The Red-Hot Stakes

Chapter Twenty-Four

Liam’s expression sobered. “Are you okay, Gina? Really?”

I stopped, considering it for a second. “Actually, yeah. I’m better than I have been in weeks. For the moment, anyway.”

Brad’s face flashed in my mind, just before he fell, and I knew I’d probably have nightmares. But for now, the threat hanging over my head was gone. Liam and I were on the same page again, and I sat on his lap, against that beautiful, firm chest. Achingly aware of all his bare skin.

I ran my hands along his shoulders. “There is something that could make it better.”

“What’s that?” His throat bobbed as my hands ran lower on his chest.

I let the challenge echo in my words. “Tell me you love me, then prove it.”

“Anything you want, Red.” He kissed me, long and slow, his touch awakening a sleeping part of me. “I love you.”

I sighed, realizing how much I’d missed hearing him say it. “I love you, too.”

His lips claimed me, and I shifted to meet him—gripping the back of his neck, holding his shoulder, pressing myself as tightly to him as I could. He reacquainted himself with my body, running his warm hands over me. I arched into his touch, desperate for more.

He undid my top, cupping the weight of my breasts in his palms. “I missed these.”

I groaned, as he rolled my nipples in his thumbs. “Maybe they missed you too.” I sat up on my knees, tugging on his neck and guiding his mouth to my aching peak. First one, then the other.

“Stand up.” It wasn’t a request.

I obeyed, curious, loving that he was beyond asking permission. We both needed this, were both desperate. His fingers deftly undid the knot of my wrap, tossing it aside. My bikini bottoms followed. He leaned me against the cool, smooth surface of the cave wall as he nudged my legs apart.

Dropping to his knees before me, he licked his lips. “I missed your taste even more.”

A thrill of anticipation sped through me as his tongue stroked my folds. I lolled my head back, clutching his shoulders for support. Another streak of lightning flashed, the thunder rolling in an endless wave as the rain continued to beat down.

Not even that could drown out the sound of my pounding heart.

“C’mon, Gina. I want to hear you.”

He licked me again, pausing to bury a finger in my wet depths before circling his thumb around my clit. I moaned, tension building steadily in me. I’d missed every bit of him, and the longing ache in me was overwhelming. Little flutters already pulsed through my core.

His tongue slowly flicked my sensitive nub, over and over, in time with his finger plunging in and out of me. I was so close. I wanted nothing more than to have him bring me to that pinnacle.

He hummed his encouragement as he increased his pace. I grabbed his neck with my other hand, pressing him even closer, riding his face. My orgasm crashed over me, and I cried his name. My legs shook by the time he looked up with his wet chin and delighted grin.

He wiped his mouth on his arm, standing up to kiss me. “Have I proven it yet?”

“Proven what?” I didn’t understand in my post orgasm haze, and he smirked.

“How much I love you.”

I nibbled at my lip, loving his playfulness. “Oh no, Mister. You’ve still got a long way to go.” I ran my fingers along his waistband. “You can start by losing these.” I helped him drop his shorts to the ground.

His cock bobbed against my stomach as he stepped forward. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

He gripped my thighs, just below my ass, picking me up completely. I gasped, grabbing his shoulders as his hard dick rested perfectly along my wet center.

“Want to come like this?” He grinned, sliding against me as I wrapped my legs around him and moaned. “Or do you want me inside you?”

How was I supposed to choose? I moaned again.

“Or both?”

He chuckled, his lips finding my nipple as he rubbed, creating just the right friction. His hands gripped my ass, possessive and commanding. I loved everything about the position, and he had me gasping then shuddering again within minutes.

“I’ll have to remember that.”

I said between breaths, “Think you’re hot stuff, do ya?”

“You know it.” Then he slid fully inside me, making me gasp once more.

I tightened my grip on his shoulders. “I don’t think we’ve done this before.”

“Fucked like this?”

I nodded.

