Redemption Road (Roughneck #3)

by Nicole Hart

  “Yes.”

  “Did you call the police, then?” he asked with a crooked smile. This guy was a jerk.

  “No, because he only took my work clothes, and I couldn’t really prove it was him.”

  “Ok,” he said, but I got the feeling he wasn’t even paying attention to me. But I was finishing my story, anyway. I needed help.

  “He’s constantly calling me, following me, and this morning this was on my car.” I pulled out my phone and showed him the picture.

  “But you didn’t see him vandalize your car?” he asked.

  “No, I didn’t,” I said. I had a feeling this was going nowhere fast.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am, but since you didn’t contact the police at either time of his alleged crimes, and you really have no solid proof that he even did these things, there’s not much I can do.”

  “I have the text messages saved,” I said, holding my phone.

  “Is he threatening to harm you in those text messages?” he asked, as he shuffled paperwork, without even looking at me.

  “No,” I said, realizing I was wasting my time.

  “Ma’am, look, it’s not illegal to call someone names or send them nasty text messages. I’m not really in the business of getting involved in lovers’ quarrels. And since you didn’t feel it necessary to call the police during either one of the crimes you’re alleging, there’s really not much I can do,” he said, as he slurped loudly on his coffee. Douche.

  “So you won’t help me at all?” I asked, pleading. He was a jerk, but he was an officer of the law, and my only hope.

  “Not won’t…just can’t,” he said, as he stood and opened his door.

  “Now, if you’ll head back up to the front room, I’ve got some pressing business to attend to.”

  “Thanks a lot,” I said sarcastically, as I stormed past him and pushed open the door at the end of the hall.

  As soon as I got in my car, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. But they weren’t even tears of sadness. I was pissed off. Isn’t the law supposed to help you? That guy couldn’t have cared less what I had to say. I knew it wouldn’t do any good to try and speak with someone else, not in this little town. There were maybe three cops in the whole town, and they were always together. You couldn’t miss them at the diner or parking lots, just sitting around. Trying to get them to help me would be pointless. Damn it.

  Chapter 11

  Surprisingly, the next few days went by quietly. I got my number changed, so Jake couldn’t call or text. That was a huge relief. I felt semi-safe in the house with the alarm system set constantly. Jake hadn’t made an appearance, so I was hoping he was finally getting the hint and decided to leave me alone.

  But my hopes were shattered when I pulled into my driveway and saw the flowers and box on the doorstep. I didn’t even need to read the card, but I did anyway. Apparently I was a sucker for punishment.

  I’m sorry. Please forgive me. –J

  I opened the box and there was a teddy bear that had a heart in the middle of it that read “I Love You.” This guy really was out of his mind. I picked up the blood-red roses and the box with the bear inside of it, and walked to the road. I sat both of them in the middle of the street, and walked inside. I didn’t want either one of them in my trashcan. Hopefully someone would drive by soon and run them over.

  As soon as I walked inside the house, my phone went off. I wasn’t too worried about checking it, since only a handful of people had my new number.

  Kash: On my way in, you need anything?

  You.

  Me: No thanks! See ya soon!

  I got butterflies in my stomach and jumped in the shower. I knew nothing was going to happen, but I at least wanted to smell good and look cute when he got here. I had it bad. I was fully aware. But I couldn’t help it a single bit.

  An hour later, I was trying to sit casually on the couch, but the truth was my insides were going crazy waiting to hear that engine come closer. And when it did, I got so excited my teeth literally started to chatter. This is crazy. I can’t have it this bad. I’ve never had it this bad. I’ve never wanted someone so much in my entire life. But just being around him for a couple of days, those intimate moments we shared, completely swallowed me up. And then missing his presence for the past week has bothered me, way more than it should have.

  When I heard the door knob turn, I had to grip the cushions of the couch to keep from leaping off of it and attacking him.

  “Hey, you,” I said casually, as I glanced his way. Being fake was getting harder by the second, especially when it came to Kash.

