Pike let go of my hand, put the cup of water down and rubbed the rest of his tears away before stepping around to the other side of the bed for my mom to take his place.
She came over to me and bent down, enveloping me in her arms. “Oh, God honey. I can’t lose you too. How are you feeling?”
“Okay, a little fuzzy, I kinda hurt all over like I had one hell of a workout. What happened?” My voice still sounded scratchy.
Pike held the water out to me again.
I took a sip before hugging my Uncle David too.
“You gave us quite a scare, young lady,” he said. “If you fucking do that again, do not think I won’t personally turn you over and spank your hide. You are not too old for that.”
“No one touches her,” Pike said. “With all due respect, Sir. I know you’re her uncle but not even in jest. I can’t—I’m sorry. I just, can’t…”
My mom reached over my bed and took Pike’s hand, which rested on the bedrail near me. “It’s all right, son. We understand. We were all just very afraid.”
“Besides, Uncle knows I’d kick his ass if he tried,” I interjected in a scratchy voice. That broke the atmosphere and everyone laughed.
My uncle and Pike shook hands and I smiled. Glad two of the most important men in my life were good with each other. Uncle David was my dad’s oldest brother and the head of the family, he was also closest to me and my mom. But in truth, we were close to the entire family. It was just like that for us.
“What happened? How long have I been here? I feel like I slammed my head into a wall and been sleeping for a week.”
“The doctor will be in soon honey to talk to you, but you’ve been here for two days now,” my mom said.
“Two—two days?” I couldn’t believe it.
She nodded her head and tears formed in her beautiful eyes. “Yes, that first day you’d been in surgery for several hours, you had some internal hemorrhaging and a concussion. But you’re a fighter. You’re a Gunn, you’re going to be all right and that’s all that matters.”
“Amen to that,” Pike said.
“For a while, we weren’t sure if you would decide to sleep for another twenty-four,” Uncle David spoke up now. “I’m glad to see you haven’t. I’ve texted the rest of the family and they’ll be descending en masse soon. We’ve been in and out of this place so much, we might have to make a donation. And by the way, this guy here…” He pointed toward Pike. “…Never left your side.”
I looked over at Pike, really looked at him, his eyes might have been red and puffy from crying before my mom came in but there were dark circles under his eyes too. My baby was tired. I remembered something, even while I slept, all my dreams were of Pike. I heard him singing to me. It was his voice that I’d been following, drawing me back to him. So, when I opened my eyes, the one person I wanted to see was there. I turned my hand to brush against his, opening my palm, he placed his hand in mine. We shared a silent communication. For a moment, it was just the two of us, our eyes saying what we couldn’t speak before an audience, not yet, but didn’t mean the emotion wasn’t still there.
“What happened? I remember Pike telling everyone to leave the Center, and Sol coming to get me, he said someone claimed there was a bomb.”
“Yes,” Pike replied. “Detective Simons was in earlier to check on you and talk to me. He’d gotten a call from Aru’s sister, she told him she suspected one of the attaché’s with the embassy had been plotting with some of the dissidents in their country and might have planned something for the concert. The detective took that to mean a bomb, and he was right.”
“What?” I asked.
“Yeah, and it was the same guy that killed her sister and planted the bomb in your building,” Pike continued.
“Did the sister tell Simons all that? Did they catch the sonofabitch?”
“Unfortunately, they found him dead. Somebody put a bullet in him,” Uncle David added
“What?” Pike said. “I didn’t know that.”
Uncle David continued, “Simons doesn’t know I know yet. But Ross does. It was one of his people who found the body and called Simons. Simons tried to get into the embassy to talk to the ambassador’s wife, but you know how well that went down. Right after the detective left the grounds, seems she also left the country. But we’re pretty sure the guy, who was found shot to death near a private airport was Harameed. They’re running his prints and if he’s been handling explosives recently, they might be able to tell if he at least planted the bomb at the Center.”
“Wow! So if he’s dead. Who killed him?” I asked.
“I’ve been doing a little research about the country of Hasla. They seem to have a habit of taking care of things privately.”
“Is that why the ambassador wouldn’t cooperate with the police?” I asked.
“Just a working theory Ross and I came up with.”
“And what is it?” Pike asked.
“That once the police were onto Harameed as a suspect in the first bombing, then the killing of the sister of the ambassador’s wife, instead of handing him over like they should have done, they took care of the problem in house. It’s also why I think the wife called us to put a stop to whatever was going on, and why she was suddenly whisked out of the country.”
“Wow,” I replied. “Some country.”
“So that means it’s over?” Pike asked.
Uncle David nodded. “Yes. Whomever he was working for failed. He was killed for it. Neither of you should be any danger.”
“And who do you think he was working for?” I asked.
“Whoever the opposition to the ruling party is over there?”
I shook my head. As long as they were the hell out of my life, that’s all I cared about.
It still took another day before the doctor would release me from the hospital. During that time, my room turned into a flower shop. I had a visit from all of my uncles, aunts, and my cousins. It was like Grand Central in there, even Sol and Pike’s dad stopped by.