His voice was strained. “We haven’t, but I’ve been dying to take you up against the wall.”

An unspoken plea underlined his words, and I leaned back, loosening my grip on his neck. “Take me, Liam. I trust you.”

His eyes widened then a growl erupted from his lips as they crashed on to mine. He brought one of his hands up to pin my hands above my head. His other clenched my ass hard enough I knew I’d have a mark.

But I didn’t mind. A thrill went through me at his ferocity, exhilaration crashing as I realized the depth of my trust in him.

“You’re mine, Gina.” He thrust into me, fast and furious, deep and smooth, claiming me as his own, over and over.

“Yes, Liam, all yours, just yours.” I locked my ankles behind him, pulling him closer. “And you’re mine.”

Heat flared in his pinning gaze. He shifted into me, adjusting his angle, and all my nerves caught on fire. He was so deep, hitting just the right spot of my innermost wall. I screamed as I came, clenching around him over and over. He thrust once more inside me, gasping out my name as he pulsed into me.

Bliss settled over my entire body, weighing me down with its heavy coating. He stared at me as he touched my cheek. His lips brushed mine, then he lowered me to the ground.

I wasn’t sure my legs would hold me, so I leaned against the wall. The rain hadn’t let up outside. “Now what?”

Liam glanced around, his gaze landing on my wrap. He spread it out on the sandy floor then laid on it, patting the space beside him. “I want to hold you.”

Eagerly, I went to him. I rested my head on his chest, his arm wrapping around me, pulling me to him. I draped myself over him, one leg over his thigh, one arm over his abdomen. Maybe the rain would never stop.

* * * *

“Gina.” Liam shook me gently, waking me from where I’d been dozing on the cave floor. “The rain let up.”

I wondered how long it had been. My phone was back in my room, so I didn’t know what time it was. I stretched, annoyed at the sand clinging to me despite the wrap we’d laid on. My sore toe brushed my other foot as I moved about, and I yelped.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“My toe.” I pointed it out as he knelt at my feet. “I tripped on the way here.”

He whistled, looking it over. “You smashed that good. It’s probably broken. Why didn’t you say something earlier?” Annoyance flashed in his gaze as he went all protective on me again.

“I don’t know, adrenaline?” I snarked. “Plus, I was too busy breaking down over everything that happened, then making up with you. I was a little distracted.” I pressed my bare chest against him, in case he’d forgotten our earlier activities.

“Stop that.” He set me back in my own space, gently but reluctantly. “Kidnapped or not, Avery will kill us if we’re late to the rehearsal.”

I sighed, knowing he was right. We quickly got dressed, then I walked to the cave entrance, babying my sore foot.

Liam scrutinized my every movement. “There’s no way you’re climbing down the mountain like that.”

“I think ‘mountain’ is a bit of an exaggeration.” But the thought of the steep hill had me gritting my teeth.

He crouched in front of me. “Hop on.”

“What?”

“Your chariot, madam.”

When he gestured to his back, I folded my arms. “I’m not getting a piggyback ride down this hill.”

He straightened, looking just as stubborn as I felt. “It’s either that, or I can fling you over my shoulders like a sack of potatoes.” He wasn’t kidding.

As much as I enjoyed watching his ass, I didn’t want to ride all that way upside down. I sighed. “Fine.”

He crouched again, and I climbed up, feeling like a little kid as I looped my arms around his neck. His arms settled under the backs of my thighs, spreading me against his warm back. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all. His muscles bunched beneath me and I had free range of that magnificent chest.

“All set?”

I rested my chin on his shoulder, letting my lips brush his ear. “Mm hmm.”

“Behave back there, Red.”

I trailed my fingers through his chest hair, tightening my thighs against him. “Or what?”

His answer was a growl, and I laughed as we started down the trail. My teasing stopped when I realized just how treacherous the path was after so much rain. The steep slope was slick with mud.

