by Lauren Wood
But she had to leave, and he couldn’t stand looking at the empty space in his bed. So he went on his run to get rid of some of that built up energy, and now he was going to take a shower at the office and change. But as he got closer to the elevator doors, a shadow passed over him, and he realized that he wasn’t as alone as he thought.
“Good morning, Marquis.”
Cade turned as the Irish accent seeped into his skin. “O’Toole,” he said sharply.
“You didn’t answer any of my phone calls yesterday. I gather you’re having issues with my phone, so I thought I’d take some of the stress off you and meet you in person. I trust you’ve thought over my proposal last weekend?”
He remained calm and collected as he reached out and touched the elevator button. “I didn’t have to think about it, O’Toole. I’ve already given you my answer.”
The Irish mobster reached out and gripped his arm tightly. “I don’t think you’ll like the consequences. Are you sure you won’t reconsider?”
“You invested quite a bit of money into my company six years ago, but I would not be here if it were not for Simon and Grant. They did more than give me money. They backed me one hundred percent of the way, and I will not betray them to you.”
The man dark eyes held a touch of sympathy. “I liked you, Marquis. I really did. The people that I work for aren’t just going to take no for an answer. O’Shea isn’t going to let you walk away. You will give them what they want, whether you do it willingly or not. You would make both of our lives much easier if you simply did what we asked of you.”
Cade yanked his arm away and stepped into the elevator. He held his hand out to keep the door from closing. “Tell me, O’Toole. You have all the money you could ever need. Why do you work for them?”
O’Toole stiffened. “Once you’re in, you never get out. Besides, I want for nothing.”
“Except for true friends. A family that loves you. Peace of mind. Integrity.” Cade stepped back and let the doors close. “I won’t turn into you.”
He had to warn Erin. As much as it would kill him to tell her the truth, it would be even worse if she were caught unawares. It would ruin her career if she ran the story without knowing all the facts. And who knows what O’Toole would do to get what he wanted.
He leaned back and hit his head gently against the elevator wall. He’d tell her tonight at dinner.
***
Erin’s hands shook when she saw the headline on the magazine. “Cade,” she whispered as she pressed herself against him. It had been three weeks since he’d told her the news. For three weeks, she’d spent every spare moment she had with him. He did things to her body that no one else had, but there was fear lurking behind every moment.
“The Irish mob? Cade, are you insane?” she’d gasped.
“I didn’t know,” he’d said as he shook his head. “What can I do?”
As far as Erin was concern, there was only one thing he could do. He could come clean. And she’d done just that for him.
New York’s youngest and hottest billionaire defies the Irish mob: Cade Marquis saves hundreds of thousands of jobs by saying no.
He put an arm protectively around her and steered her away from the magazine stand. The air was chilly, but it was nothing compared to the fear that iced over her bones. “What do you think is going to happen now?” she whispered.
Cade kissed the top of her head. “Don’t go anywhere alone,” he said softly. “And keep the gun I gave you in your purse at all times. More than likely, this will be too public for them to retaliate. They’ll simply deny it and move on. Timothy O’Shea usually keeps a cool head about him. But O’Toole is a loose cannon.”
Erin nodded her head. They’d talked at length about this, but she didn’t know what she would do if something actually happened. She’d just finally gotten Cade back. She couldn’t lose him now.
A month ago, O’Toole had revealed what he really wanted from Cade. It wasn’t his money. Cade now had inside information on Simon and Grant, and O’Toole’s boss, O’Shea, wanted to bring Simon and Grant down.
But it was more than just Cade’s loyalties to the company. Thousands of workers would have lost their jobs, and Cade wouldn’t have that on his conscience. But Erin wasn’t content with Cade just saying no. She wanted to protect him and reveal the dangers of the Irish mob. It wasn’t just violence. Businesses were at stake. People’s jobs were at stake.
He walked her to her apartment and pulled her close. “Tomorrow, we’ll tell our parents,” he said as he leaned down to kiss her.
She melted into his embrace. “Tell them what?” she teased. “That you give me three orgasms every night? That I strip naked for you and give you lap dances at the dinner table?”
Cade groaned. “Keep talking like that, and this block will see just how many orgasms I can give you,” he hissed.
What would he tell their parents? She was more curious about that than she was about their reaction. He didn’t talk much about their future.
“Stay inside today,” he said with another searing kiss.
“Keep doing that, and the tabloids will tell my mom before you do,” she said as she pulled away. He gave her one last longing look before he turned and walked away.
He made it two steps before the bullet rang out. “Erin,” he screamed as he turned, but the bullets weren’t for her. Fear forced her into action. As he fell to his knees, blood seeping through his shirt, she pulled the gun from her purse.
She couldn’t lose him. Not now. She didn’t even hesitate as he aimed the gun at the large man on the corner. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. She fired until she realized the gun was no longer spilling bullets. She fired until it was just a clicking noise. She fired until someone finally wrenched the gun out of her hand.
The man was on the ground, not moving, but she didn’t give a damn about him.
