“If this is the guy, it will be a lot easier to find him with a name attached to his face,” Tallon says, looking down at the picture.
“But this isn’t the guy who purchased Ellie,” I remind them, and Wes’s jaw goes hard.
“If we find him, he may know who the buyer was.” Mic adds.
“I still can’t believe some sick fuck is buying virgins,” Z grumbles from across the table.
“You and me both,” I growl, hoping like fuck that we catch this guy before any more women are taken. There is still no lead on the woman whose family contacted us when she was taken weeks ago. The only thing we know is she was meeting a guy she met online for dinner. The day she disappeared, so did her profile, along with the profile of the man she was meeting and their online conversations. It was like it never happened.
“We’re going to catch these guys. They will fuck up, and that’s when we’ll shut them down,” my uncle says, standing then looking at Wes and me. “Let me know what the girls say, and we’ll figure out the next step after that.”
“Will do.” I nod, watching him walk off, followed by Tallon, then I stand as well. “I’ll call after I talk to Ellie,” I say, watching Wes grind his jaw and lift his chin before getting chin lifts from the rest of the guys and leaving.
“You wanna talk to me about what went down with Ellie’s coworker?” I ask my cousin Sage, leaning back against my truck outside of the Broken Eagle’s Bike Shop.
“There’s nothing going on. We hooked up; she’s whacked; I told her to stay away; end of story.”
“She told Ellie she has a twin, and she’s the one who did what she did.”
“Heard that. Don’t buy it.” He shrugs, but I see something in his eyes that says he’s lying, or at the least that he doesn’t know what to believe.
“Have you ran a check on her?” I ask him softly, crossing my arms over my chest, watching his eyes go hard.
“Have I ever gotten involved in any of your relationships?” he asks, pointing a finger at me then growling “Fuck no, I haven’t. So drop it.”
“This isn’t about that and you know it. I’ve met Kim. She seemed nice, and definitely didn’t look like the kind of girl who would drug someone she was interested in.”
“I love you like a brother, but I’m telling you to stay the fuck out of it.”
“Run a check,” I say, watching his eyes flash.
“I ran a check; she’s an only child. So like I said, leave it the fuck alone,” he growls, storming off toward his car.
Watching him go, I shake my head, opening the door for my truck then pausing before getting in and looking in his direction. “Whenever you get your head outta your ass, I’m here,” I yell at his back, watching his shoulders sag before I hop into the cab, start up my truck, and take off toward home, where I know Ellie and Hope are waiting for me.
Chapter 10
Ellie
Sitting cross-legged on Jax’s bed, I stare down at the picture in my hands, feeling something ugly creep over me. Even though I remember the night July and I escaped from the house we were taken to, and even though I can still recall every single scary moment, I could never fully remember the faces of the men who had taken me. But now, looking at the picture in my hand, memories begin to flood back, more detailed than they ever were before.
“Hey, you’re safe here, remember?” Jax says gently, and I feel his fingers under my chin, bringing my eyes to his. “I promise nothing is going to happen to you.”
“I could never really picture his face until now, but it’s him,” I say, licking my bottom lip, feeling my pulse speed up and my hands shake.
“That happens sometimes. The rush of the moment clouds everything, making it hard to remember anything clearly, but then something will happen and the fog will clear, making it easier to remember,” he says, and that’s exactly what this feels like. When they asked me and July if we could help them make a sketch of the assailant, neither of us we’re able to paint a clear enough picture for the sketch artist and they had to give up.
“So what does this mean?” I ask, holding up the piece of paper then dropping it down onto my lap.
“Wes is showing this to July tonight. If she says the same thing you have, that this is the guy, then we will start tracking him,” he says as dread fills my chest.
“I don’t want anything to happen to you,” I say, watching him smile, which pisses me off. “I’m serious,” I growl in annoyance.
