Stoking the Embers (New Adult Romantic Suspense): The Complete Series (29 page)

Beth grips my arm and tears well into my eyes. Family. I’ve not had one of those in a long time.

“Get your asses back here and we’ll go into my house while we think this through. I have an alarm… and other deterrents.”

“Okay. I’m almost there.”

“I see you. Pull into the driveway. I’m waiting.” The line goes dead.

Gage pulls open Beth’s door the moment I put the car into park. “Go inside,” he orders, but he’s looking up the street to his left. There are headlights, but they’ve stopped. A car is sitting in the street. I can’t tell if it’s blue, but it must be. It’s just sitting there. Waiting.

Beth pulls on his arm. “No, come with us,” she says as Gage starts to walk in the direction of the car. “Don’t, please.” Gage stops and looks down at her and then at me.

“Okay, let’s get inside.”

“I need to get back to Ken,” I say, suddenly afraid for him. Silly, I know. I punch the number to call him, but it goes straight to his voice mail. I hang up, worry worming its way through my stomach.

Gage ushers us into his house and I glance around, taking in the clean lines and tile floors. “Here’s what I think. I’m not leaving you two alone. Let me grab a change of clothes and ride back into town with you. Can I sleep on someone’s sofa?” He asks both of us, but he’s looking at Beth. She hesitates only for the slightest moment and nods, a grin splitting her face. He grins back. “Cool.”

An idea hits me. “Hey Beth. Remember when I won the overnight stay in the guest suite of the Bellagio? I’ve not used it yet. It has two bedrooms…” I look at Gage pointedly… “and a couch. We could all stay there tonight, if they have a suite available, of course. I don’t know about you two, but I’d feel safer in a huge hotel right now.”

By the look on Beth’s face, I can tell she’s in. I look at Gage and he shrugs. “A couch is a couch. I’m in.”

I search for the hotel’s phone number and tap ‘call’. A few minutes later, I’ve booked the room, surprised they’re letting me use it on such short notice. But it is a weekday.

Gage packs an overnight bag—including some type of gun I notice–and we head back to my car. The blue car is nowhere to be seen at the moment.

As I pull onto the freeway, my phone rings and I grab for it, hoping it’s Ken calling me back. It’s not. Unknown caller.

“Don’t…” Beth begins from the backseat.

Against my better judgment, I hit answer, pissed for being afraid. “What do you want?”

“I was just remembering when we went to Shark Reef.” Jerome. He’s tone is casual as a Sunday afternoon.

“Yeah, so.”

“I did some work for MGM a while back and I forgot about the passes I have. Why don’t you meet me there? I’ve got some news for you too.”

He’s got to be kidding. Beth lays a hand on my arm and leans forward, whispering, “Keep him talking.”

“Won’t your new girlfriend be jealous?” Beth squeezes my arm. I can’t tell if it’s a ‘great question’ or ‘what the fuck question is that’ squeeze. I don’t have time to figure it out; I’m going on instinct.

“But babe, you know there’s no one else but you. That girl… she’s nothing. She’s into the shit I’m into, but it isn’t the same. She’s too into it, you know? She likes it too much. It’s not as exciting. Besides, you look way hotter.”

I ignore him, not rising to the bait. “You said you had news for me. What is it?”

He laughs, louder and longer than necessary. I grit my teeth as he prolongs the agony of his answer. Finally, he says, “Meet me and I’ll tell you. Promise.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Me? You don’t believe me? That’s pretty funny, babe. The little whore calling me a liar.”

Rage infuses me. “Fuck off. Leave me alone and don’t call me anymore.”

“What’s wrong, babe? We used to be so tight. I don’t recognize you anymore. You act like you hate my guts and I’m just trying to help.”

“Help?” I lash out. “Oh that’s right… your millions.” I sneer the last word.

“You got it, babe. Be rational, put away that extra x chromosome and use some sense. You know I’m right. I’m always right.” He pauses, then adds, “I’ve not given up on you yet.”

“Well, I’ve given up on you and I don’t need your fucking money.”

Jerome laughs. “Little Steph is growing a set. It’s kind of sexy, you know. Come on, let’s meet. You know you still love me.”

“No. I don’t.”

“Sure you do. More than that, you need me. Look at how your life’s fallen apart since you kicked me out. It’s karma’s way of telling you that you made a terrible decision. This is all on you, babe.”

He’s blaming me; how surprising. I hesitate before I finally channel my inner Beth. “I’m going to the police. Don’t contact me again,” I say as I hang up.

There’s silence in the car for the longest while. Then Gage says, “Man, he’s really fucked up.”

I jump as my phone beeps. It’s a text message. I’m still driving so I hand it back to Beth to read the message.

“It says:
Whatever you want babe. It’s your life.”
Beth’s voice is low as she reads it. The phone beeps again, not thirty seconds later.

“Shit,” Beth says, blowing out a breath.

“What does it say?” I have to know.

“It says:
Don’t call me in ten years when the father of your kids divorces your bitch ass.”

It beeps again. Gage says, “Fuck.”

Beth reads the message:
You’re dead to me now.

Chapter 12 – Ken

The key turning in Stephanie’s lock is the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. I turn to the door, cursing as I step too hard on my bad leg. The past hour has been brutal. I’ve spent the past twenty minutes pacing. My leg hurt like hell, but I ignored the crutches. I didn’t need them. Adrenaline spurred me on.

By the time the door opens, I’m there, wrenching it open. Steph’s eyes grow wide and she jumps backwards, nearly knocking down Beth and Gage, who are immediately behind her.

“What the hell, Steph? Where have you been? Why didn’t you answer my calls?”

