by Lee Rose
“I need you, Tony. Inside me, now,” she demanded.
“You’re bossy.” He snorted. “I may still want to play with you,” he teased. He replaced his fingers with his tongue and she had to bite her lip to stop from crying out. It felt good to have his tongue on her, lapping up her cream. Her belly tightened. Finally, the torture was over and she was the one who felt like her heart was thumping too loudly with excitement and delight.
He aligned his cock to her entrance. “Ready for me?”
She nodded and gripped his shoulder hard. He slid in and thrust upward. She arched her back up and wrapped her legs around him.
“Oh yes, this feels so good, Tony.”
“My favorite place to be, babe,” he said with a grunt and pushed himself further in. “Yes, grip me tightly. You are so wet.”
His strokes were fast and hard. “Ah, yes, feels amazing.”
He was relentless in his rhythm of going in and out of her. She thought the whole bed was moving, but she wasn’t sure. “Oh, yes, Tony, fuck me harder.”
He did and she felt that familiar lightheaded feeling. Spots appeared before her eyes, so she closed them and let the waves of fire sweep through her. She came with a loud scream. He came at the same time as her. He leaned down and kissed her one more time before scooting over so he wouldn’t crush her.
“Was that good or what?” he asked.
Alicia laughed. “Give me a few seconds to catch my breath, and then let’s do it again. I need more research before I commit myself to an answer.”
He squeezed her tight and kissed her head. He shook his head with amusement. “I may need a few minutes more than you.”
She sat up and climbed on him, straddling him. She put his hands on her breasts in encouragement.
“I accept the challenge, mister.”
“What challenge?”
“Let’s see if I can excite you back up in a few seconds and not minutes.” She smiled widely, winking at him.
He looked at her with so tenderness in his eyes she wanted to get emotional on him. “Babe, just being around you excites me, but hell, go for it. What you got?”
She gave him a wicked smile and kissed his lips. She kissed his neck, shoulders, chest, and nipples next. He pretended to be unaffected, but she felt his cock twitching in response. “I got all night, babe,” he assured her.
“Good.” She looked up from kissing his stomach. She made it to his cock, which was hard and ready. She licked his balls and his length slowly. “Feeling anything yet?”
“Maybe,” he said, not giving an inch. She could see the humor in his eyes as he put his hands behind his head in a relaxed pose. She knelt on the bed next to him. She used her tongue to taste and explore every inch of his cock. She heard him groan, but she showed him no mercy. After all, a challenge was a challenge.
Chapter Seventeen
Alicia was at work, showing people to a table for lunch. Alana came running up to her with a wide grin on her face. “Your phone has been buzzing off the hook, girl.”
“Okay. I’ll go check it.” Alicia always left it behind the bar and checked it occasionally. After her last date with Tony a week ago, he had the habit of texting her throughout the day just to let her know he was thinking of her. It melted her heart to know he was trying hard to be a thoughtful boyfriend.
“Noah just called me and I have the best news ever.” Alana was practically jumping with joy.
Alicia smiled and waited. She smiled at her sister’s enthusiasm.
“They caught Novak and he is behind bars,” she announced as if she had just hit the lottery.
It took a few minutes for Alicia to realize what her sister just said. She put a hand over her heart and walked to the bar. She felt a little lightheaded. Was the nightmare finally over? “Are you serious?”
Alana nodded. Her parents weren’t here today. Cassie, one of the waitresses, was behind the bar.
“Hand me my phone, Cassie.” Cassie handed her the phone.
“Noah says even his fancy lawyers can’t help him,” Alana continued, hopping onto a stool.
Alicia looked at her messages from Tony. He told her the same thing Alana just had. He reassured her Novak was in a Morehead jail and not in town. That made her breathe a little easier.
She hugged Alana and they laughed aloud. “This is great news. It makes me feel so much better.”
Ray came out of the kitchen. “What is going on?”
They told him the good news and he looked relieved. “That is good news. I’ll let the parents know.”
