Craving Forbidden (Craving Series Book 8)

by Crave Publishing

  “Ah, my navel piercing? Yeah, but not as much as my nipple did.”

  He coughed. “What? You have your nipple pierced?”

  Daisy giggled. “No. But it sounds like that interests you.”

  “Honestly, I’ve never given it much thought until you mentioned it.” Fuck him. Now all he could think about was putting his hands on her tits. He closed his eyes and groaned.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Daisy, you should go before…” I rip your clothes off.

  “Yeah, you’re right.” She hesitated with their eyes lingering on each other, then headed for the French doors. Her shorts hugged her curves. She wore a string bikini top loosely tied in the back. One of the strings hung to her waist. A quick tug and…

  No. What was he thinking? She was like the forbidden fruit. A temptation sent to distract him from what was really going on. Everything about this situation reeked of a set-up. Their meeting on the beach, her spying on him, and the thin veil of an excuse she gave. She wanted to see him. Christ. And he almost fell for it. “Make sure you tell your employer you found me.”

  She stopped at the door and pivoted. “If you didn’t want me all you had to do was say so, not carry on with your paranoid fantasy.”

  The door slammed shut behind Daisy. Earl cringed, more from her parting words than the sound. He started questioning his accusation of her the moment she left his villa. Maybe she was an innocent girl. This wouldn’t be the first time he accused someone of being against him. Shit. He’d go find her in the morning if he survived the night.

  Chapter Four

  Earl

  Dammit. Earl checked the time on his new burner phone and flopped his head back onto the pillow. He wasn’t sure whether he was disappointed at being alive this morning or irritated with himself because he wanted to apologize to Daisy. He didn’t do apologies well.

  After a quick shower, he managed to remember to tuck his Glock into his underarm holster and throw a loose Hawaiian button-down shirt over top. No more leaving the damn house without protection. God, he’d been an idiot.

  He found Daisy sitting cross-legged on the beach down by his favorite bar. Her back was to him as he approached. She wore the same bathing suit as last night—navy and white stripes. She ran her fingers through her long wavy hair. The edge of a laptop stuck out of a bag on her right. Did she use the thing to communicate with Kilpatrick?

  God, stop it. Letting his past dictate his future needed to end. “I thought I’d find you here,” he said.

  Her spine stiffened. “Why? Were you looking for me?”

  “Yeah, I wanted to let you know you were right.”

  She swiveled on her towel in his direction. “Which part, your delusional nonsense, or that you don’t fancy me?”

  “Delusional shit.”

  Her attention snapped to his face. “Oh? Don’t tell me this is your apology, because you know what, you do suck at life.”

  “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

  She sighed. “I didn’t hear you.”

  Earl cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. Please don’t make me say it again.”

  A smile spread across her face. “All right, buy me lunch and we’ll be square.”

  “Lunch? I figured we’d go back to my place for a snack or two.”

  She giggled. “And by snack, I suppose you meant a shag or two?”

  Mmmm…Every time she said something sexual, his body reacted. Earl sank to his knees.

  “What are you doing? I thought you were taking me to lunch.”

  He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see her reaction. “I will, but in a bit.”

  “You look like you’re in pain.”

  “I’m not. I’m hard.”

  “You have an erection?” she said louder than necessary. A family of three walked along the shoreline. Another couple lay on the sand nearby.

  “Shh shhhh. Stop.” He laughed.

  “Oh, they can’t hear me.”

  “Then why are they giving us dirty looks?”

  She gently punched his arm. “They are not.”

  Daisy

  The warm salty water lapped over her feet and the sand squeezed between her toes while Daisy and Earl strolled on the beach. She had made him take her to a restaurant away from the boardwalk. They ate and talked a lot. And he listened, which was a switch from the men she usually dated. It made her feel guilty for letting Kilpatrick’s goons know his location. Okay, a lot guilty. But it was before he apologized then turned on the charm factory at lunch. She sniffed. Turned out she liked Elmo “Earl” Pirelli. She rubbed her chest over her heart.

