Over six feet and chiseled from marble he’d run around in my fantasies for who knows how long. I’d watched him fight for years, and although his right hook was heavy, he’s what my brother called a “submission master.” Uhm ok,thatsounded sexy.
He was a massive man with thick biceps and an iron chest that narrowed down to a ripple of abs and a sharp V at his hip crease. Anytime I’d come to the gym he’d been there, working harder than any of the other fighters. I used to “restock the protein shelves” along the back wall and watch him grapple with the padded body dummies. He rolled and bucked his firm ass as he rained down heavy shots on the poor dummy.
I gripped those tubs of protein tight to my chest when he turned his glistening back and I saw his tattoo. A gigantic celtic cross spread across his back, intricate gaelic script twining around the arms and meeting at a crest between his muscled shoulder blades. God, that must have taken hours. And it no doubt looked like it had been painful.
With a grunt into his mouthpiece, he turned again sharply and the light from above caught his profile as sweat flicked off his full bottom lip.So beautiful.
His dark hair was shaved short on the sides and back but a few long strands at the crown would inevitably end up falling across his brow. With his gloves up he looked menacing, a dangerous beautiful creature.
I shuddered at the thought of him wanting me. Not because I didn’t want him too…but because ofit.The secret I’m carrying...forced to carry… Oh God who knows now. I can’t get that close to him and keep this up, so I just need to stay away. I floor it out of there. Against my will, the memories came.
The night before she died, we had spent hours on my living room floor as she sobbed into her hands. I was at a loss for how to comfort her. I knelt down next to her and put my hand on her back. She looked up at me with streaks of mascara covering her pretty freckled face.
“It’s a lot of fucking money Jas.”
“I know honey, but I need you to stop worrying about that. We’ll take care of it. I’ll get you the money. What you have to do is end things with Rocco as soon as you see him tomorrow…Look at me Bree…”
She focused her eyes on my face. Her brown hair hung in frazzled strands across her petite face.
“Do you hear me? When you see him, give him the money and break up with him.”
Bree and her boyfriend Rocco owed a lot of money to some thugs from Dorchester. They’d been gambling and when Bree realized just how far in debt they were…and just how dangerous the men Rocco had been dealing with, she’d gone off on him. Rocco’s way of calming her down had been to assault her, spewing venom and threats. Now she sat with me, hysterical and afraid. She wanted out, of all of it, but she had no idea where to start.
She grabbed my arm. “Don’t tell my brother, Jas, please don’t tell Cain. He’ll kill Rocco. He hates him. They got into it once and Cain said he’d kill him if he even saw him again. If he knew about this…”
“He could help you though, Bree. I’m sure Cain has the money. He wouldn’t want to see you hurting this way.”
“He would help me and then he would kill Rocco and maybe even bust a few more heads. If these thugs didn’t kill him, he’d end up in prison. I don’t want Cain to ruin his life for me. He and I have only always had each other, Jas. Please, please don’t tell him!”
I didn’t tell him. Instead, I gave her every cent I had in savings. Ten grand. Gone. I’d been saving it since I’d graduated…but Bree’s life was more important. I thought I was saving her. I told her one more time when I gave it to her to end things with Rocco, for good.
The next evening she called on her way to pick him up from work. She was fully resolved to do it. It was the last time I ever spoke her.
All night I tossed and turned, waiting to hear from her. When the phone rang at 3 am I felt a wave of relief. That is until I saw a number I didn’t recognize.
It was a Detective Murphy and I listened in mute shock as he told me Bree was dead. He said that she’d been shot in her car and all of her possessions stolen. She was in the passenger side and the first thing I thought was Rocco.Where the fuck had he been?
I could tell that the detective was trying to write it off as a simple robbery that went bad…maybe an attempted car-jacking, maybe that’s why she was in the passenger seat. But I knew there was so much more to it than that. The thugs must have gotten to her.
I went to my brother’s house and we spent the day mourning her… but I didn’t tell Julius what I knew. I was saving that for Cain. That night as I walked out to my car, I reached for the door handle when I felt a presence behind me.
I turned to see Rocco and his infamous orange haircut standing there. He scares the shit out of me. He always has. I never knew what Bree saw in him. He’s not a huge guy, but he’s muscular, pale and tatted up from his neck down. A lot of his tattoos looked like prison art and that was Cain’s initial problem with him. Then he opens his mouth and hate and stupidity spews out. His lips pulled at the corners. I guess some people would call it a smile but it wasn’t. It never reached his eyes and there was definitely nothing friendly about it.
