25. Ellis
TWENTY-FIVE
ELLIS
My hand wraps around my rock-hard dick the second I hear the front door close. These past two days with Scarlet have been the most delicious kind of torture, but, goddamn, do I love it.
I stroke myself slowly from root to tip, picturing her here with me, on her knees begging for my cock. And the kicker is, I know she wants it—wants me. I know she’d let me feast on her cunt like a starving man. I know she’d let me fuck her, too.
And I’m down for all of that. Scarlet’s a total smoke show with a mouth meant for temptation and a body built for sin. But it just so happens my dick isn’t the only part of me involved…
Turns out, I was right when I thought kissing her would change everything, because, all of the sudden, my heart’s in it, and I’m not sure how to feel about this particular development.
So, while I want to feel her come all over my face and my cock, I’m hesitant to go there.
But here, alone in the shower with only my right hand and an overactive imagination, there’s nothing holding me back…
Scarlet leans forward, flicking her tongue over my sensitive tip shyly before shooting me a filthy wink and sucking the whole head into her mouth. She licks and sucks me like I’m her favorite lollipop flavor.
“That’s right, Princess, suck my dick,” I groan. Her answering moan almost sends me over the edge.
Judging from the way she’s clenching her thighs, we both want more.
“Touch yourself,” I say, running my fingers through her wet hair.
And for once, she listens, trailing her fingers sensually between the valley of her breasts, down her stomach, all the way to the promised land between her thighs.
“Bet you’re dripping,” I murmur. “Show me.”
She swipes two fingers between her legs and holds them up for my inspection. I lean down and draw them into my mouth. “You taste so fucking sweet.”
“Ellis,” she whimpers, as desperate for release as I am. “Fuck me. Please.”
She doesn’t need to ask twice. “Stand up. Hands on the wall.”
“Only if you say please.” Even in my fantasies, she’s full of sass.
“Please, baby girl.” I offer her my hand to help her up. “I’m not too proud to beg.”
She allows me to pull her into a standing position. “Now, hands on the wall.”
“Since you asked so sweetly.” She spins, placing her hands against the tile. “Now fuck me.” She glances my way over her shoulder as she arches her back, causing her ass to brush against my erection.
I glide my hands over the globes of her ass, spreading her cheeks and lifting before sliding inside of her with a single snap of my hips.
“Oh, fuck you feel so good,” I say, filling her hard and fast. “I’m not gonna last…”
I reach around her with one hand, pressing my index and middle fingers to her clit, rubbing in time with my thrusts as I kiss and suck at the skin of her neck.
Thankfully, she’s as close to the edge as I am. “Oh my god.” Her pussy clenches around me, milking me for all I’m worth as we both fall over the edge.
“Fucking hell, that was…” I shake my head as my release splashes against the tile floor before circling the drain. “Just what I needed.”
The only thing better, obviously, is the real thing. And assuming Scarlet and I can get our shit together, I’ll get to experience it all sooner rather than later.
I fly through the rest of my morning routine with a pep in my step, helping myself to a second cup of coffee, a light breakfast, all while firing off quick text to my mom.
Me: Where are you headed Ma?
She texts back immediately.
Mom: Jacksonville. Then Savannah. Maybe Atlanta. And then who knows.
Me: You should swing by here if your packed itinerary allows it.
Mom: I thought you’d never ask, Elly Belly.
Me: There’s just one thing... I have a friend staying with me. A lady friend.
The bouncing chat bubbles appear and vanish three times before her reply comes through.
Mom: Well, maybe I’ll get grandkids after all.
I choke on my last sip of coffee. How in the hell do I even begin to reply to that?
Me: Nah, it’s not like that. I’m just helping a... friend.
Mom: Friendship is the best place for love to grow.
Me: I love you, Ma. But I’ve got to go. Can’t be late for work.
I already know she’s going to blow up my phone, but the conversation she wants to have has to wait.
Partially because I don’t have the first fucking clue as to what to say to her.
Something tells me yeah, my best friend’s ex who I thought I hated is being stalked, so I moved her in with me.
Now I fantasize about fucking her twenty-four-seven and might have feelings for her isn’t going to fly.
I also need to get out to Scarlet’s to triple check Silas’s guys work on her new door and to install the doorbell camera Scarlet ordered.
Sure enough, my phone chimes over and over in my pocket, but none of them are Scarlet’s alert, so I keep going about my business. My nosey but well-meaning mother will just have to wait.
