Secrets

by Terry Towers

  “Yeah, well. You owe me, brother,” Vince stated, followed by the sound of ruffling papers.

  I chuckled as I closed the office door behind me. “If I recall I saved your lousy life so I’d say we’re even, but how about you come on by next time you’re in town and I’ll treat ya to a drink?”

  Chuckling on the other end. “Only if it’s the top-shelf goods.”

  I laughed along with him. “Deal. So what’s going on?”

  His mood immediately sobered. “How do you manage to get yourself into shit like this?”

  “Shit like what?”

  “Like Alexander Vetrov. The Bratva.”

  “The what?”

  “He’s Russian mafia, dumbass. What the fuck have you gotten yourself into?”

  “It’s not me… exactly.”

  “It’s a girl.”

  “Yeah, it’s a girl. She’s his wife. She took her kid and ran off and landed here. She’s living in one of my apartments across the hall from me.”

  There was silence on the other end of the phone.

  “Vince?”

  “Oh fuck, Jaxson. Listen, this guy is the real deal. Mostly drugs, but we suspect he’s involved in arms dealing, among other things.”

  “Why hasn’t he been charged? If the FBI knows the shit he’s involved in then why is he still walking the streets? He used Anastasia as a slave, she has the scars all over her body to prove it! She ran because she was in fear of her life.”

  “Because he’s smart. And connected. He’s not going to do the dirty work himself. Whenever we have a case against him, he gets a hotshot lawyer who finds some loophole, or his attorneys bury us with paperwork. Hell, he even has a couple of lawsuits against the Miami PD, they won’t even attempt to touch the guy. He isn’t my case but from what I can gather, it’s a fucking nightmare trying to nail him.”

  “One of his men was at the bar today, looking for Anastasia and Ura. Is there any way you can do something for them? She’s terrified and I think she’s going to run again if I don’t come up with some way to protect them.”

  More silence.

  “Does she have evidence of her husband’s criminal activities? Is she willing to testify?”

  “I… Fuck, buddy, I don’t know. She hasn’t talked about her past or Alexander. The only way I knew who was after her was because one of his henchmen showed up at the bar today.”

  “The only way we’d consider her for witness protection is if she’s a witness willing to testify. The FBI isn’t going to get involved in a domestic dispute.”

  “He’ll fucking kill her if he finds her.”

  He sighed, followed by more silence. “Damn, all right. Give me a day or two. Keep her out of sight and secure until I get back to you. We might be able to figure out something.”

  “Might?”

  “I’ll do everything I can. You could go to the police and file for a restraining order, but I doubt Alexander will be swayed by that. But again, it’s a matter of proof and it’ll put a target on her back.”

  “I get it. I’ll keep her safe.”

  “She couldn’t have anyone better in her corner brother,” Vince commented, “and promise me you’ll be safe. From what I know, these men are dangerous. You need to sit down with your woman and find out everything she knows. If she wants to live and wants the child safe, you need to know everything. And find out if there’s anything she knows... anything we can use to take him to trial.”

  “Roger that. Thanks buddy. I owe you one.”

  He chuckled. “Just don’t get your ass shot off before I can get down there and get that free drink.”

  I laughed along with him, but there wasn’t a joyous bone in my body at that moment.

  Anastasia

  Pacing. Pacing and more pacing. I swear I was surprised I hadn’t worn a path on the living room floor due to all my pacing, back and forth across the living room, like a caged animal. That’s what I felt like, a caged animal – anxious and distressed awaiting its fate.

  I should be packing. I should be getting the fuck out of Bangor. Bangor was a mistake, it was too small. Who was I to think I could outsmart Alexander or begin to believe that maybe he’d just let us go?

  I’m packing. We gotta go. I can’t risk Ura. I spun to face the master bedroom intent on getting my stuff and getting out of there – I’d take a cab out of Bangor if I had to – when the key sounded in the door, the door opened and in walked Jaxson.

  Seeing Jaxson entering, so strong and confident sent a wave of relief through me. Running across the room I threw myself into his arms, clinging tight to him, drawing from his strength. He held me tight, stroking my hair and whispering words of assurance into my ear.

