Something on my laptop screen moved as I listened to Ky and Brody fling insults back and forth, and I pushed closer to see what it was. The front door opened, and then Justin and Curtis waltzed in, and my nostrils flared.
“Motherfucker,” I whispered, then gritted my teeth together.
“What?” Brody asked. “What was that?” I didn’t answer him for several seconds. Instead, I watched Curtis as he wrapped his arms around Belle in greeting. I had nothing against the guy, I simply couldn’t stand him. I’d sat and watched him feed Belle tequila weeks ago, and I knew if I hadn’t been there, he would have taken advantage. I could see it in his eyes. He wanted her, but he couldn’t have her. He’d never have her if it was up to me.
He lingered too long in the hug with her, so I stood. “I gotta go.”
“Ford? Everything okay?” Brody asked.
“Yeah, yeah. My cell is about to die. I’ll call you tomorrow.” I ended the call and slammed the lid on my laptop closed, throwing it onto Belle’s bed. There was no way I was going to sit in here and watch as Curtis got closer and closer to Belle, so I pulled her bedroom door open, pushed my shoulders back, and then exited the room, intent on showing the fuckface that she was mine, and only mine.
* * *
BELLE
A lot had changed in the last week, and I wasn’t sure how to process it all. I went from not having a care in the world, to realizing just how dangerous this situation was in the blink of an eye. I understood why Mom and Dad kept wanting me to come home, but what happened the other night hadn’t changed my mind. I wasn’t going to let the cartel win and change my entire life. I wouldn’t press pause just because of them.
And then there was Ford. I wasn’t really sure what was happening between us, all I knew was that I didn’t want it to stop. From the moment he’d kissed me in the club, I hadn’t been able to think about anything else, but now he was showing me how he felt, each and every night. There was a side to a person you saw when they gave in to their desires, and with Ford, it was the deepest part of him.
He’s always kept himself so closed off, only giving everyone around him a cut-down version of himself, but when it was just him and me, he dropped the mask he wore, and his real face was so enthralling, I could barely look away. I’d thought I’d had a crush on Ford when I was a kid, but this was so much more compared to that. He’d told me I had him tied up in knots, but he had me under his spell, and I didn’t want a cure. I wanted to stay exactly where he wanted me, by his side, his skin touching mine, and our lips connected.
I ran the sole of my foot along Lottie’s back, and she looked up at me, her brown eyes full of content. Ford still hadn’t told me the real reason he’d adopted Lottie, but deep down, I knew it was because she’d have been put down. Since he’d been staying here and following me everywhere, he’d gotten to know the animals in the shelter, but like me, he’d always drifted toward Lottie.
When we brought her home a few days ago, I thought it would have taken her a little while to settle in, but within minutes of walking into the apartment, she’d found her spot next to the sofa and fell asleep. Just where she was right now. Her front paw covered my foot as I half lay, half sat on the sofa, watching something on the TV. I wasn’t even sure what was on because I was concentrating on the noise coming from my bedroom.
Ford had gone in there thirty minutes ago, and I hadn’t seen him since. Tonight we were meant to be ordering takeout and watching trash TV, but when the front door opened and Stella, Justin, and Curtis appeared, I knew it wasn’t going to happen. We’d have company, which would mean we couldn’t be too obvious. I hadn’t seen Justin and Curtis since before the near break-in, but Stella said she’d told them I wasn’t well. She knew we had to keep what was happening a secret, not just for my safety, but for hers too.
Lottie was on high alert as she sprung up into a standing position. Her lip curled back on her teeth in warning, but all it took was a stroke from me, and she calmed down, although she didn’t go back to sleep. She just sat there and stared at them as they made their way into the living room.
I stood, and Curtis wrapped his arms around me in greeting. “You got a dog?” Curtis asked, holding his hand out for her. She sniffed it but didn’t move forward. She stayed close to me, her tail not moving an inch and her side pressed against my thigh.
“Ford got a dog,” I said, running my palm over her soft fur. She was technically his dog, but I knew she was partly mine too.