Through it all, Pike never left my side. Some of my cousins were in awe of him, tongue-tied, some of the females outright drooled. He was nice to each and every one. Even one of my cousins who tried to act like an ass, giving him the cold shoulder, but my mom was there and placed her arm around him. A clear signal to all, if she accepted him…then they damn well better.
I guess that went for me too. I smiled.
When I was finally released, the family took a united front that I was not returning to my condo alone, at least for a few days. My mother, I think wanted me home in Great Falls, but she knew where I wanted to go and who I needed to be with.
Pike and I still hadn’t had a chance to talk, not much beyond that first time I woke up. He told me he loved me and I had yet to tell him I did too. We’d seldom been alone and we still needed to get the past out in the open.
I didn’t want to believe he loved me, even feeling deep down that he did. At least, not after finding out about his mom, how our pasts were connected. I didn’t want to believe any of it. I rejected my own heart where he was concerned. We still needed to talk he and I.
“Are you tired, hungry?” he asked after we’d arrived at the Cove.
He’d made me park my ass in the lounge in the great room. My pain was at a minimum, but might have had something to do with the painkillers I was still on, but I needed less of it. I hoped not to take anything else but ibuprofen now.
I had an uninhibited view of the bay from the picture windows on one side and at one end of the room was a flat screen television set about sixty inches wide that looked more like a work of art than a TV. It felt good to be here, comfortable. Like a home. “I’m fine. I’ve slept enough, but I could do with a little something cold to drink.” My throat was still a little raw. In addition to the internal bleeding and concussion, I also had some smoke inhalation but it should clear up by tomorrow. My injuries were mild compared to others. Aru’s sister had saved many lives, although there’d been a handful o
f fatalities and over two dozen injuries, but it could have been so much worse.
Pike left and returned moments later with a tall glass of unsweetened ice tea with a slice of lemon. Just the way I like it. He sat down next to me and put his arm around me. I took the glass away from him and took a long sip. “Ahhh, that’s good. Thank you.”
He kissed the top of my head holding on to me tighter for a few minutes. “Anytime, baby. I thought I’d lost you. Not once, but twice. The second time…really for good. I can’t do that again. So please, do not fucking do that to me again.”
I put the glass down on the table next to the chair and turned back to him. Putting both of my hands on either side of his face, I gazed into those gorgeous eyes I’d fallen in love with somewhere along the way. Looking deeper past the surface, beyond the music, even down into his soul. He was meant for me. “I love you, Pike. I will never voluntarily leave you again. I can promise you that.”
“That I will take, cause you’ll have to rip you out of my cold dead heart and even then you’d be in my soul. So, wherever I am you will always be, because you’re a part of me. I love you, Eryn. Almost from the first.”
I kissed him. I meant for it to be merely a quick one, but nothing about us, when we’re together was quick. He parted his mouth for me and I slipped my tongue inside to be eagerly greeted by his. We danced and hummed our special tune. I slid back onto the lounge chair shifting to make more room for him. He didn’t lay on top of me though but turned, so I was on top of him. I only broke our kiss long enough to remove his shirt and whisper, “I love you.”
“I know, baby, I know. As long as you know, I love you too. I will never lie or omit anything from you again. I can only be who I am, baby. And I am a lot of things, a prison guard’s son, with a convict for a mother. But I’m also the man who loves you like no other ever could. Can you accept me baby, as I am? All that I am?”
“You know I can. I love you.”
“As much as it pains me.” He sat up and cuddled me close to his side. “The doctor said no sex. You’re still healing.”
“He didn’t say no kissing.” I grinned, so did he, and we plastered our lips together.
Epilogue
Pike
It felt good being back where it all started, back in that little bar in C-ville with Jason and his dad. However, what really made it special was having Eryn sitting in the front watching me. The place was packed and unlike when I used to play there before the fame, there were now bouncers placed in front of the stage to keep the fans away from me.
I grinned over the mic, my eyes on Eryn as the crowd yelled my name. “This is the last song of the night folks. There’s a pretty little lady who’s been waiting for me to finish this set. I promised her I was hers tonight and every night after that.” The crowd went wild and Eryn just shook her head and sang along with everyone else.
We’d made our relationship public now for the last month. Kinda hard to keep it under wraps when I was camped out in her hospital room and then took her to my home on The Cove. Yeah, there were a few rabid fans who didn’t like it at all, that I was permanently off the market, but most of them got behind us. Didn’t really matter. I didn’t give a shit. I’d also did another interview. Not with the prick that ambushed me before with the story of my past. His ass got fired from the news station. My baby took care of that one personally, didn’t even charge me for it and she did not come cheap.
I cleared the air about my past and so far, the reactions been overwhelmingly positive. But there was one more thing I needed to do tonight. She didn’t know it, but when I said forever, I damn well mean that shit.
When we made it back to The Cove, our parents had made themselves scarce, thank fuck. One or the other of them and sometimes both of them, seemed to have taken up residence here. Her mother because she wanted to keep an eye on the daughter she’d almost lost and I think my dad because he just enjoyed the company. I enjoyed them both, but tonight I needed privacy. I told them what I wanted to do and they gave me a great idea. Which was why we were now out on one of boats.
