by Amie Nichols
"What?" She pulls on the reins making the horse stop, and turns her whole body so she can see my face. Tears are still rolling down her cheeks, but it is mixed with confusion. "Blackmail your family with what?"
"My grandparents moved to the United States when my father was seventeen. They moved here because of my father. His childhood friend and love of his life Teresa Morani was to marry another man." I start to tell the story I just learned two days ago.
"He was devastated by the news. He would have done something to get himself killed. You see, the man she was to marry was Giovanni Esposito." Harper's eyes are as big as quarters when I say the name most have heard of.
She hops off the horse before I can say another word. I jump down and continue now that I have her attention.
"She was forced to marry him. As you seem to understand by the look on your face, what Giovanni wants, he gets. My mother was a very beautiful girl, and even though Giovanni was much older than her, he wanted a trophy wife."
"Your mother is married to the head of the Italian mafia?" Harper holds up her hand, shaking her head like she can't believe what I am telling her.
"Yes." I nod. It is still unbelievable to me also. "He is a horrible man, and my mother had no choice. She had to marry him, he threatened her family. She only had her mother left five years later after their marriage, when her mother died she took off in the middle of the night. Having nothing to lose, she tried to escape Giovanni. She made it to Chicago and reunited with my father. She was here two years before Giovanni's brother found her. From what my father knew, Leo Esposito took her in the middle of the night. At least that is what he thought. Leo would have been the only one of the Espositos to leave us alive. She left a small note saying that now that she had something to lose, meaning me, she had to go back to protect me. Giovanni would have had her bastard son killed without a second thought." Harper gasps, putting her hand over her mouth.
"How did Chelsea find all this out?" she asks.
"I don't know, I don't care. All I could think about after I found out she answered my phone was getting to you." I rub my hands through my hair, to keep from touching her. I'm not sure she is ready and I don't want to push her.
"How come she was in your apartment while you were in the shower?" Her eyes well up with tears again. The mix of emotions she is going through right now is killing me.
"She's a con artist, she talked her way in. I swear..." I stop frustration.
"You said her name, I heard you." Now the tears are falling again.
"I know, I heard her voice..." My hands go to my sides, slapping my thighs. I know it sounds bad, I don't know how to get her to believe me.
She turns back to her horse which is now nuzzling her arm. Petting its long sleek neck she is silent, but I can hear her mind whirring.
"Please say something," I plead.
"I love you, Liam. I love you so much that I can't imagine my life without you," she admits, her voice cracked from emotion.
"Oh God, Harper." I know I have hurt her badly, and I don't know what to say, I don't know how to express what I am feeling right now. As if she doesn't know what else to do, she turns to me and rests her forehead on my chest. My heart feels like it is beating a mile a minute from this slight contact. My lips go instantly to the top of her head.
"When I saw you in the clearing and then you went down, my heart stopped." She is crying again. "I ran to you, and as you were laying there unconscious, your head in my lap, I knew that I was going to forgive you. But it just hurt so bad, I can't even explain how much those words that Chelsea spoke hurt." She moves her head to my shoulder, my shirt getting wet instantly from her tears. She fists the material of my t-shirt keeping her head buried in my neck.
"They were not true, none of them." I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight against me. "It's okay, Petal, please stop crying," I whisper into her ear, kissing the shell over and over.
"I was going to forgive you even if it was true." She sobs harder into me. "What's wrong with that, what does that say about me? I'm weak, I have no pride..."
"I think you knew it wasn't true, deep down I think you knew." I pull her away from me so I can see her face. Even all red and swollen from the crying, she is still amazingly breathtaking. I cup her face in my hands so she is forced to look me in the eyes. "You're the strongest person I know, I also know that if it had been true you would not have forgiven me." I can't wait another second, I have to taste her, have to feel her lips on mine. I brush my lips against hers and she doesn't pull away. She moans, and that moan is what does me in. I am instantly hard as her lips collide with mine. She is frantic and so am I. Her lips open and my tongue slides in her mouth. Oh, she tastes so fucking good. I've never craved anything like I've craved her.