Justin sneezed and then groaned. “I told you I’m allergic.”
“And I told Belle,” a gruff voice said, and both Lottie and I turned to face Ford as he sauntered into the living room. His eyes were narrowed on Curtis, and then his gaze moved to Justin. “I don’t give a shit.”
Stella’s lips quirked. She was a dog person, just like I was. Lottie had taken to Stella, and Stella had even taken her for walks. I had a feeling she enjoyed the fact Lottie was here now, even though it meant Justin would suffer.
“I thought we were friends, bro,” Justin groaned and sneezed again.
Ford raised his brows and slid his gaze to mine, and I could tell exactly what he was thinking. Justin thought everyone was his friend, and he was oblivious to the things around him. He still hadn’t noticed we had a new door or an alarm system. And I was positive if he weren’t allergic to dogs, he wouldn’t have even known Lottie was in the room with us.
Curtis moved closer to me and went to sit on the sofa, but with a growl from Lottie, he backed up into one of the chairs. “Okay, okay, jeez.”
“Taught her well,” Ford murmured, but only I could hear him. I turned my head to look at him, and as soon as I did, he winked. “I ordered pizza,” he told me. I wanted nothing more than to step forward and wrap my arms around his waist, but with people here, I couldn’t do that.
“Good, I’m starving,” Stella announced, bouncing down next to me on the sofa. As soon as she was sitting, Lottie moved forward and rested her head on Stella’s knees. “Hey there, Lottie. Have you had a busy day?” She rambled on and on as Justin sat on the other chair, leaving only one space for Ford, which was next to me.
“What are we watching?” Justin asked, and I knew then that they were here to stay.
I threw the remote to him and shrugged. “Don’t know. You choose.” Justin grinned at me and leaned forward as he started to flick through movies we could watch. My skin buzzed as the seat next to me dipped, and I stared down at Ford’s thigh as it pressed against mine.
“That was your dad on the call,” he whispered to me. I turned my head to look at him, but he kept his attention on the TV. “We were talking about the lake house. I told him we’d be there Friday night.” My eyes widened, and my stomach dipped. We hadn’t really talked about what was happening between us. We were just going with the flow, but I knew we couldn’t do anything in front of the family. They’d jump on it right away, and I didn’t want it to end when it had barely begun.
“Okay,” I murmured back, not sure what else to say. He finally looked at me, and I could see the questions in his eyes. Maybe he didn’t think it was a good idea? Maybe he wanted us to stop doing what we were doing? Or maybe he—
A knock on the door brought me out of my own head, and Ford ambled over to it. He glanced down at his cell a second before he opened it, and I knew he was looking at the security footage. I didn’t want to admit the number of times I’d checked the footage while I was in my bedroom. Ford had linked it up to my laptop, and I was becoming obsessed with watching it, just in case anything happened. I’d rather be prepared than ignorant, which was what I’d been. I hadn’t taken it as seriously as I should have, but now that I was aware of just how dangerous things were, I was on high alert.
The smell of pizza wafted through the air, and I stared at Ford as he closed the door and moved into the kitchen.
“I’ll get plates and glasses,” I told the group, but I wasn’t sure if any of them was listening. I was in a daze as I moved into the kitchen, a
nd I knew Ford was aware of me as I pressed my back to the wall. I was covered where I stood, so no one in the living room could see me. It was a conscious choice I’d made, and as soon as Ford turned his head and his gaze met mine, he knew it too.
“So, you’re coming to the lake house too?” I whispered, tilting my head to the side. “What happens now?”
He took two slow steps toward me and placed his palms on either side of my head. His breath flowed over my face, but not one part of his body touched mine. “What do you mean what happens now?”
