by A. M. Myers
“It didn’t mean anything, Oliver,” I mutter, the lie painful to even say as an image of Noah pops into my mind. It’s been three months since he abandoned me but it still hurts just as much today as it did the first night I cried myself to sleep in this apartment. Oliver turns so he can glare at me.
“It didn’t mean anything? You were laying in my bed, crying over a man that left you months ago. Did you really think that wouldn’t hurt me, Kady? So, like I said, I have to do something to make sure you never forget who you belong to now.”
“I know who I belong to,” I force out through the bile rising in my throat as I fight back a sob. “You don’t have to do this.”
He flashes me a sympathetic look as he pulls the metal away from the flame. After inspecting it, he turns to me with a smile, a sadistic gleam in his eyes. “I think this is ready. Here we go.”
“Oliver, no,” I whisper, struggling harder against the ropes as he steps up to the edge of the table and runs his hand over my hair before grabbing a chunk of it and pulling. I let out a squeak of pain.
“Be a good girl and hold still.” He positions the poker over my skin, making sure the “B” is facing the right way before he slowly lowers it and presses it into my skin. Pain rips through me as a sizzling sound fills the room and I throw my head back and scream as the scent of my own burning flesh fills my nose.
“Kady!”
I jerk forward in bed, screaming as I scratch at the scar on my hip and tears drip down my face. Noah grabs my hands and pulls me into his arms, holding me tightly to his chest until I calm down a little bit.
“Jesus Christ, baby. I don’t know what the hell you were dreaming about but I’m not sure I want to know. I’ve never heard a sound like that in my goddamn life.”
I cuddle into him, relief slowly washing through me. “What was it?”
“A scream that will haunt me forever.”
“It was a memory,” I whisper as a shudder rocks through my body. “Of the night he branded me.”
“Fuck,” he rasps, pulling me closer as he massages the back of my head and presses his lips to my forehead. But one isn’t enough. He kisses me again and again, peppering kisses along my face as he works his way down to my lips. When he connects with mine, I sigh before a sob bubbles out of me and the relief washes through me.
“You’re okay,” he whispers in between increasingly desperate kisses. “I’m never going to let him hurt you again. I promise.”
“Noah,” I gasp through my tears, clinging to his body. He pulls me on top of him and wraps his arms around me before one hand snakes up into my hair and his tongue teases my lips. Our kiss quickly goes from comforting to needy but no matter what I do, the images from that night in the apartment play like a movie in my head. I rip my lips from his.
“Make me forget, Noah. Please.”
He searches my eyes for just a second before he nods and rolls me to my back. As he meets my eyes again, he reaches between us and brushes his fingers over my clit. My body arches off the bed and I moan. He echoes me as he sinks a finger into me and slowly drags it in and out a few times before adding a second. I gasp, gripping the sheet beneath me as he expertly sets every nerve ending in my body on fire. The lightest touch of his lips on my breast pulls another gasping moan out of me.
“Please,” I beg and he groans as he wedges himself between my thighs and lines his cock up with my entrance. I shudder, thankful that we both went to bed naked last night so there’s nothing between us because right now, I’m desperate and far too impatient to wait for either one of us to strip. Leaning down, he presses his lips to mine and I grasp his face in both hands as he slowly sinks into me. I gasp, my eyes rolling back as I drop my head back and he groans.
“How’s that, baby?”
I nod. “Good. Don’t stop.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he hums as he finds a steady, slow rhythm that is exactly what I need right now and kisses a path down my neck. I cling to him, gripping his strong shoulders as his cock thrusts into me again and again, hitting just the right spot to clear my mind and defeat all my demons. His teeth sink into my skin and I cry out as I dig my nails into his back.
“Fuck, baby,” he groans before pulling back and pushing my knees down on the mattress. “Reach down and play with your pretty pussy.”
