Charming: The Coast Book 9

by Hart, Eve R.

  She turned her head and I leaned over and captured her mouth. Her hand reached back and gripped my hair.

  “I’m…” she breathed into my mouth.

  “I know, baby,” I said and kissed her hard.

  Her tiny body shook and she tried to hold onto my hair with a death grip. Her head pulled away from me as she started to come. Her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide and dilated as she focused on some imaginary thing across the room.

  Blade’s hand went to my hip for a second and we began to rock harder into her. She came with a long, strained moan. Blade was the next, pulling her down onto his cock with a grunt. She collapsed onto his chest after her body stopped shaking. A few thrusts later, I stopped holding myself back. My eyes fell closed as I emptied myself inside of her.

  My forehead fell against her back. We all stayed there motionless in that position as we caught our breath.

  Once I felt like my legs weren’t made of jelly, I slowly pulled out of her. Blade rolled her to the side, then removed the condom. As he tossed it in the trash, I went and got a warm, wet cloth to clean her up.

  She let out a satisfied moan as I wiped her down. I smiled, it wasn’t like I could stop. Her eyes were closed and she was snuggled into Blade’s side half-asleep. I was pretty sure there was a hint of a smile on Blade’s face too.

  I pulled back the covers after I tossed the cloth into the hamper across the room. Blade lifted Abigail up so that I could get the sheets all the way down. I slid into the bed then covered us all up.

  Her fingers slid into mine as I rested my hand on her stomach.

  “That went well. Yeah?” she mumbled and there was a dazed smile on her face.

  Blade kissed her forehead while I hugged her tight into my body.

  “Couldn’t have been more beautiful, Abs,” I whispered into her ear.

  There were words punching me in the brain. They tried to crawl down my throat and out of my mouth. Though I knew they were true, I couldn’t let them escape yet. I didn’t have an answer for why. If any time would have been right this would have been it. Or so I thought. But they got trapped.

  My eyes met Blade’s. He was settled in like he was going to stay tonight but there was something there he was trying to hide. Maybe? Or was I looking for something and it wasn’t there to see?

  I was too spent to figure it out.

  “Night, Charm,” he mumbled as he closed his eyes.

  “Night, Blade,” I whispered.

  My eyes stayed open a little longer, watching him. His fingers worked through Abigail’s hair for a few minutes. By the way her breaths were even and steady, I knew she was out. She probably had been since she last spoke.

  I didn’t reach back and turn off the bedside lamp until I knew Blade was relaxed enough to at least look like he was sleeping.

  Then I cuddled up tighter to Abigail, sandwiching her even more between the two of us. I let the worry slip away and thought of how beautiful this night had been. It might have seemed a bit stupid, but I didn’t care. She did that to me and I didn’t mind even a little. I fell asleep with a smile on my face and that was what mattered.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Abigail

  I woke up super early the next morning. I didn’t have a clue what time it was, but if the lack of light trying to sneak in through the edge of the blinds was any kind of clue, I was up before the sun.

  I had to pee.

  That was my first thought because it felt like my bladder was about to explode.

  Then I noticed that I was wedged in between Charming and Blade. Such strong and sexy men in their own ways. I carefully pried their arms away from me one at a time. I was surprised when neither of them made any kind of move. I debated on the best way to get out of the bed. I could climb over one of them but I saw how badly that could go in my mind. I just knew I’d end up with my foot tangled in the sheets and somehow fall out of the bed face first. A trip to the dentist because I broke a tooth was not in my plans anytime soon. Boy, could you just see me trying to explain that one?

  I opted to scoot reverse inchworm style straight down to the end of the bed.

  I turned around once I was standing.

  Blade had rolled onto his back while Charming had moved his hand back to where it was before. Almost like he was still trying to hold me. It made me go all mushy inside.

  But neither one of them were even a little bit awake.

  I smiled like a stupid fool, glad they weren’t awake to see it.

  I wore them out.

  Yep, it was all me.

  Hey, I just wanted to have one moment where I felt like a sex goddess. It was my fantasy, let me have it!

  My bladder screamed at me again, reminding me why I had tried so hard to get out of bed. I felt cold now that I was standing naked out in the open. I wanted nothing more than to crawl back between their warm bodies and snuggle in deep.

  Padding to the bathroom, I shut myself inside. I peed— how attractive, right? Then I brushed my teeth. I debated on taking a shower the whole time. I was a mess and I couldn’t leave the room looking like that. So shower it was.

  Last night. Wow. I felt like I was still in a daze from the whole thing. I was glad they’d taken their time and worked me up to that point. Not just because having a penis in my butt was a weird feeling at first. There were many reasons. One of the biggest ones for me, I had a chance to feel comfortable enough with both of them. And myself, I guess that was the bigger one. I no longer felt shy about my body. I knew that my butt wasn’t big enough for Blade and that maybe my boobs were still a little disappointing, but they never told me that. Blade never let me feel like my tiny bottom wasn’t worth it. Sure he tried to grab handfuls, but there wasn’t enough there to fill his big mitts. I tried not to giggle at the thought. But it was like it didn’t matter to them because there was something more. I couldn’t exactly tell you what it was, but I knew it was more of a feeling than anything.

