Secrets of Redemption

by LK Shaw

  I pinched his arm, hard, in response.

  “Sadist.” Although, Miles laughed when he said it.

  “I love you, Miles.”

  His kiss brushed the top of my head.

  “I love you too, Josephine Bishop. When this is all over, I hope you plan on making an honest man of me.”

  Turning in my chair so quickly, I would have toppled over if Miles hadn’t steadied me.

  “Are you proposing to me?”

  He just shrugged as though the most important conversation in the world wasn’t happening right now. I launched myself into his arms and wrapped my arms and legs around him, peppering kisses all over his face.

  “Damn straight I’ll make an honest man of you.”

  Like little kids, we raced each other into the bedroom, laughing and giggling the whole way.

  After a long night of lovemaking, I woke with a sudden feeling of dread in my stomach. Today was the day. I quietly made my way to the kitchen, careful not to wake Miles. Soon, breakfast sizzled on the stove and the smell of bacon, pancakes, and coffee permeated the air. Fifteen minutes later, Miles came stumbling out of the bedroom wearing only his boxer briefs.

  “I’m sorry I woke you. I woke up and needed something to keep my mind occupied for a little bit.”

  His warm arms wrapped around me, and he kissed me softly.

  “I couldn’t resist the smells coming out of here.” His stomach growled as if to prove it. He gently pushed me over to my barstool at the island and made me sit while he plated our food and brought it to me.

  “Are you ready for this?”

  A bark of laughter escaped, and I coughed on my bite of food. “Not even close to ready. There are so many things that could go wrong today. I’m scared out of my damn mind. I’m used to being in control. Everything about today is completely out of my control, and it’s nerve-wracking. I’m trying to quiet my mind and find my center, but it’s so hard to do.”

  “What do you need from me, Mistress? I’m here to serve you.”

  I looked at Miles with stunned surprise. This was the first time outside of the bedroom he’d ever called me Mistress. It was something he’d only used when we’d played.

  “Oh, Miles, thank you. I love you. You know that, right? No matter what happens today, I’ll always love you. I have from that first moment I met you. There’s never been anyone for me but you.”

  He set down his fork and circled the island to kneel at my feet. His arms circled me and his head rested on my lap.

  “I love you too, Mistress. Whatever you need, I’ll provide it. I’m yours to command.”

  “You, Miles. I only need you.”

  We remained seated together as I absorbed strength and energy from him. There was no doubt I was going to need it to get through today. Reluctantly, I pulled out of his embrace, and we headed into the bedroom to get ready for the confrontation with my father. Miles walked into the ensuite bathroom and began running the water. Once he’d checked the temperature was right, he pulled me into the shower with him and began washing me.

  At first, Miles’ touch was methodical. He directed me under the showerhead to wet my hair. The smell of my citrus shampoo wafted around the steam-filled bathroom as he began lathering my hair. He ran his hands through my hair with my complementary smelling conditioner, massaging my scalp as he went. Once my hair was rinsed, he grabbed the shower gel and sponge and gently began running it up and down my arms. He washed my back next, and when he turned me around to face him, I couldn’t help but notice his cock bobbing at attention.

  What had been a comforting feeling, now turned into a needful urgency. I needed Miles’ hands on me, to feel him inside me.

  “I need you, Miles.”

  “Yes, Mistress.”

  He quickly finished washing me and wrapped me in a towel. His hand enfolded mine as he guided me into the bedroom and gently laid me on the bed. He followed immediately behind me to cover my body with his, keeping his weight on his elbows and he stared down into my eyes.

  “What do you need from me, Mistress?”

  I reached out for his cock and guided it to my center. He gently pushed inside, neither of us breaking eye contact.

  “Fuck me, Miles.”

  “Anything for you.”

  His gentle thrusts deepened, but he maintained a slow and steady rhythm. With each forward motion, he hit that spot inside me. I needed more though. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pushed my hips up to meet his downward thrust, an unspoken command for him to go faster. He understood what I was demanding, and his hips quickened their motion until soon he was pounding into me with a ferocity that had me gasping.

  “Yes.” My back arched and the friction of his pelvis moving against my clit had my orgasm building until suddenly, my body tightened like a bowstring and pleasure poured out of me as my climax hit. I shuddered beneath Miles as my body came down from its high.

  I leaned up and pulled Miles’ head down for a kiss. I was so utterly in love with this man, it terrified me.

  He must have heard the echo of my thoughts as he caressed my face. “I love you.”

  He rolled to his side, pulling me with him. I cuddled up against him, slowing my breathing down until I knew no more.

  Chapter 38

  Josie

  Miles paced back and forth across Connor’s office as Crocker concealed the microphone in a button on my blouse. There was no video feed, but the audio was coming in loud and clear according to Morgan, who was outside in their rental car listening to our discussion.

  Crocker began a recitation of instructions. “We’re going to do recon at your father’s house before you arrive. Monitor any activity surrounding the house and make sure that there are no unexpected surprises. Once you’re inside, try to get your father talking. See if he’ll give up any information about the auction.”

  I nodded my understanding.

  “Try to get him to reveal anything at all possible. We need to track down Dragomirov.”