My hands brush down her shoulders, taking with them the thin straps of her camisole tank. She is not wearing a bra, she doesn't need to. Her perfect breasts are firm and just the right size for my hands. She arches into me as my lips travel down her throat to her breasts, taking one erect nipple into my mouth. Lightly biting, I feel her body tremble under my hands.
"Liam, please," she whispers, as my hand goes to her ass. I fall to my knees in front of her. I feel my erection pulsing against my jeans aching to be free, aching to be inside her. But first I have to taste her. Kissing my way down her flat stomach, I lick and suck on her soft skin as I go. I will never get tired of this woman. Everything about her makes me want her more. I unbutton her shorts and pull them down.
She is wearing lacy boy short panties. She holds onto my shoulders as I help her out of her shorts. Next I pull down on her panties. She puts one hand on the saddle of her horse, steadying herself as I lift one leg and drape it over my shoulder, exposing her pussy to me. I can smell her arousal and I quickly insert my middle finger inside her. She is warm and oh so wet, making my cock throb even more.
"Petal, you are so fucking wet for me." I blow gently on her clit, making the leg she is standing on buckle. I grab her waist to steady her before I dive in. I run my tongue around her clit, before moving down to taste her sweetness. Nothing will ever taste sweeter to me than this. Her hips move grinding herself into my face, I hear small moans coming from her lips. I look up at her and she is staring down at me, her free hand in my hair pushing me against her more.
I feel like I'm about to come in my jeans, between the lust in her eyes and the way she is desperate for me, and well, just because it is her.
"Come for me, Petal, I want your orgasm." The words do her in because she arches her back and screams out my name. What I don't plan is for the scream to scare the horse. The horse moves, making her lose what little balance she has. At least she falls forward and not backwards. Now she is straddling my lap on a dirt trail in the middle of the timber. Her naked body is pressed to mine as I hold her against me for dear life.
"I need you baby, I need you inside me now." She fists my hair and says the words before her lips slam into mine. I reach between us undoing my button and pulling down the zipper then grab my t-shirt from the back and pull it over my head tossing it to the side. I don't have a condom, and I don't care. I hope she doesn't remember it either. I don't care if I get her pregnant. In fact, I would love it. These are thoughts that have never crossed my mind ever, until Harper. I have never stuck my dick in a girl without protection. Not even for a second.
I'm free and in her before she has a chance to object. It won't be taking me long anyway, because there is no way I'm stopping.
"You are so fucking tight. You feel so good, Petal," I groan, my lips by her ear. She felt great with a condom, but without, God, no words can describe it. She takes all I have with moans of pleasure. Her body moving up and down on me, her breasts pressed against my chest. Her pussy clenches around my cock and I can tell she is about to orgasm again. I shoot everything I have into her, the release is mind blowing. My hand goes to the back of her head and press her as hard as I can to me. Our breathing is heavy against each other.
&nb
sp; Her breath by my ear is hard, sending shivers through me. I don't know how I can love anything more than I love this girl.
"Shit, Liam." She pushes away from me, her eyes open and aware. She has realized we didn't use a condom.
"It's okay, Petal. We are together forever, no matter what," I soothe, playing with a strand of her silky hair.
"I can't get pregnant, I have school," she spits, her voice cracking as if she can't believe I would be okay with it.
"Then I guess you better get on birth control, Petal, because there is no way I am ever using a condom again." I give her my half grin making her laugh. It is stopped short by the sound of some sort of motor vehicle racing toward us.
"Shit!" We both say simultaneously as she climbs off my legs. I stand in a hurry, buttoning up my jeans. I still have an erection, because that is what she does to me. She pulls on her jean shorts and her tank top, looking down she sees that it is dusty from the dirt trail. She starts dusting herself off, when two four-wheelers come into view. I see her panties next to my shirt and I pick them up, shoving them in my pocket before getting my shirt on. I pull my shirt down to hide my arousal just in time to see Kade and Easton drive up.
