Redemption

by Alla Kar

  Stirring the rice, I gave him the best smile I could muster over my shoulder. “I’m fine, just cooking.”

  By the unimpressed look on his face, I guessed he didn’t buy it. He stepped forward, trapping me in his arms. “Turn around and face me,” he whispered against the shell of my ear.

  I obeyed, letting my shaky fingers run up his arms to his large shoulders. “Tell me,” he insisted.

  I bit my bottom lip, trying to think of how to say it. “You’re wearing my patience. Tell me now.”

  “Cooper asked me on a date,” I blurted out.

  Rage stiffened, no emotion on his face, but his eyes were angry. The thick coils of muscle in his shoulders flexed underneath my palms. “And why does that have you so upset?”

  I shook my head, pulling on a piece of his hair. “Because,” I whispered. “He said he’d—,” I closed my eyes, “—he saw us at the barn and threatened to tell my dad if I didn’t go on a date with him.”

  Rage tilted his head upward, the arms trapping me against him began to shake. “That fucking cunt,” he whispered.

  “I’m not going—,”

  Rage stood and slammed his fist against the refrigerator behind my head. “Fuck him!” he yelled. “You have to go and he knows it. You have to go or he’ll tell. Oh my God. I could rip his guts from his stomach. Tear him apart.”

  Oh shit. I watched as he paced the kitchen, every known emotion crossed his face in two minutes. When he turned back to me, he grabbed my elbow and drug me to him. “Go with him,” he whispered. When I tried to open my mouth, he silenced me with his finger against my lip. “There is no one else made for me,” he whispered. “You’re it. So I know he’ll never give you pleasure like I will. He’ll never get to touch,” he ran his free hand against the zipper of my jeans, “here again. You’re mine and one fucking date isn’t shit.”

  He was right. There was no way Cooper would ever make me feel so alive. He didn’t before, and now that the bar had been set, there was no getting higher. There wasn’t anything better than Rage.

  “When he holds the door opened for you,” he smiled, slipping his hands down the front of my pants, finding my throbbing nub with his finger. “Think about how I’m going to suck you dry when you get back. When he tries to kiss you goodnight, think about how I taste, and devour you.”

  There was no forgetting. “I don’t want to go,” I whispered.

  He cooed into my ear, lifting me up to the counter with his strong, wide hands, pressing his erection into me. “I don’t want him to lay a fucking hand on you. If he so much as touches your skin, I’ll beat him to death. You’re mine, Champ, just like I’m yours.”

  I clutched his T-shirt, holding on for dear life. “I don’t want to hide anymore.”

  Rage rested his forehead against mine and worked my button and zipper like a pro. “We won’t for long, Angel. There is no way I’ll be able to keep away.”

  My eyes rolled upward, prepared to close when he sunk two fingers inside of me. “Always ready,” he chuckled.

  I eyed the door. “My dad will be here any—,”

  Rage caught my jaw, and I had no choice but to meet his stare. “Do you trust me?”

  How could I not? I’d let him do anything to me, and we both knew it. “Yes.”

  The smile on his face was a red flag. It was going to happen quickly, hard and right then. He stepped back, examining me with a heavy stare. When he spoke his voice was low and raspy. “Turn around and brace your hands on the counter.”

  I did, without second thought. My palms laid flatly against the cool marble, my back arched, giving him the access I desperately wanted him to take. “Goddamn,” he rasped, sinking a finger down my spine to the crease of my ass.

  I jumped, but he stopped me with his hips. “You trust me?”

  Damn. “I’ve never—,”

  “Do you trust me?”

  I sighed, loving the pressure of his thumb against me—there. “Yes.”

  Bracing my hands, I whimpered as the he pressed the tip of his cock against my pussy. “I’m going to sink inside of you, and finger-fuck your asshole, Neveah. You’ll love every minute of it.”

  With one fluid motion, he sank into me. I clutched the cabinet, calling out his name like an addictive song. There wasn’t any foreplay needed, no long strokes. It was deep and hard like our growing feelings. I pressed back against him, wanting every inch, thriving for everything he could give me.