  “I get it,” I snapped back. They’d been harping all afternoon about trying to get my father to talk. I understood.

  Once the wire was in place, we did another sound check to make sure Morgan could still hear everything. After he gave the all clear, Crocker left and they headed to my father’s. While I took a seat on the loveseat, Miles paced. I tried not to fidget as we waited for the call that we were ready to go. An hour later, Connor’s cell rang. He answered it and spoke only briefly, his eyes never leaving mine. He ended the call and said the words I’d been both waiting for and dreading.

  “They’re ready.”

  Thirty minutes later I sat in my car outside the house I grew up in. A house I hadn’t seen in seven long years. Miles and Webber were situated in Miles’ car across the street three houses down. Agents Morgan and Crocker were on the next street over. Taking a deep breath and knowing that it was now or never, I exited my car and walked up the drive.

  My eyes darted side to side as I scanned the area. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I wasn’t sure if my dad was being over or under concerned about me being here. I didn’t bother knocking on the front door. Instead, I opened it and walked in, heading directly to my father’s office. It was his place of power. When I reached the office, the door stood open, and I spied my father sitting at his colossal desk. It had been hand carved and crafted by a custom furniture maker in town. My dad had it specially made when I was seven. I’d always looked upon the desk with awe. Even the dark walnut wood reeked of power.

  Cautiously, I entered the office, still keeping an eye out for any unexpected guests. At the sound of my footfalls, my father looked up and a sneer crossed his face.

  “The prodigal daughter returns.”

  “Where is it?” Hatred poured from my words. I wanted this over and done with so I could move on with my life. Plus, I had no desire to look at this monster any longer than I had to.

  “My, aren’t we a little impatient.”

  “Cut the crap. I have n
o more desire to be here than you have for me to be here. Let’s just get on with the exchange and we can move on.”

  “I figured you were only coming here to fuck me over so I thought you might need a little incentive to cooperate.”

  I stiffened. “What do you mean, ‘incentive’?”

  A sinister laughter from my father sent chills down my spine. “Well, here’s the thing. There is no evidence.”

  “You son of a bitch. What do you mean, there’s no evidence?”

  “I mean there’s no evidence. Edward’s body was disposed of in a way that it can never be retrieved, and the knife you used is sitting in the bottom of a lake right now. Everything else was burned or destroyed. There was no reason for me to keep it around. Although, if I’d known that you would end up betraying me, I would have made sure I had done everything possible to ruin your life.”

  My head shook, unsure that I’d heard my father correctly. I stumbled and fell into the chair in disbelief. All this time, wasted. My father could have been punished long ago if only I’d known. I was so stupid. It didn’t matter then. If he didn’t have any information on me, then there was no reason for me to be here. A small smile escaped before I thought about it.

  “I wouldn’t get too excited, Josephine. You forget about the incentive I have to ensure that this exchange still takes place.”

  “You have nothing to keep me from turning everything I have over to the Feds, father.”

  “I have your sister.”

  My small smile widened until it turned to laughter. I laughed harder than I had in years. Laughed until I was almost in tears. I slowly pulled myself together and sat back in the chair, smugness radiating from me.

  “I’m afraid that’s where you’re wrong, Charles.”

  Now it was his turn to appear puzzled.

  “Excuse me?”

  His arrogance knew no bounds. “I said you were wrong. You don’t have my sister. If you even bothered to give a shit about Casey, you would have already realized that she’s gone.”

  Without a word, he bolted from the room. I heard the pounding of his feet as he raced up the stairs and the desperate note in his voice as he called out for Casey. Elation like nothing I’d ever felt before seeped through every pore. Finally, it was over. I knew it would piss off the Feds that I hadn’t asked the questions they wanted, but it didn’t matter. They would have their evidence, and they could use it as leverage to get my dad to talk. To give up whatever secrets he had. I rose from the chair and walked out of his office. I’d just reached the living room and was steps away from freedom when a roar sounded behind me. I turned and there stood my father. My whole body froze when I saw the gun in his hand.

  “You bitch. How dare you come into my home and threaten me.”

  “Put the gun down, Dad. You don’t want to do this.” Holy shit, I hope the cavalry showed up quickly.

  “Give me the files.” His aim remained steady all the while my heart was about to beat out of my chest.

  “Not a chance. Even now, federal agents are on their way in here. They’ve been listening to every word you’ve said. You won’t get away with this. Just like you won’t get away with what you did to Casey. How could you do that to your own daughter, Dad? Your friend raped her, time after time. Don’t you even care?”

  “She wasn’t my daughter,” he spat out. “She was some little whore your mother tried to pawn off as my daughter. She was merely a means to an end. Edward invested in some of my business dealings. He was a loyal friend who deserved a reward. Unlike you, you ungrateful little shit. You wanted for nothing growing up. Everything money could buy was given to you. And this is how you repay me? By destroying everything I’ve worked so hard for?”

  “You’re a monster! Daughter or not, she was thirteen years old. Thirteen! She wasn’t a whore. She was just a little girl.” Fury raced through me, and my body shook with rage. If I had a gun, I would kill my father. He deserved to die.

