Next to Always: Shattered Innocence Trilogy Book Two (24 page)

*****

Rade had been trying all morning to get in touch with Dylan. He needed to apologize for his behavior yesterday. He had no right to treat her the way he did. His only excuse was that he got scared at how she looked at him. He didn’t want to admit his feelings for her so he opted to hide them, which caused her to leave.

By the time he got into Dylan’s apartment it was eight o’clock. He knew she should be up and getting ready to leave for work. He gently knocked on her door, but there was no answer. Knocking harder he called for her. “Dylan, are you in there?” Getting angry he shouted, “God, woman, can you answer your fucking door.” There was still no answer. Just when he was about to break down the door, it opened. Dylan was standing before him looking confused and out of it. She was still in her pajamas. He thought maybe she was sick or something, but when he took a good look at her, he saw the red marks around her neck. “Dylan, what happened to you?” Not waiting for her response, he lifted her into his arms, using his foot to shut the door behind him. Placing her on the couch, he asked again, “Dylan, tell me what happened.”

Dylan was still dazed. She wasn’t sure what to tell him. She wasn’t sure herself. Staring out with a blank look on her face, she finally said, “Michael.”

Rade was confused by her one word. “What about Michael, Sweetness? I don’t understand.”

“Here,” she said still looking dazed.

As soon as Rade heard her say “here” he knew exactly what she meant. What made him more pissed than anything was the fact that Peter was supposed to be keeping an eye on him and track his every move. Rade wasn’t ready for Dylan to know that Michael was alive. So he did the only thing he knew how to. He lied.

“Sweetness, Michael died almost a year ago. It couldn’t have been him,” Rade said, trying to convince her that she was mistaken.

“It was him, Rade. The way he looked at me. It was him,” Dylan raised her voice defensively.

Rade held her in his arms to try and comfort her. After settling her on the couch, he went to the kitchen and made her some coffee. Handing her the cup of hot liquid, he sat beside her as she slowly sipped her Java. The best thing for her would be for her to stay at the penthouse with him. Even though she lived in a pretty safe neighborhood, her building wasn’t secure. If Michael was able to get in, then anyone could.

Dylan looked up at Rade. “There’s something else. There was someone else in my apartment. He came at me. I couldn’t see his face, but Michael must have knocked him out, because when I turned around he was lying on the floor.”

She looked at Rade with a confused expression, expecting him to know the answers. “Rade, what is going on? I don’t understand. Why would anyone be after me? I’m just a simple person. I don’t have enemies.” Tears began flowing down. Dylan was scared. She couldn’t understand what anyone would want with her and why this was happening. The only thing she knew for sure was that her problems started the day she met Rade. “Rade, if you know anything you need to tell me. Everything that’s been happening to me started when we met. I don’t believe it is just a coincidence.”

Rade knew she was right. The problem was he couldn’t tell her what he knew. He was working on getting her trust back. If she ever found out about the secrets he was keeping, he knew he would lose her forever. “Sweetness, it could be that Michael was hiding something from you. Maybe your problems are a reflection of his transgressions and not because of our chance meeting,” Rade commented. “If you did see him, why would he make everyone believe he was dead?”

Rade thought by diverting her thoughts away from him and having her focus on Michael, he could sway her opinion. It would definitely give her something to think about.

*****

Rade spent most of the morning with Dylan in her small apartment. He decided the best thing for her was to get away. After some convincing, she called Keeve and told him she wouldn’t be in. They decided to go for a drive to Coney Island. Nothing like eating junk food and enjoying the amusement park to take your mind off of your troubles. The day was spent riding the infamous Ferris Wheel and playing several of the amusement park games, after which Rade awarded her with two large stuffed animals. Then there was the Coney Dog. This was one delicacy that couldn’t be passed up when visiting the park. By the time evening fell, Rade and Dylan managed to ride every ride and eat junk food until they were filled to the brim.

