by G N Wright
“Nothing more can be done tonight.” Helen says, speaking up, “Max and the boys have the house secured, Cassie is sleeping and you all should be too.” She scolds and I know she hates all this talk. I can’t blame her for that, everyone she loves is deeply involved and she almost lost her son because of it.
“Helen’s right,” Elle smiles, “it’s getting late, we can talk more in the morning and decide on next steps.” She stands up stretching and it prompts everyone else to follow.
Arthur and Helen come over and give her a hug before heading to bed, Max ruffles her hair and Zack kisses her forehead. Jace storms away without a word and Linc offers us a grim smile before he follows after him. Asher settles in on the sofa opening his own laptop making it clear he isn’t done for the night and once Logan is done staring at him, he makes his way over to Elle.
“Lils in with Cass?” He asks and she nods. “Mind if I join them,” he looks to me and back to her, “give you guys the night alone.”
“Sure Lo, that’d be great, thank you.” The tone in her voice doesn’t sound like she is happy about it, but I know she is trying her best to let Cassie go back to normal and be surrounded by her whole family and not just be smothered by her and Ash.
Once they say goodnight, she follows me to my room and flops down onto the bed with a sigh. She is still wearing the same clothes we went to see Beth in. Dark colored jeans and a thick cream sweater, she got rid of her shoes, but her feet are still covered in fluffy socks. Her hair naturally messy with her tousled waves. So, fucking beautiful, even with the worry lacing her face. I take in the grimace that’s still permanently etched there, and bypass her heading right for the en-suite. I start a bath and pour in some lavender smelling bubbles, letting it fill until it’s over half full. Once done I head back into the room and dip down, picking her up and throwing her over my shoulder.
“Marcus!” She squeals and that tone is the only time my name ever sounds good coming from her mouth. “Put me down.” She pleads.
I don’t oblige until we are standing in the steam filled bathroom. “Time to relax, baby.” I cup her cheeks and kiss her gently, but when I go to pull away, she circles her arms around my neck and presses her body against me. I let her devour my mouth before I pull back and take in her now lust filled stare. I slowly lift her sweater up and off, and then lower myself to drag her jeans down her legs, discarding them on the floor. I pull off her socks until she is standing before me in nothing, but a lace cream set of lingerie. I groan at the sight of it.
“Fucking hell, baby, I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m glad you’re mine.” I run my hands up the back of her legs as I slowly rise, watching as goosebumps break out onto her skin as I trail kisses up her body. I stand, cupping her ass and pulling her against my hardness. I place more kisses across her jaw and down onto her neck, as she pushes into me. When I bring my mouth backs to hers, I kiss her again, devouring her taste. “Promise me you won’t ever leave me again, baby.”
She looks at me as she responds, “never again, River.” I know she had already said it to me, but I needed to hear it again. Every day with her is like a fucking miracle I don’t deserve, but I won’t waste. “This is far from over, but I won’t do it without you anymore.”
She pulls my shirt over my head and she presses kisses across my chest like she is trying to force her words to imprint on my skin. She fumbles with my zipper before she slips inside and grips my hard length in her hand giving it a small squeeze and I feel precum leak from my tip. She isn’t satisfied with that though and when she drops to her knees in front of me, I groan again as she looks up at me, pulling my jeans down with my boxers freeing my cock. She licks her lips and I slide my hand in her hair.
“You look so fucking good on your knees for me, baby.”
“Only for you.” She purrs back, those blue eyes meeting mine as she sucks me into her hot, wet, mouth, humming around my tip. It takes everything in me not to slam myself to the back of her throat. She continues to look up at me as her tongue darts out and lashes against my slit as she laps me up. I can’t bear it. I use my hold on her hair to drag her mouth deeper onto my cock and she hums appreciatively. Bobbing back and forth, taking me deeper each time, pushing her limits. Fuck, she’s pushing mine and when I hit the back of her throat I almost come on the spot.
