Chapter 28 #2
Maybe because since we’d met, we’d envisioned additional time to explore endless passion, leaving no touch or taste untried.
No, the nightmare was far from over. There was little if not nothing to go on to suggest Zane had anything to do with a single assassination attempt or that what the Russian had blurted out to my handsome hero had been accurate.
That was frustrating the hell out of him. And his entire family.
For now, I was hungry for the moment of intimacy.
When he tried to get a little rough around the edges, I gently pushed him away, even wagging my finger at him. “Not so fast, big boy. You might not listen to your doctors, but you will listen to me.”
His chuckle was so dark with such a deep baritone that I shuddered in response. “For now. Just wait.”
With a quick wink, I pulled out a small gauze bag I’d shoved into the pocket of my skirt.
Montgomery recognized it immediately. “Ugh. You’ve been talking with my grandmother.”
“You did say I’d adore her and you were right. She gave me a few tips on how to handle the Prince men.”
The way his brow wrinkled was the cutest thing. “She did, huh? Just words of advice?”
“Yep.” I popped the p, which he hated.
“Then what’s in your hand?”
“This little thing? Just some gris-gris in case I need it.”
“What about the Ouija board?” The way his eyes twinkled was way too adorable.
“Oh, I’ll use that as well. I have a feeling with you I’ll have my hands full.” With my smile fading, I backed away, holding up the letter. “It’s time. Past time actually.”
“Then I’ll pour you a glass of wine.”
I watched him walk toward the bar in his living room, still amazed that while he had a slight limp, he had no intention of returning to the cane. A stubborn man and one I so admired.
There was something very special about his house. The large gothic Victorian located in the French Quarter was nothing like I’d thought he would have chosen, especially with the intricate landscaping including a massive flower garden complete with a water feature.
There was a huge three-sided porch that, while gorgeous, cried out for a swing. Even the colors were so unlike anything I could have predicted. However, the interior was perfectly masculine and absolutely one hundred percent the man I’d fallen in love with.
Yes, I could almost admit the words to anyone at this point. Maybe near-death experiences were very good for a love life.
As he approached with a glass of wine in one hand, a whiskey in another, I gave him the death stare.
“What? I can drink alcohol,” he insisted.
“In limited quantity.” The wine was a no-brainer at this point. I chugged down half the glass to his amusement. He held the crystal a few centimeters from his lips, watching me intently before shaking his head. “So I was thirsty.”
“Evidently.” He backed away, giving me room to breathe.
A part of me wanted to grab him, forcing him to hold me, but I was a big girl. I could handle this all by myself. Another gulp of wine. Another deep breath.
Then I set the glass of wine down, already missing my crutch. At this point, it was likely I’d drink the entire bottle.
My fingers were shaking, but I managed to slide my nail under the flap. Yet I had to rub my fingers across the necklace for another jolt of courage before I pulled the paper free.
Fleur,
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance they found me.
I don’t think I need to tell you who had me killed.
You warned me about getting mixed up with the Russians.
They are brutal, ruthless people who demand loyalty no matter the subject.
In seeing you with Montgomery Prince at your house, my suspicions that you were involved with him were confirmed.
If what I was told about Mr. Prince is true, then you’re aware there was a contract on his life. I was assigned to handle the mission when another assassin failed. To prove my loyalty. Seeing how happy you were, I couldn’t go through with it.
I’d read the words out loud, struggling only toward the last sentence. When I glanced at Montgomery, he nodded in encouragement.
What I knew from day one in pledging my loyalty to the Bratva was that they came above everything and everyone else. I lost sight of who I was, another warning I didn’t heed. Now, it’s too late to tell you how much I…
This time, I had to stop, forced to take deep breaths, but I was determined to go on.
…love and admire you. You were always my best friend.
I contacted you first because of Zane. You knew how much I couldn’t stand him and after how he abused you, I made it my mission to find out how corrupt a man he’d turned into.
