Unravel (Unbound Trilogy Book 1)

by Kathy Coopmans

  I slack onto the bed, shattered, and Logan folds onto me. The heaviness of his body pressing me into the mattress.

  I must have blacked out shortly after because when I wake, I’m sore, sated and wrapped up safely in his arms.

  Chapter 18

  Logan

  “I’m following someone who was tossed out on her ass. Bitch is sporting some mighty pretty bruises on her face. I told you Ramon doesn’t take kindly to betrayal, especially from a bitch who was involved in having someone raped. Any guesses where she’s headed? How about who she’s with?”

  I cringe. Unease settling in my gut.

  Grinding my teeth, I press the phone a little tighter to my ear to avoid any chance Ellie might hear Gabe and watch as she bends to place more of the groceries she bought in the refrigerator.

  I don’t want Ellie hearing about Whitney. That’s a subject we haven’t broached. Frankly, we haven’t talked about her at all since she asked me if I knew where she was.

  “Here.”

  “Yeah. Although I doubt she’ll come to your house, not yet anyway. She’s with the only friend she has in this town. Am I painting a picture for you yet?”

  He sure is, and it isn’t like the colorful ones Ellie and Lexi drew the other day that are now all over my fridge.

  Not even close.

  Motherfucker.

  I should have known. Should have seen it coming from a mile away. Should have put two and two together when the now dead fuck told me the woman who hired him to go after Ellie was a blonde.

  The thing was, the she that’s with Whitney never crossed my mind. I guess she’s just like her sister, a worthless excuse for a woman. Fuck, this is going to send Lane into a tailspin, and Lexi, I can’t even allow myself to think what this could do to her.

  Damn it. Why do I have this gut-wrenching feeling things aren’t what they seem. That someone close to me is in on this. And there’s only one someone it could be.

  It hits me all at once, like a bitch-slap to the face, a knife straight to the gut.

  I’ve hardly gotten to know Ellie. In the short time I’ve spent with her, she’s left an impact on me like no other, a ripple effect of vibrant colors, and I knew all along I wouldn’t be able to keep her.

  Like the fool I said I wasn’t, I let go and pretended my life was filled with good when it was mapped out a long time ago to be nothing but a rocky journey to hell.

  “I can’t take the woman out she’s with, son. I can’t shoot Whitney until we know what they’re up to. We got a sticky problem on our hands.”

  My skin breaks into a sweat at the same time realization punches me in the chest so damn hard it nearly topples me over.

  This is going to end with me hanging on the edge.

  A cliffhanger.

  One that’s jagged and sharp. A shocker to the woman flitting around my house like an angel with wings.

  All the things Ellie is doing for me are the most unselfish things any woman has done for me in my life, and here I have women out to ruin me and for what? Money? Influence in a society that’s as fucked up as I am?

  No woman has cooked me dinner; no woman has spent time with my family. No woman has taken my niece and done girly things. No woman has shown up at my home asking me to help her carry in groceries because she noticed I had little food in my house. And, no woman has laid in bed with me at night asking what my favorite color is, and then two days later I get a delivery from Amazon only to open it and find dishes, silverware, and pots and pans.

  Ellie has stamped her imprint all over me.

  Fuck. I’ve gotten myself into a mess.

  I have the most remarkable, unforgettable woman taking care of me, and it sends a clusterfuck of images through me thinking there will come a time she’ll be doing this with someone else. Someone she deserves. Possibly with kids running around creating havoc and this woman making them her entire world.

  Ellie is revitalizing, a life-changer, and not too long ago, I would have played dirty to keep her, but I can’t do it if it’s going to cause my niece and brother pain.

  “Almost finished, oh I nearly forgot, I bought a coffee pot. It’s red. You need more color in here, Logan.” Ellie whirls around, giving me the most amazing smile I’ve ever seen before spinning back and bending over again.

  Fuck, her ass looks incredible.

