by Piper Stone
I accepted the card, shoving it into my back pocket and nodding my reply.
“Well, I’m sure you have some things to do. Take care, son. I know how difficult it can be making this kind of decision. Just be very careful.”
Careful. Yeah, I knew there was more than one bullet with my name on it. I waited until he’d disappeared into the darkness before easing back into the truck. He was right, I had a few things to do, including exacting information from Carter Garris. And I had a feeling I’d know exactly where to find him.
Bastard.
* * *
Crystal
I hated the night and seeing another storm brewing in the distance, my breathing was shallow. I stood at the massive bay of doors looking out at the ocean, only I couldn’t see a damn thing except for blackness. But my imagination was brewing, creating monsters lurking in the shadows. Every lock was in place, every security measure that Blade had installed on the forefront of my mind, including the security system itself. There was no reason to be afraid, but I was terrified. A flash of lightning made me cringe, a soft whimper escaping my mouth. This was ridiculous. He’d only been gone an hour, maybe a little more and I was like a frightened little girl.
I noticed Zorro’s reflection in the soft glow of the single light I had on in the living room. The pup hadn’t taken his eyes off me since Blade had walked out the door. When the sound of thunder permeated the near fortress-like state, I hissed and turned around on purpose. Maybe a glass of wine would soothe my nerves. As I passed by the kitchen island, heading for the already open bottle of merlot, I glanced quickly at the gun provided by Blade.
Of course I knew how to use one. That had been a requirement of Jericho’s. I chuckled and rolled my eyes. He had no idea how close he’d come to becoming target practice on more than one occasion. At least having the loaded weapon gave me some level of comfort. The cell phone was placed only inches away from the gun, turned on and ready if I needed to call Blade to come to my rescue.
“Just you and me, baby pup. Again.” I held up the glass of wine in a small toast, allowing every delicious image of hot and wild fucking to enter my mind. Zorro didn’t bother moving, only his tail acknowledging I’d even spoken. I remembered telling Blade that I loved him. Erik. I loved the man, not the monster. Only he called himself a monster. I’d been able to look through his burning eyes into his very soul, fighting with the wretched misery he’d wallowed in for so many years. Maybe Blade would be able to see his brother again one day.
That is, if kismet would allow.
While I didn’t believe in coincidences, I did believe in karma and Blade and I had been destined to meet. And I knew the reason why.
To save our blackened hearts.
Or maybe to keep us from going insane. Either way, I wanted the man in my life. How? I had no freaking clue.
Crack!
“Shit!” The flash of lightning was way too close for my comfort. I took a sip then a gulp. One. Two. Three. Four...
Pop!
As the house was shifted into pitch blackness, I gripped the edge of the counter. The last sound was a transformer blowing. Wonderful. No security. No cell phone connection. When Zorro growled, I started shaking. This was silly. No one knew where we were. Not a soul had any idea who Blade was. We were perfectly safe. Yes, we were. No mantra was going to help my ugly mood.
“We’re fine, honey. We’re going to be okay. Just breathe.”
The convincing wasn’t going very well. I’d learned far too much during my incarceration with Jericho. The Sanchez cartel would never let Blade go. Never. He knew too many secrets, could identify too many individuals within the organization. If he ever made a deal with the Feds, a hell of a lot of people would go to jail.
I’d found a flashlight earlier, making certain there were fresh batteries. The light was just enough to keep me from panicking. Pacing, I kept a steady hand while I brought the glass to my lips and by the time I’d consumed almost the entire amount of wine, I was steadier than before.
Almost.
“Fuck!” The rolling thunder nearly drove me to my knees.
“One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven—” My mantra was cut short when I could swear there was a shadow outside. Shrinking back into the darkness, I cut the beam of the flashlight and stood silently, my eyes scanning the back deck. Just the storm, the way the wind was shifting. Had to be.
