give a shit about it, because all he was worried about was Neveah who had excused herself to her room ten minutes before.

  Wes laughed and leaned back. “You ever think of boxing?”

  “No, not really,” I said. I’d boxed in prison for two years. The guards got more out of it than us, at first. Then I started to love it, thrive for it. “I didn’t learn how to fight professionally. It’s all been street fightin’ for me.”

  Wes leaned forward, and I could see he’d pulled on his coach’s mask. “You’ve got a great foundation, and what would it hurt to try?”

  Everything. I couldn’t get distracted with this, I had to get my sister back. I clutched my phone in my hand and bit my bottom lip. What if I was good? I could make something out of myself. Or just try for his sake while I’m here? He is giving me a free room and board.

  “I’ll give it a shot,” I said.

  Wes slapped the table and sent Cooper a punch to the shoulder. “How about that? Well, I say we start tomorrow when you get back from shopping with Nev.”

  Cooper dropped his glass on the table and bounded up. “Why does Neveah have to take him?”

  Wes jerked back to avoid the splatter. “Dammit, Copper. Get this shit cleaned up. What’s wrong with you?” Wes yelled.

  Cooper didn’t drop eye contact. Was he seriously snarling at me? Neveah must have done something good to him in high-school for him to act like a jealous fifteen-year-old. But what could I say? I hated that a kid stole any of her attention, and I’d just met her. “Is that a problem?” I asked.

  Wes sighed. “Get this shit picked up, Cooper. And stop acting like a damn woman.”

  Without a glance in our direction, he stormed out of the room and slammed the bathroom door. “He was in love with her,” Wes said, running his hands through his hair. “They dated for a couple years in high-school, he proposed, and she said no, because she doesn’t want to live her life here. I can’t blame her either. I love the kid to death but he’s borderline obsessive.”

  “Seems like it,” I mumbled.

  Wes slapped my back. “Don’t worry about it. You better go get some rest. Call me if you need anything.”

  I stood with him and walked out toward the guest house. It was only nine but the twin size bed called my name. I got to the cabin door and noticed Neveah’s blinds were opened. Her bare ass was toward the window as she slipped a long T-shirt over her head.

  Jesus Christ she is definitely a runner. And she had to do squats to get an ass like that. My fingers clutched the door knob and heat consumed me. Parts of me ached for her and other parts were praying for me to just go inside.

  The fabric fell softly against the curve of her back, and she untucked that long brown hair I’d been dying to sink my fingers into. Why did she have to be so fucking tempting?

  Shaking my head, I opened the door and locked the latch. My phone felt heavy in my pocket and each passing minute felt like a year.

  I hadn’t talked to Dante since they drug him out of the poker room a week before. I didn’t know what happened to him or if they kept him alive, but I was pretty sure everyone received one warning. I’d been nervous to call, because I was afraid that they’d fucked him up.

  I sat on the edge of the bed and palmed my phone. I needed his help, but I knew it was a lot to ask. He’d already risked his life for me. I dialed the number, and he answered on the fifth ring.

  “Dante,” I said.

  He hesitated. “You’re alive?”

  I swallowed and screwed my eyes shut. “Yes, they thought they killed me. A girl found me.”

  Dante sighed into the phone. “Thank, God. They all think you’re dead. I thought you were dead, brother.”

  “I should be, but I’m safe for the moment, still a little bruised but I’m fine.”

  Dante sighed. “That’s good to hear.”

  A heavy silence fell over the phone. “What did they do to you?”

  The awful silence fueled my awareness, and I knew it wasn’t good. “Just broke my leg. It’s healing, I’ll be fine.”

  Anger coursed through me, a low throb ached in my head. “I’m sorry, Dante—,”

  “Don’t apologize. I’d do it again for you, brother. I’m with you. Your sister is worth every second of it.”

  “I appreciate it,” I murmured. “Where are you?”

  “I’m at home. They are monitoring me, but I think I can get away tomorrow during their lunch with their family. Damn bastards have lunch with their mothers like they don’t kill people on the fucking side. Can you meet me somewhere?”

  “That’s the problem. I’m not in Dallas. They took me to Huntsville. Can you come here?”

  “I think I can make that happen, man. Who are you with? You stole a car?”

  I screwed my eyes shut and clutched my phone. My past wa
s heavy, and I knew one day I’d regret everything I did but regrets were long gone for me. I needed tunnel vision to find my sister and nothing could stand in my way.

