by Shyla Colt
“Since Shooter called this emergency meeting, he has the floor,” Moose said.
“Long story short—my old lady has a preppy, rich, pretty boy who doesn’t know how to take no for an answer. He left a fucked-up note on her window telling her he’s been watching her and now that she’s dating he’s going to take action.”
“So we go over tonight, rearrange his face and trash his ride.” Rocky popped his knuckles.
“I wish it were that simple. He’s not your average douche bag. He’s got some shady shit going on. A sex club called Room 801 where women are on the menu.” Shooter sneered. Money made the world go round. It pissed him off to no end. “He has a lot of money and power backing him.”
“He’s not exaggerating.” Specs lifted his head from the computer he’d set up. “According to the web he’s worth like ten million by himself. His father runs a prominent law firm and has his hands and money in quite a few judges and congressmen.”
“Did you find any link to the dirt he’s doing?” Tiny asked.
“Not yet.” Specs shook his head, fingers flying over the keyboard as he toggled through screens and ran more searches.
“Keep looking. No way this psycho bastard has clean hands,” Shooter said. “Juliette said he likes to date women, break them down and pimp them out.”
“This sounds like more than a case of unrequited love.” The inquiry in Tiny’s eyes made Shooter’s stomach hurt. He didn’t want to air all her dirty laundry. “Did he do that to her?”
“No But he’s a real sick fuck. I’m sure it was a matter of time. She was lucky to get away when she did.”
Understanding darkened Tiny’s eyes. “What do you want us to do?”
“I want her tailed and protected. If he gets ahold of her again, I honestly think he’ll kill her. You don’t trail someone for months and let them walk away.”
“Can your girl shoot?” Hawk asked.
“No,” Shooter said.
“She’d better learn quick. Give her one of our .38 Specials and lessons to go with it. Whatever you need to do, we’ll back you.”
“Thank you.”
“We take care of ours, Shooter, you know that.” Tiny turned to Specs. “I want you to keep digging, see what you can find to use against him. We’ll assign a few prospects to trail her discreetly in cars. I get the feeling the librarian wouldn’t appreciate the gesture.”
“You’d be right,” Shooter said in a droll voice. Laughter filled the space, chasing away the tension.
“Did you have something in mind?” Tiny asked Shooter.
“Trail him. Figure out his habits and the best place to catch him alone, off the radar. I want him to see my face.” While I beat the fuck out of him.
“We’ll do our recon and go from there. Unless someone has something else to say we’ll call it a night.” Tiny paused. “All right, we’ll meet back here in a few days.” Standing, Shooter’s chest swelled with pride. Logically he’d known they all had his back, but this was his first time being on the receiving end. One by one his brothers clapped him on the back in a silent show of support before they left to go their separate ways.
Knocking on the door to avoid startling Juliette, he pushed it open. She lounged against the headrest, legs tucked under her and an e-reader on her lap.
“Well you’re still here, so that’s a good sign.”
“You’re never going to let me live that one down, are you?” She smiled, but there was no joy behind it. After setting the e-reader aside on the nightstand she placed her hands in her lap. “I was attempting to lose myself in a book. For once it didn’t work. It was Peter who sent those flowers. I looked it up. Forget me nots, bachelor buttons for anticipation and tonight begonias, which mean beware. He’s building up to something.”
“No you shouldn’t be dealing with it all, and soon you won’t be. Why come back now?”
“ I don’t know that’s what I’ve been trying to figure out. What did you decide?”
“We’re going to do some investigating and then go from there. We didn’t get to be where we are by making rash choices.” Sitting beside her, he pulled her body to his. “Do you know anything that could help?”
“I know I wasn’t the first girl he did this to. I used to wonder why a man five years my senior, with a swimming pool full of cash, would be interested in me. It ended badly with a few other girls on campus and he’d gotten a reputation. Unfortunately, I didn’t move in the right circles to hear about it in time.”
