by Shirl Anders
That night, after they’d left Caval, Carly had made sure Cabe got Tula settled in a safe house several towns away. Then she and Zeb had sat on the couch in the great room at the lake house and waited for Rick to call. She was a split personality about it: dread at being there so much it nearly made her skin crawl, but needing to be there because this was her mess.
In the end, she stayed for Zeb—to maybe somehow strengthen him, but she kept on her end of the long couch, staying strictly quiet.
TWENTY ONE] It’s Not Always About That
Zeb had closely considered ordering Carly away, but she needed closure on this, and she wouldn’t be there for the takedown so maybe listening to one side of the setup would help. She’d come home and gotten out of her fancy dress and shoes, scrubbed her face clean, put her hair up in a loose ponytail, and put on a long nightshirt that hit her mid-thigh. She looked good, maybe better than earlier. She looked innocent, and sweet, and at home with her man even though she was curled up on the other side of the couch.
He liked it. He liked her getting comfortable with him. It showed him how it was going to be and what he was going to get, and he wanted it—every inch of it.
Then the burner cell rang and her gray eyes shot to him. Zeb sat forward on the couch, elbows to his knees. It kept ringing, and he saw Carly take a deep breath—
Then he answered, “Yo, you got me. What you want.”
The part Carly couldn’t hear was her husband stuttering, “M-mercenary Inc. gave me this number.”
“Yeah, I work for them,” Zeb responded, putting more deepness in his voice. “I don’t talk specifics on the phone, dude. But I’m fully geared for extraction and assassinations. You want that shit, we meet.”
Zeb heard an audible gulping sound, and he couldn’t say it was not giving him great pleasure to yank the asshole’s chain. “A-ah, yeah. Definitely. I need one of those. You do it like here ... in the U.S.?”
“Dude,” Zeb snapped. “I do not discuss on the fucking phone.”
“O-okay, okay,” Shaw stammered.
Zeb overrode him. “We meet or what?”
“Yes! Definitely.”
“Big Mama’s, eleven o’clock tomorrow night. I’ll have on a green bandana, you fucking be at the booth on the back wall next to the rear exit. You get me, man?”
“I do,” Shaw exclaimed. “I get you. I’ll be there. This is ... I need this.”
“Yeah, right, whatever,” Zeb muttered. “Down payment on any of this shit is always five thousand. We don’t start without it.”
Then Zeb thumbed the call off before Shaw could say any more.
“Ohmygod!” Carly exclaimed, looking at him with wide eyes. “You were freaking amazing, baby.”
There were tears in her eyes, and Zeb knew she was conflicted, but she went with the right call—override the hysteria by latching on to better stuff.
Zeb didn’t make love to Carly that night—being together wasn’t always about that, and Carly had so much bad going on, he’d wanted to fill her up with the good. Show how they could be together, close and in love. Yeah, definitely love. And he felt it deep.
So he held her tight against him. He was in his boxers and her in that nightshirt, while he whispered to her about stuff that meant something to him: his music, his army buddies, and meeting her. She whispered back about wanting babies someday, and him meeting her dad, who was hard to pull away from the work that absorbed him. They kissed in between, made out a little, but he always pulled back and held her as close as he could get her, until they drifted off to sleep.
In the huge master bed in the morning he made sure she was awake, and then he grabbed her and pulled her on top of him to kiss her until her eyes turned that certain color that he knew should he touch between her legs he’d find her hot and wet.
He lifted his mouth from her swollen, kissed lips. “Try to make a date today, you and your girls go out tonight, party and dance. I’ll find you.”
“Zeb,” she whispered, with her legs siding down on either side of his hips. “You’ll find me?” He nodded. “After?” His eyes nodded. “You’ll be safe. It’s not worth you getting hurt.”
His fingers worked in her hair against her scalp. “I’ll be safe. I promise.”
Her hand moved over his chest right above his heart, and he felt it like a warm stamp. “I’m falling in love with you,” she whispered.
