“I could watch you forever,” he confessed with reverence before sending me over again. “How many is that?” He was killing me in the most blissful way possible. “Four,” he supplied, sitting back on his knees, that magnificent cock pointing at the ceiling.
He rolled on a condom and impaled me with one sharp thrust.
“Carlos,” I cried as he pumped his hips. “Please let me put my hands on you.” I didn't wait for a response, gripping his shoulders for support.
“Don't let go.”
He slammed into me, then we kissed. He could be so savage, and his lips were a soft spot. His hands, however, were not. I imagined the things they'd done and got a thrill. The way he treated me—I’d never had a lover like Carlos before . . . and probably never would again.
His possessiveness sent me off again. “Five,” I shouted, throwing back my head.
“You can give me one more.”
It was impossible, but I soaked him to the point where his legs were wet where I rode him, coated in my desire. Every thrust was so deep, so good, the connection between us something powerful and unexpected. Another orgasm broke over me. I chanted his name and rested my forehead on his as he found his release.
“Beauty,” he cried with a reverence I'd never heard in another human's voice. He pumped into me until he had nothing left to give. I wound my arms around him, holding him tight.
I'd made a mistake. I couldn't just do sex with this man, and I sure as hell wasn't giving him up now that I'd had a taste. The rest of my family had an addiction to whatever substance they could get their hands on. I thought I'd escaped that, but I was destined for the same fate, only my addiction wasn't drugs, it was Carlos.
“Wow,” I finally said.
He was a man not only satisfied with a powerful orgasm but also pleased at what he'd done to me. “Have I worn you out?” he asked smugly, swiping at a strand of my hair that hung limply in my face.
“Yes,” I almost groaned. “But I feel energized too.”
“I need a minute.” He chuckled, sensing my rekindling desire.
“You can have more than that. I'm spent.”
“I don't think you are.” He nibbled my ear, and I shifted on his lap. All those orgasms he'd given me, and I was ready for more. He lifted me off him and laid me across the mattress, placing a pillow under my head and giving me a kiss on the forehead. “I'll be right back.”
He went into my bathroom, and I admired his gorgeous ass until he disappeared. My lids closed, and I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt this good. I felt something warm and damp between my legs, and opened my eyes to find him wiping me clean. “You don't have to do that,” I protested lightly. He gave me an admonishing look and continued until he was satisfied. Then he dried me off with a towel he'd brought with him.
Carlos took the dirty laundry back to the bathroom before he crawled into bed beside me. Was there nothing he didn't think of when it came to my well-being?
“What time is it?”
He twisted to see the clock on the nightstand. “Almost eleven thirty.”
I sat straight up. “We’ve been in bed that long?”
The smug expression on his face confirmed it. But that beat the defeated one he’d worn earlier.
“It didn’t seem long enough to me.”
I swatted at him. “I have to get some work done.”
He rolled on top of me, covering my mouth with his. When he pulled back, we were both breathless.
“That’s not the best way for me to accomplish that,” I said, pretending to be put out when all I really wanted to do was stay right here. For as long as I could remember, I’d been taking care of another person. My parents when they went on a bender. My brother because our parents weren’t capable. And then came the positive pink lines on the pregnancy stick. I’d kissed dating goodbye and put everything into saving money to help me get through the first six weeks when I couldn’t work after having Gabriel. But now? Holy crap, this man had not only helped me play hooky from work but he’d also given me six orgasms in one go. Six. Sex with Carlos felt . . . indulgent. When was the last time I’d done something for me?
“Thank you.” Carlos brushed the hair back from my face with a tenderness I didn’t expect.
“For what?” My voice was barely above a whisper.
“Making me feel again.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Carlos
“I need information on Jason Reichard.”
Donato had requested a meeting in person. He’d suggested Muriella’s apartment instead of a public place, and I’d readily agreed. Holly’s brother had plagued me since she’d confessed how troubled he was. But I was also avoiding the topic Donato had likely come here to discuss. I was certain he had news of Eduardo I didn’t want to hear.
“The brother of the lovely young lady with the boy.” I lifted a brow, and he looked at me as if I should have known better. Of course he kept tabs on anyone who entered Daniel’s life.
I sat back in my chair and wondered for a moment what it would’ve been like to have a father like him. He was no less dangerous than my own, perhaps even more so, yet he cared about his family. He protected them at all costs. I’d never known what that was like.
I’d learned not to trust anyone the hard way. What if I’d been able to rely on family? Would I still be this monster if Donato had been my father? Would he have let me kill or kept me from it?
“My priority is to keep his problems away from Holly and Gabriel,” I said, returning from the land of what-ifs. Donato was not my father. Juan Carlos Calderón was, and nothing would ever change that, no matter how I wished it.
“He’s in and out of jail on mostly drug related offenses, though there have been a few assault charges and possession of a firearm.”
“Who’s he associated with?” The thought of anyone threatening Holly made my spine tingle with the gun against the base of it. I reminded myself they likely couldn’t, or wouldn’t bother attempting to find her here, but complacency had never been anyone’s friend.
