Chapter 47
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Eve—Three weeks later
The basement is always freezing, and a shiver rolls through my body as I make my way down the dark, narrow staircase to the small room, where Sin is being held.
The vault door is already open, and one of the security guys, Yates, is standing guard. Hands clasped behind his back, he nods at me as I walk by. “Twenty minutes,” he says in a bored tone, just like he does every day.
“Yup,” I acknowledge, stepping inside the cement room. It’s still a dungeon—just slightly better. There’s a tattered upholstered chair, an old rug, and a metal cot with a thin mattress. It’s not much, but it’s better than zip-ties and a metal chair.
Sin is sitting in the chair, legs stretched out, reading. He looks up when I walk in. “Hey.”
The deep gash over his eye is starting to heal, the bright red edges fading to a lighter pink. And the bruises around his eyes are faded, too.
“I brought you your favorite tacos,” I smile, holding the bag and a large soda up. “From that taco truck you like.”
“Nice.” He tosses the book aside and grabs for the bag. “Hot sauce?”
I sit on the cot, legs crossed. “Yup, and I got extra so you can drench your tacos in it,” I say with a wince. I don’t know how he can handle that much hot sauce.
“ Damn , that’s good,” Sin moans, taking a sip of the root beer.
I laugh at his reaction, and for a split second, I forget where we are. Then his eyes flick to Yates standing by the door, and it all comes crashing back.
“How are you doing?” I ask, watching him unwrap a taco and take a huge bite. He moans again, his eyes closing briefly.
“Grand,” he says between bites. “Never better.”
My gaze flicks over him, like it does every day, and I notice a new bruise forming on his forearm. My jaw tightens. “Are they treating you okay?”
He swallows and takes another drink. “Cash only visits every few days, and they’ve stopped the waterboarding.” His gaze flicks to Yates again, before settling back on me. “Any word on when they’re letting me out of here?”
I wish I had a definitive answer for him, but I don’t.
“We’re making progress,” I say with a shrug, trying to sound more confident than I am. He needs hope. “A few more weeks, maybe.”
My brother watches me. “You sure Christian isn’t just yanking you around? He’s a Sacred Son. They aren’t exactly known for their honesty.”
“I don’t trust the Sacred Sons,” I say. “But I do trust Christian.”
Sin nods slowly. “Okay, then,” he says, tucking into his tacos.
I pull something out of my hoodie pocket, and Sin’s eyes settle on it. “The gift mom gave you,” he says between bites.
“Yeah,” I say, staring down at the small box. “I thought I could open it.”
Sin looks skeptical. “You sure? You’ve been carrying that thing around since we were kids.”
I nod. I’ve never wanted to open it, because in some universe of my own making, if I kept it unopened, then I could pretend she was still alive.
But now, sitting here on the edge of the cot, with Christian’s love filling the empty spaces in my heart, I feel… steady. He doesn’t even realize it, but he gives me strength. With him, I feel like maybe, for the first time since I was twelve, I can face the loss of my mom without flinching from it.
“I know, but I feel ready,” I say with a shrug. “And I thought we could share the moment.”
He swallows. “Yeah. That would be nice.”
I breathe deep and pull the tape free, then carefully unwrap the small gift. Inside is a little white jewelry box, and I pull the lid off. Nestled in a bed of white cotton is a rainbow unicorn necklace attached to one of those flimsy cardboard tags.
Tears stream down my face as I laugh and lift the necklace out of the box. “I was really into unicorns that year.”
“She knew you so well,” Sin laughs. “She was an incredible mom.”
I pull the necklace free and unclasp it, then secure it around my neck. It was meant for a kid, so it’s a little snug. “She was,” I say with a smile, and for the first time, remembering her doesn’t feel heavy.
“Five minutes,” Yates calls out from the door, making sure I stick to my allotted time.
“Sorry, I’ve got to go.” With a sigh, I stand up.
