He takes me in his arms and kisses me like this is the last time he’ll ever see me. The gentleness in his touch breaks down the last of my defenses. I melt into his embrace. According to Mr. Mercer, feelings like this only come once in a lifetime. With Cash’s hands roaming over my breasts, I have to believe it’s true.
“So beautiful,” Cash murmurs against my sternum. Beneath his nimble fingers, my dress opens, slides over my shoulders, and drops to my hips. “You mean everything to me, baby girl.”
I fumble at the drawstring of his shorts. Together we fall to the mattress. He removes my panties, tugs my bra cups down so his mouth can suck on my nipples. Using my feet, I shove his shorts over his slim hips. With his weight balanced on his forearms, he lowers himself between my open legs. The weight of his heavy body on top of me removes my worries. When he’s inside me, everything feels right again.
“Oh.” A contented sigh escapes as he pushes into me, inch by inch, savoring the friction.
“The only peace in my life is when I’m with you.” The raw edges of his quiet voice grow rougher. Our hips move in a delicate dance of advance and retreat. His push meets my pull. “I’ll never love anyone but you. You’re my everything, Jagger.” He buries his face in my neck, continuing his slow thrusts.
“I love you, too.” The burn of tears accompanies my confession. I dig my fingers into his hair, releasing the clean scent of his shampoo.
A subtle shift of his weight drives him deeper. Our mutual groans of pleasure break the quiet. This isn’t our usual frenzied fucking. This is so much more. With his brown eyes locked on mine, I’m lost in their depths. Before this moment, I might have been able to walk away. Not now. He owns me—body and soul—and I want him to never let me go.
Twenty-One
Jagger
In the early hours of the morning, I awaken to the growl of my stomach. Cash sleeps next to me, curled on his side with one arm beneath the pillow and the other across my waist. After his meeting, we skipped supper and made love for hours. A warm glow envelops my body at the memory. I’m still teeming with dopamine. He worshipped every inch of me, from my head to my toes. The memory of this night will stay with me forever.
Moving slowly to keep from disturbing him, I slide from beneath his hand. One of his discarded T-shirts is draped across the footboard. I drag it over my head, loving the smell of Cash permeating the cotton fabric, and grab my phone. Hopefully, there are leftovers in the kitchen for a snack, and I can use the time to catch up on any missed texts or emails. My bare feet are silent on the marble floor as I tiptoe downstairs. I flip on the kitchen light to find Gage sitting at the breakfast bar, shirtless and munching on a sandwich. He blinks, blinded by the sudden brightness, then jerks his chin in greeting.
“Yo.” He regards me over the edges of his ham and swiss. “Can’t sleep?”
“I’m starving.” To prove the point, my stomach growls.
“You can have the other one.” He nods to a second sandwich on the plate.
“Are you sure?” As I speak, I open the fridge in search of water.
“Yeah. Will you hand me one of those?”
I toss a bottle of spring water at his head. He catches it with one hand. The man has reflexes like a cat. I slide onto the barstool next to him. He nudges the plate toward me. For a few minutes, we eat in comfortable silence. It’s hard not to like the guy. His friendship with Cash seems genuine, and I respect their loyalty to each other.
“Guess I owe you one,” he mumbles through a bite of food.
“Why’s that?”
“You got the psycho bitch out of the house.”
“I did?” My eyebrows stretch toward my hairline.
“Yeah. Cash texted me earlier and said to send Athena to a hotel.” A wide smile transforms his face from fierce to boyish. “She was fucking pissed. Broke a lamp and kicked a hole in the drywall on her way out.”
Part of me feels bad for ousting Athena, but the rest of me basks in smug satisfaction. Serves her right.
“You might wanna be prepared for her wrath. She’s been under the illusion that Cash is hers.” His amused chuckle cuts through the silence. “Made my day.”
“I’ll sleep a lot better with her gone.”
“Me too. That bitch scares the hell out of me.” Gage grabs a bag of potato chips from one of the cabinets and dumps a heap onto the plate.
