by Ali Parker
"Do you?"
"I just said I did, didn't I?" I slid my fingers over hers and pressed down, locking our hands together. "I haven't stopped thinking about the last time you were there."
"Me either," she whispered softly and leaned back, closing her eyes. "I just keep waiting for the other shoe to fall."
"What shoe would that be?"
"The one where you're not who you say you are."
"I'm a criminal. A bad boy. A piece of shit that's figured out how to turn his life around. Is that the guy you thought I was?"
She laughed and smiled over at me. "Don't make me fall in love with you, Johnny Moretti."
"It's a dangerous place to be, Kitten."
"It's the only place I want to be." She ran her hand up my arm and dragged her nails back down, pressing into my skin and lighting me up.
"I need to tell you something, Dani." I took a quick breath, making a decision to be a good guy for the first time in my life. "Candace is saying she's pregnant."
"With your baby?" She held onto me, surprising me a little.
"Yeah. I need to have the paternity tests run as I know good and damn well that it's probably not my kid, but I wanna be open with you. It could be."
She nodded, surprising me a little. "Thanks for telling me."
"Yeah," I mumbled and pressed the gas. The sooner we got to the hotel and found my bastard of a nephew, the sooner I could get my girl back home and remind her why I was the man she needed in her life.
Chapter 20
Dani
"Hey, we’re here." Johnny's voice brought me from my thoughts.
The messed up situation we were in wasn't one I would have chosen, but it was nice to find out more about the man I was quickly falling for.
"Great." I got out of the car the minute he parked it. "Let's check in with the front desk first just so they know what's going on and then we'll locate the room where Jason's tracker is."
"Something tells me that the little prick or the assholes that he's with took the thing off. I doubt he's here, Dani. He's a smart kid, street smart."
"I hope you're wrong." I walked into the lobby of the rundown motel and stopped short. The older man in front of us had on a cheap suit, and his voice was low, ominous. His right hand was wrapped around the back of woman's neck, holding her tightly as he spoke with the receptionist.
"We'll take a room for three hours. You sell them by the hour, right?" He coughed loudly, the wet sound sickening me.
I glanced over at Johnny. "Something isn't right," I whispered.
The girl leaned away from him, and her legs were shaking from what I could see. Johnny moved up and tapped the guy on the shoulder. He spun around, and the girl did too. She couldn't have been much over seventeen or eighteen.
"What?" The man barked, his dark eyes telling the truth of the situation.
"Is he paying you for that three hours?" Johnny kept his eyes on the girl.
The receptionist spoke up. "Hey. I'm not looking for any trouble."
"Answer me." Johnny moved toward her.
She flinched and held up her hands, letting out a soft cry.
"Jon." I moved around him and pulled her away from the guy, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and walking toward the hallway to the bathroom. "Hey. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm a cop from New York."
"Thank God," she murmured and curled up against my side. "My parents have to be looking for me. I'm from Maine, but I'm not sure if I can leave. Won't he just come back and get me again?"
She was full-body shaking at that point.
"No. We'll call into the local department and get someone to come pick you up. It's going to be okay." I pulled her into a hug as she cried. The sound of Johnny and the pervert fighting in the other room was short lived. The door to the bathroom opened, and Johnny's voice filled the small room.
"You girls okay?"
"Yeah. Did you knock him out?" I moved out of the bathroom with the girl.
"Yes. He's tied up with a phone cord on his face in there." He reached out and squeezed the girl’s shoulder. "Come here and let me stay with you until Danielle gets the cops over here for us."
"Are you a cop?" The girl glanced up as Johnny took her from me.
"Something like that." He wrapped a strong arm around the girl's shoulders and nodded at me. "Call whoever you need to. Make it quick and let's get on with this."
With all the shit he'd seen in his life, he still seemed to be a little bit shaken up by the situation we were faced with. I nodded and walked toward the front door, giving the receptionist the evil eye. Bastard. I'd have the cops run him for anything they could as well.
"New Jersey Police Department. What's your emergency?" The voice on the other end sounded alert.
I gave the woman my badge information and explained who I was and what we were dealing with. Five minutes later, Johnny and I met two cop cars out front.
An older gentleman stepped out of one followed by a younger female cop from the other. The male cop stopped in front of me and offered his hand. "Thank you for your help. You could have been hurt."
"No, we couldn't." Johnny shook his hand too before helping the girl in the car.
"Please make sure you call her parents as soon as possible and treat her with care. You have no idea what she's been through." I turned to the female cop. "Try and only have females around her until she's back home and safe."
The woman nodded. "Of course. Thank you, both." She turned to the older man. “Frank, you get the guy. I’ll get the woman.”
He nodded. “Rodger that.”
We waited until they pulled away to turn to each other. Johnny reached out and pulled me tightly against him. "Let's go see what the fuck is happening with my nephew."
"You don't seem to be in much of a hurry. Why?" I moved back but kept my arms around him.
"I know him. He's too much like me. He's not letting these bastards pull his chains. He's pulling theirs. He doesn't feel like he belongs anywhere. He'll keep searching until he finds that place, even if it's in hell, working for the devil himself. It's an unrest that won't let up."
