by Aaron, Celia
27
David
I pulled her on top of me and threw the sheet over us. She’d fixed up my arm with some supplies she’d found under the bathroom sink, but I didn’t let her fuss over it too much. I’d had worse.
Her dark hair shone in the low light from the bathroom, and she breathed easy, as if on the verge of sleep already.
Her warm body molded to mine, each of her curves softening my jagged angles. How had I gone so long without her?
She snuggled under my chin. “So what are we going to do now?” Her voice had an edge of exhaustion, but the question was no less sharp.
“Lay low for a minute. Then take off.”
“Take off?” She traced the vein along my bicep.
“Travel.”
That got her attention. She rose up and put her elbows on my chest, resting her chin in her hands. “Where?”
“Everywhere.” I stroked her hair. “All the places you want to go.”
Hope opened her eyes a little wider. “Really?”
“Yes.” I stroked her cheek. “We leave town, go overseas, see new things, all of it.”
“But what about money?”
“I have a little saved up from doing jobs in the pen. And I can take odd jobs here and there.” I didn’t want to say it, but I was certain there were plenty of outfits in Europe that could use the skills of a guy like me.
“I can work, too.”
“What do you want to do?” I loved her shine, the way she lit up at the prospect of a future.
“Maybe work at a jewelry store?” She gave me a sly smile. “They won’t even know something’s missing until I’m gone.”
I laughed. “God, I love you woman.”
“I love you, too.” She kissed my chin. “Can we go to Paris first?”
Warmth like I’d never known crept through my blood. “If that’s what you want, then that’s where we’ll go.”
“I’ve always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower at night. It lights up, you know? Sparkles.” Her voice got dreamy again, and she relaxed onto my chest.
I tried to imagine her there, standing at the base of the bright tower. The location was fuzzy in my mind. I knew what it looked like, generally, though I hadn’t spent too much time studying the wonders of the world. But at least I could see her clearly, a dazzling smile on her face while the Paris nightline sparkled just for her. I wanted to give her that, to take her every single place she ever wanted to go. Making up for five years of lost time wouldn’t be easy, especially not when the Genoas would be looking for us, but I would try. We’d take new names, become new people. Maybe I could talk her into marrying me? Just the thought sent a rush of excitement coursing through my heart.
She kept tracing the vein, her soft fingertips soothing on my skin. “And the Louvre has so much amazing art. Doubt if I’m good enough to nick anything from there, but it would be fun to try.”
My little thief. “Sticky fingers all the time, eh?”
“I’m out of practice, but I’m looking to get back in the game.” She yawned. “Maybe start a little smaller and work up to the big art heists, you know?” Her giggle was like straight sugar on my tongue.
“I think you could do anything you wanted.” I wrapped my arms around her.
“As long as you’re with me, I can.”
I couldn’t keep my lips off her, and dropped a kiss on her crown. “I’m just the muscle.”
“No.” She was already slipping away into sleep, her eyelashes tickling my chest as they fluttered closed. “You’re the heart, too.”
* * *
The morning broke with a bright sun and the sounds of rush hour traffic. My arm ached like a bitch as I shaded my eyes against the light and felt for Angel. Gone. I sat up so fast my brain sloshed for a second, but then I heard the shower running.
Tossing off the sheet, I strode to the bathroom, then just leaned against the vanity and appreciated Angel’s nude form as she soaped up in the glass shower. My cock hardened as I watched the bubbles roll down her tits and lower, teasing along her sweet little cunt. She brushed a sponge down her front and bent over to wash her legs. That little move turned this from a spectator sport into full contact.
She looked at me over her shoulder. “Hi.”
I opened the door and slipped in with her. “Morning.” Taking the sponge, I tossed it to the floor and pushed her up against the tile wall.
“What are you— Oh!”
I slid two fingers down her ass crack and to her slippery pussy. “I missed you.”
She rested her forehead against the tile as I slid my fingers back and forth along her folds. “I was only gone for a few minutes.”
“Too long.” I used my other hand to grab the back of her thigh and spread her open. She had to be sore from last night, but that wouldn’t stop me. Not when she made those soft little panting noises as I stroked her.
I had to bend my knees to line my cock up at her entrance, but I slid inside just fine. She pressed her forehead to the wall with a sigh, and I gave her a moment to adjust. She rose to her tiptoes and arched her back, her ass against me, pushing me deeper.
Tracing along her neck and admiring the bite marks I’d already left there, I pulled her hair to the side and licked the water from her skin. Being together like this was a piece of heaven that I didn’t deserve. But I’d take it all the same.
Pulling out, I thrust inside her, my cock aching inside her tight walls. She pressed her palms to the tile as I gripped her hips and started fucking her. Water poured down her back and each of my impacts splashed a little. I lifted her and pulled her back a little, almost sitting her on my cock. She reached behind her and gripped my waist, holding on as I pounded her, taking so much from her. My need to claim her like this was primal, and I couldn’t stop if I tried. Each stroke made her mine, each touch sealed our bond, and each time I made her come, I felt like the biggest goddamn badass in the world.
“Touch yourself.” I kissed her shoulder. “Come on my cock.”
