by Alexis Anne
“Yeah, that’s not the problem.”
“If I’m not, it will still be fine. Smythe is my backup for a reason.” My biggest fear used to be getting hurt and being replaced. But that wasn’t the case anymore. It barely even registered on the list. All my fears now centered on Zoe, with her wellbeing at the top of the list.
The elevator stopped and the doors slid open.
The entire team stood in the lobby.
“Yeah, that’s still not the problem,” Wes chuckled.
I didn’t find this funny. Not even a little bit. If they tried to stop me from getting to Zoe I was going to fight every single one of them. I was one mediocre member of the team. They could win without me. “I don’t want any trouble.”
“We’re all going with you,” Wes said instead.
I stopped dead in my tracks. “I’m sorry?”
“We’re all going with you,” he repeated.
“I don’t understand.”
Chris shrugged. “We’re all going. The team plane is fueling up right now.”
It still didn’t make sense. “But why?”
“Zoe’s got some trouble, right?” Wes said as he clamped his big ugly paw on my shoulder. “Well, the team decided we should all take care of it. It’ll probably be faster and easier that way.”
Everyone nodded but I still didn’t understand. This was my problem. Most of them barely knew Zoe. “Guys, this is ridiculous.”
“So is a guy bothering Zoe,” Wes said with a hell of a lot of anger. “Look, this is your fault, Bear. You made us a team. You made us care. One of us has a problem, we all have a problem.”
“Whoever this asshole is who’s bothering Zoe? Let’s go scare the piss out of him,” Seth grinned.
Even jerky little Don was there smiling and ready to go.
And I had to admit, twenty men were a lot scarier than one.
“We should leave nine guys behind just in case.” At least enough to field a team.
Wes made a face. “This is not the time to be practical. Get your ass in the van.”
31
Zoe
It Will All Dissolve Under the Weight of Our Love
“The only thing you need to decide is if you want him to go to jail or just disappear. I can make either happen.” Brian—yes, the Brian from the plane—dropped a file on the desk.
“Disappear?” That sounded . . . extreme.
“Guys like him don’t go away quietly and I personally believe society is better off without them.” He shrugged like it was no big deal.
After he followed Tony out of the airport he went to work, which being at a security company, meant he had the opportunity to follow up on his instincts and put together a dossier on Tony. That was the file now on my desk.
“The evidence you have is enough?” Turns out my lovely ex was not nearly as perfect as he liked to think he was. In the matter of an afternoon Brian found two other women who claimed to have been hurt by Tony, plus a slew of shady business transactions.
“I have enough evidence to prove I can put together enough evidence to put him away. Give me a month and this guy is toast.”
I liked the sound of him being toast. I did not like the idea of it taking a month.
“In the meantime?”
“This is not a sales pitch,” he put his hands up. “My girlfriend would kill me if I took money from her favorite author. But I think you should keep someone from my staff with you throughout the playoffs. There’s too much publicity. Too much exposure.”
“This is a service you provide?” I honestly knew nothing about bodyguards other than what I put in books and most of that was completely made up.
He smiled wide. “This is exactly what we do at Contention Security. It’s how I know Lucy. You remember that Madeline Faints fiasco?”
Madeline Faints was one of my favorite singers but she retired after someone tried to kill her. “I have all her albums.”
He nodded as if he expected as much. “We were her security team. We were also the team with her when she dated Scott. Protecting celebrities is our most profitable service.”
Oh, now that was funny. “I wrote a book about you guys.” That’s when the giggles started. It was oh, so late and the exhaustion was getting real.
His eyes sparkled. “Oh trust me, I know.”
The pictures of Madeline Faints and Scott Kaine’s brief relationship were epically dramatic, but it was the security detail surrounding them that had set my writer brain on fire. I wrote a book about a star in hiding falling in love with her bodyguard.
“Your girlfriend read it?” I guessed.
“We all did . . . after Molly pointed out the similarities. You made her day, by the way. She owns a bookstore and your Butterfly Rebellion is her top recommendation. She even used it to get our friends Logan and Nora together.”
Oh my god. “Wait, wait, wait . . . not Logan and Nora Phillips.” I knew, from paying entirely too much attention to Madeline and Scott that Logan Phillips was the main bodyguard. I also knew my favorite composer—the one composing the score for my movie—was married to Logan Phillips, and her name was Nora Phillips, and oh my god they got together because of my book.
I was going to pass out from pure joy.
Brian chuckled. “Yep. That’s them. We’re all friends,” he made a circle with his index finger. “Scott, Lucy, Nora, Molly, and now Lily and Colt too, since we provide all the security for their movies.”
I started crying. I mean, yes, I was thrilled by all of this, but mostly I was just done. Too many feelings for too many hours and no sleep.
Brian was a good dude. He sat down beside me and put a comforting arm around my shoulder. “It’s going to be okay, Zoe. I promise.”
“I didn’t realize this was part of the service too,” I said between sobs.
He laughed. “You’d be surprised.”
I guess that was why he seemed to know what to do instead of ready to climb out a window. “You’re really good at your job.”
“Thanks. Does that mean you’ll let us protect you?”
