Rock Bottom (The Gifted Realm #4)

by Jillian Neal

  The Governors, in utter shock, ordered him detained, but he threw his shield out on either side of himself and knocked four guards into the walls of the courtroom.

  “Nice try; maybe you should actually train your Iodex,” he sneered as he threw open the doors and flew from the chamber.

  The German Iodex guards descended, and Dan began to sprint. He threw his fist out and caught one in the face. He knocked the guard backwards, and felt the satisfying crunch of the man’s teeth under the blow of his fist.

  He reached the doors, threw them open, and shot a cast backwards that knocked two more onto their backs.

  His mind raced as he breathed in the freezing air. He welcomed the pain as the icy wind pierced his lungs. They were going to keep coming. He’d just told the Crown Governor of the German Realm to suck…. He shut the thought down quickly and just kept running.

  There were no more flights out that night, not that he’d be allowed on a plane. The airport would be the first place they’d look.

  Then as a goading grin spread across his face, he ducked into an alleyway and pulled out his phone.

  33

  On Opposite Sides

  ~Rainer Lawson~

  With a slight shiver as he stepped into the hot water, Rainer shut his eyes tightly and let it hit his face. He poured soap from a bottle he assumed was Connor’s, and began scrubbing the dirt from his hair. He used the same soap and rubbed over his sore muscles and under his arms.

  He heard the door open as he turned to let the water rinse the soap off of his back.

  “Hey, I’m in here. Be done in a sec,” he called. He was certain it was one of Emily’s brothers looking for an available shower.

  “Well, maybe not a sec,” came Emily’s sassy drawl from the other side of the curtain. His stomach clenched in anticipation as the curtain pulled back. His eyes goggled as she stepped into the falling water, wearing nothing but a very thin white t-shirt.

  He growled as it readily clung to her curves, and her nipples strained for his attention through the slight fabric. Unable to take his eyes off of her delicious cleavage, he panted.

  “Hey there, baby. You forget to take something off?” He let his hands trace down the sides of the soaking wet t-shirt.

  “I was kind of thinking you could take it off,” her flirtatious coo made him throb.

  He watched her eyes darken as she let them trace down his body. She moaned as she slid her fingers up his now straining length. She barely touched him; he ached for more.

  Though the waterlogged fabric obscured nothing, Rainer wanted to see her skin flushed pink from the water. He wanted to feel the soft warmth that came from her when he pressed their flesh together with nothing in between. He backed her up to the tiled wall, placed his hands on either side of her shoulders, and caged her body against his.

  “Tell me what you want, baby,” he demanded.

  ~Dan Vindico~

  While keeping his head down, Dan moved quickly through the darkened streets of Berlin. He checked his back constantly. His breathing came in shallow gasps. He snatched a baseball cap and a sweatshirt from a vendor, who had his back turned and was closing up for the night.

  He ducked into another alley and pulled the shirt over his dress shirt. He donned the cap before slinking along the sidewalks and staying out of the light of the street lamps. He smiled as he reached the train station.

  With a quick, methodic scan to make certain no one in the station was looking for him, he moved to an available ticket teller.

  “A friend of mine phoned in a ticket for me on the enhanced express to Paris leaving in five minutes,” he informed the clerk in a decidedly French accent.

  “You from France, but you learn zee English and no German?” The woman scolded sassily in an obvious attempt to flirt. Dan gave her his signature cocky smirk and winked at her.

  “No, je suis desole. Je ne parle francais et un peu anglais,” he raised his eyebrows expectantly before continuing. “I should learn German. Perhaps when I return to the city, you could teach me.”

  Her eyes goggled momentarily as she smiled.

  “That vould be an honor,” she batted her eyelashes.

  “I just need my ticket, mademoiselle,” he kept his French accent flowing heavily and tried not to laugh at the fact that the woman was several years too old to be referred to as ‘mademoiselle’.

  She asked his name.

