“Braiden, we need to find Emily.”
“On it.” Braiden hung up. Rebecca was still crying a flood of tears as she stood helplessly across the room, staring at me. I wanted to hold her, soothe her fears and tell her everything would be okay. But I couldn’t lie to her; I had no idea if everything would be okay. And I was feeling guilty as shit about stirring William Levier up when he might have Emily within his reach. She needed to hold it together, we had to be strong and smart if we were going to defeat this fucker.
“Pull it together, baby, we need to stay sharp. We are going to get your sister back and these mother fuckers are gonna wish they were never born. You know Dillon and Braiden will find Emily, this is what they do. Hell, Jax told me they’ve handled more than a dozen missing person cases over the last couple of years, and their success rate is better than most.” She took a few long, deep breaths and her tears finally slowed to a trickle. “I’m sorry I antagonized him, I shouldn’t have done that,” I added. Rebecca came to me easily, wrapping her arms tightly around my waist.
“What do we do now?” she whispered.
“I need you to go upstairs and pack our stuff. We’re heading to Dillon and Braiden’s. I’ll lock up everything down here.”
***
Driving back through town sucked. The cabin was my happy place, and it was where Rebecca had been free to let go of the shit that had been drowning her. Now, as I made my way through the darkened streets of Claymont, Rebecca’s knees bobbed up and down in a nervous cadence, and her lip was caught in a stressed pinch between her teeth. The dark rings under her eyes were absent, but I knew they would return in the near future. Part of me was pissed as hell at Emily for bringing this shit into her sister’s life. Another part of me wanted to mete out vengeance on the Levier men for their grievances on Rebecca’s own flesh and blood. None of us knew exactly what part Emily had played in this fiasco. Hell, she was married to William Fucking Levier, but the little shit had made it loud and clear that Emily had been put to work in his father’s clubs seemingly against her will. The idea made me sick to my stomach. The fact that he suggested the same would happen to Rebecca made my calm façade almost melt away under the blistering heat of anger. My hands were locked in a tight grip on the steering wheel, my jaw clamped down stiffly—I was on the razor’s edge. One of Levier’s men had called a while ago with instructions for a rendezvous in two days, at a hotel back in town. It would give Rebecca ample time to organize the necessary paperwork to transfer the deed to her property over to William. Rebecca begged me to be calm during the conversation and to ask if they had Emily, and if so, if she could speak to her. I couldn’t deny her a single damn thing, so I tried. There had been no idle chit chat though, no confirmation that Emily was okay, just the bare essential information with a decisive click and end dial tone. The devastated look on her face broke my heart. This was the closest I’d come to losing my shit in years, but there was no one here to take it out on. Going into a rage was pointless and would get us nowhere. Finding that calm place within my soul was a difficult task, but I followed the exercises Dave taught me years ago. However, the long deep breaths with the slow repeated mantra of, keep calm playing over and over in my mind wasn’t really helping. I used the technique of imagery, and that almost had the desired effect. Imagining my cabin with Rebecca in it, laughing, carefree and happy had my heart rate lowering somewhat, but I was still teetering on the edge of madness.
“Charlie?” Her voice was almost like a faraway echo of tranquil calm cutting through a storm of emotion. “You need to pull it together, you need to stay sharp,” she whispered my very own words back at me. “I need you to keep it together, because if you lose it, I’ll be right behind you.” I released the tight grip on the steering wheel and flexed my fingers before reaching across to take her hand.
“I’m good, Betty Boop,” I murmured. She centered me and kept me focused with nothing more than a few simple words. She needed me to be strong for her; therefore, I would be. There was no other choice.
* * *
Dillon and Braiden’s home was the ultimate man cave. These guys had their pad down! It was a brand new house in one of the few upscale gated communities in Claymont. It was a short drive from Rebecca’s exclusive neighborhood, so I knew it was in an affluent part of town. Obviously the Montgomery Security business was doing exceptionally well. The single story home was located on a large block that backed onto the base of the Claymont Mountain Ranges. The wide open glass doors at the back of the house overlooked a heated pool that was layered in a thick layer of steam as the heat met with frigid air. Beneath the water, the pool was lit with a sparkling array of twinkling lights. A large hammock hung on the small wooden deck of an ostentatious pool house at the back of the property. Back inside the living, dining and kitchen area was a massive open plan design decorated in contemporary black and white furnishings. On the wall hung photographs, much like the ones that adorned the security office. The place was spotlessly tidy, so much so I was afraid to take another step before removing my dirty-ass boots.
