13. Powertrain
We found ourselves somewhere in the heart of Central Texas. Ripper, our Chapter President down here, had secured us a place to rest for the night, all under Jameson”s orders, naturally. I was supposed to make a stop in Oklahoma, but that would have to wait for another day. I couldn”t risk further exposure, and my priority was getting back to New Orleans to ensure Whisper”s safety.
Jameson would undoubtedly have questions, but I doubted he”d challenge my decision once I briefed him on the situation. We were facing a different breed of evil this time.
Glancing down the hall where Whisper was resting, I couldn”t help but notice the toll the stress had taken on her. Her usual vibrant aura had dimmed, and she appeared paler than usual. I instructed her to freshen up and take a shower while I arranged for some food. The journey had taken its toll on both of us, and I feared she might collapse from exhaustion at any moment. Despite the soreness in my muscles and the tightness in my back, I welcomed the physical discomfort—it distracted me from the ache in my chest.
I rummaged through the empty cabinets and drawers, eventually stumbling upon an old Chinese restaurant menu. Grabbing my phone, I dialed the number. Luckily, someone picked up, ready to take my order. My hunger drove me to select a variety of dishes, knowing full well we wouldn”t finish them all, but I didn”t care.
”It”s the last apartment on the top floor,” I instructed.
”Ahhh, yes Sir,” came the response before the call ended abruptly, sparing me from any further inquiries. I breathed a sigh of relief; I wasn”t in the mood to explain myself to anyone.
”Did you find food?” Whisper”s voice called out from the bedroom.
A smile tugged at my lips as I made my way down the hall, stopping in the doorway of the bedroom. She was adjusting her panties, her movements graceful as she straightened the seam covering her enticing ass.
”They”re on the way,” I replied.
Startled, she grabbed a towel to cover herself. ”You can”t just barge in here like that!”
I chuckled, closing the distance between us. I enjoyed seeing how my mere presence could make her so edgy. With a playful gesture, I yanked the towel away, tossing it aside.
“Lee!” She gasped as I wrapped my arm around the waist and pulled against me.
“Lee,” my name now a soft whisper as I caressed her face, tracing her lips.
“I want your glow back, my pretty lunatic. How do I bring it back?”
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” she whispered, hiding her face in my hand.
“You’re hiding something from me, I can tell.”
“Maybe it’s the fact that I don’t like you,” she teased.
“Liar,” I murmured against her neck, leaving hot, open-mouthed kisses on her soft skin, feeling her shudder beneath my touch.
“I’m not hiding anything, Lee,” she sighed.
“But you do like me,” I kissed her softly, allowing my lips to linger. “Don”t you, my pretty lunatic?”
“Stop calling me that,” she whispered, her head falling back into my hand as I continued to nip and lick at her collarbone, my tongue lazily roving over the soft mounds of the tops of her round tits.
“I”ll never stop calling you that,” I growled, taking her mouth in a dirty, wet kiss that left us both breathless.
When I was done teasing and getting my fill of her, I released her. My cock rock hard as I pulled myself away.
“Get dressed. Food will be here soon.”
I turned and slammed the door behind me. In the distance I heard her curse at me and all I could do was chuckle, because I knew I”d left her just as hot as she”d left me.
A few minutes later there was a knock at the door, and I reached for the gun that was hidden beneath my vest.
“Yeah,” I called out, checking through the peephole to see who it was.
“Your order!”
“Just leave it by the door,” I ordered.
The guy looked confused, but then shrugged and I saw him disappear for a second as he set the bag down, then he walked away. I waited for another minute or so, and finally opened the door. The smell of Chinese wafted up to my nostrils and right into my belly, making it growl in hunger. I checked the hall for any sight of the guy, but he was long gone. Grabbing the bag, I made sure to secure the door before taking it to the kitchen. Within seconds, Whisper was behind me, looking over my shoulder.
“Whatcha’ get?”
“Everything,” I murmured, taking the array of noodles, chicken, lo mein, dumplings and egg rolls out of the bag.
I watched as a hand snuck around me to steal a dumpling that was promptly stuffed into her mouth. “Oh my God, it”s so good.”
I chuckled, grabbing a bite of an egg roll. Two cans of coke rolled out and the girl squealed, kissing me on the cheek.
