by Fall, Carly
Beverly nodded and smiled. She believed Abby. Having seen the way Noah looked at Abby, Beverly couldn’t imagine him touching her with nothing but love and affection, and she was glad her initial feelings were correct.
The elevator doors slid open to reveal Faith standing there, her wild, red hair cascading all around her, a huge smile on her face that faded once she saw the look on Abby’s face.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Abby rolled her eyes. “Hudson screwed up. In a nutshell, Beverly knows everything. Well, pretty much everything. I’m sure after seeing Hudson’s eyes glowing she has a few more questions, but the cat is out of the bag.”
“Are they upstairs having their pissing contest and acting like jerks?”
Abby nodded. “Yes.”
“Well, let’s just be glad Cohen is back in case they can’t contain their inner alpha dogs,” Faith said. She then reached for Beverly’s hand and pulled her into the room. “I bet you have a lot of unanswered questions. Let’s have some margaritas, let them do whatever they’re going to do, and Abby and I will tell you what you want to know.”
Despite the tension she was feeling, Beverly smiled. She felt such a connection with Abby and Faith. They each loved their own glowy-eyed beings. They were sweet and opened their arms to her, as if she belonged here.
She finally had friends again, despite the fact she was a recovering drug addict. She felt pretty stable, and she didn’t have anything to hide. Again, she drew strength from Hudson’s reaction to her confessions. You are Beverly, she reminded herself. You’ve come a long way, honey, and there’s no turning back. You look forward, not at the past.
Chapter 33
Hudson and Noah continued to scowl at each other, both keeping their eye on the other. Rayner came back up in a matter of minutes with Talin and Cohen, all their eyes glowing their SR44 colors.
“All right,” Talin said. “If you fuckers are going to pound it out, do it now while the rest of us can watch, and then when you’re done, we can drag your broken bodies together and have you kiss and make up.”
“So did I hear this right? Hudson spilled the beans on us to Beverly?” Cohen asked with a yawn, still wearing his robe and boxers. “It better be that important, or you guys aren’t going to have to worry about Noah and Hudson going at it, because I’m going to pound Rayner into the ground for waking me up. And if you’re going to do damage, let’s get it over with. I’m fucking tired.”
All of them stared at each other for a moment.
“And Hudson, if I have to heal you twice in one day, I may have to kill you.”
“Okay,” Noah said. “Let’s take it down a notch. Seems everyone’s getting a little fidgety. Let’s all head to the War Room. Rayner, grab some bottles from the bar and a few glasses. Whatever you can carry.”
Rayner took off for the bar, and Hudson was still warily eyeing Noah as they made their way down the hall.
They all dropped into the black leather chairs, and all stared off in different directions while waiting for Rayner. It was silent except for the odd sigh or the creaking of the leather.
Rayner came in with four different bottles and three glasses. “Sorry, guys. This was all I could carry. We’ll have to share.”
There were a few grumbles around the table, and then Noah took one of the bottles and drank, not bothering with a glass. “Here’s the deal, boys. Hudson fucked up. We’re outed. Nothing like this has ever happened with the exception of Abby, who turned out to be one of us, at least partially. Faith found out by accident, but Rayner already knew she was the one for him. I hate to say it, but for our safety, we should take Beverly out and put her down. It’s too dangerous for us.”
Rayner shook his head. “I’m not having any part of that, Noah. It’s so not going to happen. I won’t let it.”
“Faith and Abby are our mates, Rayner,” Noah said. “Hudson doesn’t have any intention of that.” He paused for a moment, as though someone had flicked him in the nose. Hard. Then he looked at Hudson. “Do you?”
Hudson shook his head, taking a long drink of the scotch. No, he doubted he would ever be able to love again, not the way he loved Iris. But, he had to admit he did like Beverly. A lot. But she needed to move on with her own life, not be stuck somewhere with a demolished soul like him.
Rayner didn’t say anything, just kept staring at Hudson.