  “No, I’m staying with the family that found me.”

  “Goddamn, man.”

  “Just tell me she’s okay? Have you seen her?”

  “She’s fine. Denver has the wool pulled over her eyes, but she’s safe. She’s not hungry and has anything she fuckin’ wants.”

  “That’s exactly what I was afraid of.” I loved my sister more than anything in the world. But when our parents died our relationship changed. I knew deep down that she blamed me for their death, and she had every right to be angry. It’d been all my fault. We never had much growing up, and I knew Hannah dreamed of having lavish things. Things that Denver could easily give her.

  Dante let out a bitter laugh. “I’m sorry, bro. We’ll get her back. I’ll help you get her back.”

  It was reassuring to know I had someone to lean on. “I’ll text you the address tomorrow, and we’ll talk. I’ll have someone with me, but we can get rid of her.”

  “Her?”

  I groaned. “Don’t get me started. She’s a piece of work.”

  “Since when has that stopped you?”

  “Since her dad is giving me a place to stay. He’s already told me to keep my hands to myself, and my fingers are twitching.”

  “She fine?”

  I fell back against the bed and closed my eyes. “Fucking gorgeous.”

  “Figures,” Dante said. “I’ll see for myself tomorrow though. So if you can’t see her, you mind if I—

  “Dante—,” I warned.

  “Just shitting you,” he laughed.

  Unclenching my hands, I relaxed into the bed. “I’ll shoot you a text. Thanks man, I love you.”

  “No worries. I love you too, brother.”

  I pressed the end button and although someone had my back, I couldn’t help but worry. If I’d learned anything from life, it was that the moments you didn’t worry that you should have.

  Chapter Eight

  Neveah

  I was drenched with sweat. I woke up at six to run because I’d gotten no sleep the night before. Dinner was awkward. I couldn’t stop looking at my plate because everywhere I looked I felt uncomfortable. Even my dad’s eagerness to get the conversation going made me queasy.

  The guest house came into my view and a low hum glided down to my toes. Dammit. As badly as I wanted to dislike him something so magnetic beckoned me nearer, and it wasn’t getting any better.

  Lucy bounded toward the porch of the guest house before looking over her shoulder at me. I frowned. “We’re not going in there,” I said. “No.”

  She whined but followed me toward the house. I took time shaving my legs and fixing my hair. I felt like a sixteen-year-old girl getting ready for a date, but obviously, it wasn’t a date—not by a long shot.

  It wasn’t going to happen, anyway. He’d bluntly said it, and I meant to say it.

  After I finished getting ready, I pulled on the tightest pair of colorful leggings, a white shirt and a blue jean button-down unbuttoned. Something inside of me told me to obey the man’s wishes. He’d asked somewhat nicely for me not to wear leggings, but I liked them. To be honest, they were mostly what my wardrobe consisted of.

  When ten hit and Declan hadn’t showed any sign of being alive, I walked over to the guest house and knocked.

  “Come in.”

  Pressing my palms against the door, I shoved it opened and saw him standing by the bathroom door, slipping on one of my dad’s gym T-shirts. I was able to get a brief look at the muscles in his stomach and butterflies fluttered in my own. Of course he wore my dad’s shirt, and it was way too small for him causing the seam to stretch around his biceps.

  “Nice shirt.”

  He peered my way, and I knew the moment his eyes fell on my leggings, because his entire body went tense. The muscles in his chest hardened and sent an all-consuming fire to my lady bits.

  Nonchalantly, I lifted a brow. “What’s wrong with you?”

  A snarl spread across his face, and both of his hands clenched by his sides. “Not a goddamn thing,” he snapped.

  I bit the inside of my lip to keep from smiling. “Well, alright then, we better get going. We have tons of shopping to do.”

  Declan kept his narrowed gaze on me, and something coiled in my stomach at the way the corner of his lip rose into a smile.

  Instead of shivering like I wanted, I turned and walked out of the door. The sun was hot already and sweat built on my upper lip. Nervously, I licked it off and quickened my pace toward my car.

  I hadn’t made it around the house when I felt his hand on my waist, and then the outside of the house against my back. “Hey,” I barked out, but he stopped me with his wild, reckless eyes.

  A delicious chuckle vibrated through his chest, and he dipped his head so that his mouth was closer to mine. His fierce breaths hit my parted mouth in uneven blows. “You don’t think before you do, huh?” Four rough fingers dug into my ass, and his thumb hooked over the front of my thigh. “You have no idea what you’re asking for, Champ. I’d ruin you.” He tugged on my hip and searched my face. “Is Cooper what you’re used to? Chase?” Desperation filled my stomach. “I’d fuck you raw every day. Do you understand that?”

