Fearless (Broken Love Book 5) (13 page)

LAKE

PRESENT

Keiran had disappeared
inside his office after our fight, leaving me to deal with the newly cracked pieces of our relationship. After pouting and worrying for an hour, I decided to get started on the reading for the start of my summer classes, which were to begin in a couple of days. I tried not to think about how much of my life could have crashed and burned if my arrest had been real.

Even now, it was still a likely possibility. It was only a matter of time before they found the evidence to make a warranted arrest.

I ran my sweaty palms down my bare legs and tried to concentrate on the black and white print. After reading the same sentence fifteen times, I tossed the textbook away and began to pace. I never even noticed when Keiran entered the room until his deep voice broke my trance.

“What are you doing?”

“Pacing.”

“I can see that.
Why
are you pacing?”

“Because I’m thinking?”

“The investigation,” he guessed correctly. “Don’t worry about it.”

“How can you say that?” My pacing quickened. “That woman saw me and she’s testifying. I don’t understand why they haven’t even made a real arrest yet.”

“Because she’s not testifying. I took care of it.”

I came to a screeching halt and rushed to get to the side of the room where he stood. “You didn’t.” I searched his eyes for signs of someone who could kill someone innocent but only saw pain reflected down at me.

“I didn’t kill her. I offered her money and a safe place to stay for her and her two daughters.”

“A safe place to stay?”

“Her husband was beating her.”

I nodded and processed the thought of Keiran playing the knight in shining armor to strangers. Somehow, it wasn’t as difficult to picture as I had imagined. “How much money did you offer her?”

“Fifty.”

“Grand?” I asked, incredulous.

“Is that a problem?”

I ignored the bite in his tone and continued to stare. It was at this moment that I began to wonder how well I knew his heart. Apparently, I underestimated the depth it was capable of meeting.

Was I so skeptical of him all the time?

“That’s very generous,” I admitted, concealing my surprise. He shrugged and continued to watch me closely.

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about them.”

“What about?”

“Laurie’s oldest is being bullied in school.”

“Yeah?”

“I was thinking you could talk to her.”

“Mean girls aren’t really my forte.”

“It’s a little boy whose mother is having an affair with her father.”

“Are you sure we should be getting involved in this?”

“Are you serious?” I didn’t miss the raging storm in his eyes and failed at concealing my surprise. “I thought if anyone might understand, you would.”

“You do realize that being in contact with this family is illegal? We could be charged with intimidating a witness.”

“They haven’t brought charges against you yet, and do you know why? Because the mother of the daughter I’m asking you to talk to will not testify against you. Without her, they have no chance of indicting you.”

“What makes you think I can help this girl? I spent most of my life giving in to fear.”

“Like you’re doing right now?”

“What?”

“A ten-year-old girl needs your help and you’re bitching out.”

“Did you just call me a bitch?”

“No, but I should have. You’re acting like one.”

“Since when did you care? You had no qualms about making my life a living hell, and suddenly, you want to fix this little girl’s life? Why?”

His nostrils flared, but he remained silent. Two sure signs that I had gone too far. In truth, I had no idea why I was resisting. I wanted to help this girl, but the petty part of me was standing in the way.

Why this girl and not me?

I suffered emotional—and sometimes physical—pain at his hands for ten years. The only time I didn’t suffer was the year he went to juvie, and even then, I walked on eggs shells, anticipating the day he returned.

The aftermath had been more dangerous than I gave him credit for.

His eyes slowly shifted around the room, and I knew he was trying to regain his composure, but I could only think of it as the countdown of a bomb.

When his eyes finally settled on me again, what followed wasn’t an explosion. His smooth voice washed over me instead.

“I’ll never get the chance to make right what I did to you. It haunts me. I—”

“You think helping this little girl will make it right with me?”

“I think helping Cassie will make it right for both of us.”

Maybe it was the idea of him wanting to make it up to ten-year-old me, or hearing him say her name as if she were already someone special to him, melted me. “Cassie… Her name is Cassie?” I cooed.

