She grabbed her neck, reached out and felt something, and kept grabbing and gasping. She was going to die.
“Essie! Wake the fuck up now!”
She jerked forward.
A nightmare? It was a nightmare. It wasn’t real. She scanned around her. She grabbed her throat and gasped for breath that wasn’t coming. Her heart was racing, she was in a full-fledged panic attack and Max, Ford, Turbo, Cobra, and Slayer were surrounding her.
“Here, here.” Slayer brought her the paper bag. She grabbed it from him, crumpled it, and slid to the floor by the bed. She took in the steady breaths and tried not to focus on how embarrassing this was, and instead on what the doctor explained she should do. Easy breaths. Nice, easy breaths.
“Slowly, Essie. Slowly, baby, you’re safe. It was a nightmare,” Slayer said to her and caressed the hair from her damp cheeks. She closed her eyes, willed the fear the images from the nightmare away, and slowly started to settle down. She pulled the bag from her mouth, let her arms hang by her sides, and kept her head back against the bed as she sat there on the rug.
He caressed her hair from her cheeks.
“What do you need? What helps?” Slayer asked her.
“Water. Protein bar, something,” she whispered and sensed them moving, but she was utterly exhausted.
“Should we put her on the bed?” Cobra asked. She shook her head slowly.
“Jesus, baby. This happens every day?” Ford asked her. She kept her eyes closed.
“Yes.”
“Here. I got the water and a protein bar,” Turbo said, and Slayer lifted her head. She opened her eyes and locked gazes with his fierce blue ones. She took a sip from the water bottle, then another.
“Want to hold it or just get pieces?” Turbo asked. They were all so caring, but she felt like an invalid, like a crazy, weak idiot. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Don’t. Don’t you dare start those crazy thoughts or feel embarrassed that we’re witnessing this. We’re a family now. You’re our woman, and we are going to protect you with everything we’ve got,” Slayer stated firmly.
She reached out for the bar with a shaking hand. Turbo put the bar into her hand but didn’t release her hand. Instead, he helped her to take a bite. The minutes passed as she chewed, then drank, then chewed some more until her body started to get back to feeling normal. Or at least functional.
She looked at all of them. They were surrounding her, staring at her with concern and anger. “I’m sorry.”
“No. There isn’t anything to be sorry about, Essie,” Cobra stated firmly.
“You’re angry now. The night is ruined.”
“It isn’t ruined, baby. If anything, this just makes me want to be with you, protecting you, helping you to heal even more so,” Max said to her and caressed her thigh. She realized she was only wearing a T-shirt. Not hers, and she ran her hand along it then gripped Max’s hand. “I didn’t want you to see me like this. I can’t gain any control when it’s happening,” she said and sniffled.
Ford reached out and wiped away her tears.
“It’s brought on by nightmares from the attack?” he asked, and she shook her head.
“Not always. It’s always about him. About Blade finding me, or hurting those I love and care about.” She closed her eyes and thought about her parents. She shouldn’t call them. She shouldn’t take the chance that Blade could be watching them, or maybe wired their house or something.
“Hey, what are you thinking about?” Cobra asked. Her heart ached as she realized the consequences of her making love to these men and accepting them as her lovers. Blade could go after each of them, and her parents, and her aunt and uncle, and even Helen. Anyone close to her in order to get to her. She needed to make them all aware of the potential danger. It would be the only way to give them a fighting chance.
“Essie, talk to us. Stop thinking that you’re alone. You aren’t anymore. You have all of us,” Ford stated.
“And if I get you and your brothers, your cousin, Helen, killed, then what?” she asked.
“That isn’t going to happen because we know what is going on and will take the proper precautions. Helen will be made aware of the potential danger,” Slayer told her.
“She knows I had something bad happen to me in New York. She’s friends with my aunt and uncle.”
“Your aunt and uncle? Where do they live?” Cobra asked.
“Less than an hour from here. I met Helen and saw the sign for the apartment for rent by coincidence, and when I gave my name, and she knew my aunt and uncle, it just felt right.”
“Of course it did, because coming here was the best decision. Now where are your parents? You didn’t mention them before,” Turbo asked.
“They live in New York. I didn’t stay near them in order to protect them. I only get to talk to them every other week or maybe three weeks. I use a burner phone and call a cell phone my dad had a friend set up under the friend’s name as precaution so Blade can’t track it or me.”
“Shit, how the heck did you know how to do that?” Max asked and smiled.
“The movies,” she said, and they chuckled. Slayer caressed her thigh.
“We’ll need to know where your parents live so we can arrange protection for them,” he said.
“What?”
“Baby, you’re scared they could get killed by Blade or hurt by him to get to you. They need protection, as do your aunt, uncle, Helen, and whomever else you think may be in harm’s way. We told you that we’re resourceful and have connections. It wasn’t to just get you into bed,” Slayer said, making a joke, which was so out of character for him, even his brothers looked shocked.
She tilted her head at him.
“Cute, Slayer,” She told him and he cupped her cheek and held her gaze with a firm expression.
“You are our woman and we would give our lives to protect you.” Tears spilled from her eyes.
