Wicked Ever After

by Shayla Black

  Shealyn lifted her chin. “I came to talk to you.”

  “And that’s my cue to leave.” They needed privacy, and she’d only be in their way. “Shealyn, it was lovely to meet you. I’m glad we’ve had this chance to talk.”

  “Me, too.” The actress smiled and hugged her. “Thank you.”

  Brea had a feeling they’d eventually be friends. But for now, Cutter scowled in confusion, so she sidled closer and wrapped her arms around him. “You two talk. Be happy. Don’t worry about me. Tomorrow, we can discuss what idiots we’ve been. Then we’ll figure out the best way to let everyone know the wedding is off.”

  Shock spread across his face. “You’re good with ending it?”

  “Absolutely.” From the sound of his voice, it seemed Cutter had been contemplating breaking off their engagement, too. For her safety, he’d remained her fiancé longer than he should have, and she loved him for it. But now he needed to follow his heart. “I only had to see you and Shealyn look at each other once. I would never stand in the way of love.”

  Brea kissed his cheek, swiped her gun off the table, grabbed her pregnancy book, then shoved everything in her purse. She wriggled into her tennis shoes by the door, then grabbed her keys.

  “Um, Brea… Before you go, I should tell you—”

  “We’ll talk about it tomorrow. You have someone way more important than me who needs you right now. Bye.” With a little wave, she backed out of the door and shut it, leaving them in privacy.

  As the door clicked closed, she sighed. Hopefully they would work everything out and live happily ever after.

  Brea feared she wasn’t going to.

  “Hi, pretty girl,” a wonderfully familiar, dark voice rasped inches from her ear.

  With a gasp, she whirled.

  Pierce?

  There he stood just beyond the circle of the porch light.

  Her world stopped. Her heart thundered. A two-ton weight of relief hit her. “You’re alive!”

  “Yeah.”

  But there was something different about him… He had an edge she’d never seen. It wasn’t just the dark clothes hanging from his leaner frame or the thick beard he wore over his sunken cheeks. It was more than the determination gleaming in his hungry black eyes as he visually inhaled her. The difference was danger. He reeked of it. Its intensity pinged off him.

  “And you’re really here?”

  “For now. God, you look beautiful.” Pierce clenched his fists at his sides, as if he was desperate to touch her…but didn’t.

  Brea bridged the chasm between them and threw herself against him, wrapping him in her arms.

  Pierce groaned as he pressed every inch of her against his hard body, clutching her so tightly she could barely breathe. “I needed to see you, baby. So bad.”

  Brea had a million questions, but she held back as he buried his face in her neck and breathed her in as if he’d never let her go. She clung to him in return, fisting his shirt and pressing kisses along his razor-sharp jaw as stinging tears gathered in her eyes. He’d lost sleep and lost weight. Concern rose.

  Her phone buzzing in her purse shuttled her questions and dashed the moment.

  “That better not be Cutter.” Pierce scowled.

  She doubted that very much as she reached for her device. “It’s Matt. He’s staying at your place.”

  “He’s still in town?”

  “You haven’t spoken to him?”

  He cupped her face in his big, rough hands. “Pretty girl, if I was going to take the risk of talking to anyone, it would have been you.”

  The way he stared down into her eyes, as if he ached to possess her body by taking her soul, made Brea shiver. “Are you going to kiss me?”

  It wasn’t the question she should be asking, but they’d get to everything else. This mattered most now.

  “Here?” He shook his head. “No.”

  Didn’t he want to? “Why?”

  “It’s been a long month alone. The minute I put my mouth on you, I’m going to want to bury my cock inside you. And here isn’t a good place for that.”

  His bluntness made Brea laugh. “No, here isn’t a good place at all. I guess I don’t have to worry that you don’t want me anymore.”

  “Oh, baby… If I could have stopped wanting you, I would have saved you from me a long time ago.”

  “Then I would have missed out on the best thing that ever happened to me.”

  “Damn it, you’re making resisting you hard. Literally.” Pierce grimaced as if he was trying to focus. “Why is Matt still in town? Did something happen?”

  “No. He said he’s taking a vacation. The weather is supposedly better here.”