“I don’t have any intention of making Beverly my mate. She deserves better than what I can give her. Besides, I’d never put myself in that position again. I’m not looking for Iris round two.”
His fellow Warriors knew the basics of Iris: he fell in love, she didn’t, they had a kid, Iris died, and he finally got to have a relationship with Abby when Noah fell in love with her. They didn’t know of the constant ache, the demon clawing at him all the time, or his attempts at soothing it with all his extra-curricular activities.
Except Jovan. He probably had a good idea about it, but had never said anything to anyone as far as Hudson knew.
“Okay. So she’s not going to be sticking around,” Noah said.
Hudson nodded.
“I guess it comes down to whether we trust her or not,” Noah said.
Hudson sighed. “There’s nothing to worry about, Noah. Nothing.”
“I think Hudson’s right,” Rayner said.
“Agreed,” chimed in Talin.
The room went quiet, and Cohen said with a yawn, “I have nothing to contribute to this convo, guys. I’ve seen her for about three minutes. She seems nice, she’s nice to look at, but that’s all I’ve got to offer. I’ll trust the general consensus.”
A low rumble emanated from Hudson’s throat.
What the fuck was wrong with him? Why did he care if Cohen thought Beverly was pretty? There wasn’t a male around who could say she wasn’t.
There was a beat of silence as everyone turned to stare at him, and then Cohen said, “Okay. Well. Now that that’s settled, can I go back to bed? I’ve got jetlag that’s got me lagging like I can’t believe.”
Noah nodded and Cohen left. Rayner asked if anyone was up for a game of pool, and when no one was, he took out his cell phone. After speaking to Faith for a few moments, he shoved the phone back into his pocket and said, “Noah, Faith said to tell you that your quarters will be off limits for at least another two hours.”
Noah grumbled and put his head in his hands. “I can’t even get in my own fucking room?”
Rayner smiled. “Nope.”
Hudson had to laugh. Noah looked like a boy who had just been kicked out of a secret club.
Total dejection.
“The females are taking over,” Noah said quietly. “You all realize that, right?”
The silence was the affirmation of his statement.
After a beat, he said, “Well, then I guess we should hit the Xbox, Rayner. I think I owe you a whipping on Full Metal Jacket.”
Rayner chuckled. “Whatever, man. Bring it on.”
The two left the room, Rayner taking the bottle of tequila and Noah grabbing the scotch.
Hudson sat in silence with Talin. He watched the light brown liquid in his glass swirl as he moved it around, his thoughts on Noah’s question. Like he would even consider making Beverly his mate. The craziness of the question bounced around his head.
He could never love another woman the way he loved Iris.
I like you, but I don’t love you.
He grimaced as the pain sliced through his gut. First, he would never put himself in that position again. He couldn’t take another rejection. Second, SR44 males found one mate. He would never love anyone the way he loved Iris.
End of story.
He let out a heavy sigh, his thoughts going back to the previous night. Beverly’s skin had been softer than his silk sheets. He loved the way her whole face lit up when she laughed, and the gentleness of her touch. And the sex…Jesus. He had to adjust the way he was sitting just thinking about it.
“So I did a littl
e background on our guest, Beverly,” Talin said softly.
“Why did you do that?” Hudson asked, glad for the distraction.
Talin shrugged. “She seems nice, and I just want to make sure you aren’t getting mixed up with someone who could be trouble for you.”
Hudson stared at his friend. “I’m not getting mixed up with her. She’s leaving. There’s nothing between us.”
Talin rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair, lacing his hands behind his head, the leather creaking. “Hudson, you are so full of shit. And the sooner you realized that the better off you’ll be.”
“No, I’m not full of shit. There’s nothing there, Talin, and there’s nothing to realize.”
“Okay. Whatever you say, dumbass. Do you want to know what I found out or not?”
Hudson shrugged. “Sure. Not that it matters.”
“Right.”
Hudson listened intently as Talin recited her past, and a little bit of relief flowed through him that he didn’t hear anything he didn’t already know.
