Forgiving Love (The Soul Sisters Series Book 2)

by Victoria Johns

  “Pretty much Neely,” he replies.

  “But I assume his cattle can still graze and roam?”

  “Yes, just any kit or machinery still on land isn’t to be used or any day to day business be conducted on the property.”

  “So he can do all his stuff, just not here?”

  “Yes,” the sheriff confirms.

  “Jonas, can he loan your outer fields for a while please, they are adjacent to his land, we can take down a section of the fencing and move the animals to conduct his business from there. We’ve already moved the machinery so that it was out of the fire’s reach, so technically is it not on his land. The forensic laws state business must cease at the scene of the crime, Jonas’s land isn’t a crime scene.”

  Chris is looking my way with his mouth agape and his eyes wide. “Someone tell me she’s wrong about what she’s suggesting.” No one counters my idea, “Do you have any idea how hot you are to me right now?” he says looking at me.

  “Oh Chris, you should work with her, she pulls this shit all the time,” laughs Steven with pride.

  “One last thing, Ross, are we any closer to your investigation ending. This secret squirrel shit is a nightmare.”

  “Yeah Neely, we are. I’ve drafted in some help and we’re going to try and bring this to a close, after all innocent civilians are being shot at. I’ve also asked for some outside help to try and break into one of the tunnel entrances.”

  “Why aren’t you going for the one on Chris’s land?”

  “Because Polly and Henry have that on their radar, until we are certain of their reach we want to leave that alone, if Henry gets spooked he could blow this thing with a simple phone call and all this has been for nothing.”

  “Ah, OK. Be careful yeah?” I tell him.

  “Sure thing babe.”

  Chris pulls me to him, Ross calling me babe has caused him to state his claim. Ross just laughs at him and Jonas shakes his head in amusement, but it doesn’t please me at all. “Jesus, do you just want to pee all over me and leave your scent Chris?” The men in the room start laughing now, loudly.

  Chris doesn’t, he looks at me seriously and bends down to kiss me, “Just want these jealous fuckers to realize you are mine. I can’t be held responsible for my actions if they get too close.”

  His protective side is sweet and if I’m honest it makes me feel adored, but I’m Neely, a strong headed girl with a reputation. I can’t let him see that his actions have made my heart melt and endeared him to me even more. “I think they get that without you going all caveman.”

  “I think you’d love my inner cavemen,” he whispers and I’m immediately dribbling with lusty thoughts, but now is not the time.

  The secret squirrel meeting is called to an end and everyone leaves with a task in hand where appropriate. As Chris and I go to leave, I turn to say bye to Dolly, she’s been silent throughout all of this. When I catch her eye she’s wiping a tear from her cheek and smiling back at me. Dolly mouths the words, I knew he was the one for you, to me and I nod in agreement and head for the door.

  My best friend and soul sister is beyond happy that my life is changing and I’ve got a guy she’s always loved and adored right by my side.

  Chapter Twenty Five

  To say that things are hectic over the next couple of days is a total understatement. Right now I am more than thankful for the forced vacation I’m on, Chris needs my help and he needs me. Our days start by gathering the staff and assigning duties, the locations of these are all over the place and never here at the ranch. It’s not ideal but the workforce is glad to still be in employment and they understand that this is only a temporary solution. Chris is better being kept busy and in order to minimize our intrusion on Jonas and Dolly he spends a lot of time managing activities over there.

  I’m trying to play my part and we’ve agreed that would be keeping an eye on the investigation at the ranch and being as helpful as possible. In reality it’s best if Chris is out of the way, he’d get bogged down in that and he needs to remain on the side lines.

  The initial fire chief’s report into the fire has confirmed that it was started intentionally with an accelerant, in this case, gasoline. Had it not been for the irregular burn patterns and tell tale marks in the fire debris it would have been closed down as an accident. Of course that was until a body was found.

  The fire department have now left and handed over the case to a criminal investigation team, the place has been crawling with detectives and law enforcement officers.

