Every Minute I Love You (a Tomb of Ashen Tears Book 3)

by Kailee Reese Samuels

  I peek up to see the look of love between them and the kiss transpiring over the top of my head. I ease up slow and they lift me. I prop my feet on the edge of the tub and we’re all making out, lips and tongues everywhere, and I’ve never felt so much love. Deacon’s rough hands gently caress my breasts as Sal dips each of his fingers into me.

  Somehow, we manage to get all the bubbles from our bodies. With great care, Deacon washes my hair, and Sal holds onto me. We exit the same way as we got in. With towels wrapped around their waists, I’ve got two fine looking gentlemen, offering a hand to help me out.

  I towel dry myself and Deacon tosses a comb to Sal. He sits down on the bed and pats his hand. “I’m not looking forward to tomorrow.”

  “We’ll stay up all night,” I suggest as he brushes my hair. “Just the three of us.”

  “Do you guys need anything else?” Deacon questions, tossing on some gray sweatpants. “I left you some clothes here, Iris.”

  “… Are you going?”

  “Yeah, you need the time,” he insists, walking over. He lays his hand on Sal and gives me a sweet peck on the lips. “Have fun. You’ll be fine.”

  He turns to walk away and Sal says, “Go with her tomorrow.”

  Deacon stops and looks over his shoulder. “… To France?”

  “Yes,” Sal says as I breathe. “And escort her home to Japan.”

  “Why don’t you go?”

  “Because I have to be in Washington on Monday to help Randy on the Bordertown Murders,” Sal replies. “And I cannot let him down again.”

  “You do realize you’re asking the Police Chief to assist in a kidnapping?”

  “I do,” he confirms with a nod. “Do it because you love me, but stay out of my nest.”

  I giggle as Deacon blinks. “… Your nest, Sir?”

  “I’m not on any birth control.”

  “Oh,” Deacon breathes a sigh of relief. “No problem.”

  “I’m taking Swain back with me.”

  “You nervous?”

  “Little,” Sal admits, running the comb through my hair. “There is a lot going on and I’d like someone watching my ass in Boston.”

  “I’ll do it,” he agrees, smiling softly at me. “Iris is my bud.”

  I grin as he clasps my hand. Our long history of friendship brims with love and respect. He is my best friend, my lover, my brother, my therapist, and my trusted confidante. He is my comfort, and his affinity for shopping doesn’t hurt either.

  Deacon and I are soulmates in the truest definition of kindred spirits. I don’t believe we are meant to marry our soulmate. That is some notion for sappy cards and romcoms. I think soulmates are for guidance and enlightenment. They are supposed to come and go through our lives like angels and…saints.

  “Thanks for not letting me strip down at Juliet.”

  “I know how to take care of you, babe,” he whispers.

  “That, you do,” I assure as Sal spreads out on the bed the wrong way and turns on the television. “You’re laying the wrong way.”

  “No.” Deacon mischievously grins. “He’s not.”

  “If you’re taking me up on the offer,” Sal lures, rubbing my back. “You better take those pants off.”

  “Can I go raid your fridge?” I ask as the flirtation intensifies between them.

  “Yeah, what’s mine is yours,” Deacon offers as Sal scoots over. “How many times did you play in her nest?”

  “Just once,” I say, tossing on the Cruz jersey. Sal smirks. “And it was divine.”

  “I love you!” He yells.

  “I know!” I respond, meandering through the house.

  The house has amazing potential. I open the fridge and find the half-eaten pizza in a box. I grab it, the bleu cheese dressing, and the bottle of sparkling wine on the bottom shelf.

  Silly boys and their beers.

  I pass by the counter with their keys, wallets, and the stack of four phones, all charging. I smile and grab Sal’s hat, putting it on my head, before returning to the bedroom. Although I’m slightly disappointed, they’re happily watching baseball. Nothing like hoping the two are going at it like animals only to find them engrossed in a game.

  “Oh! Yes!” Sal cheers as I wave the jar. “Go!”

  It all feels so normal, so good.

  “Did you see that?” Deacon asks. “Damn!”

  “Ya,” Sal says, taking the box from my hands. “Great play!”