Yet I remained totally immobile for a solid two minutes. Seeing nothing else, I immediately polished off the wine, appreciating the richness of the liquid running down my throat. As the wind began to kick up in earnest, I poured another glass and shifted next to the refrigerator. At least I had a bird’s-eye view of every glass door.
Everything was quiet, almost peaceful. Then the tapping began at the front door. Insistent knocking. Almost immediately Zorro began to growl, only the sound was deeply penetrating, the kind of woeful noise that cut straight through to my bones. He was terrified.
“It’s okay, baby.” Wineglass down and gun in hand, safety off, I took careful steps toward the front door, unable to make out any headlights. My lower lip was trembling as I studied the door, the hair raised on the back of my neck. Zorro remained by my side, huffing and snorting and I couldn’t help but notice his tail was between his legs.
“Crystal. Are you in there? Please, if you are, open up.”
What the hell? How could he be here? How did he find the place? A shiver trickled down my spine even as my adrenaline flowed wildly. Opening my mouth to answer, I shook my head instead. What in the hell was he doing here? When Zorro issued a single bark, I rubbed his head, trying to keep him quiet.
He pounded again, more aggressively this time. “Crystal. Blade is hurt. I need to get you out of here. He was gunned down.”
“What?” I whispered. No way. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be happening.
“Crystal. Is that you? I can hear Zorro barking. It’s Pappy. I have to get you to safety.”
“Pappy.” I repeated his name as a swirl of information floated around my head as I reached for the door. Tears sprang to my eyes as I thought about Blade and the images of the man I loved began swishing by my mind’s eye, one after the other. I was sick and unsure but I refused to lose him. I refused! God damn the world.
Just as I unlocked and opened the door, the most terrifying realization hit me hard.
I’d never once told Pappy Zorro’s name.
Pop! Pop!
“No!” Screaming, I dropped to the ground as the flash went over my head, watching in slow motion as Pappy’s body slowly slumped over me. Kicking out, I couldn’t catch my breath as I scrambled to get from beneath him. “No. No!” Zorro was wild, barking and yapping, moving back and forth behind me. Everything was a blur, my heart racing. What was going on? Two men rushed past the entrance just as I managed to free myself. The gun still in my hand, I pointed it wildly. “Get away from me.”
“I got you. Baby, I have you. You’re safe.” Arms reached for me, dragging me to my feet and into a solid warmth, a thumping heartbeat.
“Blade? Is that you? He told me you’d been shot and...”
“I’m fine. Fucking asshole. I knew he was lying to me,” Blade hissed.
“Glad you were right about this.” Huffing, a second pair of hands yanked the gun from Pappy’s dead hand.
Seeing the second man, the one who’d pulled the trigger, I yanked on Blade’s shirt. “What is going on? Carter. I don’t... I don’t understand.”
“There’s no time for a reunion, boys and girls. We need to get you out of here,” Carter instructed. He dragged the body all the way inside, closing the door behind him.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I hissed in return, crowding closer to Blade.
“He’s legit, Crystal. This is Agent Jack Michaels of the FBI. I found him at your house, just like I knew I would. He’s the real deal. I made certain and checked him out.” Blade brushed his hand through my hair, the gesture comforting.
&
nbsp; “FBI?” Palming Blade’s chest, I pushed away, trying to get my bearings. “Hold on. Then who’s Pappy?”
“Yes, ma’am. We’ve had a sting going on for some time. Pappy, aka Abbot Popovich is working for Ricardo Francisco and has been since he retired from the New York Police Department.” Jack walked further into the house, both hands wrapped around his weapon. “We can talk more, but not here. There is no doubt that Mr. Popovich has an entourage following him.”
“You have to be kidding me. Is that why he was spending so much time in my club?” I whispered, the shock starting to wear off.
“He had various reasons for watching the bar. We can go over that later,” Jack said as he wrapped Pappy’s gun in plastic. “Come on. Grab what you can get in the next two minutes. Then I’ll get you to safety.”
“Let’s go,” Blade added, his tone more authoritative than usual.