“Should I have started with that?” he grinned, picking up on my sudden acquiesce.

“I shouldn’t have freaked out on you. Of course, I want to help her, it’s just that a part of me still hurts for the little girl who was afraid of her own shadow because of the possibility that it was actually you standing behind me.”

“I’ll apologize to you every day for the rest of my life if that’s what it will take.”

“Or you can just love me.”

He stepped up until his chest was pressed against mine as he stared down at me with growing intensity—”I thought that’s what I’ve been doing”—and sarcasm.

I wrapped my arms around his neck with a coquettish smile. “A girl needs to be reminded every now and then.”

“I seem to remember reminding you very thoroughly last night. I even have it on video.”

I felt my body grow hot at the reminder of all that occurred last night and decided to change the subject. “So when do I get to meet this Cassie?”

“How about this weekend?”

I nodded. “I still can’t believe you corrupted a witness.” And was that pride I heard in my voice?

“Believe it, baby. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

And I now knew that included giving up his chance at killing the father who sold him and secretly killed his mother.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” His answer was slowed down by wariness.

“What if you didn’t kill your mother?”

It was obvious by the way his body jerked that it hadn’t been the question he expected.

“Where is this coming from?”

“You want to right so many wrongs about your past, and I know this must haunt you… What if you didn’t do it?”

“You’re right,” he agreed but pulled away. His face twisted with disgust, and I knew this wasn’t going to end well. “There are many things about my past I want to undo but killing my mother can never be one of them.”

“But—”

“Fuck.” He shoved his hands through his hair. His eyes shifting wildly. “I’m not doing this.”

He moved for the door, but I couldn’t let him leave like this.

“But you didn’t do it!” I shouted too late.

He had already stormed out. 

* * *

The next couple
of days, I struggled with telling Keiran the truth about Sophia’s death. Mitch had led him to believe he killed his own mother, and while Keiran refused to talk about it, I knew it haunted him.

Would there ever be a right time to tell him? After his episode two days ago, I had begun to think it was better never to tell him.

What would the truth do to him? Would he accept it as the truth or would he believe Mitch was fucking with him even in death?

Keiran hadn’t spoken a word to me in the two days since I tested the waters. Though it didn’t stop him from turning to me at night or in the morning when we would wake or even in the middle of the day.

And since the first time he took me, I wasn’t strong enough to deny him so I let him use my body as an escape. It was the only way to help him while he struggled with his demons.

“Hey,” I heard from the doorway as I pulled on jeans. Today was my first day of summer class, and I was reluctant to go. The tension between us only made me want to latch myself to him, afraid he might bolt.

“Hey.”

He didn’t move from the door. He continued to stare as I pulled on a t-shirt and slid my feet into flip-flops. I grabbed my messenger bag and pulled it over my head and held onto the strap to keep it from latching.

“Class?” he asked stating the obvious. Maybe he was feeling as insecure as I was.

A girl could only hope.

“Yup. First day. I have two—”

“Come here,” he interrupted. I blew my growing bangs out my eyes so I could see how serious he was. The intensity of his stare told me he was very serious. My feet moved before my brain could give the command. When my brain finally did catch up, I stopped and decided to make him meet me the rest of the way.

I should have known better.

He gripped the strap of my bag and tugged me the rest of the way.

In a way, the move defined the scope of our relationship. I challenged him, and he pushed back, obliterating all my defenses.

“Are you talking to me yet?” he pouted.

“Wha— I thought you weren’t talking to me?”

“I fucked up,” he sighed. “I shouldn’t have walked out on you like that.”

I mentally tallied in our head the fights we’ve had in a short amount of time. “Do you realize we’ve fought more since I was arrested than we have in the five years we’ve been together?”

“I realize I do a lot of things wrong when it comes to you.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. I did get your father killed.”

His eyes darkened, and I prepared myself for another argument when he kissed me instead.

“After you’re done with classes there’s somewhere I want to take you.”

“Where?”

