by C. M. Allen
Feeling a tightening in my chest in a way I've never felt it before, I sit there knowing all I want for my future is sitting right in front of me, but I don't have the first clue how to make it real. Pushing back a lock of hair that's fallen across her face, I kiss her lips ever so lightly just lingering there as I place my forehead on hers. Pulling back I tell her. "Before you came a long I had a life I knew how to do, I knew every day that my job was one of danger, but also one I loved doing. Then you walked into my office, and I haven't known why I've loved this job ever since. Today when I was driving up that mountain side all I could think about was how I wish I had taken the same path Porter did and just do the whole ranch life thing, then I wouldn't be in this position of not being able to claim you as mine. And damnit I know I have no right to do that but..." Looking into her eyes I press my lips against hers again, "I can't help doing it. You are mine, and I don't want to have to let you go after this. But I know it's selfish of me, I know you can't sit at home waiting every time for my safe return it's no life for you. I want this, you and me so bad it drives me crazy, but I don't know how to have it, how to give up something I know how to do for something I don't."
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO PRESLEY
Sitting here listening to what Hudson’s telling me I know he wants this just as badly as I do and like me he has no clue how to get it. Hearing a throat clearing noise I know Porter has returned. Both of us turn to find a smirking, and if I'm being totally honest, hot as mother freaking hell Porter leaning on the wall. "You know I really have tried staying out of this whole Romeo and Juliet bullshit you two kids have going on here,” he says pointing back and forth at the both of us, “but I'm officially going to butt in."
"Porter." Hudson says in warning, waving his hands in the air brushing the warning off. "No, I have sat here and listened to you two go on and on about all the ways this can't and won't work out, but never once have I heard either one of you try thinking of a way it could." Letting out a chuckle he says. "Hudson, I know you are very committed to the guys and Black Spade, but are there only assignments that take you away from Presley, or are there any local gigs that you can do where you come home every night, or at least every other night? What about the clubs you guys oversee in Dallas? I'm sure Vance and the others would be more than understanding if you decided that far away wasn't your thing anymore. I mean where's it written that that's all there is for you to do?" Looking to me he says. "And as for you little lady, I know you're a strong enough woman to support Hudson as he does what he needs to do in his job and not focus on all the things that can go wrong, but believe in him that he knows what he's doing and that he's not going to abandon you by putting himself in any unnecessary danger. Now ya'll think about it that way for once while I go and cook up some grub for us, I've said my piece."And with that final word he turns and leaves Hudson, and I to look to the other for conformation that those options do exist for us. "I could take on the local gigs instead of the ones I do now, but I can never guarantee you that a time won't arise that I might be needed to go on a mission that could be dangerous in the future. If that's something you think you can live with or even want, I would be willing to at least tryfor you."
Sitting there for a moment as I look into his eyes hoping to see that they hold the same answer and hope he's telling me, and I can see clearly that what he wants with me far outweighs his love for the away assignments that he would be giving up. "As long as you are okay with it, truly okay, I will support you in every way possible, but I too can't guarantee you that I won't worry about you, but I will always believe in you and your experience enough to know you won't jeopardize your life unnecessarily." Both of us sit there staring at each other as if we've both just figured out the biggest missing part of the puzzle before we lunge at one another clawing and kissing in a fit of frenzied happiness.
Hearing a clapping sound in the background we both know it to be Porter, we break apart and look in his direction. "So have we ended our Romeo and Juliet phase now kids?"
All of us break out laughing as Hudson springs off of the couch grabbing a hold of Porter and putting him in a head lock as Porter reaches around grabbing a hold of Hudson in return and they begin to wrestle on the ground together leaving me sitting there shaking my head with only one thing to say, "men."
The next two days go by in a bit of a blur, mostly with us just sitting and watching TV or sleeping and I want nothing more than to go outside and just feel the sun on my skin once again. Waking up this morning, day three, Hudson asks. "Well are you ready to get out of here?"
"We're leaving?"
"Yes, Brice and Carter got into town yesterday so it's safer for us out there in the open now with them watching our backs."
Sitting up in bed I wrap my arms around him. "Thank God, I didn't know how much longer I could survive in here without any daylight."
"Well however fast you can be ready to go is when we'll leave."
"Not trying to be a pain...but can we stop some place and buy a change of clothes? I'm feeling a little gross after wearing the same thing for the last three days."
Chuckling he answers "That's not being a pain, hell I've been thinking the same thing."
"Good." I say slumping in relief.
"Alright now go get ready so we can get out of here." He says kissing me on the lips setting free the butterflies in my stomach just like his kisses do every time.
After I've showered and changed back into my clothes, we gather everything up and load it into the Hummer and head out of the cave. When the sunlight hits my eyes for the first time in three days, I put my hand up to shield them. "Shit! I'm sorry little lady, here use these to help adjust your eyes tothe sunlight." Porter says handing me a pair of aviator sunglasses like the ones that he and Hudson have on, and damn do they both look good in them, but I am more in love with how Hudson looks in them. Reminding myself we're not alone, I keep my hands to myself even as they crave to reach out to him on their own accord. "So where are we meeting your friends at?"
