Desire.
Need.
Passion.
Words will never be able to describe this kiss. It's as if he’s stolen my breath and replaced it with his own so I can breathe. Every part of my body is on fire as his hands blaze a trail from my hips to my cheeks. Then, his lips are gone, and I feel alone again. When I open my eyes, his baby blues are staring back at me.
"Bliss. I shouldn't have done that, but I couldn't help myself. I've wanted to do that since the first moment I saw you in the airport when you were acting like a stuck-up princess."
His words make me smile as I remember our first encounter.
"Stuck-up princess, huh?"
"Yeah. You were tapping your foot and had your hand on your hip, but I couldn't stop staring at your lips. They were pursed at me in the sexiest way I've ever seen. All I could do was think about how soft they would be. I’m glad I wasn't disappointed." The smirk he's giving me is turning me on even more.
"Are you sure? I would hate to disappoint. Why don't you double check? You know, just to be sure."
I slide my arms around his neck as he captures my lips again. I hear him growl just as his hands grab my ass and lift me onto the counter. A sigh of pleasure escapes. I'm in heaven. Exactly where I want to be. For the first time tonight, I don't feel alone. Not. At. All.
9
Owen
I miss her the second she disappears into the kitchen. I heard everything she said to me and so much more. There's no chance I misinterpreted her words. She feels alone in this world, and I feel bad for her, but at the same time, I know I can fix it. I just have to get my ass off this couch and say the words. Better yet, I can show her. She's not alone.
She’s defeated. I hate that she feels that way. I hate the look that was just on her face. It's as if she's unsure of everything. I've been there. It's been just me since Chelsea died. Jay wanted nothing to do with me after what happened. I lost my sister, the only family I had, and my best friend all at the same time. I won't allow Bliss to feel that. It's unfair to her.
She's standing with her back to me, on her tiptoes, attempting to reach two glasses in the cupboard. Her ass is pushed out just a little as she reaches up, and my decision is confirmed. This girl is so much more than just a client. She has been from the beginning. I was in trouble the moment I laid eyes on her.
Why am I fighting this? What's the point?
Quickly closing the distance between us, I place my hands on her hips to steady her. She releases the glasses, her head lulls forward, and I feel her take a deep breath. It's now or never. Before I allow myself to chicken out, I spin her around and pour all my feelings into one kiss.
Her lips…they’re soft, sweet. Absolutely fucking perfect.
My pent up frustrations dissipate as I deepen the kiss before pulling away. Her eyes are still closed, so I wait. I can't tell what she's thinking. Did I cross the line? Did I read her wrong? There's no way, but I can't help but wonder. When she finally opens her eyes, I see every feeling and emotion I have in her eyes.
Then, regret kicks in. I try to talk my way out of what I've just done. Kissing her will never be a mistake, but at the same time, it was the wrong thing to do. It was unprofessional. I let my emotions and desires take control of my body, and I acted on an impulse.
Now, I fear I might be fired. If that happens, I won't be able to keep Bliss safe. That's all that matters to me right now. Keeping her safe. Maybe the truth will set me free.
"Bliss. I shouldn't have done that, but I couldn't help myself. I've wanted to do that since the first moment I saw you in the airport when you were acting like a stuck-up princess." A devious little smile appears on her face. She knows exactly what I'm talking about.
"Stuck-up princess, huh?" She's teasing me; I can hear it loud and clear. Two can play at that game.
"Yeah. You were tapping your foot and had your hand on your hip, but I couldn't stop staring at your lips. They were pursed at me in the sexiest way I've ever seen. All I could do was think about how soft they would be. I wasn't disappointed." The corners of my mouth turn up as I remember how badly I wanted her that first day. I didn't think it was possible to want her any more than I did then, but I do. Right now, all I want is to take her to bed and keep her there for days.
"Are you sure? I would hate to disappoint. Why don't you double check? You know, just to be sure."
