Chapter 50
Daisy
After a sleepless night, my cell buzzing startled me from the haze of trying to sleep and being in the dark. I forgot about the alarm and was disappointed it wasn’t a text. There was another bathroom on the first floor, and I had my bag by the bed so I could grab our things quietly, hopefully not disturbing any of the bunnies. I nudged Lacy who had shared the twin bed with me.
Once she stretched, I slid off the bed, grabbed the bag, and we crept from the room as quietly as we could. We both went to the small half bath downstairs and washed our faces, brushed our teeth, and while she pulled her hair into a sleek ponytail, I piled mine into a messy bun and dug out my mascara. I needed something to brighten my eyes after the last few nights I’d had.
Lacy swiped her own mascara on and filled in her light brows. Neither of us had any remnants of the spray tans anymore. Her complexion was pale and suited her better than the fake bronzer. But she was a true blonde, and her lashes and brows were light and thin. I used to wish I was a blonde, but I was thankful for my lashes and brows. I only wore mascara to lengthen them a little. Looking down into my scarce makeup bag I huffed.
“What’s up?” Lacy asked.
“Can you believe we went from boxes of stage makeup to a tube of mascara and some gloss?”
“Speak for yourself. I miss my falsies. Seriously, when we get back, I’m speaking to Mama Hen. I’d been holding out for you to go with me, but since you’re working at the shop now, I guess I can move on alone.”
“Hardly alone. Jeannie is there, along with a lot of the bunnies. And Mama Hen runs the place. I dunno. The shop is different but, honestly, it’s kind of fun. And I thought Falcon was being a douche for not wanting me to dance anymore. But the more I think about it, I don’t really want any other men with their hands on me.” I waited a few beats. I hadn’t really said that out loud, barely acknowledged it to myself. “After everything that’s happened, I think it’s best to stay out of the spotlight. Plus, I get to sit on my ass a lot at the shop. And no platforms required.”
Lacy chuckled as she finished touching up her face. “Maybe. But I’m not done. I like getting all pretty and the money can’t be beat.”
“That!” I winced. I hadn’t meant to be so loud. We were away from the rooms, but it was quiet through the buildings, and I didn’t want to disturb anyone. “I mean, yeah. The money was great. But I have enough with the shop I guess.”
“And you have Falcon.”
I looked at her in the mirror and we shared a smile. I did have him . We had each other. “Let’s go see if Linx is ready.”
“He’s one scary looking dude,” she said.
I shrugged. “Maybe. But he’s a good guy. And if we’re being honest, Falcon looks a little scary too, but he has kindness in him.” It was true. He was a giant with dark hair, a long beard, hazel eyes that hardly showed emotion but, instead, usually a blank stare, tattoos everywhere, and his cut signified he was part of something dangerous. I’d seen plenty of men and women cower at the mere sight of him. But he was so gentle with me; so caring. And the man had the patience of a saint.
“You’re right. I guess it’s a little shitty to be judgy of looks. Especially seeing as what I am.” She looked down and fiddled with her bag.
I grabbed her arm. “We’re human. Nothing more, nothing less. And you’re a good person. A good friend. My best friend.”
Lacy looked up with glassy eyes. “Well, it’s about damn time you claimed me.”
After a long ride in Falcon’s truck, I blinked, realizing I had dozed off. My neck was stiff, so I grabbed the back of it and rubbed as I looked out the newly installed window. A sharp pang hit my chest. I recognized the place we were in. We were getting close to the Hudson and had already passed the strip club we had worked before.
I had let Lacy have the window seat, so I was sitting bitch but could see Linx’s phone. His GPS showed another twenty minutes until our destination. I recognized the area. I hadn’t been there in a long time, and even then, it wasn’t but twice before I was thrown into the compound and not able to visit anywhere besides the strip club.
From what I remember, it was a Russian area, but I could have been mistaken. I felt bad for falling asleep. “Sorry I’m a sucky road trip partner.”
