After Hours Desire (Forsaken Sons Book 3)

by Elizabeth Lennox

  Jocelyn waved them deeper into the apartment. “Well still, come on in. Why don’t you have a seat? We can finally get to know one another.” She perched awkwardly on an old chair that had seen better days.

  Kade and Frankie took a seat on the sofa which was stained with…things she’d rather not speculate about.

  “So, how did you figure out that you and Kade were related?” Frankie asked.

  Jocelyn looked over her shoulder at her boyfriend, a sappy, sweet smile traded between the two of them. When she turned back, Frankie sensed that this had been rehearsed prior to their arrival.

  “Well, Liam,” she said, patting her boyfriend’s thigh, “asked me about my mother. And I told him a bit about Judy and her sister, Lacy.” She glanced at Kade. “I figured out that Lacy Wilson was your mother. From there, I made the connection from Lacy to you.”

  That made sense, but something was hinky. “I didn’t know that your mother had a sister,” Frankie commented, turning to Kade.

  To the casual observer, Kade’s body language appeared relaxed and politely interested. But after spending almost every moment of the past week with him, Frankie knew better. Kade was livid! She could feel the tension in him as she leaned against him.

  “I didn’t know either,” he replied. His hand slid up her back. To Jocelyn and Liam, the touch probably appeared casual, but to Frankie, she understood the silent message. She turned and smiled up at him, letting him know that she’d received the message.

  She looked at Jocelyn. “What was your mother’s name?”

  “Judy. Judy Klinger. We have the same grandmother, but different grandfathers.”

  Kade nodded, as if he were trying to figure out all of the familial connections. “So, you’re not related to Edward Meyers?”

  The woman’s mouth fell open. “Um…the rich guy who lives in Seattle?”

  “Yeah. Him,” he replied with barely contained derision. “He’s been looking for his estranged children, trying to pass along his legacy. So far, none of the kids have been interested.”

  The woman’s eyes lit up. “Well, that’s interesting.”

  “Too bad that you’re related on the wrong side of my family.”

  Liam chuckled. “Maybe you should dig a little deeper, honey,” he suggested, squeezing Jocelyn’s shoulders. “Maybe there’s a connection you don’t know about.”

  Jocelyn glared briefly at him, then turned her attention back to Kade. “Well, it’s wonderful to finally meet my cousin. I can’t believe how long it’s taken to finally connect.”

  “I’m sure.”

  Frankie decided to put an end to the nonsense. She pulled a small package from her backpack. “How about if we confirm the family connection?” she suggested, ripping open the sterile swab. “This is fast and painless.”

  The woman pulled back, horrified at the swab. “What’s that for?”

  While Frankie focused on getting a DNA sample from the woman, who was obviously a fraud, Kade watched Liam. These two were obviously liars and con artists. What they didn’t realize was that he’d run into these kinds of scams so many times over the years. And also, that Frankie wasn’t letting them get away with anything.

  So while Frankie talked to Jocelyn, explaining the DNA sample and how it would prove their familial connections, Kade stood up and wandered into the kitchen, following Liam. Sure enough, he pulled a gun out of the drawer.

  “What the hell?!” Kade snapped, which caused Liam to swing around, the pistol in both hands as if he were ready to shoot.

  Kade acted fast, ignoring the screams behind him and focusing the gun, assuming he was the most imminent threat.

  “Frankie, get out of here!” he bellowed, grabbing Liam’s wrist and slamming it up above his head against the wall.

  “Liam! What the hell are you doing?” Jocelyn screeched.

  Kade heard her coming towards him, but ignored her, slamming Liam’s wrist against the wall again, harder this time. There was a thud behind him, but Kade ignored it.

  Liam punched Kade in the ribs with his free hand. But Kade had been kicked by horses, cows, bulls and steers, not to mention falling off horses when things went sideways on the range. So Liam’s punch was nothing. Barely even a tickle.

