by Violet Duke
So she valiantly fought off the climax she could feel starting to white out her vision.
He tsked. “So stubborn.”
Undeterred, he brushed his lips across the dip of her stomach and then slowly traced the outline of the tattoo on her hip with his tongue. Her other real tattoo. The one he’d been obsessed with since first laying eyes on it.
It didn’t take long for the evil man and his talented tongue to turn the tiny easter egg tattoo on the blade of her hip, with the laurel leaf design she’d drawn specifically for him seven years ago, to feel like a red hot brand, directly hardwired to her sex.
Her hips bucked up involuntarily. Which prompted Caine to smile wickedly and shift back over to his original mission of sliding his tongue along her slick center until she was panting, and swirling over the bundle of nerves now absolutely throbbing with pleasure.
His teeth followed next, raking over the same path. Once, twice…
She gasped out his name before he could do it a third time.
He growled in triumph. “Again.” Tongue and teeth. Teeth and tongue. He was relentless. “My name, Addison. Again.”
Oh God. She wasn’t going to make it. Though a part of her wanted to do exactly as he ordered, she couldn’t speak, could barely even think.
Not with the sharp, intense satisfaction burning in the depths of his gaze the more she unraveled.
By the time he pumped two thick fingers deep inside her, she was freefalling, his name a hoarse cry clawing out of her throat as he held her legs open and sealed his mouth over her to wring out every last bit of her orgasm.
She was boneless, mindless when he stood, hands gently caressing her legs as if he simply couldn’t stop touching her.
“Hell, I’m not going to last, babe.” His heated, tortured tone sent pleasure curling through her, need wrapping around her. “Where’s your box of condoms?”
Slowly, she slid over to the edge of the bed, and attempted to stand on the wobbly ground under her feet. She took comfort in knowing she wouldn’t be standing for much longer.
“I hid the box,” she informed him, her voice husky even to her own ears.
“Why?”
She put a hand on his clenched abs and pushed gently. “Because…it’s my turn.”
Running her hands over the solid wall of muscle that he called a chest, and the spectacularly ripped work of anatomical art that made up his abs, she managed to pull a low, slow groan of pleasure from him.
When she began undressing him, inch by impressive inch, his darkening gaze threatened to swallow her whole.
By the time he was as naked as she was, he looked two seconds away from doing something absolutely carnal to her.
Maybe next round.
Locking her gaze on his, slowly, so slowly, she slid her hands, one over the other, down his now fully engorged length.
With his rough voice warning her that he was already starting to lose control, she quickly started pumping his granite hard shaft with one hand, while sliding her other hand lower.
He cursed, every muscle in his body corded and clenched.
“Addison.”
Before she could talk herself out of it, she dropped her mouth down to shadow her hand’s movements, showing him just how good of a teacher he was.
Lips, teeth, and tongue… Lips, teeth, and tongue…
“Just out of curiosity, why do you do that?”
Addison looked up. “Do what?”
Caine smiled. “Whenever I hold your hand, you always stare at our hands. Sometimes for minutes at a time.”
“I do?” She’d never noticed she did that.
“You don’t have to tell me. I was just wondering.”
She reflected on it for a bit as she looked at their twined hands resting on his chest next to her cheek. “I think…I think it’s because you like to hold my hand. When we’re together, you reach for my hand all the time.” And she loved how often he did it. Whenever they were together, really. Wholly instinctual, almost unaware, they could be walking and talking after separating for a bit to tie a loose shoelace, and he’d twine their fingers mid-speaking.
He nodded, waiting for her to shuffle through the rest of her thoughts on the matter.
“Also…you were the first guy to ever hold my hand. Back in Creek Hills. You slid your hand into mine and just…stole a big chunk of my heart right then and there.” She’d always felt comforted, cherished with his big, warm, calloused hand engulfing hers.
He lifted her hand and pressed his lips against her knuckles, making it tingle.
“And yeah…that. I love it when you do that.” Whenever he kissed her hand like that, it was a cross between the most natural curling-up-in-your-favorite-chair feeling…and foreplay.
Every time.
“Honestly, aside from Kylie and Tanner, you’re the only person who’s ever held my hand.” Addison had no working memory of her mother ever having held her hand as a kid. Not out of affection or comfort, at least. To tug her in annoyance, sure.
“I’m sorry your mom never held your hand, sweetheart.” His tone was gentle, but his expression was anything but. She knew he wasn’t a fan of her mom, and this little tidbit probably sent the woman skyrocketing up his shitlist.
She shrugged. “It’s okay. I mean, it wasn’t, of course. I’d never ever bring a kid into this world without wanting to hold his or hand through the good and bad parts, you know?”
“Do you think about that? Having kids?”
“Sometimes.”
He began stroking her hair with his free hand. “Me too. Sometimes. I’ve always wanted a big family. Did I mention that? Whether by blood or not. Permanent or not. I’ve always just wanted to fill a home with lots of kids to love.”
She rolled partially on top of him and perched her chin on her free hand. “You want to foster children like your folks did?”