  So yeah, I was convinced that I was addicted to sex. There I was, trying to wash the night’s fun off of me and thinking about how long it would be until I reeked of it again.

  Was I dick crazy? Was that even a thing?

  I would have said yes, but not to everyone that was out there.

  I tried my hardest not to think about sex or how I felt deliciously satisfied all over. It was hard but I managed to do it for ten minutes so I could finish my shower and get dressed.

  By the time I had clothes on, they still hadn’t moved.

  With a shrug, I left them alone.

  I had plenty of time to make a super awesome breakfast now and that was what I was going to do. Besides, I sort of needed some time in my head. I knew what was to come and I dreaded it as much as I welcomed it.

  It was time and I knew it. I felt it.

  A few hours later, some of the brothers started coming in. I had gone a little crazy. These guys would be loaded up on carbs and sugar today. I’d made fresh cinnamon rolls, three different kinds of muffins, and a French toast casserole thing that I found a recipe for a while back and wanted to try out. It looked like today was that day.

  I left the kitchen with a bunch of excited men crazily reaching for things spread out on the counter.

  Hesitantly, I walked up the stairs. I hated to bother Iron if he wasn’t awake but I really needed to talk to him.

  He wasn’t in the office. Or so I assumed because no one answered when I knocked. He didn’t seem like the type to hide away in there. I stood at the door to his apartment for far too long deciding if I should just wait.

  Finally, I knocked.

  Iron opened the door a few minutes later looking… well, not exactly like he had been sleeping.

  “Hey, sweetheart. You alright?” he asked right away not even sounding mad that I might have interrupted him.

  “I’m okay,” I assured him with a tiny nod. “Sorry to bother you. I was just thinking about Dade’s room. Uh, I’d like to pack it up, if that’s alright.”

  Sile
ntly, he studied me for a few beats.

  “Yes,” he said. “As long as that is what you really want.”

  “I do. I think it’s time. I need to do this.”

  “Alright then. I’ll find some boxes and bring them to you.”

  “Thank you,” I told him with a small smile.

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  “Nope,” I told him sounding sure of that answer. “You have done everything already, Iron. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tell you how grateful I am for it.”

  He pulled me in for a hug. I returned it because… well, like everyone said, he was Daddy Iron and his hugs were like the ones I’d always wished for from my parents.

  “You’re part of us, I hope you know that, Abigail,” he said to me softly.

  “Thank you,” I told him and pulled away before I started crying. “I’m going to go get started.” I gave him a wobbly smile before I moved on.

  In Dade’s room, I breathed in deep. His scent was just barely hanging on but I could smell it. I almost wished it was gone but I was glad that it wasn’t.

  I started with the sheets, stripping them and tossing them next to the door. I’d donate those but I needed to wash them first.

  Iron dropped off a bunch of boxes a little while later. I’d cleaned out Dade’s dresser and there was a huge pile by the door. Though everything in his dresser was clean, I was still going to wash it. I couldn’t explain it, I just had to. Maybe I needed to wash away all traces of him before I gave it away. I wanted to help someone else with his things but I didn’t want them to have that part of Dade. Strange? Yeah, it probably was.

  “You want some help?” Iron asked me as he stood in the doorway.

  “I need to do it, but thank you. If I find anything I think you need to see, I’ll bring it to you.”

  “Okay. If you change your mind, let me know,” he said and then left me to it.

  I stuck to the things that I knew wouldn’t hurt so much. Clothes, toiletries, that stupid pile of magazines next to his bed. Places where I knew I wouldn’t find anything that would set me off and make me sad.

  “Abs,” Charming’s voice called through the door.

  I rushed over and opened it so I could see his face. He gave me a hesitant smile but didn’t come inside.

  “I didn’t want to bother you but I had to check on you,” he told me with his hands in his pockets like he was having to force himself to keep his distance.

  I threw myself into his body and he let out a sigh of relief as he wrapped his arms around me.

  “I was worried when I woke up and you weren’t there. Then I couldn’t find you and I got more worried that we somehow hurt you last night. Iron told me you were in here.” I believed him because he sounded worried.

  “Last night was perfect. It has nothing to do with this. Not really,” I told him as I pulled back and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “I just… it’s time.”

  He nodded, his eyes drifting to the room behind me.

  I saw the sadness in his eyes. It was so deep and strong that I felt it in my heart.

  “I’ll see you at dinner,” I told him because I knew it was too hard for him. I knew that he’d ask if I needed him to stay even though it would hurt him. And I knew that he might even feel like he had to when I told him no. So I cut it off before it got to that point and I nearly shut the door in his face to make sure it didn’t slip out.

  I got a text from him a little later on.

  I got some prospects to make dinner. Take all the time you need. I’m here for you, just tell me.

  I smiled despite the tears that had been threatening to spill all day.

  I was nearly done. Everything except for the furniture had been packed up in different boxes. Most of it I was going to donate. There were two big bags of trash, things that I wanted to keep but knew I shouldn’t. I wanted to keep it all. It had been hard to go through everything. In the end, I knew it wouldn’t be healthy to hold onto every little thing. It wouldn’t help me move on with happiness in my heart and good memories in my head. I would have simply been holding onto stuff as a way to not let go.

