Absolution

by S. Kirkpatrick

  As much as I don’t like the idea of putting any of them in danger, I look into the eyes of Abel, Dex, Ryan, and Jake. Their eyes are resolute. They’ve made their decisions and nothing I say or do will sway them. They’re gonna fight beside me and Remi, no matter what.

  I look to Remi, silently asking her opinion. She’s never wanted to put anyone else in the line of fire before, willing to shoulder the burden of this life all on her own. But here, now, she has a chance to end this shit once and for all. She has a chance to let all of them help her carry the weight that’s been crushing her for years.

  “Just so we’re clear, I’m staying.” She says to me.

  I smile, tugging her to me and placing a chaste kiss on her lips.

  “I’d never dream of suggesting anything else.”

  Once it’s settled and everyone agrees to Max’s compromise, everyone starts asking questions, talking over each other in earnest. All at once, the room goes quiet as two ear-piercing screams fill the entire house.

  “I didn’t do it!” I say quickly to Max as the twins continue to cry.

  She gives me a look that screams ‘you just dodged a bullet’ as she and Abel quickly climb the stairs to get the girls and bring them downstairs, knowing that their short-lived nap won’t resume anytime soon.

  As they make their way back into the den, each holding their own stubborn carbon copies, Remi sucks in a breath next to me, her eyes glued to the dark-haired girls. I watch as she stares at them with longing in her eyes.

  Not too long ago I accused her of not caring about what happened to Oaklynn, but the look on her face tells me that she probably thinks of our daughter as often as I do, if not more so. It couldn’t have been easy to make the decision she made, especially having to do it all alone.

  “Do you want to hold one?” Abel asks, seeing Remi’s attention locked on the girls.

  She nods her head, standing and making her way to him. She takes the chubby-cheeked little girl in her arms with a confidence that makes my heart ache.

  That could have been our little girl.

  “What’s her name?” Remi asks quietly, refusing to look at me.

  “This one is Emery.” Abel says. Nodding to the other little girl in his wife’s arms he says, “And this one is Breelle.”

  “Both named after you?” She asks, turning to meet Bree’s eyes.

  Bree nods, painful memories flashing behind her eyes.

  “You’re sadly not the first girl in this room to need an army to save her.” Max says with sadness in her voice. “My psycho boyfriend abducted me and Bree right after I found out I was pregnant. He did a lot of terrible things to me in the past, but when he took us, he tortured Bree right in front of me to hurt me emotionally. He almost killed her. She took a lot of pain to try and save my life. To save the twins. It was only fitting that we named our girls after their only aunt. The person who made sure they got to be here.”

  Bree envelops Max in a hug, reminiscing on the pain that still plagues them. I hope to hell one day Remi can grow as close to this group of girls as Bree has. She’s never had a family before. Not a real one anyway. I hope maybe now she can finally have that.

  The rest of the time we’re at Max and Abel’s house, Remi has a hold on one of the twins, her arms never empty. It’s a bittersweet thing to watch. She would have made an excellent mother.

  She’s so patient with them, pretending to understand the babbling noises that they think are words. She shares little snacks with them, wipes their chins, and kisses their fingers when they insist there’s a boo-boo even though Max assures us all that there isn’t.

  I see the woman I’ve longed for, living her life vicariously through my friends, my family, just as I’ve realized I’ve been doing for so long. I wish I knew what to say or knew what to do, to help make this easier for her. The pain in her eyes is apparent.

  She catches me staring at her several times, and the pain in her eyes intensifies, cutting into my heart a little more each time. I know she thinks I’m still angry with her, that I still hold resentment toward her over Oaklynn. And although I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt like hell that she’s gone, that she’s never coming back, I can admit that I understand. I don’t like it, but I accept it. And I won’t continue to punish Remi for that now that I know the truth.

  Maybe one day we can venture down that road again. Maybe one day we could have a family.

  But first, we have to worry about staying alive.

  ***

  I lock the door behind us as Remi sets her bag down on the couch just a few feet away. Her hands are clamped in front of her, fingers fidgeting nervously.

  “I’ve never brought a woman here if that’s what you’re wondering.” I say, coming up behind her, pulling her arms up and looping them around my neck.

  I just need to feel her, it doesn’t matter how. I just want her hands on me. I want her touch, her smell, her everything.

  “To be honest, that was the furthest thing from my mind, but it’s nice to know.”

  I press my nose into her neck, inhaling the undeniable scent that is Remi. She always smells like cinnamon and it makes my fucking mouth water.

  “You hungry?”

  Her stomach grumbles as soon as the words leave my lips.

  I laugh running my hands down her sides. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  Keeping her tucked against me, I pull my phone out of my pocket, ordering from the Chinese restaurant that she used to love when she was last here with me.

  Without letting go, still afraid that she’ll vanish into thin air, I pocket my phone and pick up her bag, leading her to the back of the house.

  “I’m not going anywhere this time, Brody.” She tells me, understanding all too well the thoughts that are going through my mind.