  I weasel my way between the two and watch as they devour the pizza. They’re both feeding bites to me as I go to open the bottle of sparkling wine. “Give me that,” Sal mutters, chewing and setting it on the floor. He isn’t going to let me have it. Bastard. “That was such a bad call.”

  “I know.”

  I say nothing, soaking up the rare moment of peace. I’ve spent so much time alone, it is nice to be in their presence. I feel honored they would share this intimate moment of just being boys with me. Raniero isn’t the mob boss on the rise. Cruz isn’t the police chief.

  They are Sal and Deacon.

  And I’m just Iris.

  Putting the hat on Sal’s head, I pull off the shirt, tossing it across the room. I slide to lay down as the two boys stay on their bellies engrossed in the game. The pizza box sits between them at the foot of the bed.

  And I masturbate.

  Closing my eyes, I run my fingertips over my cool, clean skin and start touching myself. I moan and move and kick the fucking pizza box on the floor.

  “Holy shit…” Sal mumbles, peering back and turning off the game. “Okay, you have my attention.”

  “It’s really fucking dark,” I whisper biting my lip. “Damn!”

  “That’s because Deacon shot out the light on the post,” Sal snorts. “One night when I couldn’t focus…”

  I laugh, hearing them moving around me, and knowing they have a deep history. I won’t ever divide them, and I wouldn’t try. “I don’t even need a blindfold in here.”

  I feel Sal’s piercing on my cheek as Deacon rubs the tip of his cock on my lips. “Oh, I don’t know if I can do this anymore.”

  “Is your mouth smaller?”

  “No,” I say, stroking both of them. “But this takes a certain skill.”

  I relax and open as they fight for my mouth. I suck one while stroking the other and switch. It’s hot and sensual, slow and erotic. “I want both of you.”

  “We can’t,” Deacon mutters with his low rumble. “Baby…”

  “Ya, you can,” Sal comments, pulling my body towards him. I feel his mushroom push in deep with a determined thrust. “I let you in my ass all the time, Cruz. Just be careful with her. Get all the way in before you go crazy.”

  “Thanks,” I say, blushing and giggling. “You’re making me sound like a slacker.”

  “No, baby, I just have experience with the reckless one.”

  “I’m so going to end up having your baby,” I mumble, rocking on Sal. “We’re playing with a loaded gun.”

  “Literally,” Deacon mutters, easing his hands over my ass.

  “Probably,” Sal growls. “We keep having unprotected sex and I’ll hit the target eventually.”

  I hear Deacon tear the condom open and I know I’m about to be their plaything. And it’s so good. “Finger, baby girl.”

  “Thank you, Sir,” I gasp at how careful he is.

  “You’re welcome,” Deacon says as I kiss Sal.

  His wet lips breathe against mine, “You’re welcome my bad little girl.”

  “Oh, hell… Use me, boys.”

  “We’re about to,” Sal arrogantly promises, grabbing my hips, as Deacon sinks his dick into my ass. “Breathe.”

  “H—oly.”

  “Ya,” he whispers, stroking my face. “You haven’t done this in years.”

  “Oh…but it’s good.”

  “You two should know I am not available for your honeymoon,” Deacon declare as I lift back and he fondles my breasts. And Sal strums at my clit… it is blissful. Hi
s gentle touch wafts over my chilled flesh as he owns every single piece of me with the reverence of a holy knight. And it is then, I know, I will never escape his love.

  Sal laughs. “I so love you, man.”

  “The feeling is mutual.”

  “For what it’s worth, I love you both.”

  And we soar like the holy trinity we always were.

  In the kitchen, I dance around barefoot in a pair of Deacon’s boxers I’ve got tied up at the waist. The music is playing and I’m singing while cleaning up my mess.

  Sal comes up behind me and nuzzles my neck. “What are you doing, pretty girl?”

  “I made breakfast.”

  “You were so beautiful last night.” He wraps his thick, inked forearms around me. I spin and stare into those moss eyes, shadowed with gorgeous lashes. He sets me on the kitchen counter. “I love you so much. And I want to apologize for not putting on a condom last night…”

  “Sweetheart, if I wanted to say no to you, you would listen to me,” I remind, draping my arms on his shoulders. “I’m a big girl and I know damn well what I’m doing with that beast in your britches.”

