Chapter FiveIan
Chapter Five
Ian
Waking up in bed, I sense that she’s no longer here. I run my hand over where she should be lying, and I’m right—the sheets are cool to the touch. Pissed, I slap my hand on the mattress. “It’s fucking bullshit.” I toss off the covers, then get up. I snag my jacket off the chair and dig out my cell phone foolishly imagining I’d have a call or text from her explaining why she left.
Callie couldn’t access my phone to leave her number. Still, my dumbass should have grabbed hers last night before we even left the club. I set it down on the dresser and then walk to the bathroom to relieve myself.
Stepping into the shower, I consider my damn recourse when it comes to the little runaway. I can hunt her down or let her go. Last night was fabulous, but it was more than a fucking hook up. She was mine. I scrubbed myself down, stroking my cock several times, thinking about her virgin blood that had stained the sheets and my dick.
Fuck.
I grow harder and harder. My breathing turns into labored pants as I stroke faster to the memories of Callie taking every inch of me. It’s not long until I’m busting my load all over my hand and the shower floor.
Shaking my head, I mutter to myself, “She fucking broke me.” No woman has made me jerkoff just thinking about her. At least not specifically to her. Callie has me fucking struck. I finished my shower and then put on the same clothes as yesterday. I checked the room to search for any notes left by Callie, but the little minx made me look like a pathetic fool.
Shrugging off the anger and disappointment, I exited the suite and took the elevator alone, checking my reflection in the mirrored paneling. My suit is a little wrinkled given the activities last night, but I still look amazing. I’m going to head home to change before hunting down my runaway girl. She fucked up by running from me.
As I slid the keycard across the front desk, the man asked, “Had a great stay, sir?”
“Wonderful. Did you happen to see a young woman leave in earlier?”
“A beautiful black-haired beauty in a hot little dress.”
“That would be her,” I growled, itching to break his jaw.
“Yes, she left hours ago in one of the taxis we have waiting outside.”
“Thanks.” I reached out and yanked him by his tie, pulling him to me. “Put your fucking tongue back in your mouth. My girl isn’t for ogling, you little bitch, understood.” He nods furiously, so I let him go and he fell back on the counter behind the desk.
I walked away and straight to the valet. I handed him my card and he said, “Sir, I’ll bring your vehicle around.” I nodded.
When I’m finally in the vehicle, my thoughts are back on Callie. I pull out of the hotel and then consider what I’m going to do once I find her. My dashboard lights up with a call from my brother. “Hey, I have fucking incredible news.”
“What is it?”
“Jack’s found him.”
“Found who?”
“John,” he shouts. My mouth falls open. I’m glad I was already out on the main road and stopped at a red light because I would have freaking crashed.
“You are fucking kidding me. God, you better not be playing me.”
“Of course I’m not.”
“That’s fucking insane. Where?”
“Philly.”
“Oh my God. Is he okay?”
“Yeah, and we have to pick them up tonight from the airport. Shit. I’ve got a call on the other line and it’s important. I’ll call you in a bit.”
“Okay. I need to go home and change.”
He chuckled at my accidentally revelation as I hung up. I drove back to the estate and changed my clothes into a pair of jeans and a white tee with a leather jacket. I was in the kitchen about to make something to eat when Connor called to tell me he needs me on the docks with a problem.
I snag a granola bar and an energy drink before running out the door. It’s going to be a fucking long day. I’m at the dock pretty quickly, and I’m busting a couple of heads in no time because apparently some people don’t know who they’re dealing with.
After the problem is dealt with I hop into the driver’s seat of my bulletproof SUV. I tug on my shirt, annoyed at the red stains that mar it. “Son of a bitch.” I hate it when I get blood on my nice tees. It’s a real pain in the ass to have to toss them out. Sometimes they become the rags for my garage where I work on my cars and motorcycles.
Connor leans over the passenger side of my window and says, “Hey, remember we need to be leaving the house at five to go get them.” A damn bubble of excitement fills my gut at the idea of seeing my little brother again. It’s been a long painful fucking year.
“I’ll be outside your door at five ‘til.”
“Sounds good to me.” He taps the frame and straightens up.
“Good. See you later,” I say before raising the window, putting my vehicle into gear and then driving off. It takes an hour to get home, so I have a lot less time to dick around the house. Frankly, I’m tired and hungry. In the past twenty-four hours I’ve expended a lot of energy, and my ass needs to eat.
After parking my vehicle in my massive sixteen car garage, I walked through the connecting door, and headed directly up to my laundry room. I strip out of my clothes to deal with this shirt. I bust out a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and squeeze some on the stains. They bubble up and slowly start to break apart. I let it soak in the water basin and start a load before marching my ass to the special shower I have next to the laundry room for just this purpose. I washed all the blood off and quickly dried off, slipping on a pair of joggers and an A-shirt.
I set my alarm for a quick nap because I’m a believer in getting proper sleep. You can’t let your overworked muscle recover with rest, so I’ll sleep until four and then get ready to meet my brother.