Alicia nodded and looked at her phone. “I guess Tony and Noah will be down at Morehead for a few hours more.”
Alana nodded. “Come over tonight and we will have dinner together, just us two. We can catch up and celebrate.”
Alicia agreed and they got back to work. Her steps felt lighter as she worked, knowing Novak wasn’t lurking around the corner somewhere. She just had to remember who the shadowy figure was in her dreams. One of his flunkies, she was sure, but she wanted all the men involved in Janice’s death to go to jail.
* * * *
Alicia was so full after the wonderful dinner Alana cooked. Her sister put on a movie, but Alicia fell asleep on the couch. As soon as she was asleep, the dreams started again. She was scared and her arm was hurting. She was running but she couldn’t find the road. She knew they were behind her. She saw Novak beat Janice, but she didn’t know what happened to her. Someone had pushed her down and she had hit her head on the edge of a table. When she’d come to, Janice was gone.
Alicia felt herself crying but she couldn’t make herself wake up. She was stuck in the nightmare and all she could do was keep running. She felt someone behind her. She turned to look and finally she saw his face. She woke up sobbing.
“Alicia, what is it?” Alicia opened her eyes and saw her sister kneeling on the floor beside the couch. She looked worried. A lamp was on and it bathed the room in a soft glow. Alicia felt cold all the way inside, and grabbed on to the blanket Alana had covered her with. She could force her heartbeat to slow down and her chest hurt. Tears were rolling down her cheeks.
“I remember. Oh god, Alana.” Alicia sobbed, looking around the room wildly and with fear. “Are the doors locked? Where is Noah?”
“He is not back yet.” Alana’s brows were crinkled with concern.
Alicia jumped up and ran to the front door. She made sure it was locked. She could feel the hysteria rising and she couldn’t stop it. Alana looked at her as if she had finally snapped. Maybe she had. Maybe she was still dreaming.
“Where is Carlos?” she whispered.
“Asleep upstairs,” Alana answered slowly, looking concerned. “Should I call Noah?”
Alicia nodded and sat at the kitchen table. She took several deep breaths and tried to stay calm, but she was still dealing with the shock of what she had just remembered. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking.
* * * *
Tony sat in the car with Noah, wishing he would drive faster. It didn’t matter that Noah was already exceeding the speed limit. They had been at the station finishing up paperwork when Alana called. All he knew was that Alicia was having a major panic attack. She knew Novak was behind bars. They had been texting back and forth all evening.
“I don’t get it, Noah. What is she scared of?” Tony asked, trying to slow his racing heart down. The last thing Alicia needed was for him to run in there all scared. He had to at least appear calm to get to the bottom of what was wrong.
“She remembered something, but Alana can’t get a word out of her. She said Alicia woke up sobbing and scared to death.” Noah looked just as worried as he felt. He finally reached his block and pulled into the driveway. It was late in the evening but a lot of lights were on in the houses on the block. They both ran up the porch steps. Noah reached the front door first, but the door was locked.
“Alana, it’s me,” Noah said loudly.
Alana opened the door, looking frightened. Her brown ey
es were wide. Tony was behind Noah, but he spotted Alicia sitting on the couch hugging a pillow close to her body. Her eyes were red and swollen.
She looked up and dropped the pillow. Before he could even reach her, she threw herself into his arms and started crying. He rubbed her back with his hands and went back to the couch, carrying her.
He sat down with her on his lap. She had her hands on his shoulders and she was holding on tight. “Tell us what you remembered, baby.”
She inhaled loudly and let out a breath. When she finally spoke, her voice was wobbly and he knew she was having a hard time holding it together. “I still can’t believe it. I tried denying it but I know it’s true. I finally saw the shadowy figure running through my head. He finally caught me. The moon was bright.”
Tony felt his body tense up. It had to be bad for her to react this way. If it was one of Novak’s flunkies, she would just tell them. She looked at him with such a sorrowful look that he felt his own heart clench for what she was feeling.