"There's a bar called Colby’s Place in town that we've set up as the meet up after we swing by a clothing store first and get a change of clothes for us." Hudson says winking at me.
Nodding my head I ask "Do you think those guys still know where we are?"
"I want to say no, but there's just no way to know for sure. I'm hoping that going underground for those few days threw them off our scent for a bit."
"Don't worry too much little lady, with the four of us watching over you, you’re going to be as safe as a kitten."
Watching as Porter gives Hudson a side glance after telling me that, I can tell that they are both trying to over assure me, and all I can do is hope they are right and we will all come out of this whole thing alive.
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE HUDSON
After we buy a change of clothes all of us getting a couple pairs of jeans and t-shirts we make our way to the bar where we're to meet up with Carter and Brice. After we park the truck and get out having Presley walk between Porter and I with me following up the rear I can't help but enjoy the view. Damn this woman can fill out a pair of jeans. Mentally scolding myself to keep my head in the game I begin to look around scouring the area for anything that might look suspicious. Entering the bar we immediately spot
Carter and Brice seated on the far end so they can see who enters and exits the building with ease. As we get closer I can see Carter is up to his usual, charming the pants off of the female bartender. Both of them get up at the same time to greet us hugging Porter whom they haven't seen in months first. "Porter Jensen, how the hell are you brother?" Brice says first before stepping aside so Carter can greet him as well.
"Yeah, what the hell have you been up to out here in the sticks?" Carter asks slapping his back.
"Well I've just been chilling out on my farm till you shit heads needed me again.” He answers with a chuckle.
"Well from what I'm hearing Hudson is damn lucky you never took your head out of the game.” Brice says looki
ng at me.
"We wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for him, I'll tell you that. This fucker has some awesome toys he's built out here that's for sure. Remember the stories he always told us about the cave? So much better when you see it in person."
"No shit? It's still useable?" Carter asks.
"Useable? Wait till you see what he's had done to the damn thing."
"Don't worry. When this shit is all over I'll take you two out there to see it for yourselves." Porter assures them.
"Excuse me, I'm sorry, but can you tell me how my father is doing?" Presley asks in a small voice interrupting our conversation and making me feel like the biggest asshole on the planet for not finding that out for her first.
"Shit Presley, I should have asked that as soon as we got here, I'm sorry Darlin’." I say wrapping my arm around her waist and kissing her on the temple. When I turn to the guys for the answer to her question, I find Carter with a smirk on his face and a look of concern on Brice’s.
"He's actually out of the coma and recovering nicely, the Doctors expect him to make a full recovery." Brice tells us.
Letting out a heavy breath Presley covers her face with her hands as she okay."
Hearing her sob under her hands I pull her away from the others and sit her down "Hey, hey he's going to be okay now."
Wiping the tears from her cheeks she says in between sniffles "I know, I'm just so happy, there's so many things I want to tell him and apologize for. Can I call him now?"
Looking over to Brice I wave him over. "Hey is Gordon awake enough to talk to Presley on the phone?"
Getting his phone out he says "Let me call Vance, and see if he can get a hold of one of our guys guarding him and have them call my phone so he can to talk to her."
As Brice steps away to make the call as I sit there with her and just hold her, rubbing her back in a soothing motion, enjoying the feel of her in my arms "You okay?" I ask pushing her back to see her face.
"Yes, I'm good, I'll be better after I hear my father’s voice." As if right on cue, Brice returns with his phone outstretched to Presley. Getting on the phone she says, "Daddy? Is this really you? Are you going to be okay?" Before breaking down in tears of joy at the sound of her father’s voice, "I thought I was going to lose you." Getting up and joining the the rest of the guys, I give her a moment alone.
Walking over in their direction, Brice steps forward directing me to an empty section of the bar telling Carter and Porter to watch over Presley, while we talk. "Are you sure you know what you're doing with this woman?"
Letting out a breath I answer. "Look, I know this may be the dumbest thing I've ever done in my life, or the smartest, but I don't know what else to say other then, I don't want to have to be without her after this whole thing is over."
"Do you love her?"
Knowing what the answer is, I know I'm not quite ready to really let anyone else in on those feelings just yet. "I'm not sure about what it is I feel for her just yet, all I know is that if I don't try to find that out when this is all over it will be one of the biggest regrets I'll have in my life."
"So I take it she's not as bad as everyone says she is.” He says slapping my shoulder with a chuckle.
"Not once you get to know her, she’s been through a lot of shit in her life with her mother and assholes that just messed her up in the head so much they had her believing she had to harden her heart in order to keep it safe."
"Well for your sake I hope you're right."
"Right about what?” Presley asks surprising us both as she walks up behind us with a bright smile to hand Brice back his phone.
Pulling her in for a hug I tell her. "Just some stuff were planning to keep you safe. How's your father doing?"
"He's doing really good, thanks for getting me that call. I really just needed to hear for myself that he was alive and well."
"Hi, I'm Carter by the way, Hudson’s so rude with introductions these days." Carter says walking up and extending his hand out to Presley.