I could see an odd look occurring between the men, even in the darkness. As if they had some shared code of honor. I did as I was commanded, grabbing a bag that had never been unpacked. As I moved back to the foyer, Blade grabbed me around the waist, pulling me close. I eased my arms over his shoulders, cognizant the gun was still in my hand. Would I ever truly feel safe again?
“Do you love me?” he asked in a hushed tone.
I could see Carter or Jack’s face peering at us, his weapon lowered. “I love you with all my heart.”
“And you’ll follow me anywhere, no matter what happens?”
“Yes. Yes, no matter where.” The feel of his lips against mine was telling. He was saying goodbye.
Boom!
As the door was kicked in, I was tossed against the wall, Blade shielding me as he grabbed for his gun. Everything moved in slow motion as the assailant swept into the foyer, taking aim at Blade’s chest.
Acting on instinct, I raised the weapon, lurching forward. Just as I pulled the trigger, I heard Blade’s astonished exclamation.
“Breaker, you’re alive!”
Pop! Pop!
* * *
Two months later
Crystal
“Oh!” The strap slapped against my naked ass, creating a series of tingles dancing down every inch of my body. I clenched my fists, wiggling in my binding, panting as I struggled to see his face. Blade’s face. My lover and my master. I was wet with anticipation, my nipples aching from the desire that had been building all morning.
Blade rubbed his hand down the length of my spine, caressing both ass cheeks. Using just his little finger, he rolled the tip up and down the crack of my ass. “You have a lovely shade of pink covering your ass. I love the blush on you.” His eyes twinkled as he rolled the leather around his hand, taking a step back.
Shuddering, I undulated my hips, wishing he’d stick his finger deep into my asshole. But I knew that would come later. He’d driven me to the most amazing heights of pleasure as he trained me to submit. Helping me obey was something else entirely. Licking my lips, I was covered in goosebumps from the anticipation of the strap slapping against my naked skin.
As he smacked first one ass cheek then the other, I sucked in my breath as tears formed in my eyes. They weren’t tears of pain, even though the spanking created sublime anguish. They were tears of happiness given everything we’d been through. It had been a whirlwind of accusations and charges, the testimonies and television, as the dozens of arrests were made.
The last three days had been our only real private time. Time to grieve. Time to plan. Time to adjust to our new life.
“You’re a very bad girl,” he murmured before smacking me again. And again.
“Yes, sir. I know.” He’d tied my wet body to the shower rod in the hotel, taking his time issuing what he called his regular punishment. With every hard strike, I fell deeper into a state of pure peace, letting go all the horrors of our respective pasts, prepared to face the future together. I loved this man and no matter what he’d done, all the tumultuous events that still caused so much guilt, I knew he was redeemed. He’d found salvation in ridding his mind of the wretched connection to the cartel, finding solace in living a new life.
Together.
We had different names and had been provided a new place to live, but he would always be Blade, at least in my heart.
“I think you’ve had enough.” Dropping the belt, he moved behind me, pressing his groin against my ass. His cock was hard, throbbing against my skin. My mouth watered in anticipation of another hard fuck.
“Never enough,” I whispered and closed my eyes.
Clamping his hands around my breasts, he squeezed then rolled his fingers around my nipples. They were already rock hard, so sensitive I gasped when he pinched both, twisting and turning.
“Mmm...” The sound was ragged, my legs shaking.
“You’re beautiful.” His murmur echoed in the dense space as he licked down the back of my neck. Crawling his hand down until he was able to finger my pussy, he rolled the tip around my clit, taking his time. “Even when you’re very naughty.”
“My sir is in a good mood today.” When his fingers dipped inside my pussy, I jerked at my bindings, hearing the metal bar creak.
“Be careful, little girl and yes, I’m always in a good mood when I’m around you.” Blade shoved the entire length of his cock deep inside, the force pushing me onto my toes.
“Yes. Yes!” The tingling sliding up and down the backs of my legs was extraordinary, the stinging sensations from his pelvis scratching against my bruised ass... Perfect.