“Oh hey there Jasmine...”
“What… what do you want, Rocco?” I squared my shoulders the way I’d seen Julius and Cain do.Just stay calm.
He stepped up so close to me that I could smell him. Cigarette smoke, sweat and molding clothes. I tried not to gag.
“I’m gonna be straight up with you. I want you to keep your mouth shut about me and Bree and the money. I know she told you everything. Did you tell your brother anything already?”
His eyes were bloodshot and hard. He terrified me. I glanced at Julius’s front door, his porch light still on. I hope he didn’t come back out. I knew that Julius would kick his ass without thinking twice…but Rocco didn’t fight fair. I didn’t want him to get hurt.
“I didn’t tell anyone…yet.” As scared as I was, I was also determined not to let him see that.
“Good. Let’s keep it that way. If I get a visit from that shithead brother of hers or the police, the next person I’m going to visit is you…and then you’ll be as dead as... well you know who...”
I was winding up to tell him to fuck off when he clapped a dirty palm against my mouth and pushed me against the car.
“Oh no no no sweetheart.... Rocco will do you one better. I’ll make sure your big brother Julius and Cain join you too.” He taunted me with a feigned look of concern.
“Is that what you want, baby? It’ll be a family reunion in hell.” He pressed roughly on my face and I struggled to breath. He laughed bearing his teeth in a snarl and I heaved. Yup, I was definitely going to throw up.
He pulled away and walked backwards up the street, his index finger at his lips. “Not a word bitch.”
Suddenly now, a year later, I sit in my car remembering all of this and I can’t breathe again. I feel like the weight sitting on my chest and I can’t push it off. A bead of sweat rolls down the sides of my face and no amount of air conditioning is helping. There was no way I would put my brother and Cain at risk. No fucking way I would give him the satisfaction he wanted. But Bree… I took in another intake of air.
It took me a good fifteen minutes to calm down and reassure myself that I was safe. All I’ve wanted to do since that day was tell Cain what I suspected, that Rocco and his buddies had killed Bree. He’d no doubt taken the money to settle his debts and run off. I have nightmares about how scared she must have been.
In the beginning, my panic attacks were only a few days apart up and I thought that the more I did for Cain, the better I would feel. Penance I guess. But it never worked. I had grieved deeply, nursing my secret for months.
Cain had taken it the worst of all of us. Especially since parents were gone, Bree was the only one he had left. He had a horrible year in the ring, losing 14 straight fights. A few of them came close to breaking his body. After every night I cried to sleep, punishing myself. Ihadto protect my family. I had to protect him. For so
long, I had wanted him. I didn’t want to lose him too. I was torn between protecting the men I loved or getting justice for my friend. I couldn’t have both. Exposing Rocco would destroy us all.
Bree had lied telling Cain that she was with me the night that she went to pick up Rocco. She had told him that she had broken it off with Rocco weeks ago. I had told Cain that I hadn’t been with Bree the night she was killed. What I hadn’t told him was that I knew who she was with. It would kill Cain if he knew Bree had been in it much deeper than he thought she was…and besides, if Cain got to Rocco first, he’d kill him. That I knew for sure. And Cain would be gone too. It was such a clusterfuck.
When I got to the my apartment I locked the door handle, the deadbolt and the slider. Julius had asked me what the hell was up with all of the locks. I lied and said it was my landlord’s idea. I dropped my bag and made it as far as my bed before I collapsed in a torrent of tears. I hated my life since Bree’s been gone. I spend my days trying to be normal, being a good daughter, a good sister, a good business owner…but always waiting for something bad to happen. Today the good had come instead.
The good news about Vegas, the good - noamazing kiss… For a split second I had forgotten the past and kissed him back. I was so lost in that one, delicious moment that I had forgotten that I was keeping something from him. The secret that would get us all killed.
I choked on a sob and hugged myself tighter, nestling my chest deeper into the covers. Cain’s hazel green eyes came to mind. I smiled to myself and felt a little relief ease of my chest.
Golden eyes.When the light catches them just right, I can see the ring of green around them. They used to sparkle when he was happy. They had sparkled for a split second before he had kissed me. He wanted me. He wantedme.
TAKE ME TO MORE!
______________________
You are now entering international waters! Never thought you’d get a chance to be a pirate, right? :)
As a special thank you to all of my international fans, I’ve included bonus books in French, Italian, Spanish and more! Please share my work with all your loved ones.