The first thing I notice when I pull up to Scarlet’s is not only has her front door been replaced, Smoke and Silver also painted the same shade of pink it was before. That’s a level of dedication and care I can totally get behind.
I shoot Silas a text thanking him before grabbing the doorbell and my drill and getting out the truck.
Installing it is quick work, and once I have the app downloaded, I fire off a text to Scarlet prompting her to do the same.
The next item on my to-do list is getting Scarlet a key made for my place. Except, when I get to the hardware store, a fancy-as-fuck biometric lock catches my eye. “You can never be too safe,” I murmur to myself as I inspect the box. I need to get her a key to my place.
“You really can’t,” a store associate says. “Speaking of, we have some pretty great bundle deals if you’re in the market for home surveillance.”
I think back to Scarlet’s stalker watching us at Atlas’s and following her to my house. “Load me up. I want cameras, flood lights, the works.”
The employee grins. “You’ve come to the right place.”
Before I know it, I have a new alarm system, a plethora of cameras, perimeter sensors, and a fancy new gate being installed—today—thanks to a hefty rush fee. Let that fucker try and get to her now.
I’m standing in line waiting to check out when a flash of pink catches my eye.
I squat down to inspect it closer, smiling when I realize it’s a pink leather keychain with the word princess and a crown embroidered into it.
I toss it into my cart without a second thought.
It’s so perfectly Scarlet, and as it turns out, I just so happen to like buying her things. Who knew?
A well-spent thousand bucks and some change later, I’m on way to the Guardians of Fortune office to check in with Silas and see what tasks he has for me this week.
I also want to talk to him about some tracking devices for Scarlet, because there’s no guarantee she’ll always have her phone on her, and that’s not a risk I’m willing to take.
I manage to score street parking within walking distance and make it inside with five minutes to spare.
“Ellis.” Silas looks up when I walk in. “Status update?”
I give him a quick rundown of where everything stands with Scarlet—well, the pertinent info, anyway; he doesn’t need to know I’ve made her scream my name the past two night. A, because it’s fucking private and B, because the smug shit would never let it go.
“I do want to ask about tracking options.” I pull my phone from my pocket and open the app. Her little pink dot pings at Totto. “Obviously, I have her location on my phone, but I want back up options.”
Silas nods. “Smart man. I’d suggest something on her car, in her bag, and in her shoes. Maybe some jewelry, too.”
“Point me toward the best place to purchase.”
He grins. “Right here, brother.” He stands from his desk chair and nods for me to follow him as he heads for the built-in cabinets lining the back of room. “Top of the line, long range, and most importantly, discreet.”
“Perfect. Let me get everything you mentioned, but two for her shoes.”
“Done.” He plucks the items I need from two different drawers. “And before you even ask, there’s no direct cost to you unless they get damaged or destroyed.”
“Thanks.” I accept the offered items, placing them down on his desk. “What about the—”
“Jewelry? This way.” He shuffles down to the far end of the room, opening a tall cabinet. “Bracelet, necklace, or ring?”
Everything in me grinds to a halt at the mention of a ring. Not that kind, dipshit, I try to reason with myself, but it’s too late. I’m already picturing her sassy, sexy self in white walking down the aisle.
Get a fucking grip. You’re certainly not marrying Scarlet fucking Armstrong.
“This is my mother’s fault,” I mutter under my breath, but of course, Silas hears me.
“What is?”
I shove my fingers through my hair. “Nothing. Let’s do a necklace.” After all, it worked for Atlas…
Silas studies me for a minute before turning back to the display case. “We have a few options…”
I finger through the various choices before settling on a simple gold chain with a pink butterfly pendant. “This one.”
“Good choice. It has a built-in panic button feature.” He secures the necklace in a small bag and passes it my way. “Now, let’s talk about what I need from you today.”
“Yes, please.” I rub my hands together, ready to finally dig into my new job.
“Don’t get too excited. This week’s going to be a lot of grunt work. Not to mention, your hands are pretty full with your—Scarlet.”
Grunt work or not, I’m so damn ready to be a part of something again... to help people. “Whatever it is, man. Bring it on.”
Silas laughs. “Famous last words.”
Me: How’s your day going, Princess? Check in when you can.
I fire off a quick text to Scarlet while Allison, the young mother I’m chaperoning for a custody exchange with her violent ex, buckles her wiggly toddler into his car seat.
“Thank you so much for doing this,” she says in a small voice. “Our last pick up was… rough.”