"I understand it all too well." I moved out of his arms and pulled my phone from my pocket. "Room twelve-twenty."
"Got it." Johnny turned and jogged toward the motel, circling around back as I walked toward him. Some part of me feared that we might find Jason mutilated or hurt, but Johnny seemed pretty assured of himself that the boy was okay.
I could only hope that was the case.
"In here, Dani." Johnny leaned out of a room on the backside of the motel before disappearing back into as I walked quickly toward him. "He's not here."
Moving into the room, I felt the overwhelming need to grab my gun, but I forced myself not to. There was blood all over the bed near the bottom again, but this time, the tracker was laying in the puddle of crimson liquid.
"Shit. It takes a lot to get those fucking things off." I covered my mouth and turned as bile rose in my throat.
"Yeah. He's gotta be limping." He moved up behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "There's no way to find him until I go after Tanner."
"Are you going after Tanner?" I turned in his arms and lifted my face toward his. "I don't like the sound of that."
"Well, good thing you aren't in charge of me." He leaned down and kissed the tip of my nose as he pushed my hair back. "We might not have found Jason tonight, but I'll get him back. I know just the guys to help me do it too."
"Do I know these guys?" I touched the side of his face as desire swam through me. I wanted a life with him. I wanted to know how it felt to be loved deeply by a man like Johnny Moretti. Surely not many people knew the depths of his dark soul, but I wanted to.
"Maybe." He took a deep breath. "Let's get back to New York. We were here for a reason tonight, even if Jason's bullshit brought us here."
"You're really not worried about him?"
"No. I realized on the way up here that he was in on it."
&nbs
p; "How?"
He pursed his lips and shook his head. "Just something I figured out."
"Something you want to share?"
"It's not mine to share." He turned and walked out of the motel room. "Come on. Let's go."
*
The ride home was a little awkward between us, but we were both emotionally and physically beat. I was battling with myself on whether to tell him about Tanner taking me, but I knew it would only add gasoline to an already volatile situation. And it was over, or was it?
I was still supposed to deliver the man next to me to Tanner, which wasn't happening. Even if I wanted to, there was no way I could get Johnny to go willingly.
"Where's your apartment, Dani?" Johnny's voice pulled me from my thoughts.
"Near the station. Just off of Walker and Tenth." I sat up and cleared my throat. "Stay with me tonight?"
"I plan to." He reached over and took my hand into his. "I think we both need the warmth."
He was right. I wanted every ounce of warmth he could offer me and then some. We pulled up to the apartment, and he turned the car off but didn't move.
"Tell me something." He turned to face me. "Jason warned me that Tanner had my girl."
I stiffened. "When was this?"
"What 'girl' did he have, Dani? Do you know what the kid was telling me?"
"Why would Jason help you if he belongs to Tanner?"
"Because there's still a thread of decency in him, and I've done a lot for him. Even the blackest hearts want to repay the kindness given to them." He reached out and ran his hand down the back of my head, pressing in.
I yelped and jerked from him. "That fucking hurt!"
He got out of the car and came around to my side, opening the door and pulling me out. "Why didn't you tell me that Tanner took you?"
"Because I didn't want to add fuel to the fucking fire." I popped him in the chest after slamming my door. Tears blurred my eyes. "That hurt."
"I had to know." He pulled me close and pressed me against the car. "When did he take you, Dani?"
"Get off of me. I don't feel safe out here." I pushed at his chest. Luckily he moved, and I slipped past him and walked up to my apartment. I got inside and left the door open as I angrily wiped at tears.
"Don't run from me. I wouldn't let anything happen to you." He closed the door behind us and flipped on the kitchen light. "Come here."
"No." I pressed my hands to my face and let out a soft cry. "I didn't want you to know."
"Why? Are you working for him too?" He was so close I could feel the heat rolling off of him. It was insane how things had gone from good to bad so quickly. It was the time he had to think in the car. Now he thought I was a liar. Not that I blamed him. I was to some degree.
"Get out." I pulled my hands down and turned to walk down the wall. I kicked off my shoes and unbuttoned my shirt, dropping it by the door before working on my undershirt, my bra, pants, and panties. "I would never work for a monster like Tanner. I'm one of the good guys, remember?"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
I turned and let my head drop. "Because I don't need saving, and you would try."
"Damn right I would." He lifted me off the ground and pressed me to the bed beneath us before I could even realize what was happening.
Chapter 21
Ryder
Anger boiled deep in my stomach over her not telling me about Tanner King taking her. How had it happened? Did he touch her? Threaten her? And how had she gotten free? The thought of what he made her do or promise to do made my stomach turn.
The soft sound of her crying shut down my incessant need to know anything. She needed comfort, and I wanted to be her man. There was no way I was pushing her any further.
"Shhh... it's okay. We'll figure it out, baby." I kissed her lips and rolled us over on the bed, forcing her to sit up. My eyes moved along her perfect body as I assessed for bruises or cuts. The sunlight bathed her perfectly. "God, you're beautiful, Dani. Did you know how much you turn me on?"
"I don't feel so beautiful." She slid her hands up my chest as tears dripped down her nose and onto my t-shirt.