  I screwed my eyes shut and waited as his thumb sunk lower down the crease of my ass until he was pressing against me. Pain rocketed through my body, a foreign pleasure built in my stomach. “Oh—s-shit,” I shuddered, unable to control my shaking.

  Rage pressed harder, half of his thumb sinking into me. I arched my back, my pussy dripping with need. I was so turned on my eyes brimmed with tears, my body lustful and crazy. “Please,” I begged, pressing back against his cock and finger. “More. More!”

  Rage hoarsely whispered my name over and over again, dipping his mouth to the shell of my ear. With every inch of his cock he buried inside of me, he slipped his finger in further, brining every heavenly fantasy to life in front of me.

  The living room clock struck six, and we both knew my dad would be walking in at any moment. He quickened his pace, his thighs slapping against my own, and then he pressed his thumb all the way in.

  I came again, my body meeting his every thrust, my face soaked with tears. Shortly after, Rage stiffened, his body hovered over me like a wall, blocking out the world.

  “Look at me,” he whispered.

  I turned to look at him. His hair was a mess, the sexiest smile curled on his lips. “Pull up your pants, your Dad is on the porch.”

  I gasped, yanked my jeans up and zipped them as Declan adjusted himself. Dad walked in two seconds later, a huge smile on his face. “What’s for dinner?”

  I swallowed. I’d already had mine.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Rage

  I re-read Dante’s text for the thirteenth time.

  They’re back. The party turned into a poker night. Tonight is our best move.

  My sister was back at Denver’s house, and the plan was set. In less than a few hours, I’d have my sister safe from Denver. The same night Neveah was going on a ‘date’ with Cooper. I clutched my phone in my hand, trying my best to keep from fucking something up.

  There were too many things racing through my brain. Would Hannah come with me? Could I get her alone? Would she willingly leave her life for this? For a one-bedroom guest house. How would Wes take her here?

  “Rage, can you go get Neveah. She hasn’t left her room in hours,” Wes called out.

  Wes started supper around six thirty, and I had made myself at home in their living room. There were pictures of Neveah growing up. Her senior picture, her horseback riding and a baby picture of her and her mother. Her mother was beautiful.

  “Sure,” I said. I made my way to her room, knocking on the plain wooden door. I’d never been inside, and a part of me wanted to see where she slept at night. Where she’d grown up.

  The door creaked opened. Neveah stood in a pair of jeans, with knee-high boots. “I hate this,” she whispered.

  I nodded, touching the corner of her frown. “Me too, Champ. It’s only one night. Just don’t let him fucking touch you. I’ll—,”

  She stopped me with her palm against my stomach. “Don’t. He won’t touch me, I won’t let him.” She looked up at me, searching my face for what—I had no idea. “Don’t go tonight,” she mumbled. “I’m scared something’s going to happen to you. You’ll be alone—,”

  I silenced her with my mouth, prying her lips opened with my tongue, forcing my way inside. “Baby,” I whispered. “Dante will be there, I swear. I promise I’ll be coming home to you.”

  As soon as I said it, I realized I meant it. Home wasn’t just in that guest house. Home was in her arms.

  “Neveah! Rage!” Wes called from the kitchen. “Dinner is ready.”


  “He doesn’t know you’re going with Cooper?” I asked.

  Neveah shook her head. “I didn’t want to tell him. He’ll know something is up. I’m going to tell him I’m going out with Aunt Shelly.”

  I kissed her forehead. “He isn’t picking you up at the door? What a douchebag.”

  She pressed her cheek against my chest and laughed.

  “What’s so funny?”

  She met my gaze, the cutest smirk on her face. “Mr. Big Bag Criminal is a gentlemen? I learned something knew today.”

  I chuckled. “There is a lot you don’t know about me, Champ.” I tilted her chin up to take her mouth. “And I’ve saved the best for last.”

  ***

  Neveah left at eight with a grim look on her face. It’d taken every ounce of strength in me not to grab her. But she closed the door slowly, our eyes locked the entire time.

  Once I’d pried myself away from the table to wash the dishes, I’d gotten worked up imaging what Neveah was doing with him. Was he looking at her? Trying to touch her?

