One to Love (One to Hold #4) (32 page)

I pulled the page closer to examine the postage-stamp sized image. I’d recognize those eyes anywhere. “What the
fuck
?” I whispered.

Slayde “Slayer” Bennett, former boxer-slash-ex-con apparently risked his life in a monster storm at sea to prevent the merchant ship
Sea Empress
from breaking in half. I quickly scanned the details. He’d been injured in the process, suffered a concussion, but was fully recovered. He received an honorary medal, an award of sorts...

What made me stop was the writer’s editorial slant in her last sentences. A murderer, someone who callously took another man’s life in a bar fight five years ago, went on to become a hero, to risk his life to save twenty-six crewmembers.

Leaning back in the car, I looked out at the changed scenery. I’d helped build the case against Slayer Bennett and Stitch Alana five years ago. Both professional middleweights, Slayer was in a rage after being passed over for an exhibition match, according to the story I’d put together. He and his buddy Stitch had gone to that bar looking for a fight. They’d waited for anyone to cross them. Blake Woods and Max Marconi had been the hotheaded suckers to follow their taunt into the parking lot where they’d fought a bare-knuckle street fight they were destined to lose. A fight to the death.

The court psychologist spoke for Slayer. I was wrong, she’d said. She argued he suffered from intermittent explosive disorder, whatever the fuck that was, and needed anger management therapy. He could be rehabilitated, she’d said. He was the product of an abusive home, an alcoholic father. I didn’t give a shit about any of that. He’d broken the law, taken a life, and he had to be punished. Eye for an eye.

All of it was so long ago. Before I’d ever met Melissa.

The black-capped driver turned to the side. “We’re here, sir.”

Pulling out four twenties, I passed them through the glass and grabbed my large duffel before heading up the walk. I’d taken the red-eye, so Melissa and Dex were likely still asleep. Standing for a moment, looking out at the grey sky over the ocean, I thought about Blake Woods, the boy Slayer killed. He was a little punk who’d done time himself.
Did that change it somehow? Did the crime change if the victim was equally guilty?

Rubbing my neck and those thoughts away, I unlocked the door, pausing to slip off my boots. Carrying my bag through the quiet house, I paused at a stack of thick bridal magazines in the living room. On the cover of one was a brunette model, who would never be as beautiful as Melissa, in white lace. After pushing the date back twice—once so Dex could be born and again so her mother could attend—our wedding was firmly scheduled for the spring, and she was so excited. I couldn’t wait for the day she’d officially be my wife.

Continuing on, I stopped at the first door I came to and peeked inside. Dex’s dark little head was sweaty, and his favorite blue blanket was twisted all around his legs, but he was out like a light.

I breathed a smile. My longing to see Melissa was the only emotion stronger than the swell of pride in my chest at the sight of our little guy. I pulled his door closed and went down the dark hall to our bedroom. Sunrise was lighting the light-green walls, and she was asleep on her side, curled in the center of our bed. A sharp ache hit my lower stomach at the sight of her long, dark waves spread on the pillow behind her. My questions of fate would have to wait. I wanted her in my arms with that soft cascade falling all around us.

Moving quickly, I shrugged out of my coat and pulled off the light sweater I wore underneath. Jeans gone, I placed a knee carefully on the side of the bed. The indentation rolled her forward, and her eyes fluttered open. She blinked quickly before pushing up against the mattress.

“You’re back!” A flash of brown, and she was in my arms, kissing my cheeks and eyes, making her way up to my brow.

My hands moved to her thighs, catching the edge of the short, white nightgown she wore, sliding it up her body.

“Five seconds.” She skipped away so fast I didn’t have time to stop her before she was in the bathroom. In the half-minute it took her to brush, I lost my boxer briefs and arranged the pillows. She was running back, pulling the nightgown over her head and tossing it behind her as she crossed the room.

“I like how your mind works,” I laughed, catching her slim torso as she dove into my arms. We rolled over so she was cradled against me, and for a moment, I simply looked down at her smiling face, blue eyes shining.

“I’ve missed you so much.” She leaned up to kiss my neck. “You said we’d never be apart again after Princeton.”

“I know.” I leaned down to kiss her jaw, moving my lips up behind her ear so I could take a deep sniff of ocean-touched roses. “You smell so good.”

My hand moved up to cup her firm breast, and she let out a little moan. “Take it easy,” her sigh mixed with desire.

She’d been nursing Dex for several months, but her breasts were still full and sensitive in the mornings. I knew this. Circling my thumb over her tightening nipple, I caught her mouth, pushing it open and getting a fresh blast of mint as our tongues collided.

Her arms were around my neck, holding me close, and the hand that was on her breast traveled down her stomach to the line of her panties and lower. Her mouth broke from mine in a moan as I slid two fingers inside her, using my thumb to massage her clit. She was already so wet.

“I’ve missed you,” I breathed, rotating her all the way to her back as I gently kissed one nipple then the other before tracing my way to her stomach.

Her arms rose over her head as I quickly hooked my fingers through her lace bikini, pulling it down and off. “I like this, or I might’ve ripped it.”

“Oh, god!” Her back arched as I opened her thighs, covering her with my mouth. My tongue swirled over the little bud that quickly sent her into spasms. She let out another, louder cry as I ran my tongue full over her, down and back up to make a circle, giving her a little suck. She tasted so good.

Her fingers were in my hair, and she was pulling, arching against my mouth. I couldn’t help a smile as she started to come. She was gorgeous falling apart for me.