  “Old habits die hard, love. And no offense, but I don’t want to take my hands off of you anyway.”

  She laughs, sticking her hand in the back pocket of my jeans just like she always used to. There’s something about the movement, something I know that wasn’t a conscious decision on her part, that affirms what I’ve always known.

  She was always meant to be mine.

  I bring her into the bedroom, sitting her bag on the edge of the bed and then picking her up and placing her on the dresser in front of the bed. Her arms immediately loop around my neck, her legs wrapping around me, pulling me flush against her.

  “Your house is sterile.”

  “Ugh, please don’t ever say that word when you talk about me.”

  She laughs, chewing on the side of her lips.

  “You only do that when you’re holding on to something. You still keeping secrets, Rem?”

  She flinches at my words and my heart stalls in my chest. What the fuck else could she possibly not be telling me?

  “Remi?”

  “There are things I can’t tell you until I’m officially free on paper. It’s part of the WitSec thing… You know, red tape.” She trails off.

  “I can handle red tape.” I assure her, knowing that bureaucratic bullshit always comes with some. “Hold onto your FBI secrets as long as you need.” I laugh as I clamp my teeth on her bottom lip, pulling it into my mouth.

  She moans into my mouth, digging her heels into my ass as I swipe my tongue across her plump lip, easing the sting.

  “You don’t like the house?” I ask, remembering her earlier comment.

  Her hands slide under my shirt, creeping up to the collar, and then scrapes their way back down, stinging my flesh, making my dick grow hard in an instant.

  “You need to decorate.” She says grinding her pussy against my throbbing dick inside my jeans.

  “Fuck, not you too.” I whine.

  She laughs, her head falling back, remembering the girls all riding my ass about every little thing, back at Max’s house.

  She laces her hands around the back of my head, pulling our foreheads together. Her voice becomes s
omber.

  “You want me to stay here and I want that too. But I don’t just want to live with you, Brody. I want to make a home with you. I want to do the best we can to pick up where we left off.”

  The tremble of her voice allows her fear to seep into her words. The girl that always has to be strong, that always had to run, the girl who so badly just wants to stay put.

  “I’ll do everything in my power to give you everything you want. All I want is you.” I confess.

  The doorbell rings, causing her to freeze beneath my fingers.

  “It’s dinner.” I assure her.

  She visibly relaxes, and I pull her off the dresser, sitting her on her feet.

  “Can I shower while you get things set up?”

  I capture her mouth with mine, wishing I didn’t have to let her out of my sight for a single second. The doorbell rings again and I growl in frustration when I have to let her go.

  “There’s a bathroom through that door.” I say, pointing to the door at the far side of the room. “Or you can use the one at the end of the hallway. Towels are fully stocked in the cabinets of both.”

  The doorbell rings for the third time, and she laughs, shoving me out of the room.

  I sprint to the front door getting the money ready as I do. With my left hand, I pull my pistol out of my holster, hiding it behind the door as I open and greet the delivery guy with my right.

  I hand him the money, and take the food, my left hand never easing up on the hold I have locked around the grip of my gun. It feels so fucking weird to even be going shit like this, but I won’t take a single chance when it comes to Remi’s safety.

  I watch as the delivery guy gets back in his car and peels away from the curb before I shut and lock the door, holstering my gun. Henry’s words from earlier come to mind, making me laugh.

  ‘I feel like I live in some type of criminal television show sometimes when she’s around.’

  On the money, old man. On the fuckin’ money.

  I grab a couple of plates and forks from the kitchen before heading back to the bedroom, damn near dropping everything in my hands when I see a naked Remi bending over to grab a shirt out of her bag.

  “Don’t you fucking dare!”

  My loud and commanding tone causes her to jump. A mischievous smile has my dick twitching in my jeans as she turns around, clutching the shirt to her chest.

  “Drop it.” I say, placing the shit in my hands on the bed.

  The only thing I want in my hands right now is every inch of her fucking glorious body.

  With a wicked gleam in her eye, she takes the shirt in one hand and slowly holds it out to her side, dropping it on the floor. Her hip juts out to the side, daring me to make a move.

  In one swift step, I’m on her, picking her up and throwing her in the center of the four-poster bed.

  “What about dinner?” She asks, a laugh escaping her beautiful lips.

  I haphazardly toss the food at her, not giving a single fuck about what’s inside that bag. “Here’s your dinner.”

  As soon as the bag is in her hands, I snake my arms under the back of her knees and yank her to the edge of the bed, spreading her thighs as far as they’ll go.

  “But I’m gonna eat this instead.”

  I run my nose against her slit, inhaling the pungent scent of my favorite place on earth.

  Fucking hell, she smells good.

  I lay my tongue flat against her, licking my way from bottom to top, eliciting a shiver from her entire body. My tongue darts out, flicking against the bundle of nerves that makes her thighs clamp around my head.

  I always told her she was my favorite thing to wear around my neck. I wasn’t lying then and it’s still true to this day.

