Chapter 19
Gable
“Okay, so we leave.” I fold my arms and shrug as if it’s the simplest decision in the world. “Right now.”
Asher looks up at me from the couch. “You wanna run?”
No, I don’t want to run. I’ve never run.
Even when running meant survival, even when running was the smart thing to do, I haven’t done it because I fight everything head-on.
When my stepdad had a bottle of whiskey and a belt in his hand, I stood my ground and wound up in the hospital. I. Don’t. Run.
But when it comes to keeping Asher alive, I’ll head for the fucking hills. There’s no way I’ll put him in danger, because as good as I am at what I do, I can’t protect my brother from bloodthirsty contract killers looking for a cool quarter mil. Even I’m not bulletproof.
“What’s the other option?”
Asher runs his hand across his mouth. “We stay, just a little longer.”
Anger simmers beneath my skin, and I put distance between us before it bubbles over.
“You want to stay for fucking Ella.”
“I can’t just leave her, Gable,” he says. “I can’t disappear after everything.”
I’m so close to tearing my damn hair out.
“Asher, are you willing to die for this girl?” I shout. “Because I would do anything for you, but I won’t leave you here to get a bullet in your brain because of a piece of ass.”
Asher stands. “That’s not what she is.”
“Then tell her the truth and she can come with us.”
“She … she won’t come.”
“Then we’ll take her!”
“She will hate me, Gable!” he yells, his breathing fast. “She will never, ever forgive me if I tell her what I am and then take her from everything and everyone she knows.”
Asher and I don’t fight. We’ve never come to blows over anything, least of all a woman, but Asher looks close, and I don’t know how else to convince him.
“Asher, if you stay, you die. And guess what? That means she probably dies, too. You think someone is going to just overlook what she means to you? If anyone sees you together, she’s leverage.
You get that, right? Then it won’t matter how far we go; they’ll grab her and you’ll come running back.
” The tortured look that crosses Asher’s face kills me.
I’ve never seen him heartbroken, and I never want to, but if it saves his life, it has to be said.
“Leaving isn’t just saving you, Asher. It’s saving her, too. ”
Asher sinks back onto the couch, his eyes shining.
The last time I felt this way was the first time we were separated.
After two years of living in the same room, at fourteen years old, we were sent to separate homes, and I’d never felt anything quite like it.
I never cry, I can’t remember the last time I shed a single fucking tear, but my heart snapped in two that day, and it feels the same right now.
I want to fix it. I want Asher to be okay, but there’s no other solution.
“Okay,” Asher says, his voice breaking. “I’ll tell her.” I sit beside him and put my hand on his shoulder. I don’t know what to say; I’m not good at comforting people, even Asher, so I just nod. “Just give me a few hours, okay? I need time to do this right.”
After Asher leaves, I shower and pack the few things I have. It sucks knowing we’re bailing without the extra cash, but we have more than enough. We can go to Hunter’s, wait until this all dies down, then start our new life. Ten years in the making and it’s finally happening.
Someone knocks at the door, and when I answer, I heave out a sigh.
“Hello, Monty.”
She grins. “Hello Flynn number two.”
God, this woman is both dangerous and sexy as all hell.
I only slept with her once, and it was a drunken fumble against a wall behind a bar.
We’d both gone after the same bounty and had fought each other as much as the target, but Monty had won after successfully slitting the guy's throat. It was the first time I’d seen her kill anyone, and after too many drinks later, we’d fucked.
I know she loves Asher. I was a second choice, but that was fine by me, because as beautiful as Monty is, I’d rather not have a woman like her watching my every move.
“I thought you left,” I say. “Don’t you follow Asher’s every command?”
She smiles sweetly, but there’s venom to it. “I don’t follow orders, Flynn Two, you know that. Besides, maybe I want something else.” She steps close and bites her full bottom lip. “Wanna fuck?”
That’s a terrible idea. She’s admitted that she considered taking on our bounty, and even though Asher is safe from her, I’m not. But if she did hurt me, Asher would never forgive her. And it’s been far too long since I’ve had sex.
So, fuck it.
I pull her inside, crushing my lips against hers and kicking the door closed behind her. She pulls off my shirt and slides her warm palms up my abs and to my chest, her long, red fingernails pressing into my skin almost painfully.
“Weapon check,” I say, stepping back before all the blood rushes from my brain to my dick.
She rolls her eyes. “Seriously?”
“Uh, yes.”
Monty sighs, then pauses. “I’ll do you one better.”
She unzips her dress, keeping her eyes locked on mine as she peels the material away and drops it to the floor.
I bite the inside of my lip to stop the groan that almost leaves me.
I hadn’t had a chance to see much of her the night against the bar wall and fuck what a waste that was, because she’s incredible.
Black lace lingerie against creamy skin, long, blonde hair over her shoulders, and sultry eyes watch me.
She reaches back, unhooks her bra, and tosses it onto the couch.
My dick hardens just from the sight of her. In only her heels and a thong, she grips the material and tilts her head, a look of pure innocence on her face.
“This too?”
I nod, trying to keep my composure like I’m searching her at the damn airport when really, I’m about three seconds from taking her on the floor. She pulls the thong down her long legs, dropping it between her feet, then steps out of it.
“Not a natural blonde, then?”
She purses her lips to stop a laugh, and I grin. She bends down to unstrap her shoe, but I raise my hand to signal her to stop.
“Oh no, they can stay on.” I move closer, tilting her chin up.
“Gonna search my mouth next?” she asks.
“Not with my fingers.” I say, gliding my thumb over her bottom lip. With my other hand, I run my fingers through her hair.
“Seriously, Gable? What do you think I have in my hair?”
I grip her hair, and pull her close so abruptly that she almost loses her footing. “Keep answering back and I’ll fill your mouth, see how quickly you can cry that mascara off.”
She bites her lip. “I’d be up for that. But why don’t you be a good boy first and eat my pussy? I don’t think we had time for that before.”
I back her up until she’s leaning against the arm of the couch.
Releasing her hair, I kneel, hooking one of her legs over my shoulder.
I’m hard as a goddamn rock, and being this close to her is not helping my willpower, but if this is going to be my last chance to fuck Monty, I’m going to take my sweet-ass time.
I run my tongue between her legs, and she gasps, fingers gripping my hair. She places her other leg over my shoulder, and I grip her ass, pulling her fully against my mouth.
Fuck, she tastes good. She smells even better.
She moans, grinding against my mouth, and …
Is she leaning back?
I pause and open my eyes. She looks down at me, twisting herself back into position. She’d been reaching for her shoe.
“What’s wrong?” she asks innocently. Too fucking innocently.
I pull her leg off me and snatch off her shoe, pulling off her heel and glowering at her.
“What the fuck is this?” I ask, holding up the syringe.
She flutters her lashes. “An accessory?”
“Okay, let’s see what it does.” I hold it against her thigh, and she yelps before I pierce the skin.
“No! It’s …” She flutters her lashes. “It’s just to help you sleep, that’s all.”
I stand and grip the back of her neck. “And why would you want that, Monty?”
“I’m concerned you’re not getting your eight to ten hours?” I hold the syringe against her throat, and she winces. “Okay, fine, just stop! That shit makes you groggy for days.”
I grip her neck tighter. “Talk, Monty.”
She rolls her eyes. “Can’t we fuck first? I was enjoying myself.” I press the syringe, not breaking her skin, but close. “Ugh, fine. The bounty has been upped.”
I frown. “On us?”
“God, you’re dense. No, not on you. On her.”