  “Hey, hey, it’s okay.” He pulled back and shot me a smile. “We’ll get through this. I told you I’d protect you and that wasn’t an idle promise.”

  “Did they come back?”

  “Nope. It’s safe. No one came or left without me knowing.”

  “For now.”

  He pulled away from me, took my hand in his and led me into the kitchen. “We need a drink.” I didn’t argue. God knew a drink would certainly hit the spot at that moment. Grabbing a couple of glasses from the overhead cabinet he pulled a bottle of white wine from the fridge, popped the cork and poured the two glasses, handing me a glass. “Is Ura sleeping?”

  I accepted the glass and took a hearty swig. “Been sleeping for hours now. Dead to the world.”

  “Good.”

  “I wish I could just forget everything. Just for a while.” I raked my fingers through my hair and sighed, before taking another sip of the wine. “I worried all night.”

  Jaxson drained his glass of wine and was about to refill it when he gave me a peculiar look.

  Chewing at my lower lip I shrugged. “What? What’s wrong?”

  Slipping a hand into my hair to grasp the back of my head, Jaxson lowered his lips to mine. His lips ghosted mine, teasing. “Nothing. But I think I may be able to help with forgetting.”

  Placing my palms flat against his chest, I caressed the taut muscle under the cotton t-shirt. “Is this a good idea?”

  He kissed me lightly, nipping at my lower lip and then brushing his lips across my jaw and to my neck. “It’s a great idea Anna,” he murmured into my ear, the warmth of his breath sending a ripple through me. Maybe he was right, after all the worry – justified or not – a few minutes, maybe an hour isn’t going to change a thing.

  Jaxson pulled away and I groaned my displeasure. Before I could ask him why he stopped, he grabbed the hem of the satin teddy I was wearing and pulled it up and over my head, tossing it onto the counter to the left of me. Hooking his thumbs into the waistband of my matching red satin panties he pulled them down and I stepped out of them, leaving me naked before him.

  “Besides, I have a better way of drinking this wine.”

  Crinkling my nose up, I raised a brow at him. “What?” Grabbing me at the waist, he lifted me up and set me onto the edge of the kitchen counter. A little nervous giggle escaped me. “I don’t-”

  “I think you do. Lean back.”

  My giggle turned to an outright laugh, but I did as told and leaned back onto my elbows and watched as he picked up the wine bottle. When he lifted his eyes and they met mine he gave me a devious stare that made my pussy clench, Alexander and the situation I was in – we were in – all but forgotten.

  Grabbing my knees he spread my legs, exposing me to him, and stepped between them. I let out a ragged breath as my pussy began to throb and I squirmed, feeling the wetness begin to form between my legs. Keeping his eyes glued to mine, he began to slowly pour some of the wine onto my lower stomach; it travelled down my mound and slipped between my moist folds to drip onto the counter under me.

  I chewed at my lower lip to keep from squealing as the coolness of the room teased my wet pussy. But the coolness quickly turned warm and arousing as he dipped his head and began a string of kisses that began on my stomach and paused at my
mound. By the time his lips reached my mound the apex between my legs had gone from moist to wet and the building tension had me squirming and softly bucking against his mouth.

  I watched as Jaxson spread my pussy lips wide and licked the length of my slit, lapping up the mixture of the wine and my juices. My hands clenched into fists as I groaned while he flicked my clit with his tongue and then lifted his head to stare up at me, his dark, hungry eyes burrowing into me and fuelling my desire.

  “I was right, it’s much better drank off you.” He poured a little more wine over me and repeated the process over and over until I was moving with him. My eyes were glued to him, watching him suck and lick, savouring the taste of me. I was so damned turned on, I was tempted to slip from the counter and beg him to fuck me against the counter. But the sight of him was too amazing to interrupt. He moaned as he sucked my clit, sending a shiver through me, intensifying the throbbing between my legs to greater heights.