I nodded vigorously. I had no idea what Tony was thinking or what he was willing to do and I didn’t want to take any chances. “Why is he doing this?”
“Because he can?” He gave me a comforting squeeze and handed over the tissues. “He’s a power-mad son of a bitch and you are the living breathing example of his failure to be powerful. If he’s smart he’ll forget you ever existed and move on with his life.”
“And if he’s stupid?”
“He’ll regret it,” Brian said simply.
My phone vibrated.
Erik: I’m here
I held up my phone so Brian could see it. He went to the door and stood guard, letting Erik in and leaving us alone when he arrived.
“Zoe,” he sighed with relief as he wrapped my up in his arms.
I wanted to crawl inside him. Bury myself in this feeling of safety. He crushed me against his chest, one hand in my hair holding my head to his heart. For the first time since I locked eyes on Tony standing above me on the plane, I truly relaxed.
“I’m really glad you’re here.”
Now his hands were on my face, tilting my lips up, crashing into me. “I needed to see you for myself.”
We held each other for a long time. Just touching and whispering reassurances. It hit me hard how upset he was—how much he felt because of me.
How loved he made me feel.
“What’s the plan?” he finally asked.
“Brian is arranging security. He wants me to keep a bodyguard through the playoffs.”
“I think that’s a good idea.”
“That’s all I’ve got so far.”
He chuckled and pulled me against him again with a sigh. “Well here’s what I’d like. I want you to come back to San Francisco with me right now.”
Whoa. “Now?” I pulled back so I could look up at him.
“Yep. The whole team came with me. They’re downstairs scaring ever
yone in the lobby.”
Scaring everyone in the lobby? Scaring away Tony. My heart pounded. “The whole team came?”
He nodded and smiled. “They said you’re family which meant we all needed to come get you.”
“But you have a game tomorrow.”
“I said the same thing. They came anyway.”
That had to be the craziest, most wonderful thing ever. I beamed up at my man. “You raised ‘em right, Papa Bear.”
That got him laughing. A real belly laugh. “They said the same thing. I guess I’m not as mediocre as I like to think I am.”
There was absolutely nothing mediocre about Erik and I was glad he was finally starting to see the truth.
I packed up the few things I had out then had a brief conversation with Brian. He had someone on the way to San Francisco first thing in the morning to escort me to the game. In the meantime he’d work on Tony’s file.
“Thank you for everything.” I shook his hand.
“Just doing my job.”
He and Erik performed a very heartfelt, manly handshake and then we were out the door. Even though Erik said the whole team was here, it was still a shock to see two-dozen Mantas ballplayers standing in a haphazard semi-circle around the elevator when the doors opened.
“Whoa.”
“They’re scary looking when they get together, aren’t they?” Erik chuckled.
Wes bear-hugged me as soon as I stepped out of the elevator. “You okay, Pixie?”
“I am.”
“You see him anywhere?”
I looked around the lobby—which at three in the morning was pretty empty—but I didn’t see him. “Nope.”
“Good,” he grunted. “Hopefully he’s hiding like the loser he is.”
I felt like a queen being escorted out of the hotel surrounded by knights. On the flight back I fell asleep on Erik. Everyone was dead on their feet when we got back to the team hotel but I made sure to hug and thank every single one of them before Erik took me up to his room and put us both to sleep.
“In an unexpected series of events, the entire Mantas roster took a trip to Los Angeles last night.” On the television was video from the hotel lobby of the team standing guard, followed by video of them escorting me out to the vans.
“We spoke to Mantas catcher Wes Allen by phone.” The announcer said. “Wes, what happened last night?”
“Well, we had a team problem. Threats were made against the girlfriend of one of our teammates.”
“That would be second baseman Erik Cassidy?”
“Yes,” Wes replied. His name was listed in bold across the bottom of the screen. “The Mantas are more than a team. We’re brothers. This threat was serious and we felt the only thing to do was to make it clear Zoe Burke is part of this family.”
“So you commandeered the team plane after last night’s game, flew to Los Angeles as a team, to pick up Miss Burke?”
“Yes,” Wes said simply. “And we had permission to use the plane.”
The announcer chuckled. “It’s more than unusual for an entire roster to leave between games.”
“We’re more than an unusual team and Zoe is more than an unusual woman.”
That caught the announcer off guard. “It is an amazing show of unity.”
“I just want to make it clear. No one threatens any member of our Mantas family without getting the entire Mantas family to deal with.”
“Well, we have a huge amount of respect for you here in the studios. Good luck with today’s game against San Francisco.”
Erik clicked the television off. “You’re okay with that?”
Way more than okay. “I’m flattered. A little embarrassed that I’m on television, but mostly just completely in love with every member of the Mantas.”
“Hey now,” Erik tackled me to the bed. “Careful. I’m the jealous type, remember?”
“I still can’t believe you got management involved, too. You got a plane.” It was nuts.
“Eve,” he said simply.
Of course. My mentor-fairy-godmother-friend. “You know, I think Eve is the most influential person in my life. She gave me a job when I got to Tampa, believed in my dreams, supported me . . . ” I shook my head in amazement that a single person could affect someone’s life with a few simple actions. “She gave me a family and she led me to you.” I wrapped my hand around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss.
