Beautiful Innocence (12 page)

“That would be the problem—I wasn’t fucking thinking. You try saying no that face, to those eyes. It’s harder than you think, man.”

“Why you?” Sam asks like her being with me is disgusting.

“She said I felt safe when I asked her after about why she chose me. Then she made a comment about needing something from me and she knew I’d be with her because of my past. And then something about not wanting to be a virgin anymore because of her age.”

Sam bangs his head on the table several times, moaning like he’s in pain.

“Sam, what?”

He lifts his head and stares me down, but all I can see is fear for her in them. “She told me she slept with you. I knew, but then she added something weird to her comment. She said they probably wouldn’t want her anymore now that she wasn’t.”

The silence is so complete I can hear myself breathe while we let his words sink in.

“So,” Jason starts. “She gave it to Josh to prevent someone else from taking it.”

“No,” I shake my head. “That can’t be it. They had plenty of time to do something about it.” I swing my gaze to Dane. “What about the child pornography stuff you found out?”

Angie is being so quiet it’s downright scary, but then she speaks. “Do you think Lori knew about all that stuff and that’s why she left?”

My brothers and I all glance at each other. “Angie we don’t know, but you know your sister, or at least you did. Why would she leave Ava if she found out?”

“I don’t know,” she whispers softly.

We all sit in silence, trying to come up with something, and finally the break comes through. Jason looks over to the screen. “Got her. She’s at Quick Stop outside of Savannah, getting gas.”

Sam and I both jump up at the same time. “I’m coming,” he yells.

I go to tell him no, but Dane steps in front of him. “Sam you need to stay here and keep an eye out. You’re the only one who saw that guy who asked for her. Let Josh and me go get her.”

It’s an order, so Sam relents.

“You better bring her back.”

I like him. I always have, but he’s not having her when I have a shot. I place my hand on his shoulder. “Sam, I will bring her back, but when I do, it’s not to give her away. I’m gonna be the one to keep her safe this time. The sleepovers are done.”

He shakes me off. “Just go get her.”

“Let’s go, big brother.” I slap Dane on the back before heading out to his truck. We take his so she won’t recognize mine and try to evade us.

She’s got over two hours on us, but Dane just shoots me a reassuring look and throws his truck in drive.

By the time we roll into Savannah it’s just past seven. We believe she’s heading south, so we stay on I-95, but we drive the speed limit, waiting for Jason to call us with any leads. So far she hasn’t stopped since pumping fifty bucks worth of gas.

“She can be anywhere, man.”

Dane looks briefly over to me. “I know.”

“Maybe we should just let her run. They must know she’s been in Charleston since someone’s looking. If we let her go maybe they won’t catch her.”

“Are you serious?” I lean my head against the side window as he rambles. “She has nothing, Josh. No family, no money other than a stolen card. That’s not going to last long,” Dane says and I know he’s right.

“I just want her safe.”

“It’s going to get dark soon. I’m sure she’ll pull off and get a room, and then we can grab her.”

“Yeah,” I agree even though I’m not sure I should. I want her back, but not like this, not her scared all the time and wondering if those sons of bitches are gonna take her away from her new life.

Dane pulls over and we sit in his truck waiting for a call. It’s close to eleven when my phone finally rings. “Hey, where are you?” Jason asks.

“Sitting outside some rest stop in the middle of fucking nowhere. Why, you got something?”

“She came back.”

I bolt straight up in my seat. “What? When?”

“Angie just called me a little bit ago. She refuses to stay with Angie, so she brought her to the farm. And since she apparently kicked and screamed about that, she’s in your office asleep on your couch.”

Quickly, I shoot a prayer up to the big man. I run my hand over my face. “All right, make sure she stays. We’re at least four hours out.”

“I locked her in. She ain’t going anywhere.”

Dane pushes the speed limit the entire way. We don’t roll into the office parking lot until well after three in the morning. Dane’s bushed so he heads out and leaves me there. Jason’s truck is in the parking lot and there’s a soft light coming from inside the building. After unlocking the main door, I head in to see Jason sleeping on the couch in the hallway. I kick his boot to stir him awake. “I got her. Go home.”