Although we haven’t spent a lot of time together, sitting with him in the middle of the night seems natural. I feel comfortable enough to ask a question that’s been on my mind all evening. “What did Cash talk about at his meeting?”
“The usual stuff. Security. Being careful. Setting up a chain of command to deal with problems in his absence.” He drops his sandwich to the plate and bows his head. “He’s taken a lot of chances over the past decade to avenge Chelle and pissed off lots of people along the way. It won’t be easy, but he’s serious about backing away from the business.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be insensitive about Chelle.” I’m not sure of his relationship with her, but the sadness in his expression is unmistakable. “I know you were probably friends with her.”
“It’s okay.” With a heavy sigh, he shoves the last bite of his food into his mouth and swallows. “She was my first love—although we broke up about a year before she disappeared. Her idea. Not mine.” From the sag of his proud shoulders, the rift must still be painful for him. “She didn’t deserve to be caught up in the middle of our turf war. After she disappeared, Cash went a little nuts. I don’t think he ever laughed or smiled until you came along.” His gaze lifts to mine. “If you want out of this, you need to go now, because it’s only going to get harder from here on out. He’ll be crushed, but I’ll get him through it.”
I’m touched by his concern for Cash. Their friendship echoes the bonds that tie me to Emeline. “I considered it, but I can’t go. Not after everything he’s done for me. I’ll stay with him. No matter the outcome.” My focus blurs as I stare into space. “I promise.”
“Good to know.” He nods, gets up from his stool, and swipes one of the crumbs from the counter with his big hand. “To be honest, I was against you in the beginning, but I’m on your side now, and I’ll protect you the same way I protect him.”
“Thanks. That means a lot to me.” I squeeze his muscled forearm and try to swallow past the lump in my throat.
An incoming call vibrates my phone. I frown at Emeline’s name on the caller ID. She wouldn’t call at this hour unless it was an emergency. The pounding of my heart echoes in my ears. What if Mr. Mercer had another stroke? I accept the call with shaking fingers. “Em? What’s wrong?”
Her words turn my world upside down. “The store! It’s on fire!”
Hours later, Emeline sits next to me on Cash’s sofa, her head buried in her hands. Gage stares through the French doors at the lake. The sun is beginning to peek over the horizon. A wash of pale pink reflects on the water. Cash holds Lucy in his lap, absently stroking her tiny head. Whenever his fingers slow, she nips him gently as a reminder to get busy.
“I can’t believe it’s all gone.” I’m numb inside. Although Cash and Gage had saved the money from the safe and a few items from the gallery, the old building blazed to the foundations in a matter of minutes. To compound the tragedy, Mr. Mercer’s apartment was lost in the inferno. On the brighter side, the neighboring buildings were spared from damage and no one was injured.
“Who would do something like that?” Em keeps repeating the same question over and over.
“I have an idea,” Gage replies, keeping his back to us. Smears of soot and dirt stain his T-shirt. “Let’s call Psycho Bitch and see if she has an alibi.”
“Athena wouldn’t do something like that, but if it makes you feel better, I’ll get her over here for questioning.” Cash hands Lucy to Em and makes his way to me. He grabs my biceps to halt my pacing. “You’re going to wear a hole in my floor. Come here.” His arms wrap around my shoulders. I nestle my nose i
nto the crook of his neck. “At least you’re both safe.”
“Mr. Mercer is going to be devastated.” The thought of telling him adds to my dismay. In the blink of an eye, he’s lost the last remaining thread of his former life.
“It’s a fucking tragedy, but it could be worse. I mean, he’s got insurance on the store and you’ve got coverage on the building.” Gage turns to cock an eyebrow at me. “Right?”
“Yes. Everything’s covered.” Em answers the question from behind the hands covering her face.
“It’s not the money. Mr. Mercer put his entire life into that business, and his home was upstairs.” I get tearful thinking about it. All of his memories, the photos of Hattie, his clothing and furniture—all of it gone in a matter of minutes.
“Em should stay here until things are sorted out.” Cash rubs my back in soothing circles. “Until we know how the fire started, it’s best to be cautious.”
