by B. B. Hamel
Just a tool for my husband.
“I keep meaning to tell you something.” He sounded exhausted, but his eyes shone as he tilted my chin up toward him.
“Yeah? Another surprise on my wedding day?”
“I love you.” He leaned down and kissed me gently. “Your part in all of this is over, Cassie. But I love you and I want you to stay with me. I might need your help in the next few months.”
I blinked at him rapidly and tried to process. My thoughts spun, and the room stank like blood and death, but Roman’s arms were around me and his chest was close and his breath came in deep and steadily, and the panic that once threatened to swamp my emotions was only a dim memory.
“I love you too,” I said and looked into his eyes. Those ice cold, gray-flecked eyes. “I don’t plan on going anywhere.”
He kissed me deeper t hen held me tight and for the first time in a while, I felt like I had a future—
Even if that future would be hard and bloody and uncertain, at least I had one with Roman.
“Don’t forget to help the priest,” I said absently, leaning on his shoulder. “I bet he’s still terrified.”
Roman chuckled. “Good thinking. I probably would’ve left him back there.”
“What a wedding.”
“I can give you another, if you want.”
“I doubt anyone would come.”
“That’s a good point. How about just the presents then? As many as you want.”
“I’ll take you up on that.”
He hugged me tight, and I laughed until I couldn’t laugh anymore.
41
Cassie
The ocean rolled in and out against the sand and I lounged back in the chair, stretching out my legs and sighing with pure contentment.
Winter wiggled her glass in the air, the ice clinking around in circles.
“I could get used to this.” She peered at me and grinned. The sun was setting, the sky was a gorgeous purple and orange, and she glowed from spending the afternoon out on the beach.
“I knew you’d like it.”
“Who the heck has a private beach in Avalon? I mean, this has got to be obscenely expensive.”
“Roman is obscenely rich. I know that’s crass, but it’s true.”
“How’d you land a rich man?” She pouted and stretched like a cat. “I’d do some truly nasty things for a billionaire. Nothing degrading, but you know, still pretty nasty.”
“I don’t need the details.”
“Since you asked—“
I laughed and put my hands over my ears as she described a sex act I had never once considered—but might be willing to try with Roman.
The breeze felt good on my skin though it was getting chilly. I was surprisingly tired considering I had done nothing but lay out all day with Winter and talked about everything we hadn’t been able to discuss since this all started.
I didn’t give her the gory details. I glossed over most of it—but she got the general idea. By the end, she was shaking her head, and seemed genuinely mystified by the whole ordeal.
“Let me get something straight.” She sat up and arched her back, knuckling against her spine. “You love this guy, right?”
“Yeah, I really do.”
“When did that happen?”
I considered, chewing my lip. “Early on, I think. Around that first car ride when he helped me deal with my panic attack. It wasn’t full on love, but that’s what it started.”
“How’d you know?” She eyed me suspiciously. “I’ve been with men, but I’ve never really known, you know?”
“I know.” I laughed lightly and stared out at the ocean. When had I realized for sure? It was a hard question to ask because the line wasn’t clear. I didn’t wake up one day and suddenly think—yes, as of eight this morning, I am in love with Roman—it was gradual, like water wearing down rock into sand.
“Seriously, how did you figure it out? How’d you quiet all those dumb voices in your head that always tell you to run away?”
“I know exactly which voices you mean and they were very, very loud this time. But when he kissed me and all I could think about was staying in that kiss forever.”
“Not bad, but I’ve kissed some truly incredible men in my day, but didn’t love them. Keep trying.”
I laughed and looked up at the sky. “It was when I started thinking about the future in terms of him. That’s when I really figured it out.”
“Huh.” She sat back and chewed on her pinky nail. “Well shit. That makes sense.”
“It’s stupid, right? One second, I hated him and was only going through with everything to make him keep his promises. Then suddenly I’m thinking about the next ten years in terms of Roman, Roman, Roman. It snuck up and clobbered me.”
