“Don’t look so shocked,” he says, staring at me as if he can see inside me and hear my inner thoughts.
“Not shocked, just surprised. You don’t seem like the kind of man who likes to cook.”
“Don’t like it, but it’s a necessity. Plus, I only eat certain types of food to help keep my body in shape. I don’t eat junk food, don’t drink sodas and make sure to get plenty of protein and fiber in my diet.” I look him up and down inspecting him.
He’s mouth-wateringly delicious.
Well, it definitely works for him, that’s for fucking sure. He’s in fantastic shape and I have to remind myself that tangling with him would be a very bad idea. Regardless of whether or not he would rock my world. He pulls out a stool at the kitchen island, and I once again am blown away that he does these types of things. I mean, he held my hand when I was freaking out, needles are not my thing.
Nope, not one bit.
Now, he’s pulling out my chair and offering to help me get up. I gladly hold out my hand, because my muscles are sore, and I hurt everywhere. After he assists me, he walks away, and I can’t help but admire the way his hips, and ass move, and mold perfectly to his jeans. Yum.
“Can I do anything to help?” I ask.
“Tell me how the fuck you got involved in all this shit,” he commands.
“I made a mistake about six months ago,” I begin, swallowing the ball of nerves that have made an appearance. “I was desperate for cash, rent was due and Destiny’s college was due for the payment for her next semester. I wracked my brain and couldn’t figure out how I was going to come up with such a large sum of money at once. Anyways, I worked at a local biker bar as a server, I overheard a conversation about how they needed a woman for information, someone that was faceless, an unknown person. I could tell right away they were rolling in money, so me being me, I stepped in and offered my services.”
“And just like that they let you? Doesn’t sound right to me, there was no trust established between y’all.”
“Oh no, it didn’t happen at the snap of anyone’s fingers or anything. They put me through some tests, I had to approach some individuals and play a game.”
“What sorta game?”
“The one where I became someone else and was able to get small information from the targets.”
“Targets,” he mumbles. I know they’re people, but I couldn’t think of them that way.
“Anyways, I passed. It was small things I got, nothing big, but it was enough for them to trust me…sorta.”
“Do I even wanna know?”
“No,” I respond.
“Continue,” he demands. I huff in annoyance, but continue anyway.
“Well, the big target was playing in a back-alley poker game. I was supposed to cuddle up to him and find out if he’d been responsible for a shipment of theirs that had been stolen. He was, I got him drunk, gave him some roofies, and he spilled.”
He growls at my words and I see his shoulders tense. But, I don’t let that deter me, “They were pleased with the way I conducted that endeavor. But I didn’t want to do it again. I was able to pay for Destiny’s college, paid rent for the next three-months, and even managed to pay all of our bills. I was set, happy, and content. But they weren’t, obviously. So, they took my sister, used her as a bargaining chip to get me to work for them. I refused, held strong, but when I realized she really was missing, I gave in.”
“Any more?” he asks. His tone is deceptively mild, but I can hear the steel behind his words.
“Other than me being their spy? No.”
“You sure got yourself in a jam,” he says.
“No shit, Sherlock,” I say.
“We need to get you two new identities, and find somewhere you two can start fresh. Change your appearances, and make sure they can’t find you…ever.”
“I’m not running, that’s not me, or who I am.”
“You may not have a choice, Hellcat.”
“Watch me, Roughrider. I don’t run and hide from anyone.”
*
Atticus
*
This woman has lost her ever-loving mind if she thinks I’m going to sit back and wait to read about her in one of our case files. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if something were to happen to her, and I, we, did nothing to prevent it. “We’ll come up with something,” I finally state. “You two may need to lay low for a while until the danger is past.”
And it will be, I’ll take out every motherfucker threatening her, and her sister, so that they can enjoy their lives. I won’t rest until they’ve all been obliterated. Any man who uses a woman to do his dirty work, doesn’t deserve to breathe the same air as we do.
