CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Eddie had been desperate to have some alone time with Lucia ever since their hot and heavy session in the kitchen. Finally, he had her in in his arms, and they were making out on the couch like a couple of horny teenagers.
His cell phone buzzed across the wooden coffee table, and he lifted his lips from hers. She glared at the phone like it had just insulted her or something.
“Dammit.” He leaned forward to grab it before it woke Isabella up and saw Cole’s name on the screen. “Hey, Cole.” He kept his voice low.
“Looks like Lucas and Calliope might’ve found where they’re hiding the girls.”
“You found them?” He looked up at Lucia, stretched out on top of him. “Where?”
He tilted his head toward the door to let her know he was moving the conversation. Regrettably, she climbed off of him and stood. He pushed up off the couch and held out his hand.
She took it and gave a quick glance toward the loft to ensure Isabella was still sound asleep.
They stepped out onto the porch and kept the door open enough to hear if her daughter woke up.
“Cole, hang on. I want Lucia to hear this.” He put the phone on speaker and held it up between them. “Okay, go ahead.”
“Hey, Lucia. How are you holding up?” Cole asked.
“We’re doing good, actually.” She gave Eddie a coy smile. “Coming out here was a great idea.” She got right to it. “So, what’s up?”
“We think we’ve found them.” Cole told them what Lucas and Calliope discovered. “Luna is going to find out who owns the place. Until we can confirm otherwise, we’re going to assume Rios and his cohorts may have done something to the owners.”
“I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s capable of anything.” He once saw the asshole cut off a guy’s ear because he thought he was eavesdropping.
Turned out, the poor schlub had just happened to be walking by on his way to the bathroom when Rios was talking to one of their suppliers.
“I don’t know Martín very well; he came into the picture shortly before I got out. But from what I witnessed”—he hesitated, hating for Lucia to hear what he was about to say—“let’s just say the guy is seriously unhinged.”
The memories stored away in his brain were dark and bloody. He had every intention of shielding her from as many of the ugly details about his past as possible.
“The intel we have on him supports that,” Cole said. “Eddie, I assume you want to be in on the op?”
“Hell, yeah, I do.” They’d stolen four girls from their families and tried to take his baby sister and Isabella. He turned to Lucia. “But—”
“You’re worried about your girls. I get it,” he said. “Lucia, if it’s okay with you, Mark and one of his deputies have offered to come out there and watch over you and Isabella.”
“I’m absolutely okay with that.” She turned to Eddie and looked him in the eyes as she said, “It’s important that Eddie be a part of taking Munoz down.”
Damn, he loved that she understood why he needed to be there.
“Okay, then.” Cole sounded impressed. “You guys just sit tight, and I’ll let you know when we’re ready to make a move.”
“I’ll be ready.” He put his arm around Lucia, and she tucked into his side and rested her head on his shoulder.
They ended the call, and he wrapped his arms around her.
“I know this is what you do, and I meant it when I said you need to go after Munoz.” She hesitated. “But … I’m terrified I’m going to lose you all over again.”
“Oh, mi amor.” Eddie tightened his hold.
“I’ve been doing this kind of stuff for almost half my life, and I’m damn good at it.
” There was no ego in his statement. It was simply a fact based on years of hard-earned experience.
He put a finger beneath her chin and tilted her beautiful face up to him.
“You are not going to lose me, Lucia.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I have too much to live for.”
Lucia stood on her tippy-toes, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him.
For so many years, Eddie had been going through the motions of living.
Willingly putting his life on the line because, after losing Lucia, he believed his work was the only meaningful thing he had left.
It had taken his father’s sudden passing for him to realize that he had his family and his teammates, and they all needed him and cared about him.
Now, he also had his Lucia back, and she came with a bright, giggling little bonus by the name of Isabella.
Eddie wrapped his hand in Lucia’s hair and tugged her head back to expose her neck. He alternated between soft kisses and gentle nips on her sensitive skin.
A breathy “Oh, God” tumbled from her lips.
She covered his mouth with hers and speared her fingers through his hair. The light scratch of her nails along his scalp sent fire coursing through his body and straight to his dick.
Eddie leaned over and scooped her up into his arms. He pushed the door open with his shoulder and gently used his foot to close it.
