Tears form in my eyes more than once during today. Gran’s stories move me to tears, listening to her upbringing and the life of my mother before I knew her. Such a different lady from the picture painted before me by her mother. Catching up on twenty-five years’ worth of stories keeps our mouths moving, the butler serving us more tea and delicacies than I can ever remember having before and a smile that threatens to tear my face in two for most of the day.
Hours fly past and the sun behind the overcast skies starts delving lower toward the sea. Fleetingly, I thought about Alex when Grandmother spoke about my grandfather and their undying love for one another. Sounding similar to the connection Alex and I have. Every part of ourselves is for each other. Our love, our bodies, our kisses, and our minds.
We will be together… I’m more certain of that now more than ever.
Men, including the one who took me from Alex’s farmhouse, interrupt our reminiscing. I listen, taking in words that trouble me.
Grandmother is informed a meeting had been scheduled for late tonight before she goes home, back to England in her jet. The guy who manhandled me yesterday smiles at me today, chatting to Gran as though she was the queen. The respect they have for her is noticeable and genuine. Her grace and poise are remarkable. The authority she conveys makes me sit up straight and listen to every word she says.
The men are to get ready. They know their target and it is to happen tonight. Firing instructions at them, the last thing I remember hearing was about ‘clean-up.’ To make sure nothing remained. That nothing could be traced to them or Stefano.
Holy hell… Could it be Alex’s Stefano? No way… There’s no connection… Is there?
Excusing myself then, Gran smiles and tells me there’s some new clothes that William had brought up from downstairs for me to wear in the spare room.
Sounds perfect. I need a shower.
The hot water cascades over my tired body. Exhaustion finally kicks in. With limited energy, I soap up the citrus smelling soap. I think of Alex. Washing my hair, thoughts run to how Alex must be tearing his hair out trying to find me. All while I’ve been living it up in the Park Royal Penthouse. Turning the taps off fast, I need to get a message to Alex. I need to let him know I’m safe.
The white fluffy towel wraps around my body almost twice. The bag of clothes sits near the bed. Pulling out a simple white blouse and black skirt, I put the underwear on and clothe quickly. Sitting on the bed, I clasp my head in my hands. How do I get a message to Alex? Who can I call?
Right… Jules…
Would Sokolov be watching her? Possibly not. He would have no need too.
Reaching for the phone handset, I try dialing out. There’s no dial tone. Pressing the receiver with my finger up and down, up…down…up…down. Still silence.
Lying back on the lush bed, I let my eyes drift closed for a second to help me think…
The taste of the ripe strawberry leaves a sweet tang in my mouth. The pile of fruit Alex has stacked for my birthday breakfast has quickly disappeared. Blowing out the candle, I wished for simply this… Alex and me together, but without complications and with freedom. I don’t need anything else.
A protector.
A lover.
Someone who loves all of me, for me.
A partner.
Is everything I need.
Alex is that man.
Sliding the last strawberry over my chest, circling my nipples with the cool flesh, following the trail with his tongue, I quickly insert a lover with expert sexual skills into my wish. Oh by gosh he drives me wild with sexual need. The mere touch of his skin on my skin sends an untamed delirium throughout the entire cells in my body. The reaction each time to his touch is something I cannot control.
The strawberry and tongue continue trailing downward. Hands latch around my knees, pushing them up, widening them at the same time. He slips his entire body in front of mine, biting into the strawberry, letting the juices run down my belly button to my sensitive core. Blond messed up hair is between my legs. Oh fuck… My knees relax further to the side with the precise lapping of my jewel. A fixed grip around my ass holds me to Alex. My legs spasm uncontrollably, and my hips flex, taking me closer to the friction I so desperately crave.