I leaned back against the cushion and pulled Eryn against my side. We sat out on the Chesapeake Bay under a night sky blanketed in stars, the milky way overhead. I took all of that as a good sign. Maybe my mom and her dad were up there somewhere looking down on us and approved. Truth, whether they did or not, didn’t matter. Only she and I did.
I slipped my hand under the cushion for the document I’d hidden there earlier and handed it to her.
She frowned. “What’s this?” She opened the envelope and began reading.
I waited for the frown to turn into a smile, then when her eyes lifted from the paper and captured mine I began to talk, “Our relationship began by me signing a piece of paper, a contract. I got you back because I had to sue your ass to even get you into the same room with me, although it didn’t come to that. Thank fuck! So, I thought we should just, you know, make it more permanent, more serious.” I dropped on my knees before her and moved the paper aside, taking her hand. I reached into my back pocket and took out the box I’d been carrying since the day after she’d gotten out of the hospital. That was the only time I’d left her side for more than a couple of hours. It was to get this pretty box, but the even prettier object it held. “I love you, Eryn.” I took the box and let go of her hand to open it.
She gasped when she saw it.
I felt a tear drop on my hand as I got the ring out and placed it on her trembling finger. “Marry, me? Let’s make our contract for life.”
She wrapped her arms around me.
I stood up managed to make it up on the cushion. The seat could unfold into a tanning bed and that’s what I did. Release the clasp, so it unfolded. We quickly took each other’s clothes off, so we were skin to skin. There was no time for foreplay, I wanted her—needed her too much. I placed my hand between her legs and my baby did not disappoint, she was as wet and ready for me as I was for her.
Opening her legs, she pulled me over her, grabbing my dick she guided me inside. Just as I surged into her waiting haven, I heard the words I’d been waiting for.
“Yes, Pike. Yes.”
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About The Author
Ursula Sinclair is the alter ego of LaVerne Thompson an award winning, bestselling, multi-published author, an avid reader and a writer of contemporary, fantasy, and sci/fi romances. She writes romantic suspense and new adult under the pen name Ursula Sinclair, who likes her relationships a little more complicated.
Her stories are highly sensual with erotic elements but she has a few that are considered erotic. Most of her books also have a touch of violence and a few more than that. She enjoys good action scenes in movies and has incorporated some of those elements in quite a few of her books. She is also a certified chocoholic.
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Visit her website at http://lavernethompson.com to read excerpts of her books or Facebook to contact her, http://facebook.com/groups/lavernesnews or http://facebook.com/ursulasinclair98 or follow her on Twitter @lavernethompson
Others Books by LaVerne Thompson/Ursula Sinclair
**Self-Published from Isisindc Publishing
PARANORMAL/FANTASY
Dragon’s Heart- Story of the Brethren
Sea Bride- Children of the Waves #1
Sea Storm- Children of the Waves #2
Sea Witch- Children of the Waves #3
Tatianna (free read at wattpad.com)
Journey of the Princess of Ice- The Elementals- New Adult
Dark Mist- The Hidden Series
Dark Shadow- The Hidden Series- New Adult
Angel Rising- Redemption Book 1
A Christmas Spirit
CONTEMPORARY
The Ballerina & The Fighter- Book 1 (writing as Ursula Sinclair)- New Adult
Maze- The Ballerina Series Book 2 (writing as Ursula Sinclair)- New Adult
The Dancer- The Ballerina Series Book 3 (writing as Ursula Sinclair)- New Adult
Come To Me
The Three Sisters Series Boxed Set
Ringside-The Three Sisters Series Book 1
Masquerade- The Three Sisters Series Book 3
Take Me A Romance Box Set
Rock My World Anthology
The Prison Guard’s Son- Young Guns Book 1 (Ursula Sinclair)
Ballerina Series Boxed Set
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Hold On
Sci/fi/Futuristic
Day In The Sun
Shadow Wars Homebound (writing as Ursula Sinclair)- New Adult
**Coming 2016/2017
Shaken- Young Guns Book 1.5 (Club Prestige) (Ursula Sinclair)
Stirred- (Club Prestige) (Ursula Sinclair
Frozen- (Club Prestige) (Ursula Sinclair)
Dragon’s Blood- Story of The Brethren
Lost God
White Wedding- The Guardian Agency Series Book 1
Something Blue- The Guardian Agency Series Book 2
Wine and Roses- The Guardian Agency Series Book 3
Guardian Agents Boxed Set
Dark Soul
The Otherworlders- Wolfen (Ursula Sinclair)- New Adult
Shadow Wars Ronin Riders (Ursula Sinclair)- New Adult
Living On The Edge
Skye High
Promises
Chances Are
Kissed By A Rose
Highland Jack
Lexi’s Journal
**Available From Phaze Books
Model Misbehavior
**Available From Freya’s Bower
Believe
The Prison Guard's Son: Young Guns Book One Page 17