Carly found herself flipped over onto her back, with Zeb’s big body on top of her and the hard ridge of his cock pressed deep into her mound. He cupped her head on both sides, with his gaze going deep on her. “Say that again,” he ordered.
His entire aura, pinging from him to her, was saying he was into it, so she got brave enough to say what she really meant, without holding back that piece of herself, afraid she wasn’t going to get it in return.
“I love you,” she said, grabbing the back of his neck. “All of you, every inch of you, and everything about you.”
“Baby,” he breathed against her mouth, with his eyes going into deep flame mode. “Love you, Carly. Never felt this way before. Like I fucking know you’re the one.”
Later that morning, Carly watched her sizzling hot biker man swing his leg over his hog and start the motor rumbling, with her heart so full. She couldn’t decide if she should melt over how hot he was or melt over how good he loved on her or melt more over the fact he’d said he loved her. But that morning, after they’d told each other they were in love, Zeb had made slow, deep, and intense love to her until she’d freaking cried she’d come so hard for him.
Then while she was still coming, he’d flipped her onto her stomach, grabbed her wrists down on either side of her hips, and he’d plunged into her hot, thick, and long—making her climax revive and shudder higher. He’d thrust into her so deep and fast that the huge master bed had shook. But what turned her on so high was his hold on her wrists and the sound of his stomach slapping her buttocks, while his shaft filled her fuller than she’d ever felt. She’d never been taken so thoroughly before, and she wanted more—so much more.
Now Zeb was going out to fix her life and take on the horrible mess with Rick. Zeb was being her shield and her protector. It felt so amazing to have a man like him on her side, but still scary that anything could happen to him, because of her messed-up life. But she wanted to live up to him, so she’d go do what he’d told her to do, and leave him with one less thing to worry about.
Still torn at not being a part of what was going down, Carly forced herself to swing away from where Zeb had been on his hog, rolling out her extra-long, probably too long and overly done driveway, and she went to see if she could round up a girl crew to go out that evening.
At six that evening, Tess, Rusty, and Carly were all gathered at Rusty’s house, when Rusty, from inside her closet, said, “The taxi’s coming in thirty minutes, babes; we need to get dazzling quick and I need a freaking bigger closet.” Rusty’s head angled out of the closet, as she added, “That new taxi driver I hired is working out. You should see him—all twenty-something lean muscles with half Goth and half rocker going on. Piercings and tats all over, and I thought Justice was too young to drool over.”
“I’d become a cougar for Justice!” Tess exclaimed from the far side of Rusty’s bed, where she was zipping up a to-die-for red-beaded, shortly flared club dress that left her shoulders bare and her tits barely cupped in red. “In another life that doesn’t involve Vincent, that is,” she added with a cheeky smile and a hip roll.
It made Carly laugh as she smoothed down the light pink silk of her multilayered sheath dress—she would never be able to outdo Rusty and Tess on club dresses. They rocked it.
“Any woman with breath in her in this town fantasizes about that man at least once in their life,” Carly declared.
Rusty hooted from the closet. “Damn straight!”
Then she swung out the closet carrying Ziggy Black Label Leopard booties with four-inch heels, obviously to go with the black tube sheath dress that c
lung to her curves. It was sleeveless on one side and had a cutout almost to her tailbone in back, which showed the super-sexy arch of her bare back. But what really made it hot were the slashes of tiger stripes across parts of the dress.
“Ohmygod, those shoes will be perfect with that dress, Rusty!” Tess exclaimed.
Rusty’s eyes grew wide, with her head nodding and a look as if she’d been smacked with awesomeness on her face. “I know,” she whispered, in awe.
Carly giggled; they were so much fun. How had she missed this about them?
She reached for the shoebox she’d brought with her that had the label “Valentino” on it, and she instantly had both Rusty’s and Tess’ gazes locked on. So maybe she’d decided she wanted to be a bit of a shoe whore too!
Once she’d lifted the lid, both Tess and Rusty sounded like they’d just seen the biggest jewel in the world, when it was only a pair of really hot—
“Rockstuds,” Rusty whispered.