  “No supposedly about it.”

  “He might have mentioned his…um, nether regions appreciating a break from a Wyoming winter.”

  “Only you would describe a man’s balls that way.” The smile that creased his face now, just like the first one he’d ever flashed her, transformed him. She’d forgotten how brutally masculinely beautiful he was.

  “I’m polite.”

  “To a fault,” he teased. “You’re adorable.”

  She smiled. “I suspect Matt thought I was helpless, so he stayed around because you weren’t here.”

  His smile widened. “That’s Matt. He’s a good son of a bitch.”

  A gust of wind surged and blew. Despite Pierce’s big body, she found herself shivering in the December chill.

  He wrapped his arms around her again. “Where’s your coat?”

  “I don’t have one. It was warmer when I left my house this morning.” At Pierce’s frown of displeasure, she tsked. “Don’t pass judgment. Where’s yours?”

  “I’m not cold. You heading home?”

  “I was planning to.”

  “Did Cutter tell you I was here? I followed him back from the party.”

  “You went?”

  “Thinking you’d be there, yeah.”

  Now she regretted that she’d begged off. Then again, if she’d gone, she would have both blubbered all over Pierce and thrown herself at him in front of everyone. Still, she hated that she’d lost even a minute with him. “I’m sorry.”

  He shrugged. “I wanted to surprise you.”

  “You did.” The tears that had teetered on her lashes fell as she cupped his cheek. She warmed when he kissed her palm. “Seeing you is the best surprise ever. Cutter didn’t say anything because he had an unexpected visitor waiting inside for him.” She dropped her voice. “Shealyn West.”

  “Holy shit. Yeah?”

  “I think she came to claim her man. So our ‘engagement’ is off.”

  Pierce instantly looked as if he wanted to punch something, namely Cutter’s face. “Goddamn it!”

  “Don’t say that. I’ll still be safe without the lie.” She sent him a disapproving scowl. “I let your F-bombs slide, but…”

  “Fine. I’ll try to watch my tongue,” he groused. “Let’s get you home.”

  He wrapped an arm around her and led her down the steps, toward the parking lot.

  She frowned. “Daddy will be there.”

  “Then that’s not going to work.”

  “I know. It’s awkward you two haven’t met yet.”

  “I’m not so worried about that.” Pierce scratched at his scruffy beard. “I’d be happy to rectify that after a shower.”

  Did he imagine her father would be pleased to meet the man who’d gotten his daughter pregnant at something near midnight while danger all but dripped from him? Was he crazy? Yes…and that was part of his bad-boy appeal.

  “Daddy is probably in bed, so I don’t think that’s an option. What are you worried about?”

  “That he’ll hear you screaming and come busting down your bedroom door while I’ve got my head between your legs. That would be an awkward-as-fuck first meeting.”

  She felt her cheeks heat. “You weren’t worried about the sounds I made before you left for Mexico.”

  “Extenuating circu
mstances.”

  Brea had to smile. “How about I come to your house?”

  “Only if you leave your car here and let me drive.”

  So that none of Montilla’s spies would see her car at his house, Brea supposed. “That’s fine.”

  He led her down the stairs, pulling her with him into the shadows, then guiding her through the pitch-gray cold until they reached his Jeep. “Do you think someone has been following you? That they’re watching us now?”

  “Not likely. But I’m not taking chances.”

  He tucked her into the vehicle, then ran around and bounced into the driver’s seat, pulling out of the lot with a watchful scan of his surroundings.

  Something had spooked him. And knowing Pierce, the minute they really got alone, he would start seducing her…and she wouldn’t be able to think enough to ask questions.

  “What’s going on?”

  He didn’t even try to put her off. “When I got to Mexico, it didn’t take long to track Montilla to a new compound. I observed him for about two weeks. I got a good handle on his schedule, his habits, the compound’s weaknesses. Then I found an insider willing to betray his boss for cash, so I paid the bastard for answers and access. I had a fucking plan ready to roll. But the stupid son of a bitch started throwing around his extra cash in town a few nights back. Questions flew. The next morning, Montilla put a gun to his head in front of everyone, demanding answers. I’m presuming he talked. I could tell he blubbered. Then Montilla blew his brains out and sent everyone in the compound searching for me.” He let out a shuddering breath. “I tried to get back to my rental car in town a few miles away, but they’d already found it and torched it. I spent eight days hiding in the desert before I sneaked into Mexico City, where I could disappear.”

