A uniformed police officer walked away from the door and I knew I’d hit pay dirt. I sped up my steps and slipped into the room, making sure no one else was inside, then made my way to the bed. Nadia Popov was reclined on the mattress, handcuffed to the rail, so I leaned over her. “Hello, Nadia.”
Her eyes flew open. “Who are you?” she rasped.
“I’m the woman whose man you cut.” I sneered down at her and wrapped my hand around her throat. I had no intention of killing her, but I was a little taken aback by how much I liked knowing I could. “I would call you a cunt, but since there’s nothing warm or deep about you, we’ll just go with bitch. I’m going to make sure you go to prison for a very long time. Maybe there you’ll learn how to keep the woman code and work out some of your depraved ideas of what men should be allowed to do to them. I hope you rot in hell right alongside your brother.”
With that, I walked out as fast as I could just as Nadia screamed bloody murder. My heart raced as Badger reached out from a hallway and pulled me to him. “Time to go.”
I stayed close to him as we tried not to run to the elevators and stepped inside. Once on the surgery waiting room floor, we headed to our family and I took deep, gulping breaths as we sat down.
“I forgot she could still use her voice,” I whispered.
“Yeah, but don’t worry about it,” Badger said. “The cameras were disabled and won’t be back up for another”— he glanced at his watch “—ten seconds.”
“How...never mind, I don’t want to know,” I said.
He nodded and sat down beside me as we waited for information on Alamo.
Remington
We were home.
It had been a week since we’d left Savannah, and I was healing faster than expected. I wouldn’t be able to take my cast off for at least another month, but my face didn’t look as though it had gone ten rounds with Ronda Rousey anymore. Alamo was healing perfectly. His liver was fine, and he was giving Jasmine a hell of a time since he didn’t want to stay in bed. This was a good sign, considering how scary the whole thing had been.
Merrick had given me carte blanche to decorate his place, as long as pink didn’t enter the equation. Luckily, I hated pink, but I loved paisley, so he was going to have to deal with a lot of cream and blue paisley.
He’d promised to take me shopping for a new sofa tomorrow, but tonight, he was at church, so I was home alone.
Well, until Grace showed up.
“Holy shit,” she said as she hugged me, leaning back to study my face. “He really got you.”
I nodded, closing the door behind her. “Yeah.”
“You need to fill me in on everything.” She walked to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine. “Mind if I drink?”
“Go for it.”
“Can you yet?”
I shook my head. “I’m still on Vicodin.”
“Okay, I’ll drink for you.”
“Flea drove you, I take it?”
She grinned. “He sure did. Because I told him I planned to get drunk.”
“I love it.”
“Oh, before I get alcohol amnesia, Cassidy wants to see you dance.”
I flopped onto the sofa, grimacing at the leather squeak. “She’s seen me dance.”
“I know, but now she wants to audition you for her new company.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Yes. When she found out you were coming back, she asked me to set it up.”
“Oh my god, that’s amazing.”
“Amazing enough not to fucking run away again?” Grace challenged.
“So, we’re doin’ that, huh?”
“You’re damn right we’re doin’ that. I’m ready for your apology now, and an explanation, you can choose in which order those happen.”
“Technically, I already apologized.”
“But I wasn’t ready to accept then. I’m ready now.”
I sighed. “I’m really sorry, Grace. I shouldn’t have run away like that. My feelings for your brother just totally freaked me out and I couldn’t deal.”
“Well, next time you can’t deal, you still need to call your girl. Hos before bros.”
“Okay, honey, I can do that.”
“Thank you. Now fill me in on Savannah.”
“It was awful,” I said. “He tried to finish what he started and roped his sister into it.”
“He has a sister?
I nodded. “Nadia. Total bitch.”
“Sounds like it.”
I filled her in on everything I remembered, pausing when I heard the locks in the door turn. It was close to eleven and Grace and I watched as our men walked in, laughing at something, then stalling when they caught sight of us.
“You okay?” Merrick asked.
“We’re great,” I said.
“Yeah,” Grace agreed. “Why?”
“Because, darling sister, you look guilty as hell.”
She giggled. “I’m tipsy, so, sure guilty’s probably accurate.”
Flea grinned, walking to her and leaning down to kiss her. “You drink water in between?”
“Yes.”
“You ready to go home?”
She grinned. “Yep.”
He pulled her up off the sofa, and after we said goodbye, Flea took Grace home. Merrick grabbed a beer and flopped down beside me, and I settled my legs over his lap. “How was church?”
“Uneventful.”
“That’s good, right?”
“Yeah, baby, that’s good.” He set his beer down and took one of my feet in his hands. “How are you feeling?”
“My arm’s being a little bitch today. I had to take a pain pill about an hour ago.”
“You need anything?”
I wiggled my foot in his hand. “Less talky, more rubby would be appreciated.”
He chuckled squeezing my foot. “Okay, baby.”
“Grace said Cassidy wants to audition me.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded. “Should I do it?”
“Do you want to?”
“Kinda, yeah.”
“Then, do it.”
“Okay.”
He studied me. “You feeling weird about it?”
