by Mara McBain
As much as she loved Mox, everything in her was once again screaming to run. When was this going to end? Would she ever be free from looking over her shoulder? As determined as Mox was to protect her, what chance did they have of winning when Rocco and his goons didn’t fight fair? Rocco’s men wouldn’t hesitate to break the law. Hell, they’d tortured a girl and left her on Main Street! Mox’s father was a police officer. As crazy as it sounded, that put the good guys at a disadvantage.
A hand on the back of her neck startled her. She looked up at Mox, but he was staring across the room. Eva frowned. An older, rather disheveled man and Becca stood at the nurses’ desk.
“Who is that?”
“Roy Stevens. He’s Tawny’s father.”
“Is Becca related?”
“She’s Roy’s neighbor, but her and Tawny have never been close, so her game here is anyone’s guess,” Mox said with a disgusted curl of his lip. “Come on. There is nothing we can do here right now. Let’s head over to the clubhouse.”
Cuddled in her preferred seat in Zeke’s lap, Ginny watched their family. The kids, as she called her three boys, Bowie and Amber’s twins, Autumn and Addison, Eva, Lee, and Rain were divided amongst the table games with the gaggle of girls playing a raucous game of ping pong and the boys and Rain shooting pool. She snorted as Rain leaned over the pool table and Rhys forgot how to swallow, standing with a glass to his lips and his eyes on her ass.
“I wouldn’t wish that one on anyone,” Zeke murmured against her ear.
Ginny giggled evilly. “I think she’s perfect.”
“Of course you do. You trained her.”
“I thought you were playing cards.”
“I am playing cards.”
Ginny snorted as he reached around her to claim the latest poker pot.
“How do you concentrate with her in your lap?” Reaper grumbled.
“I’ve been married to her for twenty years. She’s a lot more distracting to you guys than she is to me,” Zeke said, chuckling around his cigar. “Besides, this way I know what she’s doing.”
The guys laughed. Ginny rolled her eyes and snagged a twenty out of his winnings. Her hazel eyes sparkled as she tucked it in her cleavage.
“You’re getting cheap in your old age.”
That comment earned him a nasty elbow as she shoved out of his lap and stalked off. Zeke rubbed at his side and then nonchalantly wiped cigar ash from the side of the table before picking up his new hand.
“Not your smoothest line,” Murphy said with a shake of his head.
Zeke grinned. “It’s a Brawer household tradition on Christmas Eve. It started when the boys were little. If we weren’t arguing about reading directions and putting shit together, it was her buying out the damn stores. Making up is the fun part.”
Eva struggled with two wiggling puppies while Mox carried their overnight bag and the rest of the gifts. Ginny had invited them to stay at their house tonight so that they could all be together for Christmas morning. A tiny, selfish part of Eva had wanted that time alone with Mox, but she knew how important family was to him, and as great as they had all been to her, she couldn’t protest.
Christmas Eve had already been magical. It was amazing to feel a part of such a large and loving family. Their acceptance continued to shock, and humble her. Stopping at the hospital to check on Tawny had been the only downer. Her condition remained unchanged.
She admired the sprawling brick ranch as they walked up the drive. She’d been by the house, but never actually in it. She hung back a bit as Mox pushed open the front door without so much as a knock. Ginny was there to greet them, wrapping Mox in a huge hug before he could set anything down. He awkwardly handed off the box of presents to Garrett and returned Ginny’s hug, lifting her off her feet and planting a kiss on her cheek.
“We brought you a Christmas present that can’t wait. I hope you like him.”
Mox turned slightly so that Ginny could see the puppies in Eva’s arms. Her mouth opened in a delighted O, her hazel eyes widening.
“They’re so damn cute!”
Eva giggled at the little girl squeal in Ginny’s voice and offered her the gray and white male adorned with a classic red bow.
“I bought the white one for Eva. Her name is Vixen. I hope you don’t mind an extra house guest.”
“Oh, not at all,” Ginny crooned, nuzzling her new puppy. “Zeke! Come see this handsome fellow. Look what Mox and Eva bought me for Christmas.”