  A banging sounded as the front door crashed open, and Webber and Miles came barging in, both with their guns drawn. Before I could guess his intention, my father grabbed my hair and pulled me up against him, the gun digging into my ribs.

  Chapter 39

  Josie

  “Put the gun down,” Webber commanded as he faced off against my father. A command I knew my father would ignore. He had no intention of going down without a fight. Stubbornness was definitely something I’d inherited from him.

  “Not a chance. There’s no way I’m going to prison because of this bitch.” Contempt oozed from each word he spewed. It still shocked me how much my father hated me. Even before what happened with Casey, we’d never had a perfect relationship, but it was as though this loathing had been festering long before then. It didn’t matter. This man was nothing to me, and his feelings had no effect. I could give him a run for his money in the hatred department.

  I couldn’t help but goad him a little. “Fuck you. You’re going to rot in prison for what you’ve done. Inside you’ll be a nobody with nothing. No money. No power. You won’t have your lackeys there to protect you.”

  He dug his gun deeper into my side, drawing a wince from me.

  “Shut your fucking mouth. This is your fault. If you would have just left things alone, but no, you had to stick your damn nose into what was none of your business.”

  “You gave Casey to men for money. You’re out of your damn mind if you thought for one second that I would let you continue to brutalize her.”

  He laughed, a sound that drew chills down my spine. It was diabolical, and something about the tone scared the shit out of me. As though he knew something I didn’t.

  “I’m not going to tell you again, Mr. Santiago. Put the gun down. You’re only making things harder on yourself. You don’t want to add murder to your list of crimes.” Webber continued his steady aim at my father. All this time I’d avoided looking at Miles, but instinctively my eyes were drawn to him. His gun was also drawn, but there was an infinitesimal shake to his hands that I only noticed because I was looking for it. His face was ashen, but focused. I knew this was killing him, because of the memories it brought back. If things went from bad to worse, I prayed he wouldn’t fall back into the darkness, because this time, I didn’t think anything would reach him.

  “Fuck you.”

  Those were the last words I heard as my father turned his gun toward Miles and multiple shots rang out. A scream resonated through the air, and I realized it came from me. I blinked several times, but the scene in front of me didn’t change. Both Webber and Miles stood with their guns still drawn and no obvious signs of injury. I scanned Miles from head to toe, praying I wasn’t missing something. A groan of pain from next to me alerted me that someone’s bullet had hit its mark.

  My head followed the sound. Standing at the back of the living room stood Agent Morgan, his gun drawn. My gaze dropped, and crumpled on the floor at my feet lay my father, blood slowly pooling beneath him, agony etched into his face. He coughed, blood spraying out of his mouth with the effort.

  “You always thought you were so smart.” Even facing death, the bastard remained smug. “Yet, after all these years, you never knew about my little secret.”

  “You have no secrets left. I know everything about you.”

  He attempted to laugh, but it turned into another choked cough. When the cough subsided, he spoke again. “You’re not so fucking smart this time.”

  I refrained from railing at him to talk. He wouldn’t tell me if he thought I couldn’t take not knowing any longer. It was best to act as though I didn’t care what secrets he took to the grave. And the grave was where he was headed. Slowly. Painfully. Just like he deserved.

  My expression remained blank even though I was moments from caving and begging him to tell me. Finally, he spoke again. “At this precise moment, your sister is being prepared to be sold at an auction. And you’ll never find her. Even you’re not that good.” He coughed again, his breathing becoming shallower.

>   My brows furrowed in confusion. He must be delirious as he approached death. Casey was safely tucked away in a small cottage I’d bought several years ago when I began preparing to destroy my father. My curiosity forced me to ask. “What are you talking about? Casey is far from here, protected from you and your evil. There is nothing you can do to her now.”

  Sinister laughter echoed in the air. “I’m not talking about Casey. I’m talking about Phebe. Your half-sister. Her mother was some whore I fucked who owed me money.”

  I reeled back in shock. A half-sister? I had another sister that I’d never known about? How had I missed her in all the files I had on my dad?

  Not wanting to sound desperate, even though I knew the emotion came through, I barked out my question.

  “Where is she? What have you done to her?”

  “Oh, I haven’t done anything to her. Her loser boyfriend sold her off to some member of the Russian mafia to pay the debts he owed me. She could be anywhere. I neither know nor care.”

  A maniacal laugh poured from him, but quickly turned to coughing as blood continued to bubble out of and down his mouth. His labored breathing slowed, until finally, it stopped. I could only stare at my father’s body as the impact of what I’d just discovered sank in. Warmth surrounded me as I found myself in Miles’ embrace. He pulled me close as chills threatened me. Could my father be telling the truth? My heart said yes. It would be just like him to torture me like this, even in death.

  “Oh my god, Miles. The terror and pain she must be going through right now. We have to help her.”

  Miles arms tightened around me, and I absorbed his strength. “We will, Josephine.”

  “Son of a bitch. We got nothing from this,” Agent Morgan said in disgust.

  I whipped around to face him, anger coloring my words. “Is that all you care about? That you didn’t get what you wanted? My father pulled a gun on me and could have killed any of us in this room, and you only care about your stupid info?”