Red (Hell’s Jury MC #5)

33. Chapter 33

CHAPTER 33

Stella

When I get to mom and dad’s, they’re putting the finishing touches on their awesome burritos, which they serve with tortilla chips and homemade guac and salsa. Dad’s in a good mood. Over dinner he tells us that the motion to overturn Judge Renault’s decision and grant Lachlan custody of Sorcha will be filed first thing in the morning.

“I’m positive the outcome will be in our favor,” he says. “And once Sorcha is safely in our custody, then I’ll work with Meredith to get us unsupervised access to Gabby.”

I blink away the happy tears over dad’s references to ‘us’ and ‘our’. Lachlan, Sorcha and Gabby are family now.

I hang around for a couple of hours, looking at stuff on the computer with Sorcha. She gets bored after 10 minutes and leaves to play checkers with dad.

I kiss her goodnight on my way out the door.

Lachlan’s distracted when he gets back. It’s late, well past dinner. “I have Mexican for you. Mom and dad’s specialty dish.”

“Smells good,” he says as he takes the plate and sits at the table. I think about last night and what we did on this table and find myself blushing. He doesn’t notice.

“Tell your mom thanks,” he says as he cleans the plate.

“Is everything okay?” I ask cautiously. I know Lachlan is reluctant to talk about Hell’s Jury business, but whatever happened is clearly bothering him and that affects me. I’m here to support him, whatever he needs.

He sits back in his chair and takes my hand, kisses my knuckles. “It’s to do with my mom’s death. It’s what got her killed in the first place.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Someone in our club, one of the ol’ ladies, told the shooters where Hangman was. It’s gonna bring down her husband and another club member, because they talked in front of her and she betrayed them and us.”

Dread shudders through me. “What will you do to them?”

He shrugs. “Don’t know. Not my decision to make.”

I take his hand in both of mine and hold it tight. “You can trust me.”

He pulls me on to his lap. “I believe you. But you have a mom and dad, Selma, Lexie. A lot of close people in your life. You told your dad about mom’s will after I asked you not to.”

“That’s kind of unfair,” I reply. “I made a judgement call and it turned out well. You can’t take that one incident as a reason not to trust me.”

He buries his face in my hair. “I’m not. But it don’t mean it won’t happen accidentally. You’ll let something slip in front of your dad and mom and they’ll get over involved.”

He’s right but it still hurts. “It’s just hard to see you like this. I don’t know how to help.”

He swings me around until I’m straddling him. He’s hard as a rock. “I know how you can help,” he says.

“Okay.” I take his face in my hands and kiss him on lips. His hips jerk against me as he slides his hand under my shirt and presses me closer.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmurs as he trails kisses down my neck.

“Let’s go upstairs.”

He shakes his head. “Let’s stay here.”

“Okay.” Turns out I have only one word in my vocabulary when it comes to sex.

He reaches for the waistband of my pants, then makes me stand and kick them off. “Undo my zipper, nice and easy. I’m so fuckin’ hard.”

I do as he says, letting him lead me.

He slides his hand through my folds, lingering on my clit, teasing it.

I grab his shoulders to stay upright as my legs turn to rubber. “I don’t wanna wait,” I tell him.

“You aren’t ready.” He blows on my neck as he keeps rubbing. “I don’t wanna hurt you.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I mind.” He locks eyes with mine as he keeps playing with me. It’s as if he can see into my soul. “I’m not lying to you, darlin’. I love you like crazy.”

I suck in a breath as he enters me with his finger.

“Don’t leave me.”

“I’m never gonna,” I whisper. “I’m ready enough.”

He pulls me onto his lap and carefully down on his cock. “You okay?”

“It hurts so good.” My hands dig into his shoulders as I slowly ride him up and down. “I like this a lot,” I whisper in his ear.

“So do I.” His drives into me as I push down.

“Fuck,” I groan before I realize I’ve said it.

“Fuckin’ right,” he replies. He nibbles my neck, bites my ear.

It’s too much, his hands gripping my ass as he syncs our movements. Our bodies so close I feel one with him. And his groin against my clit, his pubic hair rough against it. “Oh god,” I whimper as I speed up. I hear myself, the small cries mingled with my heavy breaths, getting louder as I get closer.

“You gonna come, babe?” he says, his hot breath brushing my ear.

“Yes!” I cry. “Yes!” Every nerve in my body lights up and for a moment I think I black out.