He raised a brow at her question. “I told you back in Creek Hills that I wanted to foster Kylie and Tanner.”
She drew in a wobbly breath at that amazing memory. “I-I know. I wasn’t sure if that was just because of the situation.”
“It was, but I also do want to be a foster dad in the future as well.” His eyes locked on hers. “Later. When you and I are married. By the way, are you okay with us having lots of kids?”
Her heart snagged in her throat. That was a masterful segue into a relationship talk. Instead of answering right away, she sidestepped it to buy herself some time, “You think about that? You and I having kids? I thought only women did that sort of thing—I actually think that was on a movie once as a rule of what not to do when you’re first dating a guy.”
He gave her an affronted look. ”Of course guys think about that kind of stuff. I used to know a guy in the NFL that only dated athletic women since he’d read somewhere that kids inherit a lot of their athletic prowess from their moms.”
She laughed. “You’re making that up.”
“Totally true story.”
“So that’s what you do, too? Think about your future kids with every woman you date?”
He kissed her knuckles. “Not until you.”
Butterflies started fluttering around in her insides.
Alright, she was ready to answer his question now. “I think I’d want a big family, too.”
Okay, maybe not totally ready. Baby steps. “Full disclosure, though,” she added, to give him an escape hatch out of this conversation if he wanted one. “I’m terrible at sports. Every single sport. It’s a miracle I passed P.E. in school.”
He chuckled. “Duly noted. But it’s okay if they don’t play sports. As long as they’re all happy.”
With a dad like Caine? That was an absolute certainty. “So when you say ‘big family’ how big are we talking?”
He didn’t even stop to think. “Three to start.”
“Don’t tell me, three boys like you, Max, and Gabe.”
“Nope. Three girls. Hopefully all like you. Beautiful and smart with big hearts.”
Oh lord, the man knew exactly how to reduce her to a melted puddle of goo.
She bussed her lips over his knuckles. “Well then we better plan on fostering and adopting a bunch of sons who’ll be as overprotective as you are. With a mom like me, our daughters are probably going to be a handful.”
Suddenly, Caine’s arms became steel bands around her as he scooped her up and dragged her across his chest. “Say that again. Just like that. All of it.”
She studied his primal, alpha intense gaze for a beat. “If I do, are you going to want to start making these babies right now?”
Completely serious question.
He rolled them both over on the bed until he was on top of her. “Probably.” Framing her face with one hand, he added, “But I’d settle for just practicing a whole lot.”
“Deal.”
Chapter Twenty
Addison walked out the main office and made a stop at the study hall, right next to the day care. Ever since Caine had brought up the baby thing, for the past few days, she’d been finding herself at the day care center more and more.
That whole thing about the ticking biological clock?
Might have merit.
It was funny how something like the past meeting the present could make the future suddenly open up and fill with possibilities she’d started to wonder would ever come true.
“Oh, Addison, there you are.” Maggie, one of the moms that had been with CORE from the very start intercepted her on the way to the day care center to give her a warm hug. “I wanted to tell you, the new tutor you hired is great. A real hoot. I thought he was a little odd at first, but he’s great with the kids; especially the girls. Apparently, he could pass for the way older brother of one of their favorite teen— Hey, you okay?”
Every muscle in her body locked up as her blood ran ice cold.
She hadn’t hired any new tutors.
“Maggie, I need you to go inside and tell the kids that it’s time for the self-defense workshops with the police officers outside. And that they should just leave everything here and head on out. Don’t make it a question. And don’t make it sound optional. Then just get those kids out. Go straight to the room we hold Georgia’s sewing classes in and lock the door.”
Maggie’s expression changed from confusion to alarm. “What’s going on, Addison? Who is that man?”
“I’ll explain later. Right now, please, just do exactly as I just said. But stay calm in there.” Addison knew Maggie was tough, but when kids were involved, even the toughest could panic.
But Maggie just nodded and hustled into the study room, her voice clear and strong, her expression giving nothing away.
Addison tried to see his face. David. After all these years. But his back was to her the entire time. As soon as she saw Maggie start leading the kids out of the room, Addison quickly headed to the daycare center, hands shaking all the while as she group-texted her security guards and Alec, praying that at least one of them was nearby.
Frank, her main security guard texted he was on the phone with 9-1-1 to report the intruder.
She stepped into the daycare center and said the two words she’d never had to utter before to her staff. “Emergency lockdown.”
Terrified panic hit the young volunteer who’d just started a few weeks prior. She looked rooted to the spot, silent questions posed on her startled, mouth agape lips. But before Addison could tell her to follow protocol, her main daycare center manager ran up.
They didn’t have to exchange a word. The seasoned woman knew this wasn’t a drill. She gave Addison a quick nod. “We’re on it.”
Addison watched the two women quietly get the attention of the parents in the room.
Fear descended on the room like an invisible cloud. Horrified glances were shot Addison’s way, but everyone remained calm as they gathered up the children.
Addison swiftly flipped the blinds to the one interior window facing the hallway closed, giving herself just a tiny sliver to peek out through to watch the last of the evacuation of the study hall.