“After class,” he said and let me go. He walked past me and disappeared into our master bath. I stared at the closed bathroom door, willing myself to shake off the effect he had on me. I was finally able to move and left for class wondering about his mysterious request.

When I got home a few hours later, I was greeted by the sight of him zipping up a small backpack. He took my bag from me, dropped it by the door, and led me back out. I got the sense he was in a hurry, so I didn’t ask questions until he pulled up to a building with a sign that read ‘Shooting Sports.’

“What are we doing here?”

He put the car in park and turned in his seat to face me. “I’m not always going to be around. If you’re going to protect yourself, you need to know how.”

My eyebrows rose to my forehead. “That’s very big of you, Keiran Masters.”

“My generosity isn’t the only thing big about me,” he flirted.

I rolled my eyes and grinned back at him. “Yes. Your ego is much bigger.”

“If you’re good, I’ll let you feel how big my ego is all night.”

“So, is this going to be like when you taught me to bowl? Because I don’t think I have as much constraint. You don’t scare me as much, and you’re much hotter now than you were then.”

It was his turn to look surprised. “Really? How so?”

“Well, for one, you aren’t finding ways to make me cry every day. Your muscles are bigger—more defined. Your voice is deeper—smoother.” My own lowered seductively as I ticked off reasons why he was so irresistible to me. “I think you might have even grown an inch.”

“Inch and a half,” he corrected.

“Oh, wow,” I gushed, stroking his ego and watching his chest puff. He smirked, seeing past my response.

“What else do you think is sexy about me?”

I leaned over until my lips were touching his. “I also think you have finessed the fine art of fucking.” I wanted him to kiss me, but he leaned away and quirked an eyebrow.

“You think?”

“It’s been hours,” I answered, referring to this morning’s session in the shower. “A girl forgets.”

“I think you might have hit your head against the tile too many times while we were fucking if you forgot that.”

KEIRAN

She might have
been daring me to drag her from the car and show her how well I mastered the art of fucking over the hood of my car, but we were in too public a place and under enough law enforcing eyes as it was.

My eyes narrowed as I considered my options, and she smirked at me with her glossy, pink lips in return, confirming my suspicions.

“There’s always tonight, baby.”

It was more than a warning. It was a promise to deliver. Her smirk dropped, and she began to vibrate with anticipation.

Wordlessly, I got out of the car and headed for the entrance, leaving her to follow behind with slow steps. With my back to her, I smiled, relishing the fact that there was never a dull moment with her. I secretly enjoyed her incessant need to challenge me to prove she was no longer afraid.

Tormenting her years ago wasn’t always about hating her. A predator enjoyed the chase, and she made a damn good prey.

“Hey, Keiran!” the owner greeted me. I noticed Lake’s surprise at his familiarity with me and smiled at the owner, shaking his hand. I never told her I came here often because I knew she’d worry about the reasons why.

I had known one day I would see Mitch again and this time, I had more than one reason to care if he ever came back at all. I needed to be ready, and I had believed a soft heart like hers wouldn’t understand. I’d believed she would want me to take the high road.

I was wrong as fuck.

Lake had wanted Mitch dead.

Maybe even more than I did.

I watched her while she curiously looked over the guns in the case and felt my dick harden knowing she was willing to kill—willing to give up her innocent soul—for me.

She deserved than all of me. I just needed to figure out what came next so I could give that to her. First, I had to make sure she was around to accept me.

“I see you like this one, little lady. A revolver is certainly a more suitable gun for you.”

He grinned at me but then cleared his throat when he saw my warning look. Bart was old and set in his ways and didn’t think much of women with guns, but he was also wise enough to know I wouldn’t tolerate his biased views when it came to Lake.

“Sorry, I just like the classic look of it,” she corrected a little too sweetly. I knew she picked up on his meaning but hid her irritation with sarcasm. I was usually on the receiving end of it, particularly during the week when she becomes a hormonal bitch. “What I really want to see is this one.”