"I wasn't being rude asshole I was saving her from your flirting shit you lay on so thick with every woman."
"Aww he's just jealous because I'm better looking than him.” Carter says rubbing my head.
"If you don't get your mother fucking hands off of my head, I'm going to get us both thrown in jail after I kick your ass."
Chuckling he says. "Must be love, I've never seen you so protective over a charge before." As he turns to walk away leaving Presley and I in an extremely uncomfortable silence at his words, and then to add more flames to the awkward silence, the song 'Angel' by The Weekend begins to come into focus over the sound system with the words, "I know what I am and the life I live, but I know time will tell if we're meant for this, and if we're not I hope you find somebody to love."
Stepping forward and breaking the silence that stretches between us, she cups my face before placing a chaste kiss on my lips saying. "I think it is."
Stunned into silence I finally find my balls and speak up "I think it is too, I know it's quick but I can't get the feelings I have for you to stop from growing, and I don't want to."
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR PRESLEY
When Hudson and I both lay our hearts on the line it's the best and worst feeling in the world. I can only hope that everything works out for us in the end, but it's the ending of this whole thing that scares me the most. After talking with my father and him telling me about the threats from them on knowing my location, and promising my lifeless body on his doorstep if he doesn't cooperate with them and throw the FBI off their tracks, have me worried about everyone who has ever come in contact with me. I know they will do anything to protect me, especially Hudson. Brushing the dark thoughts aside I smile up at Hudson’s beautiful face. "I'm just going to say it and hope I never regret it. I love you Hudson Drake, and as crazy as it sounds and feels, I couldn't imagine spending all my mornings and nights with anyone else but you. You've changed me, given me hope, real hope for the first time in my life that everything just might work out okay."
No sooner are the words out of my mouth, I hear the first of many gunshots ring out, ripping Hudson and I apart as some sort of smoke bomb goes off filling the room up and making it hard to find my way back to him. As glass and wood begin to shatter and splinter all around us, I can hear all the yells and shrieks from everyone that's in the bar. Dropping to the ground and coughing I feel a pair of hands reach around my waist and drag me across the floor to safety. Covering my head he helps me to my feet and out a back door by the bathrooms. Shaking and coughing uncontrollably as I try to clear my lungs, I look up to thank my saviour only to find the devil’s giant associate staring back at me as I see the devil himself open the back door to the black SUV that's parked in the alleyway awaiting my arrival. Trying to make a run for it I feel the painful grip on my hair snapping my head back as a cloth is covered over my face causing everything to go black, and the last thought to float through my head, "at least I told my father and Hudson everything I wanted to say."
When I wake up the room is dark and has a musty smell to it, like the windows haven't been opened up in years. The pounding I feel in my head the first time I move it has me gripping it with my hands. After sitting up, I begin to take in my surroundings as best as I can with the slight glimpse of sunlight that shows through the small skylight in the ceiling. Trying to clear the fog from my head, everything comes flowing back about the shooting at the bar and all I can do is panic at the thought of something happening to Hudson or Porter, or any of the others that came to help me. My breathing begins to quicken when I hear movement. "Hello, young lady.” The deep raspy voice with a Spanish accent says snapping me out of my panicked thoughts. Then the face behind the voice comes into focus. He's an older, shorter well-dressed man with a bit of a stomach on him and salt and pepper colored hair as well as a beard. "Do you know who I am?"
Trying to remember the name I've heard used for the head of the Mexican Mafia I ask. "P..Pablo?"
Chuckli
ng he answers. "That's right, Pablo Sanchez, and do you know why you are here?"
"B..because of my father."
"That's right, your father, he and I used to be very close friends at one time in our lives, but recently he's chosen to dissolve that friendship with not so much as a farewell. Did you know you were a guest in my house when you were just a little girl? I always treated you as if you were one of my very own, which is the only reason you are still alive right now and not in one of my many whore houses being drugged up, used and disposed of. But don't mistake my kindness for weakness Presley, if your father doesn't come to his senses soon, I will have no choice but to use you to force him to, it is not something I would be proud of, but it would be a necessity to protect my own business and family."
"Your business? You ruin women's and family’s lives! I can't believe my father was even associated with the likes of you!" Suddenly a pain bursts through the right side of my face from the hand of a man I hadn't noticed standing behind me until now.
"You had better watch that mouth of yours or I will put it to a better use, do you understand what I'm saying to you mujer?"
Grabbing my face and rubbing it I simply look up at him from the bed I'm sitting on and glare at him in defiance. "Yes."
"Good. Now how about I have Eduardo here guide you to the bathroom so you can clean up and come to my house for dinner.” Nodding my head as my only answer, he says. "It is done then." Coming closer he reaches out to cup my chin. "See I'm not always the heartless monster they make me out to be." He says turning to leave the room as he fires off instructions to my giant jailer in Spanish, slamming the door behind him. Gripping me roughly by the arm Eduardo drags me off the bed to the other side of the room before opening another door, flipping on the light then shoving me in and shutting it behind me. "You have ten minutes, and then we leave!" I hear him shout from the other side of the door.