“Why? Hot date?” Sin teases.
“No,” I say quickly, my cheeks heating. “Well, maybe, actually. Christian planned something. It’s a surprise.”
“Well, don’t let me keep you,” he says with a smile, but I can hear the effort it takes for him to be cheerful.
“See you tomorrow.” I lean down and give him a quick hug. “Love you.”
“Love you.”
It always sucks having to walk away from him, but as I make my way up the stairs, I remind myself that being imprisoned is a thousand times better than being dead…
My phone pings. It’s from Christian.
I’m down at Rush Beach.
“Rush Beach?” I whisper to myself. “Okayyy…”
I head through the kitchen and out the back door, wondering what Christian is up to. The air outside is crisp and smells like the ocean—salty and fresh.
Lowe is standing guard in his usual spot, watching for any sign of Shadow and Ash. With Sin being held in the basement, the Sacred Sons have had to double up on their security.
Lowe smiles when he sees me. “Afternoon.”
I give him a little wave as I walk by. “Afternoon. How’s the family?”
He scoffs. “You know, crazy as usual.”
With a laugh, I head down the path to the beach, curious about what Christian has planned. I don’t have to wonder for long. When my feet hit the sand, I see it—a blanket laid out with a basket of food sitting next to it. A cute little romantic picnic.
But no Christian.
Looking up, I see him a few yards away, wearing nothing but his swim trunks, throwing a ball, a golden retriever chasing after it. It’s such a picturesque scene, and I take a moment to soak it in.
Then, kicking my sandals off, I walk across the warm sand and stand next to him. “Who’s this?” I laugh, pointing at the dog who’s now prancing back proudly with the ball. “Did you get a dog?”
Christian turns to me, and that smile hits me like always. God, that smile. If only he knew how powerful it was, he never would have had to intimidate me. One quick flash of those pearly whites, and I would have melted instantly.
“There you are,” he says, wrapping his arms around my waist, picking me up. He buries his face in the curve of my neck and pulls in a deep breath, breathing me in. “I missed you.”
With a laugh, I squirm and push against his chest until he sets me back down on my feet. “You’re insane. We woke up together…an hour ago.”
He snaps at me with his teeth—the big bad wolf, always hungry for me. The guy is seriously insatiable.
The dog drops the ball at Christian’s feet, tail wagging excitedly.
“This is Lucy,” Christian says, crouching down to pet her. “She’s just under a year old.”
“Who does she belong to?” I ask, smoothing my hand over her soft face. She’s so unbelievably cute, her tongue lolling out of her mouth, looking up at us, just eating up the attention.
“She’s yours,” he says simply.
I pause and blink up at him. “ Mine? ”
“She’s trained to detect trace amounts of nuts,” he says.
My gaze slides back to Lucy. “What? How? ” I ask, shocked. “I’ve looked into allergen detection dogs, and getting one is an insanely lengthy process.”
He shrugs. “Turns out, a hefty donation to the organization speeds things up considerably.”
I gape up at him. “Tell me you didn’t take this dog from someone who’s been waiting…”
Hooking his finger under my chin, he lifts my face up and looks directly into my eyes. “I knew you’d be worried about that. Rest assured, Lucy’s potential owners stepped aside willingly.”
“You bribed them,” I say flatly.
“Yes,” he says easily. “ And I created a grant, so even more dogs can be trained and given to people who can’t afford them.” He lowers his head and brushes his lips over mine. “So, you see, there are ways I can get what I want and not be an asshole. I’m learning.”
I smile against his lips. “You’re impossible.”
He reaches under my shirt and rests his large hand on my flat stomach. “When you went into anaphylactic shock, it scared the shit out of me,” he says, his voice heavy with emotion. “And I’d hand over every fucking cent I have, if it meant keeping you and our baby safe.”
I pull in a stuttering breath at the reminder that I’m pregnant. I can still hear the doctor’s calm, clinical voice in my head saying, “The test was positive.”