She shuddered and took one hand from my hip. Her breathing grew more desperate as her small fingers rubbed her hot flesh. I held onto her with one hand and used my other to cover hers, feeling what she was doing to herself, committing how she liked to be touched to memory.
“That’s it, Angel. Don’t stop. I want to feel you squeeze me until I pop like a champagne cork.”
“David,” she gasped, her legs shaking. Her fingers sped up, and I kept my hand right there with hers, feeling her draw out her release. With a moan, she came, her pussy constricting my cock, her body shivering as I kept pounding her. When her fingers stopped, I pressed mine against her, rubbing her clit as she arched her back, everything inside her going tense again. She bloomed like a beautiful bouquet, exploding on my cock as she moaned my name. I held on as long as I could, felt each squeeze of her slick cunt, before I had to pull out.
Gripping my shaft, I let go all over her round ass. I swear I blacked out for a split-second and then came back, my dick in my hand and my queen panting against the wall. I grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, then took her mouth in a rough kiss. Would I ever get enough of her? Something deep inside told me the answer was never.
* * *
I ordered breakfast from a shop down the street and met the delivery guy out front. No way I was going to allow someone up to the room. Once I got back, Angel had found some clothes in the master closet and was sporting a dress shirt. Her wearing some other man’s clothes rankled me, but we didn’t have many options at the moment.
“I’ll buy you some new things after breakfast.” I put the bag down on the counter.
She walked over. “Come here.”
“Hmm?” I leaned down.
She kissed me on the cheek. “I can’t even get to you on my tiptoes, so you have to come down to my level if you want any love.”
“In that case, I’ll happily live on your level.” I kissed her on the lips, tasting perfection one more time.
“Enough of the sex stuff, mist
er. I’m starving.” She grabbed the bag and pulled out the containers. I stood behind her, caging her against the island as she set out the food. “This smells so good.” She popped one lid open. “Bacon and cheese omelet. Score.”
I smiled and turned to find the silverware drawer. It took three tries, but I handled it.
“So good.” She took a big bite of her hash browns and opened the bottle of orange juice.
“You still into One Direction?” I took a bite of my omelet.
She laughed. “They are huge now, so yeah. Just proves I was right to like them back then.”
“I heard rumors of a breakup.”
She turned and gave me a wide-eyed look. “You’ve been keeping up with 1D?”
I cleared my throat. “I mean, not really. I just remembered you were into them, so I sort of … I mean, no. I’m not into them.”
“Mmhmmm.” She smiled and took another big bite. “Sure, tough guy. I bet you have all their music.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Had I listened to some of their crap when I was inside? Maybe. But only because of her. I didn’t like them or anything.
“Who’s your favorite? Harry? Zayne maybe?”
“Don’t even know who you mean.” Harry was, obviously.
“You don’t have to be shy—”
My phone rang, and I was glad for the interruption. Hopefully, I could get her off this topic sooner rather than later. I hurried to the bedroom and swiped it off the table. “Yeah?”
“They know. They’re coming.” Peter’s voice was clipped.
My blood turned to ice. “When?”
“Now. Get out of there.” The line went dead.
“Angel, we have to go.” I grabbed my holster and threw it on over the t-shirt I’d found in the closet. I had another mag in my suit coat, so I snagged it.
“What?” She walked into the bedroom, the orange juice bottle in her hand. “Why?”
“Blanco tracked us here somehow.”
“How?” Her face fell.
“I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter. We have to go now.”
“Okay.” She ran to the closet. “I can find some sweatpants or something.”
“Fast.” I reloaded and strode toward the front door.
Screeching tires outside had me changing my direction. I peered out the window. Six black SUVs rolled up in front of the apartment, and men scrambled out of them like ants from a hill.
“Fuck.”
It was too late. They were already on us.
28
David
The assassin’s head came off with gratifying ease. His body fell at my feet, blood spurting from his neck where I’d just sawed through it.
“Just hand her over!” A yell from below pulled a low, rusty laugh from me, and I slung the severed head down the stairwell, listening as it thunked down the steps and elicited panicked shouts on the first floor.
“Come and get her.” For extra fun, I kicked the body through the railing. It fell cleanly, landing with a hard thud at the very bottom of the five stories. More shouts, some of them indicating I’d crushed another one of Blanco’s goons.
“David!” Angel’s worried yell had me backing away toward the door. “I think they’re in the elevator shaft.”
“Fuck.” I followed her into the hallway, slammed the door, and rushed toward the apartment where we’d been holed up. Voices and metallic clangs told me she was right about the elevator shaft. I’d destroyed the wire that hauled the carriage with some well-placed shots, but Blanco had sent a swarm of men to this building, some of them suicidal enough to try Spider-manning their way up the metal walls.
“Get inside.” I pointed toward the apartment. “Stay close to the door.” I pulled a pistol from the back of my pants. “Hang onto this. You see anything, you shoot. Don’t hesitate. They won’t.”
“Okay.” She nodded hard, determination in her eyes. “I’m not going back. I won’t let them—”
Grabbing a fistful of her shirt, I yanked her to me. “You aren’t going anywhere.” I kissed her hard, the only way I ever knew how. She clung to me as I wrapped my other arm around her waist and bent her back. At my mercy, the way I liked her.