I was right. He’s been working with the Papovek Pakhan for years, now holding more power and control than the Russian.
Only Sergei Papovek isn’t fully aware of the damage that was done.
I thought I could bargain with the Pakhan in exchange for my life.
I was wrong. However, I’ve left you information that might prove useful.
After seeing you with Montgomery, I did some digging, able to discover a direct connection to the hit on his life with the two Russian families.
Maybe in providing you with everything you need to bring down three families, including your asshole ex, you’ll find a way to forgive me.
I’ll watch out for you always.
Your brother, Danny
Montgomery took a deep breath as he stood, taking his time to walk closer, his eyes never leaving mine. My fingers had a white-knuckled grip on the handwritten letter. To hear Danny loved me was everything. Everything. “There’s an address for a bank, a number for a safe deposit box.”
“Where?”
“New Jersey.” I handed him the letter, uncertain how to feel or what to think. “What do we do now?”
A sly and slow smile spread across his face. “We fire up the jet and head to Jersey for a quick round trip.”
“With the new pilot? Because I don’t think I can handle another adventure.”
He tweaked my nose, his eyes twinkling. “With a new pilot.”
“Do you always use your billion-dollar jet to take you everywhere you go?”
“First of all, it’s not a billion-dollar jet. Just a million-dollar one.” His grin was positively wicked. “Second. Only when it’s outside the city limits.”
A huff settled on my lips as I pulled on my sunglasses.
I should already be used to the fact that we had four huge men following us everywhere, but sometimes when I caught sight of them lurking in the shadows, I found it difficult to breathe.
They’d kept to themselves while on the fabulous jet, including when Montgomery and I had enjoyed perfectly chilled champagne.
At least Gio had a sense of humor. The others didn’t. As I was told several times, they were just doing their jobs.
They trailed behind while we entered the bank, two standing in wait while the others walked inside. However, they’d been instructed they would wait outside the secure room just in case the bad guys showed up.
Granted, word had gotten out that Montgomery was still in ICU and was not expected to survive, but that didn’t mean there weren’t some clever people who’d realize soon enough that he was very much alive.
And I was thankful for that.
There was no question that Montgomery would be the one chatting with the bank manager. I was allowed to see yet another moment where the family’s reputation meant people stopped everything they were doing to assist the powerful man’s needs.
How did that happen all the way from New Jersey to New Orleans?
Once inside the room holding the various security boxes, I was handed the key left for me by my brother. While ordinarily, identification out the yin-yang would be needed, I’d been allowed access to the box with a simple request from Montgomery.
I was beginning to appreciate how people lived when they had money.
Now we were alone and I was honestly eager to find out whatever Danny had left me.
“Are you ready?” Montgomery asked in his deep yet quiet voice, the one used when he thought I was upset or angry.
“I’m fine. Stop worrying about me.” Although as soon as I slipped the key into the lock, I had a surge of anger. Why did Danny need to die?
The box was larger than others, the first bag inside filled with cash.
Montgomery smirked. “He saved his money.”
“Fearful of putting it a bank. Or he just didn’t want to pay taxes.
” There were other items too, including his passport and other forms of identification.
The envelope in the bottom also had my name on it.
That meant he’d planned for his death, allowing me access to the box before he came to Vermont.
So many questions lingered in my mind. Yet if Danny were alive, I’d slap him for making his sister suffer. The thought allowed me to open the envelope, sliding the contents onto the bar top table in the room.
I could tell within seconds how excited Montgomery was by the look on his face.
“What is all this?” I asked, noticing names and bank account numbers, two jump drives and various financials. There were phone records and copies of emails between several individuals, including Zane. It didn’t take me long to figure out how corrupt Zane truly was.
“Everything we need to bring this chapter of our lives to a close.”
“Is that so?”
I did so adore his grin when he was about to break bad. “Oh, yes, my French flower. The question I have for you is would you like to be a part of Zane’s demise or allow me to handle the dirty work?”