“You think there was a paper trail?” Shooter asked, eager to avenge his old lady.
“Maybe a deeply buried trail, or a payoff with a non-disclosure.”
“Do you remember the girls’ names?”
“Not offhand but I could go home and search through some of my old school stuff and figure it out. I see people all the time from school coming through the library.”
“Do you work tomorrow?”
“Yes, I have the early shift. I have to be there by eight to get everything set up to open at nine thirty.”
“I’ll accompany you home so you can get ready and then I’ll make the necessary changes while you’re at work. New locks and a hi-tech alarm system. Regardless, I want you over at my place until this is finished.”
“I am not leaving my home.”
“Then I’ll be staying with you.”
She opened her mouth.
“No. This isn’t up for discussion. If he could keep his crazy under wraps for five years, there’s no telling what the fuck he’s capable of. This is what I do, trust me.”
“How long do you plan on keeping this up?” With a heavy sigh, her shoulders drooped.
“That depends on him.”
“I can’t believe this is happening.” The fear in her eyes gutted him.
“I swear he’ll never touch you again. I’ll kill him first. You know that, don’t you?”
“Shooter…”
“I was special forces in the Marines, a sniper. I can make it clean, quick and untraceable.”
“Please don’t do that.” Her eyes grew wet.
“Why would you care?”
“Because he’s not worth the darkness that would stain your soul.”
“It’d be one of many blots there. Knowing you’re safe would be worth more than any mission I ever undertook for Uncle Sam.” The thought of anything happening to the woman who’d begun to heal his shattered heart one piece at a time made his gut ache. “I’m a bastard. Because right now all I can think of is being so deep inside you we can’t tell where you begin and I start.” Reaching around her, he removed the pins from her thick hair, smoothing the tangled tresses until they tumbled down her back. His dick thickened and he palmed it with a moan. “You’re a fire in my blood consuming me a little more every day.”
“The depth of my emotions frightens me. I see secrets in your eyes, Shooter. Ones you’ve made no attempt to share with me.” Placing a finger across his lips, she shook her head. “I wasn’t fishing.”
He flicked out his tongue to caress her finger. “I owe you a story and soon I’ll pay that debt.” Backing away from her, he reached under her dress then pulled her down to lie on her back. She opened her legs wide and rested her hands on his chest.
“Make me forget what his hands felt like on me.”
He hooked his fingers in her underwear, pulling them down as he slid onto his knees. She followed him to the edge, propping herself up with her arms. Her brown eyes were haunted. There was a strain around her eyes and her mouth.
Keeping their gazes synched, he leaned in and traced her slit with his tongue. He brought his fingers up to spread her lips so he could reach her creamy center. He delivered a few flicks to her clit and her nectar began to flow.
“You always taste so sweet. My own personal brand of candy.” Adding a finger, he circled her walls and sucked her swollen nub into his mouth. She jerked, whimpering as she rode him in time to the rhythm set. Tension melted away like butter and her pussy gripped
him tight. When her walls begun to quiver, he stopped. “Not yet. I want you to come around my cock.” Scrambling onto his feet, he made quick work of his fly, shoving his pants around his ankles as he lined up and surged balls-deep.
“God yes.” Her back came off the bed, and her legs snaked around his hips. They came together in a frenzy as he drove into her like a man possessed. He held her steady as she gave as good as she got. Screams spilled from her parted lips, urging him to go faster, harder and deeper without her saying the words.
He never made her beg—it would remind her too much of a past he wanted to erase. Her pussy tightened and her muscles grew tense. Tilting her hips, he stroked faster, driving so deep he hit her cervix. Her walls pulsed around him and her hungry pussy pulled him under the waves of completion, sending him flying as he emptied himself in his personal heaven.
Chapter Ten
Juliette entered the code to her brand-new alarm system, disarming and resetting it. Specs had come in with Gadget, wired, programmed and explained it to her in laymen’s terms. It’d become second nature…and she hated it.
