Cruel Love Read online

  Boxcar looks up from his chair. “Uh... Cal? Don’t you think we should talk about that first?”

  “There’s nothing to talk about, Boxcar,” she says.

  “I emphatically disagree.”

  Caleb looks at me. “How are you on weapons?”

  “A little light,” I answer.

  “You can take what you need from the back room of my shop,” she says. “Got plenty for everyone.”

  Boxcar leans forward. “Caleb.”

  She ignores him and looks at Fox. “What do you think?”

  He nods. “Should be more than enough for getting us across the country. Once we’re in the air, we’re on our own until we reach Lutrova…”

  “Does that mean you’re in?” I ask him.

  He takes a breath. “I’ll escort you through Moscow,” he says. “Get you in touch with Luka and we’ll go from there.”

  “Fox.”

  He turns to the corner and Dani stares back at him with wide, broken eyes.

  “What are you doing?” she asks.

  Fox hesitates. “Dani...”

  “Just say no.”

  “I can’t.”

  She blinks. Her mouth sags open but nothing comes out.

  Fox takes a step closer to her but she beelines for the door. “Dani...”

  Dani rushes outside, refusing to look back at any of us. I feel an ache of pity for the girl, I really do. But there’s more at stake here than she realizes.

  Caleb follows her. “I’ve got her,” she says.

  Boxcar’s annoyed expression succumbs to the inevitable. “If you’re going international,” he says, “you’ll need new passports, IDs, et cetera. It’s pretty guaranteed you’re all on a no-fly list somewhere and, if not, the Boss probably has you and any identities you’ve had tagged.”

  “I have that taken care of already,” Fox says.

  “Wait, really?”

  He nods. “Fresh IDs for me, Dani, you, and Caleb.”

  Boxcar’s face screws up. “You just… have fake passports for me and my wife sitting around your house?”

  “Yeah,” he replies with a shrug.

  “And you don’t think that’s weird?”

  “It’s not,” I say, fighting a laugh. “It’s a standard habit for people like us. I have extras for me and Lilah, too.”

  “Well, that’s…” Boxcar shrugs, “not at all scary or unnerving.”

  “I don’t have one for Lucy, though,” I say, looking at her. “Not a whole lot of options for it while you’re already in hiding.”

  “Or Archer,” Lilah adds, her head tilting at him. “Sorry. You’re pretty but you’re new and I’m not sure you’re fake ID-worthy yet.”

  Archer nods. “No worries, love. I’ve got my own travel methods. And… ouch?”

  She rubs his thick shoulder.

  I look at Fox instead, still not quite comfortable with the two of them sharing displays of affection in front of me. “Think your guy can make one up for Lucy?” I ask.

  He shakes his head. “Not as fast as we need it.”

  Boxcar raises a hand. “I know a guy back in Boston who could — and fast if you pay him enough. He’s kind of shady, though...” He chuckles. “On second thought, I doubt that matters in this crowd. I’ll give him a call.”

  I nod. “Thank you.”

  He flashes a forced smile. “Next stop, Boston?”

  I make eye contact with Fox and we both nod in unison, triggering another sudden prickle of nostalgia down my spine.

  “Sounds good,” Fox says.

  Boxcar stands and gestures to the door. “I’ll go see to the ladies,” he says.

  Fox nods and waits for the door to close behind Boxcar before looking at us. He studies the four of us, eyes drifting from face-to-face, but I don’t sense threats or hostility behind his eyes.

  “Give me tonight,” he says slowly. “I’ll meet you in the morning, just... I need one night.”

  Lilah’s stare shifts between us and she shakes her head as soon as we make eye contact.

  Right now, we know where Fox Fitzpatrick is. More than that, we know the danger of losing sight of him, even for a moment. He’s disappeared before and anyone who tracked him ended up dead. Lilah still doesn’t trust him enough to think that wouldn’t happen again and she’s probably right. If Fox walks out of here now, we may never see him again. We shouldn’t trust him.

  But I choose to anyway.

  “Okay,” I say. “We’ll be here in the morning.”

