Rock the City: A Midnight Fate Novel (27 page)

Lemon’s eyes light up when she realizes she can go in every single store and not have to worry about price tags or how she’s going to pay for it. “You’re serious?”

“Completely.”

Even though she hasn’t looked at a single item, she still says, “Thank you.”

Noelle smiles like she wants to kick me in the nuts, but still manages to give Lemon a sincere smile as she walks her into the first store.

“You’re a good guy, boss.”

“Lemon says she saw Rusty out front. She lost her shit on the corner.”

Like he already pictures me arguing with him, he stands a little taller when he suggests, “I think it’s best if I take Lemon to the center by myself. I can do a lot more if I’m protecting one person instead of three.”

“You think she’s in danger?”

“I think anything is possible—especially if that’s his baby she’s carrying.”

I run my hand through my hair, pissed that he’s probably right. I should know better than to take Rusty lightly; he’s never been one to go down without a fight. Now that his baby and girl are on the line, it’s a brand new ballgame. “You’re probably right.”

“I think it’s a good idea for you and Noelle to stay in tonight, too. Until I have time to get back and figure some shit out.”

“You’re probably right about that, too. I just feel like shit that she’s been here for almost a week now and it’s been nothing but drama. There are about fifty places I want to show her in the city and we’ve barely made it out of the condo.”

“There’ll be plenty of time for all that, boss. But you can’t show her anything if you’re both in the hospital or dead.”

Reed always did have a direct way of putting things into perspective. I’m so close to having Lemon back; I’m not about to risk her safety or Noelle’s. That’s probably why I tell him, “We’ll hang with Easton and Lark tonight. She hasn’t gotten to see Lark much either.”

“Thank you.”

“How did shit get so fucked up, Reed?”

“It’s called life, brother. I wouldn’t have a job if it weren’t a crazy-ass roller coaster ride.”

Lemon and Noelle come out of the first store with a bag that doesn’t look like it’s holding much. I take it from them and point to the next store. “Give that one a shot.”

This time, Lemon goes in a little more excited, her eyes brighter as they take in all the colors and patterns on the racks. We keep this up until they’ve hit all five stores and my hands are full of bags.

“Did you get everything you need?”

“Yeah, but I’m glad Noelle was with me. I got stuff I’ll be able to wear, when I’m fat and all.”

Smiling, I tell her, “You won’t be fat. Maybe you’ll be one of those girls you can’t even tell is pregnant from behind. Then she turns sideways and you think she might topple over.”

Lemon gets quiet and Noelle gives me a quick shake of her head, my cue to change the subject. “I ordered food while you were shopping. Should be here any minute.”

“Do you have a bag I can borrow to put my new stuff in? I promise I’ll give it back.”

“You can have any of the luggage in the closet.” Lemon starts to walk away and I remember I put it all on the top shelf to get it out of the way. “Don’t climb up the shelves, Lemon!”

“I’ll get it,” Reed offers before I have a chance to help her.

I practically jump headfirst onto the couch, wishing I could take a nap. Of course, just as I get comfortable, the doorbell rings. “You’re kidding me.”

“I’ll get the food,” Noelle says with a laugh.

Groaning, I stand back up and grab a stack of plates. As I spoon a little bit from each box on my plate, I do the same for Lemon and Reed. They come out of the bedroom together, a comfortable conversation between the two of them.

“Reed said he’s taking me.”

“He is, if you’re okay with it.”

“No, I’m glad. I don’t want you or Noelle anywhere near Rusty. I figure if he’s going to come after me, he’s going to do it no matter what. At least this way, you two won’t be in the middle of it.”

“And you really think that was him out front?”

“Yeah.”

“What do you think he wants?”

She pauses then says, “If I’m not with him, he doesn’t want anyone else to have me. Plus, his ass will be on the line if Trey ever finds out about this baby. There’s no way I can possibly keep a kid a secret for the rest of my life. It’s only a matter of time.”

“What are you saying, Lemon?”

“I’m saying Rusty wants me dead.”

“What if sending her with Reed was the wrong decision?” I ask Noelle as I stand in the foyer, staring at the closed door like Lemon’s going to walk back through it any minute.

Noelle wraps her arms around me from behind, her cheek pressed against the middle of my back. “They’ll be okay. Reed kept me safe; he’ll do the same for Lemon.”

“I hope so because no matter how hard I try to forget about Rusty, I still feel like he’s up to no good again.”

“Until we have reason to believe that’s true, you need to let Reed do his job. Plus, once she’s at the treatment center, they’ll have security on her twenty-four hours a day. There’s no way Rusty can get to her.”

I unhook Noelle’s arms from my stomach, pulling her around to the front of my body where I can get lost in her sweet, coconut scent. “You’ve been amazing this week, Noelle. When you agreed to be mine, you didn’t sign up for any of this bullshit. Yet here you are, giving everything you have and asking for nothing.”

“You’re wrong,” she tells me. “When I agreed to be yours, I agreed to take on the good and the bad, the pain and the happiness. Nothing you can say or do will ever make me run from you.”

