Chapter 21 – James

I got rid of Eugene Carter as soon as I could after our business was concluded. He might be on my side now, but I still don’t like him, and I sure as hell don’t trust him. The only reason I’m going through with this deal is because I know he won’t double-cross me while he’s getting so much out of it. Once it’s done, I’ll get Hendy to iron-clad my end of it, make sure Eugene doesn’t start to think he might be able to tip the cards in his favor.

My truck wheel spins as I pull out of my driveway onto the road heading into town. I’m desperate to see Everly and tell her the good news that, in a few days’ time, Trenton Investments will pull out of the Port Hope development for good. Of course, there’s nothing to stop another company using their work to apply for their own planning permission, but it gives her some breathing space to organize her data so she can make sure the sharks are protected permanently.

When I reach the Merryfield Bed and Breakfast, I leave the car to idle at the side of the road and head right in. I’m planning to take Everly straight out to dinner, discuss the deal I just made and where we go from here. I don’t know how this is going to proceed, but I’m not sure I can stand a day without her.

“You just missed her.” Rita, the owner of the Merryfield, looks at me over the top of her glasses. “Left here ten minutes ago.”

I flash her my best smile, but she doesn’t return it. I swear Rita should have been the headmistress of the school; she’s wasted in the bed-and-breakfast trade. “Do you know where she was going?”

“Yes.”

I wait for a moment, but it’s clear there’s no more information on its way. “Would you tell me?”

“I don’t like that girl. She’s common.”

“Common?”

“Common. First night she’s here, I get complaints about moaning and squeaking bedsprings coming from her room at all hours of the night.” The image of bedsprings actually coming from her room is amusing, but I don’t let it show. This isn’t the time. “Then last night, she didn’t even sleep here. No doubt seeing her fancy man.” Rita eyes me suspiciously.

“Can you tell me where she went? I really need to know.”

“Airport.”

“Sorry?” It doesn’t make any sense. Everly wouldn’t go to the airport, not without dropping in on me first.

“She comes back here, collects her things in a terrible hurry, then pays for her room, and she’s off. I ask where she’s going, she says the airport.”

“Wait, where had she been? Before that, I mean?”

Rita shrugs. “Do I look like her jailer? I don’t bloody know where she’d been. All I know is she looked upset, on the verge of tears.” She points the end of her pen at me. “Scared! That’s how she looked. Terrified.”

I barely hear the end of her sentence because I’m already out of the door and jumping into my truck.

Once I hit the road out of town, I put my foot down, and the truck jumps forward, tearing up the miles. I have to catch up with her. I have to find out what’s going on. There’s no way I’m going to lose her now.

What the fuck is going on, I have no idea, but I’m not going to waste any time in finding out.

I dial her number on the hands-free kit, but she sends the call to her messaging service. Frustrated, I punch the phone and send it flying across the inside of the car. What the fuck? What the absolute fuck?

Somebody has done something to her. It’s the only explanation. She’s scared, she’s running, maybe she doesn’t want me dragged into it.

Well, no way. No fucking way. I’m not going to let that shit fly.

Turning a corner, I see a taxi on the road ahead, and I’m sure it must be her. I even think I glimpse the back of her head through the windshield.

“Hold on, baby,” I whisper to the truck as I swerve out into the oncoming lane, taking a blind corner at seventy-five miles an hour, praying to every god I know the name of that nothing will be coming the other way.

The cab driver blares his horn as I sweep in front of him, and I see his arms wave violently, but I don’t care. I apply the brakes as gently as my thundering heart will let me, slowing the truck and forcing the cab to stop along with me.

As I jump out of the truck, I hear the electronic hum of the cab driver’s window being wound down.

“What the fuck, buddy? Are you trying to get us all killed?”

I ignore him, sprinting for the back door.

“Hey, hey, what do you think you’re doing?”

The door handle clunks ineffectually, the cab locked from the inside, and then I hear her voice.

“Go away. Leave me alone, or I’ll call the police.”

“Don’t bother.” I hear the driver’s voice, but it sounds distant inside my head. “I’m already calling them.”

“Everly, what the fuck is going on? Why are you leaving? Why won’t you talk to me? Please, tell me what’s happening here. I thought we had something.”

