by Ella Miles
We didn’t meet in the ocean. We met before in a bar.
“You flirted. You danced with Zeke. You stole his key to the vault.”
“How could I have forgotten meeting you both?”
Langston Bishop ignores me and continues his story. “You broke into the vault and switched the boxes. You didn’t know what you were doing or stealing, just that you were promised your freedom if you did this task.
“Zeke searched for you everywhere for days, hoping to find the woman who enchanted him and stole a piece of his heart.”
Zeke. My heart beats for him. “How did Zeke forget me when you clearly didn’t?”
“It hurt too much to remember you.”
I nod, understanding. If Zeke was ever taken from me, the only way I could survive was to forget him, erase him from my memory.
“What then?”
“Then you opened the box. You realized what was inside and that you couldn’t give it to them. So you hid it and killed them all. You realized it wasn’t enough. Others knew of its existence. The Black family. Julian. The mystery would spread. So you started drinking, doing drugs, shock therapy—anything to make you forget so they couldn’t use you to get to the box.”
I blink rapidly. I forced myself to forget. Everyone Julian has done has been to get me to remember. He put Zeke into my life, hoping I would remember.
“Did you forget, or are you just a really good liar?” Langston Bishop asks.
“I can’t tell a lie.”
He waits, knowing that is a lie.
“At least, I couldn’t tell a lie. I think all the lying and hiding of the secret maxed out my abilities. My brain couldn’t process anymore lies. But lately, I’ve been able to lie more and more. Whatever you did to me, it started unleashing memories and allowed me space to lie again.”
Langston Bishop nods.
“I think your voice in my head has actually been my father. All the words I thought you were saying were words he’s said to me when he was alive.”
“How do you fit into all of this? How do you know so much?”
“I needed to leave, get away for a while, my own pain was too much.”
“Because of Liesel?”
Langston Bishop doesn’t answer me.
“I experimented much like you did with forgetting. I needed to forget the pain. I did all sorts of horrible things—trauma can make you forget.”
“Just like the trauma of killing my own parents helped me forget.”
He nods.
“We’re monsters.”
“Yes, we are.”
We both sip our tea silently before he continues.
“I ran into Julian Reed and realized he was trying to hurt my family and friends. So I stepped in, wanting to prevent Julian from hurting them. I pretended to be on Julian’s side to protect my family.
“When your husband sold you, I realized who you were. I didn’t trust you initially, but then I realized you had forgotten everything. But I knew you had to remember, so I could destroy the box along with the virus inside. It was the only way to protect my family. I didn’t realize at first whose side you were on. I didn’t know you had hidden it to keep it safe. So I started methods to try to regain your memories. Some were painful. Remembering can be painful.”
“You were trying to save us all, Langston.”
He nods slightly.
He’s good. He was the ultimate protector. He was trying to protect us all. He wasn’t torturing me; he was begging me to remember so we could destroy the thing that could kill us all.
“Langston,” I say.
He looks up at me. “Just Langston?”
I nod. He’s Langston. He’s good. Not evil. Bishop doesn’t exist. He’s just a man he was playing as he tried to save us.
“Thank you,” I say.
“Don’t thank me. I don’t have the power to save anyone. And getting your memory back is going to hurt like hell. Only you can decide if you want to do that.”
“Still, you’ve done a lot to help us while taking all the blame for being a monster.”
Langston smirks. “Don’t think I’m not still a monster. Trust me, I am. A bigger monster than all of you. I won’t be accepted back into the Black family with open arms when this is all over.”
“But you are on my side, Langston. You’re my teammate.”
“Zeke is your teammate. I’m just the man who will do what it takes to help you remember. The man you will hate for hurting you.”
13
Zeke
I lie down in the bed while I wait for Siren to come back. I consider making my presence known and kicking Langston’s ass after learning that Langston has been protecting us this entire time.
But I don’t trust anyone but Siren right now. I don’t know if she believes everything Langston said or not, but I do know that I only trust her.
The bedroom door opens quietly and then closes.
I jump up when I see her. She’s in as much shock as I am.
I don’t know what to say. I can hardly think of a plan. And I’m about to spill more bad news on her. All I can do is hold her in my arms, so that’s what I do.
I pull Siren tight to me, wishing my arms alone could be enough to protect her.
Time passes, probably only a few minutes, but minutes feel like hours when you’re living with so much uncertainty.
“Did you hear everything Langston said?”
I nod. “Most.”
I don’t miss that she now calls him Langston instead of Langston Bishop. She’s decided who he is—just Langston—the good man who was once my friend. He’s still my friend, just an asshole for trying to save us all instead of letting us know the truth and working with us.
If we have all learned one thing, it’s when this is over, we need to learn to work together better.
Gently, I lead her to the edge of the bed so we can sit down and discuss everything that happened.
“I heard that you alone know where the box is. That it’s in your memories. That’s what Langston was trying to do, help you remember.”
She nods.
“Did you hear the part where we met before?”