  He did another slam, and the gun tumbled to the floor. Thankfully, the idiot hadn’t thought to take the safety off, so the gun didn’t fire upon impact. But Kade’s attention was briefly distracted, giving Liam just enough time to grab a knife that had been sitting on the counter. It wasn’t sharp, but the pointed end could do a great deal of damage.

  Kade grabbed Liam’s hand, slamming it back against the fridge, but he didn’t drop the knife. In fact, he twisted around and was able to get his knife hand free. With a vicious swing, Liam slashed downwards, catching Kade’s forearm. But Kade ignored the sharp pain and grabbed the guy again, getting a better grip on the man’s wrist. With that, he flung the guy onto the floor, face down. Kade put his knee in the middle of the guy’s back, holding him there.

  “Call the police!” he ordered Frankie. Thankfully, she already had her phone out and was dialing.

  “Get off me, you ass!” Liam yelled, twisting and shoving, but Kade was over a foot taller than him and probably fifty pounds heavier, all muscle. Jocelyn was huddled in the corner, a hand to her face where a red mark was forming. Frankie stood guard, barely breathing hard as she stared at the woman, daring her to move.

  “I wouldn’t, if I were you!”

  Jocelyn was crying now. “How could you do that to him? He was only trying to protect me from you maniacs!”

  Frankie rolled her eyes. “Seriously? That’s the excuse you’re going with?”

  “It’s not an excuse, you bitch!” she sobbed, bending over to make her emotion seem more believable. But Frankie caught the glance at her boyfriend. “Just get out of here!”

  “We’ll leave as soon as the police arrive,” Kade assured her.

  Frankie was on the phone with the police dispatcher. “The police are…” They heard the sirens as Frankie spoke to the dispatcher.

  A moment later, the small apartment filled with police. Kade immediately moved away from Liam, although a police officer took his place, putting cuffs on the Liam’s wrists.

  “Wait a minute! We’ve been assaulted in our own place and you’re arresting me? He attacked me!” Liam bellowed.

  Once Liam and Jocelyn were in cuffs, the officers holstered their weapons. One of them carefully picked up the gun from the floor, sliding it into an evidence bag. “Were you shot, Mr. Wilson?”

  “No, but he got me with that knife,” he said, pointing towards the floor were the knife had been kicked against the far wall in the scuffle.

  The officer bagged the knife as well, then radioed to inform the dispatcher that an ambulance was needed.

  “I don’t need an ambulance,” Kade asserted.

  “You’re hurt?” Frankie whispered, touching his arm gently. “That…!” she turned on her heel, glaring daggers at Liam. “I’m gonna–”

  Kade laughed, grabbing her around the waist and slapping a hand over her mouth. “Settle down, tiger,” he murmured. “No dire threats in front of the nice police officers.”

  The officers laughed as they led Jocelyn and Liam out of the apartment. “Come with us. We’ll need you two to make statements, Mr. Wilson.”

  “That’s fine,” he said, still holding Frankie. “Are you okay?” he asked, feeling her tremble.

  Frankie stared down at his arm and wanted to cry. But she was tough. She was strong! She didn’t cry! Ever!

  “Let me get you to the hospital. You probably need a rabies shot, not to mention stitches.”

  Kade chuckled, but Frankie wasn’t amused. In fact, she worried she might pass out. Which was odd in itself. She’d never fainted in her life. The feeling was new and she seriously didn’t like it. This was too…weak. She wasn’t weak!

  The paramedics arrived as they came down the rusted metal stairs. The EMT rushed over to Kade
and immediately started working on him. “I’ll get the gurney for you, sir.”

  Although the paramedic wanted to put him on the gurney, Kade resisted and it took everything in her not to tell him the rolling bed looked pretty good to her! She fought her dizziness, clinging to the rental car while Kade walked over and sat on the bumper of the ambulance.

  Another officer came forward and asked her what happened. In slow, careful words, Frankie explained about the mystery woman, then what had happened in the apartment. She could see another officer talking to Kade and two other officers were probably asking Jocelyn and Liam about their own versions of the incident.

  Thankfully, Frankie and Kade had the two boxes of news clippings and Jocelyn’s hand written notes, plus Frankie’s notes on how she’d come to discover the woman’s address.

