Guarding Presley (Black Spade #1)

by C. M. Allen

  "Don't you move, I will slice your throat wide open with this thing." I say in a hushed tone so I don't alert the guard outside.

  "Miss Crawford, what's gotten into you? How are you even__."

  "Awake?" I say finishing her sentence. "You should really pay closer attention to whether or not the IV is really attached to the person. Now give me your phone."

  Jabbing me in my side I groan in pain from the impact to my stitches before I reach out slicing the scalpel across her arm and covering her mouth with my hand before she can cry out. I push the scalpel into her throat again drawing blood from the pressure I'm applying as I move us into the bathroom, and shut the door. "I don't want to kill you but I will, now get out your fucking phone." Reaching into her pocket I warn with a push of the scalpel to her skin. "And if you take anything other than a phone out of that pocket I will slice your throat." Putting her hands up, she takes one and reaches into her pocket pulling it out. "Good, now dial his number." Pushing the button I see Hudson's name come up on the screen. "Put it on speaker."

  As she hits the button I hear the phone ring once before his voice comes over the phone. "What the fuck do you want now? She had better be alive."

  "It's me Hudson, and I'm safe."

  "I understand." Is all he says, telling me that either Pablo or one of his men is near him.

  "Do what you need to, I'll be fine." Is all I get out before the line goes dead, squeezing her neck I tell her. "Now call 911."

  "911, what's your emergency?"

  "This is Presley Crawford and I'm in room 4011 at the, hold on. What hospital is this?" I ask the nurse.

  "The Methodist."

  "Did you hear that?" I ask the operator.

  "Yes ma'am, but what's the problem?"

  "The problem is my nurse and the Agent guarding my door work for Pablo Sanchez, and tried to kill me, I need the police here right now."

  "Okay, officers are on their way Miss Crawford, are you in a safe location?"

  "I'm in my room with the door locked and the nurse is with me, I have a scalpel to her throat, so please hurry or I'm going to have to kill her if she attacks me again."

  CHAPTER FIFTY NINE HUDSON

  As we stand there with our guns drawn I know that I'm going to give my life for Presley's, it was never a question. "I chose her life to go on, you can have mine." I say lowering my weapon.

  "What the hell are you doing Drake?" Vance yells at me.

  "He's got Presley's nurse in his pocket and she's going to kill her if we don't surrender.

  "Fuck!" He says not moving his weapon.

  "That's right Mr. Martinez, so if you want Mr. Drakes bitch to live you'll give yourself up."

  Hearing footsteps echoing quickly down the tunnel, I have no idea if it's more of Pablo's men or one of ours, but one look at Larson rounding the corner with his weapon pointed at Pablo's head causes me to yell out. "Don't shoot!"

  Looking over to me out of breath and confused Larson asks. "What the fuck is going on here? Where is your weapon Drake?"

  "He has Presley! The nurse, she works for him!" "Shit!"

  "As well as the guard that sits outside her door, Agent Morrison." Pablo says with a look of satisfaction as Larson sits stunned that one of his own is a traitor. Sitting there in a standoff, the men that arrive in the truck enter with raised weapons. "Ah gentlemen, just in time, these men were about to surrender, isn't that right?" He says looking between us. My phone vibrating in my hand gets my attention, looking at it I can see it's the nurse calling. "I'd be very careful about answering that and saying the wrong thing Mr. Drake.” Pablo says showing me the device in his hand again.

  "It's your fucking nurse from the hospital, I need to know if anything has happened to her.” I say showing him the phone as he relaxes.

  "Well then by all means make sure the bitch is still alive for now anyways."

  Lifting the phone to my ear I ask. "What the fuck do you want now? She had better be alive." The voice that drifts across the line is not the one I had expected, but hearing it almost makes me give away the fact that she's safe and I'm free to finally kill this bastard in front of me once and for all. "I understand." I tell her as I hang up the phone. Walking up to stand in front of Pablo, I hold my hands at my side with a thumb’s up signal that I hope Vance and Larson both see. "I want you to tell me something Pablo."

  With a satisfied smirk on his face he asks. "And what would that be Mr. Drake?"

  Yelling, "now!" Both Vance and Larson take the two guys out behind me as I slip the knife from my belt and jam it straight into Pablo's heart, twisting it to ensure he dies by my hand. "How it feels to have your worthless fucking life taken away from you by me you piece of shit!" He feverishly pushes the button on the device as his last act of evil before he dies when I tell him. "Presley figured it out about the nurse and she's safe." Then his eyes close as he slides lifelessly down my body and out of our lives for good slumping to the floor with a thud.

