Target: A Circle of Justice Novel

by L. P. Dover

  She squealed. “Can’t wait. Is Wade coming with you in the morning?”

  My chest tightened. “No. He has to stay in Charlotte. But he’s coming down next weekend.”

  “Cool deal. We can show him around the shop. Now that our numbers are in for last month, I’m going to transfer his share of money to him.”

  “Great. I’ll tell him. We’re going to lounge around at home tonight, since it’s my last night in Charlotte.” My throat started to close and I sucked in a silent breath. I didn’t want her to know how hard it was going to be to leave.

  “Be safe on your way home.”

  “I will. See you soon.”

  We ate our dinner and watched one of my all-time favorite movies, The Princess Bride. I thought Wade would hate it, but it turned out I was wrong. The man was full of surprises. Unfortunately, time reared its ugly head and continued to tick away. I was exhausted and sick, but pretended otherwise.

  “What all do you have to do at work this week?” I intentionally didn’t make eye contact with Wade. Every time I did, I felt like crying. Folding up the last of my clothes, I placed them in my suitcase and set it on the floor.

  He came up behind me and kissed my neck, pulling me against his hard body. Everything inside of me clenched. If there was one thing I could say about being pregnant it’s that it made me severely horny.

  “I’m meeting with some new clients.”

  “Has anyone tried to break their contracts after what happened?” I asked.

  He chuckled. “If anything, it brought more people in. You’re not the only one who’s going to need to hire more employees. I think my dad’s even coming back to work.”

  Gasping, I turned around. “Really? Is he tired of retirement already?” The day we came home from the hospital, he was at the house waiting for us. He’d stopped by every single day to check up on me. I was going to miss him too.

  “You could say that.” His arms snaked around my waist and he grinned. I was going to miss seeing his smile every day. “Do you want to grab breakfast in the morning, before you leave? Maybe you could teach me how to make your famous banana pancakes?”

  My heart ached and I fought back the tears. “Sure.”

  He brought his hands up to my face, his eyes staring deeply into mine. It was like I could see into his soul. “I love you, Brina. God help me, I do. It scares me sometimes.”

  “Didn’t think the infamous Wade Chandler could get scared,” I teased.

  His gaze never wavered. “Me either. Not until you were taken. I’d never been so fucked up in my life.” Releasing a heavy sigh, he rested his forehead to mine. “When I saw you in the basement, everything inside of me snapped. I could’ve taken the shot and killed him on the spot, but I had to make him suffer.”

  Remembering his entrance that night sent shivers down my spine. He was like an animal, fueled on rage. There was a dark side to Wade, but there was also light. The perfect combination.

  “You did make him suffer,” I murmured. “He’s dead, and so is Dane.” I brought my lips to his. “And because of you, their whole group won’t be hurting my family anymore. I’m completely in your debt.”

  A low growl rumbled in his chest. “Then it’s time for me to collect.”

  He nuzzled my neck, pushing my hair out of the way so he could kiss his way up my jaw. Tilting my head to the side, I moaned and closed my eyes. Chill bumps raced across my skin and I shivered, leaning against him to steal some of his warmth. He chuckled in my ear and pressed his hard cock against my stomach, lightly thrusting it up and down.

  “I want more,” I breathed.

  The words sparked action. “I’m going to give you more, sunshine. Don’t worry,” he promised. Sliding his fingers under my shirt, he lifted it over my head and threw it on the floor. He moaned deep in his chest when he gazed down at me with his sexy blue eyes, licking his lips. Kissing the mounds of my breasts, he lowered the fabric over one and began to suck on my taut, sensitive nipple, while reaching behind me to unclasp my bra. I wanted to feel him inside me, to satiate the craving between my legs.

  Already, my body responded to his touch and I was achingly wet, so close to letting go. Fumbling with his jeans, I tried desperately to get them undone. Wade helped me out, kicking off his jeans once I had them undone. I took him in my hands and squeezed, pumping him up and down.

  “Fuck, that feels good,” he groaned, pushing himself into my palm. “Don’t stop.”