Lucia writhed against him and removed her lips from his long enough to say, “Bedroom,” then returned to kissing him.
He glanced up at the loft, and not seeing or hearing anything, he headed down the short hall and into the bedroom.
As soon as they were in the room, he set her on her feet and turned to lock the door. When he turned around, she was already dragging her shirt over her head, then tossed it to the side.
She reached between her breasts to undo her bra, and he placed his hand over hers.
“Let me.” He moved up to her and maintained eye contact as he skillfully unclipped the front clasp with one hand.
Lucia wriggled her shoulders, and the bra slid down her arms and landed on the floor. She kicked it aside.
Eddie’s mouth watered at the sight of her round breasts and perky nipples, which cried out for his touch.
He reached out and lightly circled his fingertip around one of her beautiful light brown nipples, then repeated the process with the other.
He opened his hands and cupped them over both of her breasts.
“I love when you touch me,” she whispered and arched her back to press into his touch.
He dropped to his knees in front of her, slid his thumbs into the side of her waistband and panties, and slid her shorts down until they pooled around her ankles.
“Step out.” His voice was rough with need.
She followed his instructions, and he leaned in and kissed the center of her belly. He inhaled a deep breath and could smell her scent. His dick hardened nearly to the point of pain, but pleasing her was his priority.
Lucia speared her fingers through his hair, and the mild scratch of her nails against his scalp heightened his desire for her.
He hopped up and backed her up until her knees were against the bed.
“Sit,” he said.
She sat down as instructed and rested her hands on the bed on either side of her hips.
He placed his fingers beneath her chin and tilted her face up to him.
“Open up for me, honey.” He stroked the pad of his thumb over her lips.
Lucia gazed up at him, and her tongue peeked out to lick his finger. Then she gave him a sexy grin and slowly spread her knees apart.
Eddie bent forward and kissed her deeply, then placed a hand between her breasts and gently pressed her down to the mattress.
He cupped her breasts in his hands and flicked his thumbs back and forth over her pert nipples. He gave a gentle pinch to each one, eliciting a sharp inhale from her, then he spread his fingers and smoothed them down her body and over the mound between her legs.
“Eddie, please.” Her whispered plea spurred him on.
He knelt down between her legs, skimmed his palms across the top of her thighs and opened her legs wider to make room for his shoulders.
He grabbed her hips and pulled her closer to the edge of the bed, then leaned down and kissed his way up her thigh until his face was between her legs.
He teased a finger around her folds before plunging it inside her.
She moaned, widened her legs further, and her back arched off the bed.
He pressed his face against her and dragged the tip of his tongue between her folds and flicked her clit with the tip of his tongue while he worked his finger in and out of her.
She raised her knees to set her heels on the edge of the bed and lifted her hips into his touch.
Lucia was actively seeking her release, and he fucking loved it.
He slid his finger in and out of her, faster and faster, as his tongue worked her clit until her body tightened like a bow string and she cried out with her release.
Watching her give herself to him completely, to trust him with her body, was the sexiest fucking thing he’d ever seen.
He kissed the inside of each thigh, then kissed his way up her body to her mouth.
She lazily lifted her arms and draped them around his neck.
“Eddie”—kiss—“I need you”—kiss—“inside”—kiss—“me.”
Far be it from him to deny the lady.
He pressed his hands on the bed on either side of her and stood.
“Shirt off.” She sat up.
He reached over his shoulder, grabbed a handful of T-shirt, and dragged it over his head. He flung it over his shoulder and started to take his shorts off.
“Let me.” She undid his belt, the button on his jeans, then started dragging his zipper down one fucking tooth at a time.
He started to help, and she swatted his hand away.
“It’s my turn.” She smirked and, way too fucking slowly, started to skim his jeans down his legs.
His dick sprang free, and his belt clanked when his pants landed on the wood floor. He stepped out of them.
Without warning, she wrapped her slender, warm fingers around his dick and began to stroke it up and down.
She wanted to be in control, and he was willing to give her that … for now. Then she surprised the hell out of him when she leaned forward and took him into her mouth. Her tongue dragged up and down his most sensitive flesh, and her cheeks hollowed as she sucked him deep into her throat.
Fuck me.