Her tongue tangled with mine as the sounds from the elevator shaft grew louder. The guys on the stairs wouldn’t be far behind. But I kissed her a little longer, reminding her who’d had her first, who would have her forever.
She bit my bottom lip, giving as good as she got. We warred for only a second more before I released her and shoved her toward the door.
“Wait for me, Angel.” I dug my fingers into the crack of the elevator doors and pushed them open, then aimed my other pistol down into the darkness.
A single yell. “He’s going to—”
Then I opened fire, only peeking over the edge once I knew they were pissing themselves from the rain of bullets. I picked off two of the remaining climbers with ease, but the third dropped into the elevator carriage. I aimed through the panel of the roof right at where I suspected he was. He fell when the thunder of my bullet rang out in the enclosed space. Head shot.
Feet pounded on the stairs.
Angel had the apartment door wedged open with a lamp base. “They’re coming.”
I reloaded. “Wait for me.”
Angel met my gaze before raising her gun and plastering herself to the wall just inside the entryway. “I’ll always wait for you.”
“That’s my girl.” I fired at the stairway door as it flew open and banged into the wall. Two bodies dropped, maybe three.
More men were coming, and I didn’t have enough bullets for all of them. But I’d shoot until I was out, then go hand-to-hand for as long as I could.
An unexpected shot from the apartment had me running for Angel. I burst in, but she wasn’t against the wall.
“Angel!” I hurtled through the chaos as more shots rang out behind me.
“Back up, motherfucker.” Jorge held Angel in front of him, his gun to her temple. “Or I’ll waste her just for fun and tell Blanco you did it. Drop the guns.”
Everything inside me went cold.
“Don’t!” Angel’s wide eyes implored me.
But I wouldn’t let her down again. Wouldn’t leave her. Would never fail to save her if I could.
“No!” Her scream fractured my heart as I let my guns fall to the floor.
Jorge turned his barrel on me, his finger on the trigger and a grin on his scarred face.
29
Angel
The roar of the gun deafened me in one ear, and someone nearby screamed. No, that was me. I was screaming as David fell to his knees, blood creeping across his white t-shirt.
“No!” I tried to free myself from Jorge’s grip, but it was like trying to wrestle my way from an iron cage.
David reached for me and tried to walk on his knees. With a wheeze, he grabbed his bloody side and fell forward.
“David!” I fought as Jorge shook me.
“Knock it off!”
More men rushed into the room, their guns trained on David.
“No more shots. Hector wants him alive.” Jorge dragged me toward the door. “Bring him. I’ll take this bitch.”
I screamed David’s name as the other men surrounded him. He didn’t move. Tears clouded my vision as I fought and scratched and cried, but Jorge pulled me along with him. Once in the hallway, a sharp pain erupted at the back of my head, and everything went dark.
* * *
Cold.
My eyes opened slowly, and I looked around the room. The familiar dank smell of Hector’s basement infiltrated my nose and forced its way into my pores. I gagged.
“Little princess is awake.” Jorge leaned against the wall across from me, his arms crossed. “Good.”
“David,” I choked on his name as I saw him strapped to a chair in the opposite corner. His shirt was covered in blood, his head down, his eyes closed.
“He’s alive. Don’t you worry. Hector has plans for him. It won’t
end quick and easy.”
“Let him go.”
Jorge laughed, the sound a rusty razorblade through my brain. “Go? Go where? What was the plan exactly? You two lovebirds planning to fly the coop?”
“Fuck you.” I spat at his feet.
“Damn. I don’t know what it is about this guy, but he sure has you revved up. Ever since he came along, you’ve been a mouthy bitch.”
I scowled up at him. “I’ve always been a mouthy bitch. And worse.”
“Worse?” He grinned. “I can’t wait to see that. I’m sure Hector will love giving you even more punishment.”
“I kidnapped her.” David didn’t lift his head or open his eyes, and his voice was weak. But he was alive. “Not her fault.”
“How valiant.” Jorge walked over to him and yanked his head back. “Real sweet of you to try and save your girl.”
“Don’t touch her.”
Jorge leaned over, his face in David’s. “I’ll do whatever the fuck I—” Jorge yelled when David propelled his head forward in a vicious headbutt.
Dropping back, Jorge would have fallen on his ass if he hadn’t hit the wall first. “Fuck!” He put one hand to his bloody forehead.
“Don’t fucking touch her.” David’s eyes were open now, and he glowered at Jorge. “I’m going to kill you no matter what. But I can make it quick and painless. If you touch her, I promise you it’ll take days. You’ll beg me for death.”
“You’re going to kill me, huh?” Jorge kept wiping his forehead. “From that chair?”
“I’m going to get out of this chair.”
“No, you’re going to die there!” Jorge turned and rummaged around on a wooden table by the door.
I cringed. I’d been here before and knew what sort of evil Jorge was capable of. That table was nothing but pain, the implements on it meant for vicious deeds.
“Don’t.” I shook my head and tried to work my wrists free, but they were bound tight.