He keeps pumping and every time he brushes my clit, more tremors race through me. “More,” I say as I ride him harder. I come again, a smaller one, less intense, but immensely satisfying.

“That’s the one,” Red says as his breathing deepens. He drives harder into me. “Fuck!” he shouts as he comes.

I’m exhausted afterward, laying against his chest, almost asleep. He strokes my hair, tries to run his fingers through it, curses when they get tangled. “Let’s go to bed,” He says as he stands, him still inside me, my legs and arms wrapped around him.

“You’re very strong,” I murmur as he carries me up the stairs.

“You’re very light,” he replies.

Man, he sure knows the right words to say to a girl.

In the morning, he wakes me up with a kiss. He’s standing over me, fully dressed. “I gotta go, darlin’.”

“What time is it?” I say groggily.

“Just a bit after five.”

“After five!” I exclaim. I almost knock him over as I jump out of bed. “I have practice at six.”

“You got time.”

“I know, but I need to run before I go. Loosen up.”

I’m heading to the bathroom to take a quick shower, when he says, “In the dark?” It’s flat, a little angry.

“Yeah. In the dark.” I don’t have time for the challenge in his tone. “I gotta run. It’s what I do. And no self-respecting mugger is up at this hour anyway.”

“I don’t like it.”

“I don’t like you carrying a gun, but there it is.”

“Not the same.”

“I agree. My thing is less insane.”

He cocks his head. “Stella, don’t fuck with me. It ain’t gonna happen. I’m not lettin’ you run in the dark by yourself.”

“Then you’re gonna have to start running with me, because this is what I do.” I walk into the bathroom. “I gotta get dressed and you’ve gotta split. We’ll talk about this later.”

He looms over me. “You’re not fuckin’ in charge here.”

A week ago, maybe even a couple days ago, I would have rolled over and let him have his way. But Basketball is my jam. I’ve neglected it enough, but this time there’s no crisis. No reason not to be at practice warmed up and ready to go. I say, “Neither are you, Lachlan! Relationships don’t work that way. We discuss, decide, find alternatives.”

“No. This is non-negotiable,” he replies aggressively. “No running this early in the morning. Not ever.”

I stare at him. “My dad would never strong arm my mom.”

“Of course he wouldn’t. She’d try to kill him in his sleep.”

“And I’m not like that?” We are so off-topic. “You think I’ll do as you command? Because I’m malleable?”

“I don’t think anything like that. I think you should do as I say because I know what’s out there. It’s not fuckin’ safe.”

“Is that what your dad said to your mother to control her? Is that the role model you’re gonna base your behavior on?”

I know I’ve stepped over the line even as the words spill out of my mouth.

He clenches his fists and steps back. “Is that what you think of me? That I could be like my dad? That I would ever abuse you?”

I shake my head. “No. I’m sorry. I don’t think that. I don’t know why I said it.”

“Fuck it,” he says as he stomps away from me. “Do what you fuckin’ want.” I flinch as the front door slams so hard, it rattles the house.

I cry while I run, then when I get to practice, both Lexie and Selma see my face.

“What’s wrong?” Selma demands. I think about the conversation I had with Lachlan last night. He’s right. I can’t keep the kind of secrets he wants me to keep. Not from my sister and my best friend.

“Lachlan and I had a fight. No big deal. We’ll figure it out.” I lace up my high-tops and head to court.

After practice, I’m tired, sore, and still dejected. I ditch Lexie and Selma and hurry to my class, where I half-pay attention for the hour. As I head to my next class, the phone rings. It’s dad.

“Good news, Stella. The injunction went through. Another hearing’s been set up for Monday of next week. In the meantime, Lachlan keeps Sorcha.”

I forget about the fight. Forget how horrible I’m feeling. “Oh god, dad. I love you. I love you. I’m gonna kiss you when I get home.”

He laughs. “Tell the boyfriend, will you? I’m knee-deep in work.”

“I will totally tell the boyfriend.”

I call Lachlan as I run to my car. I don’t care that I have a class. There are more important things than a degree right now. We get to keep Sorcha for another week!

My call goes to voicemail. “Lachlan, it’s Stella. Call me back.” After I hang up, I realize that I should’ve told him, but then again, I want to tell him in person. Make him smile again. Make him forgive me. Or me him. Or whatever.

