The Strand Brothers Series: Complete Set

by Lora Ann

  Even spoke up, “What can we do?”

  Dr. Heiner looked him right in the eyes and stated, “Pray.”

  There was a time when I would’ve cringed for anyone to say that to my younger brother, but we had been privileged to witness his transformation. He was now a believer. Through the tears, I looked over at my soon to be little sister, Lacey. She was the angel here on earth who had been the instrument used to help save my brother. Lacey held her hand out to Dr. Heiner and asked, “Would you like to join us?”

  He smiled at her. “I would be honored.”

  After that, we all sat hand in hand praying fervently for Arianna.

  A little while later, we left to visit Ari. We were told sterilized clothing would have to be worn before entering her room, which had been moved to the ICU wing. We could only enter two at a time and would be given approximately ten minutes. Worst part was seeing how frail our daughter looked. She’d lost more weight it seemed. How did she take such a horrible turn since yesterday? I knelt down beside the bed and held Ari’s tiny hand. Sofie joined me as I wrapped my arm snuggly around her waist. Ari’s eyes met ours. “No sad faces,” she stated.

  I attempted to smile. “You’re right. Sadness is officially banned from this room.”

  She grinned. “That’s more like it.”

  Sofie stood and sat on the bed next to Ari, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Is there anything we can bring you?”

  Ari’s eyes lit up with mischievousness that looked so much like her Uncle Even I couldn’t hide my smile. She answered, “You could sneak in Zac Efron for me.”

  I shook my head adamantly. “Hell no! He’s too old for you.”

  Her lips pursed. “Um…I could’ve said Ian Somerhalder. He’s older than you.”

  Sofie chortled. “She’s got you there, babe.”

  I fought back the shock of hearing her use a term of endearment, instead, focusing on the Ian dude. “Who is he?”

  Both looked at me as if I were from Mars. Sofie patted my back. “You don’t watch much TV do you?”

  “Negative,” I admitted.

  Ari began to cough until there was blood dripping down her chin. I hit the call button. The nurse came rushing in, but then slowed when she took in what was going on. She calmly grabbed a cloth and wiped Ari off. I stared at her hard. “How long has this been going on?”

  The nurse answered. “Started about midnight.”

  I was livid. “And you didn’t bother to call me.” I glanced over at Sofie and corrected, “Us.”

  Said nurse rounded on me. “It wasn’t an emergency, just a side effect from the infection. Why would I alarm you?”

  She had a valid point. Problem being, I was beside myself. I wanted to heal my daughter and couldn’t. I felt so impotent, which made me a nasty motherfucker. “Next time, you call me. I don’t give a rat’s ass if it’s minor or not. I want to know EVERYTHING,” I roared.

  Ari was fighting back tears, which wasn’t helping her coughing. I gentled my voice as Sofie laced her fingers with mine. The effect was calming. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” I said to Ari. “I’m just concerned.”

  The nurse who was still not too pleased with me stated, “You have two minutes left.”

  As she left the room, Ari yawned so loud I heard her fragile jaw pop. I studied her face to make sure she was all right. Her eyes were drooping as she slurred out, “T-th-ank…you.”

  I couldn’t actually kiss her due to the surgical masks we were required to wear. Still, I bent down to kiss the top of her head through the mask. “What for?”

  Her whispered, “For caring about me,” was so soft I almost missed it. God, she had parents who could’ve given her love her entire life. She would’ve been safe, cared for, adored. Instead, she’d lived a life of hell, surviving on the streets after her last foster dad tried to rape her. No child should ever see such horrors. The fact that it was my child and I’d been unable to protect her made me a raging lunatic. Ari slipped off into a deep sleep as I marched out of ICU. My brothers knew the cue and followed. I overheard Sofie when she asked, “Where are they going?”

  Aimee and Lacey responded in unison, “To work off a little steam.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Sofie

  I eyed both women. “Explain exactly what you mean by that.”

  They each walked over and stood on either side of me. “It’s the Strand way of dealing with things when shit hits the fan,” Aimee affirmed.

  “Messy way if you ask me,” Lacey added.

  Due to stress over Ari and Alex I snapped, “Would one of you please, for the love of God, speak English!”