  Harder and faster, I stroked his length, enjoying the satisfied rumble in his chest. His fingers deftly unbuttoned my shorts and he slid them down my legs. With his arm around my waist, he backed me up until my legs bumped into the bed. Hopping on, I moved up the bed and he covered me, spreading my legs wide with his knees. He kissed me gently at first, then harder as he pushed his fingers inside me. Gasping from the sensations, I opened wider for him, loving the sound of his satisfied moans.

  “Harder, Wade,” I begged, rolling my hips with his movements.

  Moving faster and harder, I tightened around his fingers. He bit down on my lip and sucked as I cried out in pleasure, riding the waves of my orgasm. Slowly, he rubbed my sensitive clit with his thumb and swirled his fingers in the wetness between my legs. Keeping his gaze on mine, he traced my nipples with my desire, leaving wet trails in his wake. Then he bent down and sucked them both greedily. I could feel his arousal pressing closer to my opening, and as soon as he pushed the tip in, I gasped.

  “I love the noises you make. It’s so fucking hot,” he growled, pushing all the way inside of me . . . hard.

  Not only did I gasp, but I cried out so loud I could barely recognize the sound of my own voice. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I rocked my hips along with his and held on tight, crying out with each thrust. The muscles in his back tightened and flexed as he worked his body in and out of mine. I raked my nails down his back, all the way down to his ass. Grabbing on, I loved the way it hardened with each thrust.

  I was so close to losing it again, my body clenching tight around his cock. Breaths coming out as pants, the ache between my legs got stronger, and I got wilder. We were both so close, and the moment I tipped over the edge, I dug my nails into his back just as he plunged in as deep as he could, filling me with his release. Breathing hard, he took my face in his hands.

  “I love you,” he murmured against my lips.

  Tears fell down my cheeks. “I love you too.”

  Brina

  The sound of the waves crashing into the shore was music to my ears. I’d made it home just in time to watch the sunrise. It was more beautiful than ever, only I couldn’t enjoy it the way I wanted to. A part of me was missing. Although, that part probably hadn’t realized I was gone yet. I’d left in the dead of night, leaving only a note behind that said: I love you.

  It felt like forever since I’d been in my home. The rooms still smelled like cinnamon apples and everything was so bright. Taking a deep breath, I carried my suitcase into my bedroom. Everything was the same as I’d left it, except for a framed picture hanging on my wall. The closer I got to it, the more my heart broke. My mother must have put it there.

  Tears clouded my vision and I clapped a hand over my mouth. The picture was of me and Wade, ages five and six, sitting side by side in the rocking chair on my parents’ back porch. We had smiles on our faces, like we were laughing at something funny. We were innocent and completely unaware of what our futures held.

  And that wasn’t the only new thing in my room. On my dresser was the silvery seashell Wade gave me the day we’d left Charleston. I couldn’t imagine how he would feel once he noticed I was gone. In my back pocket, I pulled out the ultrasound picture the doctor showed me and set it beside the seashell. The baby looked like a small peanut, being that I was only five weeks pregnant. Apparently, it happened on our first night together. I would tell him soon.

  It was closing in on seven o’clock in the morning, so I locked up the house and headed to Endless Summer. By the time I arrived, Le
xi was already inside. The front door was locked, so I unlocked it and snuck inside. Jack Johnson’s ‘Banana Pancakes’ played over the speakers, and I froze. It reminded me of the days I made them for Wade. First the picture, and now the song. Were these signs I should’ve stayed?

  “Lexi,” I called out.

  She emerged from the back room, eyes wide, with a completely new haircut and pink highlights. “Oh my God, what are you doing here so early?” She rushed over and flung her arms around me.

  We both giggled and I hugged her tight. “I thought I’d get a head start on the day.” I pulled back and fluffed her hair. “I love what you did. It’s so you.”

  She winked. “I know, right? With everything going on, I thought I’d celebrate and get a new hairstyle.” Grabbing my hand, she led me over to the desk and turned on the computer. “You have to see these numbers.” She logged into our business account and pointed at the screen. “Tell me how many figures you see there.”