  “Please, Jaxson.” I began to move with him, fucking his mouth as my desire peaked and the urge to let go was becoming too much – overwhelming. “Oh please.” Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back, my golden hair cascading down my back. I was close, so close. I was about to come… Just as I was about to explode over his tongue, he stopped.

  I cried out as my eyes sprang open, confused as to why I was being denied the orgasm I was on the brink of having. Jaxson stepped back, a wicked smile forming on his lips and undid his belt and pants, pushing them down and exposing his cock, which was standing proud and eager to plunge into me.

  “Slide off the counter and turn around. I want to feel you come over my cock.”

  My legs trembled as I slid from the counter and spun around. Leaning against the counter, my elbows landed in the mixture of my juices and wine that had dripped onto the countertop. I didn’t pay it any mind, all I could focus on was my need to come. “Please…”

  “I want to feel you come over my cock, baby.” I heard the crinkle of a condom wrapper, followed by the rock hard head of his dick pressing against me. His hand slid up my back, caressing the back of my neck as he slowly pressed into me. The anticipation within me continued to hover at the brink. Just as I pushed back into him, he shoved himself deeply inside and my world exploded. I cried out as I came over his cock, however he wasn’t close to being through with me.

  “Oh God, oh Jaxson.”

  Leaning over me, his hard chest covering my back, he groaned. “Mmmm, that’s it baby. So fucking tight. I can’t get enough of feeling you come.”

  He caressed my neck, my shoulders and then slipped his hand around me to cup my breast in his palm as he began to fuck me, his cock moving in and out, the head of his dick stroking my inner wall in just the right angle and with just the right amount of force to begin my blissful journey all over again.

  “Oh God, yes Jax.” Closing my eyes I savoured each thrust as it stretched and stroked my core.

  “Shhh.” His breath hissed next to my ear, sending a ripple of pleasure down my spine and I moaned in response. It was so damned hard to keep quiet when it felt so good.

  His hand on my breast lowered down my stomach to cup my mound. Parting my pussy lips he began stroking my clit as he fucked me from behind, his hand and dick working in sync, increasing the delicious pleasure.

  Jaxson increased the pace of his thrusts, slamming into me harder, while driving deeper into me. His balls made soft slapping noises against my wet pussy, joining the choir of our moans. The hand on my hip slipped up my side, to my chest and then to grasp the bottom of my neck and forcing me to arch my back so my head was against his shoulder. I froze, horrid memories beginning to rush back to me.

  “I’d never hurt you,” he whispered, no doubt sensing my distress and where my mind may have been heading. His voice, his assurance so calm and sensual immediately put me at ease, focusing on my impending orgasm, which was rapidly approaching.

  “I know. But God… Mmmm.”

  “I need you to come with me.”

  “Yesssss. Yesyesyes!” His cock throbbed within me and I tightened my pussy muscles around his shaft, my hungry pussy milking it, begging him for his cream.

  He nipped at my side of my neck as he slid his hand from my pussy, grabbed my hip and slammed into me a final time, groaning loudly as he released. The pulse of his cock and the feel of the cum shooting from the tip caused me to cry out as it sent me spiralling over the edge with him. He pulled out slightly and slammed into me once more, another couple spurts of cum leaving him before he slumped over me, the weight of his body forcing me forward onto the cool counter.

  I groaned.

  “I know. Fucking amazing.”

  “Not that.” I pushed up. Damn, after the orgasm Jaxson was heavy. “You’re crushing me.”

  “Oh fuck! Sorry.” He pushed off of me, pulling out as he did. I whimpered as his dick pulled from me, immediately missing his presence. I slumped onto the counter once again, catching my breath and waiting for my legs to stop feeling like jelly so I could safely stand on my own. Despite the enjoyment of our encounter, it didn’t take long for the worry to creep back into my consciousness. Turning to face Jaxson, who had already zipped himself back up, I knew his mind was also back to the problem at hand.

  Chapter 12

  Anastasia

  “Come on,” Jaxson said as soon as I put my teddy back on. Taking my hand he led me from the kitchen to my bedroom, closing the door of the room once we were both inside. “We need to have a long, honest talk.”