  All of a sudden I was encased in their arms. “I’m so sorry,” Lacey crooned.

  “We weren’t trying to be evasive,” Aimee admitted.

  Damn tears refused to obey my command to stay right where they belonged as they streaked down my face. Nevertheless, when Lacey declared, “Let it out, Sofie,” I lost all sense of the word control.

  “We’re right here for you.” Aimee went on, “You’re not alone.”

  They eased me into a bank of chairs, where I sobbed until hiccups were all that was left.

  “I remember how worried I was over Keeley being in here.” Lacey confided, “On top of everything with Even—though that was all good with him—but my sister was a different story, and then Dad dying so unexpectedly. Well…let’s just say all those uncertainties should never be carried by yourself.”

  Aimee patted my leg. “Nik and I have fought through our own battle to be together, Sofie. I can’t imagine dealing with that and your daughter at the same time.”

  “Daughters,” I corrected. “Lilly is still missing.” Lest I ever forgot just how much was being carried on my shoulders.

  I heard Lacey as she whispered, “We’re meant to live life together. A team. If one is hurting and troubled, then it’s up to the rest of us to help them carry that burden.”

  At that moment, the TV in the corner of the waiting room blared Josh Groban’s “You Raise Me Up.” Now I didn’t believe in coincidences. I stared across that room dumbfounded. Aimee chortled lightly, “See there. You are family to us.”

  Lacey wiped at her face. “I love it when that happens.”

  Truth was, so did I. Lacey and Aimee seemed like women I could trust, sisters even. However, without knowing where my the future would take me and Alex, I felt it was best to stay at arm’s length. For now. I stood and began to pace until some commotion down the hallway could be heard. I stepped around the corner to see Alex and his brothers having words with security.

  Lacey joined me. “That’s not good.”

  “Hell no,” Aimee conceded as she strode past us.

  My mouth was agape as I watched the curvaceous siren work her wiles. She had those guards in the palm of her tiny hand. More amazing, was watching how Nik bowed his head and let his wife lead. They truly were partners. I had never witnessed such love and adoration before. Then, as if I weren’t off kilter enough, Lacey sauntered towards Even as he took the same posture and she began to be the logical one in this scenario, passionately proposing a solution to the dilemma the three brothers presented. Alex’s gaze snapped to mine as it held me intently from where he stood. I tilted my head and studied his face. Next, I saw what all the hoopla was about.

  Without forethought, I began to walk towards the fray. What I had once thought was dirt covering each one of the men wasn’t. Blood was splattered over them. Dear Lord, what had they done to one another? They looked like accident victims. No wonder security was up in arms. Surprised the police hadn’t been called yet, I joined the conversation at Alex’s side. His hand snaked out to clutch mine, taking me by surprise. I gasped, which brought all eyes on me. “Sorry,” I whispered hoping they wouldn’t ask for any explanations. Luckily they were too enthralled by Aimee and Lacey to pay much attention to me. I stood in awe as both guards smiled and waved, walking away. “Wow,” I muttered, “that’s unbelievable.”

  Ale
x tugged me into his side. “Shh, kjære, don’t tip our hat,” he mumbled into my ear.

  As I stood there a bit bewildered, Nik swept his wife up into a monster bear hug. The wicked twinkle in Even’s eyes as he enfolded Lacey into his body spoke a promise of things to come once they were alone. Damn, that look he gave her was enough to make me squirm. And I was not attracted to E. Sure, I could appreciate that he and Nik were gods in their own rights, but my eyes were for the Adonis who had his arm coiled around me at the waist. Heat traveled from his hand straight to my clit. The control he had over my body should have me running for the hills; instead, I leaned in closer and wrapped my arms around his torso. He winced. I pulled back and lifted his shirt. The bruise that greeted me was nasty. I hissed, “Are you sure you didn’t break any ribs?”

  Nik’s rasping, deep voice suggested, “You could put on a sexy nurse outfit and give him bedside care.”

  I buried my head against Alex’s chest as he and everyone else chuckled. When I overheard Lacey’s comment, “Ohhhh, you could bind me with a stethoscope,” I clasped Alex too hard, causing a deep groan of pain to escape him.

