She shoved her hands in her pockets and fought against the cold which seeped into her bones. The change at her fingertips had her staring at the door one more time. Affrica wanted to shout with joy as it hit her.
The way out! She didn’t immediately get up for her limbs were still shaky. But she plotted, and the moment she began to feel stronger, she rolled to her feet and walked to below the camera. Content Miles couldn’t see her even if he currently sat before whatever monitor the thing fed to, she undid her hair and held the wooden stick in her hand.
Toeing off one shoe, she crouched by the bottom hinge and put the flat of the stick against the bottom. Using taps, she moved it up until it just rested in there, it hadn’t come all the way out yet. She moved up to the top hinge and repeated the procedure. Once her shoe was back on, she removed the pins completely.
Using one, she began to wedge the hinge apart then just pulled once she could get a good proper hold on it. Slipping through, she paused before running up the hallway toward the door. Yanking it open, she didn’t even slow at the thunder which cracked overhead, just bolted.
* * * *
Reeve tapped his foot as his impatience increased. They hadn’t found her yet. Two days and no sight or anything from Affrica. Or Miles. He slanted his gaze to the left and stared at the men who were accompanying him.
All of them had their game faces on. They were on the outskirts of a smaller town in upper New York. The men had weapons on and comms. He sat in the backseat of the black SUV and wished he could get out.
The door opened, and Scott stuck his head in there. “You, stay here.”
He narrowed his gaze. “What? No. I’m not staying behind. If she’s in there, I’m going.”
“Nope.”
His brother’s voice was so final. Reeve leaned forward. “Why? Why am I staying in here?”
“I need to know you’re safe in here.”
“This isn’t about me; it’s about Affrica.”
The other door opened, and Hondo peered in. “We doing this or what?”
“Be right there,” Scott said. “Just telling him to stay put.”
Reeve bit back a growl. “I’m not staying put.”
Hondo pinned him with a glare. “Yes, you are. We don’t need to be worried that you could get captured as well. You stay here. You’ll hear us, and if anything comes in behind us, you let us know. Don’t leave this vehicle.”
“You’re not giving me orders.”
“Yeah, I am. You wanting to be out there puts my sister in more danger because you’re going on emotion. I won’t let that happen.”
“And you don’t have emotion?”
“I have done this a long time. Let us do what we do. Don’t leave.” Hondo backed out and slammed the door.
Scott met his gaze. “We’ll find her, Reeve, but let us put all our attention on getting her out of there safe and not worrying if you’re okay or not.”
“Scott?”
His brother had been in the process of leaving but he appeared fully once more. “Yeah?”
“Find her.”
“We will.” A sharp nod, and he was gone as well.
Reeve watched as the four men spread out and worked with precise unity. They didn’t walk; they flowed. He’d never seen anything like it. Definitely not in movies.
The dead autumn leaves swirled around, and he blinked and frowned. They were gone. All of them. There one minute, gone the next. He stared from where they had been to the door. The moment his hand curved around the lever, his brother’s voice reached him.
“Don’t even think about it, Reeve. Stay put.”
He scowled and lifted the binoculars they’d left for him. Staring at the old farmhouse, he sighed. How can they be so sure she’s in there? They couldn’t. He knew that but they seemed confident by the intel they’d gotten. Reeve had to trust them and take into account their experiences and let them decide things.
He lowered the black matte item and gazed out the window his shoulder rested against. Movement. He frowned, rubbed his eyes and looked again.
A large explosion rocked the area, and he jumped, as did the person who’d been hiding in the tree line. In his ear, he could hear the men remaining in constant communication as they closed in upon the area.
“I see her.” Reeve said as he pushed open the door. “I see Affrica.”
“Location?”
“Running along the tree line to my south. I’m going after her.”
He jumped out and slammed the door. Without even one final gaze up to the house, he took off after her. “Affrica!” he called as he ran.
She slowed and turned. He knew the moment she recognized him for she ran out toward him. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the only one there. Another emerged from the trees, and Reeve ran faster as he saw Miles.
“He’s here! He’s here!” he relayed the information to the others. “Miles is after her. I see him.”
Muttered curses fell into his ear, and while he didn’t understand all of them, the gist of them he got. Most definitely. When the first shots rang out, he wasn’t ready for them. Sure, logically he knew he should have been—Miles had a gun—but he hadn’t been.
He reached Affrica and tackled her to the ground, keeping her below him and hopefully out of harm. Her body was ice cold, and she shivered, but damn it all, she was alive.
“You scared me, sweetcheeks.”
“What are ya doin’ here, Reeve?”
“The big boys allowed me to tag along.” He lifted his head to discover Miles was running toward them, even faster now. There wasn’t anywhere for them to go. They were in the middle of the field. “I need you to keep running.”
She held him. “We stick together.”
“No. You get to safety. I’ll distract him.”
“I willna leave ya, Reeve.”
Tearing his gaze from the approaching Miles, he stared down at her. “Yes, you will. This isn’t up for debate, Affrica O’Shea. You will run.”
“He may shoot ya.”