David was nowhere in sight.
Another minute—that felt like the longest and shortest of her life—passed before she finally got the text from Frank that the police were on their way.
The halls were deserted. Everyone was ready, prepared for the worst.
And so was Addison.
She walked calmly over to the door.
“Addison! What’re you doing?” hissed one of the mothers. “Don’t go out there.”
But she had to. “He’s looking for me. You’ll all be safe. Just stay here and protect the kids until help arrives.”
Knowing she’d never be able to hide the fear in her eyes from them, she left the daycare center without looking back at the scared parents and workers, the unknowing children.
Slowly, she made her way down the deathly silent hallway.
Until a hand swiped over her mouth from behind.
She rammed her heel down on his foot with everything she had.
Alec grunted. “Calm down, it’s just me.” He let her go, cursing quietly, “Shit, those boots of yours are lethal.”
“I’m so sorry, I thought you were David.”
“Of all the things you had to keep from your bad-ass wardrobe,” he muttered, the approving praise clearly evident in his voice. “Next time, toss an elbow to the throat in there too.”
It was like having a Caine back-up on hand.
“Have you seen him? Is he still in the building?”
Alec pulled her into the main office and had her crouch down behind the reception desk. “No. We’ve had conflicting reports come in so Drew’s doing a digital sweep, building by building. Frickin’ dude is a genius; he’s hacked everything hackable. When the cops are done mobilizing their units to send in, they’ll do a physical sweep to confirm.”
“But what if he has hostages? Maybe if he sees me, I can stop him from—”
“Sit your butt down. I don’t need Caine castrating me, thank you very much. If David is still on the property, we just need a confirmation on his location so we can take him out. Snipers should be getting into positions soon.” He checked the ammo in both of his guns.
Just as a gasp burst out from the other side of the room.
Addison shot her gaze over to the source, and saw a horrified pair of eyes peeking out from behind her desk in the back. “Jaimie?” She ran over and found two terrified fifth graders huddled together, crying. She immediately wrapped her arms around them and tried to calm them down.
“Jaimie and I thought this was a drill like they have at school,” sobbed Molly. “We didn’t know it was real.”
“Shhh, it’s okay. It’s almost over. You heard Mr. Alec,” Addison reassured them quietly, trying to sound as composed as possible. “We don’t know anything for certain right now. There are security teams and officers out there checking things out, keeping us safe.”
Meanwhile, Alec got on his Bluetooth and finished strapping on a few different weapon holsters on various parts of his body. When he was done, he looked up to signal that he had to leave. She knew the lockdown protocol backward and forward. There would be no covert evacuating like on TV. They all just had to sit tight until told otherwise.
“Be careful,” she mouthed.
He saluted her with his gun and quickly made his exit.
The snick of the door locking behind him was almost deafening in the silence. Hearing the housing complex without all the normal sounds of families bustling around was a sobering blow that would’ve had her in tears if the girls weren’t there with her, counting on her to hold it together.
She gave them each a squeeze. “It’ll be fine. Just a little while longer.”
An hour passed with no change.
She did, however, receive a text from Drew—angel that he was—about twenty minutes ago letting her know that all the apartments had been swept with no sightings of David, and so far, no injuries reported.
It was nearly dusk when
the lights finally came on without warning.
A weary Alec came in to give them the official all-clear.
The girls cried with relief and ran out to join their friends across the hall, past a half dozen full-tactical SWAT guys filing through the halls, and uniformed officers going into each room to check on everyone.
There was terror reflected on every single face she saw out there.
And it gutted her.
“Addison.” Alec came over, his expression grim. “There’s something you need to know…”
The noise in the dining hall was deafening. All the parents who weren’t comforting their kids—or packing—were packed in the room, all standing, most shouting at the top of their lungs.
Sixty-four families.
Two hundred seventy-one parents and children.
All panicked and horrified over the day’s events, even now, hours later.
“So what are you saying, Addison?” bellowed a voice from the crowd. She couldn’t distinguish them from each other anymore; the distress in their voices all sounded identical, the sounds of anger and betrayal piercing. “You’ve known for weeks now that this sicko stalker was after you and you didn’t tell any of us? You didn’t think to have the decency to let us decide if it was worth the risk to stay here?”
Addison tried, but failed to swallow back her shame. They were right. She should’ve notified all the families right after David had sent her the floral bouquet. They had every right to know. And she’d done them a severe injustice by not saying anything.
“Just give her a chance to explain,” hollered another voice.
That managed to calm some of them down. At least enough for their attention to be focused collectively on her.
So explain she did.
She started at the beginning. Talked about how she’d raised Kylie and Tanner. Divulged everything about David’s priors, his stalking, and his intention to drug, rape, and likely kill her seven years ago. And the suspicions of his ties to the Mexican drug trades now.
The room once again broke out into a symphony of outraged chatter. “A known rapist was in here with our daughters?!” That voice she did recognize. It was the single mother of three girls who’d taken to the streets to get away from her husband, who’d been abusing her for years.