“I…” I swallowed and swayed forward, not able to stop myself. “With my mom and dad? With us? I…I don’t want to sound like one of those needy girls—”
Ford’s low chuckle cut me off, and I narrowed my eyes at him. “Baby Belle.” One of his hands moved to my face and down to my neck. “You’ll never be one of those needy girls.” He paused, his hazel eyes connecting with mine. “I don’t know what’s happening between us, but I do know I don’t want to stop.” He pressed closer to me, his body touching mine, and I exhaled in relief. “I don’t think I could look at you and not want to kiss you.” His thumb rubbed over my bottom lip. “But your dad—”
“Will kill you,” I finished for him. I was half joking and half serious. I had a feeling it would be my mom who killed him, but that was just semantics. “We can keep it a secret?” I asked, my voice low.
“I hate secrets,” Ford growled and pressed his forehead to mine. “But for you, I’ll do it.”
Our lips were so close, all it would take was for me to move an inch and they’d be touching, but there was something about the wait for his lips that had me dying for more of him.
“Our secret,” I whispered, and a thrill went through me. Keeping a secret was hard work, but when that secret was Ford, I somehow thought it would come easy. I pushed a little closer to him, and his eyes flared. “I hope you’re ready for bikinis at the lake.” I bit down on my bottom lip, fully aware of what I was doing, but loving every second of it.
“Don’t test me, Baby Belle,” he growled out, and goose bumps spread over my skin at the tone of his voice. He pressed his lips to mine in a firm, closed-mouth kiss, and then pulled back so he could say, “I won’t hesitate to go caveman on you.”
I laughed and dipped under his arm, keeping my gaze connected with his. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” I snatched up some glasses, not really taking anything in because I could feel the burn of his eyes on me. He tried to reach for me, but I managed to skirt away from him.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Belle,” he warned.
“I know.” I wet my lips. “But I’d only play it with you.” I spun around and headed back into the living room with a grin spread across my face.
Chapter Eleven
FORD
“You know we’re only going to the lake house for a week, right?” I asked, trying to push the huge suitcase into the trunk of my car. I knew Belle didn’t pack light, but Jesus Christ, this was ridiculous. Didn’t she already have things at the lake house?
“Yep.” Belle smiled at me, and no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t be mad at her, not when she was standing next to me with Lottie beside her. The pair of them knew exactly what to do to get their own way. “I have many things.” She shrugged and tried to act innocent, but I knew she was anything but that.
“Get in the damn car, woman,” I demanded, but my tone wasn’t the one I’d wanted to use. I couldn’t help but be softer when it came to Belle. It had always been that way, but since I’d been staying with her for the last couple of months, it had gotten worse. If this was any other case, and any other person, I wouldn’t have let them get away with half of the amount Belle did. But fuck, I couldn’t help myself.
“Okay, okay. Jeez. You’re so bossy.”
I slammed my trunk shut and dived for her, wrapping my arms around her waist and lifting her off the ground. Her back was pressed to my front as she squealed and then laughed.
“I’m only bossy when it comes to you,” I ground out in her ear, and I heard her breath hitch. There was no way I could deny the way her body reacted to mine. I’d tried to ignore it from the moment I’d walked back into her life and demanded to follow her every move. “Now get in the car. We have a long journey ahead of us.” I slowly let her down, relishing in the way her body slid against mine. Seven days. We wouldn’t be able to touch like this for seven days. We’d be surrounded by her whole family. Her dad—my boss. We had to keep a low profile, we both knew that, so I was going to take my fill while I could.
Belle didn’t say anything as she opened up the door, and Lottie jumped into the back, but she did turn to face me a second before she slipped into the car, and with that one look, I knew this vacation wasn’t going to be easy.
Torture was in my very near future, but it would be the best kind of torture a man could ask for. I was used to having to hide parts of me, so I knew I could put a front on with everyone. The question was whether Belle could. She was always so open and honest, and I feared she’d slip up.
I spun around and headed around to the driver’s side of the car and yanked my door open, then took one last look at the apartment door. I’d given Stella access to the cameras while I was gone, but I also told her that while we were away, she should probably stay at Justin’s place. Even though I didn’t think anything would happen, it didn’t hurt to take precautions. The cartel didn’t care if you had nothing to do with the situation. If you had even the smallest connection with someone they wanted, they’d use you.