Linx grunted then said, “I mostly ride my Harley alone. Not used to having anyone with me. I wouldn’t know the difference.” His voice was low and gravelly.
“I guess. Until Falcon, I didn’t really take a lot of long rides at all, especially with anyone else. But I always assumed there’d be more talking, and snacks.”
“You hungry?”
“No, I’m good.” He’d stopped on the way out of Bristol and got some breakfast biscuits and hash browns. I barely finished that. My nerves were shot, but I tried to eat a little because I knew if Falcon were with me, he’d be shoving food in my face all day.
I established Linx wasn’t much of a talker, but Lacy heard us and woke up. We made small talk for the rest of the ride. I wasn’t hungry, but my bladder was about to explode and hers was, too. We told him we could wait since there was only a few more minutes until we stopped. When we pulled into a parallel spot across from a restaurant, I looked around. “Where are we?”
Linx stopped the engine and hopped out, walking around to Lacy’s door and pulling it open for us. “Our destination. Bags,” he said as he held his hand out. I reached into the floorboard and grabbed my duffle bag while Lacy handed him the small backpack she had stuffed a few things in.
We hopped out and followed him inside the restaurant. It was very red, but savory smells of seasoning I couldn’t identify mingled with the sweet aroma of baked goods. As we walked further inside, I noticed the large display with giant cakes, cannoli’s, baklava, and even some giant cookies.
Spotting the ladies room, Lacy and I hustled inside and took care of business before washing our hands and returning to the dining area. A blond man in a well-tailored suit greeted us. “Good morning. I’m so pleased to have you with us,” he said as he stuck his hand out to Linx. He moved the backpack to his left hand then shook the man’s hand. “Ladies, a pleasure.” This man could be on a fancy cologne commercial. But something behind that million-dollar smile and those sparkling blue eyes told me that he was in fact scary, probably more so than Linx.
Still, his hand was suspended in the air waiting for one of us to give ours, so I placed mine into his, and he leaned down, gently kissing my knuckles. The way he handled me reminded me too much of Tony and a shiver went down my spine. His eyes tipped up at me without lifting his head. “You must be Daisy. I am elated to finally meet the siren that claimed the beast. ”
I pulled my hand from his and forced a smile. He took a step to the side and grabbed Lacy’s hand. “My dear, so wonderful to meet you. Who might you be?”
“I’m Lacy. I’m with Daisy.”
He kissed her hand and held it even as he stood back up.
“Petrov.” Recognition of the voice drew my focus up the stairs. It wasn’t Falcon, but it was still a welcome sound. Eagle came bounding down the steps and his usual lightheartedness seemed to have gone. His hardened look did nothing to settle my nerves.
When he made it to us, though, his brow unfurled, and his lips had turned back into his usual mix of smirk and grin. The well-dressed man looked over his shoulder at Eagle, then released Lacy’s hand. “Ladies, how rude of me. I’m Nikolai Petrov, Jr. You may call me Niko.”
Eagle’s eyes flashed with something odd again, like anger, or even jealousy maybe. “Petrov, why don’t we get her upstairs?” he asked as he looked at me.
Petrov, Niko, whatever, flashed a toothy grin and waved us up the steps. “Ladies, after you.”
Eagle nodded so I walked up the steps and looked back, making sure Lacy, Eagle, and Linx were behind me. Having Eagle and Linx as a buffer between us gave me some comfort as I headed into unknown territory.
When I got to the top of the steps, it was another dining room, but with only one large table in the middle. There were men dressed in nice suits in every corner, standing still with their hands clasped in front of them. Lacy stood beside me, and the men walked around us. I wasn’t sure where to go or what to do. I thought we were going to see Falcon, but we were standing in a restaurant. One that made me feel incredibly underdressed.
“Can I take her back?” Eagle asked.
“Of course.” Petrov answered. “Her friend and this gentleman can join me for lunch.”