She looks at her phone and then back up to me, and shakes her head. “I tried calling you too; it kept going straight to voice mail. She turns the phone’s face toward me, but I don’t even look at it. I shouldn’t be surprised. Jerome playing games again, I’m sure.

I soften and pull her to me, her arms snaking around my waist and holding me tight. “Sorry I yelled at you. I was really worried.”

She hugs me tighter while Beth and Gage squeeze around us. “Why are you up walking?” She looks up at me and I kiss her forehead.

“Worried, like I said. God, I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Gage pipes up. “Been a rough hour for us too. We were followed; that’s why I’m back.” He loops an arm around Beth’s shoulders. “We’re going to get out of Dodge for tonight.”

I look down at Steph again and she nods. “I won a night’s stay at the Bellagio a couple of months ago. I haven’t used it yet. We can go there tonight. I called and they weren’t booked up.”

Steph’s eyes are red, but she’s not crying. Her desire to be brave made the decision for me. “Bellagio, huh? Sounds like fun. I haven’t been there since I first came to town.”

Beth grabs Gage’s hand and pulls him behind her. “Come on, bodyguard. I need some things from my apartment.” She calls out, “Be back in a sec,” and closes the door behind them.

“They’re cute together, aren’t they?” Steph asks, and I nod. I’m a little concerned. Gage is almost as big a player as me. Never dates anyone for more than a month. I’ve grown attached to Beth. I don’t want to see her hurt.

“What’s wrong?” Steph asks and I realize I’m glaring at the door.

“Nothing. Gage is a good guy, not much of a relationship type though.”

Steph laughs and rises onto her tiptoes, pressing her lips to mine. “Like you?”

I kiss her back. “Yeah, exactly like me.” I kiss her again. “No girl’s gonna tie me down.” I nuzzle her neck. “No sir, I’m a free spirit.”

She giggles and pulls away. “Okay, Mister Free Spirit. Let me pack a bag and we’ll go free spirit together in luxury.”

I slap her ass as she walks around me. She turns and slaps mine right back. I pull her to me, wincing when I put pressure on my gimpy leg. “You okay?” She bends down to check my bandage, I guess to see if it sprang a leak. She’s kneeling in front of me, head bowed, then looks up and is face to face with the tent in my shorts. She smiles and nuzzles her face against my crotch. I groan and grip fists full of her hair. Her hand slips up my leg and under the cuff of my shorts, going higher as she continues to trace the outline of my erection with her nose. Her fingers slip under my boxers and she touches my cock.

“Mmm,” I groan and the softness of her finger tips move up and down my shaft. I look down at her, into those gorgeous bright green eyes filled with lust and wanting.

“I can’t wait to be inside you,” I tell her and she bites her bottom lip, sucking its fullness into her mouth. Damn, she’s sexy as hell. “I can’t wait to taste you, suck on your clit.” She wiggles. “You’re getting wet for me right now, aren’t you?” She wiggles again and nods.

I groan as her hand tightens around my cock and she begins to stroke. Her thumb passes over the tip and I feel her spread the wetness she finds there. Her green eyes never leave mine.

“I want you in my mouth,” she says and traces her tongue up the path of my zipper. I pull her head away, hands still gripping her hair.

“Come here,” I tell her and she lets go of my cock, slips her hand from beneath my shorts and stands, her breasts pressing up my legs, over my shorts, up my abs and to my chest.

“I’m here,” she says once she’s fully standing. I pull her to me, hard, my hands slipping down her back and cupping her ass, grinding her sex into mine.

“God, I want you,” I whisper against her lips and take them again, sucking her tongue into my mouth, grazing it with my teeth. She moans and her arms tighten around my neck as her tongue twirls around mine and then flutters against the roof of my mouth.

Damn, I love when she does that. I raise a hand to her breast and squeeze, then pinch the nipple. She gasps and bucks her hips against me. Mmm, she loves when I do that.

“Ready.” The door bursts open and Beth comes blasting in, tossing cold water on our fire. “Oops,” she giggles.

Reluctantly, I let Steph go and she turns bright pink and heads to her bedroom to grab a change of clothes and the girl shit all women deem necessary. I keep my back to Beth, and now Gage, and limp toward the kitchen.

“He doesn’t want us to see his boner,” I hear Beth whisper to Gage.

I keep limping onward as Gage whispers back, “Right, like half of North America hasn’t already seen it.”

The suite at the Bellagio is rockin’ fuckin’ awesome. Three thousand square feet of luxury overlooking the fountain and lake. It pisses me off that we’re here to escape J-hole, but if we’re going to hide away anywhere, this is the place to do it. Plus, Steph feels safe here, I can already tell.

She’s running water in the huge whirlpool tub, tossing in some girl smelling shit. It will be the first time we’ve been in a bath together. I’m still having to figure out how to make it work without getting water in my stitches. I look at her ass as she’s bent over the tub, her hand swirling through the water, spreading the salts. Hell, a little water won’t hurt.

She stands and turns to me, picking up a flute of champagne we’d found placed on the nightstand and drains it. It’s her second glass and she quickly pours another. I hate the stuff, and pick up the beer Beth, bless her heart, remembered to bring.

Steph taps a few buttons on her phone and Pandora starts up. Sade’s smooth voice filters out of the little speakers. Steph sits her phone down and then pauses and reaches for a towel. She tosses it on top of the phone and turns to me, a little grin on her face. She lifts a shoulder and says, “Just in case.”

I limp over to her and add my phone to hers under the towel. “Damn straight.”

She steps closer to me and presses her nose into my chest. She inhales and laughs, looking up at me. “How crazy is it that I even like the way you stink?”

I lift an arm and do a pit sniff. I wince. “It’s insane. There’s nothing to like about that smell.”

She leans in and sniffs again. “I don’t know. To me, it smells like hard work combined with sexy man.”