“Eli hangs out here with you?” Rebecca asked, astonished. Yeah, their house didn’t really have a child friendly vibe about it—it was too neat and orderly.
Dillon laughed. “Yep, if you look closely, you’ll see the stains as proof. Just don’t point them out to Braiden, he’s the neat freak. I don’t really care, houses are meant to be lived in and Eli loves the pool. It’s a bit cold for it this time of year though.” Dillon showed us to a spare room at the back of the house. It was huge.
“Holy shit. I could fit my entire house in here.” Rebecca admired the open space.
“REBECCA!” came a familiar voice, screaming from the living room. We dumped our bags and made our way back out. Ella hit her at full speed and I stood firmly at Rebecca’s back to prevent her from falling over.
“Fuck, squirt, take it easy,” I huffed.
Ella punched me in the arm—hard. “Don’t call me that!” she protested.
Jax stood in the doorway, actually he more like filled the doorway—I’m fairly certain he’s still growing. In one hand was a bottle of vodka, in the other was Rebecca’s Clitoria.
I smirked and nodded to the innocuous looking plant. “You look awkward with that in your hands.”
“Fuck you,” Jax growled. Behind him came Annie and Eli, followed by Mercy and Dave, then, surprisingly, Lola.
“Who the hell is watching Mercy’s tonight?” I wondered out loud.
“Beth and Blue have got it covered,” said Mercy, bypassing me and heading straight for Rebecca.
I turned and held my arms open. “Where’s my love?” I growled.
Mercy scrunched up her nose. “From what I hear, you’ve been getting plenty of love lately.” I blushed—I fucking blushed—and it silenced the entire room as my eyes settled on Ella.
She raised her hands in self-defense. “I only told Jax,” she said, looking slightly nervous.
My gaze moved to Jax. “I only told Mercy,” he said with a shrug.
I arched an eyebrow at Mercy, and she shrugged. “I only confided in Annie.”
Annie at least had the good grace to look a little ashamed. “I only told Dillon,” she whispered, and I groaned.
“No one told me, but I guessed as much,” murmured Lola.
Bunch of fucking gossips. I rolled my eyes. “Glad our love life keeps you all entertained.”
Ella and Mercy made their way to the kitchen and started pouring drinks. Rebecca moved to my side and I wrapped my arm around her.
“It really doesn’t feel like a time for celebrating,” she whispered, which Ella heard loud and clear.
“Remember when my life turned into a circus and Jax and Dillon went all macho He-Man on me and we had drinks at your place? You filled me with alcohol, and even though at the time I wasn’t sure I wanted it, I really did need it. I’m repaying the favor.” Ella strolled towards Rebecca with a full glass in hand. She held it out and Rebecca took it without hes
itation. “And I owe you more hangovers than I care to remember.” Rebecca seemed to sigh in defeat, and I noted that she really didn’t put up much of a fight. Either she knew these women were relentless when it came to protecting and taking care of their own, or she knew she really did need something to take her mind off the situation we couldn’t do anything about right now. Dillon had already notified Claymont’s chief of police and Braiden had taken Rebecca’s phone and was out doing his thing. We just had to sit tight and wait.
“How you holding up?” asked Jax, when he caught me alone in the kitchen. The women were giggling from the large white couch in the living room. Dillon had set up the Xbox in his bedroom for Eli, and for now, things almost felt normal.
“I’m good.” Jax passed me a beer.
“Uh-huh. That why you look like you wanna kill someone?”
“I do want to kill someone,” I admitted easily. Jax smirked and held out his beer. I clinked my own bottle against his.
“These pricks who fuck with our women need to know exactly who they’re dealing with. No one threatens what’s ours. I’m with you on this, if you need anything,” he gave me a pointed look, “anything at all, you ask.”