“I saw John. He was the one chasing me that night.”
Tony heard everyone gasp loudly. He tried hard not to react yet. He wanted to know all the details before he hunted the man down and killed him. John was an ass, for sure, but a drug dealer? That shocked the hell out of him. He looked at Noah and Noah looked stunned by her words.
Alicia sniffed and looked down at her hands. “I barely remember the car accident. I woke up in some house tied to a bed. I think it was Novak’s. I heard Janice and Novak arguing across the room. I didn’t know who he was at the time. I was in so much pain I could hardly keep a thought in my head. I saw John sitting at the foot of the bed. I was confused and asked him why he was there. My head was pounding and I hurt everywhere.”
Tony was relieved her injuries had been from the accident and not John or Novak.
She stopped for a minute and he thought she was not going to continue. Then she started speaking again. Her voice was choppy and it was obvious she was about to lose control.
“John said we were in an accident and he thought my shoulder had been dislocated and my head was bleeding. He untied my hands and looked at my wrists. He looked so upset. He said Novak should never have treated me so roughly. I didn’t know who Novak was at that time. I recognized him as Janice’s man. That’s all. John got up and pulled Novak into another room, and I heard them arguing. Janice was beat-up and crying. She said Novak was going to kill us both and that she was sorry I got involved in her mess. I was terrified.”
“Jesus,” Noah muttered, hugging his wife. They sat on the loveseat and listened with horror.
“She said we had to get away while they were distracted. I was in shock. How could John be involved in all this? Janice was in a panic and she tried to pull me off the bed. I was still feeling dizzy and I fell to the ground on my shoulder. I remember screaming and everything going black. My head hit the corner of the nightstand.”
Tony kissed her cheek softly. Alicia leaned her head on his shoulder. “It was all my fault Janice died. When I woke up, she was gone and I knew Novak had killed her. I could tell by John’s expression he was scared of Novak and didn’t agree with Janice’s death. He looked at me as if saying he was sorry. I knew in that moment I was not going home.”
“It wasn’t your fault.” Alana got up and knelt on the floor next to him. She grabbed her sister’s hand. “You were in pain and dizzy. You wouldn’t have been able to run in your condition. Novak and John are to blame for all of this. Janice did not deserve to die over drugs.”
“She’s right,” Tony said firmly. “Novak and John are responsible for all of this, Alicia. Novak killed Janice and dumped her body in a park like a piece of trash. She did not deserve that. John could have come to us. I don’t like him, but Noah and I would have protected him.”
“How did you get away?” Noah wanted to know. Tony looked at his boss and knew he was feeling the same way as him. He looked like he wanted to kill John.
“When I came to, I was back on the bed and only John was there. I asked where Janice was, and he said Janice was a nuisance and that Novak took care of her. I started screaming at him. He held me down until I stopped. His phone rang and he went into another room to answer it. I climbed out the window. I can barely remember the rest. It is all vague, like a dream. I remember hearing my name and running. I looked back and remembered seeing John, but I ran. The rest is hazy. I don’t remember being found or taken to the hospital,” she said. She closed her eyes and Tony could hear her breathing even out. He laid her back on the couch and stood up, covering her with a blanket.
He turned to look at Noah. “Do we kill John right now? Because I am willing to handle it.”
Noah sighed and looked at him. “I would love to, but he will suffer more in a cell. I can’t say I am sorry, either, because I have hated him for hurting Alicia. I will gladly arrest his ass.”
Alana sat on the loveseat, looking at her sister solemnly. “Call Ray, Noah. He will come over and say with us. I’m afraid to be here alone.”
Noah sat next to her and took her hand. He nodded. “I will, love. I would never leave you, Alicia, or our son unprotected. I will have him and Drake here in fifteen minutes. I think Tony should be with me when we arrest John for his part in all of this mess.”
