Chapter 19
Devlin
Elise didn’t seem pissed as she began to unravel some of the things she was told when she was with the siblings.
Lucian texted that he and Regan would be coming up, so I asked her to hold her information until they arrived.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened to reveal the two of them, seemingly pleased with themselves.
“Did you find anything?” I asked, and Regan offered a smile.
“I found a few different things,” she returned and handed her laptop to James.
They both took a seat, and I looked at Elise, silently asking if she was okay with speaking in front of them.
She and James were like brother and sister, but she was still getting comfortable with my other siblings.
The subtle nod she gave me was encouraging.
James was looking at whatever Regan had discovered on the junkie’s cell phone as Elise started speaking.
She filled them in on what we had discussed before she continued.
“The missing poster you showed me said he disappeared when he was nineteen and in college, but he spoke about growing up around here.” Her face wrinkled as she said, “And from what you’ve told me, they just appeared.
So, what if he grew up here and was sent away, only to disappear and return to his home. ”
“That would be kind of stalkerish,” Regan interjected.
Elise nodded. “Agreed. Bradon, or Michael, whoever he is, I think he’s somehow associated with the Flats, Portstill, Pierce Bluff, or maybe all three.” She shook her head. “I can’t shake this feeling that this is all connected. But no matter what she tells him to do, he complies.”
James handed Regan her laptop back and said, “Not to change the subject, but can you explain what you found to Devlin and Elise, please?”
She took the computer and turned it so we could see it as she spoke.
“Timothy’s phone was pretty damaged, but I eventually got into its GPS settings.
” She pressed something and explained. “He told you that he delivered the truck to a warehouse somewhere on the outskirts of Portstill, but I think he was off by at least a dozen miles.” I gave her a confused look, and she continued.
“The location his phone pinged was outside of Rider’s Cross, on the other side of the Flats.
Technically, the next county over. Anyways, I used the location and narrowed the warehouse down to three in a half-mile location.
I think somewhere in that area you’ll find what was delivered, and maybe the siblings. ”
“Has anyone looked into Kendra’s family?” Lucian inquired. “I mean public records going back to when they moved here?”
“No, why?” James asked.
“From what Elise is saying, Bradon said he lived around here and left when he was eight for boarding school, correct?” Elise nodded. “What if by some crazy stroke of luck, he and Kendra had interacted and she got her crazy hooks into him early.”
“I asked if they were siblings, and he said no,” Elise added. “But I didn’t ask how long they’d known each other.”
“What else did you find, Regan?” I asked.
“I found out that Timothy is used to doing sketchy tasks for money,” She started. “I found a payment journal showing at least six other times he’d worked for them.”
“How do you know it’s them?” Lucian asked.
“The wireless tracking showed all the payments came from the same account,” she explained. “Whatever else he did for them, it seems they had a money source funding it all.”
James’s blue eyes met mine, and I shifted my gaze to Lucian. We all had the same idea. James stood, and Lucian and Regan followed as he said, “I’ll look into the banking situation while you get some rest.”
He directed his statement to Elise. She gave him a nod, and Regan walked over and hugged her gently before she joined Lucian and James at the elevator. Elise pushed up and spoke to the group.
“Thank you for helping find me.”
“That’s what family is for,” James replied and offered her a wink.
They stepped into the open elevator and disappeared behind the closing doors. Elise looked exhausted on the couch as I returned to her, carefully taking her hand.
“What do you need, Lamb?”
“A shower,” I requested, feeling like I was carrying days of dirt and scum on me.
Offering her a hand, I helped her stand and walked beside her as she gingerly moved into our bedroom. She went to her dresser to get some clean clothes as I went into the bathroom and turned the walk-in shower on, getting the temperature perfect for her.
Walking into the bathroom, she placed her clean clothes onto the counter as she asked, “Can you help me?”
Immediately, I was at her side. “Lift your arms,” I instructed.
She did as I asked, and when I pulled her shirt off over her head, seeing the bruises from her attack, I had to stop myself from growling out loud.
No one deserved to be treated the way they treated her, but the beating was the nail in their coffin.
Preverbally and actually. I was going to kill them and bury them in an unmarked grave so no one could ever mourn their loss.
After I kneeled in front of her, I carefully pulled her pants and underwear down, helping her get them off her feet.
When she was naked in front of me, I had to fight the growing erection as I held her hand and helped her into the shower.
She leaned into the warm water, allowing it to run down her wounded body.
When she opened her eyes, I wasn’t sure what she was asking of me, but I stepped in, fully clothed, ready to assist with whatever she needed.
“What can I do, baby?”
She handed me her bath poof, and I grabbed her favorite bodywash and poured some on the applicator. Carefully, I washed her back, front, arms, and legs, leaving her center for last. Still dressed, I lowered to my knees, and she spread her legs, giving me access to my happy place.
But she didn’t seem like she was in the mood. Hell, if I were her, I wouldn’t be either. When I went to stand, Elise placed her hand on my head, and I lifted my eyes up to her. The water was running down her body, illuminating every curve and injury.