Slowly, so I don’t wake her or scare her, I unlock my office door. I stop in my tracks at the sight of her. She’s so small and beautiful lying there with a jacket draped over her. I almost don’t have the heart to disturb her, but I want to hold her and take all that fear she’s running from away. I want to make her believe and understand that she’s safe with me.

I kneel down, pushing her soft hair over her shoulder. “Hey,” I whisper in her ear. “It’s me, baby, Josh. Wake up.”

She starts to stir a little, but settles back in. “Ava, come on I want to take you home.”

Her eyes spring open. “No, I can’t.” And I see this fear in her eyes, and the trembling of her hands that rip my heart in half.

I kiss her mouth gently. “I meant my place.”

She nods hesitantly, her voice still groggy from waking. “Just for tonight, okay?”

“Yeah, baby, sure,” I lie, so she’ll come with me and not fight me on it.

AVA

Josh has been staring at me for several minutes, and I’m afraid to open my eyes because the questions will start. He gave away his hand by playing with my hair; otherwise I would’ve thought he was asleep.

“I love your hair. It’s so soft,” he mumbles as he nudges his nose into my neck.

I keep my eyes shut, willing him to go back to sleep, not moving one muscle, hoping to avoid what I know is coming. He pulls his face back and I feel his weight shift. “I know you’re awake, your heart has been racing for over two minutes, so stop pretending.”

I open my eyelids and stare into his beautiful blue eyes training down on mine. Sympathy shines in them. “Hi,” I say meekly.

He sighs, but then kisses my lips briefly. “Hi.” His big, strong hand comes down and he caresses the side of my face, cupping my jaw. “You scared the fuck out of me. Don’t do it again or I’ll be forced to cuff your ass to my bed.”

“I’m sorry.”

He drops back down to lie down beside me. “You know your lame excuses aren’t going to work anymore, right?

“They weren’t lame.” I toss the covers off to get up and make sure he knows not to piss me off right now.

“I didn’t say you could get up.” He grabs my wrist and yanks me back down until I’m lying on top of him. While one hand holds me down to him and the other pushes my hair back, he smiles warmly. “I need to apologize for jumping to the wrong conclusion with Sam. I just saw red when he came out of your place so early in the morning. But, babe, I asked you point blank if you were scared and you lied to me.”

“I know I did.”

He continues to watch me. The onslaught of questions is coming and I’ll do anything to avoid giving him the answers, especially the one I’m most worried about him finding out. I raise my eyebrows and grin down to him. “I hear make-up sex can be mind blowing. At least that’s what it said in a Cosmo issue I read once.”

He closes his eyes, but not before grinning widely. “Oh, yeah, we’re going to get to that, but first you have some serious explaining to do.”

I run my tongue over my lips, shifting on him slightly. And little by little I feel him harden underneath me. “Can’t it wait?” I pout and then lift my shirt over my head. His hands leisurely work their way down skimming my shoulders until he settles his fingers onto my hips.

“You’re killing me right now.”

I grind into him, feigning innocence. “I am?”

“Babe, I need answers, please?” He’s trying to fight me by shaking me off of him, but it just gives me another idea. I slide, slow as a snail, down his body, kicking the sheets off as I do. A pair of tight black Calvin Klein boxers exposes a very large present that is so ready for me.

He drops his head back and groans loudly. “Ava, quit playing and get up here.” He tugs my elbows, but I don’t listen. Once I straddle myself on top of his knees, I smile up to him.

“What are you doing?” he asks.

I playfully bite down on my lip as I sit up and unclasp my front hook laced bra.

“Nice,” he mutters just as it slips down my shoulders.

I peek down to his boxers and slip my hand inside, tugging them down. In less than a second I yank them off and settle my head on his waist and peer up into his eyes. “I’ve never done this before, so tell me if I’m doing it wrong.”

“You couldn’t possible do it wrong, but you don’t have to do it period.”

I slide up his chest until my mouth hovers over his. “I want to.”

He gives me the go-ahead, but I stay put, kissing his lips. “Go time?” I ask in my sweetest voice.

“I’m so far past go, baby, but yeah.”

We gaze into one another’s eyes for one long minute before I get brave enough to work my way down his stomach, raining a parade of kisses as I do. He’s moaning and growling with each one, his hand running through my hair. Once my lips reach his navel, I trace my tongue from hip to hip, feeling him rock into my hand as I grip him firmly.