Not that any of it mattered.
Chapter 34
Beverly was really enjoying the company of Faith and Abby. Sitting together in a small circle on the floor, she told them about her drug addiction, being stripped of her doctor’s license, and her trip to rehab.
Faith shook her head. “And to think that you were the one person I ran into. I’m so sorry I put you in that position and under so much stress.”
Beverly shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve had a few of moments where I wanted to get back on the pills after I first arrived, but you all have been so welcoming and nice, I can’t imagine a better kidnapping experience.”
All three burst out laughing.
“So when you leave, what do you plan on doing?” Abby asked.
Beverly sighed. “I’ve got to figure out what I want to do, where I want to live. I don’t want to go back to Tucson. I was thinking I’d head to California and drive up the coast. I’ve never done that before, and I’m hoping a change in scenery will help inspire me on where I want to go and what I want to do.”
Faith’s brown eyes narrowed as she took a drink and tossed her flaming red hair over her shoulder. “Maybe you should just stay here,” she said.
Beverly turned to her, finding herself overjoyed at the invitation. She would have friends, be around people who loved each other, and maybe they could grow to love her as well. But that didn’t answer the question of what she wanted to do with her life.
And then her thoughts turned to Hudson, and her heart sank. She knew she had very strong feelings for him, and she didn’t want to be around someone who couldn’t love her back.
“That’s sweet, Faith, but I think I need to move on. All of you have been wonderful, but...” she let the sentence trail off as she stared at the rug and picked at lint that wasn’t there.
“What’s going on with you and Hudson?” Faith asked quietly.
Beverly felt a blush on her cheeks as she remembered their time in bed together. She then looked at Abby. Sweet Abby, with the long auburn hair up in a ponytail and the smattering of freckles across her nose. Beverly didn’t feel comfortable talking about Hudson in front of her. He was her father, after all, which was still strange to think about. It would be a while before she could fully accept that one.
“It’s okay, Beverly, Hudson may be my father, but we’re more friends than anything.”
Beverly nodded and looked down at the floor, feeling her cheeks burn even hotter.
“You slept with him!” Faith shrieked.
Abby started laughing, and Beverly felt herself blush even more. She slowly met Abby’s eyes, and Abby placed her hand on Beverly’s arm. “It’s okay. Really. I think it’s great. It’s about time Hudson moved on from my mom.”
“What happened, Abby? Where is she? What happened between them? I got an abbreviated version from Hudson, but I’d like to know the full story.”
Abby took a deep breath. “It’s complicated, Beverly, but here’s the basics…”
Beverly listened as Abby told of her mother dismissing Hudson, and how he was forced to watch her grow up without him. Her mother was murdered by a Colonist, and that had set Abby on a course of foster homes. “The Colonists are terrible, Beverly. Absolutely terrible.” She pointed at the scar across her neck. “The same asshole who killed my mom did this to me,” she said softly. “Thankfully, Noah killed him.”
Beverly gasped.
“It’s what they’re sent here to do, Beverly, the guys upstairs. They kill Colonists. Some of Earth’s most notorious murderers have been Colonists, like Jeffrey Dahmer, Jack the Ripper, and Saddam Hussein. Think about the people they’ve killed, Beverly. Isn’t the world better without them?”
Yes, it was a better world without them. She couldn’t deny that.
“A Colonist killed my parents,” Faith said quietly. “He wanted me, but he got my parents instead. We don’t know why he wanted me or why he killed my parents.”
Beverly exhaled. “I’m so sorry, Faith.”
Faith nodded. “It’s been hard, but Rayner has been wonderful. I couldn’t have gotten through it without him.”
All three women were silent.
“Well, that was a downer,” Faith said quietly.
Beverly thought for a moment. “Why don’t we toast to...new beginnings?”
Abby and Faith exchanged a glance, and both broke out into a smile. “To new beginnings. All of us have been there, or are on our way there,” Abby said, bringing her eyes to Beverly’s.