  I pressed my fists against the sink and let my head hang low between my shoulders. “Get it together, Cohen. Get it together.”

  I finished the kitchen and found Wes and Lucy sleeping on the couch. I locked the doors on my way out, texting Declan to come get me.

  Ten minutes went by before I saw the headlights flash once from the driveway. With my knife tucked deep into my boot, I ran toward Dante’s Jeep and climbed inside.

  “Christ, you’re still in your cast?” I barked out.

  Dante rolled his eyes. “Yeah, bro. Have you not ever broken anything? I’ll be in it for a while. But it’s just my left leg, bro. You only need your right to drive.”

  I gawked at him. “You’re insane, get out and let me drive.”

  Dante and I swapped places. It took twice as long as usual. I can’t believe his ass drove over here like this. We were on the main highway ten minutes later.

  “When does the poker party start?”

  Dante lit a cigarette and took a long drag, offering me one. I hadn’t smoked since before prison. But I took one anyway, holding it out for Dante to light before taking a long drag. “Shit,” I groaned. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a smoke.”

  Dante laughed. “I’m glad to share, brother.” He gave me a long sideways glance. “A long time since you fucked too, right?”

  Dirty bastard. I grinned, and he laughed. “I knew it! I could tell by the way you looked at her in the mall.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t look at her any kind of way.”

  Dante grinned over his cigarette. “And I thought there was an extra pep in your step today.”

  “Now you’re making shit up.”

  “Whatever you say. So, how was she?”

  Was she? I couldn’t even get mad that he thought I wasn’t interested anymore. “She is fucking amazing,” I said.

  Dante tied his dreads into a ponytail at the base of his neck. “You mean you’re still fucking her?”

  I gritted my teeth together, clutching the wheel until my knuckles turned white. “I’m in love with her.”

  Dante stopped pulling at his hair and stared over at me. His ‘are you fucking with me’ look actually made me laugh. “You always gotta be the bad boy, don’t ya? Wanting what you can’t have and shit.” He shook his head. “How do you think it’s going to work out?”

  “I have no fucking idea.”

  Dante nodded. “I didn’t think so. Didn’t you promise her dad you wouldn’t tap that?”

  “He said I had to stay away from her, and I promised, yes.”

  Dante rolled down his window and flicked his ashes. “You don’t seem too disturbed by breaking your promise. She must be amazing.”

  I closed my eyes for the briefest of moments. “She is. I feel like such a wreck. I’m jealous over here. I’m a fucking dickhead. I can’t think straight, and God I want to fucking tongue her down in front of every guy that looks at her.”

  Dante raised a brow. “Well, sounds like you’re pussy whipped to me.”

  “Shut the fuck up.”

  Dante chuckled, and we rode in silence for a while after that. My nerves started to grow heavy in my stomach. Not only was I amped from getting my sister but every second that passed I thought about Neveah and Cooper. Was he trying to touch her? Was she enjoying herself? What if she actually liked going out with him? It would be simple for her to be with him. Simple for them to fall back into their routine together. I clutched the wheel and shook my head.

  “Denver’s face is pretty fucked up,” Dante said, smiling. “If he finds us—it’s not gonna be good. You fucked up that pretty face of his.”

  “That’s what the bastard gets,” I spit. “If I run into him I’ll do more than mess up his face.”

  Dante nodded and gestured toward the left. “Take this next road.”

  I glanced around at the abundance of trees and nothing. No other houses, no sign of life or help. The bastard picked the perfect place for his hideout. Somewhere no one would see him or hear anything that I went on in that fucking house.

  “He did a great job on the location.”

  Dante snorted. “Wait until you see the place. It’s like a mansion, not that I think we’ll have enough time for a tour.”

  The house was a mansion. The lawn had stupid sculptures, a driveway that stretched on for three quarters of a mile. Lights filtered through the house, the buzz of a crowd loud from the inside.

  We parked in the woods across the street. The house was two story, windows and balconies on each side of the pillars of the front porch. “That’s their room.” Dante pointed toward the balcony to the right.