Seeing the delight on his wife’s face, Zeke couldn’t even feign disgust. He clapped Mox on the shoulder and pulled him in for a back-thumping hug.
“Nice choice, son.”
Mox breathed a sigh of relief. He’d really been hoping it wasn’t too soon after losing Gunny.
“You don’t have to hide.”
Eva’s eyes flew up to meet Zeke’s. He winked at her and reached around her to close the door. Putting an arm around her shoulders, the Brawer patriarch herded the family toward the living room.
The gas fireplace was flickering, casting a warm glow over the open beamed room. Eva’s fingers trailed over the back of the rich mahogany couch. A huge throw rug with an Indian feel, centered the sitting area with a second couch and a recliner. The end tables were obvious antiques, slightly distressed and giving the room a lived in feeling. Half burnt candles and books scattered about gave testimony that the living room was the heart of their home and not a showpiece.
An eight foot tree dominated the space in front of the windows. It was beautiful with its eclectic array of decorations. Eva was sure each had a story. Gifts were mounded around the base of the tree, each bearing what looked to be a hand-tied bow. A table to the side groaned under a spread of cookies, pastries, and candies, along with meats and cheeses for tonight. The setting was like something out of a book or a movie. It was perfection.
Feeling Zeke’s gaze on her, Eva peeked up at the big man.
“Is it always like this?”
He smiled. “There’s nothing Gin loves more than family, and the holidays are just a time for her to spoil everyone.”
She swallowed hard and looked around again. Mox grinned at her from across the room. Pressing her nose against the top of Vixen’s head, she smiled. As overwhelming as everything was, as long as the odds were, she wanted this desperately. She felt at home here. Zeke cemented it by giving her nape a little squeeze.
“Welcome to the family, little girl.”
Chapter ~ 31
Rocco really didn’t know whether to kill the son-of-a-bitch or laugh. The rage banked in Chelios’ eyes when he spoke of the stripper’s betrayal, and the succulent payback he had exacted, gave him a hard-on. He flipped the pen in his hand, tapping the end on his desk as he mulled over the enforcer’s story. They’d finally found the bitch. A fire burned in him at the thought of getting Eva back.
All this time, she’d been less than an hour away. He’d known she couldn’t get far and there she was, right under their noses. A chilling smile crept across his lips. Had she really thought that he would just let her go? The stupid bitch should have known that he would hunt her to the ends of the Earth.
He ground his teeth together and pressed his palm painfully into his erection. The thought of Eva under a filthy biker made him see red. She had made a big mistake spreading her pretty little thighs for another man. They were both going to pay for that one. The only question was, which one would die first?
He focused on Chelios across the desk. What was he going to do with his father’s loyal pet? The man was a doubled edged sword. He was smart, maybe too smart. He stared back at Rocco. He was confident, but in what? Did he think he was indispensable or just indestructible? What went on behind that inscrutable mug? If he drew now on the enforcer, would he be expecting it? Would the Greek fight back?
Rocco leaned back in his chair. He didn’t have answers for these questions. Maybe that was why he kept Chelios around. The man was an enigma. He chuckled, his gaze going to the large, bui
lt-in terrarium that housed his black mamba. There was a little thrill in keeping a pet that could kill you.
Chelios rolled the window down and let the cold roll over him as he left Rocco’s place. The crisp night air helped him clear his head. With a sigh, he shrugged his shoulders, trying to ease the tight muscles. He hadn’t been sure how Rocco would take the news or if he’d understand the wisdom of caution. The conversation had gone better than expected, but it was always tense. The kid was more than a few fries short of a Happy Meal.
Everywhere he looked, twinkling lights and holiday trappings reminded him it was Christmas Eve. He’d called to check in with the guys watching Eva, and their tale of the Brawers’ old-fashioned holiday celebration had made him a bit nostalgic for years gone past. When the boss and his wife had been alive, they’d always thrown a big dinner for the guys that had nowhere else to go. It had been like a family.