  Sheriff Roberts has put a rush order on the dental records request to see if that gets things moving quicker because until they have identified the name of the poor char grilled soul then the ranch has to stay closed for business.

  It has us all on edge because we can’t deny the seriousness of it any longer. Bullets flying and dead bodies turning up usually have that affect.

  I try and take Chris drinks and food regularly, the stress of all this is beginning to manifest. I’m doing my best to be what he needs me to be, and right now that means just being here for him. I also give him the kind of stress relief that seems to have the best effect. If letting him bury himself deep inside me, brings him some peace then I’m happy to comply, it’s not exactly an unpleasant task.

  One thing I’ve been trying to do is look more at the Vans estate. How much is it worth? What will become of it if the main players wind up in jail? As stupid as it sounds I’d rather know the answers now, so I can understand how it might affect Chris. I’m not even considering him losing his ranch. That is not an option I will entertain.

  The only other thing I did was to organize a few drinks for the gang so that Chris could let his hair down and see how much he means to us, how we are all rooting for him to win this fight, this stupid battleground that he entered without knowing. Tonight is Purps night and thank God, I’ve had some more clothes delivered from my trashed apartment.

  Chris is already downstairs relaxing with a bottle of beer whilst I’m finishing my primping. Now this guy is mine I’m planning on blowing his mind tonight.

  I’ve selected a nude batwing style dress that is so short it should be illegal. It’s wide necked and hugs my waist and thighs. My legs look all shiny and I’m wearing my trade mark black accessories, purse and shoes which finish my ensemble perfectly. My hair is clipped up at the front and teased to sit high in a quiff, the rest of it falls flat and long down my back. My makeup is dark and black, really black and there is only one way to describe the whole package. Deadly.

  Now it’s time to go and wow my guy.

  “Oh no, you can’t go out like that Neely,” he says stopping me from progressing further into the living room.

  “Why? What’s wrong with it?” I ask looking down at myself.

  “Nothing, apart from everything.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Do you want me to have a shit night fending off dicks who can’t stop looking at you? There is a distinct possibility that I will end the night in lock up because I’ve had to beat some fucker up.”

  “Oh, don’t be silly. This is nothing new, you know this is how I dress,” I toss aside his comments flippantly and start checking my purse’s contents.

  “I’m not being silly, I know because I’m usually one of those fuckers getting an eyeful imagining those sweet legs wrapped around my waist.”

  “Well lucky for you, later, they may well be.” I dismiss him and head for the door. “Coming? Or is that going to be later too?”

  After a few minutes he’s locked up the ranch house and is climbing in to the back of one of Tommy’s cabs behind me.

  Purps is its usual gregarious affair. People are dancing, a lot are propping up a bar or smooching in an alcove. We find the rest of our crew huddled around a bar. Flo looks like she’s itching to dance and poor Jonas is doing his best to deter Dolly from being dragged away with her. My entrance will put the blockers on his efforts, three of us against him will win.

  “Good N
eely’s here, let’s dance,” screams Flo.

  “I could do with a drink first.”

  “OK, one drink, and then we’ll go and live it up.”

  “Dalton, I know how this is going to go, I’ll say it once. If any pissed up fuckers come at you, our evening fun is going to turn into fighting fun for me. You have been warned,” he says.

  “OK pumpkin,” she replies completely dismissing him.

  I glug my drink back quickly and then rally my girls for a dance. Whilst I’m out there I can’t resist dancing in a sexy manner, but for the first time ever, I do it for a specific guy. I stand at the edge of the dance floor and bump and grind whilst my eyes never leave Chris’s.

  The effect I am having on him is driving me wild. He’s completely ignoring everyone around him and I am his sole focus. My desire for him is so obvious and he looks at me like I’m the most sensual thing he’s ever laid his eyes on. After a few minutes it’s clear he can no longer stand to be apart from me when he dumps his beer bottle on the bar and strides over to me.