Oh, Bliss! You're such a naughty girl. How am I ever going to be able to resist you? Why am I even thinking about trying?
As my lips descend upon hers again, I know that there's no turning back from here. I will accept whatever comes next. I know there will be questions that I won't want to answer. The complete truth will have to come out. If her father finds out about this, about us, I'll be fired. I'll deal with all of that later. I'm going to have to since I've lost my ability to think clearly right now.
I reach behind Bliss, grab ahold of her ass, and lift her onto the counter. Spreading her legs, I position myself between them and pull her close. I want her to feel how excited I am right now. I want there to be no misinterpretation of where I would like this to go. I need to be clear about how I feel about her and what I want.
The noises that escape her tell me she understands perfectly. Just to be certain…
"Bliss. I want you. More than anything right now." My breathing is labored, and it's taking everything I have to keep it together.
"What are you waiting for, then? Please, Owen."
She's begging me, and I love it. I'll make her beg a little more later, but right now, I think it's about damn time that we both give in to what we've been fighting for months.
Picking her up in one swift move, I turn and start marching toward my room. I won't give myself time to change my mind. I want this. I have denied myself so many things throughout my lifetime that I not only wanted but deserved. I may never deserve Bliss, but I want her. All of her. In order to have everything, I'm going to have to prove to her that I'm worthy. Starting right now.
Morning comes too soon. I stare at Bliss for a few minutes before I crawl out of bed and head into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. We were up most of the night, making each other crazy. I think I fell in love with her a little more last night. Not because she gave herself to me. Not because she seems like my equal in bed. Because of the way she responds to my every look, my every touch. I saw how amazing she truly is last night. Every word she spoke was beautiful, just like her. The way her body moved, how it responded to mine, only makes me crave her more.
I wait as coffee trickles into the pot. Once it’s finally done, I pour two cups. Bliss takes her coffee with a ton of cream and sugar, more than any normal person should consume in a day. I take mine black as night.
It reminds me of us in a way, our relationship. Night and day. She's sweet and innocent. I'm dark and dangerous. I would be naïve to think that she would want to be with me after everything is said and done. I promised myself last night that I wouldn't get my hopes up. I also promised myself that I would be the very best version of myself for her until this was over.
I don't know how much time I'll have with her. Six months at the most. Once she graduates, I'm out of the picture according to her father. My services will no longer be needed. That means I have six months to enjoy every moment of my life. Maybe more if I'm lucky. Less if I'm not.
My ears perk up at the pitter patter of feet across the floor, but I don't turn around. I pretend to be oblivious to her, but I’m aware of her presence the moment she steps into the kitchen. Every hair on my body stands on end. My dick stands at attention, and I have to resist the urge to turn around and take her in my arms.
Bliss clears her throat to get my attention. Little does she know she already had it. When I turn around, she is standing in the doorway, half-naked with her hand on her hip. The same sexy smirk she gave me at least three times last night is plastered on her face. Either she wants another round or she's teasing me. I'll take it either way.
"Coffee
?" My voice cracks, so I clear my throat as I make my way to where she's standing, placing her cup of caramel-colored coffee on the counter when she makes no move to take it from my hand.
"Thank you. I'm in the mood for something hot, but not coffee."
Good God. How in the hell did I get so damn lucky?
I place my mug on the counter next to hers and lift her up and over my shoulder. Off to bed we shall go if that's what she wants. I'd do anything for this girl at the moment.
"I need food," Bliss says. I'm staring at the ceiling, trying to regain control of my breathing. She's been insatiable. I'm not sure I can keep up with her at this rate.
"Me too. Are you volunteering to cook?" I try not to laugh as the words slip off my tongue. Bliss in the kitchen cooking is funny. Toast is her specialty. Burnt toast at that.
"Sure. Give me your phone, and I'll order something."