“I know you are, and that’s what makes it so cute,” he says, taking the paper out of my lap and tossing it to the floor. Then he crawls over me, pushing me to my back in the bed. “Do you think she’s asleep?” he asks against my ear as he settles himself between my spread legs, allowing me to feel his erection through the material of his jeans and the thin cotton of my sleep shorts.
“She was half asleep when we finished reading her book,” I murmur as he licks up the side of my neck, pulling a moan from the back of my throat.
“I think you need to be punished for all your back-talking today. What do you think?” he asks, causing my core to convulse, my knees to tighten around his hips, and my hands to wrap tightly around his shoulders.
“Okay,” I agree without thinking then close my eyes when I feel his chest vibrate with laughter against mine. “I mean no,” I retract, letting my legs fall open and my hands slip from his shoulders.
“Sure you do,” he says, raising his head above mine, smiling down at me and, not for the first time, I’m struck by how absolutely gorgeous he is. Lifting my hand, I run my fingers over the scruff along his jaw then over his bottom lip, remembering how it feels against mine every time he kisses me.
“The first time I saw you, my world stopped,” he says, catching me off guard, and my gaze goes to his. “Nothing else existed but you, and then it stopped again when I held Hope for the first time. And since that moment, there have been a million pauses, each one giving me something beautiful to remember,” he explains, and I feel my vision go blurry with tears. So I do the only thing I can: I lift up and press my face into his neck, where I whisper, “I love you,” while wrapping my legs and arms around him, soaking in the feeling of being in his arms.
“Let me check on Hope, baby,” he says, pressing a kiss to my temple after a few minutes. Letting him go, I roll to my side and watch as he leaves the room and walks down the hall, coming back a few seconds later and pulling off his shirt when he enters the room. “She and the puppies are asleep,” he whispers, leaving the door cracked behind him, then he turns on the monitor next to the bed that will let us know if she wakes as he toes off his boots and unhooks the buttons of his jeans.
Captivated by his torso, I blink up at him when he commands, “Loose the shirt,” so softly the words are barely audible. Looking at the door, my eyes fly back to him when he growls, “Now,” in a tone that has wetness gathering between my legs. Reaching for the hem of my shirt, I slowly slide it up my thighs then belly, pausing below my breasts when his eyes grow darker. Swallowing hard, I pull it over my head and drop it to my side, feeling my hair slide over my breasts.
“So perfect,” he rumbles, stepping toward the bed, running a single finger over one nipple then the other. “Now the shorts.”
Pulling my lower lip into my mouth, I sit up on my knees and pull my small sleep shorts down over my ass then sit to the side, pulling them off and dropping them onto my shirt.
“Are you wet?” he asks, pulling me to sit back up, with my knees in the bed in front of him. Nodding, because the words are locked in my throat, I feel his fingers slide down the middle of my chest, over my belly then my pubic bone, through my folds, collecting wetness before circling my clit. Causing my hips to jerk forward and my hands to land hard against his bare chest. “Easy, baby,” he says, gathering the hair at the back of my head into his free hand, forcing my head back and my eyes to meet his.
“I love this pussy. I love how wet you are.” He nips my bottom lip hard as two fingers plunge into me. �
�I love how tight it is,” he growls against my mouth, pulling those same two fingers out, only to thrust them back in. “I love how I can feel it begging for me to fuck it,” he says harshly before swiping those fingers over my clit in a tight circle as his hand in my hair tightens and his mouth covers mine in a brutal kiss. That has my hips rotating, fucking myself on his fingers so hard I feel the walls of my core clench.
“Not yet,” he groans, pulling his fingers away and bringing them up between us, swiping one over my bottom lip, which feels swollen then licking over it. “Lay back and spread your legs for me.”
Oh, God.
Doing what he orders, I lay back and timidly spread my legs then bring my hands up, covering my breasts.
“Unless you’re going to pull on your nipples for me, don’t cover them,” he demands, and my hands fall away to my sides as his slide down over my knees and inner thighs, where I feel his thumbs pull me open. Feeling my body shake with nervousness and excitement, I watch his face lower and his tongue come out, licking between my folds then curling around my clit, tugging it between his lips.