Lacy glanced at me, and I watched Eagle’s jaw tick before he finally said, “Yes, sir. I’ll be right back and can join you as well.”
Linx passed my bag to me and I wasn’t sure he’d be there when I came out, so I flung myself into his arms. I couldn’t be sure if it was a chuckle or just a grunt from impact, but either way he made a sound as I rushed into him and he slowly wrapped his arm around me and patted like he wasn’t sure what to do. “Thank you for everything, Linx. I hope to see you again.”
He finally flattened his palms on my back and hugged me. “No problem, doll. You take care of our boy.”
I pulled away and smiled at him then squeezed Lacy’s shoulder as she took her seat at the large table. I didn’t want to run, but I walked at a fast pace to meet Eagle by a door at the back of the room and followed him in.
We were in a hallway that wasn’t much different from the rest of the place–red walls, dark cherry wood furniture, lots of gold accents. We passed a few swinging doors that were probably part of the kitchen, but several were doors that seemed to be rooms with normal doors, hiding who knows what. Eagle walked all the way down the hall and opened the door at the end, stepping out of the way and waving me inside.
My breath hitched and I dropped my bag, covering my mouth. Falcon was laying on a twin sized bed shoved against the wall. He was motionless and his face was toward the ceiling. Tears stung my eyes, but then his shoulder moved, and a rumble came from his chest.
My body hauled toward the bed, and I fell to my knees, grabbing his hand as my face buried into the blanket covering him. “Falcon, oh God,” I sobbed.
His hand lifted and went to the back of my head, rubbing as he said, “Shh, darlin’. I’m okay. They just pumped me full of pain killers so I was sleeping it off,” he mumbled.
I lifted my face and leaned closer to him, slowly moving in for a kiss. He pulled my head down to him, so I scooted in and gave him a long, deep kiss. Rubbing his beard, I pulled back and waited for him to open his eyes. Those gorgeous hazel eyes looked back at me, and the edges of his mouth turned up. “You don’t have to worry about that fucker anymore, Daisy.” His words were slow and quiet. But they weren’t lost on me. He did it. He got my vengeance.
“What happened to you?” I asked as I looked him over. There was a large white bandage over his chest and shoulder.
“A woman was hiding in the bathroom under the counter. I was going to wash my hands and she was scared, I guess, and fired. Didn’t even see it coming.”
I gasped. That could have been me at one time. Even Lacy before me. “Is she… ”
“They bandaged her up. We didn’t know who it was and after she got me, the guys reacted as expected but she yelped, and they realized it was a woman.”
I had been holding my breath but knowing she was okay as well, I blew it out. “Where the hell are we now?”
Eagle coughed and Falcon waved him off. “An associate’s place. I’ll be good as new tomorrow and we can go home. Did Linx bring the truck?”
“He did. He’ll take the bike back with Pitty.” I guessed that was as good of an answer as I would get, but I pieced together this must be the run that brought him to Jersey. I wondered what Petrov was. Was the mob even really a thing anymore? Because he seemed like a mobster. But what would I know?
“Will you give us a bit?” Falcon asked as he wiped a stray tear off my cheek.
Eagle said, “Yeah, brother. Be back before we head home, though.”
The door closed and a new wave of tears flooded. I gripped Falcon’s shoulder, digging my face into the crook of his neck, careful not to get near the bandaged area on the other side.
“It’s alright. I’m alright,” he said as he stroked my back.
“Knox scared me. I thought I’d lost you,” I choked out as I fought to hold back more sobs. I couldn’t believe I still had more tears, but these were more from relief than anything else. Feeling him, his heat against my hands, his breath on my face, his beard on my cheek, it was proof that he was okay and we were together. “I love you, Derek. ”
“Mmm, say it again.”
I leaned my head up and wiped my cheeks. “I love you, Derek. Thank you.”
His brow pinched. “You don’t need to thank me for anything, darlin’. I do what I do because I love you. I need you to always remember that.”