Holy crap, Alex spoils me rotten, giving my body intense passion and pleasure. Even if it does drive my senses ridiculously crazy. Inserting two fingers is all it takes to catapult me to my nirvana. Strangling his fingers, Alex prises them out, replacing them triumphantly with his rock hard cock. There was no way he was going to miss out again… Kneeling, ramming forcefully his length into my slippery core, the angle he lifts my ass certifies his tip strikes my sensitive spot over and over again impeccably. Harsh and fast, Alex pumps in and out. I’m still floating somewhere from the orgasm minutes before, yet the building of another one is tingling within. I can’t help my inside’s tight grasp around Alex’s long, thick dick. Spiraling again, Alex holds my ass up, smacking with force into me, again and again. My arms are out behind me, locked at the elbows to support my weight and the force. Arching my back, my tits push forward as Alex rams me one last time, roaring my name. Digging his fingers into my ass, jerking back and forth with such unrestrainable fury and brute strength a few more times, Alex slows.
Being held up only by his hands, my wafting, languid body slips into another peaceful sleep. Covered by my man.
My wish came true…
“Wake up, Isla.” Soft fingers touch my shoulder. “It’s time to go, my darling granddaughter. It’s time for me to go back home and you to start your new life.”
My hands swipe my eyes, helping them to open. My grandmother’s face is smiling gently at me.
“You had a little nap, Isla.”
Did I? I know I was trying to work out how to reach Jules. Shaking my head, trying to wake up enough to register what’s happening, I sit up.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I just laid down for a second I thought.” Stretching my legs and arms, “I wanted to give you privacy so I took a shower, then wanted to see if I could contact Jules, but the phone wouldn’t work.” Saddened that I have missed the last hours with my Grandmother, I stand up, hugging her immediately. “I wish you didn’t have to go. But I understand.”
“You will visit me soon, Isla. That handsome man of yours will make sure of it.”
Has she met Alex?
Not wanting to question her with the small amount of time left, I kiss her cheek and she kisses my forehead.
“We need to get going.” Holding my hand, she leads me out like she would her little two-year-old granddaughter. “I love you, Isla, and remember, tonight, when I tell you go, no questions, just do as I say. Everything will work out.”
Unsure of what she means, I nod and follow her and William.
Down the elevator to the basement, it looks as though we are going for a ride in the same car I was brought here in.
My lungs expand with a full breath of air.
The door beeps open. Hopefully this journey takes me back to Alex. For longer than a day. Is forever too much to ask for…?
Spots of light rain run down my face. Five of us walk close to the building, shielded by the shadows. Staking out the building for over two hours, we had watched to see if men had been placed around the exterior of the building, but we hadn’t seen any. Sokolov’s men were with him, Gambril’s family had all gone inside too, the only unknown factor was the last car who had stopped around the corner. Kolton and uncle had organized for shooters to be placed around the outer buildings to stop any unwanted bodies appearing or disappearing throughout the meeting.
Ear pieces in place, we let Kolton and the team know we are entering the building. Seth and Liam will be entering from the rear, Jared and myself through the front door, with Benito on watch out the front.
The element of surprise is on our side. With patience, we line ourselves up at the doorways ready to enter together.
As one… Protecting our brothers.
There’s no loud voices or shouting when I push the door open. Looking in front of me, a wide office space leads off into a corridor. The area is dark with a dim light shining from the righthand side of the hall way.
“Down your end, your left,” I whisper to Seth so he’s prepared to enter almost on top of the activity. Holding my gun, the tense muscles in my arm clamp tight around it. Finger ready on the trigger for anything unexpected.
Jared follows behind me, covering us that way. The voices get louder as we step further into the building.
“Eyes on Gambril and some of Sokolov’s men. Can’t see Dimitri,” Liam updates us.
One loud crack spirals through the rooms. My body jerks up straight, flat against the wall. My eyes search the dim walk space.
“Update?” Liam possibly saw something.
“One of Gambril’s men is down. Sokolov shot him after speaking some words I couldn’t make out.”
Fuck…
Regaining our step, we walk faster to the opening, spotting Liam and Seth before us, spying in an open large sliding white door.
Seth breathes in a muted tone. “There’s an opening over the other side. Can you get to it?”
Fast, Jared and I walk around, down a side passageway, hoping it links up with the open door Seth spotted.