“I don’t want to intrude.” Em tries to protest, but I can tell by her sigh, she’s relieved at the offer.
Cash holds up a hand. “I insist. Until we know what happened, I’ll feel better knowing you’re here and safe. I’m sure Jagger agrees.” I nod, feeling the slow spread of warmth through my chest over his generosity. He smiles at me. Our gazes lock, and I feel the tug deep in my belly. “Gage, why don’t you show Emeline upstairs so she can clean up?”
“Sure.” At Gage’s easy smile, the tension eases from Em’s posture. He holds out a hand to help her up from the couch. “You can have the room next to mine. It’s got a balcony and a lake view.”
“Grab some clothes out of my closet, Em. Help yourself to whatever you need,” I call out to her as Gage guides her down the hallway with a hand on the small of her back. Once they’re out of earshot, Cash buries his head in my shoulder, clutching me to him. I grunt in protest. “Cash. You’re squashing me.”
“I could’ve lost you tonight.” His voice breaks. “What if you had been at the store? If anything happened to you, I don’t know what I’d do.”
“I’m here. I’m okay.” We hold each other close until Gage returns. Even then, Cash doesn’t release me. “Now you know how I feel about you.”
“I get it.” Using his little finger, he brushes the hair away from my face. There is so much tenderness in his gesture. “We’ll figure this out, baby girl. I promise.” We fall into a kiss that curls my toes and heats the space between my legs.
Gage clears his throat. Embarrassment stings the tips of my ears. Cash smiles. I love the dimples in his cheeks, the sexy tattoos, his strong arms and the way they hold me. I’ll never find this feeling with anyone else. A wave of determination straightens my spine. I want to work this out. We have to find a way to move forward.
“Got Em situated,” Gage says. “I’ll check on her later.”
“Thanks.” I smile at him over the top of Cash’s shoulder.
“My pleasure.” His answering wink is almost as reassuring as Cash’s hug.
“Whoever did this is going to pay.” Cash’s vow is a quiet murmur in my ear. Although his voice is soft, his meaning is deadly. “You can take that to the bank.”
Twenty-Two
Cash
Athena arrives after lunch. I can tell by the tilt of her nose that she’s in one of her moods. Gage is making business calls from the umbrella table next to the pool. His gaze is locked on Em as she lounges on a float at the deep end. Jagger is talking to her insurance company in the shade of the pool house awning. Her dark hair is twisted into a long braid over one of her shoulders, sunglasses perch on the top of her head, and the sun glows on the skin exposed by her string bikini. She glances up to see Athena slinking toward me, and a scowl flickers across her face. Athena wrinkles her nose at Jagger in a wordless taunt.
I ease back in my chair to consider the exchange. If Jagger and Gage question Athena’s loyalties, I need to pay attention to their warnings. Maybe I’ve been blind where Athena is concerned. Until Jag came along, I never cared how ruthless my soldiers were as long as they got the job done. I spared Jimmy’s life after seeing the horror in her eyes over his treatment in the trunk of Frog’s car. Now Jimmy’s become one of my better employees. Jagger has taught me that violence isn’t always the answer. This new outlook on life is a mixed blessing. I’ve lost my edge. The edge that’s kept me alive for the past twenty-plus years. It’s one of the reasons I’m determined to leave the business. I need to get out before someone takes me out.
“You rang?” Athena drawls. She stops in front of me, blocking my view of Jagger. With a hand on her hip, she lifts a questioning eyebrow.
“Have a seat.” I kick out a chair for her and nod.
She ignores the chair and perches on the edge of the chaise at my elbow in a location a little lower than mine. The breeze off the lake catches the open collar of her blouse, giving me a quick peek of her braless tits. I’m sure her position was chosen strategically for that reason. I shake my head and look away. Jagger’s gaze catches mine. I shrug, hoping she’s secure enough in our relationship to know I’m not interested in Athena. To my relief, Jagger smiles, lowers her sunglasses to cover her eyes, and returns her attention to her phone. That smile represents trust in our relationship. A gift more precious than the most flawless diamond. I promised never to make her question my loyalty and I meant it.