Once that alarm goes off, I’m up and moving about. My nap set off a frenzy of crazy dreams all featuring my little runaway. I shake my head and try to get her out of my mind, but it doesn’t do me much good. Why the fuck did she run off without a goodbye? Was it the damn gun? I hadn’t been very careful about hiding it. It was a damn rookie move. I’d been so lost in the moment with her, and she’d seen the wrong weapon. Of course, I managed to play it off and was able to get her in bed, but maybe in the light of day and sober she realized the danger she was in and booked it out of the hotel as fast as she could, but my baby girl didn’t know who she was dealing with. As soon as my brother was nice and settled I was coming for her.
I change out of the joggers and slip on a pair of jeans and a dress shirt before adding my black leather jacket. My gun is tucked in my holster as I head out to a blacked-out SUV to scoop up Connor.
Thoughts of Calista are running through my head, to the point where it starts to throb. I should be happy, but I’m thoroughly annoyed today. I wonder if it’s just because I’m pissed that the pretty minx slipped away before I could get her information. I’ll find her soon, but right now, I have to think about John. God, I had lost all hope that he was alive. Now I know that he’s alive, and according to my brothers, John’s healthy. I send up a silent “thank you” that he’s safe.
As promised, I’m outside his door on time. He checks his watch and laughs. “Always on time.”
“Get in, or I’m leaving you here.”
“Whatever. You know damn well I can drive myself.” I shake my head and then lock the door before he grabs the handle. When he pulls it, he stumbles a step. “Come on, you dick.”
I chuckle and unlock the door. He gets in and flips me off. I drive out of the property laughing as I pull onto the road.
“So what happened to the girl from last night? I’m guessing you hit it because you’re smiling.”
My face hardens and I’m unable to mask it like I normally can. “I don’t want to talk about it,” I grumble, driving to the airport. I’m pissed at myself for failing such an easy task.
“Wow, I was wrong. Someone didn’t get lucky with the hot chick.”
“I said I don’t want to talk about it,” I bark out.
“Okay, okay.” He throws his hands up. “Sorry, bro. At least you’re not like Jack. He’s gonna marry the woman who had John.”
“What?” My hands wrapped violently around the steering wheel until the leather crunched under my fingers.
Connor nods in the passenger seat. “Yes. I thought he wasn’t acting like himself, but after hearing John speak a few words, she doesn’t seem so bad.”
My mouth falls open, I loosen my grip on the wheel, and I whip my gaze at my brother. “He’s speaking?”
“Not a lot, but more than he’s ever said. He said Jack’s name, and he even tried to say my name.” I’m shocked into silence and driving on autopilot because the news is crazy and wonderful. “I know. I was in disbelief until I heard it. So, if Jack wants to marry her, I’m all good.”
“I can’t believe it,” I whisper, still stuck in amazement.
“Trust me, you’ll be surprised.”
Now my anxiousness to see John has doubled. I can’t wait to hear him say something. “Slow down, Ian. I’d like to make it there in one piece.” I look at my speedometer, and I’m doing ninety. I drop my speed to a safer limit, so I don’t get pulled over or in an accident.
We reached the tarmac, and I pulled up next to my brother’s security team’s vehicle. We nod to them and then waited for our family to disembark. My brothers and this new chick will ride with us, while the other team can ride behind us.
When I see my little brother, I do my best not to pull him into my arms. My heart nearly beats out of my chest to see him.
“Holy fuck, it’s true.” My eyes fill with tears. I’m so damn glad Jack never gave up.
“Little man is back,” Connor chuckles, fighting his own tears. He reaches out and rubs his hand. It’s what he’s always done. We all know he can’t be touched without his permission or he’ll freak out, but my heart is racing to wrap my arms around him.
I finally notice the woman my brother wants to marry, and she’s beautiful, but I know her. She and I met before and the way we met was interesting. I do my best not to laugh, but instead, I enter my protective mode and press my hand to the small of her back, leading her to the vehicle. I wonder if Jack knows who she truly is.
As I learn about the situation with Nora and how John ended up in her hands, I wonder if it’s wise for me to bring Callie into my life. Still, I can’t just let her go. Maybe I’ll keep an eye on her until I’m sure things are settled and then I’ll claim her completely.
When we return to the estate my temper’s a bit hot. I want Callie in my life, and yet I have to wait. My brothers are sure that something is going on with my bastard father, and I still haven’t given up the idea that he was involved with my brother’s kidnapping. Something isn’t adding up, but we all agree to just focus on the present and enjoy John’s company.
We all pull up to Jack’s house, and Connor and I decide to give them some time alone while we hang out with our little brother. It’s so damn cool to see him play freely.
“E-on, E-on,” he says, setting a car in my hand. I can’t stop myself, and I lift him up into my arms and hug him tightly.
He lets me keep him like that, and Connor snaps a photo. “You two look like twins.”
I smile, and then John pushes on my chest to be let go. I set him down, and he goes back to his toys. I’m doing my best not to cry. Fuck, I don’t know when I became this emotional.
“Send it to me.”
Connor does, and I save it as my screensaver. Things are looking up. All I need now is to find my runaway woman and watch her from a distance.
Three hours later I’m home in bed, thinking about my woman. Hopefully soon she’ll be joining me here.