This was one of the reasons Jax Carter was my best friend. The dude had my back, always, and even though he struggled with memories of blood and death, he would take up arms again in a heartbeat for me. I gave him a quick nod.
“Ella has turned you into a pussy, you know,” I said a little gruffly, and Jax laughed.
“Yep, I’m whipped and proud of it.” He patted me hard on the back as we made our way back to the gaggle of women. It wasn’t long before Rebecca’s eyes were looking a little glassy, and the lazy smile on her face told me she was quickly reaching the contented point of no return.
“You know, the jeans and shit are all good and well, but it’s still weird seeing you in them,” Ella said, pushing her way under Jax’s arm.
Rebecca glanced down at herself then back to Ella. “They kinda feel weird,” she admitted, and it surprised me.
“Then why are you wearing them?” Ella asked in a challenging tone. I smiled because I knew the little tiger was baiting Rebecca. My damn Betty Boop couldn’t back down from a challenge, she was too feisty and independent.
“I have no idea. I guess I felt silly in my other clothes, but to be honest, now I kinda feel silly in this.” She glanced down at her clothes once more then suddenly stood up. For a split second I thought she was going to give Ella one hell of an ear full, until she smiled.
“Be right back.” She disappeared down the long wide hall and into the monstrous room we had been settled into. Fifteen minutes later, she sauntered back into the living room wearing a light pink dress that hugged her breasts and fell into a full skirt. Her hair was pulled up into a high pony tail, her feet bare. It was a familiar sight that made my dick instantly hard. She collapsed gracefully and unabashedly into my lap. “That feels better,” she whispered. Nobody questioned her wardrobe change, they didn’t need to. Old Rebecca had somehow found her way back. I didn’t care what she wore, but this did make me insanely happy. It felt right, it felt like she had taken a final step in healing. I knew she still had rough seas ahead, we still had shit to deal with, but right now Rebecca was close to slipping back into the woman she was before her attack, and I wasn’t referring to just her clothes. Her heart had once again found its strength and determination. She glanced around the room, her eyes taking in the people who chatted amongst themselves—her friends, her family. I couldn’t drag my eyes away from her to save myself.
I leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “You are beautiful, you know that, right?” The goose bumps that prickled her skin made me grin. The back of her dress dipped down so low, I knew there was no way she was wearing a bra. I wished we were alone so I could slip my hands under the fabric and see if her nipples had hardened under my whispered caress. Rebecca leaned back into me and I held her against my chest.
“Calendar,” she murmured after a short while, and Lola, who was sitting beside us, gave her a curious look. “It passed through my mind the other day, just as a joke, but I think we could do this,” Rebecca went on, not really explaining what the hell she was talking about. Everyone was watching her expectantly now. “We could have a Mercy’s Angel’s calendar and fill it with the gorgeous men of Claymont, proceeds going to Mercy’s Shelter,” she spoke fast, her voice full of excitement. The girls suddenly grinned, but all the guys, myself included, became rigid with fear. “Charlie can be January, because you know, what a way to start the year.” Her fingers laced with mine and I gave them a gentle squeeze, not one meant to be encouraging, but rather convey my need for her to stop.
“Dillon can be July because with that military cut, he has that all-American, Fourth of July look,” Ella said, playing along.
“And Braiden has to be one of the winter months, because he’s so dark and mysterious,” Lola suggested.
“Jax is December.” Ella smirked. Jax raised a horrified brow in her direction. “You’ve got Christmas down, babe,” she smiled, “you’re like one giant Christmas present.”
Mercy laughed loudly. “I don’t know about that. A few years ago, Jax and Charlie went out on Christmas Eve and indulged in just a little too much Christmas festivity. The next morning when we came downstairs to open presents, Charlie was asleep under the tree wearing nothing but a pair of red boxers and a red bow tie around his neck.”
It was Dave’s turn to laugh. “That’s right. It was a disturbing way to greet Christmas Day.”
Mercy’s eyes twinkled with excitement. “David is April, because that’s the month we met.”
Dave’s smile vanished instantly. “Honey, I think I’m a little too old for this calendar business.”