Moaning, I do as he says and sweep my fingers over my clit. Pleasure bombards me and I can’t focus on one sensation over the other, both of them mixing together to fuel my release. He stares down at where we’re connected as he hooks his arms under my knees and grabs my hips, pulling me toward him each time he thrusts forward and I scream, abandoning my task as I move my hands up to my hair.
“Noah,” I gasp as the pressure builds and he groans again as his eyes briefly close before opening again to lock on mine. Gritting his teeth, he pins me to the bed with his stare as he makes a primal noise that sends chills racing across my skin as my pussy clenches. “Oh my god. I need it, baby. Make me come.”
He drops my legs and leans over me again, grabbing my chin and slamming his lips to mine as he drives into me harder and I cry out into his kiss as I claw at his back, my body on the brink of an earth shattering orgasm. Pulling back, he places his fingers over the scar on my hip as he meets my eyes.
“Who do you belong to, Kady?”
“You.”
He nods. “Damn fucking right, you do. You are mine. From the moment I first saw you until you take your last breath, there is only one man you belong to and he’s the one inside you right now.”
“Oh, god!” I scream, my hips arching off the bed and my legs shaking as my release roars through me like a freight train - every muscle in my body contracting before sweet relief washes over me and I relax into the bed as Noah groans and his cock pulses inside me. Gasping for breath, he leans down and kisses me again, sweat rolling down the sides of his face but I don’t even care. I grab his face and kiss him with all the love I feel for him, all the years we’ve shared, and all the memories we still have to make together.
“I love you, Kady, baby,” he whispers against my lips and I nod, tears stinging my eyes again but this time, they’re happy tears.
“I love you more.”
He scoffs as he pulls back to look at me with a dubious expression on his face. “Highly fucking unlikely.”
“Just because I’m in such a good mood right now, I won’t argue with you.”
“Holy shit,” he whispers, grabbing me as he looks around the room dramatically. “Hell just froze over, babe.”
I grab the pillow next to me and smash it into his face. “Don’t push your luck, Bub.”
Laughing, he rolls next to me and pulls me into his arms before kissing my bare skin. I sigh and cuddle closer as my eyes close.
“You know what we need now, don’t you?” he asks and I crack open one eye to look at him.
“What?”
He grins. “Pancakes. You got any mix here?”
“Um… who is going to make these pancakes?” I ask, arching a brow. I have a very vivid memory of Noah almost burning our house down the one and only time he tried to cook for me. He looks up at me with what I can only describe as puppy dog eyes and I shake my head.
“Oh, no. It’s the weekend. That means I don’t go to work and I don’t cook.”
He pouts. “But I’m hungry.”
“How about we get dressed and I take you to my favorite little cafe not far from here? They have the best pastries.”
“Okay, you talked me into it,” he answers, throwing the covers back and jumping out of bed like someone lit his ass on fire. I laugh as he grabs his jeans from the floor and pulls them on. I slip out of bed and arch a brow.
“Eager?”
“Did you not hear the part where I said I was hungry?”
I shake my head. “No. Just didn’t expect such dramatics from you.”
“Dramatics, huh?” he growls playfully as he starts stalking around the bed to me and I let out a squeak as I try to
decide where to run.
Shit!
When he’s halfway to me, my gaze locks onto the bathroom in front of me. Screeching, I book it, running toward the bathroom with everything I have and just when I think I’ve made it, he hooks an arm around my waist and growls as he buries his face in my neck, pretending to bite me.
“Noah!” I scream, flailing as his teeth sink into my skin. He carries me back to the bed and throws me on the mattress before looming over me.
“Maybe I’ll just eat you, little red riding hood.”
I laugh. “And that makes you the big bad wolf in this situation?”
“You doubt me?” he asks, feigning an offended look as I smile up at him. “I think I’m going to have to show you.”
His lips stretch into a grin that shows off all his teeth before he leans in, growling and snaps at me. I giggle as I shove him off me.
“You’re ridiculous.”