My chest swelled with pride when she pointed at the bigger, more powerful weapon beside it. She looked at me for approval when the owner turned to grab his key, and I nodded. It was impressive and had a helluva kick, but I’d teach her how to handle it.

“Have you ever held a gun?” Bart questioned as he rested the gun on the glass.

“Yes.” His furry brows lifted, but he quickly recovered after a quick glance at me.

“Ever shot one?”

“No.”

He nodded, seemingly satisfied, and grabbed a box of rounds.

“I just need to run down the safety protocol before you start.”

“Ok.”

“The first are simple. Don’t shoot anyone here and don’t shoot yourself. Keep the peacemaking end pointed down range at all times.” He rambled off the rest of the rules while I paid the fee and purchased the targets and ammo. When he finished, I grabbed the box of rounds and gun case, then led her to the lanes. 

“It’s loud in there,” she shouted.

I shouldered off my pack and dug out the ear and eye protection. I handed her a brand new set I had picked up for her while she was in class. She gushed over the bright blue buds and clear goggles as if I’d just handed her a diamond ring. I smiled and rolled my eyes while she put them on and then opened the door for her to enter.

When we reached our bay, I sat down our stuff and grabbed the paper targets, staple gun, and cardboard. The hanger for the target was already pulled in so I set up the target and sent it out to the furthest mark.

She looked at me as if I was crazy, and I resisted the urge to laugh.

Instead, I bent low until my lips rested on her ear. “Watch me.”

And because I couldn’t leave it there, I trailed my lips down the side of her neck, feeling her shiver beneath me. She looked up with a painful expression, begging with her eyes to be fucked. Ignoring her plea, I pushed her safely behind me and shoved the magazine clip into the gun.

I set up to take the first shot and once I had my aim perfectly nested, I didn’t hesitate. I emptied the clip into the target and swept the brass off the counter once I was done. Lake came to stand next to me and pulled the target in with narrowed eyes. I braced my hip against the counter and crossed my arms as I watched her study the target.

“You’re a good shot.”

“Thank you. Your turn.” She suddenly looked nervous as I set up the next target and sent it out. This time, I stopped it at the first mark. I loaded the clip, handed her the gun, and waited. I needed to see where her instincts led her.

She maintained a steady grip despite her nervous flush, but her awkward positioning displayed zero control over the weapon. She flipped the switch of the safety, aimed and fired. I searched the target and was relieved that she, at least, hit the target.

I reached out and flipped the safety so she could lower her arm. “First thing you need to know is that you don’t fire until you’re sure of your shot.”

“You didn’t hesitate,” she quipped.

“I was sure of where I was aiming.”

She blew her bangs away and turned to face me. “What makes you think that wasn’t where I was aiming?”

“If you shoot, you should shoot to kill.”

“I hit it, didn’t I?”

“You hit the paper, but you didn’t kill your target.”

“What’s the difference?”

“The silhouette,” I pointed out. She studied the target again. Her lips formed a perfect O when she understood. “Try again, but this time, fix your footing.” I paused, remembering her comment in the car. “And you were right. It is like bowling.”

She immediately fixed her footing and looked to me for approval. I made some minor adjustments and then showed her how to grip the gun properly.

“Now, I want you to aim using the rear and front sights.” I pointed them out using my fingers. “Use the rear sight to aim your front sight where you want the bullet to go—in this case, the silhouette. The rest isn’t there.”

“Okay.” She switched to fire, brought the gun up, and aimed, using what I had taught her.

“Good. Now breathe in, and when you’re ready, squeeze the trigger slowly and shoot on the exhale. Aim for the center.”

She breathed in and began to squeeze the trigger slowly until the metallic click engaged and the round left the chamber. She immediately put the gun on safety and peered at the target. She found her mark hit dead center and released a happy squeal. She once again looked to me for approval. I offered her a nod and sent the target all the way out.

“That’s good, baby. Real good. Now hit it again.”