I leaned back down for another kiss, and it quickly became heated. My hands couldn’t help but run over the hard planes of his chest, then into his dark hair. As if he could read my mind, his hand ran down my back before cupping my ass. “Lose these.”
“But you have a literal gunshot wound.”
His hand moved to the button of my jeans, and he tugged until it popped open. “It’s my shoulder and it’s stitched up. I know my woman and I know what you need right now. Lose those and hop on.”
I pulled my shirt over my head and went to lock the door. I pulled my boots off as fast as I could as he watched with hooded eyes. He threw the blanket off, but he had his boxer-briefs on. I didn’t think he could lean easily to get them off, at least not how he was right now.
After I pushed my jeans and panties down, I climbed to the end of the bed and gently pulled his underwear down and off. His hard cock sprang out and my mouth watered. I licked the tip, and he moaned before I wrapped my lips around it and took him in. Hearing his moans and rumbles only made me hotter. I worked my bra clasp and pulled it off before using one hand to help my sucking and the other to cup his balls. He pulled at my messy bun but didn’t guide me. I was nestled between his muscular thighs, covered in tats, and thought I would just finish him off, but he tugged on my hair, making me look up. “Goddamn, you look so beautiful with your pretty lips around my cock, but I want to be inside that sweet cunt.”
I gave another hard suck as I hollowed out my cheeks, licking the bottom of his cock with a flattened tongue as I did. Once I popped from the tip, I slowly climbed up his body. I couldn’t help but look down at the dressing over his wound. “Are you sure this is fine? I can suck you off.”
He grabbed my hips and situated me on his lap with a grunt.
“Falcon,” I whisper-hissed. “Don’t hurt yourself.”
“Then ride me.” The heat in his eyes washed away any doubt I had, and he was right…I wanted him.
Lowering down onto him, I couldn’t help but moan. He cupped my breast, pinching my nipple. I slid up and down his thick cock, trying to make sure I wasn’t anywhere near his bandage.
“I said ride me, Daisy. I’m not gonna break.”
Leaning a little, I braced my hands onto his chest, careful to steer clear of the gauze, and let loose like there was no bullet wound. His eyes bore into mine as I bounced up and down. The bed squeaked and slick sounds could be heard over the clattering from downstairs.
My head was dizzy as blood rushed to my center, tingles and waves beginning to flutter between my hips.
“That’s it, darlin’. Take what you need,” he practically growled. His fingers dug into my hips, and he didn’t take his eyes off mine.
I gritted my teeth and my nails dug into his chest as my channel pulsed around him.
“Derek, oh, oh yes,” I panted between heavy breaths.
Stars burst behind my eyes, and I tensed but then felt spurts of heat shooting inside. I scrambled to move but was thrust down harder by his firm grip on my hips instead. He grunted and his hips pushed up.
With wide eyes I looked down at him. “Derek!”
He gave an evil grin. “I’ve already claimed you. The chances of having a baby from this one time are slim, anyway. Plus, I know your cycle and you’re past the window.”
I was still panting to catch my breath, staring down at this man. “You keep track of my cycle? Have you been planning to do that?”
He reached his hand to my face, grabbing my chin. “What if I have?”
I dug deep for some anger or even irritation, but all I came up with was a laugh. The movement pushed him from my channel and his cum leaked out, but I didn’t move. Staring into those hazel eyes that looked back at me with so much love and reverence, I asked, “Do you really want kids that bad?”
He tugged on my chin and as carefully as I could, I leaned toward him. We were just inches apart. “I really want everything with you, Daisy.” He pulled me the rest of the way and we shared a slow kiss.
When I pulled away, I said, “First, let’s get you home.”
“Then I get to put my property patch on you.” He pulled me down to lay over him and ran his hands over my back.
Hearing the word property no longer bothered me. I was ready to be officially his. And I was ready to start our new life together.