“Ankle boots,” Tess whispered. “With leather stiletto.”
Carly so agreed, because she’d been petting them ever since they’d arrived the day before. They were so hot, they smoked. She’d never in her life worn a pair of Valentino heels ... she didn’t know why, but she never indulged in stuff, except for the pure porn that was her lake house.
God, they were beautiful. Her fingers trembled as she stroked the shiny leather and drew her fingernail over one of the studs, and then she gulped, forcing out the words she had to say.
“Rusty, you should wear them—”
“Are you completely insane, babe,” Rusty whispered, but when Carly looked at her she saw there was a bit of moisture in her eyes; Tess’ too. “After six months you wear them, I’ll take you up on that for one night with Cabe, but right now you, those shoes, and that freaking hot biker man you got so need to be in the same room at the same time.” Rusty walked over and took her hand. “Amazing of you to offer, though, I’m really touched.”
Carly gave her a wobbly smile as they squeezed hands, and then they all hurried getting ready, which included lots of hairspray, lipstick, and sparkles of all things. Tess said they sprinkled sparkles on their skin and it made them twinkle when they danced together.
Rusty’s new taxi driver was named Jaggar, and he showed up in a jean vest, no shirt, ripped jeans showing his boxers, a piercing in at least one nipple, plus an edged smile that showed he liked driving older babes around that were dressed hot.
“Ohmygod,” Carly whispered in the back seat of the taxi filled with competing perfumes. “With that black hair, piercing eyes, and all that brooding goody-ness going on, all the girls at WTSF would be at his feet.”
This got agreeing nods from both Tess and Rusty.
But then Rusty scooted forward and put her hand on the open security portal. “Jaggar, honey, you have to wear a shirt or my insurance will not cover the heart attacks you could give any woman sits in your taxi.”
Laughter erupted in the back seat as Jaggar gave them a dark-eyed look back. “Yes, ma’am,” he rumbled. Then he added, “Anything to please the ladies.”
Rusty pulled the portal shut and sat back. “I know we are hitting the DJ at the Redrock club, but what are we eating. We have to take this show on the road and strut it at some local restaurant for appetizers and shots.”
TWENTY-TWO] Going In & You’re All Mine
Appetizers ended up being at the Senta River Hotel’s Steakhouse bar, where they christened a new shot as their threesome favorite.
“Another round of Moscow Mules!” Rusty exclaimed.
Luckily the bartender could handle three smoking hot ladies, being as they were they only smoking hot ladies in his bar. In fact, Rusty’s idea to strut their outfits was not working because the hotel bar on a weeknight in a smaller town was empty.
“Add a glass of ice water to that, Rob,” Tess called after the fifty-something bartender, who told the most awesome jokes and turned them onto the best appetizer the place made that was a little-known secret: onion rings.
Carly picked up another onion ring, swinging on her barstool, while Rusty plucked up a tequila shrimp and Tess nabbed a chicken wing. They had to fortify for more Moscow Mules and gossip.
“So Zeb texted saying things were going smooth?” Tess asked.
“About ten minutes ago when you two were at the jukebox. No details, though.” Carly frowned and chewed her onion ring. “I feel guilty; this is my mess.”
She’d told Tess and Rusty most of what was happening, and they’d been fiercely loyal to her. “They’ll take care of it,” Tess said, patting her knee. “There aren’t any better men than Vincent, Cabe, Justice, and Zeb to deal with this, yeah.”
“Yeah.” Rusty nodded. “They’ll get him and we’ll stay outta their way.”
“So you think that’s good?” Carly asked. “Me staying out of Zeb’s way for this?”
“Absolutely,” Rusty said. “Babe, we gotta let our men take care of us.” She tilted her head toward Tess. “I learned that from my bestie, and so far it’s working out pretty good for me.”
Carly couldn’t help but smile, and then their shots came and they slammed them, then Rusty and Tess commenced to keeping her mind off what was happening by gabbing, which really helped but of course couldn’t take her mind fully off of it.