“Not motherfucking happening, Gambril. That is my turf. My area. My drugs. You have no fucking claim to it.” Sokolov’s sitting at a black desk, pointing his gun toward the head of the Gambril family. There’s a body on the floor with blood pooling around him.
The calmness in Gambril’s eyes is unnerving. He wants this… An opportunity like this doesn’t come up often. Sitting opposite the Russian, he folds his arms while one of his men lies dead next to them.
“It will be mine after tonight, Sokolov. You either leave this area on your own terms. Or on ours… The information that we have on you will ruin you here and everywhere. Only choice you have is to leave. Now…” Stabbing him with his deathly stare, he keeps his eyes locked on Sokolov’s. “I give you my word, it won’t be revealed.”
Holy fuck… The information Kolton and Stefano passed to them must be fucking gold.
Standing abruptly, everyone’s quick to their feet. “I fucking own this town.” Sokolov’s face is bright red. If there was steam coming from his ears, it wouldn’t surprise me. The gun is shaking in his hand with the wrath rushing through his veins. The composed, solid veneer of Sokolov is cracking subtly. “You won’t be alive long enough to tell a single person.” A sneer surfaces on his face.
Both men stand solidly on the spot. Guns ready to blast if there is the slightest signal given. “You’re stupider than I thought. If I die, there’s a plan in place for every bit of information to be leaked. Tonight.”
Jared’s body hits mine, making me stumble. There’s a thud against the wall. The two unknown men that we saw enter earlier swipe us effectively out of the way, aiming a silencer into the open room.
“Fuck. Seth, Liam… Out now.” I stand my ground to witness what’s happening. Who the hell are these guys with?
“What the fuck’s going on?” Liam’s urgent voice snaps.
“Get out now. Both of you.” Commotion breaks loose. Gun fire, men throwing themselves in the path of Gambril and Sokolov, trying to protect the heads of the families. Knowing I have to end this now with Sokolov, I watch where he is, walking toward him marginally for a better shot. I aim my gun at him. There’s someone in front of him, but it’s then I see the dark pits of his eyes and he sees mine. Struggling to release himself from his security’s hold and pulling in the opposite direction they are trying unsuccessfully to pull him in, his eyes confirm he understands. Everything…
In a blink of an eye, he knows I have staked my claim on Isla, that we are behind this setup and that he didn’t see it coming. A thunderous expression plasters across his face. He launches himself from the men near him in my direction. Veins pop in his neck. The devil wants to destroy every living breath in my body.
The two dark dressed guys fire their arms throughout the room, targeted primarily at Sokolov. Having pushed us aside, we pose no threat to them apparently. I keep my gun trained on Sokolov, who is fast approaching me. Bullets are ricocheting off the metal exposed beams, causing an unknown effect.
A loud muffled voice howls in pain. A thud penetrates the floor. Could it be Sokolov? The large frame is down, encompassed by the other men. He has slowed, and I can’t see his face anymore. Looking around the room fast, Gambril, looks to be down and there are a few scattered bodies lying on the floor.
Fuck… I have to get us out of here… The two unknown men had silencers, but the others didn’t, and it has been loud. Sokolov’s down. “Out, now?” Nodding, we turn and make our way out the same way we came in.
Chest heaving, there’s thunder and lightning flashing rapidly around us, covering the gun fire. Our legs take us fast toward where we left Benito. My pocket vibrates. Not the time for a private phone call, but it fucking could be some info on Isla. Halting, I pull the phone from my back pocket. A message flashes up.
Two minutes. Meet me at Bridge and Cross Street.
Your present will be there waiting for you.
Present?
What the fuck does this message mean?
It’s only around the corner from where we are now. If it’s talking about Isla, we have to get there before anyone else does.
Reefing the door open, the others are already inside the running vehicle. Our clothes are damp from the rain and the guys are drying themselves and wiping their weapons down for any finger prints. Adrenaline still pumping through the veins, I dictate the message to them, pointing at Benito which direction to go…
The car passes the building entrance. There’s no sign of anyone else yet exiting the doorway. Benito navigates the car around the right corner where the mystery car is parked. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her…
Isla…