“Cade,” she screamed. The world stilled as she spun raced towards him. He reached up to touch her cheek, but the blood was coming out too quickly. “Hang on,” she muttered as she stripped off her jacket and pressed it to the wound on his side.
“I love you,” he whispered.
“Shut-up,” she snapped. “You say the worse things.”
He managed to laugh, and she smiled. “You can tell me how you feel when you’re not bleeding out on the side-walk. And when that happens, I’ll tell you exactly how I feel about you.” Tears were flooding down her cheeks, and she leaned down and pressed her lips to hers. “If you die, Cade Marquis, I will tell your father that you took my virginity when I was nineteen.”
But his eyes were closing, and she began to rock back and forth. He would live. He had to live.
Please.
***
The response was overwhelming. She’d wanted to keep it a small affair. Cade wanted it that way, but more than just family and friends wanted to come out. Business associates from all over the country demanded to be there, and before she knew it, the whole thing was just out of control. Every seat in the church was taken.
She couldn’t believe that it would end like this. She’d been in love with him ever since she met him, and it took a bullet for her to realize it. For her to realize how much time they had wasted thinking they knew what the other was thinking.
Cade had only wanted what was best for her, and Erin thought he was ashamed of her. Instead of embracing the unexpected love, years of silence and heartbreak had separated them.
Too late now, she thought as she walked slowly down the aisle. She couldn’t go back and change the past.
But as she saw his eyes light up with love and awe, she knew that their future was going to be filled with love.
O’Toole was dead. O’Shea put as much distance between him and the investor as possible, and they hadn’t heard more than an apology from him in the past year. Apparently he realized that the printed word was more powerful than money and blackmail.
Cade had pulled through with surgery. Rather than finding out over
dinner, her mom and his dad had learned the entire truth of their affair at the hospital. They’d surprised her with a roll of their eyes.
“It’s about time,” her mom had snapped. “I thought I was going to have to lock you two in the room together to get you to admit your feelings.”
Three weeks later, he’d slipped a ring on her finger. She’d glared and grumbled. Of course they loved each other, but that didn’t mean they could make it work. He was neat. She was messy. She wanted a smaller house and dogs. He wanted a bigger house and another car. She wanted two kids. He wanted five.
But he refused to take the ring back, and she realized that she was never going to take it off. Cade Marquis was hers. And even if they bickered and fought for the rest of their lives, he belonged to her and her alone. Just as she belonged to him.
Her dress trailed behind her as she finished the walk. Her stepfather leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I thought it would be weird to give you away to my son,” he admitted with a smile. “But there is no one else I’d rather see you with.”
She blushed and reached out to take Cade’s hand. Breaking tradition, he leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. “I love you, Erin.”
“I love you, always and forever, Cade,” she said honestly.
Twenty minutes later, she was Erin Silva Marquis. And she was the happiest woman in the world.
THE END
THE ALIEN ARK
Chapter 1
Melody Hall woke up and looked around, “Where am I at?” She said rubbing her head.
The last thing she remembered was looking at a patient. Her partner and she had received a call. There had been a horrible accident. The patient had bad lacerations to his chest, was close to death.
Now here she was in some big room, and she had no idea what was going on. She was mad, but more scared then made at the moment.
It was so dark in the room. She thought she had heard some noises when she first woke up, but now she didn’t hear a thing. Melody wondered if her fear was playing with her, perhaps the noises were just her imagination.
Melody wanted to get up and walk around, but her head was still woozy. Also her fright of dark places wasn’t making her move any quicker. She could and would gladly use the excuse of not feeling well for a bit longer.
Her head whipped to the left, she heard a soft mewing or some sort of noise. Could it be a monster of some type, she wondered. She listened more closely, it sounded more like a young girl softly crying or moaning.
The paramedic in her kicked in and she tried to judge how far away the voice was. Slowly she moved her way towards the sound, hoping it wasn’t some trick.
In her mind she picked some sick serial killer waiting for her to react. The killer would end up being the one making the noises. He would be slowly bringing her in for the kill.
Melody slowed her approach to the noise. She tried to give her eyes more time to adjust to the light. She thought she saw a figure of a younger girl sitting there. It looked like she was holding her knees and rocking back and forth.
“Hey are you okay?” Melody said softly, just in case a killer was in the room with them.
The girl looked up; her eyes were shiny with fresh tears. She couldn’t be any more than 18 years old. “Are you real?” The girl asked.
“Yes, where are we, do you know?” Melody asked, happy the girl could talk.
“I heard them talking about the girls who were to be sold to the highest bidder. Then something else about fights and I don’t know where we are though.” The girl broke down sobbing again.
“Shit.” It was the only thing that Melody could think of saying. She did have a fleeting moment of wonder, what had happened to her partner, and the dying guy?
Melody decided she should explore, but didn’t know if the girl would be okay or not. “Hey, I think I should look for a way to escape. Will you be okay here by yourself?” She asked.
The girl snapped up her head quickly, “Please don’t leave me.” She pleaded.