“Yes, I don’t know how I could have forgotten you. Even if we only met for a second, I can’t imagine ever forgetting.” I take her hand and kiss it. “But I can understand the pain I must have felt at only knowing you for a moment and then losing you.”
She bites her lip and tucks her hair behind her ear.
“What are you thinking?”
“Do you think everything Langston said is true?” she asks.
“Most likely. Kai called. She went back to get the box she hid. She opened it with plans to destroy it, but it was empty. Wherever it is, it’s gone.”
“So that means it’s up to me to remember.” She stands suddenly and paces as she bites her nails.
I stand to stop her from pacing, blocking her path, but she turns to pace in a smaller circle, so I grab her.
“It’s going to be okay. We will make a plan. And now that you know what the dreams are about, you don’t have to be afraid anymore. You can relax and let the memories come. You’ll remember. And then we will destroy it.”
Siren takes a deep breath, washing away some of the pain. I can’t help but wonder if she’s hiding something that I’m not putting together.
“I promise you, everything is going to be okay.”
She puts my hand over her heart. “Tell that to my anxious heart.”
Fuck, her heart is beating so fast.
There is so much more to be said. The worst hasn’t even been spoken yet, but I can’t stand to see her anxious.
“Undress and get in the bed,” I say, deciding we need another calming round of sex to get her to relax.
“No.”
“No?”
“I don’t need a massage. I don’t need slow and loving. I need hard and fast. I need passion and emotion. I need you to make me forget. I need you to remind me of how much my husband enjoys
fucking me.”
I spin her around until her ass is against my front, so she can feel my erection growing in my pants against her back. I tilt her head up and kiss her harshly, my tongue pushing past her lips, tasting every sweet drop of her.
“You want the beast inside?” I ask.
“Yes, I want my beast-man.”
I give her a wicked grin. “You’re going to regret saying that when you are so sore you can’t walk straight for a week.”
She bats her long eyelashes at me. “It will be worth it.”
I tug on her hair and nip at her neck, and she moans so loudly that I’m afraid I hurt her. But I know she’s just loud because she’s anxious and needs to put everything into this. She needs a distraction to relax. The room is soundproof, but I’ve barely touched her, and she’s already moaning at the top of her lungs. I’ve got to keep her quiet.
“Siren, baby, you are going to have to be quieter. The room is soundproof, but I’m not sure the walls can withstand your beautiful cries.”
“I can’t be quiet,” she moans louder as I kiss her neck again.
She may want me to let my inner demon out on her, but we will definitely be caught if I do.
So instead, I decide on a different move.
I kiss her mouth, blocking some of her moans with my own mouth as I walk her into the bathroom. I flick on the shower behind her, and then I push us under the spray. The cold water chills us both, causing us to gasp before the water turns warmer.
The reaction Siren gives me is what I was hoping for. She’s focused entirely on the water and me, but not as loudly as she was before.
I peel her shirt off and kiss every spot of flesh I can find on her body before caressing her breasts and pinching her nipples harshly.
She yelps at the sharp pinch of her nipple.
“Shh,” I say as my hand slides down her smooth stomach and into her shorts.
“I can’t. Everything feels heightened right now.”
I slip my finger inside her and find her as wet inside as out.
I bite down on her shoulder to keep from screaming out myself at how perfect she is.
“I need you, Zeke. I need you, now.”
“Yes.”
I undo my pants and push hers down as I slide my cock between her legs, teasing her clit with my tip.
“Zeke,” she cries, moaning, and I’m not even inside her yet.
I push inside her and listen to the heavenly sound leaving her throat as I pleasure her in a way only I can.
I thrust inside, and our combined ecstasy is loud enough to wake someone up a mile away. I must have left a window or the door open, because the door to the bedroom swings opens, and I hear Langston run inside.
“Siren! Are you okay? I heard screaming,” he yells as he enters her bedroom, but doesn’t find her.
I whisper in Siren’s ear. “Tell him you are okay.”
I stroke her back, but don’t move my cock. She needs to tell him that she’s okay to make him go away.
“Yes!” she cries, but it sounds too euphoric, there is no way he’s buying that. “I’m fine!”
“You sure? Are you sick?”
“No!”
“You’re scaring me. What’s happening?” I hear him try the door. Even though there is no key to the bathroom, it wouldn’t take much to break the lock open.
Although, it wouldn’t be the worst thing for him to find me here, but until we’ve discussed a plan, I’d rather him not.
“Just go with it,” I whisper into Siren’s ear before I thrust hard into her, making her cry out.
“I’m making myself come! Go away!” She cries out as I thrust harder and harder.
She grips the side of the shower as I pump into her over and over, harder and harder with each stroke.
I hear Langston eventually retreat. I’m not sure if he believed her or not, but he’s gone, and I can fuck her in peace.
So that’s what I do. I drive in and out of her, watching her come more and more undone until she’s screaming my name so loudly I’m afraid Langston is going to come back in here to check on her.
I finish right after her.