  “You all right?” he asked. “You’re not having second thoughts, are you?”

  An empty feeling came over her stomach. She wrung her hands. How did he know? “I’m sorry.”

  Earl stopped her by grasping her hand. “Hey, don’t be sorry if you changed your mind. We don’t need to have a snack later. I’ll wai—”

  “No, that’s sweet, but that’s not why I’m sorry.”

  “I dunno why you’re sorry, but I know why I am.” He pulled her closer and ran his hand up the back of her neck. Her body tingled and she shivered. Tilting his head, he brought his lips to hers.

  “Why?” she whispered against his mouth.

  He smiled. “I think you know already.”

  Beating him to it, she pressed her lips to his. The contact was bittersweet because after she told him the truth he would disappear forever. For a split second, he didn’t kiss her back. Her heart plummeted. Maybe she misread things? Not possible. They had a connection. Finally, a man who could understand what it was like to be her—even if he didn’t know who she was.

  Wrapping his arms around her, he returned the kiss. And his body responded. Yes. Heat flooded her core. One of his hands found her bottom and squeezed. Her breath hitched. Perhaps never was a good time to tell him the truth, except she thought about how much her life had been controlled by others, whether by her father or at one time her half-brother, Roger. What an evil snake.

  Daisy pushed on Earl’s chest, breaking the kiss.

  He backed off immediately. His eyes searched her face. “Is everything oka—”

  “You were right to be paranoid.”

  He paled. “Wait. What did you say? Because it sounded a whole lot like I set you up.”

  “It was before I knew you. Okay, not before, but I didn’t want to do it. I had to. My father—” God, that was lame.

  Earl’s chest heaved and his nostrils flared. “Oh, that makes it all better. You didn’t want to. God, I fucking let myself trust you. I knew better!” He tossed his hands in the air.

  Daisy stepped backward and crossed her arms. “I’m sorry, I—I didn’t know why Kilpatrick wanted you dead. Still don’t.”

  “How much time do I have?”

  “I dunno, you have to leave.” Daisy blew out a shaky breath.

  He waved dismissively. “Thanks for your concern. I’ll take it under advisement.”

  “I’m so sorry. You don’t understand the life I’ve had.” Right. What crap was she spouting at him now? Of course, he understood.

  “I understand exactly the life you’ve had. It’s my life too.”

  “I hate that man, he only ever did one thing right by me.” She reached for him.

  Earl veered his upper body out her range though. “Oh, yeah, what’s that?”

  Daisy wiped a tear from under her eye. “Sent me back to Ireland to live with my mother.”

  “Ireland?” he said, roughly running his fingers through his hair.

  “Yes. Kilpatrick’s my father. He hated my mother, but after what happened…”

  “You know what, I don’t care what happened. Have a nice fucking life.” He walked away.

  “Elmo!”

  “Don’t call me that,” he called over his shoulder.

  Chapter Five

  Earl

  When Earl left Daisy he started out walking, by the time he reached the boardwalk, h
e was in a flat out run. He pounded the pavement with long strides heading toward where his brothers lived. Slowing to catch his breath, he sent a group text to Mitchell and Robby. Man, he wanted more time with them. But he wanted them to survive more.

  Earl: Pack UR shit.

  Picking up speed again, his phone vibrated in his palm. He didn’t want to stop and read the text though.

  He jogged up the open-air stairwell of their four-story apartment building. They lived on the second floor by the stairs. Taking the steps two at a time, he made it just as Robby opened the door. “What the hell, man?”

  “Start packing,” Earl said.

  “Did you run all the way here?” Robby said, closing the door, but checking the balcony first.

  Earl panted, pacing the floor. Out of breath, he could hardly speak. “Yeah…pack…your sh-shit.”

  “Jesus. Would you like some water and a new set of lungs?”

  “I thought you gave up cigarettes?” Mitchell asked.