“You thought we had something! I thought this was something special, not just a way for you to get your kicks while you strung me along. Is that all I was to you? An easy fuck?”

“What are you talking about?” I try the handle again, pointlessly. “None of this is making any sense.”

“Yeah.” The driver leans out of his window. “I have some asshole here who nearly ran me right off the road. Out on highway—hey!”

I grab his phone out of his hand and throw it into the dirt, stomping on it for good measure.

“That was my phone!”

I ignore him, kneeling next to the rear door, trying to see Everly through the privacy glass. “Everly, please. I don’t know what you think—”

“I know, James. I know all about you and Trenton Investments. I saw you with the bald man. Yeah, that’s right, you thought you were being so clever, didn’t you? But I came out there to see you. I thought I was in love. What an idiot.”

“The bald man?” She’s not making any sense. Then it hits me. “Eugene Carter?”

“I don’t know his name!” She screams the words, and I suddenly see her face on the other side of the glass as she comes closer. “I lost my fucking virginity to you, you sleaze. I thought you were different. I thought I could trust you.” Even through the tinted window, I can see the tears running down her face. If anyone else had caused her to get this upset, I’d kill them. I’d tear them limb from limb. But somehow, I did this, and my mind is reeling as the pieces start to fall into place.

“Everly, it’s not what you think. I was going to tell you. I did it for you.”

“Did it for me? How is any of this for me?”

“I didn’t even know Eugene until a few hours ago. My agent, Bill Hendy, put me in touch with him. He works for Trenton Investments, that’s true, but I don’t. I never have. The only reason I met with Eugene was because of you, of how much you want to stop the development here. I swear, I’ve never met anyone from Trenton Investments or had anything to do with them, and I’d die before I ever betrayed you.”

“Do you really expect me to believe that? If that were true, then where does a fisherman get the kind of money you’ve clearly got? That piece of land you have back there, it must be a hundred acres. There’s no way you can afford that on the money you’re earning.”

“It’s seventy acres, and I bought it a couple of years ago. You can ask my mom. And you can look at my investment portfolio, too. You’ll find all that money is accounted for, every cent. I earned it fair and square. My fishing business does well, but I also invest that money. Bill Hendy helps me. I own a small share in most of the businesses in Port Hope, a few in other towns around here too.” I realize I can prove it, right here and right now. “Wait here,” I say, turning and running to my truck.

A few moments later, I return with my phone, a bit scratched up from the beating it just took but still working. I dial Hendy’s number and put him on speakerphone.

“Bill, hi.”

“Glad to hear your voice, James. I was a bit worried the next time I’d see you would be when I read your eulogy—”

“Bill, shut the fuck up. I have a friend here. I’d like you to tell her about the sawmill. The Pollacks’ sawmill.”

“What about it?”

“Tell her about the sale.”

“Er... Six hundred and thirteen thousand.”

Everly’s window winds down, just a crack, and I see her eyes peering over the top of it. “Six hundred and thirteen thousand what?”

“Dollars,” Hendy says, sounding confused.

“But what does that mean?”

“I’m sorry... What does what mean?”

I want to scream, but I have to stay calm. She has to hear this from Hendy, not from me.

“What was the six hundred and thirteen thousand dollars for?”

“Is this a trick question? The sawmill. James bought it for six hundred and thirteen thousand dollars. We took the money from the investment account, so that it wouldn’t jeopardize any of the other businesses. Look, lady, what’s this about?”

Her window winds down a little more, and she meets my eyes. “Other businesses?”

I put the phone to my ear, satisfied. “Thanks, Bill. I’ll call you later to discuss everything that’s happened.” Brushing the side of her face with my fingers, I say, “Now can we talk?”

***

The cab driver flips me the bird as he turns his car around and heads back in the other direction, and I can’t say I blame him. I paid him enough to get a new phone, and a healthy tip on top of that to make up for what he went through, but I don’t think we’re going to be going out for drinks anytime soon.

“So, tell me about Eugene Carter,” Everly says as she sits in the passenger seat of my truck as we sit in the parking lot down by the marina.  I’m in the back corner where it’s quiet and we won’t be fucking interrupted.