It was late by the time they reached Rade’s penthouse. Dylan was too exhausted to argue with him about taking her back to her place. Instead, she allowed him to carry her into the bedroom. The minute she hit the bed, she was out. She didn’t think once about what happened to her the night before. It was only after she closed her eyes that she began to relive her ordeal. Everything that happened to her in the past months began to surface. Her body felt hot as she began thrashing, fighting the sheets that were tangled over and under her body. No matter what she did, she couldn’t escape. Her screams for Michael finally woke her from her nightmare. Rade wasn’t by her side when she sat up. Instead, he was standing at the doorway. He looked wounded as his face fell.

“Rade,” Dylan began. “It was just a bad dream. Yelling for Michael didn’t mean anything.”

Rade didn’t want to hear her explanation. Turning his body, he left the room, leaving Dylan stunned and hurt. Getting out of bed, she went to the bathroom and grabbed the robe that was hanging on the door. She needed to explain what happened, what she was dreaming about. This had nothing to do with how she felt for him. Michael had been gone for so long that her feelings for him were gone. If anything, she was angry at him. If it was him she saw last night, she was pissed.
Why would he fake his own death? Why would he put her through the pain of losing him?
She wanted answers. She wanted to know why he was in her apartment, and who was the other man?

Dylan walked out of the bedroom in search of Rade. When she finally found him, he was standing in his office with a tumbler of scotch in his hand. He looked at her the minute she walked through the door. His gaze left her as he finished his drink and poured himself another. Dylan slowly sauntered towards him, hoping that he would listen to her.

“Rade, please talk to me,” Dylan pleaded.

“What do you want me to say, Dylan?” Rade asked.

“The dream didn’t mean anything, Rade. Calling out for Michael had to do with hate more than anything. If it was him that I saw, how could he fake his own death? I hate him so much right now,” Dylan confessed.

“I believe you, Dylan. I didn’t know how to react when you yelled for him,” Rade said as he approached her.

Maybe it was time to let her in on what was going on. There were so many secrets he was keeping from her. Facing her, he walked to where she was standing and took her in his arms. Untying the sash from her robe, he slowly pushed it down her shoulders, exposing her soft ivory skin. Dylan was wearing a pink lacy bra and panties, which were quickly removed. As Rade unclasped her bra and gently tugged her panties down her soft silky legs, he could feel her heat. Cupping her face with his hands, he gazed into her beautiful green eyes. Lowering his lips, he pressed them to hers. The softness reeled him in as he parted them with his tongue. With his hands, he grasped her ass and lifted her from the floor. The only thing he could think of was being inside her. Pulling her closer, he slipped one hand between her legs, moving his fingers between her wet folds. He would never get enough of her or the effect she had on him. His stiff cock was proof of his desire for her. Holding her tightly, he pressed her body against the wall while continuing his assault on her pussy. As he dipped one and then two fingers inside her, Dylan’s grasp on his hair intensified. Rade felt the tight hold her vagina had on his fingers as her walls tightened around him.

Holding her pressed firmly to the wall, he commanded, “Put your arms around my neck, Sweetness,” Without hesitation, Dylan placed her arms around his neck. Rade shifted her slightly, giving him the access he needed to remove his sweat pants. Undoing his drawstring, he quickly worked his pants and boxers down his muscular legs. His cock was so hard it was to the point of being painful. He needed to be inside her. Removing his fingers, he gently entered her with his length and began moving in and out of her. He swore every time he entered her, she was tighter than before. He almost lost control just thinking about the way her pussy accepted his cock. He decreased his movements and lowered his hand to her clit. He wanted them to come together. There was nothing more sensual than coming together. “Wait for me, Sweetness. Don’t let go until I tell you,” Rade whispered between kisses. Rade was about to lose control. Giving her what she needed, he plunged deep inside her and muttered softly, “Come.” With that one word she lost it. Her orgasm took control and her floodgates opened with a loud scream. This time it was his name that spilled from her lips.