“Jax,” I whisper as my back arches, and my hands move back to my breasts, cupping them and pulling my nipples between my fingers.
“Show it to me, Ellie. Let me watch you as you come in my mouth,” he commands as his fingers move and two slide deep inside me, curling up and hitting that spot that pulls a mewl from deep within my chest. Pressing my tiptoes into the bed, I raise myself higher and grind myself against his mouth, coming so hard the world shatters around me, causing stars to cloud my vision and heat to race through my system like wildfire.
Coming back slowly, I hear the sound of plastic ripping then feel the weight of him settle over me. “So fucking perfect,” he says as our eyes meet, and he slides slowly into me, stretching and filling me. Pressing one hand into the bed near my head, his other wraps around the back of my thigh, pulling it tighter and higher against his side, causing the head of his cock to rub against my g-spot with frightening accuracy.
“Harder,” I beg into his mouth as his lips cover mine and his hips pick up speed. “Please, harder,” I tell him again when I realize he’s holding back.
Pressing my head into the pillow, I lift my hips with each of his thrusts, scrape my nails down his back, and then hold onto his ass, feeling the power of each movement as he slams into me over and over. Closing my eyes, I open them when he flips us over, settling me on top of him with his hands on my ass.
“Ride me,” he growls, rocking up into me.
“Jax,” I breathe, unsure, and then moan when his hands lift and drop me onto his length, bumping against something that sends a bolt of pain and pleasure through my core. “Oh, God!” I breathe, lifting my hips, falling over and over until my center begins to clench hard. As he fists my hair in his hand, my back arches, and my hands leave his chest and grip the hard muscles of his thighs behind me. His hips buck up into mine, and his free hand cups my breast, pulling my nipple, sending a spark to my womb that sets off my second orgasm, which sends me into orbit.
Letting my hair and breast go, his hands grab onto my waist and hold me tight against him as my name leaves his mouth. Falling against his chest, I feel his heart beating hard against mine and his chest moving in unison with my own as we both attempt to catch our breath.
“I gotta take care of the condom, baby,” he says gently, rolling me to my back and kissing me as he pulls out slowly, making me instantly miss him and my limbs to tighten around him, not ready to lose his weight.
“How do you feel about getting on birth control?” he asks, pushing my hair out of my face and pressing another kiss to my sensitive lips.
“I thought we were using condoms,” I whisper when his mouth leaves mine.
“We are, but if you get on birth control, we won’t have to.”
“Oh.” I bite my lip and tighten my thighs around him once more at the idea of nothing between us.
“Oh.” He smiles then murmurs, “Unless you want to give Hope her sister, then we can forgo all forms of birth control.”
“I’ll make an appointment with the doctor,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“Just giving you options, baby.”
“I don’t want to have a child until I’m married,” I say quietly, dropping my eyes from his, only to feel his finger press up under my chin.
“We can make an appointment for the courthouse instead.”
“You’re so ridiculous.” I giggle, knowing by the look in his eyes he is completely serious.
“I’m going to marry you one day, Ellie, and then I’m going to adopt Hope so you’ll both have my last name,” he says, causing the air to rush out of my lungs and my body to jolt.
“Jax.”
“Gotta take care of the condom, baby, then make a couple calls,” he says, rolling off me and out of bed, coming back a couple minutes later with a warm rag, which he uses between my legs before tossing it into the bathroom. Going to his dresser, he grabs a pair of sweats that he pulls on, while I slip back on my shorts and shirt.
“I should go back to my room,” I say, watching him grab the picture from the ground and his cell phone from the top of the dresser.
“Stay here,” he says, coming toward me, forcing me back into the bed.
“Hope,” I murmur softly, looking into his eyes then to the door.
“Is fine.” He cages me in with a hand on each side of me in the bed. “I’ll be back, so just try to get some sleep,” he says, kissing my forehead then lips and leaving the room.
Rolling to my back, I look up at the ceiling and feel a smile form on my lips as my eyes grow heavy.