What had been her sanctuary now felt like a prison. The beautiful woods behind the home had become a threat. Walks, runs and reminiscing among the trees had come to an abrupt halt. Yoga was done in her home. Any cardio took place in a gym. Tension was a piano wire stretched a bit tighter every day.
Since the note there’d been no contact whatsoever. Peter seemed to have disappeared off the face of the planet. Whatever Shooter had planned, he kept it under wraps, which was probably for the best.
Things worked well when his business stayed his. They had differing definitions of right and wrong. He walked in that gray area. In her mind, that didn’t detract from the fact he was a good man. She’d never been so well taken care of in her life. Her mother’s man radar had been tripped and she’d begun to pester her about meeting the man taking up so much of her daughter’s time.
A smile tugged her lips up as she imagined the stunned expression on her mother’s face when she met Shooter. She couldn’t get further away from Peter if she tried. Tossing her keys and purse on the table against the wall, she walked into her bedroom. Slowly but surely, Shooter had infiltrated the space. A pair of his boots sat inside her open closet. A few t-shirts and a couple pairs of jeans, boxers and socks lived in their own drawer.
The newest, unwelcome but necessary, addition peeked at her from its home beside her bed. A .38 Special rested in a case, loaded in safety mode, ready to be cocked and used at a moment’s notice.
When it came to her safety, Shooter was a task master, forcing her to practice cocking, aiming and firing daily. Even with the minimal kickback, firing felt awkward. The day it didn’t, a part of her would die a bit. After stripping out of her pencil skirt and blouse, she tossed the items in her hamper, replacing them with a comfortable pair of shorts and a Lords tank top. Shooter was out on a run for the week, so she’d be on her own. The house felt almost empty without him.
Leaving the hectic pace of her day job behind, she walked into the kitchen, washed her hands and began to pull out the ingredients for pizza. The girls were headed over to keep her company and watch a few flicks and it was her turn to provide food. After telling them about the reappearance of Peter they’d gone out of their way to lend extra support.
Peeling back the blue corner of the dough canister, she cringed. Wait for it, wait for it. Pop. The explosion made her jerk. No matter how many times she opened dough it never failed to jar her. After stretching it out onto the pizza pan, she sauced, cheesed, added pepperoni and turned on the oven to preheat.
The doorbell sounded. Someone must’ve left work early. She tossed the empty cheese packet into the garbage, headed to the door and peered out the peephole. The man dressed in the brown uniform holding a cardboard box confused her.
She opened the door, keeping her newly installed chain lock attached.
“Can I help you?”
“Ms. Moore?” The man in the brown uniform with a matching hat might as well be offering up poison. Her palms grew slick with sweat and her heart began to gallop.
“Yes.”
“I have a delivery for you.” He held up a tablet. Everything proved in order, and she found herself desperate to receive Peter’s message. Maybe I can outsmart him Removing the sliding lock, she opened the door wide.
“I just need you to sign here.”
After signing with the stylus, she took the box from the deliveryman.
“Have a nice day, ma’am.”
“Thank you.” He took the machine and returned to the giant brown vehicle in her driveway.
Curious, she walked inside. She grabbed the scissors and opened up the box with shaking hands. Peeling back the flaps, she found a single dark-red rose. What does that mean? A glance at her watch told her the girls would be arriving any moment.
Determined to forget about it for now, she ran the box into her room and moved to pop the pizza in the oven. The problem would still be there. Right now what she needed more than anything was normalcy and support.
Twenty minutes later a knock sounded on the door. She removed the pizza and went to answer it. Spotting Hil, she grinned and opened the door.
“Just in time for pizza straight out of the oven.” They hugged and Hil walked inside.
“Good, I’m starving. I got caught up finishing my last two chapters of my book and next thing I know, it’s five o’clock.” Hil followed her into the kitchen and they sat at the table.
“Did you finish it?”