You are always welcome to join me and your other favorite authors in our Book Club! Thank you so much!
-Author Emilia Domino
________________
Mon Marine
Une collection de romance militaire
Son choisi l'amour | Mon propre Rose | Ce que je voulais
Copyright © 2016 Tous droits réservés.
MICAH
C'est bizarre d'être de retour dans ma ville natale, voir combien tout a changé depuis la dernière fois que j'étais ici. C'était il y a près de deux ans. J'ai passé tout ce temps entre l'Afghanistan et rebondir partout dans le pays pour la formation. Les derniers mois ont été toutes les classes, de préparation de décharge sur la façon de le faire dans le monde réel maintenant que je ne suis plus un service actif dans l'armée. Ils parlent de nous comme nous sommes idiots, comme aucun d'entre nous pourraient comprendre comment louer un appartement ou remplir une demande d'emploi. Je crois que certains des gars doivent, mais j'avais déjà été sur ma propre pendant une couple d'années lorsque je me suis enrôlé. J'ai passé toutes ces classes gribouillage dans un tampon de juridique.
Il y a beaucoup de nouvelles boutiques sur la rue principale. Il y a des chaînes comme Five Guys Burgers et chipotle qui n'étaient pas là avant, et le hip de boutiques de vêtements et de boutiques de spécialité comme un lieu qui ne vend que du thé et un lieu qui ne vend que du chocolat. Cette ville utilisés pour avoir une station essence, une maman & sandwicherie pop, location de vidéo indépendant place avec une cabine de bronzage dans le dos, et un salon de coiffure appelé Don't Get sifflet. C'est tout. Vous avez eu à conduire trente minutes juste pour faire l'épicerie. Maintenant cela ressemble le genre de lieu riche de gens viennent en vacances.
Je marche dans la rue, la numérisation des trottoirs de Lily. Je sais qu'il est hautement improbable que je vais lui spot, mais c'est certainement pas impossible. Pas dans une ville de 3,000 habitants. Peut-être plus pendant la saison touristique actuelle; je remarque que bien des maisons du centre-ville ont été transformées en B&Bs avec des noms comme "l'allument Inn" et "Honeysuckle armes." Weird.
Il y a près de cinq ans depuis la dernière fois que j'ai vu son. Je n'ai même pas parlé à son en ce moment. En fait, la dernière fois que j'ai parlé à son était quand nous avons rompu. Il a tout mon idée. Après un an de classes de collège communautaire, j'ai décidé d'abandonner et se déplacent vers le nord pour devenir un bon entrepreneur tech. Lorsque cela n'a pas inévitablement pan, j'ai rejoint l'armée américaine.
Quatre ans plus tard, je suis à l'extérieur. Eh bien, type d. Techniquement, je suis toujours prêt individuel réserve pour deux ans. S'ils ont vraiment besoin de moi, ils peuvent me sauvegarder. snap Mais pour l'instant, je suis sorti et fait.
Lily étaient restés à finir l'école. Elle avait une pleine ride et ne veulent pas abandonner ou transférer, qui était elle. smart Je n'ai pas sa pression à venir avec moi, l'une ou l'autre; cela aurait été dégoûtante et je le savais. Pour être honnête, je ne pouvais pas vraiment gérer la pression d'être toute sa raison d'être là. Elle voulait rester ensemble et être longue distance jusqu'à ce qu'elle est diplômée, mais qui aurait été de trois ans et j'ai pu voir combien il était la blesse, comment triste et anxieux qu'elle était. Autant il me blesser trop, je savais que c'était une "cruels à être aimables" situation. J'ai eu à lui couper les lâches.
Elle a beaucoup pleuré. Je lui ont acheté un hamburger. Elle a pleuré en mangeant, qui aurait été endearingly drôle si je ne me sentais pas tellement coupables d'être la raison pour laquelle elle pleurait. Dans les jours qui ont suivi, je n'ai pas entendu de sa part. J'ai entendu par ses amis, mais, qui m'a appelé plusieurs fois par jour pour me dire, j'étais un douchebag et que Lily était une épave.
Et maintenant je suis ici, de retour en ville, en espérant que je vais faire en elle et qu'elle va être tous les sourires et les câlins. Peut-être que je suis un douchebag.
