Although what we did in the service was supposed to be kept secret, there were no guarantees. The way shit had been going in the last coupla years, it was hard to know whom to trust. Some information was worth more than gold. There were quite a few people who would pay good money to know our whereabouts. If I go off half-cocked it was bound to draw attention, especially if I went up against this guy who supposedly had so many connections, and was a big name in the business arena besides. We still had the shit that has been taking up all our free time to deal with. There was no forgetting that we'd just basically robbed someone of millions of dollars, granted the money had been stolen and Dani's family charity had been used to launder it. But those assholes were gonna be after us for their funds and had already started coming after us. Not to mention the family of high distinction that we now knew was part of this trafficking shit which we now suspected had gott
I hate that he's seen me like this, hate that I'm so weak when all he knows are strong women. I hadn't been asleep as long as he thought, I'd just been lying there enjoying for the first time the feel of his arms around me, that strong body making me feel safe and warm. I'd heard part of what the others were saying when they were here before, heard Ty warn them that the guy was his. I didn't want that, didn't want him or any of them getting into trouble because of me. "Here open." I opened my mouth as best I could because I knew he wouldn't stop. I've been studying him for the past few months, ever since that night when I saw him for the first time, and I knew he was as stubborn as they come. I should know; I have the bruised pride and broken heart to prove it. I'll never forget the way he made me feel that first time with just one look, and not just any look, it's what I call the Tyler special. That's where he lowers his lashes and gazes into you with the heat
That first summer, I lied my way into a job at this nice little beachside restaurant. I'd been living on the streets for a few weeks but had learned how to keep myself clean in public restrooms. I spent most days in the public library so I'd have some place to go, and had researched how to get my GED online. At night I'd find a spot somewhere out of the traffic of the city to bed down. For some reason I felt freer on the streets than I had at home. I wasn't as afraid of being violated, but I knew I couldn't do it for too long before being found out. I got that job and studied for my GED and at the end of the summer had a nice little nest egg. I got my GED much earlier than I would have if I'd stayed in school the next two years, and just when things were starting to look up, my world came crashing down again. My boss cornered me in the storage room for a little cop a feel one evening while his wife was on the other side of the door restocking the shelves
I'd sensed something different in him, a slight change, like maybe he was more open to the possibilities of us. I was planning to work on that and enlist the help of the others if I had to. I got the impression that they would approve, and maybe with a little nudge... I wouldn't say he was ready for wedding bells like the others, but I had seen something more than interest in his eyes that time. I'd gone home with a warm feeling; things were finally looking up. My breath hitched at the memory of what followed and I reacted. "Easy baby, easy." Ty put the tray down and climbed on to the bed with me. I can't believe the way my body trembled. In my mind I knew I was safe, that nothing could reach me behind these walls, in his arms, but my body couldn't seem to grasp that. "Baby, I have to ask..." I knew what he was going to say before he gave the words free reign. I curved into myself as much as I could with his arms wrapped around me. It was the way he reacted that
I felt my womb contract at the thought of carrying his son, a son who would have the same look of mischief about his mouth even in sleep; a son who would be so fierce when it comes to the ones he loved. I hope that's what this all meant, I needed it to be. I climbed onto the bed and laid my head on the pillow next to his keeping my eyes on his face. It was the first time I'd been able to study him this closely. I know it's not PC to think like this, and he would most likely scoff at me for thinking it, but he was the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen I let my eyes travel down from his face. The tattoos begged to be touched, to be traced by my fingers or tongue. My heart raced at the thought and before I could get too carried away I drew my yes from the art that adorned his neck, chest, and arms. There was more evidence of what had gone on here. His hands were red and raw and there was a bruise starting high on his cheek. "Oh Tyler, I'm so sorry." I reached out and
I wanted to stop when I felt him tense and his body became like stone, but he was right, I needed to get it out. Now that I was saying the words out loud none of it made any sense. Carson had been after me for a while, asking me out on dates flirting, the usual. I never paid it more than the cursory notice because it was a regular occurrence; men were always hitting on me. This morning when I'd seen him at the diner even before opening I hadn't really thought much of it. I figured he was in a rush and needed his first cup of the day. I'd been about to tell him that it was gonna be a while before that could happen since I had to set up first, but before I could get the words out he'd started in. I didn't know until now that he was asking me about Ty and my relationship with him, how could I? There was no relationship. But now it all made sense, the reference to the mangy dog that I preferred over him. Asking me where I'd been the night before. How
For too long now we'd been going around in circles, barely fitting the pieces together. It looked like now we'd stumbled upon a big piece of the puzzle. "Not far and when we took a look with Quinn's new tech shit something pops that wasn't there before or that we couldn't see with the other. There's a faint outline in the earth that seems to lead from the boardwalk to somewhere on his land." "What the fuck are we really dealing with here?" I followed the outline with my eyes."Whatever it is we're gonna put it to bed brother. Now since you've got confirmation that he is involved with this shit, we have a decision to make. I know because he went after your woman you wanna put one in his head, I'm with you on that, but would it make more sense to get what we can out of him first?" "We'll have to wait on that Lo, our bird has flown the coop.""What?" I was out of my chair and across the room looking over Devon's shoulder. "What the fuck am I looking at?"
"Tyler wake up, Tyler can you hear me?" This wasn't like before but it was. It was as though he was trapped in a dream. I could see his eyes moving rapidly beneath his closed lids even as his body shook and flailed around on the bed. I threw my body over his when nothing else seemed to work, holding him as close as I could while whispering directly into his ear. "It's okay Tyler, you're safe now, come back to me, everything's okay, you're safe." He would settle a little and then start again, and still he didn't awaken. I could feel his body jerk and spasm intermittently as I ran my hands soothingly over his limbs, trying in vain to calm him. Was this about me, about what had been done to me? I couldn't be sure but I thought I heard him scream for his mama. That's the sound that had awakened me in fact. But now I wasn't sure. I'd never heard anything about his other family. In fact come to think of it, none of these guys ever seemed to talk about their lives befo