“Thank you, thank you.” I shook my head as she opened up one can and nearly guzzled the entire drink.
“I am not sharing mine, so slow down.” I slid my can away from her grasp.
She eyed me and reached out to stuff a piece of sweet and sour chicken into her mouth. A bit of the sweet sauce traced the corner of her lip, and I couldn”t help myself. I quickly leaned in and licked it off.
Her eyes widened and she simply stared at me as I backed away, smiling quietly to myself.
“So does my dad know we”re headed back to New Orleans?”
“They all know, Princess.”
“Is it because of what happened?”
“That”s club business…”
“No, it”s not,” she interrupted. “That”s your business.”
I sighed, taking another bite of the egg roll. I figured if my face was stuffed, I didn”t have to respond, but I was wrong.
“Are you going to tell me what happened?” She persisted.
I shook my head, taking a container and walking into the living room.
“Why not?” She plopped herself right next to me, one leg folded under her, an arm propped over the edge of the couch as she watched me intently, determined to get any information she could out of me.
“Stop staring at me.” I muttered between bites of Lo Mein.
“Why? Does it bother you when I stare?”
“No. But if you continue to be a brat…” I stared back at her, this time dropping my gaze to the deep V in her neckline. Her tits called out to me to devour them, and even the chicken in my mouth tasted bland compared to the sweet taste of her.
“I just want to know if we”re alright. Am I safe, Lee?”
I watched her for a long moment and then set the container down, wiping my mouth before turning to her.
“Just do what I ask and nothing bad will happen to you.”
“You”re taking me back with you because you”d rather have me close, aren”t you?”
Whisper could be a lot of things, but the one thing she wasn”t, was dumb. And I didn”t want to treat her as such either.
“That”s right. It”s my job to keep you safe and I can”t do that with you halfway across the damn nation.”
“Hmmm,” she nodded. Her next response took me off guard. “Or is it that you want to keep me close because you like me?”
My eyes shot to hers, she definitely had no filter when working out her own answers.I turned to her, sliding my arm alongside hers on the edge of the couch as I leaned in. Her reaction was instantaneous. Red cheeks, tongue licking her lips anxiously, her tits rising and falling as her body responded to the heat mine gave out.
“What do you think?” I asked her.
“I…I think you”re playing games.”
“I”m getting too old for games, honey.”
“You”re known to be a player…honey,” she also knew how to give it right back.
“That”s because I”m no one”s forever. So you might as well realize that now, Whisper.”
“That”s bullshit,” she stated adamantly.
“Excuse me?” I arched my brow.
“You heard me. Stop feeding me bullshit. Someone doesn”t hurt this bad…” She said, placing her hand over my chest. “If they didn”t have a forever.”
“You talk a lot, you know that.” I leaned into her, forcing her back into the couch cushions, her legs spreading for me as I slid myself between her legs.
“You have no idea who I am, Whisper.”
“I’m getting to know who you are, and I’m not stupid. I know you”re hurting. I know your words aren”t true.”
I leaned in, my lips hovering over hers. “Don”t fall for me, my pretty lunatic. I”m not allowed to love anyone anymore.”
“Too late,” she whispered, her lips sliding over mine in a seductive kiss.
I let her kiss me, my lips opening for her tongue, deepening the kiss for her as she whimpered and pressed herself against me.
“I care for you,” she whispered against my mouth. “And I know you care for me. If not, you wouldn”t be doing all this.”
“You don”t know what you”re talking about,” I tried getting up, but she yanked on my vest, forcing me to stay put.
“If you didn’t care, you wouldn”t have touched me.”
I hovered over her, staring down at her pretty brown eyes, knowing damn well she was right. “Finish your food and go to bed, Whisper. You don”t want none of this. No one does.”
She reached up to touch me and before she could, I moved away. The look of hurt in her eyes bothered me, and I hated that her reaction did anything to me at all. Grabbing my keys, I left her there alone. I wasn”t going far. I couldn”t. Instead, I took a post up at the top of the stairwell to wait until I knew she”d be asleep. Only then, would I feel safe enough to go back inside. Because if I didn’t, I”d get lost in her again, and the deeper I”d fucking fall, because she was fucking right. I didn”t just care for Whisper Hudson; I was falling in love with her.