The platinum blonde responded to the slowing car before she recognized it. She hesitated at the last moment, his headlights capturing the fear in her silver-grey eyes. Chelios rolled down the passenger side window.
“Get in.”
She wet her lips nervously, but obeyed. Her pale skin glowed ethereally under the streetlights as she slid into the black Audi. Holding her long fingers to the dashboard heat vents, she waited to see what Chelios wanted.
“How’s business?”
“Between the holiday and the weather, slow,” she said softly.
“Then you won’t object to coming back to my place.”
“Of course not, Chellie,” Angel whispered, still not looking at him.
At the next light, he reached over and caught her chin in his fingers. Her lips trembled as he turned her face to his.
“Are you still skimming?”
Her response was an immediate and violent headshake. He nodded with the slightest smile.
“Then we have no problems. Relax. I need to blow off a little aggression with a warm body tonight. You get a warm bed out of it, and I’ve been told there are worse lays.”
Angel giggled as he gave her a wink, her fear dissipating a little at his self-deprecating humor. Her stomach growled and he raised an eyebrow at her. A deep blush colored her pale skin.
“Most of the restaurants are closed and I’m not a shopper, but if you like smoked meats and cheeses, you’re in luck. A friend sent me a big gift package from up north,” Chelios said with a little shrug. She stared at him in surprise, not sure what to say. He shot her a sidelong glance. “Is that a no, or is it the friend part that has you confused, doll?”
A snort of amusement escaped as Angel’s hand flew up to cover her mouth and her head shook back and forth. Chelios chuckled, eyes sparkling.
“Relax. It shocked the shit out of me, too.”
Arm tucked behind his head, Chelios watched Angel move around his kitchen. Her flawless alabaster skin glowed in the dim light. A niggle of regret twisted his stomach; vivid images of Tawny’s shredded carcass taunted his mind’s eye. The bitch had deserved it. He glared at the small gift-bag sitting on the counter, wondering how the expensive perfume would feel in her raw wounds.
His glower refocused on Angel and the platter she hesitantly offered. He grabbed the back of her hair and yanked her head down. Fear widened her shimmering eyes and she held her breath, the plate wobbling precariously between them. Pulling her closer, he traced the delectable swell of her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue. She shuddered, drawing air into her tortured lungs with a soft gasp.
A piece of smoked salmon teetered perilously from the edge of the slanting plate. Chelios rescued the tender morsel and slipped it between Angel’s trembling lips. She licked his fingers, brushing a grateful kiss across his knuckles as his hand withdrew. Taking the tray from her hand, he dropped it on the coffee table with a clatter and yanked her slender form down on top of him.
Angel was tense under his hands for just a moment before her body went slack in acceptance. Shifting, he pinned her against the back of the couch. Lips and hands devoured her soft skin. He skimmed his teeth over the ripples of her ribcage, and she shuddered. Rocco was insane to waste her beauty on the streets where she starved.
Tugging her leg up over his hip, he ran his hand down its satin length as his lips closed around a rosy nipple. She was small breasted, but she had a lithe, dancer’s body. She’d be better off gyrating on a pole than freezing her ass off on a street corner. A small smile curved his lips and he tugged on the nipple with his teeth. Angel would take Tawny’s place, on the stage and under him. He hoped, for her sake, she was a little smarter.
The petite Filipino maid froze at a touch to the back of her thigh. The dishes rattled on the tray as she eased it down on the table. Her chest jerked in quick breaths like a frightened rabbit. Rocco smiled, pressing closer. He loved the way she shook. Fingers skimming up the back of her thigh, he lifted the skimpy skirt and let his hand roam over her taut ass cheeks.
She yelped as he slammed her head down to the table, dishes and food scattering. She hissed in pain as the hot du Jour sauce puddled around her cheek. Tears slid down her sharp cheekbones.
“Such pretty red panties,” he said, dark eyes closing to a reptilian slit in pleasure. He slipped a finger under the elastic, letting his knuckle rub against her smooth lips. “I must have been a very good boy for Santa to have brought me such a delicious new toy. Too bad you will be broken before Christmas morning.” She cried out, struggling against the hold on the back of her neck as he thrust a finger deep into her. He leaned down over her back and licked a tear from her face. “You’re just a warm-up for my real present. She’ll be coming soon, and I have such lovely plans for her.”
