by Piper Stone
Blade leaned over the railing, his eyes pinned on the water. “This isn’t about charity. You don’t owe me. There’s no way you’re going to be able to pay me back. I will figure out a way to get your life back for you. Somehow. When I leave here, you’ll never see me again, never be able to locate me. Yeah, I’ve done some bad shit in my life, but this isn’t a method of having you owe me anything.”
“Then why? Just tell me.” He was clear enough that he would disappear. I meant nothing to him, but I’d force an answer out of him somehow.
Exhaling, I noticed he’d dug his fingernails into the dense wood. “Crystal, there are several reasons, but I don’t have one right now that will satisfy you. I had limited time in which to make a decision on a safe location and this place was on the radar. Money means absolutely nothing to me. Nothing. What I spent on renting this house is a pittance. Just know that I will protect you with my life. I made that decision whether you like it or not.”
I held my tongue. For any other man, I would have called him pompous, even an asshole, but Blade was being heartfelt, in a way trying to be honorable. Perhaps because of the wretched actions he’d taken in his life. “Fine. How long do we have to stay here?”
He shifted from foot to foot, squinting from the bright sun. “As long as it takes.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“That’s the only one I have.” Even in the bright sun, I noticed just how dark his once magnificent green eyes had become, turning into pools of stagnant swamp water, dull and lifeless.
Though the light breeze was warm, I shivered to my core. This wasn’t a game, but it was some kind of vendetta for Blade—conquering the enemy. And I’d fallen into the middle of it. “I’m going down by the water. Don’t worry. I won’t wander off.” I had no idea how a man could turn off his emotions that easily, just a simple flip of a switch. Jericho had been extremely emotional, enraged one second then giddy the next. I waited on purpose to see if Blade would say anything, share more of his thoughts, but as usual, there was a distant silence. Shielding my eyes from the sun, I concentrated on enjoying the way Zorro romped in the surf, barking as he rushed back and forth.
If only everything could be so lighthearted.
“Why did you leave Jericho?” Blade asked, almost casually.
“Why?” I asked then shot him an incredulous look. “You mean other than the fact he was an abusive monster?”
“You knew that as soon as you moved in, yet you stayed with him. What event occurred to make you leave?”
I sucked in my breath, trying hard to keep the anger out of my voice. Why was I so enraged? I had no qualified answer, but I counted to five before answering. “We’ll just say he pushed me too far. I might have lost my way when I fell in love with him, even my dignity, but I refused to lose what was left of my self-respect. That’s something I’m still committed to. Nothing will make me stoop to that level ever again. I certainly hope you understand that.” As I suspected, he didn’t react in any manner. “Fine.” Grumbling, I headed down the stairs, only to be caught by the gripping and very haunted whisper that I could barely hear.
“You’re strong. I lost my self-respect the moment I agreed to become a member of the Sanchez family. That’s why I couldn’t care less about what happens to me.”
A jagged stabbing sensation permeated my heart. I had no words of wisdom, no method of reacting properly, but I longed to rip the demons from their sadistic hold on his will. Looking up, I groaned. He’d already walked away.
Chapter Twelve
Crystal
I don’t know how long I’d been standing at the water’s edge, my shoes in my hand, doing nothing more than watching Zorro race back and forth.
And thinking.
And worrying.
With every seagull’s cry and every slap of wind in the adjacent trees, I winced. Blade had put the fear of God into me. Again. All the nightmares and all the concerns had resurfaced, driving me to the point of being unable to think clearly. A single tear formed in my eye, the worry deepening. Against my better judgment, I eased the phone from my pocket. I hadn’t programmed in any numbers, but I knew Jessie’s by heart. By now, she would have heard about the bomb and was no doubt scared out of her mind. I knew I was taking a chance, but I’d never felt so utterly alone in my life. I needed grounding. I needed a friendly voice.
After punching in the number, I hesitated before hitting send. One call wasn’t going to identify our location, not by a long shot.
“Hello?” Jessie’s voice was tentative.
“It’s me.”
“Oh, my God! Where are you? What happened? I’ve been so terrified. The news is so bad. The pictures of the bar just... horrific.”
“I’m fine,” I tried to say with some sort of lilt in my voice. I knew I’d failed miserably. “I’m safe.”
“But where are you?” Jessie demanded.
I glanced around, darting a quick look back at the house. There was no sign of Blade, or anyone else for that matter. I also hadn’t been to this section of beach before. “I have no idea. Somewhere outside of Charleston, at least I think anyway.”
“Okay, you’re scaring me. I don’t understand. What happened?”
“Blade. He was able to get me out.” I cringed after saying the words. The less said the better. I knew the drill. Why was I acting like a stupid child?
Blip!
What the hell? A call was coming in. No one knew this number. My hand shaking, I glanced at the screen. While I didn’t recognize the number, the call was local.
“Blade. You really...”
“What?” Jessie’s words were lost. “What did you say?” I turned in a full circle, half expecting to see men running in my direction, guns in the air.
“I said, you must really trust Blade to go away with him. I don’t like this at all.”
There was more than surprise in her voice, the catch making me second-guess my decision to call her. “Yes, I do. He’s not working with the Desperados.”