  He smiles with a wide, priceless grin. “Beast in my britches, huh?”

  “Uh huh,” I reply, kissing him. His fingers curl around the waistband of the boxers and he sheds them from me. “Are you fixing to fuck me in Cruz’s kitchen?”

  “Yep,” he acknowledges, dropping his sweats and thrusting into me. “On his counter.”

  I never imagined we would be this good or that I would need him this much. I welcome his claiming of my heart even though I know this is only temporary. I can’t stay and he can’t keep me. My hands run over his stubbled cheeks as our kisses smolder with an intense love in the daylight. We aren’t just meant for the night. We are a 24/7 love affair. And I realize how much I worship every minute of his love.

  Sal is my religion.

  And his devout pray for his blessing like hungry cultists.

  “Are you going to be screwing me on a kitchen cabinet in twenty years?”

  “Yes,” he mumbles, easing his full lips to my neck and biting. “And in our bed. And in our pool. And in my truck. And in the bathtub. I’m going to screw you everywhere.”

  I giggle, holding onto him. My fingers brush over the lotus scarred onto his back. He was shirtless last night at Juliet. “The Lotus…”

  “What about it?”

  “Someone could’ve seen it.”

  The back of his fingers run against my cleavage as his moves collect every breath I take. “Do you think I care?”

  “No,” I giggle.

  “Where is Cruz?”

  “He went to wash your truck,” I answer as someone bangs on the door. “Who is that?”

  He pulls out and helps me down as my emotions flare from the loss. “I don’t know. Get down.” I duck behind the cabinets as my heart races and I bite my lip. “Serene…”

  Rising, I see the shock in her eyes. “… What happened?”

  “There was an attack. Deacon was jumped at the car wash. The Neves’ brothers were on their way to breakfast and saw your truck. They pulled around and these two guys were beating him up. They hopped out of the car to help. There was a struggle and they shot Camillo Neves dead. They fired another round and grazed Pico.”

  “What the hell?” Sal yells, shifting gears without so much as a blink. “Where is Deacon?”

  “At the hospital, with Nico.”

  “… Sugargrove?” he quizzes on full red alert. If I wasn’t terrified, I’d be really turned on by how mechanical it all becomes. Harness. Boots. Guns. All go on so quick. He runs like a well-oiled machine…a version 2.0. I will never be so fluid unless I endure all the physical training he has been through.

  “Yeah,” she confirms, suffering from the stun. “Deputy Cameron is conducting interviews and Deacon told me to come get you. These things don’t happen in Sugargrove, Kid.”

  Trying to help, I volunteer, “I can stay here and low.”

  “Like fuck!” Sal snaps. His impassioned stare sears through me. Grabbing a massive black box from under the bed, he asks Serene, “How bad is Cruz beat up?”

  “He’s a fighter.”

  He pulls off my shirt and straps the vest to my chest. “It’s a little big. Get your hair up in one of my hats.”

  “What are we going to do?”

  “I have no idea,” Serene whispers, trying not to cry. “I just cannot believe Cam is gone. Pico is in surgery, and Trudy is losing it.”

  Tucking my hair up, I ask, “Where is Dom?”

  “He’s staying down until we figure out what is going on.”

  “Are we leaving?”

  “You,” Sal huffs, pointing. “Are not leaving my fucking sight until I put you back on the Lotus jet. What was for breakfast?”

  “French Toast.”

  “Throw it in foil and come on.” I do as he asks. We step out and he locks the house.

  “Are you going back?” Sal asks Serene as he jumps off the porch.

  She nervously licks her lips as he picks me up and swings my feet to the ground. “I need to go be with Trudy.”

  I give her a hug. “I love you.”

  “I love you, Buttercup.”

  “Ok, we’ll follow you,” Sal asserts, opening the door to Deacon’s truck. He holds my hand and helps me up. Nothing but a gentleman, even when shit rains from the sky.

  This is who he is.