“I just want Destiny to be okay and safe,” she whispers. I see tears forming in her eyes. Fuck, I can’t handle it when a woman cries.
“We’ll get her back, that’s a promise I’m making to you. Right here, and right now, I promise that you will have her by your side again…soon.”
“I pray that you’re right,” she looks down at her hands, that are currently playing with a napkin that was left there. I don’t know if she realizes she’s shredding it, or if she’s lost in her head to thoughts of her sister and what she is most likely going through right now. I pull my phone out of my pocket and send Silas a text.
*
Me: Anything?
Silas: Nothing, if she’s there, she’s hidden deep.
Me: Have they searched the entire place?
Silas: Yes, they’re going through it a second time, looking to see if there are any hidden doors that they may have overlooked. We aren’t giving up.
Me: I’ll try to get Piper to lay down and rest. Message me as soon as you hear anything.
Silas: Ten-four.
*
“Still no word, but they haven’t given up.” I say to her in apprehension.
“I don’t know what I’ll do if anything’s happened to her.”
I don’t want to think of how she’ll react if Destiny is hurt badly, or no longer with us. Better off focusing on the here and now. Quickly putting the food I’ve been cooking on a plate, I take it over and place it in front of her. “Eat. Then you need to take a shower and get some rest. Doc left pain pills and I’m sure you need one by now.”
“I need to be awake and alert when she makes it here.” It’s a statement but comes off more like she’s begging me not to make her sleep.
“You’ll be no good to her if you’re dead on your feet. I promise I’ll wake you the minute I know anything.”
“I know you’re right, but that’s a hard pill to swallow. It’s my fault she was taken in the first place.”
“That may be true, but you’re also the reason she’ll be saved.”
“I don’t have any clothes to change into. Let’s compromise.”
“What are we compromising about exactly?”
“I’ll lay down and close my eyes, if you promise to stay with me.”
“I need to rest too,” I inform her. Because I’m beat.
“Then you can lay down next to me. We’re both adults, we can sleep in the same bed without it being sexual.” She bats her eyes at me when she says this.
“I can keep my hands to myself,” I say, “but I can’t promise that when you’re laying next to all of this.” I tease her, rubbing my hands down my abs, “that you’ll be able to say the same.”
“Hardee-har-har,” she rolls her eyes at me. “You’ve got jokes I see.”
“Eat, Hellcat.” She needs to heed my order, because I can barely keep my eyes open.
“Stop being so damn bossy,” she tells me. If she thinks this is bossy, she’s fooling herself.
“I can’t, it’s not in my nature to give up so easily.”
“Me either,” she responds.
“I’m about to drop here, Hellcat. Eat up so we can shower, sleep, and refresh.”
I roll over and stretch. I’ve never slept so well, but I notice right away that it’s hotter
than hell in my room. I look down and notice a body draped across mine. Well, there’s the source of the heat. Piper is laying on top of me, snoring away. It’s not a manly sorta snore, it’s cute. Just like she is. I can’t help but admire her form. She’s fit, short, long beautiful hair that’s spread across my chest. I wonder what it would be like to hold those long, tangled tresses in my hands as I pound into her from behind?
Fuck me.
She fits in my arms like she was made for me and if I were a different man, things could work. But I’m not. Women like her aren’t meant for a man like me with the kind of work I do. I wish she was, but she’ll have a long, hard road of recovery, standing before her. I don’t have time, or the need, to play shrink.
I feel her begin to stir then hear in a husky-morning voice say, “Morning.”
“Morning, Hellcat. How did you sleep?”
“Good, I do have a name you know?”
“I know, but my nickname fits you better,” I tease.
Fuck. I only tease my brothers.
“Did you hear anything?” she questions, and I can see the hope in her eyes.
I look at my phone, no messages or missed calls. “Nothing yet, let’s go down, eat breakfast and talk to my brothers.”
“I only met the one yesterday, where is he hiding?”