  I actually couldn’t understand anything. Comprehending anything other than his mouth so close to mine was proving impossible.

  A slow almost violent pleasure started in my stomach and threatened to take over my entire body. “Answer me.”

  Shakily, I met his grey eyes and bit my bottom lip. “I understand that you’re scared to do what you want to do to me. That you do a lot of talkin’ but nothing to back it up.”

  God, I wanted him, so badly I’d drenched my panties. Those fingers on my waist clutched tighter, and he pressed his erection against my stomach, forcing me back against the house. “Always talking shit,” his voice dropped.

  Want knotted in my stomach. He dipped his mouth to my neck and bit the sensitive flesh. My lungs turned into rocks, my body melted into him. A dark chuckle hit my skin, and Declan skimmed his teeth along my neck until he hovered over my mouth. “You’re shaking,” he whispered, his thumb pushed the front of my leggings down a centimeter.

  An embarrassing whimper escaped my throat. “Declan,” I whispered.

  He dropped his head to my forehead and slid his hand down the front of my leggings, separating my panties from my pussy. The adrenaline inside of me electrified and every part of myself was focused on his callouses pressed against me. When he stopped my body went frantic. The taste of blood filled my mouth at my attempt not to cry. “No,” he ground out. “I’m sorry.”

  And I was suddenly cold against the outside of our house. When my eyes settled from the blurry haze, he stood six feet away. The finger that had been against me was in his mouth.

  Holy shit. I braced myself against the house, and I was fully aware that it was the only thing keeping me upright.

  Wait, holy shit, he just stopped. Suddenly I was angry. “What the hell was that?”

  His jaw stayed clenched. The evidence of everything that I wasn’t getting was erect in his jeans. My panties were definitely ruined.

  We stood staring at one another until I built up enough energy to save what dignity I had left. Pushing myself from the wall, I started toward my car. Humiliation loomed over my head like a rain cloud.

  I touched the hot surface of my car door when he jerked me around to face him. “Neveah,” he whispered.

  A deep burn caught in my throat. “Let’s just go.”

  He reached out and caught my jaw in his palm. “I know what you’re thinkin’ and it’s not that, Champ.”

  I let out a bitter laugh. “And what am I thinking, Declan? Since you seem to know how to handle every situation. Tell me.”

  Declan’s grey eyes grew darker. “You think I don’t want you.” He dipped his head. “Isn’t that
right?”

  Of course it was right but hell if I admit it. “No,” I snapped.

  His laugh tickled my mouth. “Liar.”

  I shoved against his chest, and he caught my arms and pinned them against him. “Don’t mistake my self-control for not wanting you. But I will not break my promise to your dad. I’m not getting involved with you.” He lowered his mouth and eyes. “So stop trying to tempt me.”

  He released my hands, shot me a smile through gritted teeth and got into the passenger’s side of the car.

  ***

  The twenty minute drive to the mall was extricating. Declan’s fists were clutched on his thighs, and his jaw set. There hadn’t been a fucking peep said between us.

  It’d taken the entire trip for my hormones to settle down. He’d left me with adrenaline unleashed in my veins, and there was nothing I could do about it. Well, not until I was alone in my shower later.

  I pulled into the first open parking lot but Declan caught my jaw, his rough fingers sending pools of heat to my core. The direct obligation to look him in the eyes was almost more than I could manage, his grey gaze warmed me from the inside out. “I’m bad news for you. I made a promise to your dad, and I’m trying my best to keep it, you’re the one making it difficult.”

  I tried to pull away, but he held his ground. “Don’t act like you don’t want me just as bad as I want you,” I said.

  His breathy sigh sent shivers down my back. “Oh, Angel. I want more than just you, I want to have you in every way possible.” He dropped my chin. “But I can’t. Your dad is giving me a second chance.”

  My aggravation settled into frustration, and I had to look the other way so he couldn’t see the disappointment. “Whatever. Let’s get this shit over with.”

  I reached for the door but his fingers on my wrists stopped me. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to let it get that far. You’re just so damn beautiful.”

  Me? Not beautiful, but damn beautiful? Something heavy formed in my throat and only grew as he lowered those grey eyes to my mouth. “Let’s go,” I whispered, pulling my hand away.