  “Excuse me, you are the sexiest thing I have seen here in ages, I was wondering if you’d like to dance?”

  “I’m sorry, I don’t think my boyfriend would like that,” I tell him totally getting into a character role I know I’ll enjoy playing.

  “You have a boyfriend, that’s a shame. Is he here?”

  “No, he gets kind of jealous when I hit the dance floor, so I tend to leave him at home.” I continue to edge closer to him and dance around him, whilst he stands there. It’s a mating dance that is turning me on something wicked.

  “I can see why he’d be jealous, you must be making every guy in this place hard. Just one dance?”

  “Well that depends.”

  “On...”

  “What kind of dancing are we talking about?” I ask.

  “I’m thinking vertically close and the sweaty kind, I need to feel just how good your moves are.”

  “You want to see my moves?”

  “Very much so, but not on the dance floor. What do you say, fancy taking a walk on the wild side with me?”

  “Um, do you promise not to tell my boyfriend?”

  “Absolutely. Now, follow me.” Chris leads me to a quiet corner of the club where the lights are low and the bass bounces off the walls. It’s completely secluded and next to a fire exit. As I get to where he wants me, he grabs me and pushes me into a corner completely covering me so the only thing that’s on show is the back of his body.

  “Legs apart Neely. One good thing about that ridiculously short dress is that I can get easy access.” I comply with his wish and stand with my legs wide apart. Air hits my cooch and I’m hoping he’ll be pleased when he discovers I’m bare under my dress.

  He runs his hands up my legs, honing in on the target, “What the fuck Neely? Where are you fucking panties?”

  “What’s up stud, I thought you liked easy access?” I tease him by licking his exposed neck and nibbling his ear lobe.

  “I’ve got a good mind to show you just how much I like the easy access part of the night, but we’d both get arrested then.”

  “I want you Chris, I need you to touch me now.”

  “Oh I plan to, but pull a stunt like this again and I’ll tan that pretty ass of yours pink. Just to remind you that teasing my caveman instinct has consequences.”

  I quiver when he comes to the end of his sentence and because he felt it, I’m thinking it was more like a full body shiver.

  “I’m sensing that’s something you’d be up for,” he whispers and I don’t reply.

  “Answer me Neely, would you like that?”

  I go tongue tied, like the last time he demanded information. “Too late Neely, seems like you didn’t learn your lesson last time. Looks like I’m going to have to find out for myself sometime.”

  My mouth is dry and my heart is thumping as badly as the bass in the club. God I want that. If he touches me right now I think I’ll explode on impact. I need him to take care of me and bring me off the edge. The edge he’s created with his words and suggestions alone.

  “Chris, please...”

  He launches himself at me and takes my mouth with an animalistic passion. His fingers are working at my clit and with little effort I drop over that ledge. Any noise or screams I make are drowned out by the music or swallowed up by Chris and I’m only upright because he’s keeping me that way.

  “Neely Prince, you are the horniest girl I’ve ever had in my life, but don’t ever come out in a dress like this with no underwear on without me. OK?”

  “OK.”

  “Now, I need to hang here for a few minutes and let Chris junior recover. I’m so hard right now I could hammer nails into wood with my cock and that is not a good look.”

  “Sorry babe,” I kiss him, “but not sorry at all,” I laugh and leave him, he’s shaking his head where he’s hiding and watching me wiggle my ass back to our gang.

  When I get to the girls they have a knowing smile on their faces, co-incidentally it matches the one the guys are also wearing, I imagine they’d be fist bumping Chris right now if he was here.

  My sisters hook me up with a much needed drink and I settle down on a bar stool rejoicing in the goodness that surrounds me. I have friends I cherish, a job I excel at and a guy I love. Once this other shit stops my life will be perfect.

  After thirty minutes pass by and I’ve had two more glasses of bubbly stuff, I begin to get frustrated that it’s taking Chris so long to get his dick under control. He’ll kill me if this is how hard I make him with no outlet for his release.