  After we've rounded up all of Pablo's men that were still alive, Santino's men loaded them into the very same van that they had used to transport the sex slaves in and take them off to jail; irony if you ask me. Larson called in a few favors as well as Santino and they got about ten female officers and Agents to come out and work with getting the women clothing and taking them to a hospital to be treated and released back to their families. Corners and medics showed up for the dead and injured, a few of our men had minor injuries that needed tending to. Walking up, Larson grabs my shoulder. "Well we did it! We took that bastard down once and for all! And my guys were able to arrest the nurse and Agent that both worked for Pablo. Your girl is one hell of a survivor." Shaking hands and back slapping each other, the others walk up.

  "Thank God, this shit is finally over.” Carter says first.

  "How is she? I need to talk to her.” I tell Larson.

  "Let me get Devon on the line, he's with her." He says taking out his phone placing the call then handing me the phone a few minutes later.

  "Hello?" I hear her say.

  "Baby, it's me, are you okay?"

  Hearing her whimpers on the other end she finally says. "I was so worried about you, I'm glad you're okay Hudson. And I'm good though they just needed to repair a couple of stitches that I ripped moving around, but other than that I'm fine. Is he really gone Hudson? Are we really finally safe now?"

  "We sure are baby, made sure of that myself, just like I promised you I would, you'll never have to worry about him ever again."

  "When are you coming home?"

  "I'm on my way back home to you now, right where I belong. We're on our way to the airport. I can't wait to see you baby, I love you."

  "And I love you."

  EPILOGUE ONE MONTH LATER THANKSGIVING PRESLEY

  After I was released from the hospital, Hudson and I were never apart for one night. He was at my house or I was at his. My relationship with my father has probably been the most challenging thing since this had all ended, but we're getting there slowly but surely, each day I forgive him a little more for all the trouble he brought into our lives. But, there was one good thing that came with it, and that's Hudson. With him in my life I finally grew up into a woman instead of the spoiled brat I was. He's been the best thing that's ever happened to me and was worth all the crap I went through to find. Man does God work in mysterious ways or what? I think he decided I needed to work a little harder for my happiness, and I'm okay with that. Hudson surprised me by telling me that he's no longer taking the jobs that take him away for weeks or months at a time, instead he's taking local gigs at the clubs here in Dallas. I don't think I've ever been this truly happy in my life and every day I deal with the fear that scratches at the back of my mind that it could all be taken away from me, but I'm also learning how to ignore the claws in the darkness that reach out every now and then to try and steal my happiness away. Tonight we are all getting together for a Thanksgiving celebration of sorts it's the first time we've all been able to get togethe
r since everything has gone back to normal in our lives, and it will be very interesting to see Evangeline for the first time in months and especially after what she went through with her husband. Who knew? But as the saying goes; you never really know what goes on behind closed doors, unless you're the one behind them.

  "I really can't get over how much you've changed since the last time I saw you at the charity function we attended." Evangeline says with a smile snuggling into her husband Tanner's side.

  "I would say we've both changed a lot since that little function, look at you, so relaxed and looking like you're really comfortable in your skin for the first time in a long time. You know, I know you and I never really crossed paths a lot, but I do remember how sad you always looked when you thought no one was looking, I'm really glad that you found someone that's put such a glow on your face, it's radiant by the way."

  Nuzzling into her neck Tanner says. "Well I'd like to think I had something to do with that."

  Giggling like a school girl Evangeline says, "Maybe just a little something."

  The other end of the table where Carter, Vance, Brice, Porter and Kelan all sit finally quiets down before Porter says. "What are you two not telling us?" He says pointing at Tanner and Evangeline.

  Both of them exchange looks with one another. "Come on you two spill it, Hudson says pulling me in tighter to his side.

  "You tell them sweetness." Tanner says kissing her cheek.

  "Well we're pregnant!" She says throwing her hands in the air.

  Hoots and hollers circle the table as everyone gets up hugging Evangeline and shaking Tanner's hand. "We need some shots for a toast!" Carter shouts heading for the bar with Vance in tow.

  "Make mine sparkling cider or tonic water please!" Evangeline shouts back.

  "Of course," Vance tells her.

  As they return to the table handing out the shots of Bourbon that I'm not too excited to try again, I catch a smirk on Porter’s face knowing just how much I despise this stuff, but I'm willing to do it for them, to be a part of this wonderful family these men have created and is slowly increasing in members.

  Vance clearing his throat stands at the head of the table. "First of all I would like to officially welcome our newest family member Presley, may you and Hudson have a long and happy life together and make more beautiful memories over your lifetime." Hudson and I share a look as he kisses my forehead before kissing me on the lips. "And now to Tanner and Evangeline, adding to our growing family the first of hopefully many more little ones to come." At the mention of the baby, Hudson squeezes my hand for support knowing what we lost and hope to get back one day. "Here's to all of us, may we all find the true happiness that Tanner and Hudson has with Evangeline and Presley, you ladies are very special to us all, anywhere, anytime." As Vance raises his glass we all do.

