Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Paige
“Have a seat,” Harrison gestured. “How much danger is my family in?”
“A lot.”
“I need you to do something for me, Paige.”
“Of course.”
“Kill every one of those sons of bitches,” he said.
“That’s the plan, sir.”
“Call me Harrison. They put my family in danger. I don’t care what it takes. Kill them all. I need to know they’ll never come near my family again.”
“I promise you that I will get every last one of them.” I placed my hand on his.
After we left the hospital, we headed back to Parker’s house. Running up the stairs to my bedroom, I grabbed my large bag from under the bed and unzipped it. I flinched when Parker walked up behind me.
“Jesus Christ, Paige. What the fuck?”
“It’s what I need,” I said.
“That is military grade. Who just carries around all of that? It’s a damn war kit.”
“And I’m at war.”
“I’m coming with you tonight. It’s not up for discussion.”
“No.” I shook my head. “No way. It’s too dangerous, and my mission is to protect your life.”
“I can sit in the car. But I am coming with you and Simon. You can’t expect me to just sit here all night. Besides, what if they come here while you’re gone?”
“You can go to one of your brothers’ houses and stay with them until I get back,” I said.
“And risk their lives even more? No. I’m going to change into my swim trunks and go for a swim. I suggest you do the same because you’re joining me.”
“I don’t want to go for a swim, Parker.” I stared into his sexy eyes.
“Yes, you do.” The corners of his mouth curved upward. “I’ll meet you in the pool.” He walked out of the bedroom.
Sighing, I sat on the edge of the bed, fell back, and stared up at the ceiling.
My sole focus had to be getting Elias. I couldn’t afford any distractions, and Parker Hamilton, with his mesmerizing blue eyes and that infuriating half smile, which made my stomach flutter, was the most dangerous distraction of all.
But was it really a distraction if he made me feel more alive than I’d ever felt?
The one thing Hearthstone took away from me after the accident was my ability to feel anything for anyone.
I once overheard the doctors talking in the hallway outside of my room.
“Emotions are a distraction. A liability. And we can’t have that.”
There was no fear, no guilt, no attachment.
I executed orders like a machine. I didn’t look at faces.
I didn’t ask names. I didn’t feel. Until my real memories started resurfacing.
And even then, the only thing I felt was pure rage and anger.
But when I saw Parker’s picture pop up as Elias’s next target, something inside me shifted. I couldn’t let anything happen to him.
I stood up from the bed, changed into my bikini, and headed out to the pool where Parker was doing laps.
“It’s about time.” He smiled, rubbing the water from his eyes.
“Why did you become a criminal lawyer?” I asked.
“Ah, so now it’s my turn to tell you about me?” He smirked.
“It’s only fair.” I smiled.
His face fell flat as his eyes stared into mine.
“What?” I asked.
“You have a beautiful smile, Paige. I do believe that is the first time I’ve really seen you smile since we met.”
“That is not true.” I splashed water at him.
“Yes, it is.” He chuckled. “Anyway, I always wanted to be a lawyer. It’s what we were groomed for since the day my brothers and I were born.
When I was thirteen, a close friend of mine was arrested for shooting his abusive father.
I wanted my father to defend him, but he was in Europe that summer.
His family didn’t have much, and he was assigned a public defender fresh out of law school.
The prosecutor destroyed her defense based on illegal interrogation tactics, fabricated timelines, and evidence that should never have made it to the judge.
I knew that because I’d watch my father in court all the time.
The prosecutor obliterated her to the point where she stopped trying to defend my friend.
The jury found him guilty and sentenced him to five years in juvenile detention.
When he turned eighteen, he was sent to prison for another ten years.
It was the moment I heard them say, ‘We find the defendant guilty,’ that I knew I needed to become a criminal defense lawyer.
Everyone should get a fair trial. It doesn’t matter what the charges are.
For my friend, it wasn’t fair at all. It was a witch hunt because the District Attorney at the time was up for re-election.
I’d heard that after that case, the public defender moved out to New York and went into divorce law. ”
“Wow. I’m sorry for your friend. Do you still talk to him?”
“No. Last I heard, he moved to New Mexico after his release. Wanna race to the other side of the pool and back?” A sexy grin crossed his lips.
“You won’t be mad when I win?”
“Sweetheart, I’ll have you know that I was on the swim team all of high school and college, breaking records.”
“First, don’t call me sweetheart. Second, let’s go.” I smiled.
“On the count of three,” Parker said. “One. Two. Three.”
