21. UNCOIL
TWENTY-ONE
uncoil
Enzo
It’s been two days since Hudson left my place after calling us all together to tell us about the suspicions raised against Eva. I haven’t seen him and he hasn’t answered or returned my calls. His text messages have been minimal at best.
Eva’s icy interactions with me at the house haven’t been much better.
I’ve had some time to calm down and come to terms with the fact that I may have overreacted, but I don’t think it was entirely unwarranted, damn it.
My sister is in danger. How she and Hudson can’t understand that, I’ll never know.
What I do know is I need to lay eyes on Hudson today, so I’m outside his door. I’ve kicked up security at the house, this building, and Hudson’s route to and from work. My anxiety is at an all-time high and I hope Hudson can understand that.
I raise my hand to knock when the door opens.
Hudson is standing at the door in shorts and T-shirt. It looks like he just stepped out of the shower.
My pulse settles as I take a deep breath and stare at him.
“My camera clocked your arrival like two minutes ago, wasn’t sure if you were going to knock or not. Figured I’d put you out of your stupid misery.” He gestures for me to come in.
“Thanks.”
“Want a drink?” He heads to the kitchen.
“Water.”
“Sure you don’t want anything stronger?”
“I’m sure.” I need to keep my wits about me.
He pours us both waters and we take a seat in the living room. I’m on the couch and he’s in the chair across from me.
“I’m sorry,” I start.
“For what?”
I let out a low chuckle. “You want me to list all the reasons?”
“I’m just curious if you actually know the shit you did wrong.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve probably done a lot of things wrong this past week.”
“Probably?”
“Can you take it easy on me? I’m not required to apologize in my line of work, okay? As a matter of fact, you and Eva are the only ones I ever apologize to. And frankly, I can’t think of a time I’ve ever pissed the two of you off as much as I have this week.”
“That’s probably true,” he agrees.
“I’m probably always going to be an asshole when it comes to yours and Eva’s safety. I won’t apologize for being overprotective.”
“You know that isn’t the issue.”
“I know, I just don’t know what to do about it,” I admit, defeated.
“Me either.” After a pause, he stands and joins me on the couch.
We face each other.
He grabs my hands. “Enzo, I want this with you. You know I do. I love you. I will never stop loving you.”
I take a deep breath. I needed to hear those words.
“I don’t want Pippa to come between us. I don’t want the work that they’re doing to come between us, but I do care about them. Luna has been my friend for years. I care deeply about Pippa. Even if nothing comes of the three of us, I don’t want to lose them, either.”
“I know Eva feels the same way. I just… I don’t trust them.”
Hudson starts to interrupt me.
“Let me finish. I believe what they’ve told us, but can’t you agree they are hiding more than they are sharing?”
“Yeah, I can.” He scoots closer.
Our legs graze. My body begins to warm all over. How many times over the years have our bodies brushed in this way? Did Hudson’s body ever feel this way?
“I’m not upset with you. Thank you for your apology, though. You get a gold star for coming over here and trying to make things right,” he says with a smile. “Now I need you to tell me you’re not closing the door on Pippa. That you’re willing to talk with her if she’s willing to talk to us.”
I shake my head yes. With that, his lips are on mine, and I feel like I can breathe for the first time in days.
Our hands roam. Our lips and tongues crash together. Our bodies shift closer.
“How are you feeling?” I ask him between kisses.
“Good. Really good.”
“Your chest?”
“Enzo, I swear to Christ if you stop touching me, I’ll fucking kill you.”
I laugh and remove his shirt. His wound is bandaged, right below his nipple. I move my lips down his chest, across his collar bone. I kiss around his wound. I lick the nipple above it. I take my hand and caress the other.
“Enz— Fuck, that feels good.” His hands are around my head, as I explore his chest, his shoulders, back up to his neck, and under his ear.
“Lay back. I’ve been fantasizing about exploring you, pretty boy.”
“Oh fuck, really?” he stutters out on an exhale.
“Mhm.” I continue kissing his neck.
He reclines into the couch. “I’ve had a lot of fucking fantasies about that mouth of yours, Luciano. That pretty goddamned mouth.”
I stare into his hazel-blue eyes and run one hand in his hair. I wrap the other around his throat. I love the feel of his stubble under my hand—rough. “I hope I live up to your fantasies,” I whisper.
“Hey, look at me”—he uses his hand to lift my chin and brings his nose to mine—“I’m going to love everything you do. Because it’s you.”
“But I haven’t been—”
“I know,” he says as he kisses me tenderly. “I’m so glad I’m your first. I’m honored, Enz. Fuck, so damned honored. I love you, okay?”
I nod. I’m nervous. Excited. My body is humming. I want to make him feel good. I want him to make me feel good.
I want everything with Hudson, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t also thinking of Pippa. Thinking of the last time Hudson and I were on this very couch, Pippa between us.