“If you say so, but Jesus, you don’t know him.”
“Does that mean you talked to your brother again?” Sweat beaded along my forehead.
“No, he’s been on assignment. I’m just worried. The bombing has been all over the news. So has that regular customer of yours I’ve seen sitting at the end of the bar. What’s his name? Pappy or something?” Jessie said, almost in passing.
“Yes. He was very... helpful.” I knew she was saying something else, but I was almost frozen, as if knowing the incident had been on the news made it seem more real. I had difficulty swallowing, words stuck in my mouth. “I can’t stay on the phone, but I wanted you to know that I was all right.” I could only hope that Pappy would be okay. Ex-cop or not, his help could mean he was in danger as well.
“When are you coming home?”
Wasn’t that the question of the day? “I honestly don’t know.”
“I think the police are looking for you too.”
“Jessie. Please don’t tell them we’ve talked. Okay? Promise me that.” When Jessie hesitated, I began to panic. How would she know the police were looking for me? She could only find that out from talking to her brother. I’d made a huge mistake in calling her. Red flags were popping up like wildfire. “Please. There is a lot going on and I need you to trust me.”
“O-kay, but you’re scaring me to death. Call me. Let me know what’s going on.”
“I will,” I said, lying my ass off. At this point, I wouldn’t risk any additional calls. “Take care of yourself.” I ended the call before she could say anything else, quickly powering it off. My hands were shaking so badly, I almost dropped the cell phone twice. “Stupid. Stupid.”
“Who were you calling?”
I jumped, almost pitching forward when I heard Blade’s voice. “I, uh...” Turning quickly, I expected to see an enraged expression, but he was so calm. “Jessie. I wanted to let her know I was all right. I know what you said, but I wanted someone to know who cares a
bout me that I’m all right.”
“Against my explicit orders not to turn on your phone,” Blade said far too calmly.
“Yes.” For some reason, I almost added the word ‘sir’ after the single syllable.
He exhaled then held out his open hand. “If we were in Miami, at least one of the men involved in Sanchez’s organization could already have tracked our location. While I doubt these Desperados have the capabilities, that chance won’t be taken again. Do you hear me?”
I had no way of knowing whether he was boasting the truth or telling me a flat-out lie but I reacted, handing him the phone. “Yes. I’m sorry.” I just knew he was going to crush the piece between his fingers. He didn’t, only gave me a stern look, scolding me with no words. “I’m really sorry.”
After sliding the phone into his pocket, he nodded toward the house.
“Fine. I’ll go inside. Come on, Zorro.” Zorro barked twice before responding, bounding behind me as I trailed behind Blade. There wasn’t a single word spoken as he led me inside, closing and locking the door. I was being admonished for my bad girl behavior. “Aren’t you going to say anything else?”
Blade walked into the kitchen and to an already opened beer, taking a long gulp. His eyes never left me, yet they didn’t roam as before, merely locked onto mine.
“You’re really not going to say anything else?” I inched closer, feeling smaller and smaller.
“What do you want me to say? That you could have easily gotten yourself killed? That you placed both our lives in danger? Just stay inside. That’s it. That’s your only order now.” Every word was issued with a velveteen smooth drawl, alluring in far too many ways.
“I said I’m sorry. Okay? I’m scared and confused.”
“I get that, but you can’t go off halfcocked.”
I studied him for a minute, trying to rationalize everything. “Did you know the Desperados absolutely have a connection to Miami? Bitter blood, so I hear. Maybe it’s the reason for all the warring going on?” While he certainly wasn’t surprised at the news, I could see a flash in his eyes.
“The question is, how do you know?”
“My friend has a brother who’s a cop.”
He walked around the end of the island, heading toward a long hallway. “I put your bags in the second room. The assholes will have to get through me first.”
I couldn’t believe he didn’t react in any manner, which meant he had been keeping a pile of secrets from me. When he disappeared, I nudged my ass against the counter, grousing under my breath. Jesus. What Jessie had said was very true and I would guess there were many more layers. Laughing nervously, I noticed a couple bottles of wine. At least I could get drunk before the assholes exacted their brand of revenge.
I couldn’t stop laughing as I searched for a wine opener, almost ready to bite off the top with my teeth. It was before noon and I was ready to drink. Well, I was on a mini vacation. Right? My giggling sounds turned into cackling and I knew the sound had floated down the hallway. Managing to find a very crude and rusted opener, I struggled for a full five minutes until I was able to jerk out the cork. I settled on what appeared to be a clean rocks glass as my vessel of choice, laughing the entire time. Zorro watched my every movement as I poured first half then the entire thing full. “Well, baby. We’ll enjoy the sun and fun while it lasts.” I took a gulp, then a second, surprised at the warm and fulfilling taste.
Blade was many things including a wine connoisseur. A hot lover. A marksman.
A killer.
I doubled over, trying to keep the glass in my hand.
“Do you think this is funny?”
His voice didn’t have the same effect as before. In fact, I bristled as I snapped my head in his direction. “In a way, yes.” I took another swig then another, defying him with my eyes, body language and even the way I held my glass. “What are you going to do about it?”