  We were suddenly surrounded by his family. Nik took a peek at where I had examined earlier and confirmed, “Sofie’s on to something. I think you may have a broken rib there, brother.”

  “Awesome,” he ground out as he took my hand in his and began to walk away.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To get a fucking x-ray.”

  “Ah.” Before I could tell everyone what he had planned, they were in step with us. Once more, the bond in this family made me speechless. I never knew such love and loyalty existed. Not for the first time, I felt like an intruder.

  As if he sensed my distance, Alex leaned into me and inquired, “You okay, So?”

  I simply nodded.

  While we waited for Alex, Nik sat next to me. “Don’t worry about Alex. He’s stronger than y’think.”

  I’d learned that they had been fighting outside. Well, fighting would imply someone was angry with another. These grown men were sparring, without any protection gear, to work off their frustrations. I shook my head. “He wouldn’t have to be if his brothers hadn’t used him as a punching bag,” I spat out. Why I’d lashed out at him, I would never know. Alex was the one to engage. Luckily Nik wasn’t angry at me. Instead, he surprised me.

  “You wanna take a swing at me, I’ll understand.” He angled his chin so I could do just that.

  “Oh my God. I would never!”

  E cackled. “I’d totally take him up on his offer. It was his side kick that did that to your man.”

  I turned back towards Nik and shot him a heated glare. He had the good sense to look at the floor. Even whistled, “Damn, woman! That look could castrate a man.”

  Lacey chimed in, “She has every right to be pissed off. Honestly, why do you guys do this to each other?”

  He blasted her with an impassioned look as she stood her ground. “I take it back,” she declared.

  “What’re you taking back, sweetness?” His lazy drawl told the listener that her challenge was not only accepted but wanted.

  “My stethoscope comment.”

  “No, you don’t,” he growled in hungry declaration. “First, you’re going to let me paddle your sweet ass for the sassiness. And then, you’re going to let me show you just how much fun we can have playing doctor.”

  Alright, his words to her made me wiggle in my seat. Geeze, that dirty mouth of his did something to a woman. Although it was Nik’s, “Hot damn, lille. You have a naughty outfit and toys so we can play doctor, too?” that made me blush ten shades of red. These men obviously knew how to get it on. No wonder Alex was such a phenomenal lover. Must be in the Strand DNA.

  Aimee responded, “Nikko, your fine ass is mine when we get home. I have more than one, animal,” she purred.

  I actually had to fan myself. Who turned up the heat in this place? Alex lumbered out before the conversations around me escalated to triple X. “What’d they say?” I queried and went to his side.

  “Not broken, just a bruise,” he stated arrogantly. Then he whispered in my ear, “Let’s go to my place so you can nurse me.”

  I smacked his chest. “You have a one track mind.”

  “When it comes to you…hell yes, I do.”

  Pivoting to find a polite way to excuse ourselves, I realized we were alone. I turned back to Alex with both brows raised. He slid his forefinger under my chin and lifted. “They had things to do,” he said huskily before running his lips across mine.

  “Ah, yes. Yes, they do,” I confirmed.

  He broke away before things got out of hand. “Come on. Let’s go check on Ari first.”

  That right there was how he’d won my heart in the first place—his devotion to family. His need to protect all of those under his care was unmistakable. I fell a little more in love with him at that moment.

  *****

  Relieved Ari was resting well and, for the time being, she wouldn’t need a transfusion. They would run more tests the next day to let us know. Neither Alex nor I could give any more blood, but they’d reassured us there was a supply. When we reached his car, he handed me the keys.

  “You drive,” he commanded with a devilish intent in his eyes.

  What the hell? “My place okay?”

  “Anywhere is fine,” he answered with a hooded gaze.

  Whatever he had planned, I knew I’d thoroughly enjoy it. As we got in the car, he pushed the passenger seat all the way back and reclined it. “Just what exactly are you doing?”

  “Showing you how much I want you,” he replied in his sexy, melodic drawl.