  “Dante.”

  I ignore Lilah. “Go do what you need to do,” I say over her.

  Fox picks up his gun from the bed. “Thank you,” he says to me. He walks to the door and stops, slowly turning back with his hand on the knob. “I’m sorry about Elijah. He was a good man.”

  “Yeah,” I say. “One of the best of us.”

  He steps outside and closes the door behind him.

  Lilah lets out a rough scoff as she marches to the bed. “Can’t believe you’re just letting him go.”

  “He’ll be back,” I say.

  “Sure, okay.” She grabs her gun and stuffs it into her belt. “I’ll be the realistic one this time.”

  Archer clears his throat. “Lilah, he seemed sincere.”

  “People like Fox don’t do sincere,” she says. “They say I’m a monster. What do you think they say about him?”

  “Lilah.” I stare at her. “Go cool off. Get some rest.”

  “No, Dante, I won’t go get some rest. One of us needs to be awake here and it sure as hell isn’t you.”

  “I know what I’m doing, all right? I worked with Fox every day for over a year. If I thought for a second he’d hurt any of us, I’d take him out.”

  “Bullshit,” she says. “I don’t think you care at all about what he could do to you or me. Or Lucy. No, I think you’re just happy to have your old drinking buddy back.”

  She throws the door open and bolts outside. I don’t bother calling after her. She’s dead set in her opinion and I don’t care to change it. She might be right. If my judgment really is compromised, then I want her to check me when necessary.

  Archer takes a step along her path. “Excuse me,” he says. “I think that’s my cue to play the supportive bloke.”

  I nod. “All right.”

  “Goodnight,” he adds, quickly waving back at me and Lucy.

  “Goodnight,” Lucy says.

  The door closes behind Archer, leaving me and Lucy alone.

  I exhale and lower down to the edge of the bed, staring hard at the floor. The carpet pattern blurs in my vision until I’m finally forced to blink. My eyelids feel heavy. Getting Fox on the same page was the easy part. It’s not time to relax just yet.

  Lucy slides onto the bed behind me and wraps her arms around my neck. “You okay?” she asks, her warm breath tickling my ear.

  I rest a hand on her wrist. “Yeah,” I answer. I turn to look at her and see her right leg extended out to the side, avoiding the bend.

  “How’s the knee?” I ask, reaching over to rub her lower thigh.

  “It’s fine,” she says.

  “Doesn’t hurt?”

  “It’s not bad.” She smiles, hoping to distract me.

  It works.

  “Don’t worry about Fox,” I tell her. “He’ll come through.”

  Lucy shrugs and rests her head on my shoulder. “You trust him. I trust you. That’s good enough for me, you know that.”

  I kiss her forehead, lingering there for a long moment so I can fill my nose with her scent. “Thank you.”

  “I got nowhere else I’d rather be anyway,” she adds.

  “Oh, yeah?”

  She slinks closer. “Where else? At home? Sitting there, waiting for you?”

  “Not gonna lie,” I say with a smile, “that doesn’t sound terrible.”

  “For you, maybe. For me, fuck that shit.”

  I twist in her direction and wrap an arm around her athletic waist. Lucy Vaughn. The
foul-mouthed dancer from Chicago.

  I lay a hand on her warm cheek, gently pushing her brunette hair behind her ear. “Just promise me you’ll be smart,” I say. “Keep your eyes open. Stay by my side. I can’t bear the thought of watching you get hurt... again.”

  She kisses the edge of my mouth without saying a word. She doesn’t even need to say anything. My heart pounds in my ears, blocking out the fear and doubt. Lucy’s the only one whose ever been able to remind me that I exist as more than just a hired gun. One taste of her and it was like I was finally able to see the world in color.

  Seeing Fox again has tainted me already. Bright hues are fading in my vision, replaced with deep and dull grays. I need Lucy here by my side, not sitting at home. I don’t want to forget what it feels like to see the world as a man really should.

  Lucy smiles, igniting a spark in my toes again. “Are you going to go talk to Lilah?” she asks.