She feels my grip in her hair tighten even more as I try not to spill down her throat and she fucking smirks around my cock. Hollowing her cheeks and forcing me even deeper down. Her eyes are watering as she practically fucking deep throats me and when she reaches out with her hand to play with my balls I can’t hold back. I pull her hair as I thrust into her, again and again, fucking her hot mouth with my hard thrusts until I can’t take any more.
“I need to be inside you now.”
I pull her back and drag her up at the same time, flipping her round and pushing her against the counter until her ass is in the air and she’s completely at my mercy. Our eyes lock in the mirror and hers are slightly red and still watering and her mouth is slick with saliva. I almost rip the underwear from her body as I rush to get her naked. Not offering any warning before I line myself with her and sink deep inside in one hard push. Slamming all the way in until I fill her completely.
“Fuck!” She screams as she takes me.
She is ridiculously wet and tight, and I grow even harder inside her as she clenches around me. The feel of her is fucking unreal. Like my wildest fantasies couldn’t even compare. She is fucking everything. Drawing back again and again. Fucking her with deep, hard thrusts, chasing both our releases.
She watches me in the mirror as I fuck her raw and the desire that coats her skin is fucking stunning. I grip her hips and pound into her. My fingers are gripping her so hard that I’m afraid I might hurt her, but I can’t stop. The look of pure desire in her eyes as she holds my gaze, let’s me know that she doesn’t want me to either. She grips the counter with both hands and pushes back against me, taking everything, I’ve got to give. Watching her take my cock is fucking hypnotic, I reach around finding her slick core and rub her clit in hard fast circles and she immediately starts to shake.
“Fuck, River, don’t stop, right there,” she cries, and I don’t let my fingers falter, giving her exactly what she needs.
I’m close, so fucking close, “come baby, I need to feel you on me before I come.” I grit out through my teeth.
She clenches around me as she comes with a loud moan and my pace becomes animalistic. I fuck her harder and faster until I am groaning my own release. Our sweat slicked bodies fall into the counter. I kiss her shoulders, neck, cheeks. Anywhere I can reach as she tries to catch her breath. I will never get enough of her.
She laughs, “okay now I am definitely ready for a bath.” I laugh with her, pulling out of her. I scoop her up and move until I can step into the bath with her in my arms, holding her against me as we sink down into the hot water.
Chapter 29
ELLE
Once again I don’t recognize the girl, no the woman, staring back at me from the mirror. The black satin gown hangs by two silver straps and flows completely to the floor, hugging in at my breasts and waist. My hair is styled in a messy bun with a few tendrils escaping on either side of my face and a simple wing liner and red lip combo completes my look. The silver stilettos finish off my ensemble perfectly, all ready for a family celebration. It’s New Year’s Eve and in spite of everything going on, Helen insisted on a family dinner and instructed us all to dress for the occasion. So here I am, dressed and ready to go, so why can’t I force my feet to move, to turn around and leave this room and join my family to celebrate even if just for one night.
It just feels stupid to celebrate something so mundane and regular, but that’s what I’m fighting for right? The chance to live, the chance to survive, the chance to just be a normal eighteen-year-old girl with no enemies. Yet all I think about is the last time I got dressed up like this. All I can see is my brother's bloodied body and
my daughter being carried away by the enemy. But this isn't like last time. Zack is here and alive, Cassie is here and I'm here, nobody can find us, we are safe. For now. We won't truly be safe until I finish this and wipe everyone else off the board. But what's one night off war?
My thoughts are interrupted when my door swings open and I lock eyes with Zack in the mirror. He’s here, he’s safe, he’s alive. He’s dressed in a fitted grey suit, paired with a dark pair of loafers and a silver tie. God, it warms my heart to see him like this. He almost looks like himself now; the handsome, young CEO that could conquer the world. Yet, the reminder that he almost died is still there, in the way he holds his shoulders and the slow limp he does as he moves towards me. That makes the warmth in my heart fade, as anger and desperation burn through me instead.
“You look beautiful sweetheart.” He grips both my shoulders and drops a kiss to the side of my head.