  Brea’s heart stopped. She reached for his hand, gripping it desperately. “Stop this. Stop it now. Forget him. Don’t go back. We’ll leave here and—”

  “I can’t.” Pierce scanned the mostly empty roads and made a right. “He’s not going to give up until he finds us. So I’ve got to find him first.”

  “But if something happens to you…” Pain wracked her chest just thinking about it.

  “Then he won’t come after you. You’ll be safe because if I’m gone, he’ll have won. The only reason he wants you now is to hurt me. But I’m going to end him. I’m not going to put you in that fucking position.”

  Brea wanted to scream that she didn’t understand…but she did. She wanted to rail at the horror and unfairness. But that wouldn’t change anything.

  “So how long are you here?”

  “I’ve got a flight back at oh-five-hundred on Monday.”

  Her breath froze. She tried to swallow down her tears, because he needed her to be strong, but her fear fused with her hormones. She started to sob.

  “Baby, no. Don’t waste tears on me.”

  “Stop saying that! I love you. For a month, I didn’t know if you were alive. I didn’t know if you were coming back. In barely thirty hours, you’re leaving again and—”

  “Shh.” He stroked her crown with his big hand. “We have the rest of the weekend. I’m sorry I’ll miss your doctor’s appointment on Monday.”

  Appointment? It took Brea a moment to remember… “How did you know I have an appointment with my ob-gyn?”

  He hesitated, as if he was looking for the best spin on the truth. “I might have found the paperwork when I was searching your room the night I realized you were pregnant and made a note about the date and time.”

  Brea wasn’t even surprised. In fact, she was almost touched.

  “I’d planned to be home for that. Of course, I’d planned for Montilla to be decomposing by now, too.” He sounded bitter that the drug lord wasn’t.

  “The baby’s gender reveal is Monday.”

  He frowned as he took her hand. “Damn it. I’m so fucking sorry I won’t be there, but your safety is more important.”

  She couldn’t pretend she wasn’t disappointed. “I’m sorry, too.”

  “I need you to put your head in my lap now.”

  Was he suggesting… “Pierce, I’ve missed you, but I’m not doing that to you while you’re driving.”

  Despite the heavy pall of angst and sadness, he laughed as he approached the red light outside his neighborhood. “I’m not asking you to suck my cock, pretty girl. At least not yet.” He sent her an unexpected grin. “But you should hide so that if any of Montilla’s goons are watching my house, they see me, not you.”

  “Isn’t that dangerous, too? Won’t they kill you now that they know you’re hunting him?”

  “Not here. Not in secret. Montilla is arrogant. The way he deals with his enemies is mostly for show. When he had me captive, he only beat me in front of people. As I observed him over the last few weeks, he only raped and murdered with an audience. It doesn’t suit him to sneak here and snuff me in the dead of night. I’ve become an official thorn in his side, and he’d want to make a public example of me. Since he can’t, what he really wants is to get his hands on you because then I’ll either tell him where to find Valeria and his son to save you or suffer horribly as you die.”

  Brea didn’t understand these violent people and their twisted games, but she grasped that Pierce knew far better how to keep her and their baby safe.

  Trembling, she scooted to her right and settled her head on his thigh. She felt his heat, smelled his male musk. Inhaled more of the danger dripping off him into her nostrils. Despite everything, it stirred her.

  Then again, Pierce always did.

  Instantly, he laid a protective hand on her head. “Just until we pull into my garage.”

  “Okay.”

  “Thanks for trusting me.”

  “Always.” She breathed him in again.

  “But if you’re motivated to make me feel good while you’re down there, I won’t object.”

  “Pierce…” Her body ran hot at the thought. The notion might be reckless, but it was tempting. And they had so little time together before he had to leave…

  “What? It’s been a long month without you.”