  After quickly supplying the agreed-upon alias, she slid him the reserved ticket, along with a small piece of paper where she’d written her phone number and address.

  Dan chuckled, held up the paper, gave her an approving nod, winked at her again, and slipped it into his pocket as he moved towards the enhanced train boarding for Paris.

  As soon as he was out of her sight, he threw the paper away. If he got caught, he didn’t want her implicated in any way.

  He entered the train and moved to the back corner. He studied every other passenger on board. No one seemed interested in him, and he relaxed slightly as the train roared to life. It flew down the tracks. He would be off German soil soon, and in just under four hours, he would be in Paris.

  ~Rainer Lawson~

  “I need you,” Emily urged in a heated plea. The words fell heavily from her kiss-swollen lips. With a shuddering growl, Rainer pressed his full, straining erection against her abdomen and the wet fabric.

  “You need me to take care of you, baby?” he angled his head and brushed a kiss across her lips then turned the other way and dipped his tongue into her mouth. He caught her essence and her energy, before pulling her bottom lip in his mouth, sucking, and then sliding his teeth over it as she moaned.

  He pushed his hands under the soaking wet t-shirt and began pulling it away from her luscious body. As he lifted it over her head, he let his hands trace down her neck and over her collarbone until he reached her breasts. He lifted them where they were heaviest, and groped and grasped them as she arched her back. She wanted more.

  “Do you want me to take care of you in here, baby, or do you want to be taken to bed?” he drawled beside her ear as he let one hand slip to her backside and massaged her with ravenous greed.

  She shuddered as she began to let him own her.

  “Take me to bed,” she begged. “I want to feel it. I want it hard.”

  His eyes flashing as lust and desire began to permeate his entire being, Rainer shut off the water and grabbed a towel to dry her off. He heated it quickly with his hands and dried her thoroughly. He ran the same towel over his body and through his hair, before he pulled her back to him and kissed her passionately.

  “Go get in my bed, baby. I’ll take care of everything you need,” his ardent order made her pant.

  She turned and walked to the bed of his youth. He stared at her hungrily as her hips swayed before him. They obscured the part of her that he wanted so desperately to fill.

  She crawled in his bed on all fours, dipped her back low, and then turned back to stare him down.

  Rainer flew to the bed.

  “The pizza’s probably here,” she informed him defiantly.

  “That’s not what I want to eat,” he growled.

  “Everyone’s probably looking for us,” she cooed again in challenge.

  “They can wait,” he informed her as her breath caught in delicious anticipation and a low moan echoed from her.

  He slid into the bed beside her and guided her body down to his.

  ~Dan Vindico ~

  After he pulled the ball cap down low over his eyes, Dan waved several Euros at the woman who was pushing the cart down the aisle.

  He pointed to a copy of The Local, Berlin’s primary newspaper, and ordered three cans of Coke in order to stay awake. He paid the woman and watched her move to the next train car. She paid him virtually no attention.

  A minute later, two men in trench coats entered his car; they were speaking rapidly in German as they scanned the passengers.

  His heart sped. His chest vibrated. There was n
o way out of that car. Dan’s blood raced through his veins in chilling spikes.

  He sank down in his seat, sending up a futile prayer to a God he refused to believe in. He pulled the cap lower over his face and picked up the newspaper he’d just purchased. He kept a close watch on the men as they glanced around the car. One shook his head as the other shrugged, and then they moved on.

  ~Rainer Lawson~

  “So, what do you want, Mr. Lawson?” Emily drawled. Her words were laced with greedy hunger.

  “I want you wet. I want to be inside of you, baby, and I want you to take it all when I fill you full of me.”

  She trembled in his arms as her breath came in quick, gasping pants of expectation.

  Rainer traced his hands over her breastbone. He let his index finger spin around her nipples and watched as they vied for his attention, the swollen, strawberry-red tips of her luscious breasts that he wanted to drown in his mouth.