  When the police finally left, Kade’s arm was thoroughly wrapped up in a bandage and he was “strongly advised” to see a doctor to get a prescription for antibiotics since he refused to go to the hospital.

  Frankie wobbled over to him, staring at the bandage. Then she threw herself into his arms. “Please don’t die!” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist as she squeezed her eyes closed, fighting back tears. But the tears leaked out anyway. Thankfully, Kade’s arms were around her and he held her firmly in his arms.

  “I’m not going to die, Frankie,” he assured her, resting his cheek against the top of her head. “At least, not today.”

  She didn’t think that was funny and felt as if she might just throw up. But she didn’t want to do that anymore than she wanted to cry. So she pulled out of his arms and turned away, pretending as if she didn’t care. Because she didn’t! Not at all!

  “Hey,” he said softly. “Let’s go back to the hotel. You look like you could use a drink.”

  She snorted at the idea, but he was right. A drink would be nice. Or a chair. For some reason, it felt as if her knees were about to give out. Another sign of weakness she didn’t like! Damn it, this was pathetic.

  He drove them back to the hotel. Frankie barely spoke, unable to get words past the lump in her throat. He could have been killed! Frankie wasn’t sure she could have survived anything happening to Kade!

  “You okay?” he asked, touching her knee.

  Frankie jerked around, looking at the parking lot. They were back at the hotel and Kade was watching her curiously.

  “I’m fine,” she told him, releasing the clasp on her seatbelt and getting out of the car. The heat in Miami was definitely something that she’d never get used to. It was oppressive and sticky with humidity!

  She walked beside Kade, stood next to him in the elevator. But as soon as the door to their suite closed, she dove into his arms, kissing him as if her life depended on it. Or his! He was just as ravenous. It was almost as if they’d only been waiting to be alone so that the adrenaline rush they’d experienced in that dingy apartment could consume them.

  He pressed her against the wall, stripping off her tee shirt and bra. A moment later, his hands cupped her breasts. She moaned and he lifted her higher, his mouth latching onto her nipple while she wrapped her legs around his waist. “Kade!” she breathed, her fingers diving into his hair.

  “I want you now!” he told her, carrying her to the bedroom. He barely took the time to get the rest of her clothes and his own off before he was inside of her. Then he froze, for a long moment, looking down at her. “Frankie!”

  “Don’t stop!” she whispered, lifting her hips to encourage him. She felt him shudder, then he was moving inside of her, stroking her with long, even movements that seemed to reach her soul. “Faster!”

  He shook his head. “Slower,” and he did just that, making her arch into him as her body tightened with need. Just a small release, she thought, biting down on her lower lip to keep herself from screaming again. She’d given him too much power and she needed some of it back. She needed to control these sensations.

  But Kade was too good. And they’d spent too much time over the past week doing this, perfecting the movements that they liked. Slow, long, and powerful thrusts pulled her body higher and higher, making her tremble. Normally, she was more than fine with this slow, demanding climb. But today, she needed that release. She needed to be in control. The way he was moving now, she wasn’t in control and it scared her.

  Unfortunately, he was just too good and before she could pull herself back, he pushed her over the edge with his body deeply inside of her. Clinging to him, she shuddered as the waves of pleasure poured over her and she almost sobbed, her emotions balanced on the edge.

  When she felt him shudder several moments later, she couldn’t speak. She could barely even move. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around him and held on, her face buried against the warmth of his neck. Her favorite place in the world.

  “Hey,” he said softly, rolling over so that she was on top. Still, she kept her face hidden in his neck. He rubbed his hands along her back. Soothing her. But Frankie kept her face hidden.

  He must have understood because he didn’t say anything. He simply wrapped his arms around her and gave her the reassurance that she needed.

  Unfortunately, she felt his bandaged arm against her skin, which scared her all over again. She’d come so close to losing him! So close!

  “I’ll be right back, love,” he whispered, his voice a rumbly, low tone.

  She hugged him tighter for a moment, then pulled away and curled up with a pillow.