  Their room. “The one with the light,” I whispered. “She’s in there, you think?”

  Dante put his cigarette out in the ashtray and nodded. “Yeah, she’s there. Denver likes to be focused when he cheats everyone out of their money and keeps your sister locked up like Rapunzel.”

  I scanned the property, all the movement coming from the inside of the house. “What’s my best bet on getting in?”

  Dante pulled out a pair of black leather gloves and handed them to me. “The trellis. It’s got thorns on it, so wear these.”

  I slipped the leather gloves on my hands, trying to focus on saving my sister and not the house full of people. Dante clasped his palm over mine. “What are you goin’ to tell her?”

  I’d only gone over my speech ten million times. The words I’d chosen were picked specifically for her. To show her I’m still the brother she needs me to be. That I’m sorry about Mom and Dad. That I can take care of her. “The truth.”

  Dante nodded. “I’ll be here, bro. Call me if you need me.”

  It wasn’t my first time breaking and entering. I’d stolen countless of things for Denver to get initiated into the group. The getting in part wasn’t what worried me, it was the convincing part that scared me.

  The gravel of the driveway crunched beneath my boots, the humid air tried to steal the breath from my lungs. Slinking lower to the ground, I darted across the lawn, ducking behind a row of bushes in front of the house.

  Music and laughter sounded from the inside. Not the sounds that the dirty bastard deserved. Swaying silhouettes filled the front windows, most cuddled close to one another.

  Double checking the lawn, I started up the trellis, feeling the rose thorns tear into my gloves. The second story balcony was empty besides a wicker chair in the corner. Light spilled from the cracked balcony window which sent my heart beating wildly against my chest.

  Sliding my leg over, I walked toward the corner, peeking inside. “Baby, the party will be over soon and I’m going to do bad things to you.”

  Fuck me.

  Hannah giggled, her arms circling Denver’s neck. Her eyes closed in bliss while he nibbled her ear. “Only a few more hours. You sure you don’t want to come downstairs?”

  Hannah sighed and patted his cheek. Her too blue-eyes were kind and admiring
, it sent bile to my throat. “I’m sure, Denver. I’ll be here reading and waiting …” he stopped her with his mouth.

  My fingers tightened into fists, and I closed my eyes until I heard their bedroom door shut. Minutes ticked by before I got the guts to go inside. Hannah stood with her back to me, the robe she wore was silky and new. Her blonde hair hung in a long braid down her back.

  I opened my mouth several times before I could speak. “Hannah.”

  She whipped around to see me, her eyes wide with shock. “Rage?” she whispered, her eyes sweeping me like she wasn’t sure if I stood in front of her. She glanced at the window and furrowed her brow. “What? What are you doin’ here? You’re in prison?”

  A sand storm would have been a relief for my mouth. “No,” I shook my head. “I was let out a month ago. I’ve been trying to get to you.” I stepped forward.

  She bolted forward and pressed her face into my chest. “How did you know I was here? Who told you? Dante? He knows my new boyfriend.” She pulled back to search my face.

  “I heard it around.” I pulled her free, despite the urge to hold her close. “We need to leave now.”

  When I pulled, she jerked free. “Why did you come through the window? I’m confused. Do you know Denver?”

  I drug my palm down my face. “Look,” I grabbed her shoulders again. “I worked for Denver to get you through college.”

  A funny look crossed her innocent face—her goddamn innocent face. “Denver owns a car lot, you worked—,”

  I laughed, bitterly. “Have you ever been to this car lot, Hannah?” I hated that I got angrier, but the lies she believed were ridiculous.

  She frowned. “No, I haven’t but Denver he is busy—,”

  “Hannah,” I said, calmly. “Just come with me and I’ll explain everything.”

  She shook her head. “No, let’s just go downstairs and talk to Denver. We’ll get this straightened out.”

  I screwed my eyes shut. “Hannah, listen. Denver doesn’t own a car lot, he sells drugs. He’s the biggest drug trafficker in Dallas. I sold drugs, Hannah, that’s how I got you through college. And when I went to quit he set me up.”