Every step he took seemed calculated and I could swear the same length of stride. I backed up against the counter, one hand firmly planted around the glass and the other clawing the cabinet. He seemed almost enormous as he closed the distance, leaving me panting for air.
Crowding me, he took a series of deep breaths before shaking his head and smacking the other on the cabinet. “Damn it, Crystal. You of all people should understand what we’re dealing with. You should know exactly what could happen.”
Of course he was right. “Then let’s drink and have a good time. We won’t be able to stop them.” I managed to almost polish off the drink before he jerked the tumbler out of my hand.
“You are just...” Hissing, he closed his eyes briefly. “You need...”
“What? I’m just what and I need what? A hard spanking? Is that what you were going to say?”
Blade took a decided step backwards, sliding the glass along the counter. I gathered we were back to his silence again. When he turned away, I reached out, longing to touch him.
“Don’t walk away. Please, Blade. I am sorry. I can’t stand the silent treatment.” I could hear his heavy breathing. We were at a stalemate. “Spank me. Punish me but talk to me. Please.”
“I should spank you. That seems to be the only thing that gets through to you.”
“Then do it! Do it.” Huffing, I knew I was giving him a daring look, but I didn’t care. I needed to feel alive.
He rubbed her his forehead and eyes. “No. Not now.”
“Then when?”
Waving me off, he headed back down the hallway. I was disappointed. I was incensed. I almost burst into tears. I couldn’t even get the man to spank me. What was wrong with me? I closed my eyes, doing everything I could to control my emotions. I was floored with my longing, itching for another spanking. It didn’t make any sense to me, but nothing did at this moment. Yanking the glass and the bottle of wine with the other, I poured almost to the rim before heading back to the locked door. Zorro’s thumping tail seemed to echo in my ears. I pressed my finger across my lips, shushing him. He slumped down, huffing.
After a quick glance over my shoulder, I unlocked the door and slipped outside alone. I wanted the quiet time to reflect, or to try to admonish my own behavior if he wasn’t going to do it for me. Why, oh, why did I want to laugh again? Nerves? Yes. Fear? Absolutely. Maybe the irony of the situation itself. Whatever, I was like a giddy little girl, waiting for Daddy’s firm hand.
“Crystal. Come back inside.”
This was the third time he’d snuck up on me and I shivered once again. The tone of his voice had changed, becoming more authoritative. “Yes, sir.” The answer was without hesitation and I straightened my back and walked inside, sliding past his stiff form, our bodies touching. I licked my lips, the action involuntary but I could tell he noticed. I stood in the middle of the living room as he relocked the door then inched behind me. His hand was gently placed on my shoulder, caressing in a manner I would never have expected from him.
From a dangerous man like himself.
Electricity coursed through every cell, igniting every concept of passion. Our connection was far too intense to ignore yet was more damning than either of us dared to admit. When I sighed, the breath sounds were ragged and full of anxiety as well as raging desire. I sensed his reaction, his hard-pressed need to dominate me in every manner. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t have any idea what’s wrong with me.”
“There’s nothing wrong with you, Crystal. However, you do need discipline in your life. That much I know.” Blade slid his hand down to grasp my glass, our fingers touching. “You need a hard spanking.”
“Why now? Why not before?” My mouth was bone dry, every inch of skin tingling.
“I was far too angry before.”
I heard the authoritative nature of his voice, my body reacting with tingles. The sexual tension continued to flow, driving me to the point of panting.
“Tell me that you need a spanking,” he commanded, his hot breath skating across the back of my neck.
I felt devoi
d of strength or even caution, but I knew exactly what I wanted. “Yes. Yes, sir.” I smiled when I said the words. Was this the truth? Maybe.
“Undress.”
I could no longer feel him. I bit my lower lip, reminding myself that I’d asked for this. The why simply wasn’t going to be answered.
At least not today.
My fingers were almost numb as I tried to remove my clothes, rationalizing that we both needed this. I was shaking by the time I managed to fold the items, carefully placing them on the coffee table. When I turned to look at him, I could only concentrate on the belt in his hand. His belt. I swallowed hard and slumped my shoulders. The anticipation was killing me.
“Go lean over the counter,” he commanded, pointing toward the island.
I had no feeling in my legs as I followed his orders, unable to look him in the eyes as I passed by. I also couldn’t make sense of the attraction, but we were both in an aroused state, his hard cock pressing against his jeans. I was wet, the scent permeating the air, my nipples pointed and aching. Leaning over, I slowly crawled my arms across the counter until I was able to grip the edge, my legs dangling off the side. Everything was suddenly in a vacuum, as if the past and the future had no place in time. Only this moment existed.
Only this man.
Only his firm hand.
Everything seemed in slow motion, including sound as the strap was snapped, the thick leather slicing against my bottom, making me gasp.
“You’ve been extremely naughty, pushing every boundary,” he said without any inflection.
I knew he was right and I deserved harsh punishment.
The belt came down over and over again.
I slid into an almost sublime state as he smacked my ass cheeks again and again. Everything about this man was in full control, including the method in which he disciplined me. The pain was agonizing but also freeing, forcing tears to form. I needed the release more than almost anything.