In that moment, my whole world tilted on its axis. I knew it was a possibility, but hearing it, knowing it, was still a shock. I didn’t cry, didn’t speak, just sat there staring at the linoleum floor while my heart tried to claw its way out of my chest.
Then I felt Christian beside me. He took my hand, laced his fingers through mine, and whispered, “We’ve got this.” And somehow, those three words hit harder than the panic. Because he meant it, and right then, I knew everything would be okay.
“Thank you for Lucy,” I whisper. “You’re going to be a great dad.”
He touches his lips to mine. “We’re in this together.”
* * *
She tastes like heaven, and fuck, but I have to be inside her. I just can’t get enough of this girl. She’s the drug that keeps my heart beating.
Our lips still connected, I pick her up and carry her over to the blanket I’d laid out earlier. Lucy trots behind us and lies down a few feet away, tired out from chasing the ball.
“Christian–” Eve laughs as I kiss my way down her stomach, unbuttoning her shorts. “We’re out in the open. Anyone could come down here and see us.”
“Let them watch,” I growl, yanking her shorts down her thick thighs and tossing them aside. My cock is rock-hard, pulsing like a second heartbeat as I place my hand on her knee, and spread her open.
Fuck.
I can already smell her—that sweet, musky scent that feeds the animal inside me. Like a junkie hungry for that next hit, my hands tremble as I pull the crotch of her panties aside.
Her pussy is pink and juicy, like a peach, her clit already swollen. On my knees, I lower my head and taste it, dragging my tongue over the little bundle of nerves. I’m rewarded with a sharp hiss. She arches her back and threads her fingers through my hair, her blunt fingernails scraping my scalp.
“ Oh ,” she says on a breath.
My hands move to her hips, and I tug her closer to my face. Her hips roll as I torment her with my tongue, swirling around her clit, then pushing inside her tight channel.
Fuck, I could spend my whole life like this—my tongue buried inside Eve, worshiping her pussy. I’ve never been religious, never known what it means to worship something—or some one —bigger than myself. Until now. Until Eve. Being inside her is the closest thing to divine bliss I’ve ever felt.
“ Oh, oh, ” she breathes again, her heels digging into the sand under the blanket. “God, Christian. I’m going to come.”
My balls are tight, ready to fucking burst.
Fuck, I need her come on my cock. I need it more than my next fucking breath.
Pull away abruptly, I kiss my way up her stomach. She uses her toes to pull my swim trunks down. My swollen cock springs free of the waistband, only an inch away from her hot, welcoming pussy.
“Tell me you love me,” I whisper against her skin, the taste of her still on my tongue, driving me into a frenzy. The world around me blurs and narrows until all I can see is her. Eve. The girl who snatched my goddamn soul. “Say it.”
“I love you, Christian,” she pants, her hips rolling, nails carving up my skin. “ Fuck , I love you.”
My throat tightens.
I should tease her, deny her. Make her beg. But I can’t. I’m too weak. The truth is, I’m a fucking slave to girl. She anchors me in ways I can’t explain, her love wrapping around me like a lifeline, pulling me from the darkness.
My lungs tighten as I hold her panties aside and slide my cock into her tight heat. We both groan as I push in, balls deep. Holy fuck. Her channel chokes my cock.
As I thrust, I barely pull back, instead pushing in as deep as I can, driven by the dizzying sensation of her body wrapped around mine. Her head is tilted back, lips parted, dark eyelashes fluttering, and I can’t help myself, I dip my head and capture her mouth, my tongue thrusting in time with my cock.
Fuck. I’m already on the brink of coming.
“Oh, God,” she breathes, her hips rocking against me.
We climax at the same time, our bodies, our tongues, our souls entangled, as we ride out the intense wave of rapture that rocks us both. It’s so intense, my toes curl, and my eyes roll back in my head as I roll my hips and fill her with my cum. She chokes out a strangled moan as her channel squeezes my cock, sucking me in, fucking milking me dry.