  He continued to let his hands trace patterns down her delicate curves as he lowered his head to her right breast, swirled his tongue over her nipple, lapped at it, and slid his teeth against their strain.

  “Suck me,” she commanded as a low guttural growl evulsed from him.

  Instantly giving her what she wanted, he pulled her breast into his mouth and sucked it fervently. She cried out for him.

  He’d never taken her here. The image made him throb against her. Never in this bed had he been given the pleasure. He ached as he let the feeling of her begging for it hot and wet, of owning her in his bed, wash over him. It made a heady cocktail of ardent desire course through his blood.

  “I’m gonna set the cast, baby, from inside of you,” he informed her as her breath stuttered and her back arched in deep desire.

  He slipped his fingers between her folds and felt the liquid perfection begin to form between her legs. She felt herself closing as he took her over. Her body writhed as he pushed soothing, calming energy into her. He made certain that what she felt only made her want more.

  Once she was closed, he swirled his fingers over the places where she was most sensitive as she bucked and rolled under his touch.

  ~Dan Vindico~

  Dan exited the train with a broad, goading smirk. While laughing hysterically and shaking his head, Fitzroy stalked towards him.

  “You told the German Crown to suck your fat cock. Man, I have always loved you, but now, you are officially my hero.”

  Dan joined in his hearty laughter.

  “Come on, Maddie’s got your room ready. She made all of your favorites. You must be starved,” Fitzroy continued to chuckle as they walked out into the busy, soothing streets of Paris.

  “You don’t think they knew I was coming here?” Dan couldn’t fight it anymore. His nerves were getting the better of him.

  “Doesn’t matter if they did. You’re on French soil now, and you know none of the French Governors give a damn what you called the German Crown. He’s a crook, and everybody knows it. Besides, it was a crime de passionnel,” he teased as they both laughed.

  Dan felt his lungs begin to unfetter. They allowed him to breathe, a sensation he hadn’t felt in quite some time.

  ~Rainer Lawson~

  “That feel good, baby? You like to be touched there?” Rainer urged as Emily spread her legs further. She thrust her body against his hand and grinded against the force of his touch. It came on her suddenly. Her eyes flew open as her breath caught. Her body flushed and her temperature shot upward.

  “That’s it, baby. Come for me,” Rainer’s command pushed her over, and her entire body writhed from the powerful orgasm.

  “I want to feel it, sweetheart. I want to feel it with you. Spread your legs for me.” He moved over her. Her lips were dripping from her climax. He slipped inside of her with a deep push and she moaned loudly.

  “Shh, baby, just feel it. Just take it.”

  She met his every thrust as he ground against her. He pushed and rocked her body with his own.

  She pulsed around him. She swelled tightly and encased him in the warmth of her perfection. Her breaths shortened. As he brought her closer, he picked up pace. She arched her back, and her energy spun wildly. It peaked, and she writhed.

  “I’m gonna…” she tried to warn him but couldn’t force the words out as her second climax stole her breath. It was much more powerful than the one before. Her muscles clenched tightly around his length and, with the first pulse of her sweet release, he exploded. He lost all control, and a deep, fervent groan thundered from his chest as he filled her with all of him.

  While trying to regain the ability to breathe, Rainer withdrew and kept Emily held tightly to him. He allowed no space between their fevered bodies.

  A loud knock sounded on the door.

  “You two gonna eat?” Logan quizzed. “And you better just be talking.”

  Rainer tried hard not to laugh.

  “Yeah, we’ll be right there,” he assured Logan as Emily covered her mouth to hide her giggle.

  Rainer held Emily in his lap on the couch as they devoured several pieces of pizza. Their tryst upstairs made them want to be in contact constantly, even though the majority of her family surrounded them.

  As he kept her cosseted closely to him, Rainer paid no attention to the football game on TV. He reveled in her energy, now flowing in smooth, languid waves as she laid her head on his shoulder and let him feed her bites of pizza.

  At nine, the phone in the Governor’s office rang.