  I continue to assault her with my mouth, driving her crazy when I bite down on each of her pretty pink lips before I suck her clit in my mouth, rolling it against my teeth, biting just hard enough that her body jolts off the bed.

  There’s something about my teeth against her flesh that always gets her juices dripping faster than a slurpy machine.

  As her sweetness coats my tongue, I moan into her perfect pussy, the sound vibrating against her, causing her hands to fly to my hair, pushing my face as deep as it can go.

  Fucking drown me, Little Wolf. I’d gladly die with your taste on my tongue.

  I insert a finger, and I can’t help how hard my dick gets when I feel how tightly her walls clench against the single digit.

  I insert a second finger, never stopping the assault with my mouth. I lick, nibble, suck, and bite, while she writhes beneath me. Her sounds fill the room like a goddamn recording studio, muffling out the rest of the world.

  “That’s right. Fuck my fingers, baby. Take what you want.” I growl against her dripping wet pussy.

  My girl doesn’t need to be told twice. She rides my hand with fervor, her tits bouncing in tandem. And it’s a sight to fucking behold.

  Remi doesn’t shy away from her sexuality. She owns it without apology, taking what she wants, losing herself to the pleasure.

  The hand that isn’t buried between her legs quickly and roughly grabs one of her bouncing breasts. I pinch and twist her nipple just the way she likes, a moan reverberating through her entire body as she rides my hand like it’s her fucking job.

  She’s so goddamn close, her pussy tightening around me, threatening to cut off circulation on the fingers I have buried so deep inside of her that I’m surprised she isn’t choking on them.

  She grinds against my face, taking every ounce of pleasure that she wants from me. I release her rock-hard nipple, digging my nails into her chest, scraping all the way down her stomach. She damn near screams as the new sensation courses over her flesh and she detonates against my tongue, bathing my mouth in the tastiest fucking juices I’ve ever had.

  Her legs seize around me as the tremors overtake her body. She pulses around my fingers with such force that I can feel the vibrations in my tongue.

  Fucking delicious.

  “Stand up.” I demand, the deep baritone of my voice not leaving room for argument.

  Her nipples tighten even further at my command, her body begging me for more.

  Dirty, dirty, girl.

  On shaky legs, she stands on top of the mattress, facing me, and I can see the wetness on her thigh, my teeth prints already turning purple against her creamy flesh.

  In other words, a fucking homing beacon for my cock.

  “Come here.” I command, pointing to where I want her.

  Her body sighs in relief, loving every goddamn second of what she knows is to come.

  Her, for starters.

  When she’s standing on the ground in front of me, I take a step back, knowing her fingers are itching to touch me. But she knows I won’t let her, intentionally drawing out the electricity that I know is rushing through her veins.

  I know she gets off on it.

  My sexy little masochist.

  “Have any of your limits changed?”

  “No.” She replies, her voice as pleased as ever.

  “No, what?”

  “No, Sir.” She amends, a smile playing on her lips.

  I yank her to me, kneeling in front of her. The way every man should kneel before his fucking queen.

  I lick from the bottom of the scratches on her stomach, all the way to where they end at the top of her chest. Her body shakes slightly, refusing to move a muscle even though she desperately wants to.

  “Good girl.” I commend her, bringing goosebumps all over her body. “Turn around. Close your eyes.”

  She obeys immediately, turning my cock to straight steel inside my jeans. There’s nothing sexier in this world than my girl being unashamed of what she wants, of what she likes. And never backing down.

  I quickly undress behind her, tossing my clothes to the side where the food fell off the bed when Remi tossed it once I dragged her down the mattress so that I could drink
her juices like I was dying of thirst.

  Next, I dim the lights in the room and put on some music that will help get her in the right headspace. Music that will make every touch more intense. Music that will travel through her blood and pulse in tandem with her pretty little pussy when it comes all over my cock,

  Making sure her eyes are still closed, I reach under the bed to grab the trunk full of her favorite things. Things that haven’t been touched since the last time they were used on her.

  They’ve always been meant for her.

  I set up a little station on top of the dresser, knowing in the next few days I’ll use every goddamn one on her. She needs the therapy, and I’ll happily give it to her.

  I bring out some jute rope that I know she feels most comfortable with and make quick work of stringing her up between the two posters of the bed that she’s standing between. I make sure there’s just enough slack that if I want her to move her around, they’ll slide right along with her.

  I catch her peeking out of the corner of my eyes and quickly bring my hand down in a stinging slap across her ass.

  “What did I say?”

  She moans, her head lolling to the side, damn near drunk with her desire.

  “Close my eyes.” She says, screwing her eyes tight again.

  I grab her favorite flogger in my hand and bring the leather tendrils between her legs, dragging them back and forth against her swollen sex. The tendrils come back soaked, confirming how wet she still is, still greedy for more.

  “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say your pussy is weeping for it.”

  “Yes, Sir.” She moans.

  I bring her back flush to my chest, bringing the flogger in front of us. I take the mahogany handle and press it to her clit, rubbing circles with just enough pressure to make her squirm.