  “Dolly, just going to look for my guy. I have no idea what’s keeping him.”

  “That’s what they call it now, looking for your guy, we can’t take you anywhere,” she laughs.

  I begin my search where I left him and he’s not there. I spend the next ten minutes completing a circuit of the club and still don’t spot him. On my second pass I go slower in case he’s met someone. That thought alone makes me nervous, there are plenty of people he could meet in here and unfortunately half of them are female.

  I make it back to my starting point and there is still no sign of him. If that horny fucker has left me to go and sort out his erection in the handy manner, then I’ll not be happy. Firstly, I like the idea of him being all pent up and frustrated. Secondly, I wanted to help. He won’t be pleased with me doing this but there is nothing else for it, I need help.

  Time to recruit Jonas to check the bathrooms.

  “Jonas, I hate to ask, but I’ve mislaid Chris, he was last seen with a hard male problem. Can you go and check the bathroom for me?”

  “Fuck No. I don’t want to even think about that let alone interrupt him dealing with it.”

  “Yeah, true, I didn’t think of that. Never mind he’ll be back when he’s done.”

  I help myself to another glass of bubbly from the bottle in the ice bucket and resume my seat on the stool at the bar.

  After another thirty minutes have passed, I’ll be honest, I was starting to get a bit worried and the way Jonas was scanning the club, it was obvious he thought something was up to.

  “OK Neely, I’ll go look for him,” he tells me and off he strides.

  Jonas didn’t return at all. Oli had disappeared for a while too and when he makes his way back to us, his face is harsh. “Ladies, I’ve called a couple of cabs. Jonas wants us to wait for him and Chris back at Chris’s place.”

  “What? Why? Where’s Chris, what’s he doing?”

  “I don’t know Neely, Jonas just asked me to call the night to an end and all head out, he said he’d take care of Chris.”

  “What’s wrong, what did Jonas find him doing?” I snap and then the bubbly in my stomach turns, I feel sick. “It’s not what he’s doing, it’s who he’s doing isn’t it?”

  “Hey,” Oli replies, “Don’t jump to crazy ass conclusions. Have some faith, he just said he wouldn’t be far behind us and he would explain when he got to Chris’s. So I
think we should do as he says.”

  “Fuck that, where is Jonas?” I run off looking for him, Oli follows trying to catch me but my small size becomes my best advantage in this crowded place as I weave through the crowds. When he does finally catch me, he grabs me and looks pissed off.

  “Shit Neely, follow me,” he barks and leads me up to the manager’s office. It’s not unusual for Jonas to hang out there, he’s buddies with the owner and even spent some time managing the place as a favor. Of course, he was undercover then, trying to pull out an illegal money scam but it’s all in a day’s work for him.

  We both crash through the office door and Oli starts speaking first, “Sorry man, I tried to get her out of here.”

  “What the fuck is going on?” I shout.

  “Fucking hell Neely, do you ever do anything you’re told to do,” Jonas shouts at me, “Don’t panic, but it looks like Chris was abducted shortly after you left him.”

  My knees give out and I hit the floor as my vision goes all wobbly. The only thing going through my mind is the body in the fire and how that could be Chris if we don’t get to him soon.

  Chapter Twenty Six

  I was completely terrified. My body was overwhelmed and I couldn’t control the shaking that had seized me.

  Jonas was busy trying to track my man down so the rest of the gang hustled me into a cab and we went back to Chris’s ranch to await news. I kept playing the words over and over in my mind.

  “What do you mean he’s been abducted?”

  “Listen to me, I’ll get him back for you Neely, those motherfuckers won’t hurt him.”

  “Are you sure, he could be somewhere else. He could have... met someone?” I say tentatively.

  Jonas came from behind the desk and approached me cautiously, he knew what he had to do, he had to spell it out for me and get me to understand.

  “Neely, I know he’s been abducted because I’ve watched the security feeds. Chris was approached by two fuckers after you left him, one of them injected something into his neck and then they both dragged him out of the fire escape.”