Ash to Steele (37 page)

   “I’m not asking you to be gentle, I’m asking you to trust me as much as I trust you.  You won’t hurt me; you won’t cross that line.”

  “I hope you’re right,” I groan, grabbing her waist.  My hands tremble as I hold her and I’ve never been more terrified in my life.  “You have to tell me if I hurt you,” I plead, knowing I should force her to leave, kick her out of the house and lock the door, but she’s weakened me just as much as she’s given me the strength to try.   

   Emma drops her hands, her eyes unwavering from mine, as she slips her shirt over her head. Her finger slides against my skin and it moves without friction on my sweat moistened chest, over the tattoo on my shoulder, down my arm.  She grabs my wrist and brings it to her mouth as her lips brush so lightly against my skin it feels like a whisper, and I shudder, needing her savagely, needing to rid this poison inside of me. 

   “Swear to me that you won’t let me hurt you!”

   “I don’t have to,” she states simply, crashing her mouth against mine, and I let go.

   I grab her jeans, yanking them off her as I tear the panties from her legs next.  She doesn’t flinch when my fingers wrap around her wrists, pinning her on the floor.  There’s no fear, no hint of uncertainty, as I rip my belt off, then my jeans, before dragging her towards me, pulling her legs apart, and taking one hard, deep thrust, pushing to the hilt inside of her.  Her eyes widen and lips part, gaping open, but she makes no sound, only arches her body towards me as I pump into her again, driving into her harder and faster with each thrust, as I unleash everything inside of me. 

   Emma grabs my neck, holding on tight as I drive into her recklessly.  I watch as she refuses to look away, not daring to lose that connection that I desperately need to prove that I won’t go too far.  Rage spills through my veins and I dig my fingers into her waist, holding her captive, as I pound into her.  Sweat rolls down my forehead, dripping off my nose onto her chest, as she presses her ankles into my back, pushing me to release the demons. Grunting from the exertion, I thrust furiously, bracing myself above her, pressing my hands viciously against the floor, as I thrash in and out of her.  Her body shelters me as the beast ravages.  Everything I’ve tried to hide rips through me, showing all my ugly demons, and she takes it all, her eyes shining salvation through the darkness inside, through the abhorring depths of my hell.  She is my beacon, my redemption.  She guides the way, dragging me closer as I deliver each pained, stricken thrust bringing me closer to her way of escape. 

   My soul screams as I grab her wrist, holding on with all I am, as I thrust at a punishing force.  The rage spirals out of my control and I scream her name as I pound against her so roughly, her body rocks against the wood.  Her fingers pierce my flesh.  Sweat slickens my skin.  Her body lurches ferociously from my fevered momentum.  My blood boils, bursting in my veins.  Emma grits her teeth.  I try to stop.  God, I really try to stop!  She digs her heels in harder, pushing me.  Tears join the sweat rolling down my face.  A vehement gasp bursts through her lips.  My fingers cut into her.  She pushes harder.  I feel the impelling edge of abdication and I thrust savagely, shattering.  Her cry splits the air.  Emma’s name leaves my lips in a loud wail, and I collapse. 

   Panting, I fall on my back, rolling Emma on top of me as I inspect her face, search every inch of her body.  “Did I hurt you?  God, please, tell me that I didn’t hurt you,” I plead, my voice cracking as tears fill my eyes.  I will never forgive myself if I’ve harmed her. 

   She’s breathless as her shoulders heave, her chest rapidly rising and falling.  Perspiration dampens her skin as she throws her head back, gulping for air.  Her entire body is trembling.

  “Talk to me, Emma.  Say something!” I scramble to where I’m sitting on the floor as I haul her onto my lap. 

   Her finger presses against my lips as her head falls forward, slightly shaking once left to right.  Her damp chestnut hair sticks to her moistened skin as she catches her breath.  “I told you – that- you wouldn’t – hurt me.”