Rade held on to her for as long as it took for their explosion to die down. Kissing her softly on the lips, he continued holding her as his cock began to soften. Moving his mouth to her ear, he softly whispered, “How about a shower, then I’ll cook you breakfast?”

Dylan was still sated from the pleasure he had just given her, but managed to mumble, “Perfect.”

*****

Spending another day with Rade was just what Dylan needed. She was able to get in touch with Keeve to let him know she would be working with Rade on the Spectrum account. Little did he know that most of the time she spent with Rade was in his bed in the comfort of his arms. Rade and Dylan were enjoying the comfort of each other after round two of their explosive orgasms when Rade’s phone began ringing. Picking it up from the bedside table, he swiped his finger across the screen to answer is called.

“Matheson,” he said as he waited for the caller.

“Sir, it’s Richard,” he announced.

“Where are you,?” Rade asked.

“Back at Mr. Stewart’s hotel,” Richard began. “Seems Mr. Stewart has been evading us. He’s been leaving unnoticed through the bathroom window.”

Rade already knew this. Pulling away from Dylan, he headed into the living room. “I already know. He paid Dylan a visit the other night, along with another guy. I’d like to know how this could happen when I requested coverage on her apartment 24/7. Please tell me I don’t have a bunch of incompetent assholes working for me?”

“Peter’s men were keeping watch. There was a disturbance across from her building that caused them to intervene. Evidently it was a domestic dispute and the guy was whaling on his girlfriend. They couldn’t sit and watch, so they gave the guy a touch of his own medicine. That had to have been when Mr. Stewart entered her building. I know it’s no excuse,” Richard explained.

“Damn right. That still doesn’t explain how the other man was able to enter her apartment. If it wasn’t for Mr. Stewart stepping in, Dylan might be sitting in a morgue instead of lying in my bed,” Rade shouted.

“Sorry, sir,” Richard began. “But they were watching the front entrance for Mr. Stewart. If someone else entered, they probably assumed it was just another tenant.”

“No more mistakes, Richard. Since he knows where she lives, Dylan will remain with me until this is over. I can’t let anything happen to her. What about our situation with Mr. Moreno?” Rade inquired.

“We found another way to get what we needed. We were able to sneak a man of Peter’s inside the BlackStone office, disguised as part of the cleaning crew. He was able to get a DNA sample from Mr. Moreno’s work station. We should have something back within the next couple of days,” Richard validated.

“Well, at least that’s good news. Keep me posted. Remember what I said, Richard. No more mistakes.” Rade ended his call. It was reassuring that he didn’t need to ask Dylan for her help. He wanted to keep her as far away as possible from this shit. At least Richard was competent enough to figure out another way.

Entering the bedroom, Rade was greeted with an empty bed. He could hear the water running in the shower. Stripping himself of his clothing, he took advantage of the opportunity and joined Dylan in the shower. She was just ready to rinse the shampoo from her hair when Rade stepped in behind her. “God, you’re beautiful,” he complimented, pulling her back to his front. Taking the conditioner, he poured a good portion into his hand and began massaging it lightly into her thick hair. He loved the way her hair felt between his fingers. Going a step further, he lowered his hands down her slick body. Cupping her breasts, one in each hand, he squeezed her nipples playfully before running his hands down her stomach to her sex. Her body pushed into his, releasing soft moans from her lips. He knew she was about to come undone. He pushed lightly on her back, willing her to bend over. Balancing herself, she placed her hands firmly against the tile wall as Rade continued to pleasure her. Sliding his cock between her moistened folds, he began his descent into pure ecstasy. Increasing his movements, he watched himself as he felt as his balls slapped against her pussy. With one hand on her hip, he placed the other on her ass, caressing it between his fingers. Switching gears, he removed his shaft from her tight channel and replaced it with two fingers. Taking hold of his cock, he slowly began guiding it into her tight pucker. He could feel Dylan’s resistance. “Relax, Sweetness. If it’s too much, use your safe word.” Rade had been waiting to take Dylan in her back entrance like no other had. By taking her, she would be only his.