“Maybe… I want to take a few days away from it and read it with fresh eyes.”
“Congrats on another book finished!”
“Thank you. I feel like we should be toasting.” Hil laughed.
Juliette stood. “I have a bottle of Merlot.”
“Perfect.”
The doorbell rang again.
“I’ll get that if you pop the cork and pour the wine,” Hil said.
“Deal.” Juliette removed the dark glass bottle with the red label from the cupboard and gathered wineglasses.
Ten minutes later they were all gathered at the kitchen table, sipping wine and snacking on slices of pizza.
“I didn’t want to say anything before, but I got more flowers today.”
The girls tensed.
“From Peter?” Hilary asked.
“I’m pretty sure it wasn’t from Shooter.” She sighed.
“What did this one mean?”
“I don’t know, it’s a dark-red rose. Doesn’t that mean love?”
“Let’s look it up,” Hilary said, whipping out her phone.
Shifting her weight, Juliette moistened her dry mouth. Seconds felt like minutes as silence fell.
Hil tapped her lips with her forefinger. “Maybe you should call Shooter.”
“What does it mean, Hil?” Juliette asked.
“It means mourning,” Hil whispered.
“Juliette,” Joey leaned across the table, starring her down. “You need to call Shooter.”
“No, he’s taking care of some business out of town and I don’t want to interrupt. Even if Peter did send the flowers, he’s not breaking any laws or threatening me. It’ll hold until Shooter gets back. In the meantime, I’m going to throw this in the garbage.”
“For the record, I don’t like this,” Hil added.
“Trust me, none of us do. I refuse to let him ruin our night though. We have an ’80s movie marathon to watch.” Presenting a brave front, she secretly wondered what else Peter had in store.
For once in her life, John Hughes and his brilliant writing in Sixteen Candles didn’t immerse her. Though laughing and smiling at the right places, she felt like an actor stuck on stage.
“Are you sure you want us to go?” Hil studied her carefully. “I could write just as easily from here and I know Evonne and Joey always have a room ready. I do too for that matter.”
“No. I’ll be fine, guys.” Juliette kept her voice steady and strong. �
��Running didn’t work. This time I have to take a stand. I let him take so much last time. I can’t do that again.”
Shame heated her face. “How could I let it get to that point?” Even now she didn’t understand it.
“None of us saw him for what he truly was until it was too late, Jul.” Evonne wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “We saw you daily, went out with you on many occasions and had no clue about the hell he put you through. He’s good at playing a role. It’s how he sucks women in.”
“I’m sure all that old money and power that comes with his name has intimidated and paid many women into silence.” Joey sneered.
“Don’t internalize this, Jul. He’s the one at fault, not you. We’re just so damn glad you reached out to us when you did. The important thing is you walked away. Who knows what else he would’ve done?”
Juliette shuddered. She knew. It was why she left.
“I’ll be fine if anything happens, which I doubt it will, I’ll call the police, followed by you.”
The girls lingered in front of the door, reluctant to leave.
“If you’re sure.” Joey hovered in the doorway, concern swimming in her almond-shaped eyes.
“Positive.” Juliette opened the door and they left one by one. “I’ll talk to you girls tomorrow.” She waved, watching them get into their vehicles before she closed the door and armed the alarm. Alone with only silence and her memory to keep her company.
* * * * *
“How you holding up?” Hilary asked.
Juliette toyed with the uneaten chicken wrap on her plate and sighed.
“Okay, I guess. I barely slept last night.”
“I told you to come home with one of us.” Hilary frowned.
“You coming by and taking me out to lunch is plenty. I wasn’t scared, just trying to figure out why he’s doing this now.”
“I don’t think crazy ever has a logical reason.” Hil shot her a sympathetic look.
“There is that I suppose.” Juliette forced herself to pick up half the wrap and take a bite.
They’d opted to eat outside and enjoy the nice weather. Seated in the shade of a large oak, they had the ideal spot at the local shop.
