Page 86 of Lust

She goes to step out of my arms and I pull her back in. “What’s wrong?” I ask the question and she shakes her head. “Ivory, you’ll tell me what’s wrong.” My words slowly twist into a growl. How the hell can I help her if she doesn’t tell me what’s going on?

“I just haven’t been sleeping.” She shares information with me but I know it’s just the tip of the iceberg. I link my hands with hers. I don’t know what I had done in a past life to deserve Ivory. As far as I was concerned I would never let anything happen to her and in payment for the universe giving her to me—I would make sure she was always looked after and want for nothing. Right now I could see it in her eyes, there was something keeping her from sleeping and it was my job to make that problem disappear.

“You know he can’t hurt you Ivory?” I tilt my head slightly, speaking to her. She had to know, she was safe in our house, in this garage, anywhere she was—she was safe because I’d made fucking sure of it.

She smiles dimly. But doesn’t say anything instead she pecks my cheek, saying she is packing up but as she steps out of my arms. I know I have a problem on my hands. Ivory didn’t feel safe because of this wanker. Which meant it had to be dealt with.

* * *

Wasn’ta man to follow the rules. Never had been. Ivory was asleep upstairs when Gabe arrived at just after midnight.

“You said it was important?” Gabe looked at me sort of pissed off I had called him in the middle of the night.

Out of all Ivory’s brothers, I know Gabe would do anything to protect Ivory. Sure her other brothers loved her, but not to the extreme Gabe does.

“Yeah. I’ve got to go out. Need you to stay with her.” I tuck my extra gun in the back of my jeans. Double check my holsters are all filled. Gabe is frowning at me.

“You going somewhere, while armed like the terminator?” he asks.

“Just got a problem to deal with.” I pause beside him. “Don’t let anything happen to her.” Our eyes lock and he nods his head. What I didn’t know as I walked from that house, was there was a chance come morning I wouldn’t be back and there was a larger chance then I thought, that I wouldn’t see Ivory again.

61

Ivory

Ibolt up awake in bed. Sweat coming from my forehead, as the fear from the nightmare continues to roll through my body. It was just a dream. Kace isn’t dead. Kace is right here. I turn to my side, only to frown. I glance at the bedside table, seeing the time. It’s four in the morning, where is he? I throw the blankets back, and my feet hit the floorboards.

“Kace?” I move towards the bathroom, and then hear a noise from down stairs. Immediately my skin is alive with fear, and I grip the gun under the bedside table. Kace wouldn’t leave me. Kace wouldn’t leave me in a house by myself. So where is he?

I grip the gun and walk down the stairs. Raising the gun when I hear movement in the kitchen. I see a shadow on the wall, cast from the moonlight, and my heart is pounding and pumping fear through my body.

“Kace?” I say his name, and the shadow pauses. And I know immediately. It isn’t Kace. But then I see another shadow being casted on the wall. And it’s the shadow of a gun. I swallow sharply.

“Come on baby girl put the gun down.”

I clench my eyes shut tight together and then open them.

“What are you doing in my house?” I keep the gun raised as Taylor steps out into the hallway.

“Your brother is passed out on the couch. Makes one wonder if your boyfriend is out fucking another woman?” Taylor lowers his gun, his lips twitch up and my body is screaming at me to shout. So I opened my mouth, and Taylor knows what I’m about to do. He’s quick. Quicker than me. I go to shout but his hand covers my mouth. “Come on baby girl, play nice now. Let’s not wake up your brother.”

His other hand wraps around the gun. Then I feel it. A gun in my back. “Want to go for a drive baby girl?” He whispers in my ear. “What’s that, you’d love to? Well let’s go then.”

I blink tears as his grip around my mouth is strangling me. I want to scream but that gun in my back stops me.

Before I know it the fresh air hits my body and he is walking me out to the car. It’s when he pops the boot I know I’m in serious trouble

“What’s that saying?” he says in my ear. “If I can’t have you, no one can.” And then immediate pain spreads through my body and I pass out from a blunt force blow to the back of my head.

62

Kace

“He won’t hurt her.”

I look at Gabe. “He knocked her over the head with a Glock and forced her in a boot of a car!” Who was he trying to kid? Himself or me? Taylor was dangerous and currently had my woman. My purpose. My reason for breathing. I exhaled sharply, running my hands over my head. I know what I’ve got to do. And I’m prepared to do worse to get her back.

“God Kace. The way you are acting. Someone would get the impression you love her.” Links eyes are on me as he insults me. Is he trying to test me?

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