“Oh no, you’re not!” demanded Ella.
“Dave, you really have that distinguished Richard Gere look going on. You’ll make a perfect April,” Annie said thoughtfully, only encouraging the women further. I looked around at the guys in the room who were all looking a little ill.
“You only have five guys. That’s not nearly enough for a calendar. Damn shame,” Dillon growled.
“Brent, from the gym, he’s hot, and I know he’s definitely confident enough to do something crazy like this.” At the mention of Brent, I became a little stiff. Rebecca had noticed the pretty boy and it didn’t sit well with me. She turned in my arms and pressed a kiss to my lips, chaste but forceful. “God knows none of them have anything on you,” she whispered. Okay, I was an absolute caveman and my cavewoman knew just how to soothe me. Just like Jax, I was whipped.
“And Blue from the shelter, he has that cute skater look that some girls go for,” Ella continued on. I groaned loudly, along with the other three men in the room. However, even though the thought of modeling for a calendar scared me, I couldn’t refute the fact it was a good idea, and it was for a very worthy cause. And if Rebecca asked me to do it, there was no way I would be able to refuse her, as embarrassing as it might be.
“Well, I can totally rock Christmas,” Jax finally said with a big shit eating grin on his face. “I mean, I look pretty damn good in red. We can stick a giant bow, right here.” He pointed to his groin.
“You mean a little bow,” I joked. The rest of the night played out much like that. The guys giving each other shit, the girls rattling on about their damn calendar. It was finally brought to an end around eleven o’clock when Rebecca promptly passed out in my lap. I carried her to our room and looked down at her splayed out across the bed. Her dress looked too nice to sleep in so I carefully rolled her to her side and unclipped the button at her neck and unzipped the zipper at her waist. Under her protesting moans, I slid the dress down her body then stood, brazenly staring at her beautiful, nearly naked form. She was wearing nothing but a pair of lacey white panties, her breasts bare as I had assumed earlier. Her skin was milky white and smooth, her curves feminine and soft. She wasn’t a waif like some men preferred, she was all female, shap
ely like a woman should be.
“You just gonna stand there all night and stare at me, or are you gonna make me come?” Rebecca’s eyes fluttered open and her sexy grin hit me hard in the chest. I did want to make her come, over and over, but she was drunk and I wasn’t taking advantage of that.
“You’re in no condition tonight, maybe in the morning, if your head can handle it.” I pulled my shirt over my head and felt Rebecca’s eyes on my chest.
“No way, Charlie,” she sat up, “that,” she pointed a finger in my direction, “is all mine, and I want a taste, now!”
Arrrggghhh, fuck. My willpower where this woman was concerned was non-existent, and my rock hard dick cared little if my woman was intoxicated. Lowering myself over her warm body, I kissed her hard, forcing my tongue in her mouth. She tasted like vodka and orange juice, the perfect combination of bitter and sweet. She wriggled beneath me and I somehow managed to remove my mouth from hers and reached for her breasts, molding them in my palms. Dropping my mouth to one tender peak, I nibbled it before sucking hard at the bud. After kissing and teasing her pale pink nipples for a short while, I realized she had stilled under my sexual attack. Lifting my head I noticed her eyes were closed.
“Way to fell a man.” I murmured with a smile. She had fallen asleep under my hands. Rolling off her lush body I groaned, trying to maneuver my ignorant dick into a comfortable position. Pushing up to my forearms I simply lay there in watched her. A low snore escaped her nose and it was too fucking adorable. Climbing off the bed I proceeded to take off my jeans before climbing back under the blankets, tugging Rebecca under with me and pulling her small body slightly under my much larger one. I was probably squashing her—but this is where she ended up the last few nights we slept together—partly buried beneath me where I could keep her safe—and this is where I needed her now. She hadn’t complained then, so I assumed she’s just as happy with the position now. The night had ended with laughter and ease, but I knew tomorrow reality would return. Rebecca’s worry would carry in her delicate features and my anger would once again simmer. Yeah, right now life was a bitch, but I was going to fix it. William Levier was going to wish he’d never been born.
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