I take a deep breath and begin kissing him again. I run my hand over his cock to find he’s just as hard as I am. I explore his piercings through his shorts, tugging lightly on each one, which he seems to enjoy.
“Fuck, yeah, babe, that feels good.”
Hudson’s ringtone plays, receiving a call.
“Ignore it,” I instruct him as I reach my hand into his shorts, wrapping my hand around his cock. He curses at every flex of my hand.
Bvvvt. Bvvvt. Bvvvt.
It’s my phone this time.
We look at each other.
“Shit. Fuck. Should we check it?” he asks.
I begin to say maybe, when Hudson’s phone rings again. This time, it’s Eva’s ringtone. We both straighten and pick up our devices.
My missed call is from Jules.
Hudson answers Eva’s call. “Hey, Eva. What? Fuck. Where? Okay, we’re on our way.”
“What’s wrong?” I demand.
“Pippa’s in trouble. Jules and Luna need our help.”
My heart stops.
I’m grabbing my stuff and following Hudson out the door before I can think straight.
Hudson and I pull up outside what looks like an abandoned brick building off U Street. We’re in the dodgy side of DC’s clubbing scene. Jules and Luna are standing outside a van as we pull up. We have very little information. Hudson didn’t ask questions after he heard they needed help with Pippa.
We exit the car.
Luca and Niko remain in the front seats while we approach Jules and Luna.
“What’s going on?” Hudson asks.
“We tracked Pippa to this location. Luna hacked their cameras and we think she’s been—” Jules starts to explain.
“Wait, back up. Tracked?” I ask.
“We haven’t heard from her since—since we all left the mansion,” Luna answers nervously.
“We had reason to be concerned,” Jules interjects. “She wasn’t returning calls, she didn’t go to work, her phone was dead, she seemed—”
“If her phone is dead, how do you know she’s inside?” I ask.
“We have other ways,” Jules starts. “Listen, we don't have time to explain. Luna confirmed she’s inside via the security feed. I think she’s been drugged. It’s a biker bar. She’s in there—”
Hudson is already charging to the building and I’m right behind him.
Jules is hot on our tail. “Luna, stay with Niko and Luca,” Jules shouts.
“Fuck you, I’m coming, too.”
“Luna, she’s right, it’s not safe,” Hudson grunts.
She doesn’t listen, instead keeping stride with me.
I’m focused on getting into the building, gaining on Hudson as we approach when a thought dawns on me. “One second, everyone stop!”
Everyone turns to me.
“Hudson, we can’t be seen going in there together. Luna, you either.”
“I don’t fucking care, Enzo. Come with me or don’t—I’m going in.” He storms forward.
With that, everyone continues after him.
Fuck. I can’t think of a worse idea than us walking into a biker bar, armed, ready for a fight.
I spot Niko approaching from behind. “Niko, get back to the car.”
“Boss, if you’re going in, I’m going in. I have three men on their way.”
Okay, so we’re either saving Pippa tonight, or my whole crew is getting beat up. Or worse. Perfect.
“No one from Eva’s detail, right?”
“No, Boss.”
Hudson is first in. The rest of us follow close behind.
She’s easy to spot. Her bright red hair stands out in the dark, dingy space. A rowdy group of men surround her, passing her around. She’s clearly drunk or drugged. She can barely stand.
Hudson barges through the group like a wrecking ball to grab her.
Jules turns to Niko and me, whispering, “I count six in the circle, two behind the bar, and ten other sets of eyes on us. I assume they are all armed. You two ready?”
We nod.
“I have two weapons,” she says. “You?”
Niko confirms he also has two.
I whisper that Hudson and I each have one Glock.
Two guys try to intercept Hudson, keeping him from grabbing Pippa. They tell him to back off.
“I’m getting her the fuck out of here. The only question is who wants to leave here tonight with broken bones and who doesn’t,” Hudson says to the biggest man in the group. Hudson is tall at six feet, but this guy towers over him and is twice his weight in muscle alone.
Smart move to go after the biggest guy, but that doesn’t stop me from wishing he hadn’t.
“Hey!” a guy from behind the bar yells.
I turn to see he has a gun raised.
Without blinking, all five of us raise our guns simultaneously.
Half a dozen bikers raise their guns and so does the other bartender.
Anyone without a gun backs away.
“Gentlemen, we aren’t here for trouble!” Jules yells. “We’re here for the girl. Hand her over, no one gets hurt tonight.”
We hear a few chuckles from the crowd, some cat-calling, and some derogatory name-calling aimed at Jules and Luna.
“Enzo fucking Luciano. Fuck, it’s really you. Guys, it’s Enzo Luciano. Mr. Italian Mob himself,” yells a voice from behind me.
I’m aimed at the bartender.
Niko quickly shifts one of his guns and his line of sight to the guy who spoke.