He shrugs as he plops down on the bed next to me and I get up again, grabbing my yoga pants off the floor before I grab some panties out of the drawer.
“Hey, in all seriousness,” he says as he pulls his t-shirt over his head. “There is something I wanted to talk to you about.”
I nod as I pull my pants up. “Shoot.”
“After what happened at dinner last night… what do you think about staying at the clubhouse?”
I grab a shirt off the chair in the corner before turning to study him. We would probably be safer at the clubhouse but the thought of being trapped there until we find a way to deal with Oliver feels similar to being trapped in the apartment and I shake my head.
“I can’t, Noah. I would feel like a prisoner all over again.”
He holds his hand out to me. “Come here, baby.”
I pull my shirt over my head and cross the room to him, allowing him to pull me into his arms as he looks up at me.
“I just want to keep you safe, Kady.”
I nod. “I know and I’m game for mostly anything you need to do to accomplish that… just not staying there. I can’t be a prisoner again.”
“Okay,” he sighs, reaching up and slipping his fingers into my hair as he cradles the side of my face. “I really fucking don’t like it but I understand. Just promise me that, if I’m not with you, you’ll be extra careful and we need to talk about having a couple of the guys watch over you when I can’t.”
“I’ll concede on the first request and we’ll talk about the second one.”
He rolls his eyes and pushes off the bed, unwilling to release me as he stands. “Stubborn ass woman.”
“Isn’t that why you love me?” I flash him a grin and he shakes his head as he fights back a smile of his own.
“No.”
“Liar.”
He gives me a little shove. “Let’s go before you start in with the foreplay again. I’m fucking starving.”
Laughing, I grab his hand as we walk out into the living room together and a feeling of contentment washes over me. If you take Oliver out of the picture, our life is looking pretty damn good about now. I just hope it lasts.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Noah
“Hey,” I say as I climb out of the truck and close the door. “I’m just calling to check in on you.”
She sighs and I swear I can feel her rolling her eyes at me. “Noah. You left like fifteen minutes ago and you made poor Storm leave his wife and baby to come over here and babysit me. I’m fine.”
“Did he complain about it?”
She sighs again. “Storm, tell Noah that you’re fed up with his shit.”
“Happy to do it, brother!” he yells, his voice muffled and I laugh as Kady growls into the phone.
“Y’all are thick as thieves now, huh?”
I laugh again as I glance down the street and cross it. “Guess so.”
“Whatever. Just get off the phone and run your damn errands. I’ll be here when you get back.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I answer as I reach the sidewalk. “When did you get so damn sassy?”
“Keep it up, LeBlanc. Maybe I’ll decide to spank you this time,” she quips and Storm laughs in the background. I glance up at the jewelry store and sigh.
“All right, fine. I’ll let you go, then.”
“Hurry back to me, baby.”
I smile. “Always.”
We say good-bye and I shove open the door to the store as I hang up and slip the phone back in my pocket. The bell above the door rings and Richard, the shop owner, glances up with a wide smile.
“Mr. LeBlanc! Welcome back.”
I shake his hand. “How are you doing, Richard?”
“Just great,” he says before setting some paperwork down and taking his glasses off. “Just let me go and get your order from the back room.”
I nod and he disappears through one of the doors as I turn to look at the glass cases full of some serious bling. Shit. A guy could spend a whole lot of money in here. It makes me kind of glad I’m not still in the doghouse with Kady because when I was, I contemplated showing her how sorry I was with a diamond or two.
“Here we are,” Richard calls, walking out of the back room with a little square box in his hand. I first contacted Richard a few days after Kady told me the truth about why she never came to see me in jail and asked him to recreate the ring I gave her the first time I proposed to her. Later, I found out that Oliver took the original ring from her when he took her but at the time, I wanted to give her something new that didn’t have all the bad memories associated with it.