“Like a rogue wave. Those sink ships.”
“Guess I’m sunk.”
“You sure as hell are.” She stood up and grabbed her towel, tossing it over her shoulder. “All right, it’s been fun, but I’m going home. I’m toasty, a little drunk, and very tired.”
“Are you sure? You can crash here.”
Shew waved that off. “Roman’s tasty bodyguard man offered to drive me. What’s his name? Erick?”
“Don’t get any ideas. I don’t think he’s your type.”
She smiled, and there was a strange, sad undertone. “I’m not sure I have a type these days.” She bent down and kissed my cheek. “Love you. Glad you’re back.”
“Love you too. Just please don’t walk home, okay?”
“See you tomorrow.” She waved and trudged to the house.
I watched her, smiling to myself, until I spotted Roman jogging down the beach toward me. He went for an evening run and now he was drenched in sweat, his muscular, shirtless torso glistening, his breath coming fast. He smiled and approached, hands up on his head. God, he had amazing biceps.
“Where’d Winter go?”
“Home. I think she got a little too much sun.”
He looked disappointed. “That’s a shame. I planned on cooking.”
“You? Cooking? The idea surprises me over and over.”
“Get used to it.” He sat down at the foot of my chair and took my legs into his lap. He kneaded my calf gently. “I guess this means it’s just us tonight.”
“Don’t get any funny ideas. I see you formulating some kind of plan.”
“My ideas are never funny. Although they are occasionally kinky.”
“How dirty are we talking here?”
He leaned forward and bit my thigh. I sucked in a breath as he kissed the spot and gently licked it, his eyes locking with mine. “Depends. Have you been good?”
“I think the right answer in this situation is a resounding, no.”
“The right answer is definitely no.” He pulled me down into his lap and I inhaled his smell, the musky sweat mixed with sand and ocean, and when I kissed him I knew there was nowhere else in the world I’d rather be than right there in the arms of my husband.
Epilogue: Winter
I trudged down the road, my sandals flopping against my heels.
Erick hadn’t been happy when I told him to go sit on his thumb and screw, but whatever, he’d get over it. That man was handsome, maybe a little too handsome. I wasn't in the mood to flirt, and based on the way he looked at my body, I had a feeling I wouldn’t be able to keep him from trying something.
And considering the epic dry-spell I was on, I didn’t have the will power to turn him down.
So a-walking I must go.
Not that I minded. Avalon’s not far from Sea Isle, though getting over the bridge might be a pain. I decided I’d call an Uber, but walking felt good after being so damn sedentary all day. Besides, I was a little tipsy, and the hike would help sober me up.
I smiled and sucked in the ocean air. God yes, that was the stuff. The whole reason I moved down here. I could bottle that up and live on nothing but that smell.
My good mood didn’t last long though. I wo
rried about Cassie. She seemed happy—honestly, she was the happiest I’d ever seen her by a longshot, and that was important—but I knew danger lurked around the corner, stalking her like a hyena. I got hints of it at the edges of her story, and although she didn’t go into detail, I glimpsed enough to know that something huge was happening, and Roman was deeply involved.
I didn’t know what to do for her. Probably nothing. This was the path she chose, and I couldn’t fault her for that.
Lord knew I did a bunch of stupid shit in my past. I couldn’t judge her, not even a tiny bit.
Roman seemed like a good guy. Definitely a little cold and intense, but protective of Cassie. I noticed the way he drifted toward her unconsciously, like he was orbiting her in space. His eyes never left her, not really, even when he was looking at something else—she was always in his peripheral vision.
It was kind of cute. Creepy and scary but also sort of cute.
I sighed and stretched my arms up, arching my back. I was a little wobbly and already getting tired. I needed to do some damn cardio. Cassie was the runner—I was the sleeper. But heck, if she could change, then maybe I could too.