We pushed off the wall and swam across the pool. When we reached the other end, we pushed off again back to the other side, where I touched the wall at least three seconds before Parker did.
“Not fair,” he panted, hanging onto the edge of the pool. “You didn’t tell me they turned you into a mermaid.” A sexy smirk crossed his lips.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t be such a sore loser. I warned you, Hamilton.”
“Yeah. Yeah.” He grinned, gripping my hips as my arms wrapped around his neck.
“You’re a beautiful woman, Paige Winters.” He leaned his forehead against mine.
I swallowed hard because I could feel myself softening when I was with him.
“You don’t have to say that,” I said.
“I only speak the truth.” The corners of his mouth curved upward as he tucked a strand of my wet hair behind my ear. “Let’s go inside, and I’ll show you just how beautiful you are.”
Sex with him was incredible, and I wanted him, maybe a little too much.
“Let’s go.” I smiled.
He grabbed my hand, led me into the house, and up to the primary bathroom.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I figured we both could use a shower.” He winked, turning on the water.
He pulled off his swim trunks and kicked them across the bathroom floor as I stared at his semi-hard cock, noting the perfection God had given him. I took off my bikini and climbed into the shower. His hands roamed up and down my body as the hot water cascaded down on us.
“Wasn’t this a good idea?” he asked, his lips pressing against my neck, sending shivers down my spine.
“It was.” I softly moaned as his fingers dipped inside me, hitting just the right spot.
My hand wrapped around his hard cock, giving a few tugs, as my thumb circled around the head.
Parker threw his head back in satisfaction, soft moans escaping his lips.
I grabbed his hand and removed his fingers from inside me.
Dropping to my knees, I wrapped my lips around him, while my hands gently stroked his balls.
It sent him into a frenzy as I felt his entire body tremble.
“God, Paige. Oh my God.” His hands fisted my hair.
This intimate moment had me reeling, my heart pounding against my chest. Things were happening to me.
I’d built walls for a reason, kept people at arm’s length to protect them and myself.
Yet, here I was, melting under this man’s gaze.
The worst part? I couldn’t even regret it. He stopped me and pulled me up.
“That was incredible, but I really need to fuck you right now,” he said, his hand softly stroking my cheek.
He turned me around as my hands planted on the marble tile. He thrust into me like a wild beast, and I took every inch of him inside as if that was where he belonged.
“Are you okay?” he whispered in my ear.
No. Yes. Maybe. How could I possibly answer that? Nothing about him was part of my carefully constructed plan.
“I’m great,” I moaned with each satisfying thrust.
His hands fondled my breasts, his fingers pinching my hardened peaks, intensifying the orgasm that was about to take over me. My moans grew louder as did his. My body tingled with delight. He pulled out and finished himself on my back.
“Fuck,” he moaned.
Turning around, I wrapped my arms around his neck and stared into his sexy eyes. He was breaking me. I could feel it and didn’t know how to stop it. I’d never felt this vulnerable before, this exposed. Not just physically, but emotionally.
“Why are you single?” I asked. “Why isn’t there a special woman in your life?”
“It’s easier this way,” he said, the water cascading over us.
“Easier for who?”
“For everyone involved.” He reached for the shampoo bottle, squeezing some into his hand.
“I don’t chase love or relationships. My career is demanding, and it’s my number one priority.
Relationships are complicated, and you end up losing parts of yourself or changing who you are to suit the other person. I learned that lesson a long time ago.”
“How do you mean?”
“I had a girlfriend for a while in college. Everything was great at first, then she became demanding. She wanted me to spend every waking moment with her. If I didn’t text her back within a minute of receiving her text, she would blow up my phone, asking me if I was with someone or cheating on her.
She accused me of cheating when I never did, and we argued all the time.
I’d seen and heard enough of that at home between my moms and my father, and I didn’t need to experience any more of it in my life.
She tried to get me to quit wanting to be a lawyer because she said my studies took too much of my time and I should have been spending it with her.
It was at that moment that I realized relationships weren’t worth the hassle or the trouble they brought. ”
“She sounds a little psycho,” I smirked.
“She was. Since then, I like to keep relationships at the casual level only.”
“I get that,” I said. “It’s obvious your brothers don’t feel that way.”
“Ha.” He chuckled. “They were worse until Morgan and Laurel walked into their lives. Now, Roman is married and has a kid, and Julian is engaged to Laurel, who has three little girls and a fourth on the way. I guess it’s crazy how life works out sometimes.”