Edge (Parker Reed #2) (14 page)

I shoved my head out of his grip. “He treats me better than you ever would.”

Devin snarled and geared up to hit me. “Parker will never be with you forever. He’ll use you until he gets bored. Remember that when you wake up, Princess.”

I screamed when his hand landed against my cheek.

My chest tightened, my eyes opening for the second time when I realized that I was finally no longer dreaming. “Parker.”

The sun beat down from the small window in the corner. I rolled over onto my side, my stomach sinking when I realized that I was alone.

Sitting up, I hugged myself and rubbed my hands up and down my arms. My skin tingled from the remnants of the nightmare that had invaded my sleep. Only the night before, I told Parker that my nightmares were getting better. Devin was sadistic even in my dreams.

I sighed and rose to my feet.

Not in the mood to take a shower without Parker’s gentle hands massaging into my skin, I got dressed. I smiled when I saw a plastic heart sitting on top of a folded up pair of jeans and a white t-shirt.

Remembering when he had given me the tube of red and pink plastic hearts, tears stung my eyes. The sweet words of encouragement and instructions that had filled those little objects meant more to me than I could ever say. I had kept the notes, spreading them throughout Parker’s cottage as a reminder that everything would be okay. It had to be. It may take some time but I knew that all of us would get through this.

My skin prickled with fear as the remnants of my nightmare invaded my mind. I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. Although I knew it wasn’t true, the dream felt more real than I liked. My eyes flicked up to the camera in the corner, giving me a sense of reassurance. I never noticed it the night before when Parker and I were wrapped up in each other. I could only assume that it was used for emergencies. You could never be too safe.

Pulling on a pair of panties and a bra, I slipped into light blue jeans. After putting on a white t-shirt, I opened the plastic heart, my breath catching as my gaze travelled over the handwritten note.

Angel, without you, I am nothing. I am an empty shell.

You’ve made me strong, bringing me out of my own personal hell.

Angel, I love you more than you will ever know.

The true feelings I have for you are more than I can show.

You are the sun, moon, and stars in my sky. You are the light in my darkness.

You inspire me to be a better man.

P.R.

xx

A lump formed in my throat. Parker was not a man of many words. He dominated with his touch and spoke through his actions.

I tucked the note into my pocket and pulled my blond, curly hair into a messy bun on top of my head. Finally making my way upstairs, I headed into the kitchen in search of coffee.

The back of my neck tingled and I turned around.

Parker stood in the backyard, talking to Colin and Greyson with the club sitting at the patio set a few feet away. Parker’s gaze remained locked with mine as I closed the distance between us. Screw caffeine. He was better.

Heading outside, I shut the patio door closed behind me. I could feel the eyes of Colin and The Hell’s Harlem MC staring at me but all I could focus on was Parker’s warm embrace.

He smiled down at me but his eyes remained dark with fury. My heart sped up. I knew I had walked in on their meeting but I didn’t know what the outcome was yet. Parker wanted to protect me but I was in this just as much as him, if not more so. I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around his hard middle. Snuggling into him, I inhaled his clean, fresh scent and sighed.

He cupped my nape and kissed my hair. “Good morning, angel.”

“Morning,” I said softly, breathing in the musky smell of him.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I answered automatically. I winced at the mistake I made by lying.

Parker pulled back and pinched my chin, tilting my head. “Try that again.”

My heart skipped a beat at the firm tone of his voice. I glanced at Colin.

His eyes remained cool, the muscle in his jaw ticking.

“I suggest you look at me when I talk to you,” Parker whispered in my ear. His voice was low, rough, and it sent shivers over my body.

“Or else what?” I challenged. “Sir,” I added for effect, smiling sweetly at him.

“I love it when you challenge me, pet, but know that I will always win in the end. Now tell me,” he demanded.

“Bad nightmare,” I said finally.

His eyes darkened, saddening as he let out a heavy sigh. “Can you give us a few?” he asked Colin and Greyson.

They nodded and left us alone.

“Parker, I’m fine. You need—”

“Don’t tell me what I need,” he snapped.