Gripping both hips, he pumped in and out, slapping his groin against me. I arched my back, longing to touch him, wanting this moment to last. Harder and faster he thrust as his fingers dug into my skin. On my toes, my skin was on fire as electricity rocketed through every cell and every muscle. I couldn’t get enough of him.
As his breathing became heavier, I clenched my pussy muscles, drawing his thick cock in deeper.
“Jesus.” His bellow was carnal in nature as he gasped for air, using the power of his thigh muscles to drive in a savage manner.
I could tell he’d rolled forward on his toes and the instant his cockhead hit that perfect spot, I erupted into a raging climax. “Oh... I...”
Blade smacked his hand on my ass, once, twice, and again as he ground into me, his actions like a crazed man feasting for the first time. “I can’t... hold it.”
As sweet ecstasy powered through my system, he let go, warm cum spewing deep inside.
“Fuck!” His body spasmed, his legs shaking violently. Seconds later, he nuzzled into my neck, the ragged whisper filtering into my ear. “God, I love you.”
“I love you, sweet sir.”
I was vaguely aware he’d removed the shackles, pulling me into his arms. I clung to him as he crushed my mouth, driving his tongue inside. I could feel his heart racing, so full of adrenaline and nervous energy. Today was a special day and one he thought would never occur. He remained antsy, fucking me a method of calming his nerves. I wasn’t entirely certain he was prepared for whatever might happen, but we would be together, no matter the outcome.
Our tongues locked together as I wrapped my arms around his neck, savoring the warmth. What I’d realized after the damning night in the beautiful house on the beach was that he was my hero. I’d learned too many ugly details, some filtered while others were a story of a ruthless monster who controlled Miami with an iron fist. Blade had taken a bullet in his shoulder at the same time a bullet from my gun entered the assassin’s brain.
Breaker Wallace had been left for dead inside of Blade’s Miami condo, but he’d survived, given the task of hunting and eliminating Blade for the cartel. He’d come damn close by keeping track of certain Desperado members. He’d followed Pappy straight to our door on that fateful night. It burned me that Blade had been right about the phone. It was Pappy who called the number when I’d been talking to Jessie. He’d known where almost instantly. I’d placed both our lives in danger. As far as Jack, or the man I knew as Carter, our meeting
had been by accident, his undercover role colliding with my little world. I realized more than once that karma must have a wicked sense of humor.
When Blade let me go, he exhaled before pushing his forehead against mine. “I think we should get dressed.”
“I know.”
His hand rubbing up and down the small of my back, he leaned away, giving me a slight smile. “You’re ready for this?”
“I’m ready. Are you?”
“As much as I can be.” Chuckling, he kissed the top of my head before walking out of the bathroom, Zorro trailing behind him.
I sagged against the counter, glaring at my reflection. I’d changed so much in the last two months, becoming stronger and more focused. In turn, he’d softened, the hard edges slowly melting away. Would Blade ever completely disappear? I doubted he could put the eight years of his life in some padlocked box, but we had an opportunity for a fresh start.
Would I always look over my shoulder?
Yes.
Would I always have apprehension?
I wasn’t entirely certain.
Jack had been kind enough to put out some feelers, making certain Jericho wasn’t actively searching for me. Fortunately, the asshole had moved on, marrying a girl while keeping two on the side. I knew one day he’d get exactly what was coming to him, but not by my hand.
Unless...
There was no understanding of what we were facing, no matter how many experts had offered their assistance. We were alone now, or at least we would be soon. Risking anyone close to us couldn’t happen.
I’d found out that Jessie had known more than she’d let on, her brother part of the investigation that had been ongoing for almost a full year. She’d been a rock while I’d remained in Charleston, keeping both Zorro and me at her house during the entire seven weeks of pure hell. My life had been altered, my job ending given Mr. Walters had been a part of the criminal roundup. I was sad for the man, knowing he’d been lost in his own gambling debts, forcing him into a similar situation that Blade’s brother found himself in.