   Relief explodes, and I press her forehead against mine, kissing her mouth, her chin, and neck as I hold her protectively, possessively. It’s several minutes of me being raveled up in her before it hits that I didn’t use protection.  The color drains from my face as I hold hers in my hands, “I didn’t use anything.”

   “Don’t worry about that right now,”  she whispers, kissing me so gently, and I shelter her in my arms this time. 

   “Are you sure that you’re okay?”

   “The question is, are you?”

   A lump forms in my throat and all I can do is nod.  All of this time, I’ve tried to protect her from the demons inside, but her touch found them all, doing the impossible, exorcising every last damning one.  “How often did you mention me when you talked to your angels?”  I see a sadness in her eyes, a longing for what she had, what I tainted.

   “Every time. You are always in my prayers.”

   “Your love might just save me, yet,” I kiss her, grazing her bottom lip.

   “Not my love,” she whisper
s breathlessly, kissing me back softly.

   Pulling a drop cloth from the old piano, I wrap it around us as I fall into her arms, tangling her body with mine, until we give in to the emotional exhaustion.

  
A hard jab
to the side of my head drags me from my fog. One look at what hit me and I’m wide awake, throwing my body sideways, in front of Emma’s sleeping frame to shield her from Liam’s 9mm.  My chest pounds as I skim the room, seeing three others I don’t recognize. 

   “I heard you were back in town, Ash, but I didn’t realize you weren’t alone.” Liam lets out a low whistle as he leers at Emma, shifting his aim.

   I jump to my feet, keeping my body directly in front of Emma’s. 

   “Damn, Ash, I heard you always did have a hard on for the beautiful ones,” his shit brown eyes gleam when they roam over Emma’s face and naked back. 

   The pain slices fiercely through my heart as I glimpse at her sleeping soundly out of the corner of my eye.  “You’re here for me, Liam,” I growl, ready to snap his neck the first chance I get; I’m shocked that some other lowlife hasn’t done that yet.  The regret that I didn’t when I had the chance is profane. 

   His lackey with greasy blond hair pulled back into a tight ponytail rears his boot clad foot back and kicks Emma.  I explode, bounding across her, as she lets out a surprised, pained cry, and my fist lands against his nose.  Blood spurts everywhere as it cracks.  Emma’s scream pierces the air as his blood splatters on the throw cloth covering her.  Her right hand is clasped against her mouth as the other one grasps the sheet, gripping it in front of her. 

   Grabbing her arm, I propel Emma to her feet, shoving her behind me as Liam aims the gun at her head.  “You can have me, just let her go!”

   Emma’s hand grips my arm.  I feel her body pressing against my back, h
er ragged, panicked breaths coming out in a rush on the base of my neck. If I would’ve known Liam would find out I was here, I would have dragged her ass to the car and made Gavin carry her onto the fucking plane kicking and screaming.  She doesn’t deserve this!

   “It’s alright, you’re going to be okay, baby.  I won’t let them hurt you,” I whisper, and Liam laughs.

   “Look at this boys, Ash here has gone and fallen in love,” his repulsive laugh reverberates in my ear as lewdly as chewing glass.  “I’m thinking that, instead of killing you immediately, I’m going to kill your girl here, then kill you,” he barks harshly and lethally serious, “this time, you can watch as someone you love dies in your arms.”

   I push Emma backwards against the wall, lengthening my frame as far as it will expand in front of her.  The thumping in my heart beats in my head as I focus on their positions, trying to calculate how fast I can get to each one. 

   “You should’ve let Gavin get what was coming to him,” Liam snarls, spitting in my face.  “Now, your girl’s going to pay the price.”  Another bitter laugh spills vulgarly as he waives his gun around the room, “You couldn’t have picked a better place.  Damn, talk about poetic justice.  Or is it irony?  I don’t really give a fuck; your girl’s going to die in the exact same spot where your life ended.”