Chapter ~ 32
Nausea threatened and Eva clamped a hand over her mouth. Her throat ached and her cheeks were chapped with her tears. Slumping forward, she let her forehead rest against the cool glass. She couldn’t even imagine the pain Tawny was in. There was little change in her appearance, or condition, after a couple of days. The nurse had compared the woman’s condition to a burn victim. She’d survived the initial attack, thanks in part to the cold weather, and now the shock and risk of infection were the battle.
Chelios’ blade hadn’t spared an inch of her body. Eva wiped the damp sleeve of her sweatshirt across her face. She didn’t need a confession to know it had been the stoic Greek enforcer who had meted out such a gruesome punishment. Rocco wouldn’t have trusted it to anyone else, and it had been Chelios that Tawny had double crossed.
She closed her eyes, the conversation in the bakery on a constant loop in her brain. Had she done the right thing? If she’d gone back to Cleveland with Chelios would Tawny be fighting for her life, or had this been a message to her?
Her temples throbbed. What the hell was she supposed to do? It would’ve been so much easier if she’d never met Mox. He’d introduced her to a life she’d never even dreamed of. Just thinking about never feeling the love and security she felt in his arms again made fresh tears roll hot down her face, and she let out a soft sob.
She flinched at a touch on her back. Ginny’s hazel eyes searched her face as she looked up.
“This isn’t your fault.”
Eva shrugged, accepting the offered cappuccino. Her hands curled around the cup, craving the warmth in her hands and soul. Lips pressing into a thin line, Ginny steered her to a couple of chairs across the hall.
“I know you don’t want to hear this, but in life you have to play the hand you’re dealt. You didn’t ask for this shit any more than Tawny did.”
Nodding, Eva turned the cup slowly. Ginny sighed.
“Zeke and I have had our rough times, in life and in our relationship, but he is the one thing I’ve come to trust in and lean on as an absolute. No matter what has happened, he’s been there and I know my old man loves me. You and Mox are just starting out, but he has a lot of the same qualities his father has. He loves you, Eva. He loves you with everything that he is. I might be his mother, but I’m not going to sit h
ere and tell you that you couldn’t find a richer man, maybe a bigger, stronger, better looking man, or whatever it is that you look for in that one ideal mate, but I will dare you to find a better man or one who will love you more.”
Eva swallowed against the lump in her throat. Her chest ached with the truth of Ginny’s words.
“What the hell is it with you and hospital speeches?” she choked out, unwinding the napkin from around the base of her cappuccino to blow her nose.
Ginny shrugged, letting out a little sigh as she leaned back so her head rested on the wall. “Maybe they just remind me of how short life is.”
Eva straddled the powerful Harley Davidson. Her toes barely touched the ground, even on the stand side. There was no way she could stand the beast up. She shook her head thinking how easy Mox made it look. She wanted to escape. To hit the road and not look back. A weight settled behind her and she jumped, reaching for a hand hold as the bike rocked slightly.
“I gotcha.”
She shivered at the warmth of his breath against her ear and pressed back against his chest as Mox’s arms encircled her.
“What’s on your mind?”
“I just realized that you’ve never taken me for a ride. Your bike, the club, they’re such a big part of who you are, and I want to be part of that.”
Mox was silent for a long moment, seeming to mull her words over. His chin rested on top of her head as his huge hands stroked over her thighs. Finally he shrugged against her back.
“It’s been cold, but that sounds like an excuse. Truth is, I didn’t think about you wanting to. I’m trying to think if I’ve even had anyone ride bitch, and I’m coming up blank…unless you want to count Garrett,” he said with a low chuckle.
Eva snorted, giving him a half-hearted nudge with her elbow. “I don’t think your strapping younger brother would take too kindly to it being said he rode bitch. It’s not a big deal I guess. You just look happy, and natural, when you’re on your Harley. I don’t think I could stand the beast up.”