“Am I in trouble?” Athena asks. “I’m pretty sure you didn’t ask me here for a pool party.” Although her words are directed at me, her stare fixes on Jagger. The hairs lift on the back of my neck in a primal warning to protect my mate. She’s looking at my girlfriend the way a lioness looks at lunch.
“Someone burned down Jagger’s building last night.” I watch Athena’s expression intently, waiting for a crack in her wall of impassivity.
“No. Really? What a shame.” Although her answer is appropriate, her tone lacks empathy. “I hope no one was hurt.”
Across the way, Jagger rests her phone on the table at her elbow and reclines on her chair. The sexy striped bikini reveals the swells of her tits and the smooth skin of her thighs. I want to be there, buried between those legs, listening to her moans as I drive into her. Her sunglasses hide her gaze, but I can feel her stare boring into me. Beneath the table, my cock stiffens.
“No, thank goodness. Everyone is fine.” I clasp my hands between my spread knees and lean toward her. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”
“Of course not. Why would I?” Her flat gray eyes meet mine in an unwavering stare.
“Gage said you were pretty upset about going to the hotel.”
“I’m in a freaking suite with a spa. What’s to be upset about?” She widens her gaze like she’s daring me to argue with her. “Do you think I did it?”
“Just trying to get to the bottom of this. An attack on my girl is an attack on me. You understand that, right?”
She heaves a weary sigh, reclines on the chaise, and stretches her arms over her head. “Are you asking for an alibi? Well, I’ve got one. I spent the night with an adorable busboy and his cute girlfriend. They were both a little inexperienced, but sometimes that can be a turn on. You know what I mean, right?” Her ambivalent expression turns to a frown as she examines her manicure. “Although he was a little too boy-next-door for my tastes. I like them rough and dirty. His girlfriend, though—she was a tasty treat.”
“Give their information to Gage so he can follow up.” I put on my sunglasses and wait for her reaction, knowing I’ve insulted her pride. It’s a risk I’m willing to take. I have no way to tell if she’s lying or telling the truth. The woman has been issued and passed dozens of polygraph tests by law enforcement officials. Probably because she lacks a conscience. The skill that has been an advantage to my business is now a burden.
“Ouch.” As expected, her reply carries a note of anger. “You don’t trust me, Cash?” Beneath her lowered lashes, she cuts a sideways glance at Jagger. “I’m hurt.”
“You tried to kill her once.” Athen
a’s startled gaze darts to my face. “Yeah, I know all about the Masquerade de Marquis. Jagger told me.”
“She was a liability.” Athena bolts into an upright position, her fingers tightening on the arms of the chaise. “If I’d done my job back then, you wouldn’t have the FBI breathing down your neck.”
I don’t reply because her answer holds a kernel of truth. Her orders had been to terminate anyone who got in the way of our mission that night. I gave her permission to kill Jagger. The realization snips the last remaining threads holding me to my old life. “We’re done here. Head over to the warehouse and help Frog tie up loose ends. I want that place empty before tomorrow night.”
“Yes, sir.” She snaps a salute before getting to her feet.
“Jagger, can I talk to you for a minute?” I jerk my head toward the pool house. “In private.”
“Sure.”
The pool house is a small white building with a red tile roof and square columns. Inside, there’s a liquor bar and a daybed covered with pillows. Jagger enters first. I close the door behind us.
“What’s up?” The instant she turns to face me, I wrap a gentle hand around her throat and back her against the wall.
“I think she did it,” I reply. My gaze crawls over her body, those luscious breasts and the tiny triangle of polyester covering her pussy.
Jagger stares up at me, her dark eyes widening. “And you let her walk out of here?”
“I believe in keeping my enemies close.” I press a kiss to the fluttering pulse above her collar bone. “Until I have proof that she did it, I want to know where she’s at. Gage will stay with you whenever I’m not around.”
Absolute Trust (Absolute Power Duet Book 2) Page 14