  Mouth gaping, I stood there in awe. “Wow. I knew we were doing better, but I didn’t realize how much. That’s insane.”

  She nudged me in the side, her face brightening like a child at Christmas. “And get this. We have enough money to open other stores. Just imagine us in California, or even Hawaii. Hell, most of our orders are coming from Hawaii. We’d make a killing if we were there.”

  It was so much to take in. The possibilities were endless. Looking at the money, we did have enough to open more stores. Grabbing the box on the desk, she carried it to the stock room.

  “Not to mention,” she called out, “that doesn’t even include the money Wade sent back.”

  “What?” I shouted, jerking my attention to the stock room door.

  She appeared in the doorway. “The money Wade sent back. Surely he told you, right?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t understand. Didn’t you send him the money yesterday?”

  “Yeah, and he sent it back last night. I thought maybe you two worked out another deal.” She approached me slowly, clearly just as confused as I was. “Okay . . . I guess you didn’t. Care to tell me what’s going on?”

  I shrugged. “I have no clue. He didn’t tell me he was sending the money back.”

  “Why don’t you call him and ask?” My eyes shot to hers and she saw the panic. “Why do you look like that?”

  I couldn’t stop my chin from trembling. “Remember when I left him the note after our one night stand?”

  Sighing, she closed her eyes. “Yeah.”

  Tears fell down my cheeks. “Well . . . I kind of did it again.”

  “Brina,” she shrieked. “Why the hell would you do that? After everything he’s done, you just walked out on him?”

  “It’s not like that. I swear. I was just afraid.”

  She scoffed. “Afraid of what? You’re Brina Carmichael. Nothing has ever scared you before.”

  “You’re wrong. I was afraid of what I’d do if I stayed.” Taking a deep breath, I wiped away my tears. Opening Endless Summer was a dream come true, but it wasn’t my only dream. I sat down and rubbed a hand over my stomach. “If I didn’t leave when I did, I don’t know if I would’ve come back to Charleston. I was afraid he’d ask me to stay and I wouldn’t have the strength to say no. But then again, he never asked, which only made it worse.”

  “Oh, Brina,” she murmured, holding me close. “He’s in love with you. You have to talk to him.” She rubbed a hand soothingly over my back. “It’s your first morning back. The store doesn’t open for another couple of hours. Why don’t you go home and ride the waves for an hour or two? Then you can show me those cool new designs you drew up.”

  I nodded. “Sounds good. I left the designs at home anyway.” I let her go and smiled. “Thanks for everything, Lexi. I wouldn’t have been able to keep this store afloat without you. Be on the lookout for a promotion coming soon.”

  Her eyes lit up. “Partner?”

  After everything she’d done, how could I not? “You deserve it, my friend. I’ll get in touch with my lawyer this week to draw up the papers.”

  Squealing, she hugged me again and pushed me toward the door. “Go get the designs. I have a lot of screaming to do. Might as well spare your ears.”

  I walked outside and could hear her screams all the way to my car. I knew it’d make her happy to be my partner. If we were going to expand, I’d need her help, especially with a baby on the way.

  The drive back to my house was a silent one. I was tempted to call Wade, but I couldn’t do it. I felt horrible for leaving him in the middle of the night. Maybe the waves would help clear my head. Sooner or later, I’d be too big and pregnant to do it.

  The beach was vacant, except for a couple running along the shoreline getting their exercise. It wasn’t the safest thing to surf alone, but I’d missed it too much to pass up the chance. I was never afraid of the water, or the things that lurked beneath it. I found it fascinating. I could sit on my board for hours and just float in the water. Unfortunately, the swaying of the current did nothing to help my morning sickness.

  Hurrying out of the water, I went straight to my towel, where my phone sat. My stomach clenched with disappointment when I noticed I had no missed calls. A part of me was angry, and the other part was heartbroken. I didn’t know what to do.

  “Surely, you weren’t waiting for a call from me, were you?” a voice called out from behind. I froze and closed my eyes. I couldn’t even turn around. “Imagine how I must’ve felt when you disappeared on me . . . again.” His steps drew closer and I was too scared to face him. “Why did you leave, Brina?” The sound of his voice was a mixture of pain and anger.