I let out a laugh, and Bliss backhands me in the stomach. Reaching over, I snag my phone off the table. Before I hand it over to Bliss, I see that I have missed calls and texts. Only two people have this phone number aside from Bliss. One is Mr. Cooper, and I can't imagine that he called me. The other is Jay. If he's tried to reach me and hasn't been successful, he's going to be knocking on the door any time now.
I open up my text messages. I only have to read the first line of the last missed text before I know something is seriously wrong. I sit upright in bed and start typing a message.
Me: Call me if you can
I stand and pace back and forth by the side of the bed. I hear Bliss talking to me, but I don't respond. I focus on my phone and wait for it to ring. Jay always calls me right back. Why is he not calling? When my phone alerts me to a new text message, I quickly retrieve the message and sigh in relief.
Jay: Can't talk over the phone. Coming to see you. Be there in thirty or so
Me: K
"Care to tell me what's got you so freaked out?" Bliss' voice registers just as I place my phone back down on the table.
"Jay has some information. He's on his way here right now."
"Why didn't he just call you?"
"I'm not sure. He said he didn't want to talk about it over the phone. It has to be pretty serious." I take a seat on the edge of the bed and rest my head in my hands. Jay never puts things off. He wouldn't come to see me unless he felt that he had to.
Bliss
After being with Owen all night and then again this morning, I'm flying higher than I've ever flown before. He's amazing. I knew he would be, but for some reason, I'm still surprised. Or maybe I’m just happy. We may not have spent Thanksgiving eating turkey like most of America, but I can definitely say that yesterday will always be my most memorable Thanksgiving.
My buzz dies the second our eyes connect. His phone is in his hand, concern written all over his face, and he’s feverishly typing out a text. Jay. There's no one else it could be. He's the only person I've ever heard Owen talk to or about. Aside from when he had his nightmares.
When he tells me Jay is on his way over, I know things are bad. I feel a panic attack coming on, so I excuse myself to take a shower. I manage to hold it together until the water is beating down on me, scalding my body. I beat my fists again the tiles in frustration before sinking to my knees.
Why? Why can't I get a break? I deserve one from time to time just like everyone else. I'm a good person. This shit is unfair, and I'm over it. I'm sick of this whole damn situation.
About halfway through my pity party, I suddenly realize why Jay is coming over. He has answers. If he has answers, then we might be able to put a stop to all this shit.
I wrap up my shower and get dressed. I'm about to leave my room when I hear a knock on the door. I pause in the hall and listen for voices, but I don't hear any. I make my way to the living room and find Jay and Owen sitting on the couch. Their backs are to me, their heads bowed as if they are looking at something. The floor creaks and gives me away as I make my way toward them.
Owen's head whips around, and he immediately places his finger over his lips to silence me. I tilt my head to the side in question, and he waves me over. Jay finally looks up as I round the edge of the couch. His face gives nothing away as he takes in my appearance.
I'm wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Owen's t-shirt. I threw it back on when I got out of the shower. When Jay cracks a knowing smile, I feel the blush creep into my cheeks. I should have paid more attention.
Owen thrusts a pad of paper into my hand, and I look down at the barely-legible words scribbled on it.
Don't speak. The place might be bugged. We need to go somewhere and talk. Leave everything but your keys here, even your phone.
I hold my hand out for the pen. Jay hands it to me, and I balance the pad of paper on my knee as I write. I hand the pad of paper and pen to Jay once I'm finished. He scribbles down a question for me and hands everything back.
Where are the pieces of your phone?
Placing the pad on the table, I head to my room to retrieve all the pieces. Instead of picking them all out of the garbage, I bring the entire can. It's the only thing in there. If he wants all the pieces, he can dig them out himself. Assuming he's looking for something specific, I scour my floor for any pieces I may have missed before heading back to the living room.
I place the can on the floor at Jay's feet and take a seat in the chair across from him. I watch as he pulls piece after tiny piece from the trash can and places them on the table. The silence is driving me crazy as I watch him tediously look over each fragment. I glance over at Owen to find he's watching Jay inspect the pieces of my broken phone intently.