“I don’t want you to give your lives to protect me,” she said and sniffled.
“The only life that is going to be lost will be Blade’s. I promise you,” he said and then pressed his lips to hers. When he pulled back, she swallowed hard.
As they began to get up, Slayer went to help lift her, and she shook her head.
“No. I’m upset enough that this happened and you all saw me like this. I’m not a baby who needs to be pacified.” She went to push up from the rug, feeling how lightheaded she still was and weak, damn it. She knew it always took her about thirty minutes to recover.
Cobra lowered down and stared into her eyes. “You are not weak, and we do not pacify anyone. We can see how exhausted you are from the episode and it’s our responsibility, and pleasure, to take care of our woman. The sooner you realize that you are no longer alone and have all five of us to care for you, the better off you’ll be,” he stated firmly.
“And the less punishments you’ll get,” Ford added, standing there glaring at her with his arms crossed in front of his chest.
“Punishments?” she asked as Cobra lifted her up and hugged her close.
“Yes. We’ll go over the rules, don’t worry,” Ford told her with an expression of promise and severity in his eyes. Should she be scared or aroused? She really didn’t know, and as Cobra laid her on the bed and held her against his chest, she closed her eyes and rested, thinking if this was real, maybe she would have a fighting chance.
Chapter Eight
“Say that again, Walt,” Stewart asked his cousin. He sat forward on the couch and listened to what his cousin said.
“Essie was attacked one night walking home from work. She was beaten badly. Wound up in the hospital for three weeks.”
“Holy God,” Stewart said and ran his fingers through his hair.
“She wasn’t raped, but the reports say that she had a suspicion of who the guy was. Some soldier she met one night with friends, and she never accepted his advances. Never dated him or went out with him, and he basically started stalking her. Her car was broke
n into and her apartment, too.”
“Sounds like a fucking asshole,” Stewart said and looked at himself in the mirror. He flexed his muscles. He was a big guy, strong, and even took a bunch of boxing classes.
“This is why she’s scared to date. Did the cops catch the guy?”
“No. I don’t have any other information. It’s pretty obvious she moved out there to South Carolina to hide.”
“No shit, Walt. This just pisses me off. I can protect her from this guy. I just need to prove it to her somehow.”
“Yeah, well, this guy is a soldier, and he sounds like a psycho. It may be better to just stay out of it.”
“She’s too beautiful, man.”
“I saw a picture of her. She looks really sweet.”
“She’s going to be mine. I just need to prove to her that I can protect her.”
“Whatever, Stewart. No more favors, though. I took a chance looking this shit up. I feel like someone is watching me or I’m going to get busted.”
Stewart chuckled. “I appreciate the help. Talk to you soon.”
* * * *
Walt disconnected the call and then looked around him. He hated doing this kind of shit. He had a feeling that this situation with this woman was going to get his cousin into some serious trouble. He stood up, grabbed his blazer, and headed out of the office. He didn’t like the feeling he had, and when he got into the elevator right before it closed, some guy, a detective or someone he hardly knew but recognized from the department, slid in.
He stared at Walt and Walt gave a nod then looked away.
“Not for nothing, buddy, but you’re butting your nose into a serious police investigation. Who the fuck were you giving information to?” the guy asked him.
“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Stewart said, and a second later, he was pressed up against the wall.
“You dumb fuck. We’re trying to keep Essie safe. Who were you talking to on the phone about her case?”
Steward felt like throwing up. He was fucked.
“My cousin. He knows her, and he was worried about her and the way she seems like she’s hiding out.”
The guy narrowed his eyes at him.
“Where does your cousin live?”
“South Carolina.”
“That’s where he met Essie?”
Stewart nodded, and the guy exhaled.
“Where in South Carolina?” Stewart scrunched his eyes together.
“If you’re part of the investigation, why don’t you know?” he asked. The guy pressed him harder against the wall. He saw his nameplate. Kessler.
“She was super scared and the last detectives working the case weren’t exactly giving her the right advice. They screwed up, kind of like you did snooping around the computer system and giving out personal information on Essie and placing her in further danger.”
“No, I didn’t. I just told my cousin because he likes her and she’s shy and not accepting dates from anyone. He isn’t going to hurt her, he wants to protect her.”
“The name of the town and your cousin’s name. Then we’ll talk about consequences.”
* * * *
Slayer, Ford, and Max walked out of the bedroom giving Essie time to recover and also some time with Cobra and Turbo.
Max watched Slayer texting on his cell phone before going over to the laptop where he began typing.
“Something is up,” Max whispered to Ford. Ford rubbed his beard and took a seat by the island along with Slayer.
“You got something?” he asked Slayer.
Max clenched his teeth.
He didn’t look up. “Give me a minute,” he said and then typed faster, texted, and then stopped, leaned forward, and fixated on the screen.
“What is it? Talk to us, Slayer, we’re all in this together,” Max said to him.
He leaned back in the chair, his expression grim, angry, and he turned the laptop toward them. Max took position next to Ford.