Chapter Eighteen

Undeniably Mine

Emma

   Breck’s hand tightens on my already throbbing hip, squeezing so tightly it’s bruising.  A million things spin through my head. 
Why are they calling Breck, Ash?  Why do they want to kill me?   What the hell did Gavin do?

  
“Don’t worry, honey, we’ll make your death quick, but, Ash here, he’s going to suffer before I finish him.”

   “No!” I scream.

   “Sounds like she loves you back.  Man, this just keeps getting better!” Liam slaps his leg, bending over from his repugnant howls.

    “You come near her, Liam, and I will fuckin’ kill you!” Breck rages.

  His laughter sputters to a stop, “You always did have some serious balls, Ash.  It’ll be so much fun seeing how much pain you can take before I break you.”  Liam’s lips turn up when he looks at me, pure evil in his eyes, “Take her to the kitchen, Tate.”

   Breck lunges just as Tate reaches for my elbow with his enormous arm covered in colorful tattoos of bloody skulls and blue flames.  Breck throws me to the floor before he grabs Tate’s wrist, jerking him down as Breck’s knee lands against his chin.  In less than a second, Breck’s hands squeeze both sides of Tate’s head, jerking it sideways.  I hear a sickening snap, then Tate falls lifeless to the floor. 

  “Take him, Garth!” Liam demands.

   The man with a scar spanning from his chin to his ear pulls a knife and jabs it at Breck’s abdomen.  Everything happens so fast.  The knife drops to the ground, bouncing eerily loud from tip to end a few times before bouncing to a stop.  Breck’s elbow crashes into Garth’s throat and he drops to his knees next to the knife, gasping for air.  The one whose name I haven’t heard is sent spiraling backwards, slamming into the wall.  Breck grabs the back of Garth’s neck, his fist pummeling his face as blood spills everywhere.  A line of fire bursts against the back of my skull and I’m knocked forward before I’m jerked to my feet, the barrel of the gun held painfully against my temple.

  “I’ll blow her fuckin’ face off, Ash!”

   Breck immediately releases Garth and holds his hands in front of him, “Liam, don’t! Do whatever you want to do to me, but, please, let Emma go.”

   The nameless one slams his fist against the side of Breck’s face, and I scream.  Breck doesn’t go down, and another brutal blow is administered, the harsh impact cutting his cheek.  He stumbles sideways, but still doesn’t fall. 

   “Stop. Please, stop!” I plead, twisting my arm against Liam’s bruising grasp. 

   Garth finally makes it back to his feet and grabs Breck’s head, slamming it against his knee, returning the favor.  I watch in horror as Breck gets battered and doesn’t fight back, knowing I’ll die if he does.  Garth sends his heavy boot into Breck’s chest and he finally falls.  The other one repeatedly kicks Breck’s back and ribs as Garth lands punch after punch before pulling a gun from underneath the hem at his ankle and sending the butt against Breck’s jaw with a deafening thwack that makes my stomach churn. 

   “NO!  STOP!” I turn as far towards Liam as my position allows.  Tears stream down my cheeks as I beg, “P-please stop – don’t hurt him anymore!”

   Breck is breathless, kneeling on the floor, when Liam holds up his hand, “Enough..for now.  Get him up.”

  Breck is hauled to his feet by the nameless one as Garth steps back, out of reach, holding the gun on him, and a sob erupts when I see Breck’s bloody, battered face. 

   “Let her go,” Breck grunts, trying to hide his pain as he struggles to breathe. 

   Liam tsks, “I’ve seen how you work, Ash.  You’re a quick sonofabitch.  We’ve been here before, remember?”

   “You have my word that I won’t fight you if you let her leave.”

   “I’ll have to decline,” Liam chuckles, rubbing his hand down my face. His fingers squeeze my chin as he jerks it towards him, his gun never leaving the side of my head.  “Any last words for your boyfriend, honey?”

   “Breck,” I choke, not able to push any more words out.