Laces and Lace (Assassins #6)

by Toni Aleo

  “I will tomorrow, and if she doesn’t like it, she can find somewhere else to work.”

  “Didn’t she start the business with you, though?”

  “She did, and I thought she was in it till the end, but if that were the case, she would respect me. I just don’t think she does,” she said sadly, her tears rolling down her cheeks and off her chin.

  Sitting up, Karson wrapped her in his arms and kissed her jaw. “Baby, it takes time to adjust. You were always there before. Now she is doing everything. Give it time, but I agree that she needs to respect you. You need to say that. Leave the personal shit at the door.”

  “Yeah,” she agreed, leaning into him. He kissed her temple before gathering her closer to him. “I need to talk to you about something.”

  “Yeah? Did you pay all that?”

  “Yeah, and I also noticed something.”

  “That’s JT’s subscription to that porn site. I canceled my card yesterday and he added his, I swear,” he said quickly, and she couldn’t help it, she lost it. She laughed so hard tears streamed down from her eyes before she quickly shook her head.

  “No, not that!” she laughed and he smiled.

  “Oh, good,” he said, letting out a long breath. “Then what?”

  Turning to face him, she put her computer beside them as he picked up her legs and laid them across his lap, looking deep into her eyes. She had said before that his generosity was breathtaking, but she’d had no clue the extent of it.

  He was by far the loveliest person on this planet.

  And he was all hers.

  “I saw that you’ve been donating to the Lacey’s Lace Foundation for the last six years.”

  His face didn’t change as he nodded slowly. “Yup, every month.”

  Her eyes watered again before she whispered, “That’s my foundation.”

  “I know; the name kind of gives it away,” he said, a grin pulling at his lips.

  She giggled before smacking his chest. “Why, Karson? For so long without telling me?”

  “Because I was scared you wouldn’t take it if you knew it was me.”

  Shaking her head, she couldn’t believe it. For so long he had been supporting her and she hadn’t even know it. All that time she spent mad that she didn’t have him, he was believing in her, hoping for another chance. All he would have had to do was ask because she had been hoping just like he had. It was a cruel joke, keeping them apart, and her anger at her father burned a little stronger. How could he have done this to them?

  “All I keep doing is thinking about all that time we spent apart. How things would be so much different if we wouldn’t have broken up, or if you would have come for me sooner, or if I would have come to you,” she said, her lip wobbling as she held his gaze.

  “I know,” he said, his eyes reflecting the same thing hers did.

  Penitence.

  “I can’t believe that you’ve been doing that all this time, for me. It means so much.”

  “When you love and believe in someone, you do anything for them,” he said it like it was that simple. But if it was, then why didn’t her family follow the same example?

  He had continually left her speechless from the moment she saw him in the cab back in Chicago. And since then, he had changed her life completely. Each second that passed between them was something she would forever treasure, but this moment she would hold near and dear to her heart. She didn’t know if he realized how much he helped her foundation, how many girls he gave a chance to feel like a woman or helped with their treatment, and she really didn’t know how to thank him.

  Wrapping her arms around his neck, she met her lips to his and kissed him long and hard before coming up for breath. Looking deep into the eyes she loved, she whispered, “You said earlier that I make your dreams come true. But really, you’ve been making mine come true since the beginning.”

  With all the sincerity and love in the world, Karson smiled as he said, “And I’ll continue until my dying day.”

  So would she.

  And she wouldn’t stop until she proved how grateful and blessed she was to have him.

  Pressing her lips to his, Lacey slowly pushed him back, straddling him as her mouth devoured his. His hands ran up the back of her jean-clad thighs, settling on her ass and causing heat to go straight to her core. She could care less if JT was in the room over. It had been far too long since her husband had been inside her, and it was time to rectify that. Tearing her mouth from his, she pushed off his chest and then stood up above him. Looking deep in his eyes, she undid her pants and a grin came over his beautiful face. Crossing his arms behind his head, he watched her intently as she stepped to the side and inched her pants down her body. Lifting her shirt over her head, she threw it aside before dropping back down on top of him.