"Feelings can't be trusted sometimes." I leaned up and pulled my shirt over my head. "Make love to me. Let's forget everything, and we'll figure it out in the morning, okay? I know you didn't tell me about Tanner because you care about me."
"You trust me?" Her voice filled with hope as she moved up, pressing her soft center to the bottom of my stomach.
I groaned in lust and reached up to cup her tits. "Yes. Until you give me a reason not to, I trust you."
She didn't say another word, but moved off of me and scooted down the bed to help me out of my jeans and shit-kickers. Her movements were slow, lethargic. My girl was tired.
"Where do you want me?" She glanced up from the bottom of the bed.
I smiled and moved to my knees, taking her by the arms and helping her back on the bed. "Underneath me where you belong." I turned and laid her down before pressing myself to the top of her. Lust burned through me at the tenderness of her touch, the softness of her voice.
Very few women had taken the time to let me feel something besides carnality. It was addictive.
She moaned loudly as I spread her legs and rolled my hips, dragging my cock down her lips and flattening her breasts against my chest. "God, I need you."
"You're gonna get me, angel." I moved up to my knees and forced her legs open a little further as I pulled at her thighs, forcing her to move down further on the bed. I gripped my cock and lowered it to press against her soft, wet entrance. I fucked her in shallow thrusts and pulled out to rub the thick head of my dick over her clit. Back and forth, over and over before pumping a little more into her.
I ran one hand up over her tight stomach to the space between her breasts and gripped both of them as I continued to tease her.
"You should see the way your pussy sucks at me, Dani. She's begging me for a lot more than I'm giving her."
"Please?" She whimpered and gripped my wrist tight. She used the leverage to press down on my cock, taking half of it inside of her. "More. Please. Just give me more."
"In a minute." I increased the pressure between her breasts, forcing her to give me control once again. She let out a sound of frustration and fell back to the bed. "That's a good girl."
She smiled and shook her head. "No. Just don't call me that."
"Oh yeah. You're definitely a good girl, but you're mine." I pulled out and tapped her clit roughly as she moaned and jerked beneath me. "Let's get our minds off all this shit around us and just enough of each other for the next few hours."
"I want that." She gripped the sheets and arched her back as I rimmed her again.
I smiled. "You got a vibrator?"
"What?" Her eyes opened, and surprise filled her pretty face.
"A vibrator. Get yours for me."
"Johnny. Really?" She moved back and sat up.
"Now." I leaned forward and kissed her roughly. She pushed into it, so fucking hungry for whatever I wanted to give to her.
"Fine." She got off the bed and walked back seconds later with a thick pink vibrator. "Here."
"Wow. This fucker is big." I smiled as she got on the bed and kicked at me. "I'm teasing. This ain't shit."
"I'm so embarrassed right now."
"No. Don't do that." I set the thing down on the bed beside us and moved over the top of her, pressing my cock deep inside her heat as I laid down and made love to her mouth. She wrapped her arms around me and lifted her legs as soft moans lifted from her. "Come for me, Kitten."
She opened her eyes and pressed her forehead to mine as she groaned her release. It was beautiful, sensual, perfect. Everything about her had me wanting to be a better man, a different man.
"God, that's so good." She reached for me as I moved back and rested my ass on my heels. "Where are you going?"
"Right here." I gripped her thighs and pulled her back halfway up on my bent legs. I licked my thumb and reach
ed down to roll the rough pad of my finger over her clit in slow, hard strokes.
"Too much," she whispered and reached for me.
I swatted her away and positioned my cock at the entrance of her ass. "Not nearly enough. Trust me."
"Johnny. I haven't-"
"I know, baby. Relax." I pressed the tip of my dick into her ass before reaching for the vibrator. I flipped it on and ran it down her pussy lips before sliding a few inches into her body.
"God," she cried out and arched her back. The minute she came down, half my cock slipped into her tightness.
I moaned loudly as pleasure raced down my legs and pooled in my sack. "You feel so fucking good. I wanna release inside of you, Dani. Let me do it the safe way, baby."
"I want you to." She lifted her hips as I pumped the vibrator in and out of her sweet slit. She worked herself down farther and farther on my cock, taking more of me each time she pressed back down.
We were dripping with sweat and groaning in tandem by the time my orgasm started. "I'm gonna come, angel."
"Me too." She pulled at my dick with her ass, squeezing me so good as she lifted her hips. I worked her hard and fast, enjoying the deep vibration that raged through her thanks to the toy she let me use on her.
"Johnny!" she screamed my name and thrashed about, but I kept us sturdy, fucking her over the edge twice as I lost my load in her perfect ass. She collapsed on the bed as I leaned back and panted loudly.
"Fuck. I needed that." I reached up and wiped sweat from my head.
"Come here." She reached for me and pulled me down on top of her. "Please stay here tonight."
"I thought you weren't a cuddler?" I yelped as the vibrator rolled to us and tickled the shit out of my side. We shared a good laugh, turned the damn thing off and snuggled up close.
I wrapped myself around the back of her and cupped her tit as I kissed at the soft skin under her neck. "I'm still upset with you. You should have told me about Tanner."