  “Hey,” he said quietly, and then exhaled as he dropped his bag next to the front door.

  “I’m gonna hit the shower, you wanna come?” he said with that sexy grin, as he walked past me.

  “I just took one,” I said with a giggle, trying to hide the fact that I wanted to leap off this damn couch right now.

  “I can get you dirty again,” he said, as he stopped in the hallway and turned to look at me. He wasn’t smiling. He had a look in his eyes that made me want to crawl on my hands and knees and beg him to take me.

  “Kash,” I pleaded. He had no idea how much I wanted to take him up on his offer. But I had to think about the future. I had to think about the potential he had to tear my world apart, even worse than it already was. He had the ability to hurt me emotionally, way more than Jake ever did. I hated Jake for a long time when he shit on me, I was prepared for it. It didn’t faze me the way Kash could. Kash could destroy me.

  “I’ll leave the door open, in case you change your mind,” he said, and then kept walking.

  He was going to kill me. I heard the shower come on and my feet started moving even though my brain was begging them to stop. They wouldn’t listen. I would just walk past the bathroom, I wouldn’t stop. I just wanted a peek. Just a tiny little peek. When I got to the bathroom, my eyes looked in that direction and I stopped in my tracks. He was standing there with his arms folded, leaning against the sink, completely naked. I should keep walking, but I couldn’t. I just stared at him. My eyes stared at his eyes; they were staring at me so intensely I had to look away. So I made my way down to his lips, those full beautiful lips, down to his chest, and then that thin strip of hair below his belly button. Oh, my God. Was he pierced? Holy shit. I kept staring. It was a bar just below the tip with two silver studs on each end. I had never seen anything like it. I should look away, I couldn’t. No way in hell could I look away. I was fascinated.

  Kash cleared his throat which forced my eyes away from it. I was suddenly really embarrassed, but it didn’t lessen my fascination any.

  “Come here,” he said.

  “I shouldn’t,” I whispered.

  “And why not?” he asked.

  “Because it’s not right.”

  “Says who?” he said, as he raised away from the sink and started to walk towards me.

  “Me?” I squeaked.

  “Well, that doesn’t sound very convincing, sweetie,” he said, as he faced me and ran his fingertip down my cheek that was finally healed.

  “No?” I asked in a whisper.

  “No,” he said with a little laugh, as he licked his lips. I think my mouth actually opened a little at the sight of it.

  “Do you know how much I’ve been thinking about these lips of yours?” he whispered against my mouth. “The way they taste,” he said, as he ran his tongue across my bottom lip.

  “You have?” I whispered, as I moved my face a little closer to his.

  “I know you want this as much as I do, I can see it in your eyes, Mackenzie,” he said, as he put his mouth on mine, and I slid my tongue in his mouth. He was right, I couldn’t deny it. I wanted him. Fuck it.

  “Do you know how long I’ve waited to see this body again? To touch you?” he said, as he pulled my tank top over my head. I raised my arms to make it easier for him. I wanted my skin against his more than I wanted to breathe right now. He grabbed my breasts with both hands,
and then flicked his tongue over each of my nipples. He sucked on them, and then bit my nipple just enough to make it sting a tiny bit. I let out a little cry.

  Kash pressed his lips against mine as my hands found his chest and his back. I wanted to touch him all over. I slid my hands down lower until I felt the cool metal.

  “Fuck,” he moaned, and then backed me against the wall as he hit his knees and pulled my shorts and panties down in one quick move.

  I couldn’t believe this was happening. I felt his cool tongue against my clit and I had to grab onto the towel rack to keep from falling. I felt my toes stand on end as he rubbed his tongue in slow circles against me.

  “So fucking sweet,” he whispered, his hot breath almost sending me over the edge. He continued to lick, suck and kiss me gently. No one but Kash had ever done this to me before. When I felt the tightening in my stomach, I couldn’t help but grab his hair. He let out a moan and started to run his tongue up and down me with longer, harder strokes. It was almost too much to bear.

