Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
CEE CEE
“Dad?” I see the silhouette of him facing the windows in his office. He’s lost weight even since I arrived. The man I remember from my childhood with his round belly and full cheeks is dwindling. His handmade suits hang on his shoulders and I’ve tightened his belt to a new spot just this week. He lifts his head slightly at the sound of my voice, but he doesn’t answer or turn.
I look up at Thorne, who strokes my hair and takes a step in front of me.
“Mr. Peabody.”
My father spins the chair around one hundred and eighty degrees, making me flinch against what’s coming. Rage? Disappointment? Or just nameless cruelty?
He smiles at me. “You have a guest.”
My heart soars. The smile is unfathomable, but it’s a smile. What I always hoped for and never thought I would get.
“Dad, this is Thorne. He’s a friend from Detroit.”
Thorne slips his hand to my cheek, then looks at my father. “I’m not her friend.” The words might be harsh at any other time, but his tone is warm. He leans down and kisses me square on the lips, drops his hand from my cheek to pinch my chin, forcing my eyes to look deep into his before he speaks to again. “We’re not going to lie, CeeCee. I’ll take it from here, baby.”
“What the fuck-all is going on, Cecelia?” My father’s snarl cuts me to the core, sinking any hope I might have had for happiness and pleasantries.
When I glance back up, Thorne’s face is stoic. He’s lost the light in his eyes and his manner has changed. I feel coldness from him for the first time since we met.
“Sir.” Thorne’s smile is forced, I can tell. It’s narrow, contained. “I’m not a friend of CeeCee’s. It’s more than that. I’m marrying her. Soon. As soon as we can, in fact.”
My eyes go wide and I turn my palms up with a shrug. I lean forward until his eyes come down to meet mine. “Is that a proposal?”
Thorne turns and lays a hand on my cheek, his smile turning genuine, just for a moment. “I don’t need to ask for what’s mine, Cee. Am I right?”
I roll my eyes. The brat in me wants to smack his hand away and tell him he’s a presumptuous oaf, but I can’t because he’s right. I’m already his. This feels right, and I feel very safe, protected, loved. So I shrug and give my dad a half smile, waiting for his reaction.
There is still a distinct change in Thorne’s manner. The calm, relaxed vibe that radiated off of him as we walked in to meet my father is gone. What’s changed, I don’t know, but I know my rightful place is by his side, come what may.
“Is that so?” Dad chuckles. “Cecelia—”
“CeeCee. She likes to be called CeeCee.” Thorne steps in front of me, grows three inches and crosses his arms. I’m not sure what’s happening here, but my instincts have me stepping behind Thorne and ready to turn tail and run.
My father laughs toward the ceiling and rolls his chair toward us. His demeanor never changes, and it’s that cold indifference where he lives that clutches a hand in my gut. “Cecelia.” He enunciates my name slowly with his eyes on Thorne. “Get me a drink, Cecelia, there’s a good girl.” Even knowing my father’s drinking is killing him faster, I’ve never said no to him.
I’m frozen, half hidden behind Thorne as my father’s dead eyes stare at me. I step sideways toward the bar but Thorne’s arm shoots out and holds me in place. His hand is around the back of my neck now. Squeezing, just ever so slightly, and freezing me in my tracks.
When Thorne speaks my heart stops. “Dry vodka martini. Two orange twists.” Thorne’s voice is split with his own dark chuckle and I step away when I hear his words. How the hell does he know what my father drinks? “In a rocks glass.”
“Good guess?” I ask as Thorne releases my neck and steps toward the bar.
“Good observation.” Thorne tips his head toward my father’s desk. “There is an empty glass there with two orange twists, and the vodka bottle sitting next to the shaker. I pay attention to the details.”
Thorne’s eyes settle on my father who is staring back with his stupid grin. I’m not sure what is going on here, but it’s about more than just my father’s favorite drink.
“Cecelia.” My father breaks my trance. I look toward him but he’s still got his eyes on Thorne. “I will need you shortly. I have a meeting later and will require your assistance in getting ready. One hour. Meet me in my room. Are you listening?” He finally looks my way as I shift from one foot to the other, crossing my arms, my hands gripping each opposite elbow.
“Yes, of course. I’ll be there.”
“Good.” My father’s voice is charged with forced warmth and humor. “Now, why don’t you and your friend go sit for breakfast? I’ll meet you shortly.”
THIRTEEN
THORNE
“Sorry, we already ate.” I let go my grip of CeeCee and move to the desk. As I hoped, the old man’s eyes follow me, not her. “Nice to meet you, sir. Hate to leave so soon, but we have things to do today.” Picking up the glass and the bottle, I begin to pour, keeping watch over CeeCee out of the corner of my eyes. She’s my priority here, not my own ego. Make sure she’s safe, then deal with him when I get the chance.