At one of the steepest points, I insisted on getting down. Then we scooted on our butts over the ledge until the decline lessened once more. We were both muddy messes by the time we reached civilization again, a couple of hours before we were due to appear at the rehearsal.

Once we convinced security who we were and what had happened, they called the local authorities to take down our story. It turned out that Brad was wanted here as well for entering the country illegally, so they’d been hunting him anyway. So much for his connections.

We ran into our friends on the way back to our rooms, me still perched on Liam’s back.

“Hey, guys,” he shouted.

Derek’s head snapped up, followed by the others. We waved as Liam hurried up to them, their expressions ranging from relief to curiosity.

Except for Avery who stepped up with hands on her hips and demanded, “Where have you been? Mud wrestling? It’s almost time for the rehearsal.”

Liam bristled beneath me, but I clamped a hand over his mouth. “We’ll explain it all afterward. You okay with us being mud monsters, or do we have time to shower quick?”

She checked her phone. “If you hurry. You’ll have to meet us at the pavilion.”

Liam glanced at me over his shoulder, unable to talk with my hand still on his mouth, but I just grinned and said, “Giddy up, horsey.”

He glared, but his mouth twitched under my fingers as he took off for our room. I felt everyone staring after us in surprise. Once we were out of earshot, I removed my hand, waiting to be chewed out.

“Giddy up?”

“It seemed appropriate.”

He shook his head, laughter vibrating through him. He was quiet for a few steps as we neared our building. “You sure you’re up for this? You should probably go to the doctor, and get that toe checked out.”

“I don’t think they do much for broken toes. I’ll just hobble around as best I can.” I leaned my cheek on his shoulder. “I messed up so much of her wedding stuff already—dress shopping, her shower. I can’t bear to ruin this, too.”

His chin dipped down to rest on my arm in a mini hug. “You know she’ll understand, especially after she hears the whole story.”

I knew that, but still. “Afterwards, okay?”

He didn’t answer for a long moment, but at last he said a reluctant, “Okay.”

I took the quickest shower of my life, wishing I could linger in the warm spray with Liam. Then I changed into fresh clothes and wore flip flops that didn’t press on my toe while he took his turn.

We hurried to the pavilion, splitting a Snickers bar from the fridge in our room. Neither one of us had eaten lunch, and we were both starving. I perfected a weird hop-shuffle that had me moving at a decent pace, especially with my hand on Liam’s arm for balance.

“So, those connections I was telling you about?” he said as I chewed my last bite of the candy bar. “I called one while you were showering. I don’t want Brad’s ties to a ‘made man’ coming back to bite us in the ass.”

I nodded. “Good call. I’ve had enough of being on people’s shit lists for a lifetime.”

We arrived at the pavilion with a minute to spare, just as the minister asked us all sit down to go over the service verbally first. Liam sat beside me and pulled my injured foot onto his lap, then wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him, content despite the growling in my stomach and the ache in my foot.

My heart was whole, my best friend was getting married and no one was blackmailing me. What more could I ask for?

* * * *

After the rehearsal, Liam insisted on giving me another piggyback ride to the Mexican restaurant, Fiesta. Once we were seated and our orders in, everyone turned to us.

“Spill,” Rhonda demanded.

I took a drink of my margarita, glancing at Liam. “You want to, or should I?”

“I think you should have that honor.” He gripped my thigh under the table, shifting his chair so our legs were pressed against each other.

I’d missed him taking up all the space. I leaned into him as I started from the beginning, keeping my voice as steady as I could. Audible gasps sounded when I got to the blackmailer’s threat of falsely accusing Liam of arson, along with his threats against my friends if I told anyone.

I couldn’t make eye contact as I told them about breaking up with Liam. His warm hand comforted me, his thumb stroking back and forth offering me reassurance.

“Oh, Gina,” Avery said, her voice cracking.

I shook my head. “Not yet.” I kept going until I came to part at the clifftop then I nodded to Liam. “Your turn. I haven’t heard how you found us yet.”