  Awww, damn. I should have known I wouldn’t be able to get away without talking about my past, in particular, my life with Alexander. As much as I tried to run from it, I’d never get away. The story needed to be told.

  Jaxson led me over to the bed and we sat down, with him placing the bottle on the night side table and wine glasses next to us. “And just so you know, it’s not just you. I’ve been giving it some thought tonight and I think if I’m demanding you tell me your story it’s only fair I tell you mine.”

  Now I was intrigued. He already knew part of my story, but I knew nothing of his. And I wanted to know, desperately. “Are you going first?” I asked, curling my leg up under me and waiting.

  He poured another glass of wine and drank it down, before turning to me and nodding. “Sure. I suspect my story isn’t near as extensive or worthy of much conversation.”

  “I’ll judge that. I’ve been interested in knowing why you are like you are.”

  He chuckled and took another long drink. “Fair enough.” Placing the glass back on the night stand, he placed his gun on the night stand next to the bottle of wine and got himself more comfortable, stretching out on the bed and motioning for me to curl up next to him.

  I obliged. Considering this was a story he rarely – if ever – told, I suspected he needed the comfort just as much as I did.

  “All right.” He looked up at the white ceiling, not speaking. I gave him the time to gather his thoughts, suspected he needed it, I knew I would. “I was married.”

  I nodded.

  “And while I was married I was in the Marines. Special Ops to be exact so I was gone a lot. Periods where I didn’t talk to my wife at all. That type of deal. When I came home from a tour she announced that she was pregnant. I don’t have a large family so I was happy. We needed the money and so I went back on another tour and came home just before she gave birth. The baby was a boy, Shawn Anthony Langley.

  “You have a child!” I couldn’t believe he hadn’t mentioned that before! I attempted to sit up, but he held me secure beside me.

  A smile formed on his lips and his eyes took on a far-off look for a moment. “I did. I had a child.”

  My heart sank. The child died? No wonder he was the way he was. And how he was so good with Ura. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I couldn’t imagine ever losing Ura. My life would be without reason to go on. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

  He turned his head and look into my eyes and chuckled. “N
o, no. It’s not –” he reached over to me and wiped the tears forming in my eyes. “Shawn is alive. He’s six now.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “He wasn’t mine.”

  My head was spinning. So she…

  “She cheated on me when I was on one of my tours. Got pregnant and let me believe Shawn was mine so I wouldn’t leave her. I found out when we were in the middle of the divorce. By that time I was out of the Marines and planning on using my overseas bonuses as a down payment on this building to open the bar. I told her I wanted full custody of Shawn and she refused. When I pushed she told me the truth. She wanted to hurt me and she couldn’t have done a better job of achieving that objective.”

  My eyes widened in shock. I was speechless.

  “I demanded paternity tests and sure enough, Shawn wasn’t mine.” He huffed. “The divorce hurt, but finding out the child you raised as your own for several years wasn’t actually yours… My heart felt like it had exploded in my chest. It’s been the worst hurt I’ve ever experienced. I swore I’d never allow myself to be hurt like that again.”

  “Ohhh, God… That’s…” I continued to draw a blank on what to say.

  He took a deep breath in and slowly released it. “It sucks.” He attempted a smile, but it failed miserably. “So that’s my story. That’s why I never get close to women.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  He frowned and gave his head a shake. “No need.” Brushing a lock of hair from my eyes he leaned down and kissed my temple. “Now, beautiful. I need to know your story. I need to know everything about your relationship with Alexander and what you know about his dealings. I might have some help for you. Might.”

  “Might?” I echoed, sitting up on the bed. I stared at him. “You’ve told people about me?”

  “Only a little of the little I know. He’s someone who can help.”

  “Oh my god! I have to get Ura, we got to go!”

  Jaxson

  SHIT! Sitting up on the bed, I grabbed her upper arms, keeping her from bolting from the bed. I recognized the look in her eyes, terror. Terror and betrayal. “It’s not like that. He’s FBI. He was in the Special Ops with me. He’s trustworthy.”