“Merrick, I’m not a size zero. I have to bind my boobs every time I perform, I’ve tried to shrink my butt, but nothing ever seems to work.”
“You’re fucking beautiful, Rem.”
I took a deep breath. “I’m not saying I’m not beautiful, honey. Will you listen, please?”
He raised his hands in surrender and nodded.
“Outside of the fact I’ve eaten like a woman twice my size these last couple of weeks, I am not the ‘ideal’ ballerina size. I know that. I accept that. I cut weight when I have to, but unless I want a breast reduction, there’s nothing I can do about the girls. I’m a hard sell. I have always known it, so I try to work three times as hard as other girls because I know I have stuff to overcome they don’t. It’s fine, honestly, I’m not being a sad-sack about it.”
“Then, what?”
“I’m just feeling a little insecure, I guess.” I sighed. “I just don’t want her to feel obligated to audition me because I’m yours.”
“You must not know the same Cassidy as I do.”
“You think?”
“I know.” He shifted, settling one of my legs to his right and the other to his left so he could kneel between them. “Why?” he asked, sliding his head under my T-shirt and kissing my belly, careful to avoid the bruises.
I giggled as I squirmed under his touch. “What are you doing?”
“Whatever do you mean?” he said in a sing-song voice. “I’m investigating.”
“Investigating what?”
“What my woman could possibly have to feel insecure about.”
“Cassidy’s amazing, Tweety. As is Grace. I can’t compare to them.”
He pushed my T-shirt further up, then tugged one cup of my bra down, exposing my nipple. “Did they say they wanted you to compare?�
�� he challenged, drawing a nipple into his mouth, then blowing on it, the cold making it pebble into a tight peak.
“No.” I slid my hands into his hair, arching into his touch. “But they want someone at their level and I’m not sure I am.”
“That’s a lie,” he said, unclasping my bra at the front and freeing both my breasts.
“You haven’t seen me—”
“Dance,” he interrupted, moving to the waistband of my yoga pants. “Yes, I have. Lift.”
I lifted, and he tugged them down my hips and off, panties and all. “You’ve seen a few minutes of a class, that’s not the same.”
“You forget that I’ve been ensconced in the ballet world for longer than I’d like, which means, I’ve picked up a shit ton of knowledge about who’s good and who’s not. I even had to quiz Grace when she was studying for the written portion of her entrance exam in PBC.” He slid down my body, spreading my knees and running his finger between my already slick folds. “You are good, Rem. Better than good.” His mouth landed on my mound, and I arched into him, my good hand instinctively weaving into his hair.
He licked and sucked me into a frenzy, then he stood and removed his clothes in record time, settling between my legs again and sliding into me. As he began to move, the squeak from the leather gave me uncontrollable giggles, so we were forced to vacate the living room.
“New sofa tomorrow,” he growled as we rushed to the bedroom. “Lean over the bed, tits to the mattress.”
I did as instructed, and Merrick slid his hand between my legs.
“Wider, Rem.”
I spread wider and was rewarded with a slap on my ass. I squirmed, the need for him inside of me great. “Merrick,” I begged.
“What do you want, baby?”
“I want you to fuck me.”
His hand cupped my mound and he gave my pussy a gentle smack.
“You gonna show me how flexible you are?”
“God, yes,” I hissed as his fingers slid inside of me.
He pulled his fingers out and slapped my pussy again. “Then, spread, Rem.”
I spread into a split and he stopped me where he wanted me, which was almost to the floor. He knelt behind me and his hand went back between my legs, his fingers dragging my wetness from front to back. “You good?”
“Yes,” I whispered, my pussy convulsing as he slid his fingers inside of me, while his thumb pressed against my asshole. “More, baby.”
He kissed me between my shoulder blades and slid his fingers further in. He slid his other hand around me, fingering my clit as he kept me anchored, his chest to my back. “More?”
I shook my head, crying out as I came, every part of my body shaking with climax.
“Fuck,” he breathed out. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” I said, dropping my head to his shoulder and gulping in deep breaths. “More now.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I panted out. “I want your dick inside of me. Everywhere.”
“Let’s put a pin in that, I don’t have lube.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Then why’d your fingers just write a check your dick couldn’t cash?”
“I kinda went with it. Didn’t know you’d be up for it.”
“Newsflash Tweety, I’m up for it,” I ground out. “New sofa and lube tomorrow.”
He chuckled. “Okay, baby. We’ll make it a priority.”
He lifted me onto the bed and leaned over me. I slid a leg up to his shoulder, wrapping the other around his waist. “I’ll settle for your dick in my pussy, Tweety, but you better make it worth my while.”
His hand cupped my breast and he grinned. “I’m in service to the queen.”
He slammed into me and I mewed as his dick hit my G-spot.
“Don’t come yet, baby,” he ordered, and I took a few deep breaths to calm my body.
“You’re gonna need to back off, honey,” I rasped. “You keep hitting that, I’m gonna explode.”
He shifted and buried himself deeper, taking a second to smile at me before he slammed into me again, over and over, finally shifting again and hitting me exactly where I needed him, and I came. Spectacularly.