Chapter 26
"Harper Ann Troy, for fuck's sake, what the hell is going on?" Kade speaks first, getting off his four-wheeler to inspect his sister.
"Nothing, why? What's wrong?" she asks in an innocent tone.
"Do you know where your fucking horse is?" he grates as Easton stands next to his brother. They both turn to me, and if looks could kill...
"Jasmine?" she questions, as we both look up and down the trail. "Fuck, Jasmine!" she yells, like she is calling a dog.
"Jasmine just showed up at home without you," Easton says. "You had us scared shitless, Sis." He is mad, but not as fuming mad as his brother.
"I'm sorry, E, we decided to walk..." She looks at me for help. I know that her brothers probably already know what we were doing.
"I fainted. She must have gotten away from us when Harper was helping me." I cross my arms in front of my chest.
"Why the fuck did you faint?" Kade spits, with a laugh. "What kind of little girl are you?" He chuckles at his own joke. Even though it pisses me off, I don't throw a punch like I really want to. There's no doubt that Kade could probably kick my ass, but I'm sure I could get in a few good swings.
"Kade!" Harper shouts, pissed at her brother's comment. "He ran from the road when he saw me, he ran all the way up to the clearing. I'd like to see you do that." Her remark makes him flinch. I don't think Kade is used to his sister talking back to him like that.
"So you followed her when I specifically told you to leave her the fuck alone." Kade puffs out his chest and turns to me. He is at least a half a foot taller than me and is bigger built.
"E, do something!" Harper yells at her other brother.
"Sorry, Sis, I told him the same thing." He backs up to let Kade do his intimidating. I keep my arms crossed. There is no way I am going to get into a fight with her brothers. I just got her back and I am not going to ruin it.
"I understand, you do what you must, but you also have to know that we are in love. I will never not be with her." I keep eye contact with the meathead. I know he wants to fight. He is doing his very best trying to be patient so I will get all cocky and puff out my chest also. They are her brothers, and they are trying to protect her. For that I can't fault them. If it were me, I would be doing the same thing. Harper must sense that I am not going to fight. She's seen me mad before, she has seen it with Jax. She steps between me and Kade, her back to me.
"Stop it, Kade. We've made up," she says, pushing on her brother's chest.
"What, he can't fight his own battles?" He doesn't move an inch when Harper pushes on him.
"Why would I fight you, you're just protecting her. I am grateful for it, I respect it," I say over the top of Harper's tiny head. She is shorter than me, which makes Kade look like a monster compared to her. I can see why boys didn't mess around with Kade and Easton's sister.
"If you respected it, you wouldn't be here right now," he bellows, grabbing Harper's wrists and pushing her down.
"Fuck, Kade, let go, you're hurting me!" she screams, which sets me off. Now I'm pissed. Kade immediately lets go of her, and I push her behind me.
"Don't you ever touch her like that again!" I bellow right back, taking a step in his direction. I'm not sure if I just earned his respect or pissed him off more.
"No, no, no. I'm fine!" Harper instantly puts herself between us again.
"Okay, Kade, it's obvious she is fine." Easton now steps in putting his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Come on, let's get them back to the house." He keeps his hand on Kade's shoulder until he relaxes.
"Harper you're with me, lover boy go with E," Kade orders. At this point no one argues. Harper turns to face me when Kade goes to get back on his four-wheeler. She gives me a sexy as hell wink before she climbs on the back of Kade's four-wheeler. He takes off the second she is on, and I see her grasp his shirt to hang on.
"Sorry about him," Easton says, as I climb on the back of his. I scoot back and hold onto the sides so that I am not touching him. I don't get a chance to respond because, just like Kade, he takes off.
Kade drops Harper off by the barn and seconds later we are pulling up. I get off and Kade gives me a look of disdain before speeding away again.
"Will you be staying for supper, I need to let mom know," Easton says to me. I turn to Harper for direction.
"I would love it if you would, you can meet my parents," she says, watching me for my reaction.