My phone rings.
Fuuuck.
Riding out the last few seconds of bliss, I wait until she goes limp before I reluctantly pull out of her and tug my swim trunks back up. Then I roll over and grab my phone, answering it quickly. “What?” I bark, pissed that my blissful little bubble with Eve has been popped.
“We need you upstairs.”
It’s Lucas.
“Fuck you,” I bite out.
Three weeks.
It’s been three weeks since he tried to take Eve from me, and we haven’t been face to face since. For meetings, he’s been literally phoning it in. And thank God, because I would have killed him if we were in the same room.
His voice is tight. “We need you in the study. It’s about Jackson.”
For a second, I consider telling him to fuck off again, but the mention of Jackson stops me. “Fine,” I say sharply, hanging up.
Rolling back over, I tug Eve close, our bodies fitting together like a puzzle. I dip my head and kiss her, drinking in her warmth. Her love. Eventually, I pull back with a sigh. “I have to go,” I say, my thumb tracing her soft lips.
“Everything okay?”
“The guys have called a meeting. Something about Jackson.” I plant a gentle kiss on her lips. “Walk you and Lucy back to the house?”
Eve sits up and reaches for the basket, peering inside. Her eyes slide to Lucy, curled up in the sand, sleeping a few feet away. “Actually, I think Lucy and I will enjoy the picnic you packed. I’m starving.”
“I’ll make it quick,” I say, planting yet another kiss on her lips. Then another. And another, until we’re lying on the blanket, tangled up again.
She laughs and pushes me away playfully. “Go! So you can get it over with and come back.”
Ten minutes later, I walk into the study, where everyone is already waiting—Lucas, Ash, Jackson. Even Roman is here, sitting in one of the leather chairs, already looking bored. Shit, if he’s here, then this must be serious.
“I’m here,” I say, heading straight to the desk to grab a blunt. “Let’s get this over with.” Lighting the blunt, I take a long pull. Let’s hope the the weed will keep me from launching myself at my fucking cunt brother. “Why are we here?”
Everyone is quiet. Too quiet.
Without saying anything, Ash steps forward and hands me his phone. I take it and scan the news headline that’s blazoned across the screen. My blood runs cold.
Oh, shit.
“I thought the senior counsel buried this,” I say, handing the phone back.
“Apparently, not deep enough,” Roman says, raking a hand down his face.
Jackson was born and raised in Malibu, but after his parents split, his mom married a senator from Missouri. Three years ago, Jackson was on one of his visits to see his mom, when something happened—some real dark shit that involved Jackson and some girl named Ava Baldwin. Apparently, they’d been hooking up—one of those messy flings that always end in heartbreak—when whatever happened happened . No one really talks about the details, but it was bad enough that the senior counsel of the Burning Crown had to step in and clean it up.
That was Jackson’s last trip to Missouri. When he came back, he was different—quieter, more guarded. There’s a deep anger in him that wasn’t there before. And his laugh, when it comes at all, sounds hollow now—practiced, like he’s just going through the motions, trying to be the Jackson everyone remembers.
I glance up at him. “So, what’s the play? Your name isn’t mentioned in the article, but?—”
“It’s only a matter of time before it is,” Roman says flatly.
Lucas speaks up. “Ava is the only other person who was there that day. The police will want to question her. Once that happens, you’re fucked.”
“Not if I get to her first,” Jackson says with a shrug, like that’s the answer to everything. “I go to Missouri, bring her back to Rush House. Then I keep her close until this whole thing blows over.”
Wow. He makes it all sound so easy, except …
“There’s just one hitch in your plan,” I remind him. “Ava despises you. Pop up at her house unannounced and she’ll kill you on the spot. There’s no way she’ll just come with you to Rush House.”
“Doesn’t matter,” he says, something dark flashing in his eyes. “Because I’m not giving her a choice…”