I shoved my head out of his grip. “I had a nightmare. That’s it. Same shit. Different pile.”

“You were doing good,” he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me back into his arms.

“I know that. But I woke up and you were gone. God, it’s like Devin even has control over my dreams,” I said a little too loudly; the conversation behind me stopped abruptly.

“Continue,” Parker barked to our audience and held my hand in a firm grip, leading me away from the group.

“Parker.” I ran alongside him as he led us to a small bench on the other side of the yard.

“Sit.”

I did as I was told and watched him pace back and forth in front of me. I wanted to yell, scream for him to talk to me. Demand that he go back to the guys and get this meeting over with. For life to be normal. For everything to just…be.

“I love you. You know that, right?”

I looked up and met his gaze as he stood before me. “Yes. Of course.”

He nodded once and sighed, running his hand over his buzzed head.

“I got your note,” I said softly, remembering the words that I had engrained in my mind.

In a quick move, he knelt at my feet, and rested his head in my lap. Holding my hands tight in his, he let out a heavy sigh.

“Sir,” I whispered, my eyes widening. For a man to be on his knees over the woman he loved was intense and breathtakingly beautiful. “Please. I’m sorry. I don’t want us fighting because of him. I don’t want to dream of Devin. I don’t. But I can’t control it. It…”

“What?” he asked, kissing my knuckles.

“It felt so real. He slapped me and I can still feel the tingle in my skin.”

“Fuck,” he growled.

“I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing.” He squeezed my hands reassuringly and kissed my knuckles again.

“But I don’t know what else to say. The nightmare felt so real. They always do. But this one was different. He told me that you would get bored of me. That you will leave me.” I inhaled a shaky breath.

“Is that what you think, Keely?” he asked, his eyes boring into mine.

I swallowed hard. “I…I have no idea.” And I realized that I didn’t know. He was Parker Reed. Gorgeous billionaire. He also still felt guilty that he wasn’t able to save me from Devin’s wrath so many years before. The things we had issues over and the trust problems were nothing to do with us but they were tearing us apart.

“You honestly think that I would leave you? After the shit we’ve been through?” His voice rose with each question. “I gave you my fucking company, Keely!” he yelled.

Tears burned my eyes and I covered my face. “I’m so confused. I have no idea what to think.”

“Look at me,” his voice was calm, cool.

I ignored him, hugging my arms around myself. At that moment, I dove into my mind to find that safe place. That place that had helped me heal. Forget. Move on.

“Keely, look at me,” Parker demanded.

Rising to my feet, I headed back to the cottage.

“Keely! Damn it.” Parker grabbed my arm, spinning me towards him.

“Don’t touch me.” I pulled from his grip.

“Talk to me. Please,” he pleaded, reaching for me again.

“You deal with this shit. We’ll talk later.” I turned towards the group of guys watching the scene play out before them and continued walking back to the house.

“I don’t care who the fuck is here. I will bend you over and spank your ass if you don’t tell me what the
fuck
is wrong,” he snarled in my ear.

“You would like that, wouldn’t you?” I blurted. My eyes widened and I slapped a hand over my mouth.

Parker’s eyes narrowed. “Consensual, Keely. Everything we do is strictly consensual.”

I knew that but I was mad, confused; I couldn’t control the words that had left my lips. I just wanted to be alone. I wanted everything back to normal. But it never was, was it? Could Parker and I ever have a normal relationship? I needed the Dominant side of him. I craved it. The BDSM lifestyle that he had introduced me to months before would always be there but right now I wasn’t even sure if giving up that control would help.

“Where are you going?” he asked, following me to the patio doors.

“Inside. I need to call Troy.”

“You can’t tell him anything.”

“I know that!” I screamed, spinning on him.

He raised an eyebrow.

“Well this is something that I never thought I’d see,” someone joked.

“Shut up, ass.”

As Parker and I continued our stare down, the banter went on behind me.

His eyes bored into mine, challenging me, daring me to walk away.

So I did, heading into the house.

I loved him. I honestly, truly did, but everything was getting to me. I needed my best friend. Troy could bring me out of this funk. This moment of self-pity. I hated feeling sorry for myself. There were others that had it worse than I did but right now? I was wallowing.