Her face is still damp from the tears, but she’s looking calmer now, and I don’t think she’s about to run out on me.

The light green skirt hits her mid-thigh, and even in her agitated state, I note the way her nipples are pebbles against the button-up white cotton shirt.

“Bill Hendy—the man you spoke to on the phone—had been looking into Trenton Investments for me. After I went to dinner with you, I decided it would be a good idea to find out everything I could about them. Eugene Carter contacted Hendy and warned him off, but not before Hendy had found out about Trenton’s share prices. It turned out there were some serious discrepancies in the value they were trading at.”

“Who exactly is Bill Hendy? What does he do for you?”

“He used to be a lawyer, the best of the best, but he’s had a bit of a rough time of it. He doesn’t practice law anymore, not officially, but that doesn’t stop him from being my business advisor and agent. Hendy looks after all of my business interests.”

“And just how many business interests do you have? You said something about all the businesses in Port Hope...”

I shake my head. “No, not all of them. Most, though. With Hendy’s help, I have a healthy portfolio. I already told you I don’t fish like most of the others. That’s true. I bring in catches that sell for much higher prices, and I invest a lot of that money.”

“And Trenton?”

“Like I said, their shares are trading at odd values. It would be difficult to prove that there was anything amiss though, and the likelihood is that even if they could be brought to book, it would just mean the business would close. A lot of people would lose their jobs, and the main culprits would just do the same thing again under a new name.”

“So how does Eugene Carter figure into this? I’m still confused.”

“Eugene is a nasty piece of work. You don’t want to cross him. But in the end, he’s a businessman. I offered him a forty-percent share in Trenton Investments, and full control of the day-to-day running of the business if he wants it, if he helped me to secure its share purchase at a fair price, not the overinflated price they were officially advertising.”

“And he was happy to do that?” She narrows her eyes. It’s clear she doesn’t understand what men like Eugene will do if they see a profit in it for themselves.

“Trenton is worth billions. I effectively paid him off with a private jet and an island in the Bahamas. Yes, he’s heading to meet with their board members right now. I expect I’ll get a phone call in the next few days.”

“So you’ll own Trenton Investments...” Her eyes light up. “You could stop them from developing Port Hope!”

“That’s the plan. And once your research is published, nobody else will be able to touch that shark breeding ground again—”

She cuts me off as she twists around in her seat, pressing her lips against mine. The kiss lasts for what seems like a week, then she breaks it and looks into my eyes. “I’m sorry I doubted you.”

“I would never do anything to hurt you, Everly.”

She nods. “I know that now. I was coming to see you—when I saw you with Eugene. I was going to tell you about the university.”

“What did they say?”

She scoots herself across the seat, straddling my lap and throwing her arms around my neck. My cock jumps to attention, and she grinds against it, grinning. “Am I doing good?”

“I’ll let you continue, for now,” I say, easily taking more control. If that’s what she wants, that’s what she will get. “Tell me about the university.”

“They want me to go back to Texas, complete my research. They’ve as good as offered me a fellowship.”

“That’s great news.”

“But I can’t be away from you.”

“You won’t have to be.” I smile. Everything is falling into place. “I wanted to go to Texas anyway. There’s a surgeon there who thinks he can help my mom, get her walking again. After that, we’ll just have to see where we are. But I will never let you get away from me again. I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth if I have to.”

She leans forward and kisses my neck, sinking her teeth in playfully. Okay, if this is what she wants, right here and right now, then let’s do it.

I take her by the hair in an instant, gripping hard, tight. Nothing soft right now. She’s awoken the beast. He’s alive and willing now; taking, not asking.

I shift my seat back and down, giving us just enough room as Everly’s eyes widen at the change in me.

I pull her mouth to mine, my tongue darting between her lips, pushing hers out of the way as my other hand grabs the top of her shirt and I tug hard, popping the top three buttons, then moving my hand downward for another jerk to open it freely.

I break our kiss, taking her magnificent tits out of her bra and squeezing them, burying my face in that beautiful crease, breathing her in.

After a long, low inhale, I turn my head. Taking one nipple deep into my mouth, then between my teeth, I grin and relax as she yelps and grinds her open legs down onto my painful hard-on.