  Why the fuck were they standing around insulting him? He rotated his hand in circles like get-moving. He bent at the waist and gasped. “Wh-Where are the girls?”

  “Shopping,” his brothers said in unison.

  “Call them.”

  They stood gaping at him.

  “Fucking call—”

  “We will when you tell us what’s going on.”

  The apartment door opened, and Miranda and Bella came in giggling. They ignored the three men and went down the hallway toward the bedrooms. Relief washed over Earl, although it didn’t last. “Kilpatrick knows we’re here,” he whispered.

  “How?”

  Straightening up, he said, “I met someone…”

  “Oh my God, really?” Miranda asked, entering the living room. “What’s her name, and when will we meet her?”

  “Not important, and you won’t.”

  “Oh, that’s too bad, fizzled out so soon?” She stuck out her lower lip. Clearly, the woman misread his meaning.

  “You won’t meet her because her name’s Daisy…Kilpatrick.”

  “He has a daughter?”

  Earl nodded. “Lived in Ireland with her mother. I’m surprised you didn’t know that.” Miranda worked for Kilpatrick for years.

  “I wasn’t exactly BFFs with the man. He’s tight-lipped like your father. I didn’t even know Mitchell existed either until I met him.” Miranda spun on her heel and rushed back into one of the bedrooms. “Bell, pack, we’re leaving.”

  “Why, what’s wrong?” Bella called from the bedroom.

  Robby looked at him. “You set, or do we need to swing by your place before we scram?”

  “I’m not coming.”

  “The fuck you aren’t,” Mitchell said. “I just started to like you.”

  “I’ll be fine.” As long as you’re safe, I’ll be fine.

  Earl went to the door. Robby beat him there, blocking the exit. “You’re not staying here.”

  “Look, I’m the oldest, which puts me in charge.”

  Robby snorted. “In what universe was that ever true? We’re staying.”

  “The girls leave though,” Mitchell said.

  “You’re all leaving,” Earl said. “Get out of my way, Roberto.”

  “Fuck you! Elmo.” God, that was the last thing Daisy said to him. Thinking of her cracked his heart. The woman he could never have for a million and one reasons. First on the list, she was the daughter of a rival crime boss. And he’d murdered her brother. Granted, she didn’t seem to care for Roger, but when it came down to family, whose side would she choose?

  Earl took a deep breath. “You know why I came with you to find Mitchy, and it wasn’t because I was afraid of being killed. It’s because I might have a chance to save you guys.”

  “Saving us doesn’t have to mean sacrificing yourself.”

  “It’s not a sacrifice when it’s for family. You’d do it for me and you know it.”

  “I don’t know if I would.” Robby smiled lopsidedly.

  Earl smirked and grabbed his brother and pressed their foreheads together. In some ways, the gesture was more intimate than a hug. “I love you. And I know you just signaled to Mitchy behind my back.”

  “Wha—uh!” Earl punched Robby in the gut. A piece of him broke off in the process, the part that Daisy fractured. Mitchell charged him, but he was ready and swivel kicked his youngest brother in the lower abdomen.

  He flung the door open, fleeing the apartment before they recovered. Earl had done a lot of bad things and regretted most of them, although not this one. God, he prayed they left the island.

  His brothers didn’t follow him, and he suspected they wouldn’t. He made it back to his villa and collapsed on the couch in the living room.

  Sometime in the middle of the night, Earl stumbled into his bedroom. Exhaustion had overtaken him, yet he couldn’t fall asleep—although, his eyes were closed. There was a soft click and he opened his eyes. When he didn’t hear any more noises, he rolled over onto his stomach and hugged one of the pillows.

  The bed shook like someone had bumped it. He raised his head at the same time he reached for his gun he kept under the other pillow while he slept. It was missing. Why? Oh, he’d forgotten to put it there. Aw, shit.

  Chapter Six

  Earl

  “Earl, it’s just me,” Daisy said.