“Well, since you ended that sentence so nicely I’ll ignore the beginning where you said she was more influential than me.” He kissed me again. “For now.” He rolled on top of me. “Because one day you’ll be saying that about me.”
I wrapped my arms around him. “You’re already a very close second.”
He growled a little, but smiled. “A little pre-game sex? For luck?”
Now that we were rested I really wanted to connect with him. No, I needed to connect with him. “I’ll give you all the luck I have to give.”
He rolled us closer to the edge of the bed where his bag was sitting on the floor. “Condom. Big pocket.”
I dug inside until I found the box. “Who’s the most influential person in your life?” I tore the wrapper open.
His dark eyes raked over me. “Soon it will be you.”
I rolled the condom down his length. “Erik.”
He rocked his hips up. “My dad. He’s the one who showed me who I wanted to be.”
“And what’s that?”
“Just like him.”
That was oh, so sweet.
So was the look he was giving me as he gazed up at me like he was madly in love.
I really, really liked being in love. It was every bit as wonderful as what I wrote. No, it was better to live it. “I’m sure he’s very proud of you.”
I sank down on him in slow strokes, taking him deeper each time.
“I like to think so. He was a good man. A great father.” He hissed as I sank all the way down. “But mostly he was just so strong and caring. He and my mom were so in love and because of that they were just . . . unbreakable. Even after he died I swear Ma kept going because she could still feel his strength and love. I knew if I could give that to someone one day, make them feel that, then I would have done well.”
“Erik,” I whispered, completely at a loss for words.
He ran his hands up my legs. “I want you to feel that, Zo. I love you. I want you to know how much I love you every day and my strength is yours to have. Take all of it if you need it. Together, I know we’re going to be unbreakable. And this shit with your past,” he shook his head, “it will dissolve under the weight of our love.”
I burst into tears.
“Shhh.” He pulled me down onto his chest, wrapped me tight in his arms, kissed my tears away. “Darlin’ why are you crying?”
“Because I love you so much.” And he was too good to be real, but he was. And he was mine. And I just couldn’t believe it.
“I love you too.” He rolled me onto my back and thrust deeper inside me. “I know you don’t like the way it sounds, but you’re mine.” He pulled out and sank slowly back inside me. “And I will love you with everything I have. I will protect you.”
I nodded, still crying and very much turned on. I grabbed his ass and pulled him to me. I hated thinking I needed protection but really, it was so much more than that. It was family. Families supported each other.
That’s what Erik had given me.
He reared back and thrust deep. Yes.
“I don’t hate being yours,” I clarified with a gasp of pleasure. “I hate being owned.” Our relationship was not about possession.
He pounded into me, then hiked my hips up, sliding an arm beneath to elevate them so he could hit me right there with each thrust of his cock. It was so good. The intensity of it all only enhanced it. So many emotions, so much exhaustion, all pouring out into our bodies, recombining into desire and hope.
I was the first to orgasm. The head of his cock slid over my bundle of nerves over an
d over again, unlocking the center of pleasure. My orgasm triggered his. I had to watch. Had to see the way he was overcome. I loved the way his muscles strained, reminding me how strong and yet vulnerable he was.
We kept rocking together, kissing and feeling until we collapsed from exhaustion.
“Do you understand?” I ran my hands over his shoulders and up through his hair as I cradled him between my legs.
I liked being his.
“You own my heart, Zo. That’s the only owning going on here.”
Epilogue
ERIK
After the Happily Ever Afters
Our trip to LA served to terrify everyone, not just Tony. Not only did that dickhead stay away from Zoe but the entire San Francisco team seemed to lay down and give up.
I even hit two home runs off Sanchez.
Playing in The World Series was a dream come true and the pressure was every bit as intense as I feared. But we barreled through, winning in game seven with a walk-off home run by our exhausted pitcher, Chris Kaine.
The city celebrated us. I absorbed every incredible second of it.
But in a very small way I was glad when the excitement finally died down and I got back to life with Zoe.
“I think this is it,” she said, spinning a circle in the middle of our new living room. It was on the same street as Marie and Greg. Close to the Daniels sisters but somewhere we could start fresh.
“I think so too.” The house was very similar to the Hamilton’s. Modern, but built to look historic. There were hardwood floors, alcoves and a fireplace. There was a large room in the back that would be a perfect home office for Zoe.
“Where’d Sylvia go?”
I held up the keys. “She left.”
Zoe’s eyebrow shot up. “Excuse me?”
Perks of being friends with the right people. “The house is ours if we want it. I told her we wanted it. So she gave me the keys and said she’d start the paperwork.”
Her eyes narrowed. “How did you know I’d say yes?”
The same way I knew she’d say yes when I asked her to marry me in about ten minutes. There were no doubts. Zoe and I were meant to be. Just like she was meant to live in this house. I knew it when we looked the house up when Sylvia emailed over the listing. It was confirmed when we drove up and Zo’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. When we walked inside and she audibly sighed?