They clinked glasses and the mood lightened. “I do hope you stay with Hudson though,” Faith said. “He seems a little more...” she looked around the room as if searching for the right word. “He just seems...like he’s...more. More here. Stronger, if that’s possible. Just...more of everything.”
Beverly smiled at her. Hudson might seem “more,” but he had admitted that his heart belonged to Iris, Abby’s mother. There wouldn’t be another for him.
“To new beginnings,” Beverly said, raising her glass. The other two glasses met hers in a sweet sound of friendship.
Chapter 35
Hudson went back to his quarters, sighing as he sat down on the bed.
Beverly would have to leave tomorrow. There wasn’t a reason for her to stay. He was healed. He would drive her back to the hotel to get her car, and then she would be off.
He also knew that if she walked through that door, he would scoop her up in his arms, and he would devour her body. He thought of all the different ways he wanted to...worship her. He wanted to make her feel ecstasy over and over again. For some reason he wanted her to remember him, and he knew the best way was to get her back in bed. Before she went out into the world by herself, he wanted her to understand how a woman should be treated. Last time he had done okay showing her this, but his mind had been clouded by the fog of pain.
If there were a next time, it would be different. He thought of all the ways he wanted to show her what a man could do for a woman, and he fell back on the bed with a moan, giving himself an erection with the thoughts.
Yes, if there was a next time...that was the least he could do for her after all she had done for him.
As if she were sensing the path his mind was going, there was a light tap on the door. He knew it was Beverly. It was almost as if he could feel her energy through the slab of wood.
He took four strides to the door and swung it open, meeting the green eyes that drilled into his very being every time he looked at them.
“Hi,” she said softly. She wrapped her arms across her stomach, and he watched as she blushed. She averted her eyes from his. “I’m...I’m not really sure why I came here tonight. I mean, I know how you’re healed, and you don’t need me here anymore, but I just felt like...”
He was highly aware of the yellow glow from his eyes bathing her in their warm light.
She looked up at him again. “Your eyes...they’re so beautiful, Hudson.”
He noticed that hers were a dark, dark green. He knew what that meant, and he was so down with it.
“Come here,” he growled, taking her hand gently and pulling her into the room. Her body shut the door as he gently backed her up into it. He looked at her one more time, then his mouth met hers, all thoughts of her leaving, Iris, and pain faded from his mind. He became consumed by all that was Beverly.
His hand reached up and let her hair down, the silk streaming through his fingers. Finding the edge of her t-shirt, he let his hands roam up her back, her ribcage, and sweet Jesus, those wonderful little breasts covered in a silky little bra. He loved the way she shivered as his thumb ran over her nipple through the fabric.
“Hudson,” she breathed.
He slipped the t-shirt over her shoulders and head and tossed it to the floor. Needing to feel her skin on his, he took the front of her bra in between his thumb and forefinger, gave it a flick and threw that on the floor as well.
He pulled his shirt over his head and watched as surprise registered on her face. She gently touched the slightly red scratches that had been huge mounds of stitches a mere few hours ago, and this time it was his turn to shiver.
“That’s so amazing you can be healed like this,” she whispered.
He closed his eyes as her hand ran over his chest. Her touch was soft, leaving ripples of fire in its wake, yet it made him shake as if her hands were made of ice.
He felt her hand leave his chest, replaced by her soft, gentle lips. After she had just about driven him insane with the little kisses, he opened his eyes. She stared up at him.
“You’re so beautiful, Beverly,” he whispered. He wanted her to know that.
She blushed, but didn’t look away.
His big hands grasped her tiny waist, and he pulled her closer.
He kissed her again, their mouths moving together gently. Feeling her tongue at his lips, he gladly opened them and accepted it. Her hands glided up his forearms, to his biceps, and then laced around his neck. She gently pulled on the band that kept his hair back in the ponytail, and he felt his hair brush over his shoulders as her slender fingers whispered through it.