“Stop walking away from me.”

I jumped at the deep voice coming from behind me and tripped over my feet. Landing hard on my ass, a sharp pain shot up my tailbone and tears welled in my eyes.

“Keely,” Parker said softly, reaching a hand out to help me up.

Ignoring him, I wiped the tears from under my eyes and rose to my feet. “I’m fine.”

“Angel.”

“What, Parker? What?” I snapped.

“What’s going on? Why are we doing this?” He took a step towards me.

“I need to call Troy,” I mumbled, pushing past him.

“No. You need to tell me what’s going on first.” He stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

“Parker,” I said through clenched teeth. I sidestepped around him when he hooked his arms around my middle. “Please.”

“I love you,” he whispered over and over in my ear.

“Let me go.” I struggled against him but his hold only tightened.

“I love you,” he repeated. “I don’t say it enough.” His one arm stayed wrapped around my waist as the other hooked around my shoulders. His big body arched over my trembling one, holding me tight against him. “I promise to say it more. When we go to bed. When we wake up. I will tell you that I love you over and over again.”

Tears streamed down my cheeks, rolling off my chin as I broke. My soul shattered, breaking into pieces as everything that had happened over the past couple of weeks came tumbling down around me.

“I’m sorry. For everything. For what I’ve put you through. For what Devin put you through. I love you so damn much.” He brushed his nose up the side of my neck. “I do. God, Keely.”

“Let me go. Please.” I squirmed against him.

“Not until you tell me that you’re okay.”

“I’m fine.” I attempted to push out of his hold but his strength won out.

“You’re not fine. Please, Keely. I can’t fight with you. Talk to me.”

I roughly wiped the tears from under my eyes and crumbled against him.

He held me as we fell to our knees.

“I miss you. I miss us. I want things to be normal. I want to see Troy.” A sob escaped me. “I want to go out and not be scared that Devin will find me. I just…I want him out of my life. I want…” I hiccupped.

Parker held me against him, whispering softly in my ear. He didn’t tell me that it would be okay. He didn’t tell me that everything would be normal. But he
did
tell me that he loved me over and over again. “Right now,” he cupped my cheeks, wiping the tears from under my eyes. “All I can give you is my love. I don’t know how this shit is going to play out. I can’t tell you that everything will be fine and normal again because I don’t know that. I won’t lie to you.”

I nodded, sniffing past a new onslaught of tears.

“Once this meeting is over, let me make you fly again, pet,” he whispered in my ear. “Let me bring you to your safe place.”

Wrapping my arms around him, I leaned my head against his chest. “I—”

“Keely?”

My head snapped up, my gaze landing on my best friend. “Troy? What are you doing here?”

He looked between Parker and I, his eyes finally settling on mine. Questions were clear on his face at seeing Parker, who he thought was no longer alive, here in the flesh.

“I asked Jones to pick him up.” Parker kissed my forehead and rose to his feet, pulling me up with him.

“What’s going on? You’re supposed to be dead. Keely, what the hell?” Troy threw question after question at me, his eyes dark with accusation.

“I can explain.” I took a step towards him but he backed up.

Troy ran a hand through his short hair. “Jones said it was an emergency.”

At that moment, Patrick came up behind him and placed their bags on the floor. “Baby, you and Keely should talk.”

“I don’t want to talk. I need to cook,” Troy mumbled.

My heart sunk, a hard lump forming in my throat. He was pissed and he had every right to be but I just prayed that I didn’t just lose my best friend. Every time Troy got upset, he cooked and there was no way to stop him. That’s why he was so good at what he did.

“Angel,” Parker said softly in my ear. “You need to talk to him.”

I shook my head. “Not right now. I’ll give him some time.”

He sighed but nodded in agreement.

“Is the war zone safe to enter now?” Greyson asked, standing at the patio entrance.

“Yeah, it’s all good. Tell the club to sit at the table and we can proceed with the meeting,” Parker instructed. He gave me a soft peck on the lips and headed to the large wooden dining room table, giving me a moment alone with Troy.