Shaking the thoughts from my head, I pushed into the car and turned the engine on. The trial had been going for a full week now, and the DA was hopeful that by this time next week, we’d have a verdict. I wasn’t so sure, though. Trials could last for months, so even though we’d wanted a speedy trial, I couldn’t help but wonder if that was a bad thing. What if he got off? What if the judge was replaced with someone else?
“Hey, you okay?” Belle asked, her hand landing on my arm. Goose bumps spread over my skin at her touch, and I pulled in what felt like my first breath for hours.
I glanced over at her face, soaking in the sweet smile she flashed at me. “Yeah, sweetheart, I’m good. Just thinking.”
“Well, don’t think too hard.” She laughed and slipped her hand off my arm. “It may hurt you.”
“You’re lucky I’m driving,” I warned her, and she bit down on her bottom lip. Belle was quick-witted, she always had been, but there was something else to it now. Some kind of connection that I’d never had with her before.
She twisted in her seat and opened the center console while I concentrated back on the road ahead of us. The six-hour drive to the lake house would take us past where Belle grew up and where I lived, but I had no intention of stopping. Brody was expecting us there by a specific time, and protocol always came first.
I glanced at the rearview mirror, and Lottie’s gaze met mine. She lay on the back seat, her harness attached to a special dog belt. The first time I’d met her, I knew I couldn’t let her be put down. This dog had been trained, but more than that, she had instincts. I could see that in the way she watched a room and the way she was aware of everything going on. But the most important thing was, Belle loved her.
“Oh my god!” Belle shouted, her voice so high-pitched it caused me to move the steering wheel to the left. I pulled back to the right and straightened the car, looking back and forth between the road and Belle.
“What?” I asked, not able to tell what she was looking at. “What’s the matter?”
“Oh my god,” Belle repeated, but this time, her voice was lower, and…was she laughing? “This can’t be real.”
“What? What do you have?” I gripped the steering wheel tighter, trying to remember what was in my center console. I didn’t keep anything in there that could be used against me, but—
“Montgomery? Your first name is Montgomery?”
Ah fuck. “Belle,” I warned, my voice low. “Pu
t that back.”
She laughed, the kind of laugh I wanted to listen to over and over again. “Nu-uh, Montgomery. Not until you tell me if this is your first name.”
“Belle…”
“Is it?” She paused. “Why did I never think about your first name? Of course you have a first name. Oh my god, I slept with someone and didn’t even know their name.”
“Belle Easton,” I ground out. “Put it back.”
“Why Montgomery, though?” she asked, completely ignoring me. “Why would your mom name you that? I mean, isn’t that a name for like, rich kids?”
I shook my head and ground my teeth together. I’d managed to go so many years without people knowing my first name. In fact, I wasn’t even sure Lola knew what my name was. I’d always just gone by Ford. Ever since Mom had died, that had been my name. She was the only one who called me Montgomery, so to hear—
“Ford? You okay?”
“Only my mom called me that,” I told her, my voice breaking. I shouldn’t have been talking about this, not when I was three hours into a six-hour car ride. I saw a sign for a service station coming up, and decided we’d stop, even if it was only to let Lottie have a bathroom break.
“Sorry,” Belle whispered as I pulled into a parking space. She placed my ID back into the center console, her movements slow. “I shouldn’t have pried—”
“No.” I turned the engine off and then grasped her chin with my thumb and finger. “I should be able to talk about this stuff.” I wasn’t used to opening up, especially about my past. There wasn’t a thing I could do to change it, so what was the point? But as I stared into Belle’s dark-blue eyes, I knew if there was someone I would talk to about it, it would be her. “Mom always said she was better than the place she lived.” I chuckled as I heard her voice in my head. “She said we were surrounded by white trash, but that we’d get out of there as soon as we could.”
Torn Bond: Bonded Duet: Book One Page 14