"I'm all dirty. This is not how I wanted to make an impression." I look down at my dusty, sweaty clothes. "Maybe I will go to my hotel and take a shower first, is that okay?"
"I like you all dirty," Harper says, wrapping her arms around my waist.
"Oh my God, kill me now," Easton groans, driving away as fast as he can.
"Yeah, you do, do you?" I lean down to take her lips. "Maybe you can come stay with me in that lonely hotel tonight? We can get all kinds of dirty." I smile against her lips.
"Or you can stay here," she mentions, her lips never leaving mine. We're kissing through the conversation, only stopping long enough to get out our words, but this makes me leave her lips.
"Um, no. I'm picturing your brother standing outside the door, barging in as soon as he hears a sound." She laughs, but I'm dead serious.
"They have to get used to the fact that I am not a little girl, I'm a grown woman. You are my boyfriend, and I have sex."
"Yeah, I'm not sure they are going to accept that so easily." I wrap my arms around her tighter. "Oh, I have your panties in my pocket." I grin. "Also, I know Jax is your friend–" She puts her hand up to stop me.
"That douche canoe is not my friend," she spits, "He fucking came on to me. Can you fucking believe it? Here I was crying my heart out and the fucker tried to kiss me!" Her face gets red and I don't think I have to say another word because something tells me she took care of herself just fine. Although I know if I ever see him again, he is going to get another punch to the stomach. I can't help but start laughing.
"What is so funny?" She stops her ranting, shocked by my laughter.
"Douche canoe?"
"Yeah, what about it?" She smiles and starts laughing also. "So I guess I will be going back to Chicago in the Viper," she says with one eyebrow raised. "Where is your car anyway, I bet it doesn't do very well on the gravel." We are walking toward the driveway holding hands, our fingers interlaced together.
"I have no fucking idea where my car is. And no, it is shit on gravel." I look to the road, wondering where in the hell it could be. I don't know where I was when I saw Harper.
"We'll find it, I can take you to it," E says when we make it to the driveway. He is fumbling with one of the large trucks' engine.
"I'll come pick you up in town, I need to run a few errands. You can leave the Viper at the hotel," Harper says. It's not a quest
ion, it is an order. This is her town, this is her element. I just nod as I get in the truck where Easton is waiting for me. She comes up to the open window, standing on her tiptoes she smiles. "I will be there soon." She gives me a quick kiss.
"I love you," I yell after her as she hurries into the house.
"I love you, too." She turns beaming at me, making my heart melt.
"Now that is how I like to see my sister," E says, starting the truck, it lets out a loud roar.
Chapter 27
I am waiting outside the hotel, freshly showered in clean jeans and a t-shirt, when Harper pulls up in a huge SUV. She looks miniscule in the giant truck. I climb in the passenger seat, instantly grabbing her neck pulling her to me for a kiss. "I missed you." I grin against her lips as she lets out a tiny moan.
"It's been an hour." She giggles when I let her loose, and she takes off.
"Did you get your errands done?" I see she has a bag on the floor by her purse.
"Yes, lucky for you I had called my doctor last week. He had sent in a script for birth control. I figured I better get on those bad boys before you go all caveman and impregnate me," she says, looking at me sideways with a smile. She turns onto the gravel road, and just like her brother, she speeds down it like it is pavement. I hold on to the door as the truck slides here and there.
"Relax, sweet cheeks." She laughs, looking at me. Now I know how she feels when I drive like a maniac in the city. I look over at her, totally in her element. She is so fucking cute I can't stand it. She is clean, her hair still damp from her shower, wearing another pair of short-shorts showing off her amazing legs. She has on a very short sleeved V-neck t-shirt that is light pink making her tan, toned arms look so soft and absolutely touchable. I reach over the console and rub my hand down her arm then place my hand on her upper thigh.
"I went to the library also." She reaches behind the seat and grabs a book that is on the backseat behind me, putting it in my lap. "We need to do some research," she says when I see the title of the book, La Cosa Nostra, A history of the Italian Mafia.