  “No,” I say. “Think I’ll let Archer handle this one.”

  She nods. “He seems good for her.”

  “He’s stuck around longer than others, I’ll give him that.”

  “You mean he didn’t run away screaming after meeting her scary big brother?”

  I chuckle. “Yeah.”

  She presses her lips against mine, drawing me even further away from darkness. Her hand rests on my thigh, her fingers gently stroking my leg.

  “You should get some sleep,” she whispers.

  I kiss her harder, not wanting to let go just yet. We cling to each other as she lies back and spreads her knees. I settle between them, careful not to twist her right leg, as I tower over her small frame.

  “Whatever you want, Ms. Vaughn,” I say, brushing my lips against hers.

  Chapter 5

  Archer

  I walk across the parking lot to my trailer on the far side. The door is slightly ajar, meaning Lilah’s so pissed off that she didn’t care to close it or she broke it on the way inside. Either option is equally as likely.

  As I approach it, I run a hand along the side to feel for dents or bent metal. Nothing broken. Good. That’s one less thing I have to worry about.

  Now, I just have to cool her down.

  It’s a demanding chore, though not one I’m unwilling to partake in. My lover just lost the most important person in the world to her. That’s a pain I can’t begin to imagine, nor will I ever attempt to.

  In my mind, for the time-being, Lilah Hart is infallible.

  I step inside the trailer and lock the door behind me, mentally preparing myself for whatever fit of rage I’m about to witness.

  I glance around for that tuft of red hair. “Lilah?”

  “In here, Archer.”

  I twist toward the bed in the back, my eyes instantly falling on the body-shaped lump taking up space beneath the sheet and the trail of her clothing between myself and the bed.

  Lilah sits there with the sheet clenched over her naked breasts.

  I sigh and wander over to her. “So, this is it, then?” I ask. “You pick a fight with Dante, come running back here to my bed, and I’m expected to follow like an obedient pup?”

  “Doesn’t sound like a bad deal to me,” she says.

  “It sounds like a couple thousand dollars of therapeutic attention just waiting to happen.”

  Lilah lets the sheet fall, revealing her perky, hard-nipped breasts and the cobra tattoo twisting down her belly. She slinks forward, practically crawling toward me to the edge of the bed.

  Her hand takes hold of my belt and she tugs it free.

  I ignore the pulsing need in my briefs. “Lilah...”

  “I don’t want to talk right now, Archer,” she says quickly. “I just want you to throw me down on this bed and fuck me until I turn numb. And then, I want you to do it again.”

  I smirk at her pink cheeks. “You know what I adore about you?”

  “What?”

  “That die-hard romanticism.”

  She glowers but that doesn’t stop her from pushing my zipper down.

  I reach for her wrist as it sinks into my trousers. “Wait, Lilah.”

  “Archer—”

  “Look, love...” I steady my grip, keeping her from going farther. “I’m more than willing to fuck your red-headed brains out but I think, one of these days, you’re going to have to take a closer look at this situation and admit who you’re really angry at.”

  Her face twitches. “I will, just...” She takes a deep breath and looks up at me with those begging eyes. “Not right now.”

  I sigh, completely won over by those trembling cherry lips. “All right, then…” I lean over to kiss her forehead. “Lie down and assume the position.”

  “This first…” she says, lowering down with a wide-open mouth.

  I relish in her warm, wet tongue as she inches me inside. I grow harder in her mouth, filling even more of the small space.

  I rest a hand on her neck. She takes me in deeper, all the way back from what I can feel. I grunt with overwhelming passion for her. If she keeps this up, I won’t last long.

  I twist my fingers around her hair, taking a tight hold of it. Her eyes flick up at me as I gently pull her back and I slide out of her mouth. Saliva glistens her red lips and she heaves a deep breath.

  “How do you want it?” I ask.

  Lilah shifts away, turning around to present her bare backside to me. I keep a strong grip on her hair as I align myself behind her. She likes it when I do that. I remind myself of all the things she does like, as I do every time I’m with her.