  “Oh, my God, Kash!” I cried. And then he started licking me faster, until my orgasm took over my body. I cried, and shook, and pulled his hair until I regained a little self-control. I hardly had time to regain my composure when Kash pulled his mouth away from me and grabbed the foil packet out of his jeans that were lying on the bathroom floor.

  “I need inside you now, sweetie,” he said, as he tore the packet open with his teeth and slid the condom over himself. All I could do was shake my head. Because I needed the exact same thing.

  I grabbed the back of his hair and pulled him to me, kissing him hard, without considering what had just happened. I didn’t care though, I just wanted him. Kash picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. The shower was still running, and he put both of us inside. He placed me against the wet tile and slid inside me as he held my hands over my head. I couldn’t help but moan with each thrust. I watched as beads of water ran down his face onto his lips and down his chin. So sexy. When he pulled himself out of me, I almost whimpered. But he spun me around so fast, I didn’t. He grabbed me gently around the waist and shoved himself inside me once again. At first, he slid in and out of me slowly and gently, circling his hips at the same time. He reached his hand around and started to massage my clit again. It only took a minute before another orgasm started to take over my body. His thrusts became harder and faster at the same time, until he finally collapsed against my back. He stayed in that position for a minute, but once his breathing started to even out, he lifted himself off of me. He wet a washcloth under the warm water and then ran it between my thighs, cleaning me off. I couldn’t turn around and look at him, so I just stared at the tile. He had been home for five minutes and I broke the promise I made to myself. I realized I had no self-control when it came to him. A few minutes later, I heard the shower door open, and he stepped out. I saw him wrap a towel around his waist out of the corner of my eye

  “You need a towel?” he asked.

  “Please,” I said quietly.

  “I’m beat, I’m gonna go to sleep,” he said as he handed me the towel, and gave me a weak smile.

  “Ok,” I said, trying not to sound pathetic and sad. But that’s the way I felt in this moment. And used, I felt a little used. Which was stupid; I’m the one who came into the bathroom. I wanted it just as much as he did, probably more. I was an adult, and I could handle this. I decided to keep telling myself that until I believed it. So, I turned the shower water off and wrapped myself in the towel, then walked to my bedroom to get dressed.

  Chapter 12

  A noise coming from the kitchen startled me, and woke me from my sleep. I grabbed my phone. It was 4:00 a.m. My heart was pounding out of control, and I had to force myself to calm down, remembering that Kash was back in town. Then the smell of coffee hit my nose and my mouth started to water. It smelled like heaven. But it was 4 in the morning, I can’t imagine why he would be up so early. Plus, I didn’t have to be at work for another five hours. I tried to go back to sleep, but it wasn’t happening. When I looked at my phone again, it was 4:30, and I decided to get up. I didn’t want things to be awkward between us after last night. I was an adult, and I could handle this. At least I could pretend I could. So, I hopped out of bed, ran a brush through my hair, and put a bra on. I didn’t need them demanding attention right now.

  There he was, standing at the coffee pot, with his back to me. He was wearing a pair of black boxers and his hair was a perfect mess. Was it possible to die of lust? Because I was headed down that road, fast.

  “You’re up early,” I said quietly, as I walked up beside him. I started to grab a cup from the cabinet in front of me, but Kash handed me a cup as I started to reach. I stared at him, with a confused look, I’m sure.

  “I was hoping you would wake up,” he said, as he scooted over so I could pour myself a cup.

  “Are you always up this early?” I asked, as I poured my coffee.

  “Nah, my sleep schedule is just always fucked up my first couple of days home,” he said, as he took the cup from my hand and eyed the sugar as he held up a spoon.

  “One sugar, two creams, thanks,” I said, trying to hide the giddy smile that was threatening to bust through.

  We sat at the kitchen table in silence for a few minutes before Kash cleared his throat.