I raised one eyebrow and stated, “Tell me.”
“I want you to make me come,” she replied.
I didn’t want to push her too far, but I wouldn’t let her take that request back. I needed to connect with her, even if it was me giving her an orgasm. We had been distant for the last few months while I hunted for the siblings, or whoever they were, and I wasn’t going to tell her no.
Guiding her to the built-in seat, I helped her sit and used my hands to press her legs apart. She was smiling down at me as I told her, “Tell me if it gets too much.”
Elise gave me a nod, and I lowered my head as I tugged her ass closer to the edge. Lifting one leg onto the bench, I kept my eyes locked with hers as I used my thumb to rub her clit. The water was helping with lubrication as her eyes lulled closed from the sensation.
When she made a movement with her hips, I brought my mouth to her pussy and gave her a full lick from back to front. Her hand came down onto my soaking wet hair as she moaned my name.
“Devlin.”
With deliberate licks, I focused on her engorged clit, making sure to flick the end with each pass of my tongue.
Her moans started to grow in volume as I worked her closer to the edge of orgasm.
Panted moans of pleasure filled the space as I slipped one then two fingers into her pussy, feeling the walls contract around my digits.
Faster, I flicked my tongue, feeling her getting closer, and just before I felt her let go, I crooked my finger and rubbed, feeling the patchy spot of the front of her channel. Focusing on that, I licked, swirled, and sucked on her clit as I fucked her with my fingers.
“Fuck,” Elise groaned, and the grip on my hair grew tighter as her walls choked my fingers.
I kept her floating in pleasure as long as I could, and when she began to come down, I placed a kiss onto her clit. Looking up at her, I saw her beautiful eyes looking down at me, and I pushed up, placing a kiss on her lips, purposely keeping it chaste.
Elise’s eyes grew heavy, and I knew she needed rest. I stood and carefully helped her from the bench.
She rinsed off, and then I stepped out, soaking the floor as I grabbed her two towels to dry off.
She was fading fast, and I hurriedly stepped back in and wrapped the towels around her before speaking.
“Hang on, Lamb.”
She wrapped a hand around my back as I leaned over and scooped her into my arms, careful not to hurt her broken ribs. My boots were leaving a sopping wet trail to her side of the bed as I carried her to the edge and placed her down.
“Let me get out of this really quick,” I said, and she used the towel to start drying her wet hair.
I took the clothes off and tossed them onto the shower floor before grabbing a pair of boxers from my dresser and slipping them on. When I got back to her, she was blinking fast and her eyes showed exhaustion.
“Let’s get you some rest, okay?”
“Okay,” she replied.
I lifted the blanket, and she turned and lied down, wincing as she positioned herself on the pillows. I pulled the covers back up and was going to leave her to rest when she asked, “Will you lay with me?”
I couldn’t turn her down, so I went to my side of the bed and slipped under the covers. She snuggled closer to me and rested her head on my shoulder as she closed her eyes.
“I love you, Devlin.”
I kissed the side of her head and replied, “I love you, Elise.”
Her breathing evened out a moment later, and for the next hour, I laid still, allowing her the rest she so desperately needed.
My phone was in the other room, and even though I heard it chiming, I didn’t make a move to retrieve it.
Whoever it was would still be there when I finally got up.
Elise was more important, and I’d lie here as long as she needed me to.
Elise woke up and needed to go to the restroom. I helped her, and when she finished, she requested to go into the living room. After I helped her get settled, she lifted her eyes to me.
“I need you to find them, Devlin. Find them and kill them so we never have to worry about our sons being a target,” she said.
“Are you sure you want me to leave you alone?” I asked, not wanting her to be by herself.
“Amaya will come back down, and we can hang out while you’re working,” she suggested. “It’s not like anyone can get into the building, right?”
I leaned over and kissed her softly, replying, “Right.”
I still wasn’t sure about leaving her, but the look in her eyes said she needed this to be over now. Picking up my phone, I dialed James, and he answered on the second ring.
“Hey, can Amaya come up and sit with Elise?”
“I’ll bring her up,” James replied.
I stood and looked at myself dressed only in boxers. “I need to get dressed.”
Elise gave me a nod as I walked back into our bedroom. After pulling out another pair of black cargo pants and a shirt, I slipped my extra pair of boots on and returned to the living room.
Amaya and James were speaking with Elise when I walked back into the room, and she offered me a smile as I grabbed my gun and slipped it into my thigh holster.
I kissed her again, feeling her love and trust for me in the embrace. When I pulled back, I looked at my brother, the man I’d battled beside more than half of my life and asked.
“Are you ready to finish this, once and for all?”
He raised his eyebrows, answering my question without words. Having to leave Elise was harder than I wanted to admit, but she was right.
I needed to kill those two assholes before they thought DJ and Conner could be used as pawns in their games. My sons were precious to me, and I’d do anything to ensure they were protected.
My eyes were locked with Elise’s as the elevator doors closed, and I vowed that the next time I saw her, the threat against my family would be dead and buried.
If I couldn’t keep that promise, then I didn’t deserve them or their love.