  His body sagged and he put his head back down. If she was there to kill him, so be it. It wasn’t as if he wasn’t about to die anyway. He figured he had a few more hours before Kilpatrick’s men showed their nasty ass faces. He hired some ugly sons of bitches. “Figured you would’ve split by now.”

  “I couldn’t leave.” She sat on the bed by his knees.

  “Yeah, why not?”

  “Do you hate me?” she asked, rubbing the tops of her thighs.

  He wished he did hate her. Wished he didn’t imagine kissing her neck or the way wisps of her hair fell out of the messy bun she always wore and brushed her shoulders. “Do you think I’d let you sit here if I did?”

  “I don’t understand you at all. For some reason, I knew you’d still be here.”

  “Yeah, well, I have my reasons.”

  “Which are?”

  “The fact that you’re asking the question makes me suspicious. And even if I trusted you, I wouldn’t tell you.”

  “So you’re mad at me?”

  Earl paused before answering, gathering how best to say what he needed. She repositioned herself on the bed so she faced him. “For what? Saving your own ass. I would’ve done the exact same thing, given the option. I can’t fault you for that. It’d be a little hypocritical, don’t you think?”

  “You’re the strangest person I’ve ever met.”

  “Maybe. But you and I are caught in a situation we have no control over. There’s an invisible line drawn between us that neither of us can cross. What sucks is regardless of the pretense under which we met, we had a connection. But honestly, I still don’t know if you’re playing me.”

  “I’m not.”

  He chuckled but found nothing funny. “See…I don’t believe you.”

  “I told you everything.”

  Earl rolled onto his back. “Actually, you haven’t. What happened with your brother?”

  She rested her forehead in her hand. Inhaling deeply, she exhaled with a quiet sob. “I haven’t spoken to anyone about this. Not even my father, even though he caught him…in…in…”

  Earl’s heart squeezed. A sharp pain panged his gut. He only came up with one meaning to what she shared. And it wasn’t good. “Roger hurt you? Beat you? What?”

  She shook her head. “I shouldn’t’ve come here.” The tremor in her voice unsettled him on a soul level. He couldn’t push her for more.

  “You’re right. You shouldn’t’ve come.”

  Daisy

  “I’ll go.” Daisy dragged herself out of Earl’s villa. Tears streamed down her face. She reached the patio and lost all her energy. Her father was never going to let h
er out of this life. Just when she thought his games were over, he forced her back into his world by manipulating her. I’ve given you everything. You owe me a life. The thing was she never asked him to do what he had. Then he blamed her? She wasn’t responsible for his actions, but she was responsible for her own, and it was time to stop pretending she wasn’t in control. This is my life.

  With that mantra in her head, she went back inside the house. When she got to his bedroom door, she peeked inside. He lay nude on top of the covers now. The room glowed dark blue from the moonlight streaming through the sheer curtains. The scent of salty ocean lingered in the humid air. “You’re naked. Get dressed, we’re leaving.”

  “No shit. But I’m staying.”

  “I say you’re not. This isn’t the time to play the martyr. You think I didn’t figure out you’re protecting your brothers?”

  “They’re long gone by now.”

  “No, they’re not, I just saw them,” she bluffed.

  His head snapped in her direction. “You’re lying,” he drawled.

  She flattened her lips into a thin line.

  “Jesus, I can’t believe anything you say.” He put his hands behind his head.

  Approaching the bed, Daisy said, “Whatever. We can’t stay here.”

  “You can. No one wants your head in a box.”

  “Not if I help you.”

  “You wanna help me, then leave,” he said, waving her off.

  “No.” If he wanted to act indignant then she could too.

  “Suit yourself. I’m done arguing with you.”

  Dammit. She hoped he’d put up a little fuss. “Don’t you care if I get hurt?”

  “Uhhh…how much did you care when you told Kilpatrick’s ass-clowns where to find me?”

  “I said I was sorry.” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

  “You don’t have to keep apologizing. I believed you the first time.”

  Her mouth dropped open. You believed me?