“Happy to,” I tell her, meaning it. “It’s fucked up he still gets visitation though.” I remember her ex all too well from my days behind the badge.
“Yeah,” she whispers, her eyes misting with tears. “Perks of coming from money, I suppose. He had a good lawyer and I… did not.”
“Your boy’s safe with him?” I ask, flicking my eyes toward her ex’s retreating Bentley in my rearview mirror.
She nods and then shrugs. “He only likes to hurt women, so.”
“Fu—dge,” I correct myself, and a ghost of a smile passes over her tired features. “How often does he see him?”
She slides into the backseat next to her son and fastens her own seatbelt. “It’s supposed to be every other weekend, but here lately, it’s been a lot less. Like a weekend a month.”
I hum under my breath. “With any luck, he’ll lose interest.” The sentiment applies to Scarlet’s stalker, too, but something tells me he’s only getting started.
Fucking hell, I wish she’d text me back. Some way, somehow, I’m going to make her understand she’s not an inconvenience—that I want to hear from her.
Sure, she could just be busy at work, but it grates on me that I haven’t heard from her all day.
“Maybe.” She reaches over and takes her son’s hand in hers, pressing kisses to his small fingers.
I throw my truck into reverse and head for the Guardians building. For safety reasons, we never take our clients in dangerous situations directly back to their houses. Instead we do a debrief and a handoff at the office, where another member takes them home.
The rest of my day is much of the same, with a few background checks thrown in between drop offs. All in all, it’s been easy but rewarding. And it’s only the beginning. I know I can make a real difference here, and I’m fucking excited about it.
“Can you do one last thing for me before you head out?” Silas asks.
“Name it, man.”
“This one’s personal. I need you to swing by my—” He abruptly trails off, shaking his head and swallowing roughly before continuing. “I need you to grab my kids and bring them here.”
“You have kids?”
Silas nods. “Twins. They’re... a handful. Consider yourself warned.”
“I can handle them,” I say confidently, causing Silas to smirk.
“Famous last words, dude. They’re... feral.”
“Just text me the address,” I say as my phone buzzes. “That was fast.”
He stares at me like I’m an idiot before holding up his empty hands. “Wasn’t me.”
I slide my phone from my pocket and pull down the notification bar. It’s Scarlet.
Scarlet: Call me. Please.
“Everything good?” Silas asks.
Holding up my index finger, I shake my head as I dial her number. “Ellis.” Her voice trickles through the phone, in a breathless, shaky whisper that’s wholly unlike her.
“What’s wrong, baby girl?” I ask, instantly on high alert.
Silas mouths for me to put it on speaker.
“It’s…” She heaves out an exhausted sigh. “My car.”
“What about it?” Various scenarios run through my mind—dead battery, flat tire, out of gas.
“He slashed my tires and busted up my windshield.” She sniffles but tries to hide it. “He left another note, too.”
“I’m on my way,” I say without thinking. I hate leaving Silas in a lurch, especially on my first day, but Scarlet needs me.
“No, it’s—I’m fine.”
“How are you going to get home?” I ask, uneasy at the thought of being anywhere other than by her side.
“One of my co-workers said they’d bring me home. It’s on their way.”
“Are you sure?” I ask, trying to stuff down the overbearing caveman trying to claw his way out of me. “I can be there in five.”
“I’m sure.” After a pause she adds, “I wouldn’t say no to you bringing home dinner though.”
“Tell me what you want and I’ll make it happen.”
She thinks for a minute. “Chicken salad and soup? And maybe some brownies.”
“Consider it done. I’ll be home in about an hour.”
“Okay,” she says. “Thank you.”
“Any time.” I take the call off speaker and put the phone to my ear. “And Scarlet...”
“Yeah?” Her voice still has a subdued quality to it. I hate it. I used to think I wanted her quiet, but turns out, I much prefer her bold, bratty, loud, and vivacious.
“I’ll get your car towed.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she starts to argue.
“I know. I’m offering.” I wait, giving her time to needle me about it, but she doesn’t say a word. “Be safe. See you soon.”
I end the call and pocket my phone before turning to Silas. “Send me the address?”
“Nah, man.” He waves me off. “I texted someone else. Go home to your girl.”
“She’s not—”
He slices his hand across his neck, cutting me off with a sharp whistle. “Spare me your shit and clock out, Wilder.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Don’t mention it.” He picks up my bag of goodies and hands them to me. “Keep me posted.”