“Better me than you.” He kissed her hard and fast, pouring everything he felt—all the things he didn’t have time to say to her—into it. “Ready?” He allowed her to slide out from under him.
“Nae.”
“Good. I love you, Affrica. I just wanted you to know.”
“You dinna get to say such words to me now, Reeve. You say them proper when there be no danger.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He took one more look at her. “Go!”
They jumped up simultaneously, and he ran directly for Miles, who seemed startled by his action. The man hesitated before lifting his pistol and firing. Reeve swore as the shot hit him in the upper thigh, and he stumbled. As he went down, he saw Miles fly backward as if something jerked him. It took Reeve a moment to realize it was courtesy of the bullets which thudded into the other man.
He peered over his shoulder to see the four SEALs running toward him. Hondo stopped at his sister’s side, and they hugged. Then, she whirled around and headed straight back for Reeve.
Scott reached him first. “I thought I told you to stay in the vehicle.”
He winced as his brother poked at the wound. “I never was good at following your orders, Scott.”
“Reeve!” Affrica skidded to the ground beside him. “He shot ya! Are ya all right?” She kissed him repeatedly.
“It’s a flesh wound, Affrica. Stop embarrassing the man.”
Reeve looked up to see Hondo standing there, staring down at the two of them. The man gave him a nod, one Maverick echoed. He returned it to both of the males.
“I’m fine, Affrica,” he assured her. “I’ll be just fine.”
“Out of the way, Affrica. We should get him to a hospital.” Her brother spoke in his usual commanding way.
Maverick and Hondo each took a side and helped Reeve up. Affrica went with Scott and Dimitri, leaving the very dead body of Miles Horne behind them. Reeve glanced back and forth between the two helping him.
“Doe
s this mean I get to call you brother?”
Both men grumbled but didn’t say anything. He chuckled despite the pain in his body. Once in the SUV, Affrica held his hand as Dimitri wrapped his wound. Scott called the cops, and Hondo glared. Maverick seemed to have some humor in his expression.
“Ya were saying something out there ta me, Reeve. Did ya mean it?”
Taking his attention from the four men around them, he focused on the woman. Smoothing some of her hair from her dirty cheek, he nodded.
“Every single word of it. I love you, Affrica. I want to marry you. Make your brother an uncle. Bring another into the family. Know that you’re mine and let the world know that I’m yours. I was a cold man before you exposed me to the truth of what I wanted. You. Everything about you. I know I’m not the best—“
Her kiss silenced him. “I love ya, too, Reeve Leighton. Nothing else need be said right now.” She pressed her mouth to his again.
“Come on now, enough,” Hondo complained.
He opened his eyes to see Affrica waving off her sibling. Scott winked at him and slapped Hondo on the back. “Welcome to the family.”
Reeve allowed his lids to lower again, shutting them out. There would be time enough later to deal with them. Right now, he had all he needed. Affrica.
Epilogue
Affrica tucked some wayward strands back behind her ear and readjusted her pull-on beanie cap. Flexing her fingers, she blinked as the wind picked up and sent more of the piercing cold into her face.
“Are you sure this is what you wanted to do for your honeymoon?”
With a grin she met her husband’s gaze. Husband. She’d actually married Reeve Leighton.
“Aye. Are ya not havin’ fun?”
“Oh, I’m having a blast. I just thought you might want to sit on a beach on some island somewhere, not come hiking up in the snow-covered Himalayas.”
She shrugged. “Ya should know me better than that by now.”
He nodded. “I should.”
Reeve made it to her side and slipped an arm around her waist. “Thank you,” he said in her ear.
“For?”
“Marrying me.”
“It wasna a hardship, Reeve. Stop lettin’ mah brother tease ya about it.”
“Ready to go back?”
She stood there, overlooking one of the most stunning of views, the man she loved more than anything at her side. My world is perfect. “Aye. I have to get some food anyway.”
“Didn’t you just eat?”
“It be your seed growing in mah belly, Reeve. It’s telling me how hungry I am. Do ya ken?”
His laughter warmed her. “Aye, lass. I ken. Come on then. Let me get you back to the hotel and feed you.”
“See ya do.”
They made their way back, and as he held the door for her, she paused and placed her hand along his cheek. “Tá grá agam duit.”
He kissed her lips lightly. “I love you, too, Affrica. Always.”
Her contented smile never left her face as they made their way to their room and on to dinner. She hoped it never would. What had started out as a rocky beginning for them had turned into something wonderful and perfect.