“Apparently, his only allegiance is to himself and his next fix. Somehow, he’s eluded most of those he’s crossed, but I have word that when he is released this time, thugs will be waiting for him.” Donato sipped his coffee and carefully set the mug on the coaster beside him. “Do you want him to remain in jail? Or would you prefer he be released?”
I resisted a smirk. The man sitting across from me had no boundaries when it came to his power. For as much authority as I had myself, he could control my fate just as easily. Strangely, I wasn’t all that uncomfortable with that. So far, he’d proved he wasn’t my enemy.
Donato patiently waited as I mulled over the options, rubbing my hands up and down my thighs. If Jason was released and the inevitable happened, and it likely would, would Holly blame me for my part when she found out? Could I keep another secret from her? It was getting harder and harder by the day, consequences be damned.
“Is he beyond help?” I spoke more to myself than to Donato.
“The same could be asked of all of us.”
What I didn’t know was what it would do to Holly if her brother was no longer in the picture. She’d all but cut him out of her life, but that didn’t mean she loved him any less.
“What about a rehabilitation facility?” The answer was to have him released from prison and let the gangs deal him his fate. Then he couldn’t hurt Holly or Gabriel again. Yet I was fighting for a person I didn’t know, grasping for a hope that wasn’t reality.
“If that’s what you’d like,” Donato said carefully, leaving the truth unspoken. As Holly had said, if breaking free of addiction wasn’t what Jason wanted, all the help in the world wouldn’t save him.
Bing. Bing. Bing.
I stood, ignoring Donato’s quizzical look as the oven timer sounded. The scent of sweet rosquillas wafted from the kitchen. I pulled the cookie sheet out of the oven and placed it on the stove to cool. Muriella had provided detailed instructions on
how to make them when I’d told her I wanted to for Gabriel.
They were misshapen. I was a little afraid to taste them, but did anyway. Not bad. Not Mama’s, but they were edible. I put a couple on a plate.
“Before you ask why the hell I’m offering you cookies, just know that my sister urged me to,” I said when I returned to the living room.
He chuckled at that. “Knowing her, there wasn’t an option of a no.” He took a bite and then raised his eyebrows at me in teasing. “Not bad. Young Gabriel will like them . . . and his mother.” The man read me well.
I thought more about the options we might have with Jason, and my instincts were honed in on one. “Leave Jason where he is for now.”
He nodded, and it felt as if I’d gained his approval.
“Agreed. We wait. Find out more.”
Even though I barely knew the man, I didn’t feel I had to explain my motives or choices. He seemed to understand me in a way no one else did. Was it because we were so similar?
“You realize that doesn’t ensure his safety?” He took a bite and brushed some of the crumbs off his mouth.
I nodded. The gangs could reach him inside, but it was guaranteed they would on the outside. At least he had a chance to sober up. Maybe this time it would stick.
“Where is Eduardo?” I might as well face what Donato had really come to talk with me about.
His expression went blank. “With the Abarca cartel.”
My heart stopped. They were our greatest rival. They’d killed Mama. In their hands, he was as sure as dead.
“Get him back. Give his family the opportunity to have a proper burial,” I grated out. Another broken promise of protection had cost a man his life.
“He isn’t dead.”
I started, certain I’d heard Donato wrong. “No?”
“Eduardo Sandoval is the capo.” What the fuck?
Chapter Thirty
Holly
“My office. Now.”
I cringed at Drew’s harsh voice blaring at me through the phone line. He didn’t wait for a response, but I wouldn’t have made one anyway. How was he related to the other Carters?
If I had a dollar for every time I’d asked myself that, I wouldn’t have to work anymore.
I touched the cross around my neck. Maybe I should’ve prayed more. It couldn’t hurt. But no one could help me. Not even God, though there was always hope.
I inhaled for five seconds and released for another five, though it was no use. There was no way to prepare for whatever Drew wanted. And even worse, I knew I’d do it.
When I reached his doorway, I hesitated. Over the years, the lines around his eyes had grown deeper. He rarely smiled, and when he did, it was as fake as he was. This man had tortured me, yet I found myself feeling sorry for him. He’d wasted so much time by not even realizing what he had. He was lucky to have a family who loved him without question. At least he didn’t show them who he really was.
“Are you going to keep staring, sugar?” He didn’t look up.
Inwardly, I cursed for getting caught. My face got hot, but I forced myself to step into his office.
“Close the door.” My hand shook. I couldn’t find it in me to do as he said. Being trapped in an office with Drew Carter was asking for trouble I didn’t need. “Did I stutter?”
I swallowed hard and pushed the door until it hit the strike plate, careful not to let it fully close.
When I met his eyes, they were cold. Was there a person in there?
“All. The. Way.”
Damn it.
I’d have to sneak some money into the cuss jar. With the thought of Gabriel, I found the courage to close the door completely.
He snapped and pointed at the floor beside him. My heart pounded so hard I looked down to check if it was visible. When it wasn’t, I was surprised.
“Don’t make me wait.”