“Even though you ran away from Lola’s?”

“Okay, I lied. Cheating on me will make me run. It’ll also make me knee you as hard as I can in the crotch so you never get hard again.”

“Why do I get the feeling you’re completely serious?”

She stands on her toes and brings her lips so close to my mouth all I want to do is shut her up with a kiss. But I let her talk because it’s hot as hell when she gets all territorial and crazy.

Whispering against my mouth, she says, “Because you should never underestimate a woman, especially me.”

“Never?”

“Never, Lane. I’ll love you hard, but I’ll hurt you even harder if you try to fuck around on me.”

“Baby, you are more than enough for me, but if you keep talking like that, you’re not going to be able to walk for a week.”

“I piss you off that much?”

“The opposite. You turn me on that much.”

Smiling, she says, “I knew you liked it rough.”

With both my hands on her ass, she jumps onto me and latches her legs around my waist like a little monkey. “We’re wasting time with all this talking.”

“Do you want to get drunk or screw first? I think after all we’ve been though, we deserve both.”

“Baby, I want to get so lost in you I never find my way back out. But I’m determined to get you out of this condo for a little while.”

Kissing my neck like a woman on a mission, she reminds me, “Reed told us to stay here until he was finished with Lemon.”

“You’re right. Maybe we can see what Lark and Easton are up to.”

She slides down the front of my body, making sure to touch me in all the right places. “Ah, so I was aiming too low. It’s the foursome that rocks your world, not a threesome.”

“You’re never going to let that go, are you?” I ask her as I grab my phone.

Laughing, she pushes me against the wall, her no-nonsense attitude reappearing. “I don’t know, Lane. I’m starting to think you really
are
warming up to the idea.”

While she’s trying to seduce me, and her guard is completely down, I smack her ass so hard she yelps and runs away, straight into the bedroom. Even though I want to join her, I quickly type out a text to East.

Lane: You up for company?

Easton: Come up whenever. I’ll warn you, Lark’s close to another burrito binge. It could get ugly later.

Lane: Noted. Be down in a few.

“Hey, Noelle?” When she doesn’t answer me, I follow her into the bedroom, part of me hoping she’s waiting for me, naked. As usual, the room is empty. “Why are you never in here?” I ask, mostly to myself.

She’s hovering over her suitcase again, but this time, the view is ten times better. Bent over with her ass in the air, I’m like a moth to a flame. Smoothing my hands over the curve of her hip and swell of her ass, she moans just enough to make my dick twitch. “This is the perfect position. I could slide right into you like this.”

Even though she sounds like she’d like that, she turns around with a skimpy lace outfit in her hand. One I’m pretty sure she hasn’t been hiding in her suitcase this whole time. “What’s that?”

“This?” she says as she waves it in front of my face. “You bought me this today.”

“You bought that in front of my sister?”

“She picked it out.”

“Well, this fantasy went downhill fast.”

She smacks me in the chest, shaking her head. “I was being sarcastic. Do you really think I’d show your sister what I want to wear for her brother?”

“With you, baby, anything’s possible. But you should definitely put it on for me.”

Just as fast as she dangled it in front of my face, she snatches it back. “Not until tonight. It’ll be your prize when we get home. Because I don’t know about you, but it’s been a stressful week and I have all kinds of negative energy to get rid of.”

“You want angry sex?”

“No, I want hungry sex, Lane.
Very
hungry.”

“And you’ll wear that for me?”

“I’ll wear it until you rip it off me.” She takes my hand and guides it between her legs. “Because that’ll be the only way to get inside me.”

With a handful of her pussy, all I can do is stare at her, imagining how wet she is as she makes her dirty promises. “You should walk away, Noelle.”

“Why?” she asks teasingly, as she grinds against my hand. “Something getting to you?”

“Unless you want it right here, right now, you should walk away.”

She reaches for my hand, pulling it away from her body. With the tip of her tongue peeking out between her full lips, she slides my index finger into her mouth and swirls her tongue around and around. Just when I think she can’t possibly get me any harder, she sucks so hard my eyes roll back in my head. “Jesus, Noelle. You’re killin’ me.”

Her devious giggle is the only thing that loosens her mouth enough for me to slide my finger back out. “As much as I want you right now, Lane, I think I’ll make you wait for it a little bit longer.”

“Why would you do that to me?”

“Because by the time we get in bed tonight, it’ll be the best we’ve ever had.”

“You’re always the best I’ve ever had, Noelle. It’s never been anything but amazing with you. Between this killer body and the way you consume me with it, you rock me every damn time you touch me.”

Her hand brushes over my cock and I come close to losing my shit all over again. Especially when she rubs her palm up and down my shaft. “I’ll ride you so good, Lane, you’ll never want me to get off.”

As if that weren’t enough of an exclamation point, she drapes the sexy outfit over my shoulder and kisses my cheek before walking away, her hips demanding so much attention I’m pretty sure she’s going to own me tonight. And if there’s one person who can make me forget my own name, it’s definitely Noelle.