  She craned her head to look up at him in the dark. “No pretty señoritas?”

  He shook his head. “Like it or not, I’m all yours. And in less than five minutes, I’m going to strip you bare and prove it.”

  Her body tightened. Her womb clenched. She pressed her thighs together in longing.

  Brea got bold and cupped the obvious bulge through his jeans.

  He let out something between a curse and a groan as he got harder under her palm. “Baby… Fuck, I’ve missed you.”

  She’d missed him so, so much.

  Finally, his thigh below her cheek tensed, and the Jeep shot forward. He drove like a madman through his neighborhood, slinging left, then right, then left again before coming to an abrupt halt. He reached up, and the mechanical purr of the garage door opener resounded above them. He pulled into the garage and hit the button again. She lifted her head.

  Matt stood in the door between the garage and the house, weapon drawn, wearing a mean scowl. When he caught sight of them, he lowered the gun with a sigh and tucked it away. “Hey! I didn’t expect to see you, man. When did you get back to the States?”

  “Earlier today,” Pierce said as he hopped out of the Jeep and shook Matt’s hand.

  As Brea eased out on the other side and inched around the front of the truck, Matt whipped off his cowboy hat and shared a bro hug with Pierce. She approached, and the man’s angular face softened as he wrapped an arm around her, giving her a friendly squeeze.

  “Hey, little thing. How you doing? Who was at Cutter’s door, this one?” Matt thumbed in Pierce’s direction.

  “No. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

  “Get your fucking hands off my woman,” Pierce growled good-naturedly…mostly.

  Brea giggled as Matt released her and held up his hands. “Just being friendly, man.”

  “Find another woman to be ‘fr
iendly’ with. I’m going to go get friendly with my woman now. We’ll talk later.”

  Was he kidding? He’d all but announced they would be having sex. Her face flamed hot. “Pierce!”

  “What? Matt knows I haven’t seen you in a month, so he knows where I’ll be spending the night.”

  She blushed. “It’s impolite to talk about the bedroom.”

  “That’s one way of putting it. A lot nicer, too.”

  Matt burst out laughing.

  Brea frowned. There was a grand joke, and she clearly didn’t get it. “What other way is there to put it?”

  “Inside you.” Matt tried to wipe the smile off his face—and failed miserably. “That’s what One-Mile meant.”

  “You’re a fucking mind reader.” Pierce fist-bumped him before he wrapped an arm around her and swung her off her feet, against his chest, ignoring both her red cheeks and her surprised squeak. “You mind holding down the fort, man?”

  “As long as you lovebirds keep it down. I don’t need to be reminded of what I’m not getting in this town.”

  Pierce pushed his way through the door and emerged into the foyer, killing the nearby lights with his elbow and throwing the space into shadow. “Probably not going to happen. You’re better off turning up the TV.”

  “Yeah?” Matt laughed uproariously and winked her way. “I wouldn’t have taken you for a screamer, little thing.”

  She gaped at them, her face broiling with embarrassment. “I… You…”

  Pierce chuckled. “Have I ever told you that you’re perfect and I love you just the way you are?”

  Brea closed her mouth. When he said stuff like that, it was hard to be angry.

  And when he took her upstairs, into his dark bedroom, and slowly pulled off her clothes, worshipping her with his sure caresses and soft strokes of his tongue, she forgot that Matt and every other person in the world existed, because, for her, there was only Pierce.

  Chapter Nine

  Friday, January 9

  One month later

  Outskirts of Mexico City

  * * *

  One-Mile pulled his hoodie over his face and bowed his head against the pelting rain. Normally this part of the globe was a sweltering cesspool of humidity and humanity, but Mexico City—like a lot of the world—was recovering from a hectic Christmas and a raucous New Year’s. He’d missed both of those at home, and he hoped Brea understood. But Montilla and his band of thugs hadn’t taken a week or two off to celebrate the holidays. The average citizen, however, seemed to be partied out. Most of the tourists had emptied from the streets and seemingly gone back to their responsible, desk-jockey lives. So tonight, he walked a largely uninhabited route to his destination, his breaths forming white puffs in the unusual chill.