“You look pretty handsome yourself, Z.” I feign a smile, but he sees right through it.
“You okay?” He asks and it’s a loaded question, I haven’t been okay for a long time.
I exhale a slow breath before I whisper, “I’m nervous.” Admitting that out loud to him makes me feel weak, but I am so sick of being strong all the time. Too much has happened. I lower my eyes to the floor so he can’t see the shame I feel in admitting that.
“I know. I feel it too.” He replies and my eyes snap back to his in the mirror. “It never stops,” he goes on, “it plays on repeat in my head, I just watch her get taken over and over again while I lay there helpless.”
My frown is instant, “you were bleeding,” He has got to believe that none of that was his fault.
“Exactly!” He snaps causing me to startle. Zack can be harsh when he needs to be, I’ve seen it, but never with me. “I vowed to protect you, both of you and when it mattered most, I failed. I’m sorry.”
I turn to face him, “don’t you ever apologize to me again, if anyone should be sorry, it’s me. You were never supposed to be a part of all this.”
He shakes his head in disagreement, “all of this is because of me.” He disagrees. “I won’t fail you again.”
“You could never fail me Zack, you're my brother, you’ll always be my hero.”
“You’re your own hero Elle King, you always have been.” He smiles softly and I can’t bear it. I throw my hands around him and take comfort in his embrace.
I should wish that I never laid eyes on Greg Donovan, that he never did those awful things to me. But without them I wouldn’t have Zack, I would still be living blissfully ignorant in a jail I called home with parents I thought loved me. Now I am surrounded by a family that I would die for, but more importantly, I would live for.
“We are going to end this, and all make it out alive and in one piece, right?” I ask, but it comes out muffled against his chest.
He pulls back and looks down at me, “Right,” he agrees, and he almost sounds like he believes it. Almost. “Now come on, I was sent in here to get you, everyone is waiting. Let’s go.”
I nod, turning to take one last look in the mirror before smoothing down my dress and then following him out of the room.
As soon as I make it to the living area my eyes immediately zone in on Cassie. She’s here, she’s safe. She’s also surrounded by five beautiful protectors: Marcus, Lincoln, Jace, Logan and Asher are all with her, dressed in beautiful black suits and listening intently to her like she is the center of their whole world. I know she’s mine.
She’s wearing a beautiful black dress with a silver bow attached to the back, the skirt puffs out a little and stops at her knee. Someone has braided her hair and fixed a little crown to her head. She looks perfect and it looks like our dresses were made to match. I had one of Max’s guys pick both of them up from Robert in Havensgrove yesterday just for the occasion. Jace is saying something back to her when he glances up and spots me, stopping mid-sentence. They all look to see what got his attention.
“Damn, sis! Looking hot!” Logan calls out from across the room.
Asher groans, “I really wish you wouldn’t make it sound so creepy when you say shit like that.”
“Would you prefer I compliment you, baby?” He winks at him and Ash as usual rolls his eyes before stepping towards me and kissing my cheek, always the gentleman.
“You look beautiful, Hells Bells.” He smiles softly, but I can see the darkness flaring behind his stormy blue eyes. He is just waiting for his next chance at revenge.
I move towards the guys, Logan first who pulls me in for a hug, Lincoln next who smiles, “you scrub up well, King.” I kiss his cheek and then turn to Jace. He is still staring at me intently and I know why. Just like me, he’s thinking of the last time we were all dressed up like this.
He clears his throat and shakes his head like he wants to rid the thoughts in there, “beautiful as always, Queenie.” His smile is forced and lacking his usual care and I can’t help myself. I hug him, hard, like I can heal him with just my arms around him. He doesn’t say anything, neither do I. He just hugs me back, letting this friendship we have built, this family, flow through each other, giving us both the strength, we need to get through this. When I pull back his smile is a little more genuine and he offers me a wink. Better than before so I take it.