* * *

We stayed until
the range closed. Lake insisted on bringing her final target home because she finally managed to get a headshot. I took us to a romantic restaurant despite us being severely underdressed. I wouldn’t let the dirty stares we got as we were shown to our table stop me from wining and dining her tonight.

“This is nice.” She smiled. “What’s the occasion?”

“To my future bodyguard.” The waiter came and took our drink orders.

“Not that I don’t appreciate this, but I think our clothes are getting us dirty looks.”

“So what should we do about that, bodyguard?”

She seemed to consider it for a moment before she turned to the couple at the nearest table diagonal from ours and cheerfully waved at them with her middle finger. They looked on in horror and finally turned back to their meal.

“How’s that for inappropriate?” 

“God, you’re a monster,” I accused in a high pitch.

She giggled and peeked at me from under her eyelashes. “Can I be your monster?”

“That depends on you and if you can handle the job. I’m not easily scared.”

“I had something else in mind as your monstrous bodyguard.”

“Yeah? What?”

“What if we got married?” Her eyes changed from confident and playful to terrified and unsure.

What the fuck just happened?

“Did you just propose to me?”

“No.”

Well fuck.
Why did her denial of a proposal irritate me?

“I’m a traditional romantic, and I just think it would be nice to know if it’s on the table.”

The only thing my mind could consider being on the table right now was her naked body as I fucked her.

“It’s definitely on the table.”

“Good.” Satisfied, she picked up her menu. I closed a hand around it before she could open it.

“But I’d be careful the next time you feel the need to test the waters. I just might accept it.”

“Noted.”

The waiter returned with our drinks and took our orders. After a peaceful meal, we returned home where I made love to my ‘almost’ fiancée.

The next morning, I was up before her and thought of the perfect way to bring her back to the world of the living. She was already on her back, so I slid down and spread her legs gently. She moaned and I tensed, waiting for her to wake. When she didn’t, I gripped her thighs softly and dove in. I was salivating by the time my tongue first touched her pussy. The pounding I gave her last night was evident, so I took my time and worshiped her right. I knew the moment she came awake.

“Keep your hands above your head.”

“Why do you always do this to me?” she gasped. I flicked my tongue across her clit before answering.

“Do what? Want to know how each taste is better than the last? Bring you pleasure?” I didn’t wait for her answer. I tortured her with my mouth until she came, and when her body jerked for the last time, I moved over her and kissed her hard as fuck. When I pulled back, she chased my lips like the greedy bitch she was.

“Turn over.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s what I want.” The heat in her eyes ignited to pure fire. She turned over, giving me the aerial view of her slender back. My gaze traveled the length until I reached what I was after. I bent low and took the plump flesh between my teeth just because I could and smiled when she yelped. “Turn your head and close your eyes.”

When she turned her head toward the window, I reached into the nightstand drawer and pulled out the small bottle of lube I’d gotten after I had her ass the first time. I lifted her hips until her back was arched to my liking. She was curious but knew speaking wasn’t allowed when I got like this.

I made quick work of the lube and leaned over her again, bringing my hips to rest against her ass with a grip on my cock. Watching her face, I entered her slowly.

She gasped.

I pushed deeper.

She writhed.

I held my breath.

We were both slaves to the feeling of my cock filling her.

Her pain-filled whimper when my cock was fully seated spurred my hips to move, wanting to hear the sound again.

“Keiran, it’s deep,” she moaned.

“I know, baby.” I didn’t pull back to offer her relief. I pushed harder simply because I needed to take her to the edge of sanity and have her beg for more so I’d know without a doubt she was mine. “Tell me you love me.”

She bit into the pillow when I fucked into her harder. The sound of my hips impacting her ass rang about our bedroom. “Fucking tell me.”

“I love you. So much, baby. Please,” she shrieked.

I forced her flat with my weight, gripped her neck, and kissed her mouth hard as hell.

I dominated this girl, yet she owned me. Completely.

And I wasn’t even sorry for it.

I shoved my hand underneath her and stroked her clit with my fingers as I took her ass until she shook beneath me and collapsed.

“Forever, Lake.”