  Trying to wrap my brain around how he would do that in the car, I backed out of the parking space. Once we exited the hospital lot, he reached forward and pressed play on the stereo system. Pink’s version of “I Touch Myself” filled the sedan. My eyes widened as I glanced over, realizing what he was about to do. With my teeth, I raked over my bottom lip as he undid his pants and pulled that beautiful cock free of its confines. Good Lord, I could see moisture glistening at the top. He began to stroke himself from root to tip, moaning. “Every time I think of you this is what I have to do.” His voice had a gravel tone thanks to lust. With every ounce of effort I could muster, my concentration went to the road. Not for long! “You’re more than a want.” He cupped his balls and continued. “More than a desire. More than a need.” His grasp tightened as he stroked faster. “I can’t get enough of you, kjære,” he groaned out as I watched him erupt at the traffic light.

  Knowledge that I could do that to such a desirable man, made me squirm. That I alone held such power had me needing to pleasure him, over and over again. He was folding himself back into his pants when I pulled into my parking spot. I commanded, “Don’t.”

  His sexy-as-sin grin caught me off-guard as he eased the pants down his hips. That was all the invitation I needed. Shimmying out of my linen slacks, I was about to tug off the panties when he whispered, low and dark, “Leave them on.”

  I straddled him as his fingers slid under the edge of lace and entered my slick core. His other hand cradled my neck as he pulled our mouths together, taking me with a breath-stealing passion. Alex took no measure when removing fingers and replacing them with his dick, thrusting deep inside me. From the sudden fullness, I gasped as he stretched me quickly. Holding my hips, he stilled and demanded, “Ride me, Sofie. Make me come for you.”

  ‘Make’ him? No man had ever said that to me before. Though I had to admit, it was beyond arousing. I began to move up and down, using his shoulders for leverage. As I ground my hips against him, he eased his thumb onto my clit. “Fuck…Alex…yes, rub it harder.” When he complied, I climaxed. He caught my cries in his mouth, arching up hard to find his own release. We were startled out of our post-orgasmic haze by a knock on the window. “Shit.” I muttered into his neck.

  Alex cracked the tinted window once he made sure my bottom was covered by his suit j
acket, which had been behind us. He held me close while still buried inside my core. Speculative eyes greeted us as the security guard asked, “Everything okay here, Ms. Fields?”

  I croaked out, “Fine,” and then cleared my throat. “We’re good, Kevin. Thank you.”

  He nodded and cautioned, “Probably best to keep private things secluded, next time.”

  I bowed my head in pure embarrassment. Alex countered, “My apologies. We’ll do our best to contain our urges.”

  Kevin shook his head as he mumbled, “Not like you’re teenagers.” He rapped his knuckles on the top of the car before walking away.

  My giggles couldn’t be contained. “Oh my God.”

  Alex smirked. “He’s jealous.”

  I eased off him, mourning the loss of his body from mine. We put ourselves back to rights and exited the car. In the elevator Alex inquired, “Is this isolated enough?”

  “Um…no. You are soooooo bad.”

  He trapped me against the wall and kissed me recklessly. When the door opened on a ping, he eased back. I panted out, “This is my floor.”

  He grabbed my hand as we exited. “Thank fuck. I was about to have you again and to hell with the surveillance camera.”

  Unlocking the door to my condo became difficult, as he was grinding against my butt. We only made it into the foyer, where I ended up on my hands and knees. Alex unfastened my pants and yanked them off, panties included. Before I could make a coy remark, his face was buried between my legs. He bit my ass before licking the assaulted cheek. Next, he lay down underneath me and pulled my sex onto his face, attacking me like a starving man who’d just been presented with a buffet. As the orgasm ripped through my body, he held my pussy tight against his mouth and drank from me. The erotic move made me come again. He moaned deep and continued to take every drop my body provided. God, this man owned me. I was no longer able to hold myself up as he literally drained me. The fact I could climax like that, or so damn frequently, was a shock. He had gentled and was now lapping along my folds. Making love to every part of me that was female with his talented tongue. By that time, he had thoroughly and completely exhausted me. Standing, he picked me up and carried me to bed. So spent, I curled into the fetal position as he eased behind me. Alex’s warm breath along my ear tickled slightly as he said, “Sleep well, my love.”