By the time I turn to Marcus, he has scooped Cassie up into his arms, a sight that makes my breath falter. Never in my life did I imagine I would feel this type of love this young. The unconditional kind, the die before losing it kind. It’s almost too much. Almost. The smile he gives me makes my knees go weak. The strong and powerful Marcus Riviera, leader of the Rebels and King of the South Side. Still, when he’s here with me, all I see is my best friend, my first love. My only love. Holding my daughter, accepting her. Loving her as much as he would if she were his own and making it all the easier to love him.
She jumps down from his arms and almost leaps at me as I pick her up and cuddle her close. “You look beautiful,” I say into her hair and she pulls back with a huge smile as she struggles to get down from my arms. Once she does, she gives me a twirl showing off her dress. “Wow so pretty.”
“Daddy says I’m the prettiest princess.” She replies just as Asher comes back over and we both smile.
“Daddy is right.”
“I usually am,” Ash teases as he picks Cass up, “now come on dinner is almost ready.” He takes her and they all move to head towards the dining area as I focus on Marcus.
“You look fucking stunning, Ells. The dress is beautiful.'' He drops a kiss to my lips, which is far too quick and light for my liking, but I suppose considering we aren’t really alone, this isn’t the time or place for anything more. He leans in until his breath tickles my ear, “I can’t fucking wait to see what’s underneath it later.” My blush is instant, and I don’t miss the smug look on his face as he pulls away. Not wanting to let him have the upper hand I smile as I think of my comeback.
I place my hand on his chest and give him another quick kiss on the lips, before leaning up to whisper, “the only thing I’m wearing under this dress is my knife.” He groans, as I pull away, and immediately tries to grab me back, but I skip out of his hold and make my way into the dining room.
“Fucking little tease.” He mutters following me, but apparently, he wasn’t quiet enough.
“Swear jar!” Cassie yells and I can’t help the laugh that bursts out of me as we make our way to our seats at the table.
Dinner is perfect, the food is amazing as always when Helen has been in the kitchen and it’s nice to have everyone together to celebrate. The drinks flow and the conversations are light and easy for a change. Marcus’s arm never leaves my thigh, and mine and Asher's gaze never strays too far from Cassie. Both of us offer each other the occasional smile. I haven’t felt this content in a long time. This is what we are fighting for.
After dinner we all head to the living area to relax. Arthur and Helen are dancing to some jazz music he put on, Z is in the corner wit
h Max and the guys sharing stories. Logan and Lincoln are trying to best each other at a game of chess and Lily has wrangled Ash into playing cards. Cassie is in his lap, excitedly yelling out the numbers on his cards, making him lose and Lily for once has a huge smile on her face.
Jace is sitting alone by the Christmas tree, looking out the window where strangely enough, a dusting of snow has started to fall. I’m worried about him, but I know he wants to be alone, he isn’t smoking or even drinking, just lost in his thoughts. Just when I think I might go over to him and make sure he is okay I am grabbed from behind and pulled into a hard body.
“Time to show me those knife skills, little King.” Marcus purrs into my ear, nipping it slightly and I feel his touch searing through my dress where he holds my waist.
I look around the room, seeing if we could really get away with sneaking off. Everyone is occupied enough and when I let my gaze travel across them all, the only person to catch my eye is Ash. He zones in on Marcus’s grip and smiles, shaking his head and then offers me a nod towards Cassie. I know he is signaling for me to go, have fun and not worry and for once I can let myself. Because we are all here, together, and safe and I know nothing bad is going to happen, at least not tonight.
I turn and Marcus loosens his hold, allowing me to spin until I face him, His dark stare is lustful as he gazes down at me, “come on, little King. I’ve been imagining ripping this fucking scrap of dress off you all night.” He leans in licking a path up my neck to my hair, “let me show you how fucking hard I am for you.”
His words burn through me and I don’t even think twice about grabbing his hand and leading him from the room, I don’t stop until we make it inside his room and lock the door. The soft rumbles of the music filter through the walls and I know nobody will hear us in here, no matter what we do.