Lifting my coffee cup to my mouth, I look at Jax over the rim and fight the urge to laugh at the look on his face as Hope tells me about her day with him yesterday. I guess in all the excitement with the new puppies, she forgot to tell me about her and Jax going to the nail salon and wearing her costume heels around town. But my sweet Angel is telling every detail now, and each of those details is causing Jax to look at me pleadingly.
I’m not even mad at him for giving Hope her way. I know he can’t help it. Looking at her now and knowing what she had taken from her, I want to give her everything her heart desires. But as a mom, I know that’s impossible and will only lead to problems down the line.
“It sounds like you had a good day, Angel,” I tell her, watching as she spins back-and-forth and side-to-side on the bar stool she’s sitting on, eating her breakfast.
“I love Daddy Ax days.” She grins as my heart stops and my eyes fly to Jax, who has a look on his face I can’t decipher.
“I…” He clears his throat then looks from me back to Hope. “I love spending time with you too, sweetheart.”
“I know, ’cause I’m da best.” She nods then dips her spoon into her cereal, shoving a large spoonful into her mouth like she didn’t just rock my world.
“Hello?” is yelled as the front door opens and shuts, and I look from Hope towards the door to the kitchen and watch Ashlyn walk in wearing a pair of simple black ballet flats, dark grey slacks, and a black blouse. It all looks good on her, but isn’t what she normally wears, and I wonder if this is the work uniform her new boss requested.
“Hey, princess,” she greets Hope with a kiss to her cheek then turns to look at her brother then me. “Am I interrupting something?” she asks, and I shake my head, knowing I won’t be able to talk to Jax until later tonight about Hope calling him Daddy Ax. Not that I really want to talk to him about it. I don’t know what I will do if he says he doesn’t feel comfortable with her calling him that.
“Nope, but I love your outfit,” I say, watching her eyes roll.
“My boss is an asshole,” she mutters as her nose scrunches up in disgust.
“Asshole is a naudy word,” Hope chimes in helpfully, making her cringe.
“Sorry, honey,” she tells her, watching as Hope shrugs then takes another bite of her cereal.
“I gotta head out,” Jax says, placi
ng his cup in the sink and shoving his keys into his pocket. “I won’t be back until dinner.”
“We’ll be here all day,” I say, leaning up on my tiptoes when his arm bands around my waist.
“Be good.”
“Maybe.” I smile, watching his eyes darken right before his head dips and he whispers, “Or don’t,” kissing me softly then letting me go. Placing his hand on the top of his sister’s head, he rubs it roughly, messing up her hair and making her shriek before going to Hope and kissing her forehead.
“Men are jerks,” Ashlyn grumbles, running her hand down her hair, trying to tame it. Then, she looks toward the front door and back to me when we hear it close, signaling Jax’s departure. “He’s gone,” she whispers.
“Go brush your teeth, Angel, then come back down and I’ll tell you what we’re going to do today,” I tell Hope, watching her scoot off her chair and run for the stairs. “Did you bring the stuff?” I ask looking at Ashlyn, referring to the decorations for Jax’s surprise party.
“They’re in my car.” She smiles, and I feel excitement bubble up inside me.
“What time is everyone getting here?”
“Around five. I’ll be back at three to help set up,” she says, going to the coffee pot and pouring herself a cup. “Are you sure you don’t want me to pick up a cake?” she asks, going to the fridge and getting out the cream, pouring some into her cup.
“I’m sure. I figured Hope and I could make him one.”
“He’ll love that,” she says as her face goes soft.
“I hope so,” I mutter. This whole family thing is still kind of new to me, but this is what I have always wanted, and this is what I want Hope’s memories to be filled with.
“Have you talked to July today?” she asks, changing the subject and leaning back against the counter.
“We talked this morning,” I say, wondering if she knows about us confirming that the picture was of the guy who had gotten away.
“She told me that you guys identified the other assailant.”
Until Jax Page 18