We’re both smiling, but I think we both realize that the other isn’t genuine.
Handing him the glass, sans orange twists, I move back to cover CeeCee, then lean down and whisper in her ear. “We’re leaving.” I pull her toward the door, my hand gripping the back of her neck.
“One hour, Cecelia, remember. I need you in my room. One hour.”
No fucking way, old man.
I don’t stop moving us forward, up the stairs and down the hall. “Listen to me. Your dad…he’s not who you think he is. I mean, I know you think he’s been cold with you, but that’s not even half of it.” I pause outside her room, hold her steady, and look in her eyes. “CeeCee, I’m sorry, but I have to tell you…it’s about your brother.”
“My brother?” Her eyes are wet, but the tears haven’t started to fall. Not yet. I know they will and I hate that I have to tell her.
“Yes, look, I know——”
“I don’t understand. You knew my dad’s drink, didn’t you? What the fuck is going on here, Thorne?”
“Yes, that’s what I’m trying to tell you. I know your father.”
“What? No, that doesn’t make any sense. How? I mean, he’s not…This isn’t making any sense!”
I try to put an arm around her shoulder, but she pushes it away.
“No! Thorne, what is this? What do you know about my brother?”
Her voice is starting to rise, starting to get hysterical. Her father is going to hear. Or someone else. Who knows who else he has stationed in this place, looking after his interests? He’s probably been having her watched every minute since she arrived here.
“Come on,” I whisper, opening the bedroom door and trying to usher her inside.
“No, I don’t want to. I want to hear what you have to say.”
“And I’ll tell you. But we have to do this inside. It’s for your own good, Cee, trust me.”
CeeCee reluctantly follows and I explain the real reason I knew her father’s drink. The connection. The guns.
Her brother.
I start piling clothes onto the bed while I’m talking, ready to throw some of her things in a bag and head straight to the airport. I have to get her out of here.
When I’ve finished the story, her face is white. I sit her down on the edge of the bed, kneeling in front of her, my hands on her thighs, trying to keep her eyes with me.
“Cee…that was another time. Another life.”
Her eyes settle on me but they are flat, lifeless. “No.”
The sting of that single word hits me and knocks the breath from my lungs.
“Little bird. That’s not who I am now. You see me, don’t you? You see me.”
“I hear what you’re saying, Thorne. I know you’re not that person anymore. Whatever you’ve done in the past, that doesn’t matter, I forgive you. But I don’t think we can ignore this. Don’t you think it’s a message? I hear it, the universe I mean. It’s speaking to me.” She cups a hand to her ear and tips her head. “CeeCee, you’re an idiot and never learn.”
Just then, there’s a slam from the door of the bedroom. I’m on the run before whoever it is comes through the door, but there’s three of them on me before I can swing.
It’s on. I’d hoped we could get away before they caught onto us, but that’s not going to happen. Out of the corner of my eye I see two women come in and clamp CeeCee’s arms by her sides, dragging her across the floor to the door.
One fucker has me around the neck and another is lining up to punch my face. They’ve got guns, but they don’t seem keen to use them. They should though because that’s the only advantage I need. I hitch my head forward and slam it back, listening to the scream and the crunch of bone as the back of my cranium implodes the nose of the asshole behind. From there, it’s a kick to the gut of the second guy and before he can stand, I slam my fist in the throat of number three, dropping him like a lead weight before he can get close.
Number two thinks he’s got more for me and swings a foot, trying to take me out from below. It might have worked, too, except CeeCee’s screams as she’s dragged from the room draw my attention in his direction and I slam two fists into his gut one after the other, then a knee crushes his jaw. Number two hits the floor next to his buddies, but I’m not done.
I’m all over those fucks, confiscating their weapons before they get a second chance at me. Before I count to three I have two solid grips of steel in my hands. I may clean up nice and wear fancy suits, but I have the heart of a lion. I can channel my inner beast and these fucks have no idea just what I’d do to keep CeeCee and our family safe.
Protect at all costs.
This place is a labyrinth, but I hear her muffled screams as I hit the stairs. My senses are on point, and it’s easy pickings when I see the black SUV though the windows screeching to a halt at the back of the house.
That fuck is going to take her and dissect her. His own fucking daughter.
I bolt through the kitchen and out the back door as three of them are shoving her into the back of the vehicle. On my way, I take note of the medical stickers on the coolers some asshole is carrying down a hall.
Arms straight. Guns aimed. There is no shake. No quiver. I’m dead aim and the driver raises his hands.
