I kiss her, hard and deep, and move my body over hers, relishing in her breathy moans. Making love to Ellie, is out of this world, and the way she clutches me makes me a feel like a man a million times over. Like I’m her protector, like I’m everything that makes her world right. Her fingers glide down my arms, her back arches, and her breasts press against my chest.

Like this, Ellie is even more beautiful.

Closing my eyes, I tip my own head back and moan as I cum, deep inside her, my body shaking, everything tightening. The sounds of her moans fading out from her orgasm, make mine all the more pleasurable. I lower my head and my mouth finds her forehead. I kiss her, softly, and then her eyes flutter open and hold mine.

“I’ve heard other girls talking about sex,” she says softly. “But I never thought it would be this incredible. With you, it’s like all my dreams have come true. I don’t know how anyone could make my body feel that good, but you do.”

I grin down at her. “That’s because I want to make your body feel good, I want to make you feel good, because seeing you feel good, makes me feel fuckin’ amazing.”

She smiles, her cheeks rosy pink, and reaches up, running her hands through my hair. “Do we have to go home tonight?” she pouts.

“Yeah, honey,” I murmur, rolling off her and pulling her into my arms.

Her naked body is warm, and pressing against me, it makes my dick stir again. I want her so damned much. More than I’ve ever wanted a single thing in my entire life.

We’ve been away for the last two nights. A secluded cabin in the woods, just me and her, making love, hiking, swimming, drinking beer by the fire. It’s been the best few nights of my life, and I never want to leave. Because leaving means facing reality, and I don’t want to fuckin’ face reality.

Reality is dangerous.

Reality could take me away from the one person that keeps me grounded.

But it’s the only way to save my family.

“I love it here,” she says, turning so she can look into my eyes. “I don’t think I would ever forget this place. It feels like it’s burned into my brain, like it’s the backdrop, and I can see it every day. That’s a nice feeling, because I don’t ever want to forget these moments with you.”

“Memories, baby, the beauty of them is they last a lifetime.”

She nods, and then rolls out of bed, taking that gorgeous ass across the room to get dressed. Once she’s done, she turns to me, “We’re going to take a shower, have breakfast, and go and make love in the stream again today. Okay?”

I grin at her. “You had me at take a shower.”

She rolls her eyes, but her cheeks are rosy red, and her eyes are light, and I know she’s happy. I can see it, I can feel it, it radiates off her.

“I’ll meet you in there, I’m just going to get the coffee ready for when we get out.”

She disappears, and I get out of bed. I’m about to pull on a pair of pants and go and check the firewood, when my phone rings. I stare over at it, and then sigh, going over and picking it up. I would have turned it off and left it behind, but I can’t have that luxury, not now I owe my time to some asshole that is going to make sure he gets every ounce of it.

I stare at the number, and my chest sinks. It’s him. I swear to God, deep down I knew it was.

I exhale, rub my hand down my face, and then answer it.

“Didn’t know if you’d pick up,” he mutters, his voice shallow, and empty. No doubt just like him.

“Said I’d do what you needed to clear our names, and I am a man of my word. Hope you’re a man of yours.”

Lincoln’s warning rings in my head. Nobody ever walks free.

Have I made an ugly situation, fuckin’ hideous?

“Of course I am,” he growls. “We have a deal, that deal stands. I have a job for you. Delivering goods for me. I need you here in two hours.”

Fuck.

Fuck.

“Where?” I say, my voice strained.

He gives me an address, and mutters, “Don’t be late, Slater.”

I hang up and stare down at the phone, frustrated. I have to cut my trip with Ellie short, which is going to hurt her, and I don’t want to fuckin’ hurt her. But I have to follow through with this, for all our sakes. I turn just as Ellie’s stepping into the room, she smiles at me, but it quickly drops when she sees my face.

“What is it?”

“I’m goin’ to have to cut our trip short, baby. Gotta work, emergency. They can’t get anyone else in.”

She frowns, “Oh. Oh, of course, that’s okay.”

I walk over, grabbing her and pulling her into my arms. “Sorry, darlin’. But I promise you, I’ll make it up to you.”

She squeezes me. “Slater, it’s okay. We’ve had a wonderful two days, I’m happy.”

I squeeze her even tighter, because where the fuck would I be without her?

We enjoy our coffee before packing up and heading home. I drop her off, kiss her long and fuckin’ hard, and then tell her I’ll call her later before disappearing to the house I’ve been directed to. When I arrive, I’m met out the front, clearly not trusted enough to go inside of the old, run down, red brick home. Walter, or whatever the fuck his real name is, comes out with a slip of paper. He looks left, then right, and then his eyes scan my car.

Did the fucker think I’d bring someone?

When he’s satisfied, he finally looks to me.

“I’m not here to cause a problem,” I mutter. “Here to do exactly what I said I’d do. I don’t have anyone with me.”

He stares at me, those eyes almost penetrating. “Yeah, well, had to check. Here is the address you’ll be picking up from,” he hands me the slip of paper. “They know you’re coming. They’ll give you details on where to deliver it. Needs to be there before midnight, or we’ll have some serious fuckin’ troubles. You think you can manage that?”

I nod, taking the piece of paper and shoving it in my jeans. “Anything else?”

“Bring the cash directly to me. This job will earn you back ten percent of what Lincoln owes me. Do it well, I might make that fifteen. We clear?”

“Clear.”

I turn and walk to the truck, not looking back.

I’ll give them as little as I can.

The least they know about me the better.

This is a dangerous game I’m playing, and the only way I’m going to get out of it unscathed, is to be precise about everything I’m done.

The deliveries.

The picking up.

The cash handling.

All of it. If I don’t get it right, my whole family will suffer, starting with Lincoln.

And then I’ll have to live with that devil on my shoulder.

And I’ve had enough of that little bastard.

So, I have to do it right.