“In his batcave, I’m sure.”
“What? He has a second identity or something?”
“No,” I laugh, “but he is our eyes, ears, up in the skies, and in the internet world. If there’s something you can’t see with the naked eye, he’ll find it. He’s the reason I was able to rescue you.”
“Thank you for that,” she murmurs. I roll out of bed and head to my dresser, a smirk on my face when I hear her gasp. I usually go commando but in deference to her, I have boxer briefs on and while I’m not vain by any stretch of the imagination, I know my physique is phenomenal.
“Here,” I tell her, handing her a pair of sweats and one of my t-shirts. I know they’re gonna dwarf her but until we can get her some clothes, it’ll have to do. Maybe she’ll give me her size and I can have Jonas put in an order for delivery. We have connections everywhere, might as well put them to use.
“Write down your sizes while I’m making breakfast, I’ll have some clothes delivered this evening. While you’re at it, write down your sister’s sizes if you know them.”
“I know them, I buy all of her clothes for her, since she never has time with all the studying she does. It’s a good thing she couldn’t care less about fashion, since I mostly shop at the thrift shops.”
Why the fuck her comment bothers me is something I’m not willing to examine. If her sister is half as pretty as she is in person, as she is on paper, they both deserve to be in name-brand clothes, not second-hand shit. “Well, write them down, from the skin out,” I command.
“Wait, what?”
“Unless you and she plan to go commando on top and bottom, gonna need those sizes too, Hellcat.” I can’t hide my smirk, for someone who appears so worldly, she definitely has a streak of naivety in her.
I see her glance down and mutter something before she says, “Not possible to do that, Roughrider. But you already know that.”
“Yep. Do you want coffee?” I ask, going over to the pot. I usually have a protein shake in the morning, but if she wants coffee, I’ll make a pot.
“What? God no. Love the smell, hate the taste.”
“And you were almost the perfect woman,” I tease. Fuck, teasing someone other than my jackass brothers? This is a whole different ball game it seems, one I am becoming addicted to. I’m positive there was some sort of neurological shit down in that cavern now. When do I tease a woman? Or anyone for that matter, this isn’t me. I don’t make jokes, and I don’t play games.
“Whatever. I’ll grab something else,” she replies, going to the fridge.
“I’m just teasing you, I don’t drink the shit either. My brothers on the other hand, drink it like it’s water. We have juice, water, and milk. Pick your poison,” I say to her.
“I’ll grab juice, but do you think maybe you could get me some diet soda?”
“You know that shit’s not good for your body, right?” I ask.
“Yeah, but I don’t smoke, or do drugs, and limit my chocolate to one week a month, so I think having one vice is okay.” I bet that week of chocolate is the week she’s on the rag. Mother Nature is a real bitch to women.
“Be sure and let me know when you need the chocolate,” I reply. Fuck, that means she’ll need those supplies too. Think I’ll send Jonas on that little errand.
“Uh, I’m good for a few weeks,” she mutters, a blush covering her face. I nearly wipe my forehead from the sweat that is beading on my skin, which accumulated during that particular conversation. I’m not good at this shit. I thank myself for not wanting a woman, with my luck I’d have a herd of girls and no sons to back me up. Nope, I’ll stick with the easy pussy I can get when the urge strikes. No strings attached, and all parties agree to terms, before the deed is done, no pun intended. Relationships, and all that bullshit that comes with them, would require an emotional investment that I’m not equipped to make.
Not now, not ever. I remind myself, again. I seem to be finding myself doing that a lot since she entered my life.
We eat in a comfortable silence, both of us looking at each other, neither needing to talk. My phone pings, I look down and read the message.
*
Silas: Nothing, she’s not there. We need to interrogate the senator.
Me: Be down in ten.
*
“I need to go meet with my brothers. I may be awhile, let me show you to the media room so you can relax and watch some television.”
“They didn’t find her, did they?”