He got up to use the phone in the kitchen. Tony pulled out his cell and texted Matt. He needed his brother to come with them. He wasn’t afraid of John, but Matt would prevent Tony from killing the bastard.
Chapter Eighteen
Alicia woke up to the sound of many voices. She realized she was still on her sister’s couch and covered with a blanket. She remembered telling her story and passing out. She sat up, feeling very groggy. Ray and Drake were sitting at the table drinking coffee. Drake was playing with Carlos, who was in his high chair, grinning.
Alicia stood up and looked out the window. The sun was peeking through the still-closed curtains. She heard Jasmine in the kitchen talking with Alana.
Ray came over to her and looked at her with concern. He rubbed her arms softly. “You okay, sis?”
She nodded and took in a deep breath. She let it out slowly as she dealt with the memories of John being involved in all of this. He even had the nerve to check up on her.
“I need coffee. Where are Noah and Tony?” She was afraid to ask, but also afraid to not know what happened after her confession last night. Her confession had taken a physical toll and she had just shut down. She felt rested, but her stomach was tied in knots.
“They went to arrest John.” His lips thinned with anger. “The asshole had cleared out of his apartment. He told his manager he was taking a vacation. He must have known they would discover his association with Novak sooner or later. He ran like the cowardly dog he is.”
Alicia felt her stomach twist with fear. She had been hoping to hear he was in jail just like his buddy Novak. Alana came out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee. She handed it to Alicia. “Want something to eat?”
Alicia sipped on the hot liquid. “I’m not sure I can eat right now. I feel sick to my stomach.”
She headed toward the dining room table and sat down. Drake gave her a sympathetic look. “Noah will find John. You know that, right?”
“I know. I just hoped I could put it all behind me once and for all,” she confessed sadly. “You don’t think he is still in town?”
“He’d be dumb to hang around here. People are already hearing about Noah, Tony, and Matt raiding his apartment and the bar. They found cocaine in his office and stacks of money. His manager confessed the bar wasn’t doing well. Noah thinks that is why he got involved with Novak’s drug business. He needed the cash to put in his business. People are angry he was involved with Novak all this time.”
Jasmine came out of the kitchen and sat next to Alicia. “I knew he was a douchebag, but this has shocked me. As traumatic as it was, I am glad you remembered. Tony will not let John hurt you again.”
She put her arm around Alicia’s shoulder. “W
e are all here for you, Alicia. You don’t have to face this alone. Tony will not stop looking. He is one pissed-off male. I feel sort of sorry for John.”
Alicia smiled, thinking of Tony. Thoughts of him made her feel warm inside. She knew he would do everything in his power to get John. “I know.”
* * * *
Tony was fuming. How did John know they were coming for him? He wanted the satisfaction of seeing John’s face when they announced they had a warrant for his arrest. Noah was on the phone with the sheriff from Morehead. He was informing him of the new updates and having Helen fax pictures of John. Tony couldn’t believe that John would want to hurt Alicia. He had been angry with John for his womanizing ways, but it came as a very real surprise he was involved with Novak in any way.
“I wanted him,” Tony muttered to Matt. “I wanted to see his face when we told him we knew he had been selling drugs under our noses. I still can’t believe he was involved in Alicia and Janice’s disappearance.”
“I know. I can’t believe it myself. That is so fucked up in so many ways.” Matt ran his hands through his hair. “He can’t be in town. That would be stupid. He has proven he is not smart though.”
“He does have a way with the ladies. He could have one of them hiding him.” Tony reminded him, feeling disgusted at the thought of some unsuspecting woman being fooled as Alicia had. He wanted John behind bars.
“True,” Matt agreed, and turned to look at Noah when they heard the phone close.
“Sheriff Kincaid is putting an APB out for me and calling Green County. He is also going to interrogate Novak and see what he has to say about this new development,” Noah said, looking exhausted. He yawned. “I say we get some shut-eye and start again later. I am determined to find John. He will be joining his pal in a jail cell and orange jumpsuit.”