“I promise I’ll come back for you if I find a way out. Or you can go with me.” Melody offered as she noticed the pure terror in the girl’s eyes.
“Okay, I’ll go with you.” The girl finally answered.
Melody tried to hear any more noises, and decide which way was the best to try. Finally, she decided to go more to the left. Her eyes were fairly adjusted by now.
As they began to move they heard noises from outside a door, it had to be a door. Melody grew excited to hear a way out, or she hoped. She tried to prey the girl back into motion, but she wouldn’t move.
Melody looked back at her, “Come on we have to move quickly.” She whispered.
The girl shook her head, “No, I don’t want too. How can we get past anyone?” The girl asked.
“I know a bit of self-defense moves. Come on, just stay behind me if trouble breaks out.” Melody pulled the girl along.
The door opened when they were too far away, if only she could have made the girl move quicker. A bright light made her blind and she knew that she had made a vital mistake.
“Oh what do we have here?” A tall man said from the door.
Before she could react and get her eyes adjusted she felt strong arms circle around her.
“Stop, where am I, what are you doing to us?” Melody asked the man. But as she looked up she noticed he didn’t look like a human. His skin seemed to have a strange green tint to it, and were those eyes right?
“Oh, well I guess I can tell you. It won’t matter; you’ll never be able to escape.” The thing chuckled; she could tell he wasn’t human now for sure. “You’re being sold to the Sheiktel Family for their Goma.” He answered and his smile grew large.
“What is a Goma?” She questioned.
“Nope sorry, you’ll learn that soon enough.” Another two large men had already entered the room.
“We’re ready for the transfer; the funds are in the account.” One of the men/creatures said.
Melody’s mind was lost trying to figure out what creatures they were. Besides the slight tint, they looked close to human. But those eyes, she studied them closer.
Before she could look anymore though, she and the girl were being pushed along a long hall.
Chapter 2
Cassius looked in the mirror and pumped himself up for the fight. He wished that it was over already. After this fight he would be a free Sheiktel, free from all his obligations.
He had also heard that there was an extra prize in the purse. The promoters had been tight lip about what the extra prize was tonight. But they had seemed quite excited about it, so he hoped it was some extra currency to his account. That would be an amazing prize; it would help him out a ton.
Tonight had taken a long time to get too. He had already won 199 fights. On this night if he won, and he was certain he would, he would be free!
He heard the hype over the speakers in the gladiator room. Taking the last few moments to make sure he was stretched out, Cassius got ready to go fight.
Tonight, Cassius the Killer could win his freedom. That’s right, creatures of the night and day; we are about to possibly witness a great moment in our Goma fights! Are you ready?
Cassius could hear the crowd go into a wild frenzy of noise. “I’d say their ready!” He chuckled.
Cassius will face a special challenger tonight. Can you guess who it is?
He heard several names screamed out from the crowd, but one continued to be called again and again. “Lars, Lars, Lars.”
He sighed; Lars was the one opponent he really had hoped to not have tonight. The guy was extremely strong and lightning quick. But Cassius wasn’t a weakling either, and his speed had often won him the fight.
Lars though, he had watched a fight, and he had literally picked up his opponent and snapped him in two. “Okay so I’m a little nervous.” He sighed.
That’s right folks; tonight we’ll pit Lars the Barbarian against Cassius. He will have to fight the best of his life to mak
e it out alive and to his freedom!
As Cassius walked out he heard the crowd chanting his name. It sounded like most of them wanted him to win. However, he did hear several calls out for Lars.
Stepping into the circle, Cassius and Lars stood face to face. Cassius had to look up to the huge man. He was larger in person; he had only seen him from far away before. That’s okay I will still win, Cassius thought.
“Alright you two know the rules, anything goes. Weapons will be given out from time to time. It’s a first come first serve basis though, so you may end up with no weapon. Fight is to the death, no mercy is to be given. Cassius if you win, well you know what you get. Lars, if you win, you’ll get to fight one more day.” The referee said to them. “Go to your corners and wait for the bell.”
“You die tonight Cassius.” Lars growled.
“We’ll see.” Cassius laughed and walked to his corner.
He hoped his plan worked in his favor. He wanted Lars to be mad and off his game. By the flair in Lars’s eyes he had hit the spot.
The bell rang and no weapons were tossed out right away. So Cassius used his hands and legs to his advantage. Plus he continued to work his mind games on Lars.
“Hey big guy, so what did you have for your last meal tonight?” Cassius asked right before he landed a hard kick to the left side of Lars.
Lars recovered quickly, “You’ll die soon. Too bad you won’t have lived even one day as a free man.” Lars laughed.
“No way, how many fights have you been in now? Like 20, you know I’ve bested 199 other people already. Why would you be any different?” Cassius laughed loudly.
Lars eyes flared a red hot fire within them. He rushed Cassius, just as a sword was being tossed into the ring. Cassius faked to the right and moved to the left. Lars hadn’t even noticed the weapon had come out.