  He was hard. Deliciously hard against her as she slowly moved herself along his body before meeting her mouth to his. Heat flooded her panties as she teased him with her hot center over his thick cock. He groaned against her lips, his fingers dancing along the lace of her ass, inching their way inside. Kissing down her throat, his fingers found the inside of her panties, gripping both of her butt cheeks and squeezing them tightly. She gasped against his ear as his finger ran up her crack, tickling her asshole, and something inside her liked it.

  The dirty girl who lived deep within her.

  “You like that?” he asked. She could feel him grinning against her throat, but she didn’t feel the least bit embarrassed. He wasn’t teasing her; he wanted to know. He wanted to please her.

  “Yeah, but I’m not into anal sex. I just like the pressure.”

  “Good to know,” he said roughly against her neck and then flipped her over, covering her with his massive body.

  Grinning up at him, she said, “I’m supposed to be showing you how eternally grateful I am for you.”

  “Baby, you do that by smiling,” he said before pulling her panties off and then opening her legs up wide. “Now let me show you.”

  “Oh God,” she cried out when his mouth covered her already dripping wet pussy. Gripping the blanket, she held on for dear life as Karson mercilessly assaulted her clit. Arching into his mouth, looking for her release, she moved against his lips, heightening the pleasure. Holding her by her hip with one hand, he dipped his tongue inside her, fucking her with it as his finger flicked against her clit. Squirming under his mouth, her body was tight and she knew she was almost there. Her body was shaking, her legs were jelly, and her heart was about to come out of her chest. When he moved his mouth from her entrance and went back to her clit, she knew she was going to come everywhere, but then he pressed his thumb against her asshole, and she couldn’t hold it in if she tried. Crying out so loud, she was sure that not only had JT heard her but also the neighbors as she came with the strength of an army.

  Aftershocks shook her body as he slowly licked along her pussy lips, then her thighs, and onto her hips as she gasped for breath. Leaving a trail of kisses, he released her breasts from her bra and kissed each of them before nipping up her neck.

  “I think you liked that,” he whispered in her ear, playfulness in his voice.

  “Ugh, yeah, I think so,” she said, still unable to catch her breath. “I would say I feel bad for JT, but I saw his balls flapping in the wind. So, yeah, no cares in the world.”

  Karson chuckled against her neck as his fingers traced along her wet center. “I can’t get enough of you. You are honestly paradise for me, Lacey.”

  Breathless, she brought his lips to hers and demolished his mouth in a frenzy. She couldn’t get enough. There was something about his body that begged for her, and she had no problem giving in. Pushing him back, she crawled on top of him and then reached between them, undoing his pants. Lifting up, she watched as he freed himself from his jeans and boxers, his cock rock hard and standing at attention beneath her.

  Directing him toward her, she lowered herself onto him until he completely disappeared inside of her. Both of them gr
oaned out at the instantaneous connection before she started to grind her body lightly against his. His fingers bit into her thighs as his hooded eyes watched her slowly fuck him. She felt gorgeous, beautiful in his gaze, and it only fueled her to move faster. Picking up speed, her ass smacked against his thighs as she took him deeper inside her, feeling him in her chest as his hands ran along every single inch of her.

  When she met his gaze, his eyes were dark with desire and she knew that he was almost there. But then, out of nowhere, he threw her off him. Before she could recover and ask what the hell, he was behind her, his cock deep within her.

  God, she loved when he did that.

  Crying out against the sheets, she held on to the end of the mattress as he thrust hard and fast inside her. Taking her leg, he hooked it over his hip, holding it tightly as he continued to pound into her. Breathing wasn’t an option—hell, nothing was. This man was fucking every coherent thought out of her head.