I didn’t have to be stuck in the past, even if it was the past that drove me into hiding.
Cassie and I had that in common.
Before I could spiral, I put on a big, broad smile, blocking out everything else.
That was my armor, my sword and shield.
Kill ‘em with kindness. And humor. Mostly humor.
I heard the rev of an engine from nearby. Avalon was pretty quiet and cars never drove fast around here—too many pedestrians. I turned toward the road ready to flip off some tourist with a fancy BMW or whatever, but instead watched as a black SUV roared toward me then slammed on its brakes once it drew level.
I stared in surprise and took one step back from the curb.
I didn’t recognize the man behind the wheel. He had dark hair and dark eyes. He was breathing hard, like he sprinted into the car. “Winter. Erick sent me. You need to get in the car.”
“In the car? Erick? The hunky bodyguard? What the hell?” I stared at him like the guy lost his damn mind. “I already told them I’m not having dinner tonight. Or did I leave my phone? God, I’m always leaving my phone places. You’d think that would be impossible, considering how often I’m using it, but—“
“Please,” the guy said. “You’re in danger. He’s—“
Two gunshots cracked out.
I blinked and stared as red blood spurted out from the driver’s chest. It was like something from a movie or a really good play. The gore was unreal, and god, there was so much red pumping from his wounds. The front windshield splintered like a spider web.
This wasn’t right. Nobody got shot in Avalon. It was freaking Avalon.
Rich people didn’t bother killing each other. What a hassle.
The driver coughed once and leaned forward, slumping against the steering wheel.
Definitely dead.
“Okay,” I said out loud, my mind in full-on freak out mode. I tried to get a handle on the situation, but couldn’t quite accept the reality of that very dead driver. “Okay, that’s bad. I think that’s bad. Very, very bad. Oh fuck.”
I turned to run.
And saw two men walking toward me.
I didn’t recognize the one holding the rifle. He was tall, big shoulders, bulky chest. Looked like he slept at the gym. He wore a pair of camo pants and a black t-shirt, like a freaking cliché army dude. His thinning hair was slicked back.
But the other, I knew him.
Darren smiled and spread his hands wide. “Winter, love. It’s been a while.”
I stepped backwards. “No.”
“Come now, Winter. Don’t be like that. We had fun, didn’t we? I never hurt you, and I still won’t, if you come along.”
“Not you. Please, not you.”
His face clouded. “Listen love. I’d be glad to leave you out of this, but Roman is in deep shit, and I need a little more leverage against him. That means you’re in play.”
I started to run.
Darren came after me. I didn’t get far. Freaking stupid sandals with the stupid freaking broken strap. They were cute but shit for escaping kidnappers.
He grabbed my wrist and yanked me around. I gasped in pain and nearly fell over, but he caught me and wrenched my arm up behind my back. I stood facing him, gasping, a bone-deep ache lancing up my skin.
Darren’s breath was warm and smelled spicy. “Very sorry about all this, love.” He turned and shoved me forward.
“Please,” I managed.
But then Darren bent over and threw me over his shoulder.
The big guy opened the SUV door and yanked the corpse of Roman’s guard out. It hit the street with a soft thud, like a pallet filled with flour.
The big guy climbed behind the wheel, despite all the blood.
Darren shoved me in the back and got in. I struggled, but he pinned me to the seat as the big man began to drive.
I tried to slap Darren away. I pushed and fought and hissed.
His hands were like iron.
“Please behave,” he said, his voice suddenly cool, his lips near my neck. “This’ll be over in a moment, love. You won’t remember a thing.”
“Who the hell are you? What do you want from me?”
Darren’s handsome lips pulled back and he tilted his head, grinning wildly.
“I want you to help me save the world. Now open that pretty mouth of yours nice and wide.”
“What do you—“
He shoved a rag against my face. I screamed, thrashed, sucked in a ragged breath—
A chemical blast down my throat, and the world lurched into darkness.