  I guide my cock inside of her, feeling her stunning wetness tighten around me. Any other time and I would have dropped to my knees and ate her until she was purring for me. But she doesn’t want me to make love to her. She doesn’t want slow. She wants it hard and rough. As she said, she wants to turn numb and I’ll do it. For now.

  I pull back on her hair and she bends upward as I fuck her. She tilts her neck back with an open mouth and moans with every quick thrust I give.

  “Harder,” she mewls.

  I rest my other hand on her ass, digging my fingertips into her without changing my speed. She quivers, knowing what I’ll do next, but I let her buck in suspense. Being hard and rough doesn’t mean I can’t tease her, which is what I like to do. I’ll make her come. But it’ll be on my terms.

  “Harder,” she says again.

  I lean over to whisper in her ear. “You’re too tight,” I say, feeling every twitch inside.

  “I don’t care.”

  I let go of her hair and reach around to grab her neck instead. She moans even louder, rattling the chords in her throat. They vibrate against my hand and I feel her raging pulse along my fingers.

  “I do,” I tell her. “Don’t forget, love. This is my bed. I’m the boss here. Not you.”

  She exhales, releasing a trembling breath.

  “If you want it hard,” I continue, “you’ll have to earn it.”

  “Archer,” she moans.

  “Touch yourself. Come for me once and I’ll be your slave.”

  Lilah lays a hand on her mound and hugs her clit with two fingers. Her moans twist along her lips and I feel another wave of throbs deep inside of her.

  “Good girl,” I whisper, urging her on. “You’re almost there.”

  I slide a hand up her neck and she parts her lips for my finger. She takes it over her tongue and bites down on my knuckle as she sucks the tip. I keep fucking, finding it more than a little difficult to maintain this speed. I want her just as she wants it, hard and fast. But it’ll feel better for both of us after she comes once.

  Lilah cries out in orgasm. I pull my finger out and rest my hand on her shoulder to hold her up as she pulses repeatedly around my cock.

  She turns her head back to look at me, those begging eyes staring up. “Harder,” she begs again.

  I move in to crush my lips on hers. “As you wish, love,” I say.

  I take hold of her backside with both hands, filling my lungs with t
he warm air around us, before fucking her the way she wants me to. I thrust in and out with ease, pounding deeper with each buck of my hips.

  Lilah holds a pillow against her mouth and lets out a biting, muffled scream. I continue, laying hard and quick slaps against her rear every few thrusts. She likes it when I do that. She likes the pain of it. A little reminder that she’s alive. A big distraction from everything else.

  Her elbows give and she lowers down, sticking her ass a little higher into the air. I grip her tighter, pulling her in with each purposeful fuck.

  “Archer,” she groans, her entire body shaking. “Don’t stop.”

  I hold my breath, tricking my thoughts to focus on anything but coming inside of her right now. It’s an easier task than I expect. We’re on a mission we may not come back from. Our chances are better with Fox Fitzpatrick on our side but how far exactly can we trust him? Lilah doesn’t seem to think that’s very far. And then there’s Boxcar and the recently fertilized Caleb. I can’t imagine they’re having a very loving conversation right now, as she volunteered herself for this job without running by him first…

  “Fuck,” Lilah cries, bringing my focus back.

  Her inner muscles twist around me, signaling another hard orgasm and it pulls me with it. I come with her, feeling my strength deplete more and more with each quick spurt.

  Lilah collapses onto her side in front of me. I watch as her fingers and toes twitch and her breasts rise and fall with her overworked lungs.

  I lie down beside her as she turns onto her back. Her mouth sits agape for a moment before she catches her breath and closes it without a word. Completely numb, as she requested.

  A sense of warm satisfaction teases my ego until I see her cold and unblinking eyes.

  “Lilah?” I ask.

  She stares at the dark ceiling. “It should have been me,” she finally says.

  I breathe out slowly until I can’t anymore. “Let that be one of those things we agree to disagree about, eh, love?” I say.

  She rolls in my direction and buries her face in my chest.

  I hold her there until she falls asleep in my arms.