Merrick wasn’t far behind, rolling us to our sides before realizing my leg was still stretched up his body.
“Fuck, sorry.”
I grinned. “It’s all good, Tweety.”
He moved so I could reposition myself, and I draped myself across his chest.
“Love how flexible you are,” he said, kissing me gently.
“You do?”
“I can go deep.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, you can.”
“How’s your arm?”
“It’s good,” I said.
“And the other bruises?”
“I’m good, honey. I’m going to soak later, though.”
“Want me to wash your hair?”
I grinned. “Yes, please.”
He kissed me again. “I’ll go get a baggie for your arm.”
“Thanks, honey.”
He slid out of bed and I headed to the bathroom to start the tub.
* * *
“I hate it,” I complained, sliding to the floor in front of the mirrored wall.
It was the day after Merrick and I had ordered a new sofa, and it had been way too long between dance sessions for me, which meant, every step I took sucked. Bad.
“Why?” Grace asked. “I think it’s great.”
I shook my head. “It’s not good enough, Grace. I know it, you know it, Cassidy will know it.”
She sighed.
“You need a partner,” Lily said, sitting beside me.
Lily Quinn just so happened to be Cassidy’s daughter-in-law. She was married to Maverick, who was one of my Dog brothers, along with his father, Ace.
“Do you know anyone?” I asked, hopefully.
“No, not really. The two guys I used to dance with have gone to other companies in California.”
“Rude,” I said.
“Right?” Lily lamented.
“I bet Cassidy would know someone,” Grace said.
I shook my head. “I want to work this out myself.”
“What about Finch?” Lily said.
“What about me?” Merrick asked, walking through the door.
“Standing in as partner.”
“Nope,” he said, with an emphasis on the ‘p.’
“It’s fine,” I said.
“It’s for Remington, Merr,” Grace provided, and he frowned.
“You need a partner?” he asked.
“If I want to do what I need to, yes. But I need someone trained. It’s fine, honey.”
“He’s trained,” Grace said.
“Grace,” Merrick warned.
“He is,” Lily added. “He took two years during football. And Cass uses him sometimes when she’s desperate.”
“Enough,” Merrick snapped. “I’m not wearing tights for anyone. Sorry, baby, but it ain’t happenin’.”
“You wouldn’t need to wear tights,” Grace said.
“You really wouldn’t,” I said. “I just need an anchor. Someone strong enough to lift me.”
He dropped his head back and hissed out, “Jesus,” to the ceiling.
Grace clapped her hands. “That’s a yes.”
“That’s not what I heard,” I said, but studied him, once again hopeful.
He met my eyes. “I’ll do it.”
I couldn’t love him more in this moment.
“You will?”
“Yeah, baby, I will. I have no clue if I’ll do any good, but I can be your anchor.”
I jumped to my feet and threw myself against him, kissing his neck as he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me close. “Thank you.”
“It’ll be worth it just for that,” he whispered.
I leaned back and smiled up at him. “Can we work on something now?”
“What about your bruises?”
“They’re healing, and I’ve been hurt worse
in shows and had to dance through it,” I pressed. “Please?”
He shrugged. “Sure.”
I kissed him again and took his hand to pull him to the barre and faced the mirror. “I need you to stand like this.”
I gave him a quick lesson on how to hold his core and how I needed him to catch me, then guided him to the middle of the room. “Promise me you’ll catch me. Even if it’s not pretty.”
He smiled. “Not gonna let you fall, baby.”
I bit my lip, then nodded and walked to the opposite side of the room. I moved into a plié, then up on my feet to releve before stepping into glissades, repeating those steps as I made my way to Merrick. He watched me closely, and when I sped up slightly, I saw him lock his body at the same time as he loosened his arms, ready to catch me.
Then I was flying.
Into his arms, then into the air as he lifted me above his head and dropped me toward the floor, holding me locked to him, my feet to the sky, before lifting me again and setting me gently back on my toes.
He was perfect. A hell of a lot better than someone who’d only done two years of training.
I heard a whoop and a holler, then multiple whoops and hollers, and I faced the sound as Merrick slid his arm around my waist. Flea and Maverick had arrived and were in the corner waiting with Grace and Lily, clapping like we were rock stars and I grinned big as I hugged Merrick tight. “You misled me on your level of ‘training,’” I accused.
He laughed. “Well, now you know.”
“You’re the prettiest fuckin’ ballerina I ever seen, Finch,” Flea joked.
“Hey,” Grace snapped, smacking his arm.
Flea laughed and wrapped his arms around her. “Sorry, second prettiest.”
I gripped Merrick’s cut and stood on pointe to kiss him gently. “That was perfect. Exactly what I needed.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes. Will you do that with me for my audition?”
“Yeah, baby. Whatever you need.”
“I love you,” I whispered, kissing him again.
“Love you, too. Wanna get some food?”
“Yes! I’m starving.”
I joined Lily and Grace and we pulled sweats on over our leotards and tights, then followed the men out to the vehicles. It was raining so no one had their bikes, which was a bummer, but we headed to a local restaurant and spent the rest of the evening laughing with our friends.
Road to Freedom Page 15