  I’ve had that ass up against me every night this week, that tight body crawling all over me with a smile similar when she told me her, Gabe, and Seth were going skeet shooting. I had no idea her dad taught her to play and shoot. That led to her carrying on about Renita teaching her how to cook.

  Then again, there’s still a lot I don’t know about Ellie because I wasted time. Threw her away when all along she should have been mine.

  My muscles tick, tightening with need — reinforcing how much I want this woman — falling fast.

  I’m going to lose the best thing a man could ask for — a woman who does things out of the kindness of her beautiful heart.

  “Do you care where I put it?”

  Ellie lifts the coffee pot out of a box, the thing about as bright as her lips. I couldn’t give a shit where she puts it. It’s her, all her that’s bringing color into my world. So gorgeous I want to snag her by the waist and take her where she stands.

  Yeah, I’m on a highway to Hell and taking Ellie with me. Goddamn it.

  I shake my head, wink, and back out of the kitchen. I sure as hell don’t need her to see me this way.

  Furious and helpless and hurting. Ever since Ellie came into my life, they’ve been simmering.

  My lungs compress, emotions are now roaring to a boil.

  “Sounds like you’re over there playing house, building up a dream that might never come true. I told you when you get a taste of good; there isn’t anything better. If you want it to have any chance of remaining in the palm of your hands, you need to confess. Last time I’m bringing it up. I support you no matter what you decide because that’s what family does, but the longer you don’t do Ellie right, the more you disappoint me.”

  Gabe’s words pound a couple more nails into my coffin.

  “I have faith in you, Logan. I believe Ellie is falling for you, and you're halfway there. I know hearing that doesn’t make it easier. My point, you took some beatings from a woman half your size. Stood there and had men knock you around. You protected your brothers from your mother and those piss-pour excuses for men. On the exterior, you’re hard, inside you are just like every other man who falls. It’s going to sting like a bitch to tell Ellie, and she may never forgive you. If you want her bad enough, you’ll make her understand that all along the things you did were for her.”

  My conscience pangs against my skull, pressing regret deeper into my brain. Soon, it’ll be overflowing with those negative emotions that won’t give me a moment’s peace. The only time they have were when I was buried so deep in Ellie’s tight body all I could think about was how good she felt, how I wanted to keep her forever. How holding her felt right, and talking with her put me at ease.

  I’d sensed once I had her again, it would be hard to tell her, grueling in a way I might never get the words out. It’ll be my death sentence when she tells me to fuck off.

  By no means did I think it would kill me the way it is.

  “You make me sound like I asked for this.” I let out a chuckle as I fall onto my back on the couch; there isn’t an ounce of hilarity to the harsh sound.

  “No. You’re a man who noticed a young girl years ago and fell before you even knew the right way to make her yours.”

  “You don’t think I know that?” My gut knots up in the knowledge that I’m a coward. I can kill a man, but I can’t find it in me to watch a woman fall apart in front of my eyes.

  Pathetic.

  “Pretty sure you do.”

  I close my eyes, wishing the words unspoken wouldn’t skewer right through my flesh.

  Bleeding me dry.

  “I should have told her who I was
when we talked about the club. She didn’t like what I did, but she didn’t judge me, she gave me a chance. She gave me a bit of her trust from the get-go. Life might be a hell of a lot easier right now. I told Lane I wanted more. Never did I think at the time I had fallen already. It’s only been weeks, Gabe. Fucking weeks and every time I looked at her, those words were on the tip of my tongue — all of them. I didn’t have the guts to do it.”

  I grind my teeth until my gums hurt. I need to feel the pain. Need to feel something but the hope I can someday win Ellie back because my days are numbered. This pretending to play house as Gabe said wasn’t a game, it was as real as the woman who set me on a path of righteousness.

  “I don’t know what to say, Logan. I’ll keep my eye on Whitney for tonight. You need to figure out what to do. Talk to Lane because the last person that deserves to be caught up in this mess is Lexi. If it weren’t for her, I’d put a bullet in the back of both these bitch’s skulls.”

  Rage pulses and I squeeze my phone. Surprised it isn’t shattering in my unsteady hand.