We don’t speak as we dry off and get dressed, but I can tell she’s more relaxed than she was before.
I go and double lock the bedroom door so Langston can’t get in while we sleep. Then I lie down in bed with Siren, unable to keep holding my words back. I have to tell her everything.
14
Siren
I snuggle into the bed with Zeke, trying to enjoy the last few moments of lingering sex bliss. I try to mark everything in my memory, now that I know how easily my memories can be taken from me.
I remember the feel of the water raining down on my face. The feel of Zeke at my back. His hands on my body. His cock slipping in and out of me. The gruff sounds he made. The screams I made.
I memorize it all, solidifying myself for what’s to come. Zeke’s energy has changed to anxiety, signaling challenges we’re about to face.
“Now Langston can’t get in again,” Zeke says.
I blush, thinking about Langston walking in on us, the sounds I was making, and what I said I was doing…
“Langston knows you are here,” I say.
Zeke shrugs. “Maybe, maybe not. Does it matter anymore?”
“No, it doesn’t. He told me the truth. Now we just have to decide what to do with the truth.”
Zeke pulls me to him as he strokes my hair, and we lay on our sides, staring at each other. “I have another truth to tell first.”
I nod, knowing this was coming.
“Julian Reed isn’t dead.”
My heart shutters, but it doesn’t come as a surprise. I knew deep down that Julian couldn’t be killed easily. The only way is by Zeke’s or my hands.
“I knew he wasn’t dead.”
“I’m sorry. I should have stayed. I should have killed him myself. I should have—”
I put my fingers to his lips. “No, you have nothing to apologize for. I needed you here with me.”
I remove my fingers. “I wish I could have killed him and been here with you. I feel like I’m failing you.”
“You aren’t. You’re loving me. You’re protecting me. It’s enough.”
Zeke kisses the back of my hand. “But I can’t stay and protect you here forever. I have to go back—”
“I know.” I don’t want Zeke to risk his life. I won’t survive if something happens to him.
“We will be in Spain tomorrow. We need to make a plan,” Zeke says.
I nod. “I need to stay. I need to figure out my memories with Langston.”
“And I need to go kill Julian Reed.”
Our fingers tangle together. Who knows how long we’ll be apart this time.
It breaks my heart.
When I look into Zeke’s eyes, I can see the fear in his.
“It’s just temporary. A few days, maybe a week. We will be together again.”
“I know, and you’ll be safe. Langston will protect you; I’ll make sure of that. You will take your time remembering. There is no rush. Once Julian is dead, we will recover your memories and go destroy the box forever.”
“You have to promise me that you won’t put yourself at risk. That you will stop giving yourself up to save me. You will go with Kai and Enzo, and together you will all take down Julian. Promise?”
“I promise I will not put myself in excessive danger. But if it comes down to your life or mine, I will do everything I can to protect you. Don’t ever make me promise differently.”
I suck in a breath. I don’t want to let him go. I don’t want to let him risk his life without me there to fight by his side. But I can’t risk my baby’s life.
He tilts my head up until I can stare into his deep dark eyes. “Promise me that if you remember where the box is that you will wait until I’ve killed Julian and returned to go after it. We will go after it together. Your job is to remember if you can, but most importantly, your job is to st
ay safe. Promise me.”
I kiss him. We’ve promised so many things. We’ve broken more promises than we’ve kept. The only promises that matter are the marriage vows we made.
“This is it. We just have to get through this final battle. This final fight, and then we will be safe,” I say.
He nods. “And we will win.”
But what happens after? We can’t keep risking our lives like this. I can’t keep risking our child’s life. When this is over, our lives are going to be very different. We will have to start over, find other ways to make money, to be happy. Fighting and killing people won’t work.
“So it’s decided. Tomorrow I will fly to Kai and Enzo to go hunt down Julian and kill him,” Zeke says.
“And I’ll stay with Langston, hiding in his home, safe and doing my best to remember.”
Zeke’s face is filled with worry. I know how much it pains him to leave me.
“I’ll text and call you as much as I can. You have the tough job. My job is just to eat and keep this baby growing,” I say, rubbing my hand over my stomach, which makes him smile.
I memorize his grin. The small dimple that forms in his cheek. The light in his dark eyes.
Zeke leans down and kisses my stomach while I stroke his hair.
I try to spare him as much pain I can because he feels my pain worse than I feel it myself. I lie even though I know it’s a sin, but it’s a worthy sin to spare him.
The truth is, I will try to get my memories back, but it will be incredibly painful. I remember what Langston tried to do to get me to remember before. It’s going to take a lot more to remember now. I have to remember to protect my family.
As long as the box is out there, my family isn’t safe. The Black family is the most powerful organized crime family in the world. Hundreds of others will try and hunt the box down if they know they can use it to take down the notorious Black family.
I have to remember, no matter how painful. I have to destroy the box. But I can’t let Zeke know how painful it will be, which is why Langston has to be the one to help me. I have to be strong enough to let Zeke go, and pray that he comes back.