  When he pulled completely out of her, she cried out, but then he flipped her over like a rag doll and entered her from the front, his fingers finding her clit. Her body seized out of nowhere, her legs and pussy squeezing him as he thundered into her. Out of her mind with lust, she held on as Karson devoured her. It irritated her a little since it had been her plan to do just that to him, but then again, she was reaping the benefits. And by the look on his face, so was he.

  “Fuck,” he groaned as his body stilled.

  His cock pulsated inside her and she tried to breathe, but she couldn’t. She was absolutely and entirely spent. How was she supposed to move after that? After being fucked stupid, essentially. He was by far the greatest partner she had ever had in her life, and she was going to be on the receiving end of this beautiful man for the rest of her life.

  Life was practically perfect.

  Dropping down on his side, he kissed her lips before taking in a deep breath. Closing her eyes, she cuddled into his neck, taking in his yummy man smell.

  “You are far and away the hottest and best lay of my life. Baby, I’ve been with a lot of girls, but there is something about you that fucking drives me wild.”

  She giggled against him. “I was, no joke, thinking the same damn thing, though I have no doubt my number is lower than yours.”

  “Thank God we are together,” he whispered, lifting her face so he could look in her eyes. “You know what I mean?”

  She nodded as her heart ached in her chest for him. Yeah, she knew what he meant. There was never a love like your first love or your last, and Karson was both. “I love you so much, Karson.”

  His mouth perked up at the side as his eyes bored into hers. “I love you.”

  Every time he said it, it was like the first time. As clichéd as it sounded, it was special and she knew he meant it. It came from his soul, those three words, and she couldn’t believe she was the one graced with such a beautiful love. How did this happen? It was all too good to be true, but she felt his heart beating, his breath on her mouth, and was getting lost in his sweet eyes. He was there; he was real and wholly hers.

  Cupping her face, he asked, “Are you excited for our house?”

  Tears stung her eyes as she nodded again. Her throat was tight with emotion as she gazed into his intoxicating eyes. There was no way to express how excited or thankful she was for their new home. They were going to be so happy together, and she couldn’t wait. They would grow old and continually be blissfully happy together.

  “Me too, I can’t wait. Hope you are ready for lots of shopping and décor choices. Lord knows, I’m not,” he said with a grin.

  She grinned back, her mind filling with all kinds of ideas that she wanted for their home. “Oh, I am. Don’t you worry about that. I got you. I’ll make our home gorgeous.”

  “No doubt from my end. Someone as amazingly creative as you couldn’t do anything but make our house exquisite.”

  She smiled shyly as her eyes fell shut and she hooked her leg over him, wanting to be closer. She ached in all the right spots but could still go for round two. Opening her eyes to see if Karson felt he same way, she found that his eyebrows were drawn together and he didn’t look like a man who had been thoroughly pleased. More like a man with a lot on his mind.

  “Are you okay?” she asked softly, and he turned his head to look at her, a grin pulling his lips.

  “Of course, just thinking.”

  “About?”

  He took in a deep breath and said, “I want to tell you something, but I’m worried it will hurt you.”

  Her heart kicked up in speed as she gazed in his eyes. The afterglow of their glorious lovemaking was gone, and now pure panic settled in her chest. “Well, you have to tell me now.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I guess I do,” he said, looking up at the ceiling. “The thing is, Lacey, this morning when I was at practice, my coach called me into his office and informed me that Nate Martin had called him, demanding I be benched. Thankfully, Coach told him to fuck off.”

  “Really?” she whispered, hoping to God there was another Nate Martin with a grudge against her husband.

  “Yeah, I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want to hurt you, but I need you to know that he is out to get me, and I don’t trust him one bit.”

  She nodded, tears gathering in her eyes. He was never going to stop. “I’ll call him in the morning.”

  “No, don’t,” he said with a shake of his head. “I don’t want him to know that we know he is out to get me. I want to keep going, but I want you to know what’s going on. I won’t keep things from you.”

  Running her hand up his chest, she met his gaze. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t you dare. It is not your fault. We are going to be fine, but we need to remember what he is capable of. I didn’t have you for nine years, Lacey, and I honestly can’t go on without you.”