I head to mom’s to get Sorcha. I can take her out now that she’s not going to get snatched by family services. She’s not there and neither is mom, but there’s a note that says, ‘Sorcha’s with me at the office. Come and get her when you can. XX OO’ and then a scrawly happy face clearly crafted by Sorcha. It makes my heart go fuzzy. It makes me smile.

On the way over, I think of my mom. What she’s done for me, for Lachlan. Even taking Sorcha to her office. She really is a wonderful woman. I decide to make a grand gesture after this is over. She needs to know how much I love her.

When I get to the office, Jemma, the receptionist greets me. Sorcha is sitting beside her in front of another computer pounding on the keys. When she sees me, she jumps up and runs to me. “The gramma cleaned my teeth.” She looks like an evil clown as she widens her lips to show me.

“They’re so sparkly,” Jemma says.

“Yes they are! Mom around?”

“In with a client. Dental surgery.”

“Okay. Tell her Sorcha and I went shopping and after, we’ll head home.” I bundle Sorcha into her pink parka.

“Will do,” Jemma says, then turns to Sorcha. “Nice meeting you. I hope we get to see each other soon.”

“Maybe,” Sorcha says dismissively.

I shrug my shoulders as Jemma smiles.

Sorcha and I get ice cream first and talk about the plan for the day. After I wipe the ice cream off her parka, make her wash her hands and face, let her go pee, then insist she wash her hands again as she protests, we hit the streets.

As we walk down the sidewalk, Sorcha says, “Why do I get to go out with you now when I couldn’t before?”

How do you explain the complicated world to a five-year-old. “Because we’re allowed now.” It reminds me I need to call Lachlan again, tell him the good news.

“I gotta make a call, sweetie,” I say. “Just be a minute.”

“Okay.” She points at a nearby gift shop. “Can I go look in the window?”

“Sure you can, but no further.”

I dial Lachlan and this time he answers. “Yeah,” he says, his voice still cool.

I swallow. Now’s not the time for a serious discussion. “Good news,” I tell him as I watch a couple of men cross the street and approach Sorcha. I forget that I’m on the phone with Red.

“Stella. Where’d you go?”

“Just a sec.” I put the phone in my pocket and walk towards them. The pervs are talking to Sorcha.

“What’s going on?” I say in a hostile voice. Two strange men approaching a little girl. They should know better.

The taller man turns to me. “You’re Stella, aren’t you? Red’s girlfriend.” He crouches down and touches Sorcha on her arm. “And you’re the little sister.”

Sorcha nods as she tries to hide her face in my coat. “Is Lachlan coming?” she asks in a high muffled voice. She knows something’s off.

The other guy crowds into me. “Later.” I feel the hardness of what can only be a gun pushing into my ribs. “We’re going for a walk,” he says quietly. “You and the pretty little girl. You take her hand and stay next to me or she’ll get hurt.”

Fear floods me. I have to protect Sorcha, I have to find a way to make sure she’s safe. I have to find a way to let Lachlan know what’s happening. The phone’s still on, I realize, but I can’t keep it on me because they’ll search me unless they’re complete idiots.

I crouch down and slide the phone into Sorcha’s pocket as I tug on her coat collar pretending I’m straightening it. “We’re gonna go with these nice men. They’re friends with Lachlan. He’s gonna meet us there.”

“Where?”

I look up at the tall guy. “Where?”

“You’ll know when you get there.”

Bless the beasts and the children as Sorcha’s lip start to quiver. “We were gonna go shopping. Is it a store?” Her whine is reaching a crescendo.

“You better tell her where or she’s gonna blow.”

The man with the gun grunts. “To a hotel, it has lots of stores.”

Not mollified, she asks, “What kind of stores?”

“This is bullshit,” gunman says. “Leave the kid, take the girlfriend.”

“Shut her up,” the other guy says to me. He’s shorter, more compact and smells like he ate garlic for lunch. To gunman, he adds. “The girlfriend’s expendable. The kid isn’t. Let’s get moving.”

“We can’t leave her behind. Not alive. And we need her to babysit the brat.”

Chills go through me as I think about the future. All the things I have yet to do. All the people who would miss me. I need to find a way out of this. For me, for Sorcha, for Lachlan. “C’mon. Let’s see what kind of stores the hotel has.” I grasp her little hand in mine and we walk down the sidewalk sandwiched between the two men.