  Through wet lashes, she watched him step into the bathroom. Looking around, Frankie realized that they were in a huge suite. Was there another bathroom? She seriously needed a minute alone right now. So instead of waiting for him to come out, she grabbed his shirt and slipped from the bedroom. Thankfully, she found the second bedroom, which did have its own bathroom. With its own towels, robe, and toiletries as a bonus! Goodness, she could learn to love traveling with a wealthy man!

  She stepped into the shower, tilting her face up to the warm water. So, when Kade walked in, he couldn’t see the betraying tears.

  “You could have showered with me,” he told her softly.

  Frankie knew that he was about to get in and shower with her. Lord knows, they’d done so pretty much every day since she’d decided to stay with him.

  “Sorry,” she said, fighting not to glance over her shoulder at him. “I’m in a rush. I need to do something that I forgot.”

  He leaned into the shower and pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder. “I’ll leave you alone then,” he said, softly closing the door behind him.

  As soon as she was alone, the tears burst out of her. She couldn’t seem to stop them. They continued down her cheeks, unabated and unwanted. Frankie had no idea how long she stayed there, crying her eyes out and feeling as if her world was completely out of control, but when she finally shut off the water, her fingers were pink and wrinkled.

  Stepping out of the bathroom, she looked around. Silence. For a moment, panic gnawed at her. Had he left her? Had he gotten frustrated that she needed to be alone?

  Frankie hurried over to the other bedroom, breathing a sigh of relief when she spotted his suitcase still sitting by the end of the bed.

  Almost limp with relief, she leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes for a long moment. But the idea of him returning and finding her like this wasn’t good.

  “Time to get dressed,” she whispered to herself. Pushing away from the wall, she headed over to her suitcase. Pulling out a pair of jeans, a clean tee shirt, and clean underwear, she dressed quickly, then put on a touch of makeup. Feeling better and more in control, she walked into the main area just as the door to the suite opened. Turning, she watched as Kade walked in, looking fresh, alive, and just as powerfully masculine as ever. A wave of emotion washed over her when he grinned at her.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked. “The concierge said that there is an excellent Cuban restaurant around the corner. Want to try it out?”

  Food. Food was a safe subject. And no
w that he mentioned it, Frankie realized that she was famished. “Yes! That sounds excellent!”

  “Good. Grab your bag. I’m hungry too.”

  She hurried over to grab her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder, then hurried back to him. Getting something to eat, sitting across the table from Kade, seemed like exactly what she needed. It would help her get back to normal. The act of ordering and eating food would put today into perspective.

  This was normal, she thought with a smile, as she walked beside him through the lobby and down the sidewalk. Kade was talking about something, but she wasn’t sure what it was. All she knew was that she felt more in control. Not as afraid of what might happen next. She didn’t have to think about the future or the past, about someone hurting Kade or…or whatever might come in the future. She just needed to put one foot in front of the other. And eat.

  “What would you like to drink?” the pretty waitress asked, handing them menus.

  Frankie pushed her sunglasses higher up onto her nose. “Do you have margaritas? Maybe one of those margaritas that come in a glass bigger than my head?”

  The waitress laughed, nodding her head. “Absolutely,” she replied.

  “Great!” Frankie beamed. “I’ll have one of those. And a Cuban sandwich. With those hand-cut chips! Lots of chips, please!”

  She nodded, then turned to Kade. “I’ll have a Dos Equis and the same.”

  The waitress smiled, writing down their order. She was obviously relieved to have an easy order and walked away with a bounce to her step.

  “The sun feels good now that I’m a little more used to it,” she said, needing normal conversation.

  “You prefer the weather in Montana?” Kade asked, leaning back in his chair, the image of a relaxed man having lunch in the sunshine. Normal!

  “Absolutely!” she laughed, grinning delightedly when a wait staff member brought over a heaped basket of chips and two dishes of salsa. “I’m not normally the hot-weather kind of gal, but this feels good.”

  They discussed the events of the morning, speculating on whether Bobby would be released on bail or if he would be retained in jail until his hearing.