A torrent of emotions swirled in his gaze. “No, you haven’t. After you told me you were leaving after Avery got married…” He smirked at my glare, knowing he’d just thrown me under the bus. “You apologized, but you seemed off, so I went looking for you.” He shrugged.

“I knew it wasn’t fair to make you leave, and I wanted to talk more. But you’d disappeared. I caught a glimpse of you and a guy ducking through the fence, and I knew something was wrong. So I followed. When I saw he had a gun, I hung back, not wanting him to see me.”

I remembered Brad saying something about a note, but Liam loved me enough to come after me without one. I took a sip of my margarita. As Brad’s panicked face flashed before me once more, and I shoved the memory away.

“When you reached the clearing, I was going to rush right out and make myself known.” He hesitated, staring at the table. “But then I heard you.”

He turned to the others, shaking his head. “I’d realized it was Brad by this point, my ex-brother-in-law. And he had a gun pointed at Gina. After she’d asked several times what he was doing and he hadn’t responded, well, you all know her temper.” He smirked, touching my shoulder. “She let him have it which got him talking and he explained everything, the whole stupid scheme.” Guilt etched in his face. “I realized what she’d done for me, to protect me, and how wrong I’d been all the times I’d judged her. I’m so sorry, Gina.”

“Me too.” I leaned in, brushing my lips against his. Then as one, we turned to the rest of the group, and I hung my head, admitting, “Brad didn’t make it off the cliff. We already talked to the authorities, explaining how he fell.”

The memory played through my mind, and I couldn’t stop it this time. Him falling, me clinging to him, watching him slip through my fingers. I shuddered, burying my face in Liam’s arm until I could compose myself. Then I steeled myself as I raised my head to survey my silent friends.

Avery’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears, and she sniffed. Derek shifted uneasily in his seat as he raked a hand through his hair. Neither Greg nor Rhonda looked at me.

“Gina, I’m so sorry!” Avery burst out of her chair, running around the table to fling her arms around me. “That you had to go through all of that, alone. And I was so mean to you!” She cried on my shoulder. “I should have known better. I’m the worst person in the world. I’m dirt, worse than dirt. Can you ever forgive me?”

I snorted and hugged her back. “Oh, Ave, of course I forgive you. You’re my family. We may hurt each other, we may fight, but you’re stuck with me.” I sighed. “Besides, it’s all over now.” It sank in that it really was, and I felt lighter still.

She knelt by me still. “Gina, if nothing else comes of this, I want you to know that I love you, girl.”

I sucked in a breath as she nodded.

“Yep, I said it. You’re my sister, and I love you. I almost lost you today, and I didn’t even know it. I’m going to be telling you all the time, so you better get used to it, okay?”

My throat had a lump in it the size of a football, but I managed to croak out, “Okay.”

She hugged me again, giving me time to regain my composure. She’d just stood up to go back to her seat when I grabbed her hand.

“I love you, too, Ave.”

Her smile was a mile wide. “I know, G. I know.” Then she sobered. “Which is why I should’ve seen it. I know you better than anyone, and I saw you with Liam. I knew how happy you were. I’m so sorry I let you walk away when you needed me the most.” She gripped my hand. “It won’t ever happen again.”

And I believed her.

Rhonda and Greg murmured apologies as well, not quite as epic as hers. Avery finally returned to her seat to lean against Derek. He stayed strangely silent for the rest of the meal.

But the apologies got me thinking about how much my friends did care about me, and Rhonda’s offer on the plane resurfaced in my mind. I’d tried therapy, but that had been years ago. Things had changed. I had changed.

It couldn’t hurt, right? Brad’s face flashed through my mind again, and I fought off a wince, knowing I’d need something to help me process all that had happened. “Rhonda?”

Her crystal blue eyes found mine.

I swallowed, pushing aside my fear of being vulnerable. This was bigger than anything I could handle on my own, and I was ready to admit that. “About that therapist you mentioned. Do you think I could have her number?”