I grunt into her flesh, moving to the other side and reaching down under her skirt until I feel the soft flesh of her uncovered smooth pussy.

I release her from my mouth, tugging back on her hair.

“No panties? You were running from me with no fucking panties on?” I growl.

She tries to swallow and gasp, her eyes wide, darting, but I pull her head farther back, and her hands fly out to the sides, flailing for something to grab on to, but there’s nothing. I’ve got her tight, and I’m not releasing her. Her palms settle on my upper arms as my heart speeds in my chest. Thinking of her showing herself, even by accident, to anyone but me has me ready to tear flesh.

“I was so mad,” she bleats, her answer strained from the angle of her neck. “I threw on the clothes, and I completely forgot about panties. By the time I was out the door, I realized, but it was too late. The cab was there.”

“From now on, every fucking day, it will be me who decides what covers or doesn’t cover this cunt. You understand?”

I lick a line from the base of her neck to just under her ear as my fingers rub in a slow circle around her clit. The wetness gathers there immediately, and it sends me into a frenzy.

“Yes,” she chokes out.

“Scoot your ass so I can get my fingers in there. Then it’s going to be my cock. You’re going to ride me hard until we both come, angel. It’s your job to take care of me, and in turn, I will take care of you, one hundredfold.”

She shifts her hips on a moan, and I slide my middle two fingers lower then curve them upward into her already drenched opening.

“God,” I seethe into her ear. “You being wet for me will never fucking get old. It’s my kryptonite.”

She tries to laugh, but I cut it off, fingering her quickly until she’s on the edge. Her hands pinch and try to grip my upper arms as I lick and bite her neck, her hair still in my death grip.

Her body is immobilized, caught where I connect with her. I own her, driving her need as her orgasm builds then topples over into a shaking scream.

As she comes down, I bring both my hands to my jeans.

“Lift that ass. I need to be inside you, and I need my cock out before you break the poor fuck.”

I jerk and tug until my length springs free. Then I shift my body roughly, managing to grab my knife out of the scabbard on my hip, bringing it quickly up and holding the waist of her skirt out from her skin.

“Wait! I like this skirt...”

“I’ll buy you new clothes,” I grunt as I cut off the offending fabric tossing it to the floor of the car, discarded, unnecessary.

“Now reach down here and put my cock inside you like a good girl. Take care of me, angel. I need you. I love you. But you will do as I say.”

Her hands are on me in a blink, guiding my thick, painful erection up into her dripping heat.

As she lowers herself onto my cock, we let out a collective moan, freezing as she gobbles up every inch and then stills herself with me inside her, reaching to the limit, her grin knowing how it tortures me.

“Open yourself up. I want that clit against me. Pull your lips apart and lean into me.”

Slowly, torturously, she does as I say, enjoying her moment in control, and I feel her body gush wetness around my shaft at my words.

Her eyes are half-lidded but lit with a fire from behind.

“Fuck me,” she mutters as though she’s just awakened from a beautiful dream, and I don’t hesitate to obey.

My hands return to those lush hips, pushing and pulling, slipping my cock in and out and grinding her clit into my lower abs.

“Look at me,” I order.

Her eyelashes blink, then she’s locked on to me. Such a beautiful sight, I nearly explode inside her at the connection.

“You gonna come?”

She whimpers, and I feel her effort to hold this moment, to make it stretch into an eternity. I let her have that, taking control with my hands on her hips, moving her faster and faster. Harder and harder. Grinding against me until I’m barely holding on.

Her hips open wider, giving me more of her, and she lowers her face. Her breath is warm, coming fast as I kiss her hard. Taking her mouth the way my cock takes her body. My tongue going deep and full, our passion explodes, and she shudders before screaming into my mouth.

My own primal roar carries into our kiss. Her cunt grabs on to the base of my exploding dick, milking me for the longest orgasm I can ever remember.

I fill her with shots of semen, and I feel in my soul somehow, I’ve taken what I truly want. All of her. My seed finds a home in her womb, and the bond we have is set.

We clutch at each other while the spasms and euphoria break over us. When we finally come down, our lips are still together. Our breath moves between us, binding us, flavoring the air with our sex. Our arms entangled still, the combination of our release soaking our flesh along with the seat below.