I work my mouth down lower as I slowly slide down until I’m between his legs. I lick my lips once before peeking up to see his face. His head is tipped back as he groans at the touch of my hand sliding up and down his very large shaft. I think twice, wondering if I’ll be able to do it, but I’m soaking wet and my thighs feel like Jell-O at the need for him. I swirl my tongue around the tip of his cock and hear him cry out, “fuck.” I continue letting my tongue trace his length over and over until my mouth closes over him.

“Ava, get up here now.” He pulls on my shoulders to get me to listen. He hands off a condom. “Hurry up, babe,” he pants.

Quickly, I roll it on him just in time before he yanks my legs over him and pushes me down until he sinks in me so deeply it hurts for a second. His hips pulse with mine as I lean back and take all of him. His hands run over my breasts until he’s gently pulling me toward him. His mouth caresses a breast, then his tongue runs to the other one. Back and forth he moves, sucking, nipping, biting one and then the other as I grind into him and then explode when he clamps down on my nipple.

He runs his hands through my hair and then cups my face, smiling at me. “I love hearing that sound.” He flips me over and sinks back in. At first he starts tenderly, like he’s trying not to hurt me, but then I pull him deeper by wrapping my legs around his waist and he pounds faster, harder until he stills inside of me, crying out my name.

And I realize that I never want to leave this bed or the man that owns me.

Ever.

JOSH

She bought some time with her seduction act and as much as I love the way she can sidetrack me, the time has come for her to fess up. There are so many unanswered questions, and I need to hear the answers in order to protect her.

My hand draws mindless figures on her hip, as she lies half on, half off of me. “If you think you can stall much more, you’ve mistaken me for someone who doesn’t care, babe.”

She springs off of the bed and me. “I need to brush my teeth.”

“We just made out for over an hour and now you’re all of a sudden worried? Come here, now.” I pat the bed.

She rolls her eyes but caves a few seconds later. “Fine. What is it?”

I hate doing this to her, because I know she’s hiding something big and is too nervous to tell me or anyone else what it is, but she’s leaving me no choice.

Ava sits in front of me and the look on her face is eating me up inside. I want to grab her and take her somewhere that they can’t find her, so she can drop the charade that she’s been playing all along. I’m tired of her saying one thing and doing another. “Do you trust me?”

She looks down and then peers up through her eyelashes and her sweet angel eyes cut right through me like they always do. “Yes.” It’s weak, but I hear it and at her admission, I sigh deeply.

I throw my arm around her waist, tugging her back down to me. “I can either lie here beside you, holding on to you as you tell me your story, or we can sit at a table in my office and do this with everyone watching and listening.” She starts to get up. “Hey, hey, hey, hold on a minute.” I take her hand in mine. “Whatever it is it’s okay. I’m not going anywhere, Ava. I told you I’d keep you safe, and I will because it’s been a real long time since I wanted to do this for someone.” Her eyebrows spike up and a little crease forms between her eyes. “Yeah, I’m admitting it right now that I like having you here with me. I’ve never had this and I want you to give me a shot.”

I see her falter instantly at my words. “Okay.” She nods and lies down, turning on her side to face me. “Do you want all of it or just the major stuff?”

I kiss her gently and keep my face close to hers. “I want all of it, baby.”

“I left here yesterday because I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. I saw your face when Sam opened the door, and then Sam got upset, too. I figured if I left you could all move on without me doing any more damage. I came back, because I hated what I was doing. I love it here. It feels like home to me and I never want to go back there again. Ever. I don’t want to be alone anymore, Josh. I got scared.”

She pauses and takes a deep breath and I know she just felt that need to explain her actions for splitting before she continues. “My mom met Roger a couple years ago. At first, my god, he was so great to us. He took us out to dinner every Friday night and then the movies or bowling, she fell in love instantly. Soon after he asked us to move in with him and his son, Alex. She was so happy drunk she said yes. Everything was great for the first year, but then the following year things started to get weird. Roger all of a sudden had no job, but I don’t really think he ever had one, because he was always around when I got home from school. Anyway, my mom and I were asked to work and help with the bills. We didn’t see anything wrong with it, but then he didn’t let us have any of the money we worked for. Soon Alex’s friend David moved in and it was like he and Alex were hired guns to keep an eye on me. I had no life besides them.”