Fire (Beautiful Ashes Series, Book 2) (7 page)

Lacey sat crying and refused to let E console her. Though she should’ve known her husband was a persistent bastard. “Sweetness, I know you’re upset. That you think I’ve let you down. And,” he raked both hands through his long messy hair, “I have in more ways than one.”

The agony caught in his voice brought her gaze up to his. “I’m trying to understand. Help me,” she begged.

He nudged her over with his hip and wrapped his arm around her. “Keeley needs to do what’s right
for
her.”

“But…” E silenced her with his finger on her lips.

“No but. If she can’t accept her value as a woman, as your sister, as Tar’s partner, she won’t be able to fight the good fight. She acknowledges that, and it’s damn time she gets her head and heart in line.”

“I wanted to help her. Is that so hard to grasp?!” Her voice raised with her anxiety.

“Not at all. But you can’t help her deal with this kind of thing.”

Lacey heard something underlying in that last statement and turned toward her husband. Studying his features, she realized there was something he wasn’t telling her. “Talk to me, E.”

His brows raised. “I am.”

“Oh, don’t you dare do that!” she ground out.

“Do what, exactly?” He eyed her warily. He should’ve known his wife could see right through him, but fucking A, this wasn’t something he really wanted to talk about. Ever.

She moved to stand and he grabbed a hold of her, yanking until she was sprawled across his lap. Her struggles rubbed across his cock as he fought to get ahold of his libido and have a conversation he never thought to have with her. Would she still love him once she knew? E went to that place of self-preservation and Lacey noticed the change in him instantly. A chill radiated off him. Where did her husband go? She swallowed down her anger and fear. “Baby,” she stroked his hard jaw, “I’m right here. Not going anywhere. You can tell me anything, you know that, right?”

“Can I?” His distance brought a huge lump in her throat.

She needed past the wall he had erected and leaned in to brush her lips across his. “It’s the past,” she whispered between soft kisses, “look back only to see what you’ve learned from it.”

E’s face gentled at that. Of all the things she could’ve said. He tangled his fingers in her long hair and locked his lips on hers with an urgent hunger. She needed to
feel
how much he loved her. But before he got carried away and made love to her right there for anyone to walk in on, he broke the heated kiss and placed his forehead against hers. “I know where Keeley is at because I’ve been there myself.”

Lacey fought to control her need to have her husband buried deep inside her body and truly listened to what he was saying. “You mean when your Domme was murdered?”

“I went to a very dark place, Lacey. You see,” he tenderly moved her off his body so he could stand up. “I didn’t realize what her son was capable of when I taunted him.”

“Oh,” she gasped, “I assumed it was her ex-husband who killed her.”

He scoffed, “That would’ve at least made sense.” E paced as he continued, “I knew how upset Matt was about the whole situation, but I didn’t quite grasp why he was so territorial. So my cocky ass flaunted how awesome it was fucking his mom.”

Lacey wasn’t surprised by that. She loved his smartass remarks and could only imagine how they would’ve been back when he hadn’t learned some self-control. He’d been an angry teenager and she knew he would’ve been downright cruel with the things he’d said, especially if he knew someone was uber sensitive. Not that she faulted him for it. Keeley was like that too. Ahhhhhhh,
now
she was seeing the connection. “You didn’t know what he was capable of.”

“No. But I still feel responsible.”

She held her hand out to him. “That’s why I love you.”

“Why’s that?” he inquired as he pulled her up to him.

She placed her other hand over his heart. “Because this right here, is beautiful and full of compassion even at a point in your life when you tried so hard to be anything but.”

He shook his head. “I don’t deserve you.”

She brushed his tears away with her lips. “I’m not really an angel. Please, don’t set me up to fail you.”

His breath caught. She was his angel, his sweetness, yet he heard her plea loud and clear. “I vow, no matter how hard it is, to remember you are human and you do have flaws, too.”

She smiled against his mouth. “Thank you.”

It would’ve been so easy to back her up against the wall and show her what she meant to him, but E knew he needed to explain things further. “Keeley will have to learn how to control her very real need for pain. Much like I had to control my needs.”

“You really do understand her on an elemental level that I don’t,” she sighed.

“Hey, I love
you
. Yes, I love your sister as if she were my own, but nothing more.”

“She just has this way of making men do things for her that I’ve never understood.”

“Keeley has also attracted the wrong men who have hurt her deeply. Don’t forget that, Sweetness,” he said adamantly.

Lacey felt horrible for even entertaining a smidge of jealousy toward her sister. “I’m sorry, I thought…”

To hell with whoever walked in, he needed his wife to know he was hers. Only hers. E trapped her hands behind her back as he nudged her backwards and caught her gasp of surprise in his mouth as he took hers, demanding she comprehended he loved her with all of his being. His hand traveled up her sexy-as-sin thigh just as the door flew open.

“You two are like bunnies, I swear!” came the low rumble of Nik’s voice.

“They’re newlyweds, Nikko,” Aimee giggled. “Don’t you remember how we couldn’t stop fucking.”

He growled low, but not low enough that E and Lacey didn’t hear his, “I still love fucking you.”

They both looked over to see his hand on her ever-growing stomach and the light of love in his eyes as he kissed his wife.

Alex stepped in behind them. “For the love of…get a damn room of your own.”

Everyone broke out in laugher.

Sofie walked over to the bed where E had helped Lacey back into and covered her up. “How’s the head?” She whispered while kissing Lacey’s cheek.

“Better. I didn’t expect you to come along, but I’m so glad you did,” Lacey squeezed her hand.

“We’re family,” Sofie reassured.

“Where’s our girl Keeley?” Nik queried.

E locked his gaze with his brother’s. “Safe for now.”