  Taking a deep breath, I hang up, toss my phone on the floor beside me and bring my arm to rest across my face. Not sure how long I lay there letting my mind absorb everything. Long enough that when I move my arm, Ellie is standing next to me. A frown has replaced the smile that lit up my kitchen like fireworks.

  “Are you okay? You look good there by the way. If you didn’t look so tense, I’d think this was the most relaxing side of Logan Mitchell I’ve seen. Is there anything I can do to help?”

  Even with her brows drawn downward, she’s so damn pretty. I could stare at her all night and love every second of it. More than likely that’s what I’ll be doing anyway.

  “I’m tired is all, I have a friend in Atlanta who is going through a rough time. He needs me again. Looks like I’m flying out tomorrow.”

  I’m not flying anywhere, it’s Rocco who needs to get his ass here.

  Secrets and lies. So many variations of the vicious pain of betrayal that have been my life. “You don’t need to worry about me either. Get down here and give me that mouth.”

  “You want my mouth? What about what I want?”

  Ellie tilts her head, running it slowly down my body, lips parting and tongue sliding out to run across her plump bottom lip when she sees my aching cock straining through my jeans. He’s whimpering in agony to be set free.

  “You keep that up, and I’m pushing you to your knees.”

  Fuck, what am I doing?

  “Really?” The frown instantly vanishes, replaced with a devious smirk.

  “You want my dick in your mouth or are you challenging me?”

  She lifts a shoulder, but I see what she’s trying to do, the worry in her eyes — the wanting to take whatever is troubling me off my mind.

  Son of a bitch, this woman has done run away with my heart. A black one at that.

  And here I lay, a prisoner not only to her but also, to a confession filled with regret.

  Growing and growing with each passing tick of the clock.

  “It’s not much of a challenge when I’ll drop on my own, Logan.”

  Desperation hits.

  Hard and rash and frantic.

  “Drop the clothes willingly too. Those leggings have been driving me crazy hugging your ass since you got here. I want to see how wet you are. I want those tits accessible when you suck my cock until I either come down your throat or fuck you hard right here on this couch. It needs to be broken in. Now strip.”

  Ellie Wynn lightens my mind, and the mere sight of her makes me forget the man I am.

  I smirk as I sit up and flick open the button of my jeans, lowering my zipper and tugging them down my legs, tossing them off to the side.

  This woman is gripping hold of more pieces of me as she obeys and rids herself of her clothes. Dark hair tossed over a shoulder, handfuls of tits and ass in front of me. The perfect pussy is staring me in my face. Not a sign of bashfulness flushes across her smooth skin as she stares at my raging cock.

  “Don’t think for one minute this is me submitting; it’s me getting what I want.”

  Ellie crosses her arms over her round breasts, pushing those round areolas up, those budded nipples hardening from my greedy stare. My dick twitches against my stomach when she drops to her knees and runs her hands up my thighs.

  “That so? It seems to me I’m getting what I want too.”

  She might be getting ready to blow my mind; I most definitely am not getting what I want.

  Her.

  “Right. So that you know this is another thing I’ve never done before.”

  My pulse starts racing. Ellie is watching me closely, gauging my reaction. What she doesn’t see is I suspected as much.

  “Makes you all the more perfect to me.” How badly I want to tell her no woman has sucked me off without a condom, the same way I’ve never fucked without one until her. That’s a subject sure to sour her mood.

  I lift my hand and fist her hair, yanking her toward me and take her mouth while her soft hand grips my throbbing erection — fingertips running across the leaky engorged head.

  God, I love the noises she makes when I kiss her. Sexy as fuck and hot as the boiling Louisiana heat. I don’t want to leave the warm well of her mouth, but I want it wrapped around me more.

  Pulling away, I let her lead.

  I jolt, holding back from thrusting upward when the tip of her tongue runs up the length of my shaft.

  “Fuck, Ellie.” Ecstasy has me throwing my head back, and when she flicks my slit with her sweet little tongue, I find myself shoving my hands in her hair at the same time her mouth slides me inside and sucks.