  I did have a small bag of things I was going to keep. Important things. Stuff that really meant something to my brother. A photo album which I was surprised to find. It was full of pictures taken throughout his lifetime. A bunch of me. And him and me. A few from when he was in high school, like his prom picture. That one made me laugh. I felt like I should have remembered that night but I didn’t. A bunch of him and the members of the club. I wondered who had taken them. I guess it didn’t really matter. I could see how happy he was before I’d come down here. It was the same happiness that I did eventually see come back to him.

  I wiped my eyes and tried to pack all the laundry into the sheets so I could carry it Santa-sack-style to the laundry room. Yeah, I could just imagine how silly I looked because there was a lot of clothes. Why did it seem like my brother had more clothes than me? There was just something wrong with that.

  Several people rushed to help me once I stepped foot outside of Dade’s room. I wasn’t stupid, I accepted the help.

  I started three loads then went into the kitchen. I hadn’t eaten all day and I was so hungry that I was pretty sure my stomach was eating itself.

  Charming was there like he’d been waiting for me all day.

  “You okay?” he asked the moment I was in his arms.

  “I am. I’m ready to eat and maybe we can watch a movie. I think I need a quiet night.”

  “Anything, just tell me,” he said as he kissed my lips lightly.

  He told me to sit. I did because I was feeling exhausted all of a sudden. It had been a long day.

  I ate, not really aware of what was going in my mouth.

  Then I spent the night in Charming’s arms watching comedies back-to-back.

  I felt lighter. Happier. And maybe even a little freer. It still ached that I didn’t have my brother anymore and I knew there would always be a part of me that would hurt. But when I stopped to think about it, I realized that it was out of my hands. I couldn’t bring him back as much as I wished I could. But what I could do was keep his light alive. I could do that for a lifetime.

  And maybe that was the best thing to do.

  Because what good was a life if it couldn’t be celebrated even after they were gone?

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Abigail

  With an empty car, I was on my way back to the compound.

  I had just dropped off the last of the boxes of stuff I’d packed up from Dade’s room. You know, Dade’s things.

  It felt like the last step to going forward and now I could focus on moving on without such a heaviness in my heart. Oh, I wasn’t saying that it had been easy. My hands shook the whole time I packed up the car. And when the man at the donation place helped me get them out, I nearly threw up on the sidewalk.

  As I turned off the main road to get to the compound, I noticed the car behind me followed. I shrugged it off thinking they were either headed to the car shop or the bar. But then it kept creeping along behind me as I made my way down the bumpy dirt path that led to the compound.

  I didn’t recognize the car and there was a glare so I wasn’t able to see who was behind the wheel.

  I shouldn’t have been worried, but I was.

  Seeing a few people out in front of the main building, I decided it was best to stop there instead of pulling around the back like I usually did.

  The car parked beside me and an older man got out the same time I slid out of my car.

  “Abigail Crane?” the man asked and by his suit and hardened face, I had a feeling this was something big.

  Should I answer? If I didn’t, then maybe he wouldn’t know who I was.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sketch and Fitz closing in.

  “Can we help you, detective?” Sketch called out as he took to my side and slung his arm around my shoulder. My breathing slightly slowed but I still felt a sense of pan
ic running through me.

  “I just need to talk to Abigail for a moment. It doesn’t involve you,” the man said.

  Oh! I bet this was that detective that Bridget had mentioned a few times. What was it she called him? Detective Dick. I didn’t open my mouth to ask because I wasn’t sure if that was his real name.

  “See,” Sketch said all cool and calm like, “that’s where you’re wrong. She’s one of us, so, therefore, it does involve me and mine.”

  I tilted my head to the side. It was strange to hear the word therefore come out of his mouth.

  The detective gritted his teeth then rounded the front of his car. There wasn’t a lot of space between the two cars and so it felt like he was standing really close to me.

  He pulled out a card and held it out in my direction. I took it with shaky fingers.

  Detective Mullins.

  “I’m here as a courtesy.” He pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to me. I quickly unfolded it but the words didn’t make sense as I scanned the page. “I’ve opened an investigation on your brother’s death. There has been some new information that has been brought to my attention and I plan to get to the bottom of it. That there, is the proper paperwork letting you know that I have all my ducks in a row. I’m headed out there now to exhume his body. I only came here to let you know what was going on.”

  I gasped as my hand flew to my mouth. Tears flooded my eyes and spilled over. He couldn’t do this, could he? Well, I had clear proof in front of me that he could.

  “Wh-what information? How could you do this?” I asked and my hands were as shaky as my voice was.

  The detective let out a small huff and I could tell that he didn’t want to talk in front of Sketch or any of the members.

  “It recently came to my attention that the person who filled out the autopsy report for your brother’s body has made a few mistakes before.” He said the word through gritted teeth. Clearly, he didn’t think they were simply mistakes. “This isn’t the only case that is being looked into. I assure you, it’s nothing personal.”