  I crawl across the console and sit silently. I didn’t really know Cam, but I know Pico and Cam were trying to recover the club they love and remember. Tempers will be hot and everyone will be on edge.

  My voice quivers, “Sal, that hit was intended for you.”

  “I’m aware, and I know who it was,” he informs, almost fearless, as he lights a smoke. “Feed me, baby.”

  There are so many people rushing around the tiny hospital as we find our way to Cruz. Sal opens the door and Deacon reaches for me. “Oh, my god…” His face is a little bruised, but he looks whole. Thank God. I gently hug him. “Are you okay?”

  “We need to talk, Nero.”

  “I know,” Sal replies, gripping the bridge of nose and glaring up with a sharpened jaw line. He’s pissed. “You should…” He stops, uncertain of what to say to me.

  “I can step out,” I whisper.

  “No, because you need to know.”

  “I’ve been asked by two different people to eliminate Javi Neves, so I need to know who you think did this before I go do what I do best.”

  “I don’t know who they were,” he says, spinning my rings on my fingers. “I was washing the truck and two cars pulled up.”

  “… Two cars?”

  “Yeah, one in front and one in back,” he says, lacing his fingers with mine. “The guys in the front got out, realized I wasn’t who they thought, and the car in the rear left. The guys roughed me up until Pico and Cam showed about a minute later, and the guns came out.”

  “Who pulled first?”

  “They did. They shot Cam in the head, grazed Pico, and got the hell out of Dodge. I fired and broke the back windshield as they were driving off.”

  “You know the make of car?”

  “Something old…eighties, I'd guess. Maybe earlier.”

  “You both need to get out of here.”

  “So, do you,” Sal contends. “Take Iris and Romeo and go.”

  “Sal,” I plead, staring. “I can’t just go…”

  “You don’t have a choice on this one, Angel. It isn’t safe here right now.”

  “It hasn’t been though,” Deacon implores. “Since Immortal started pushing up and Cinco broke apart.”

  Serene peeks in. “I’m going to take Trudy home. Nico is meeting us at her house in Little Bee. The table is coming to stay with us unless you need them.”

  “I want Neil and X with Iris and Deacon.”

  “I’m capable of guarding your girl,” Deacon shouts, insulted. I feel his tension tighten on my fingers.
/>   Sal fires back, “And who is going to watch you?”

  Deacon’s expression withdraws with a sigh. He won’t win this battle with Sal. Laying his hand on top of ours, Sal concedes, “I just need to get you both out of here safe. The best way is with a team and I cannot be there.”

  “… Are you leaving?” Deacon asks with utter focus.

  “I’m out of here the second you get on the plane.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Home to Boston,” Sal answers, kissing Serene on the forehead. “Go take care of Trudy.”

  “You want to come say hi?”

  “Ya,” he says. “You got this?”

  Deacon nods and glances at me. “He’s lying.”

  “I know he is,” I whisper. “Get me out of here.”

  “Are you asking as Sal’s girlfriend or the Lotus Queen?”

  “Your flower.”

  Without question, Deacon hastily pulls the IV from his arm and we slip out the door. The second we go outside, we’re running fast for the truck. The rush of excitement and fear fills my veins as the pace of my breath heightens. “I only have keys for his truck.”

  “It’s okay he has yours.”

  We make it. “Where to?”

  “Just drive,” I command, pulling out my phone. “Away from here.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “Texting Dom to meet me at the airstrip.”

  “Right now?” Deacon asks, full of adrenaline. “How do you know he won’t tell Sal?”

  “Yes, right now,” I bite, noticing my trembling hands. “Because if it all falls apart, Dom will always be on my side—always. And somewhere in Raniero’s thick skull, he would want Dom and you to take care of me before anything else.”

  His low baritone whispers, “You’re shaking.”

  “I’m scared,” I whisper as we hit the Farm to Market Road for the airport. “Look, I may be some puny girl but there are a few things I know. One, people are issuing hits on those I love. And if they are trying to kill Sal, they are probably hunting me, too. I may love that man more than life itself, but I am not stupid enough to stay in a red zone with one loose gunman, let alone four.”