  "Cheers!" We all say as I carefully sip on my drink making that face afterwards that normal people do that don't drink that crap every day.

  "I don't blame you for sipping, that stuff is awful." Evangeline says with a giggle.

  "Yeah, you're telling me." I say with a scrunched face.

  As we finish up our dinner we all part ways and promise to get together soon. Evangeline and I also discuss her baby shower that I insist on throwing her back in Shelby with her friends, and agree to start planning for it soon.

  When we arrive back at Hudson's place, I head for the couch and lay down as he walks over lying on top of me. "How is my girl doing?"

  "Good, just thinking."

  "We will have one of our very own one day Presley. I promise you. I will give you the child we both want."

  Knowing that he's read my mind once again we sink into one another as we spend the rest of our night making love.

  EPILOGUE SIX MONTHS LATER HUDSON

  Finally able to take some time off work, I planned a special trip for Presley and I to go visit the ranch. "I'm so glad we're getting away for a while, I really needed this." Presley says curling into me.

  Man had my woman changed so much from that first day in my office. Now don't get me wrong, that no shit taking personality was still there, and believe me she’d let me have it whenever I fucked up, but the spoiled brat had finally fallen away and the beautiful caring woman I knew lived deep inside had emerged. After everything that happened with Pablo and the sex trafficking, Presley opened a facility for abused women and children, finding them clothes schooling, jobs and places to live, and she personally checks in on them all to make sure they are safe and well on their way to recovery, and thanks to all her wealthy friends she never runs short on donations. Even Evangeline had donated some of the money she received after her husband’s death was ruled self-defence. I couldn't be more proud of the woman that was by my side and I wanted to make sure that's just where she was going to stay.

  Getting off the plane we get our bags and head outside to the curb to hail a taxi when I hear a horn honking pulling my attention to the big truck that pulls up in front of us. The passenger door opens up and Porter sticks his head out. "Now you didn't really think I was going allow you to put this little lady here in a stuffy ole’ taxi now did you?"

  "Porter!" Presley says jumping up into the truck wrapping her arms around him.

  Climbing up in the cab with our bags, I shove them in the back seat where Presley's moved to and shake his hand. "How have you been man, I thought you were out of town."

  "I was, but that's a long story for another time."

  "Oh don't worry Hudson, I can tell you all about that story, I do still talk to Keira you know Porter." Presley says with a wink.

  "Oh I know exactly how much you women talk." He says taking off towards the ranch.

  After Porter drops us off and we say our good byes agreeing to meet up later this week, Presley and I make our way into the house just as the sun is beginning to drop. Perfect. Grabbing her hand I tell her. "Come on let's go watch the sunset out back before we miss it." Giggling she grabs something from her purse shoving in her pocket. "What's that?" I ask her.

  "Just an article on the shelter I want to read to you later."

  As we sit there watching the sun dip down I finally take a deep breath and do what I brought her here to do. Turning her towards me I kiss her on the lips. "I know you and I haven't been together for long but there's a reason I wanted to bring you back here to the ranch with me." Watching her face I continue. "I wanted to come back to the place where we fell in love with each other, where I saw the real you for the first time, the woman I knew I would never let get away no matter how hard she tried to push me. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me Presley and I will always want you by my side where you belong." Getting down on one knee I take the Tiffany blue box out with the two carat princess cut diamond I got for my princess and

  ask. "Presley, will you do me the honor of being my wife and one day the mother of my children?"

  Tears welling up in her eyes, she lunges forward wrapping her arms around me as she says, “yes.” Over and over again in between kisses. "I love you so much Hudson." Slipping the ring on her finger she gets a huge smile on her face. "A princess cut diamond."

  "For the woman who will always be my princess."

  "You mean until we have a little princess of our very own one day or a prince." She says reaching into her pocket to bring out the 'article' that she said she wanted to show me earlier that's really a sonogram.

  Looking at the picture and then back to her, I ask, "Really?"

  "Yes really." She says with tears streaming down her cheeks and a smile on her face.

  Pulling her in I crash our mouths together deepening the kiss and the love I have for her. Coming up for air finally I stand up and pull her up as I pick her up cradling her in my arms causing her to yelp before I silence her with another kiss as I walk us towards the house and towards the future that we've started. "I love you baby."

  "I love you too Hudson."

  THE END

  AND COMING SUMMER OF 2016 PORTER AND KE
IRA’S

  STORY IN ‘PROTECTING KEIRA’

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