Other Titles by Aliyah Burke
His Purrfect Mate
A Love for Lera (Haikon series)
Hearth, Honor, & Holly
What the Earl Desires
Her Reluctant Viscount
Something Tangible
Under the Mask
May You Always
That Fateful Ride
If You Dare (Red Hot Valentine series)
On the High Seas (in What White Boyz Desire anthology)
Kincade’s Rose (Megalodon Team, Book 1)
Harrier’s Healer (Megalodon Team, Book 2)
Connelly’s Flame (Megalodon Team, Book 3)
Greeley’s Spyce (Megalodon Team, Book 4)
Vittano’s Willow (Megalodon Team, Book 5)
Dimitri’s Moon (Megalodon Team, Book 6)
O’Shea’s Love (Megalodon Team, Book 7)
Chayton’s Tempest (Megalodon Team, Book 8)
The Detective’s Lover
Born To Fly: Landing In Love
Born To Fly: You Save Me
Born To Fly: Wild As The Wind
Just A Dream
Add A Little Mistletoe
Sin Is Not A Four-Letter Word
Seducing Damian
Casanova In Training (In Aeternum, Book 1)
Harbour of Refuge (In Aeternum, Book 2)
Protected by Shadows (In Aeternum, Book 3)
Temporary Home (Interludes, Book 1)
Alone with You (Interludes Book 2)
Through The Fire
A Marriage Of Convenience (also in Camouflaged Hearts anthology)
The Lieutenant’s Ex-Wife (Code of Honour series Book 1)
A Man Like No Other (Code of Honour series Book 2)
When Stars Collide (Code of Honour series Book 3)
Keeper of the Stars – serial Part 1
Keeper of the Stars – serial Part 2
Keeper of the Stars – serial Part 3
Keeper of the Stars – serial Part 4
Keeper of the Stars – serial Part 5
Chasing the Storm (Astral Guardians, Book 1)
Love Under the Endless African Sky (in Coming Together: At Last Vol. 2)
Dutch & Lobo (in the In the Trenches anthology)
Co-authored with Taige Crenshaw:
Talios
Devi
Linc
Saffron
Taber
Ashia
Co-authored with McKenna Jeffries:
Wicked Burn (part of Hearts Afire: August)
All the Wright Moves (McKingley series Book 1)
The Best Thing Yet (McKingley series Book 2)
Risky Pleasures (McKingley series Book 3)
Pure Harmony (McKingley series Book 4)
Irresistible Forces (McKingley series Book 5)
Seductions Dance (McKingley series Book 6)
McKingley Vol. 1 – print
McKingley Vol. 2 – print
McKingley Vol. 3 – print
About the Author
Aliyah Burke is an avid reader and is never far from pen and paper (or the computer). She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached here, or feel free to apply to join her yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aliyah_burke.
She is married to a career military man. They are owned by three Borzoi, and a DSH cat. She spends her days sharing time between work, writing, and dog training.
Everything is Everything
Pepper Pace
Edited by:
L.S. Lange,
Cover Art:
A.M. Hughes
©Pepper Pace Publications
This novel is a work of fiction. Characters – including their names, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are otherwise used fictitiously. Any similarity from this book to events occurring in real life – including locations, or persons living or dead is wholly coincidental. The use of musical titles and the naming of musical artists, notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.
Copyright © 2014 Pepper Pace.
First Edition appearing in Scandalous Heroes book set. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever, except for short excerpts appearing in book reviews. For reprint or excerpt permission inquiries, please contact the author by e-mail at:
[email protected] or http://pepperpacefeedback.blogspot.com
Author’s Note
As usual I must give many thanks to the Pepper Pace Team for their tirele
ss assistance. Special thanks go out to my editor L.S. Lange for working under my time constraints, as well as to my beta readers; Leslie, Angel and Evelyn for their invaluable insight and encouragement.
This story of Winton Terrace and Garden Hilltop takes an actual place but depicts a fictional tale. In the 70’s Winton Terrace was a predominately white neighborhood and was far from the ghetto that I describe. In fact, I have very fond memories of my early life in Winton Terrace and my use of this actual place is in no way an attempt to suggest anything less.
This story is dedicated to my mother and father who took my sisters and I out of the projects--and to the mean streets of the Cincinnati suburbs.
In1977 Vanessa is 12 years old and lives just out of reach of the projects that both scare and entice her. It’s the year that she meets Scotty Tremont; 14 and one of the few white boys to live in the ghetto. Initially afraid that Scotty intends to beat her up because her cousin called him white trash, Vanessa soon learns that although Scotty is a ‘Trick Baby’ and will probably be a dope boy just like his brother, he’s somehow managed to be compassionate. Scotty is learning something as well; that his path has not been laid out before him and that Everything isn’t necessarily Everything. This 2 part series begins in the 70s where it explores the music, the style,the ghetto and Pepper Pace’s own twist on life and love.
Chapter 1
~1977~
“Jalissa! My mama is going to know if you drink that much!” Vanessa reached for the glass of wine held by her cousin but the other girl quickly downed half of it.
“Just put water in the bottle. She won’t know.”
“Don’t drink any more!” Now she regretted ever telling Jalissa that sometimes when her mama was out she took a sip of her wine. She grabbed the glass from her cousin and then uncapped the bottle and carefully poured the remains back into it.
Vanessa saw that her eleven-year old cousin was pouting. Jalissa sometimes seemed bent on sabotaging things and she wondered if it was because she was mad that she was older. It was only by half a year but Jalissa always brought it up saying things like, ‘You might be older but I’m wiser’. Then she would put her hands on her plump hips and try to look tough.
Scandalous Heroes Box Set Page 33