  Flames ignite, a fiery passion roaring through my veins, and spreads right to my balls and the hot center of her mouth.

  Desire sweeps away the fear as I watch Ellie work my dick like a pro. Mouth open wide, tongue sliding along my veins, hands working in sync with the bob of her dark head.

  “Damn, you keep going at him like that, and I’m going to come. Is that what you want, you want to taste me?” Christ, I hope she does.

  “Yes.”

  Her answer turns into a moan as she takes me to the back of her throat. I lose it then. Both my hands work her head with my slow thrusts.

  I prod and drive and groan. She takes it and moans. Giving and loving what she’s doing.

  “So good, Ellie, fuck, so damn good. Not just this; it’s you; all of you.” I’m going to miss you when you're gone. Forgive me. Please forgive me.

  I drop my head to my chest, pinch my eyes closed and fist her hair as I come.

  Long into the night after I had her screaming my name as she came in my mouth and around my cock, I knew I was never going to be the same.

  Chapter 19

  Ellie

  “You look gorgeous, Ellie. I’m not sorry Logan had to fly to Atlanta and you’re stuck with me as your date. That was some of the best food I’ve had. I am sorry he couldn’t see you looking like this though.” Norah drains the last of her wine and tosses her napkin on the table.

  My hair is wavy and hangs down my back, my makeup is darker than usual, and my white dress dips low, showing off a hint of cleavage. I wanted to dress up for Logan, not that he’d care what I wore. The man has made it clear with actions and words he doesn’t expect me to be anything but me. Be that it may, all he’s seen me in besides the night we met are jeans and leggings.

  “Is that your way of saying I usually look like shit?” I laugh, waving my hand playfully through the air as I finish my glass of wine and push my empty plate forward enough to fold my hands and rest them in front of me.

  I’ve never been into crawfish, but when Logan told me the other night, he wanted to bring me to his favorite restaurant and promised I’d love the crawfish étouffée he wasn’t wrong.

  “No. It’s my way of saying I’m happy for you, Ellie. You’re glowing all the time. Logan must be giving it to you good.”

  My mouth gapes and my attent
ion darts around the restaurant. I lean in, lowering my voice to a whisper and kick her under the table. “I was planning on telling you everything, but our paths haven’t crossed much outside of work lately. Now that you’ve blurted it to all of New Orleans elite, I’m not going to.”

  It’s my fault we haven’t seen much of one another. I’ve been spending my nights with Logan. Some nights we do nothing but talk, others he has me in bed bringing all kinds of pleasure to my body. I find out something new about him every day, and I can’t wait to find out more. What we have is fresh and bold. It's crazy and wonderful. Logan Mitchell rescued me.

  “I don’t need to know the sordid details, the look on your face said it all.”

  Memories fire through my mind. The man is so big, so dominating, and so good at what he does that he’s like an instant high: one hit and my body buzzes. My mind starts racing with the excitement to seek and explore.

  I’m relieved that Logan is showing me who he is. I was attracted to him before I realized he’s down to earth. I didn’t want to be, I wanted to hate him, and I might have if he didn’t bulldoze his way through my walls, knocking them down like a man on a mission.

  I knew he’d suck me in. Wasn’t expecting it to be this quickly. I need to hang on to my heart and trust a little longer though. He hasn’t come clean with me about something. Logan will not get all of me until he does.

  “His world is frightening, but beneath the hard man is a romantic and soft guy. He’s mysterious, captivating. He’s different than I thought he’d be. Dangerous yet safe.”

  Norah’s eyes shift around the room. I know she’s thinking of the security who will appear out of nowhere the minute we walk out the door.

  It’s comforting knowing they are there, still, the idea of anyone having their eyes on me and not knowing what they look like is hard to ignore.

  “This isn’t me being nosy; it’s me being your friend. These past few weeks you and Logan have been caught up in one another. Are you falling in love with him?” A sneaky smile spreads across her face.