“Blade, AKA Corey Flint, wanted by the NYPD for assault, several counts, attempted murder, Jesus, it says he assaulted a bunch of residents and the landlord at his apartment complex. One is in critical condition.”
Max gripped the counter.
“This is him? This is the fucking asshole?” Ford stated and stared at the screen.
“Dishonorable discharge,” Slayer stated and then clicked the button and brought up another screen. Max immediately knew it was a government file. He read the details and the abilities of this man who was after their woman. Who hurt Essie once and now was obsessed with finding her.”
“Holy fucking shit,” Max stated.
Ford looked toward the bedroom, then stood up and paced.
“No fucking self-defense class is going to help her against a man with these capabilities, Slayer. If he gets his hands on her,” Ford stated.
“He won’t get his hands on her. We won’t let him get close enough.”
“But no one has come up with a location on him. We need to find him,” Max said, and he felt like a caged animal. Like he needed to go out and hunt this beast down and kill him.
“Don’t let on to any of this. We’ll talk to Cobra and Turbo later. The only concrete plan would be to call in a few favors, and then I leave and go hunting.”
“She is not going to want you to leave here,” Max stated.
“She doesn’t have a choice. We spend the next week going over the rules of being our woman. She would need to learn them anyway if I decide to take up any of the upcoming assignments,” Slayer told them.
“You would still consider being active duty, taking on such dangerous missions with Essie in your life now?” Ford asked him.
“I haven’t made any decisions yet. A lot of things happened the last few missions.”
“Yeah, like a stab wound that you just happened to not mention,” Ford said, reminding him of the damage to his skin and how they didn’t say a word in front of Essie, but he saw their pissed expressions.
“It was a minor injury, nothing worth discussing.”
“So you say, Slayer, but the one thing you keep forgetting is that it means something to us. We worry about you. You’re family, you’re more like our brother, and when you hurt, when you’re scared or upset, so are we. Having taken Essie together, possessing her together, means things need to change,” Ford said to him.
Slayer looked away.
“Our first priority is to eliminate the threat against Essie. Anything else is minimal as far as I’m concerned. Now let me take care of some phone calls and get more intel,” Slayer said to them.
“What about Essie, and who’s going to protect her?” Max asked.
“You two join the others. I’ll take care of this first.” He started to type away on the computer and Max looked at Ford who nodded toward the hallway.
“Let’s go. He needs to do this and handle it his way,” Ford said to Max.
“Doesn’t he feel the connection to Essie like we do? I mean, isn’t it just as strong for him as it seems to be for us?” Max asked.
“It may be even stronger, but Slayer needs to admit to himself that he loves her, and accept that before he’ll let his guard down and accept all that comes along with sharing her. Come on. I need to see her and know that she’s safe and all ours.”
* * * *
“Cobra. Oh God, Cobra,” Essie whispered as Cobra suckled hard on her clit and then plunged his tongue into her channel. Turbo held her arms above her head, and feasted and teased her breasts.
She watched Turbo’s tongue lick the tip and then swirl over it before he suckled hard. When he released her nipple, Cobra sat up and gripped her hips.
“We need inside of you, right fucking now.”
“Yes,” she said, and he moved back. Turbo lifted her up into his arms, scooted down lower on the bed, and then she felt his cock under her pussy and ass.
“Take me inside of you now,” Turbo ordered.
She gasped with Cobra’s help lifting her up, and
she gripped Turbo’s cock. He grunted, and she slid her pussy over the hard, thick muscle.
“Good girl,” Cobra whispered against her ear, his hands still gripping her hips from behind and pushing down, so she took Turbo in deeply.
“Oh God,” she moaned and fell forward only for Turbo to now grip her hips and thrust upward.
How the hell did he do that, have the muscle strength and stamina to thrust upward like that? My God, he was filled with muscles, she thought, gripping his shoulders and rubbing her hand all over Turbo. His abs were super tight and hard, his shoulders wide and that dark hair, those dark eyes bore into hers.
“Mine,” he said and thrust upward again.
She felt the cool liquid to her ass.
“There are rules we are going to inform you about along the way,” Cobra said to her and then suckle her earlobe.
“Oh, yes, whatever you want, Cobra.” She exhaled and felt her pussy leak more cream. Turbo chuckled.
“Whatever we want huh?” he asked and thrust again, then cupped her breasts and tugged hard on her nipples.
She gasped.
Essie felt Cobra’s hands slide along her ass and the press of lube to her anus.
“You belong to all of us. When we give an order, you respond immediately. Understood?” Cobra asked and pressed fingers to her anus.
“Understood?” Turbo asked in a firm tone and thrust upward.
“Yes. Oh,” she moaned and counterthrust against Turbo’s cock, and then shifted back against Cobra’s fingers.
Cobra gripped her shoulder, his hand felt so big, solid as he pushed his fingers in and out of her ass.
“That’s right, baby, and you know what? We belong to you just as much as you belong to us. You tell us when you need something. When you crave something.” He sucked her earlobe into his mouth then blew warm breath into her ear giving her the chills and making her moan louder and thrust faster.
It Takes Special Forces [Love on the Rocks 9] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 13