  “Oh, honey,” Mrs. Haydenshire lamented, “your phone rang several times this afternoon. I meant to tell you. I’m sorry,” she sighed. Her hand was rubbing over her bump. Weary exhaustion plagued her eyes.

  Governor Haydenshire scoffed. He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

  “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. The whole Senate is closed today, and I’m not supposed to be bothered here. Everyone knew that I planned to spend the day with the kids.” He moved to his office and answered the phone. He didn’t bother to close the door.

  “He said what?!” roared the Governor, and everyone abruptly stopped what they were doing. “Where is he now?”

  Everyone in the living room moved to stand outside the glass-paned French doors of the Governor’s office.

  “Da-yee is mad!” Henry announced. He shook his head back and forth and clasped his hands over his ears.

  A knock sounded at the front door. Mrs. Haydenshire furrowed her brow as she scooted to answer it. Emily scooped Henry up.

  Rainer followed Mrs. Haydenshire. He was concerned over who might be calling at such a late hour.

  “I got it,” he assured her. She beamed at him as he positioned himself between her and the door.

  “Oh, uh, hi,” Rainer welcomed Governor and Mrs. Vindico. They both looked morose.

  “Marion, Arthur, come in,” Mrs. Haydenshire urged kindly. “What a nice surprise. We were just watching the game,” she gestured to the living room.

  Mrs. Vindico’s face was pulled into a terse pout. She awkwardly patted Henry in Emily’s arms as if she believed she should recognize the twins.

  “Can one of the boys make you some coffee or tea?” Mrs. Haydenshire offered.

  “No, thank you Lillian,” Governor Vindico lamented. “I’m sorry, but this isn’t a social call.”

  “Oh,” Mrs. Haydenshire nodded. Confusion colored her soft features.

  “Arthur!” roared Governor Haydenshire.

  “Right here, Stephen,” Governor Vindico sighed as he moved quickly into the Governor’s office. He closed the door behind him.

  “Well uh,” Mrs. Haydenshire forced a smile. “Why don’t you come sit down, Marion, while they sort out whatever it is that’s happened?” she guided Mrs. Vindico into the living room.

  “Daniel just wasn’t thinking. He doesn’t understand that people have opinions about our family because of him,” Mrs. Vindico stuttered as everyone nodded their complete lack of understanding.

  Mrs. Haydenshire looked bewildered as she h
ugged and patted Mrs. Vindico, who’d now begun sobbing on her shoulder.

  “Hey, Em,” Rainer gestured to Mrs. Vindico and took Henry from Emily’s arms. Emily moved to the other side of her mother and Mrs. Vindico. She patted Mrs. Vindico’s forearm and began pushing her soothing Receiver’s cast into the woman weeping on her mother’s shoulder.

  “Logan, you and Rainer please go put the twins to bed for me,” Mrs. Haydenshire urged as Henry rubbed his eyes and laid his head on Rainer’s shoulder. He’d just started to suck his thumb.

  While they were in the nursery changing the boys’ diapers and putting on their pajamas, Logan’s cell rang. He propped the phone between his face and shoulder.

  “Haydenshire,” he answered as he zipped Keaton into his footy pajamas. Rainer reclined on Henry’s bed as Keaton raced away from Logan and grabbed the book Cars and Trucks and Things that Go. He handed the book to Rainer, and both of the twins settled beside him.

  Rainer tried not to whimper when he got to the page the fast red car goes vroom vroom vroom.

  He stopped reading as Logan slapped his forehead with his hand.

  “Please, please, Garrett, tell me this is some kind of horrible joke,” Logan begged. “Well, what are we going to do?” He paused for a moment. “Fine; let us finish putting the twins to bed for Mom, and we’ll come get her. Yeah, yeah, I got it,” he huffed and then hung up his phone.

  “What?” Rainer urged as the twins began filling in the story that they’d heard dozens of times for him.

  Logan shook his head in disbelief.

  “You know that sting that the Non-Gifted police set up tonight?”