Alex nodded with understanding. “Guess that means this is the base of operation until further notice.”

Lacey couldn’t hold back the tear that slipped down her cheek. This family was amazing and she felt so blessed to be part of it. E didn’t miss a thing and rubbed the wetness off with the pad of his thumb as he answered, “Yes. She needs us close by.”

“Well then,” Aimee piped up, “let’s get our beauty, here, released from this place.”

*****

Decision made, Mitch did what was second nature and drove north to Carmel. Seemed Keeley was tucked away in a rather posh facility. He couldn’t help but approve of Even Strand. Too bad the man wasn’t trained properly, he’d be a valuable asset. But the more he thought about that, the more Mitch realized he could absolutely use his ally. E had helped the team more than once and would most likely be willing again, especially with Tar involved. The two men were good friends, something McNeil wasn’t known for. Although with E and his brothers, all normalcy went out the window with each life they touched. Those brothers were unique and, bound together, they formed a formidable weapon against any and all who tried to harm one of theirs, or anyone they had taken in as family. Family was something Mitch didn’t let himself think on much. Sort of went with the position he accepted, however, after spending time with the Strand brothers, he was rethinking that.

He pulled into the driveway of a smaller home sitting on top of the cliff and surrounded by trees. The view was breathtaking and deadly he realized as he strolled to the edge. Mitch took a moment to gather his thoughts on how the hell he would convince this family that Keeley wasn’t just needed to the extent of jeopardizing her treatment, but she was vital in saving Tar’s life. From the outside looking in, no one would understand how a woman seducing a man could be deadly. But his gut knew, along with his head and heart, if Lisa got her hooks into Tarius McNeil again, he would not survive a second time. Plus, for all intents and purposes, Chase McNeil could very well be gone already, making this a time sensitive operation. Tar was vulnerable on all sides and his demons would rise to take advantage, unless Keeley could help him fight. God, he prayed Tar could forgive her and that she was up for the battle.

On his way to the front door, Mitch couldn’t ignore what he was about to ask of this family. He also acknowledged that Tar and Keeley might not survive. Yet, every time he replayed the scenario through his head, he couldn’t come up with a better solution. Then it clicked. He wasn’t alone in this. E and his family would offer support and wisdom to this clusterfuck. And after discovering what a weasel Clark was, Mitch was willing to break the rules.

The consequences could go fuck themselves.

“Mitch. What the hell happened?” E leveled a don’t-pull-any-punches look at him as he opened the door.

Yeah, he liked E. A good guy through and through. “Hello to you too,” he greeted while motioned inside.

“It’s like
that
, is it?”

He barked out a chuckle. “Sorta, yeah.”

Nik and Alex rose to meet them. E nodded his head toward an office. The men sat down and got right to business. Mitch brought them up to speed on fact and his hunch regarding it all. Everyone sat quiet for a moment letting the info dump process. E was the first to stand and pace as he spoke, “Are you sure it’s a good idea to hinder Keeley’s treatment?”

Mitch couldn’t help but notice he didn’t question if Keeley could help Tar, he knew she could. Respect filled him that her brother-in-law was most concerned for her well-being and was asking for a strictly medical point of view. “I’m not going to lie. It could set her back.”

“Could she lose the will to get the help she needs?” Nik chimed in.

“Possibly.”

“But it could also go the other way and help her lock in more,” Alex added.

“Affirmative.” Mitch admired each brother for their strength, love and loyalty when it came to their little sister. He knew that was how they saw Keeley. Blood wasn’t what formed the bonds with these men.

“Tar deserves our help, too,” E pointed out. “The thought that anyone would deliberately set out to harm him pisses me off.” For emphasis, E’s fist came down hard on the desk.

“Maybe,” Alex added, “Lisa doesn’t realize what that kind of thing could do to him.”

“Fuck that,” Nik fired back.

“Manipulation seems to be what she knows best. Rest assured, she’s fully aware of the damage it can cause,” Mitch asserted.

E spun around, “She wants them both.”

Mitch’s gaze met his. “What did you say?”

“It’s obvious. She loves both Chase and Tar.”

“Ah, the whole brother against brother over the same woman.” Alex shook his head. “Age old, that one.”

“Now how the hell did I miss that?” Mitch was on his feet, pacing. “That makes perfect sense.”

“Regardless of whether she’s aware of it or not, you’re right, Mitch, Tar needs out of her reach,” E declared.

“Okay, but what about the cartel? I mean, let’s not underestimate the reach, power and money involved with who is holding Chase,” Alex affirmed.

“Well, that’s the other reason I need Keeley,” Mitch hedged.

“Oh,
fuck
no,” E roared.

“What’d I miss?” Nik inquired.

“He wants Keeley back in undercover,” Alex filled in the blanks.

“Have you lost your ever-lovin’ mind?!” Nik growled just as angry as E.

Mitch held his hands up. “She’s good. Damn good at what she does.”

“And possibly the only hope Chase McNeil has,” Alex expounded further.

“I can’t tell Lacey this. She’ll go ballistic,” E confirmed.

Nik blew out a long breath. “I don’t recommend you hide shit from your wife.”

“Especially concerning her twin sister,” Alex added.

“What choice do I have?” E asked the question to no one in particular.

Nik and Alex cautioned again, “Tell her.”

Even Mitch wasn’t onboard with lying to Lacey. “For the love of God, let her be part of this, Even.”

“Look, while I appreciate where you all are coming from, my first priority is to protect my wife.” He turned and poured a glass of vodka, gulping. They were right, but so was he. Lacey would refuse to let Keeley get involved. Or worse, she would insist on helping too. And that was what made up Even’s mind. He couldn’t let his beloved wife enter into danger for the sake of her sister again. She’d done that one too many times and he couldn’t lose her.