Richard sets the box down on the top of the glass case and pulls it open to reveal the ring and I lean down, inspecting it. It is a princess cut three carat diamond ring with intertwining bands lined with smaller diamonds. The first time I gave it to her, she screamed and jumped into my arms so I can only assume that she’s going to lose her shit when I get the chance to show this one to her. I glance back up at him.
“And the engraving?”
He nods, pulling the ring out of the box and showing me the surprise I had written on the inside.
“It’s perfect, Richard. Thank you.”
“No, sir. Thank you. This was a joy to work on and I think your lady is going to be very happy with it.”
“That’s the hope anyway,” I quip, chuckling, as I hand him a stack of cash. I had to dig into my old drug money to pay for this but I don’t give a damn. Kady’s worth every penny and then some. He hands me a receipt and checks the ring again before snapping the box closed.
“You want a bag?”
I shake my head. “Naw. I’ll just take it.”
Richard hands me the box with a smile. “Good luck, son.”
I grin. “Thanks, but I’m pretty confident that she’ll say yes.”
“Oh, I’ve heard that before but I suppose you don’t need to be hearing all the horror stories at a time like this,” he retorts and I chuckle as I shake my head.
“No, probably not. But this isn’t the first time I’ve proposed to her.”
“Well, this sounds like a damn good story.” He pulls up a stool and sits down on it before giving me an expectant look. I laugh as I start explaining Kady and my story to him and when I finish, his eyes are wide as he shakes his head.
“You told me she lost her ring but my goodness…”
I nod. “Yeah, we’ve been through some shit but we’ve come out stronger each time.”
“Love like that is the reason I got into this business.”
“Yeah?”
He nods. “Oh, yeah. My parents had it and I always longed for it myself.”
“You never found it?”
“Once,” he answers, sadness creeping into his eyes. “But she died before we could ever get married and start a family of our own.”
“I’m so sorry.” I imagine what my life would look like right now if Oliver had hurt her instead of holding her captive and it’s too painful to even think about. He waves his hand through the air, brushing me off as he stands and begins wiping
down the glass case in front of him.
“You should probably get going so you can go get down on one knee for a second time.”
“You’re right.” I shove the box into my pocket before shaking his hand. I’m anxious to get back to my girl. Leaving her with Oliver still on the loose is so damn hard but sometimes it just can’t be avoided. “Thanks for all your help.”
“Thank you for allowing me to work on it and I hope to see you back in here when it’s time to buy your wedding bands,” he says with a wink and I laugh.
“I wouldn’t go to anyone else, Richard.” I walk to the door and turn back to wave at him before I duck outside and stick my hand in my pocket. The sun is starting to go down and there’s a chill in the air that makes me want to be back at the cabin even more, sitting in front of the fireplace with my girl in my lap. Maybe tonight, after dinner, we can cuddle up and I’ll pop the question again. I think about her reaction to seeing her ring again and smile as I stop by the truck, pulling the door open before climbing in.
My phone rings as I start the truck and Streak’s name flashes on the screen when I pull it out of my pocket.
“Stalkers anonymous. How can we help you fight your demons today?” I answer and he starts laughing.
“Fuck. That was a good one. I might have to steal it.”
I shake my head. “Get your own jokes, asshole. Now, what’s up?”
“Um… maybe nothing but isn’t Storm at the cabin with Kady right now?”
“Yeah. Why?” I ask, my heart sinking like a stone as I pull out of my parking space and press down on the gas.
“Well, it’s just that her phone is on the move. And moving fast…”
I can’t breathe as my heart thunders in my chest and my skin goes cold. “Did you call Storm?”
“Yeah, and he’s not picking up.”
Fuck.
I press the gas pedal to the floor and the tires squeal as I race through the red light, barely missing a van that rolls through the intersection just after I do.
“Dude, you want me to send people over there?”
I shake my head. “No, send someone after her phone. If Biche has her, we have to get her back before he gets her somewhere secure or he decides to ditch the phone and we lose her for good.”