Je fais un double-prendre lorsque je vois la nouvelle entreprise sur le coin : une librairie! Pas un des livres-A-million ou un Barnes & Noble, et pas un seul de ces librairies peu utilisée qu poussiéreux pourrait ainsi être quelqu'un grenier, l'un ou l'autre. Au lieu de cela, c'est un grand-ish dépanneur avec une couche de peinture fraîche sur la façade, un grand et attrayant de signe ("F. Cunningham's libraires, HNE. 1862 ") et de big, nettoyez l'écran Windows plein d'habilement placé des livres.
Un véritable bell carillons, à peine audible, comme je l'ai ouvert la porte sur une pièce ensoleillée plein de tableaux d'affichage, les murs bordés du sol au plafond des étagères. Il y a plusieurs chambres, et j'entends des voix venant du prochain un plus. Un brillant, familiers de rire. Il retentit comme Lily. Je me trompe moi-même?
"Puis-je vous aider à trouver autre chose, M. Benny ?"
Lily revient dans la chambre de devant, suivie par un vieux couple. Elle ressemble exactement la même, seulement elle a rempli un peu et ses cheveux sont plus longs. Elle a l'air tellementféminine.Je viens à peine de l'avis du tablier et badge d'identité qu'elle porte; elle travaille ici.
Lily regarde-moi avec un grand sourire, des professionnels. Il faut une seconde pour elle de me reconnaître. Une fois qu'il détecte, son visage Falls.
"Je suis à vous dans un deuxième ", dit-elle sèchement, et va sonner le couple âgé.
Ils paient, la remercier et quitter, et Lily et j sont laissés seuls. Nous sommes à regarder les uns les autres pour un instant. Enfin...
"Je peux vous aider avec quelque chose?"
Son ton est professionnel, mais ses yeux regardent humide et sa voix est mis à rude épreuve.
"Lily", dis-je, et qu'elle tourne brusquement loin de moi.
"Je ne veux pas parler pour vous la MICAH, " dit-elle. "Je ne veux pas vous voir. Si vous ne prévoyez pas d'acheter quoi que ce soit, veuillez aller."
Je ne v
eux pas la faire tomber en dehors du travail, mais je ne suis pas prêt à tout simplement se retirer.
"Je vais examiner les livres," je dis. "Est-ce que cela vous convient ? " Elle hausse les épaules et à des ADI.
Je vais dans la salle suivante. C'est vraiment une belle bookshop : de grandes fenêtres, la lumière de planchers de bois franc, les nouvelles versions empilées sur les tables de bout avec peu de chalkboard signes en disant des choses comme " Staff Picks" et "Lecture d'été." Bien sûr je vérifier immédiatement le staff picks, balayage de l'peu notecards pour Lily's name.
Son pick est un recueil d'essais sur la politique étrangère américaine : loin de ce qu'elle permet de lire quand nous étions à l'école secondaire. Je apporter le livre jusqu'avant. Lily ressemble à elle est recueillie elle-même.
"Pas exactement la princesse Diaries, s'agit-il?" Je dis. C'était le Lily's livre préféré série lorsque nous étions enfants. J'espère qu'il permettrait d'obtenir un sourire, mais elle juste regardé irritée.
"Voulez-vous acheter?" dit-elle. Je nod, et elle sonne c jusqu', balayant ma carte avec pratiqué l'efficacité. " Je suppose que vous avez eu l'expérience de première main. Je vous ai entendu se trouvaient en Iraq."
" L'Afghanistan ", je dis. " Mais je suis maintenant de retour. Je suis à l'extérieur, essentiellement. Pas l'intention d'aller n'importe où pendant un temps. "
Lily semble sceptique, et non pas heureux. "Vous êtes ici? Pourquoi?"
"Je voulais juste dans les membres," je dis. "Pas en ville, pas nécessairement. À moins que… " Elle coqs un sourcil. "J'ai pensé à vous beaucoup, Lily. Vous me manquez. Vous m'avez manqué tout le temps, ces dernières années. Je tiens à vous revoir bientôt."
Le silence est suspendu dans l'air entre nous. Je pense à comment stupide, je sound. Toutes ces années et je n'ai jamais envoyé par courriel sa, n'a jamais atteint. Ni l'un ni l'autre n'a elle : pas de lettres, aucun colis surprise. Elle n'a même pas savoir quel pays J'ai été! Nous aurions pu facilement maintenu en contact, mais nous n'avons pas. Et maintenant je reviens attend… quoi? Elle rit et une lueur d'espoir perce.
BWWM: BEFORE I WAKE: A Bad Boy Billionaire Book Collection (African American Interracial Series) Page 2