  “I kind of wanted to talk to you about something,” he said with a serious look. Oh, no. I wasn’t ready to talk about last night. I wasn’t ready for him to tell me it was a mistake. I also wasn’t ready for him to tell me it was just sex and it didn’t mean anything. Damn it.

  “Ok,” I said, trying to sound casual. The past couple of years I have been really good at hiding my feelings, but it was almost impossible with Kash.

  “Look, I know your ex is a dick. But, I don’t really know a lot of details. But, I think I need to know what we’re up against.” He said, as he bit the inside of his cheek.

  We?

  “He’s a jerk, but I can handle him. Don’t worry about it,” I said, lying through my teeth, and from the look on his face, he knew it.

  “He’s more than a jerk, sweetie. He hit you didn’t he?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I said quietly, and stared into my cup.

  I peeked up at him, and saw that his jaw was flinching.

  “What else? I know there’s more,” he said.

  “Just douche bag stuff, Kash. I really don’t want to talk about him,” I said. Honestly, I didn’t want Kash to know how pathetic I was for staying with him for so long.

  “The reason I’m asking is because I heard a car outside around three this morning. It was already leaving by the time I looked out my window. But, I still went outside and there was something left on the porch.”

  “Shit,” I mumbled. “What now?” I asked.

  “I cleaned it up,” he said. “This dude seems a little off, Mackenzie. He broke into the house and stole all your clothes. That’s completely fucked up and makes no sense to me.”

  I realized that Kash was holding back what he found this morning; I wasn’t even sure I wanted to know.

  “I depended on him for a long time, and I guess he thought if I couldn’t work, I would have to come back to him.”

  “You can’t go back to him. Ever,” he said, very seriously, as he stared into my eyes.

  God, he was beautiful when he was serious. He was beautiful when he was turned on. He was beautiful when he slept. He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. His lips crashing into mine broke my thoughts.

  “Promise me you won’t ever go back,” he said with his lips still against mine, but parted just enough to get the words out.

  “I can’t go back. I wouldn’t,” I said against his lips.

  He kissed me once again and then pulled away, got up from the table, and walked to the bar.

  He kept his back to me, but let out a loud exhale. I realized this was our new habit. He would show me some affection, and then pull away. I didn’t understand it, but in a w
ay it worked for me. Because I sure wasn’t ready to jump into a relationship, it would just make dealing with Jake even harder. But I loved the way he made me feel when he touched me. He gave me a peaceful feeling that I’m not sure I had ever known. And, maybe I was just vulnerable. Or maybe I was just in lust, I don’t know. But either way, I liked Kash and I couldn’t deny it.

  “Can we talk about something else?” I asked, as I stood up. I walked in his direction. Everything in me wanted to wrap my arms around his waist and hold him close to me. But instead, I just ran my finger horizontally down the tattoo on his back. I watched as chill bumps spread all over his back. At my touch. That made me smile.

  “Sure,” he said, as he spun around, walked passed me slowly and sat back down at the table. To say I was a little disappointed would be an understatement.

  “So what brought you to Bailey? Sam said you were living a few towns over?” I asked, as I picked up my cup of coffee and took a sip.

  “Uh, I did something stupid,” he said with a little laugh.

  “Oh yeah? What’d you do?” I asked with a smile.

  “Oh. You really don’t wanna know,” he said with that cocky grin, and leaned closer and tapped my nose with his finger.

  “You’re not running from the cops are ya?” I asked with a giggle.

  Kash just cocked his eyebrow and remained silent for a second.

  “Not in the way you think,” he laughed.

  Well, that statement made me more than just a little curious, but I didn’t want to pry, so I just stared him down instead.

  “Let’s just say I’m not proud of some of the things I’ve done in the past,” Kash said.

  “Well, that makes two of us,” I said, and nodded my head.

  “So, tell me more about you,” Kash said. “Brothers or sisters?”

  Oh, no. Another subject I wasn’t ready to tackle.

  “I’m an only child,” I said. “What about you?”

  “I have two brothers, they’re both older.”

  “Ah, you’re the baby,” I said with a wink.