  When I didn’t answer, he appeared in front of me, jaw clenched, eyes stormier than the clouds that rolled in above.

  Sucking in a breath, I breathed him in. His hair was in disarray, almost like he’d raked a hand through it and called it good. It matched perfectly with his wrinkled T-shirt and shorts. I’d never seen him so unkempt. Knowing I’d hurt him pained me deep to the core.

  “Answer me, Brina,” he commanded. “Why did you leave?”

  Tears ran hot down my cheeks. “I was afraid.”

  His brows furrowed. “Of what?”

  I shook my head, knowing what I was about to say sounded ridiculous. “Myself. The longer I stayed with you, I knew I’d give in.”

  His gaze softened. “What do you mean?”

  Taking a deep breath, I looked out at the horizon, then at my home. “I would’ve given all of this up for you, if you asked.”

  With a heavy sigh, he pulled me into his arms. “I never would’ve asked you to do that. You’ve spent your whole life having to do what others want. You need to be free to make your own choice. That’s why I didn’t ask you to stay.”

  “And it hurt too,” I admitted sadly. “I don’t want a long-distance relationship, Wade. Seeing you on the weekends isn’t enough. I need more.”

  He let me go and cupped my face in his hands. “That’s what I want as well. If you’d just stuck around long enough this morning, I would’ve told you. I was waiting for the right time.”

  My heart jumped and I froze. “Right time for what?”

  His lips pulled back into a smile and he kissed me. “The right time to tell you that I don’t want to be separated from you. I don’t care what I have to do, or what sacrifices I have to make, I want this to work. Whether it be moving down here, or us splitting time in both places together.” He kissed me again. “I will do whatever it takes to be with you.”

  Jumping in his arms, I wrapped my legs around his waist and burst into tears. It was exactly what I needed to hear. “I love you so much. You have no idea what this means to me.” I pulled back and looked into his eyes. “But I’m not going to let you make all the sacrifices. Your company is important to you. If we need to be in Charlotte, I’m happy to be there.”

  He shook his head. “That’s one of the reasons why my father decided to go back to work. He knows how important you are to me. He
’ll be able to help when I’m not there.” Glenn was an amazing man.

  I dropped my legs to the sand and pulled back, holding his hands in my own. “Then I guess I should tell you I offered Lexi a partnership. She can take care of things while we’re in Charlotte.”

  His grin widened. “Did she tell you about the money?”

  “She did. What’s that all about?”

  He shrugged, as if it wasn’t a big deal he sent tens of thousands of dollars back to us. “I was never going to take your money, Brina. I took the job because I wanted to help you, not because I wanted something out of it.”

  More tears flowed down my cheeks. “It’s a shame no one knows how amazing you truly are.”

  “I like it like that, sunshine,” he replied with a wink.

  Sighing, I placed my hands on his chest, loving the feel of his heartbeat beneath my fingers. “Leaving you this morning gutted me.”

  Pain flashed across his face. “When I saw that you’d left, I got in the car and came straight here. I knew there was something wrong with you this past week. I kept thinking you’d tell me.”

  “Now you know,” I murmured.

  He looked at my house, then at the one he used to live in, sitting right beside mine. “So many memories. I can still remember what it was like to be here.”

  “Who would’ve thought we’d end up back where we began?”

  He chuckled. “True. Although, I do have to say you looked good out there,” he said, nodding toward the ocean. “I watched you for about an hour. Maybe you could teach me.”

  I bit my lip and looked away. Pulse racing, I closed my eyes.

  Wade touched my chin and turned me to face him. “What’s wrong?”

  I opened my eyes. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

  “Go on.”

  “Remember when the doctor wanted to speak to me alone?”

  “Yeah,” he replied, brows furrowed.

  “There’s something she told me, and I chose to keep it from you for a while, but only until we figured things out. I didn’t want it to sway your decision about our relationship.” Taking a deep breath, I let it out slow and reached for his hand, gently placing it over my belly. Heart racing, my stomach twisted in knots. I had no clue what he was going to say or think.