With measured steps, I crossed the carpeted floor. The closer I got to him, the more my legs wobbled. He’d never gotten physical, thank God. Be that what it may, I wasn’t sure what I’d do if he ever put me in that position. There was nothing I wouldn’t do to keep Gabriel happy and safe. When it came to that, I had no morals and wouldn’t apologize.
“When are you moving?”
I blinked at him. Even though he was sitting and I was standing, he made me feel small.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Moving? Out of my brother’s apartment building?” he pressed, his gaze unwavering.
“I—” I cleared my throat and tried again when my voice got stuck. “I’m not.”
He lifted a brow. No. He couldn’t take away our home. Not when we were just finding our place.
“Have it your way.” He shrugged and spun his chair back toward his desk.
It couldn’t be that easy. What would the price be for not giving in to his demands? True, his words hadn’t been an ultimatum, but his entire demeanor was.
All the words to fight with the reasons we didn’t have to move died on my tongue. Why give him more ammunition to use on me later? He didn’t need my help.
He’d said to have it my way. Well, my way was staying put until there was no other option.
He clicked on his laptop as if I were no longer present, and I took that as my cue to go.
“Did I say we were finished?”
One step. That was all I’d made toward the exit from this hell. I stared at him expectantly without answering.
“What does Mulaney have you looking at in EXODUS?”
I was sick of being a nervous Nelly around him, but what choice did I have when he held so much of my life in his hands? I fidgeted with the collar of my blouse instead of the cross that was my crutch. Allowing Drew to see that felt like giving him even more power.
“She just asked me to look through some old—”
“Don’t lie to me.”
The rounded button was smooth under my fingers as I worked it nervously. “I’m making sure the balance sheet is in order.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Why does she have you looking at that?”
“Miss Jacobs always has me double check it.” Stay cool. Stay cool. Stay cool.
He cocked his head to the side, and I darted my eyes toward the window. “What have you found, Holly?”
It sounded like an accusation. I shifted on my heels and prayed to whoever might be listening to rescue me.
“Nothing.” The word was a squeak that sounded guilty.
Drew pounced on that right away. “Are you sure about that?”
“Yes.”
He scowled when he heard I was telling the truth. “If you find anything, are you going to report it to her?” Don’t do this to me. My plea remained unheard. “Saint Pius. It’s a good school, one with lots of attention for their students, no?”
Nausea rolled through me. I swayed. Gabriel already loved his school. He’d made new friends and was as happy as I’d ever seen him. How did Drew know anything about it?
I swallowed the thickness in my throat. He knew everything.
“There’s nothing out of order,” I said. My nose tingled, and the sensation spread to my cheeks.
“That’s what I like to hear.” His teeth gleamed like a predator when he flashed a mirthless grin. “You can go.”
He returned to his computer. On a baby blue sticky note was what appeared to be a login and password. EXODUS was open on his screen.
“Why are you still here?” Once again, he didn’t look up when he spoke, as if I were nothing.
I rushed toward the door, my heart no less settled than when I’d entered. Freedom was almost in sight.
“Oh, and Holly?” I kept my back to him, though I was sure he saw the rise and fall of my shoulders with my labored breaths. “Whatever Mulaney asks you to do, I want to know about it.”
“Of course.” I spoke to the polished wood in front of my face and turned the doorknob.
I ran toward my office, crashing into a lady on the way, sending papers flying.<
br />
“Sorry,” I mumbled without helping to pick them up. It was all I could manage to keep breathing.
I collapsed into my chair and put my head between my legs, clutching my cross so hard it dug into my fingers. Oh God. If he found out I was checking Easton’s EXODUS account too, he’d take everything.
Damn him for putting me in another impossible situation. Miss Jacobs had done so much for me. I’d already betrayed her enough. But what if Drew did something to Gabriel’s scholarship with Saint Pius? Or made us move back to Houston?
I couldn’t let that happen.
Why did he care so much about what Miss Jacobs had asked me to look at in EXODUS anyway? As far as I could tell, what was in the past was in the past. Carter Energy had been sold and there was no getting it back.
If Easton’s account was different than Mulaney’s, maybe Drew’s was different too.
I had to get that login information.
I yanked on my necklace. Who did I think I was? Nancy Drew? If I got caught—no, I couldn’t. It wouldn’t be just school or home as consequences.
I let out a frustrated groan. As long as Drew was my puppetmaster, this would be my complicated life. This had been going on for as long as I’d worked for his family’s company. I was tired of dancing to his tune.
That login felt like my ticket out. Or maybe I just desperately wanted it to be. Just because I got it didn’t mean I had to do anything with it. Right?
Chapter Thirty-One
Carlos
“How do you handle someone who isn’t who you think they are?”
Big green eyes stared up at me, searching. “I’m not sure. Not very well.”
I toyed with a lock of her hair, ever amazed at Holly’s honesty and strength. She placed a hand on my stomach and adjusted in my arms. We’d just put Gabriel to bed and were now cuddled on the couch.
Dangerous Redemption: A Single Parent Forbidden Romance Novel (Paths To Love Book 4) Page 15