Jay stands abruptly, a small fragment in his hand, and drops it on the floor, crushing it with his boot. He snags the paper off the table and writes for a few minutes before he hands the paper to Owen. After he reads it, he hands it over to me.
The phone was bugged with a tracking device. The device was still active but may have been damaged. Amanda probably placed it in the phone. I’m sure there are more in the apartment. They will look a little bigger than that one was and will be hidden in random places like behind big pieces of furniture, picture frames or in lamp shades. Anywhere you wouldn't normally find yourself looking for something. For now, let’s get out of here and go somewhere we can talk.
Amanda? Who's Amanda? That'll be the first question I ask once I have permission to speak again.
Owen empties the contents of his pockets onto the table. He removes the house key from his ring and stands. When our eyes meet, I know that I'm supposed to follow suit. I hold up one finger and run to my room. I quickly change into a shirt of my own, pulling a sweatshirt over my head, as well, and grab my purse.
I dump it upside down onto my bed, emptying it of its contents entirely, and grab only my house key in case we get separated. Not likely, but just in case. I have a feeling that Owen won't be letting me out of his sight until all of this is over. That's just fine by me. I enjoy his watchful eyes on me. Plus, I feel much safer when he’s around.
We quickly make our way across town. I'm not sure why they haven't spoken yet, but there has to be a reason, so I remain silent, as well. Central Park is just ahead and bustling with people, shopping bags in each hand. I almost forgot about the shopping today. Black Friday. I missed it.
Jay and Owen take a seat on a bench near the skating rink. Taking a seat next to Owen, I reach for his hand. He wraps his hand around mine and squeezes it gently. I needed that. The silence is starting to scare me at this point.
"Okay. So, here's what I've found." Jay pulls a folder from a bag I didn't even notice he was carrying and hands it to Owen. "They did a pretty good job of hiding her identity. It took me a while to figure out who she really was. Now that we know, I have a few ideas about what is going on. I may have done a little research on Cooper, as well. It's in the folder."
"Amanda." Jay looks over at me as if he's realizing that I'm here for the first time today. "Who is she?"
"Avery. Her real name is Ama
nda." Owen's words slice through the tension like a knife. My world continues to be turned upside down, shattered into pieces that are falling everywhere, unable to be picked up and put back together.
"Who is she, Jay?" I ask, averting my eyes from Owen. I don't wanna read about her in a file. I want to hear what he found from him, not a piece of paper.
Jay glances around us before finally speaking. "She's the daughter of the man who's assumed to be in charge of a very dangerous organization. I'm assuming that her father wants something from your father, and you are either bait or they're watching you to threaten him."
"What organization?"
Jay looks to Owen for permission. Owen nods his head, knowing that I won't stop asking questions until I get the answers I desperately need.
"He's a mob boss. They're big into drug trafficking and money laundering."
"So…what do they want with my father, then? I don't understand. How can he help them?" None of this makes any sense. My father is a nobody in this world despite how he acts. He may be important in Freeman Falls, but we're a small town. He's not important outside our community.”
"My guess is they want your father to look the other way so they can use the town as a gateway. Since it's situated between two major cities and right along a major highway, it's the perfect drop place. If they can have access to the town without fear of being interfered with, their operation can move more product. That means more money. They're probably trying to buy your father."
"He would never go for that. He loves our town." The words spill from my mouth effortlessly yet lack conviction. I don’t honestly know what my father is capable of, but I don’t want to believe he’s capable of this.
Jay looks over to Owen, and they have a conversation with their eyes that I'm unable to interpret. Jay takes the folder from Owen's hands and flips through a few pages before handing it back to him. I try to look over Owen's shoulder, but he closes the folder and turns to me before I have a chance.
Saving Bliss Page 9