“Derek, please...” Her fingernails scraped against my shoulders, and I rose up to fill her with all the love and desire that had been building in me for the last ten days.

She cried out as I drove deeper, pulling her body up so that our chests were together. I held her as I sat back on my feet, letting her ride as I moved her. Her beautiful, full breasts were right at my mouth, and I gently caught one, giving it a light kiss rather than my usual, forceful pull. I’d have to save that for later.

“I want to go deeper,” I spoke into her neck.

“Yes, yes,” she nodded, dropping back onto the bed.

Turning her over quickly, my hands slid to her hips, lifting her so I could position myself at her entrance. She was on all fours, her beautiful ass perked, thighs parted. One hard push, and she cried out, arching up. I reached around, massaging her clit until she started bucking against me, sending me even deeper. Closing my eyes the intense need, that primitive hunger took over. It was relentless and strong and so fucking good.

Melissa and I usually made love, but sometimes, we’d let go and truly fuck. This was one of those times. Her hand stretched out to hold the headboard, and I continued massaging between her legs as the force of my orgasm rose in my pelvis, tightening my ass.

“Fuck,” I shouted, my fingers closing over hers in front of us. I had to hold onto something or I’d crush her. The jerking in my cock had me going blind. Three more hard drives, and we were both flying.

“Oh, god, yes.” Her body trembled, and I held onto her a moment longer, allowing the last remnants of our high to fade. We were both breathing hard as we slid down to the bed. Her face turned into my chest, a slender arm went around my waist. I wrapped both my arms around her before bending down to kiss her head and inhale another deep breath of her delicious scent.

Her voice was thick and sexy when she spoke. “I’ll overlook the occasional separation if you make it up to me like that.”

I laughed, tracing a finger down her back. “You’re so damned sexy, how do I ever leave you?”

She lifted her head then, resting it on her hand. A dark curl slid over her cheek, and I wrapped it around my finger.

“How’s Stuart?”

“He’s not doing so good. He’s got things... he hadn’t told anybody about.”

Her beautiful blue eyes were serious now. “How long before you have to go back?”

“I took the red-eye so I could be here as long as possible this weekend, but I need to head out on Sunday.”

My chest ached as her brow fell. I knew she wasn’t angry, but I hated to make her sad. “He’s your friend, and he needs you. It’s just, Dex misses you, and I...”

“Elaine’s talking about coming back for Christmas. What if we all spent it there, together? His uncle’s place is amazing.”

“You think you’ll be that long?”

I released an exhale. “Hard to know, but if I am, I want you and Dex with me.”

Her eyes traveled around my face as she reached up to run her thumb across my cheek. “We can be there with you now if you want. My job travels.”

Our last weeks on the horse ranch flickered through my mind—the late nights, the bad nights. The night I had to leave everything and ride across the plains until I found him alone, camped near one of the falls. Stuart was fighting everything right now, including his will to live, and our progress was slow and painful.

“I’m not sure he’d appreciate company yet, but a lot can change in a month.”

A small voice squealed down the hall, and we both stopped. “He’s awake,” Melissa said with a grin, and I was up before she could move.

“I got this.” Scooping my boxers off the floor, I jerked them over my hips. “Be right back.”

Dex was holding the side of his crib, blue eyes bright and baby mouth grinning big when he saw me. A flash of love warmed my chest. “Come here, little guy.”

Scooping him up, he jerked back toward the crib. I only paused a moment to grab his blue blanket, putting it in his arms before he lay his dark head on my shoulder. “I’ve missed you,” I whispered, kissing him and taking a deep breath of sweet baby smell.

Melissa was in bed with her nightgown back on, but she was unfastening the tiny buttons down the front as I climbed in beside her.

“He’s getting so strong.” Dex reached for her as soon as I sat. “How long before he walks?”

She laughed stretching up to kiss my lips before taking him and sliding down on her side. “At least two more months,” she said, pulling him close to her breast.

“Good. Don’t want to miss that.”

Dex latched on quickly, and I reached down to touch the tiny fingers now curled against her soft skin. “Even this is hard to miss.”

“Give me a kiss,” she whispered, and I gladly complied.

Wrapping my arm around her shoulders as she gave our son his breakfast, I rested my chin on Melissa’s head. My eye caught the eagle and SF tattoo on my bicep, and that old secret I carried, the one that could take me away from her for a very long time itched at the back of my mind.

I thought about the news article. Slayer Bennett had gone from criminal to hero. I’d done just the opposite. At the same time, the law, the right thing, these concepts grew nebulous when I thought about what was at stake, the choice that was taken away from me.

Melissa had never pressed me for details about that night, and as yet I hadn’t given her any. Patrick’s advice was never to tell her. Not because she wouldn’t understand—she’d be hurt, but she’d understand. Rather, it was because she’d blame herself, he said.

Happy baby noises were in my ear, and my beautiful future wife was safe in my arms. The secret I carried was an issue only if I let it be, Patrick said. Our one other witness agreed with him. Yet the idea of hiding my crime grated against who I was, my status as a Marine, a retired officer. I was sworn to defend our laws. I’d helped prosecute criminals for a living.

Exhaling deeply, I pressed my lips firmly against Melissa’s head. My best friend was in trouble—his life could be on the line. My fiancée needed me here with her and my son. Questions of justice and atonement would have to wait. For now I had to focus on the ones I loved. My duty for today was with them, but that wouldn’t be the case forever.

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