“CeeCee. I’m here.” First and foremost, she needs to know I’m coming for her. The two women that took her out are gone and I find her with two thugs that now have her by the arms eye me with a moment of skepticism. They’re wondering if they can they take me, but I can answer that for them. I smile back. “I can hit an ant’s balls from here. Don’t fucking think I won’t.” My voice is dead calm. Almost friendly. I feel the shift in their manner. I swore I would never pick up a gun again. But some vows are made to be broken.
“Cee…stand right there. You two fucks, if you want your balls to stay attached, back the fuck off. Turn around and run that direction until you hit the fucking water. Then start swimming.”
They glance at each other, and I see their minds working. I’m just getting ready to fire a warning shot when they drop CeeCee’s arms and take off. Stepping in and holding her steady, I turn to the driver. “Get the fuck out and follow them if you have even an ounce of sense.”
He’s on their tail without another word and I stuff the guns into the back of my jeans. I don’t need them anymore. Our bags are upstairs in her room, but I’ve got my wallet so we’re good. No way I’m spending another second in this mad house.
“Fuck, baby.” I draw her tight, her soft body shaking.
“What is going on?” She cries into my chest.
“Your dad’s a fucking asshole is what’s going on. Come on. We are not staying here one more second.” I walk her to the passenger side and lift her up and buckle her in. My whole world is in that seat and I need to get them both safely home. “Kiss me, baby girl. And don’t ever leave me again. I won’t wait a month to track your ass down next time. You’re mine. Always will be. I’m taking you home.”
I close the door and hop in the running SUV.
It’s twenty minutes to the airport, but we are there in ten. Two tickets purchased, next departure heading home and we are sitting in first class before she even has time to worry about what just happened.
“Why did you leave, CeeCee? The truth.”
She licks her lips and I brush a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I told you. It was just too crazy how it all happened. Like another round of the same thing. And, when I found out who you were? The conviction, that man that came to the loft…that just scared me. I hate guns. Violence. This underbelly of life. It took my brother from me, the only family member I ever really loved. Well, the only one who loved me back anyway…I mean, what did I really know about you? Nothing.”
“I understand. I do. But listen to me.” I pinch her chin and stare into the face that hasn’t left my mind since the first time I laid eyes on it. “I am a felon. I told you that, but how I got that way isn’t what you think. Did I sell guns? Yeah, I did. A long fucking time ago. I told your father I was out after the shooting that killed your brother.” I swallow hard and let her face go, kiss her head and hope she’s with me. “I was primed to go down. I guess in a way I wanted to go. Wanted a fresh start so I did a plea deal and never looked back. That’s it. I spent my time. When I got out? No one would touch me. Mrs. Takashima took me in again. I learned to make donuts in the prison and I started making them for her store. Before long, she saw something else. She lent me two-thousand dollars and I started that first store. Now, here we are. So, I’m sorry you were scared, but I’m here to tell you, no one or nothing has ever felt like this for me. You are it. I’m all in, little bird. And you’re carrying the only other thing in this entire fucked up world that matters to me.”
She blinks and turns to look out the window. I hold my breath until it hurts.
“I’ve been alone for so long. But that day you walked into the office.” She turns back to look up at me and my heart is in my throat. “When I got on the back of your bike and you drove away with me.” She laughs, a little hitch in her breath. “My fake boyfriend. You know what went through my head?”
“No, baby, what?”
“I’m going to marry him. I’m going to have his babies.”
I smile and kiss her until neither of us can breathe.
“It was crazy but I’m being honest. That was what I thought about. My ovaries were twitching.” She giggles until I’m sporting a hard-on that would get me arrested.
“You know what?” I kiss her forehead. “The first time I saw you in the shop, you know what I was thinking?”
“What?”
“That’s all mine. And I never before, for one second, imagined any of this. But I thought about getting my baby inside you as soon as I could. Seems the universe connected the dots for us.”
“Do you really think my dad was going to take…like, my organs?” Her eyes go wide and I take a deep breath.
“I do, babe. When I was running through the house to come and get you. I saw something. Coolers. With biohazard labels. Two of them in the hands of some guy walking through the hall. Import/export alright. The only import I care about right now is the one in here.”
I rub her belly. I can’t get enough.
“You know what I’m thinking about right now?” Her eyes twinkle and her cheeks turn pink. She looks up and down the aisle and leans into me. “The mile-high club.”
Thirty seconds later, we’re figuring out how to maneuver into the first class lavatory. I’ve got her wrapped around me against the wall, my hand over her mouth as I slam into her until cum seeps out from around my buried cock. I suck one tit, then the other, muffling my own moans as I cum again.
When we walk back to our seats, my girl is all smiles and her head sits on my shoulder.
“I’m a mess,” she whispers, looking up at me like an innocent cherub.
“You’re my mess though. All mine.”