“I’m only going in, like, once a week to the flower shop, now that WTSF girls are running it,” Tess said, sipping her water.
“Now that you don’t want to unglue from Vincent’s side, babe,” Rusty said with a wink.
Tess grinned over the rim of her glass. “What Cabe and Vincent do is really interesting, and now we are working on bettering the orphanage were they grew up at.”
“We got a young man from there in our first program,” Carly said. “Nice place, good people, but it’s run-down and they are overworked, with not enough staff.”
Tess set her glass on the bar top. “I haven’t told Vincent yet, but I think part of our help at reviving it needs to be a really big push on placement of these kids, instead of just holding them there in limbo.”
“Definitely,” Rusty agreed, while Carly nodded too. “Cabe mentioned it, but I’m not sure he knows what to do about it.”
“I’ve got a few ideas,” Tess said.
“Well, once we finally find a house, I’ll kick in more time too, babe,” Rusty said.
“Are you looking for a house?” Carly asked.
“Yeah, mine’s too small. We’re going to make it either a safe house or rent it. Not sure the safe house will work in town.”
“You should look on the lake, Rusty—there’s one for sale next to mine that’s really nice,” Carly said.
“Oh ... my ... God,” Rusty mouthed. “That’s such a great idea!” Then Rusty added, “Then I can ask my man to marry me.”
“What!” Tess exclaimed, grabbing Rusty’s shoulders to hold her facing her. “You’re not kidding us?”
Rusty slowly shook her head, then she whispered, “You think I should wait for him to ask?”
“I think,” Tess said. “Absolutely anything you do about it will be perfect.”
Rusty looked to Carly, and Carly said, “What you feel deep will work out. He’ll love it.”
“Okay!” Rusty expelled, breaking out of Tess’ hold to slap the bar. “Time for group dancing!”
***
Zeb looked at the text from Carly again. The last bit of it said, “love you.” He pushed the thing that would save it as he sat straddling his bike outside of Big Mama’s. He was on the side of the building in the shadows, with his big bike turned off as he leaned forward to put his cell in his back pocket. Vincent was outside on the right side of the bar, and Cabe was outside on the left, while Justice was out front in a black van that had the audio equipment in it that was going to pick up the wire Zeb was wearing. Tag was inside, because Shaw had never seen him.
Zeb was fucking covered, and he wasn’t nervous about anything except getting Shaw to say the shit he needed
him to say out loud so the wire could get it and Zeb could send the prick to jail. Anybody ever even thinking about hurting something as sweet as Carly deserved far worse than just jail.
But because Zeb intended to drink up that sweetness, he had to stay free to do it. So he’d be smart, keep his temper, and he’d keep his temper by remembering Carly like she was laid out for him that morning, naked, beautiful, soft, and all his. Every sweet inch of her as she climaxed, calling his name.
“Yeah,” Zeb uttered, and it rolled like thunder. “Sweetest fucking pussy, and it’s all mine.”
Maybe he’d thank the bastard for throwing him and Carly together.
“He’s pulling up,” Vincent’s voice growled in the earbud Zeb had in his left ear. The side he was going to keep away from Shaw seeing, but the low-slung green bandana tied around his head should help.
“I’ll give him ten, to settle in,” Zeb advised his crew.
Everyone acknowledged his plan, and then Zeb figured the chatter that started was either to help him keep calm or just plain gossip.
“So you’re fucking buying it without her knowing, Cabe?” Vincent asked in the tinny sound of the earbud.
Zeb had heard a little about this earlier; it was about a house Cabe was buying for him and his lady to live in.
“Brother, I know she’ll love it, and that way I can surprise her and pop the question in it.”
“What the fuck,” Vincent uttered, and Zeb thought it sounded like the deep, rumbling engines of his hog. Zeb would say the dude was surprised.
“I’ve got to fucking outdo you, brother,” Cabe said, obviously to Vincent. “So it’s a new house, candles, a marriage proposal ... it’ll work.”
“That’ll outdo me,” Vincent said with his deep voice, sounding amused. “Maybe just show it to her online and get her read on it.”