“No, I’m sorry. But we have someone here that we need to speak with. He may have information to help us locate her.”
“I wanna help.” She gets up and tosses the food left on her plate. She places her hands on her hips when she turns around and looks dead into my eyes.
“Not in this lifetime.” No way, no how, ain’t happening.
“Why not?” I’m waiting for her to stomp her foot and have a temper tantrum.
“Fuck! Because I said so, that’s why!” That is not the way we do things. We never take a victim into the interrogation room.
“You’re not the boss of me, Atticus.” Oh yeah, I beg to differ, sweetheart.
“Still not happening, Piper.”
“Stupid, infuriating asshole,” she mutters. And there goes that foot stomp I was anticipating. She does it well, better than any two-year old I’ve ever seen do it.
“Heard that, Hellcat.”
“Meant you to, Roughrider.” She glares in my direction. If I were a lesser man, I’d be weak in the knees, but I’m not. I’m Atticus Nelson. I’m one of the hardest men she’ll ever cross.
“C’mon, let me show you,” I state, ending the verbal sparring match we’ve got going on. I need to get downstairs and help my brother. I don’t have time to see who has bigger balls. Which, I’m positive, would be me anyhow.
“Maybe I can order my own clothes?” she asks, once I show her to our media room, and give her a crash course on the remotes and sound system.
“That would work. Let me grab my laptop.” I go into my room, and grab my computer, and pull out the credit card from my desk drawer. It’s the one we use for our business account, so I won’t be the only one out of funds here. She had nothing when we rescued her, so I’m positive that any monies she has, are long gone. I expect she’ll fight me on it, but I’ll win.
I always do.
“Here,” I say, going back into the media room. “Order whatever you think you and your sister might need. Doesn’t matter what it is—clothes, that crap you women need to get yourselves ready—just order it.”
“Are you sure?” she questions, chewing on the inside of her mouth. I can’t seem to take my eyes away from the action.
Jesus Fucking Christ.
Now I’m considering how she’d feel if Jonas ordered her lingerie shit? I can picture the blush that would mar her face. It would be epic! Maybe I ought to reconsider my position on this one. I’m not usually one for pranks, but come on, that shit would be hilarious.
I need my head examined.
6
Atticus
I finally make my way down the stairs, after practically handing Piper my balls, on a fucking silver platter, no less. I need to keep my head clear where she’s concerned and I, most assuredly, can’t let thoughts of her invade my mind. I need to be one-hundred percent in the moment and mentally in the room while getting much-needed questions answered.
I can hear my brother behind the closed door. He’s not saying a word, but I know that he’s getting our tools out so we can scare the ever-loving piss out of the poor, misunderstood Senator. At least that’s what he was portraying and proclaiming upon his capture to my brothers. That poor, pitiful me act won’t work with me. I’ve seen the evidence of his destruction upon his family, and we’ll be doing the world a favor when we eviscerate him.
Because I promise, there will be nothing left of him when I finish.
I dramatically push open the door, rubbing my hands together in anticipation. “Well, is it my time to play with our new toy?” I evilly ask Silas.
“He’s all yours, brother. I’ve set out your required tools over there on the bench. Do you need me to stay? Needless to say, I could care less what you do to him. But, we need him in one piece when we dump the body. We need to use him as an example to those who think they can do what he’s done and get away with it.”
“Yeah, don’t wanna go too far, so you should stay to keep me in check.” That part’s for the senator’s benefit. I’m always in control.
Always.
I hold up the ball peen hammer while looking at the senator who is trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey. I particularly like this instrument of torture, because it has a rounded ball, instead of the claw that a normal hammer does. Feels really good on certain pressure points, as the senator is about to find out, up close and personal. “Hmm, let’s see how he likes this,” I say, before swinging the hammer and hitting the pressure point at his solar plexus. He gives an oomph sound when the wind is knocked out of him, but otherwise, he does nothing.
Seeking Our Revenge Page 6