Unable to help myself, I pulled him closer, finding the moment and even being inside the private room sexy as hell.
He allowed me to push him against the wall.
“Are you kidding me? I will take great joy in professionally and personally castrating the man. And if you tried to stop me…” I purred as I reached for his belt, tugging with purpose.
He was happily amused and fortunately for him, he wasn’t trying to stop me. Why would he? “Then what would you do?”
“Mmm…” I glanced over my shoulder toward the door, licking my lips as I unfastened the button, slowly unzipping. “Then I guess I’d have to castrate you.”
“Now why would you do that?”
I pushed down both edges, taking my time to roll my fingers over the waistband of his black boxers before yanking them down. A heavy and exaggerated sigh left my lips. “Because you’d keep me from sheer enjoyment.” I crawled my fingers down his shaft, batting my eyelashes.
“I promise you, my little flower. I will never do that.” As soon as I dropped to my knees, he groaned and eased his head against the wall. “You are something else, lady.”
After blowing across his cock, I raked a single fingernail down the underside, teasing him by swirling the tip around his testicles. “And don’t you ever forget that, grumpy man.”
“I’ll show you grumpy. Just suck.”
How could I resist? The torment was real. I dragged my tongue down the length, taking first one ball into my mouth then the other. When I was around him, I had a naughty girl streak. He tangled his fingers in my hair, allowing me to hear how much he was enjoying himself.
I took a couple of minutes taking care of his swollen sac before my mouth began to water to the point I couldn’t hold back any longer. I needed his big, fat cock in my mouth. I dragged my tongue back to his cockhead, teasing him a little longer by sliding the tip across his sensitive slit.
Every groan out of his soft lips pushed me, causing the hunger to become completely uncontrollable. The moment I took the bulbous tip into my mouth, his grip on my hair tightened and he jutted his hips from the wall.
The joy of using my strong jaw muscles to suck was so amazing.
While this had to be a quickie, I took a few extra seconds savoring the musky flavor of his skin.
But when he oozed pre-cum, I couldn’t hold myself back any longer.
I took him down an inch at a time, savoring the way his cock throbbed, swelling even more than before.
As soon as I had half his shaft in my mouth, he decided I wasn’t going fast enough, taking full control of fucking my mouth. Who was I to complain? I loved the taste. The texture. The thickness in my mouth.
The way his cock stretched my jaws. Everything.
His actions became rougher, driving the remainder of his cock inside until the tip hit the back of my throat. I sucked with as much vigor as I knew he adored, even fondling his balls while I did.
He rolled onto the balls of his feet, pumping hard and fast. Even though his cock filled my mouth, the tip coming close to gagging me, I was too thirsty for his cum to stop him even for a few seconds.
However, my tongue never stopped moving, teasing him as he always did with me.
Soon, he couldn’t hold back any longer, his growls echoing in the dense space.
“Fuck. What you do to me,” he snarled, thrusting even harder. I knew the second he was ready to come, his muscles tensing. What I adored the most was the way the cord on the side of his neck stood proud that moment before he climaxed.
As the hot cum hit the back of my throat, I sucked greedily, refusing to waste a single drop. His body jerked several times, his breathing even more labored.
When he was finished, he fell against the wall and I took a little time cleaning his cock and balls with my tongue. Finally done, I stood and rolled the tip of my pinky around my lips to catch every last drop before smiling mischievously.
“You are one bad woman.”
“Yes, I am. I suggest you keep that in mind.”
He laughed as he shoved his cock into his trousers, zipping and even raking his hand through his hair just before we heard the knock.
I backed away, planting a sweet smile on my face just as the bank manager walked in.
“Did you get everything you needed?” he asked, shifting his gaze from Montgomery to me and holding it there.
“We did. Thank you,” I told him.
“I’ll see you out.”
As soon as the manager walked away, Montgomery pulled me to the side, sliding his finger under my lip. When he held it into the light, he grinned before shoving his finger into my mouth. “You missed a spot.”