Haven Bound

4. Austin

4

Austin

I knew running into Chelsea Gilmore would be possible with my return home to Haven Beach. But I never would’ve expected to run into her by walking into the bakery my mother, Lara Anders, had been raving about. The bakery that she apparently owns. Which is something that both my mother and sister failed to mention. You would think that after walking away from Chelsea and everything we could’ve had, I would’ve moved on by now. Seven years is a long time to be away from the person you love, the person who has been your personal ray of light in this otherwise dark and fucked up world.

Yet the second I stepped into Buttersweet Bakery and saw her, every thought I’d had about being able to leave the city again once this target contract is taken care of completely vacated my mind. I’ve kept in touch with my sister, Hailey, and my friend, Ethan, enough over the years to know they’re both still close with Chelsea. I’d assumed that if and when I ran into her, it would be because she was with them.

When I left home, I knew that I was also leaving behind the life I’d built up until that point. The day I turned eighteen, my father, Will Anders, pulled me aside and told me all about our family’s history of running an organization called The Phoenix Legion. An organization that seeks to protect those who can't protect themselves. From then on, I knew that I’d never have the life that I imagined for myself.

Our family also owns and operates Elysian Suites, a small chain of luxury hotels located in major cities across the U.S. Each hotel offers everything from standard rooms, presidential suites with stunning views, spa services, fitness centers, as well as large conference rooms and ballrooms where many events are hosted throughout the year. The penthouse suite for each hotel is typically reserved for either family or traveling Phoenix members who may need a temporary place to stay while on assignment.

They also run a non-profit organization called Safe Harbor, headed up primarily by my mother, which provides temporary safe housing, access to support groups, and any other necessities that rescued victims and families may need as they adjust to their new lives. Most of our employees only work for Elysian Suites; however, each location also has a full staff of employees that are members of our organization as well. With backgrounds in military or law enforcement, many of our members were sick of always having to abide by the law to see justice served. Especially when, more often than not, the law allows the most sinister people to get away with their crimes.

As an Anders, I’m expected to be able to work for both companies. My degree allows me to run point on many projects for the hotel, but I also had to go through extensive combat training before officially joining The Phoenix Legion. Much of my workload for the hotel chain can be handled remotely, allowing me to travel for Legion assignments as needed .

I should have known that my mom was up to something when I walked through the doors of my childhood home and she immediately sent me on an errand to some bakery. She’d mentioned planning a party with the local Phoenix members and had insisted that I go and place an order for her. It all sounded ridiculous at the time, but now I see that she had an ulterior motive. My mom had always been supportive of my relationship with Chelsea, even when we tried so hard to hide it.

Back then, I knew that I was eventually going to be leaving. Starting a romantic relationship with Chelsea hadn’t been fair to either of us, but I couldn’t stay away from her. I’d spent a year pining after my sister’s best friend, but I didn’t think that she looked at me the same way that I looked at her.

Until that night.

Chelsea had just turned eighteen and was spending the week at our house, as she often did, and I’d invited Ethan to do the same. At the time, I only had a few months remaining before I was expected to leave and start taking on target contracts. I didn’t have a right to get involved in any kind of relationship with someone. Especially not with the girl I’d been wanting for the past year. The one person I knew that I’d never be able to do "casual" with.

But of course that didn’t stop me from looking at her the way that I did. It didn’t fucking stop me from wishing the bright smiles that would paint her face, the smiles that stole the breath from my lungs, were for me.

After spending an entire day at the beach and riding bikes around town, the four of us had decided that the hot tub would be the perfect way to end the day. I’d seen Chelsea in a swimsuit before, but there was something about the way that her body looked as she had stepped into the hot water, steam billowing up around us, that ignited a fire within my blood.

Heat had pooled low in my groin, and my cock stiffened beneath the fabric of my board shorts from the mere sight of her. I remember being utterly and completely mesmerized by her curves and the way my mouth watered at seeing her soft belly, thick hips, thighs, and freckles that decorated her porcelain skin.

That was the night that I finally gathered enough courage to kiss her for the first time. I knew in that moment, my life would never be the same.