  “I feel the same way,” she whispered. “Maybe he’ll stop now that your coach wouldn’t do it.”

  “I don’t know. I have a weird feeling about him. Let’s just be smart and honest with each other, okay? If you feel like something is up, talk to me, and I’ll do the same. We are in this together.”

  As much as she wanted to yell at her dad, she couldn’t ignore the love that was enveloping her. Karson could love for an army, and she felt the blunt force of his love every time she looked into his eyes.

  Cupping his face in her hands, she brought her lips a breath from his and whispered, “Forever.”

  “Damn right,” he said roughly against her lips. “Forever and always.”

  “I feel weird.”

  Karson looked over his shoulder and laughed. “But you look so damn hot.”

  Lacey made a face as she looked down at the fitted purple and black Assassins jersey that was adorned with a number sixteen and Mrs. King across the back. She was too cute for words, and pride burned in his chest knowing that she was wearing his number and name.

  Even if she wasn’t an Assassins fan.

  Yet.

  “I feel bizarre. This is not my team.”

  “The hell you say, woman,” JT said with his hand on the door. They had been about to walk out and head to the arena before Lacey came out in her jersey. “You bleed purple and black now.”

  She set him with a look that had all of them laughing. It was funny how in a two short days, JT and Lacey were getting along like old friends. It surprised Karson how quickly JT warmed up to her, but he was thankful for it. He didn’t want his best friend hating his wife. That was awkward.

  “It’s so odd,” she said, crossing her arms.

  Closing the distance between them, Karson asked, “But doesn’t it feel good to know that you are supporting your man?”

  She smiled as she nodded. “Yeah, I guess I should embrace my new team.”

  “Yes, you should, and you’ll look hot doing it,” he said with a wink as his arms came around her. “Now, the car service will be here at six. When you get to the arena, find your seats and enjoy the game.”
r />   “Be ready by six in this jersey,” she said with a grin. “And watch my boo thang kick some butt! Who are you guys playing, by the way?”

  “The Kings.”

  “How fitting, my first game as a King and you’re playing the kings,” she said with a grin that hit him right in the chest.

  “Gag. Let’s go, King,” JT groaned from behind them.

  Smirking down at her, he said, “I gotta go. The man-child is restless.”

  She giggled as JT growled, “Fuck off.”

  Meeting Lacey’s gaze again, he said, “See you at the game.”

  “I’ll be the Blackhawks fan in the Assassins jersey,” she teased with a wink and he laughed.

  “You’ll be an Assassins fan by the end of the night, I just know it,” he said with full confidence. Everyone who came into the Assassins’ arena always had a good time, and Karson had no doubt that his girl would leave a fan. She just needed to be immersed in the society of it all.

  “We will see,” she said with a shrug. “Good luck, I love you.”

  “For the love of God, let’s gooooo,” JT whined and Lacey giggled against Karson’s lips.

  “I am going to kill him, but I love you too, baby. See ya later.”

  And as he left his Blackhawks-loving wife, he knew by the time the final buzzer sounded she’d not only be an Assassins fan but a proud one. Forgetting all about those Hawks.

  Once they got to the arena, Karson found himself a tad bit nervous and he really didn’t know why. This wasn’t the first time that Lacey would see him play. She was there when he played in Chicago, but something had his stomach in knots. He wasn’t sure if it was that or if it was that he had just written a check for their new home. He had acted like it wasn’t a big deal to drop two million on a home, but it was by far his biggest purchase. Though, he knew it was worth it.

  This was their brand-new start.

  So he chalked his nerves up to the game, the upcoming move, and then the fact that as soon as they were settled, his mom would come and grace them with her presence. Despite the fact they’d just recently seen her, his mom was hard-nosed about calling every single day not only to talk to him but to Lacey too. While it was sweet, he was starting to think it was a bit much. She was suffocating them both, but Lacey didn’t feel that way. She loved Regina King and couldn’t wait until she came to visit.