Infinite Ties (All That Remains #3) (20 page)

“No. The lawyers got together and made a
deal. He couldn’t work with underage kids anymore, and he had to go to
therapy.”

“That’s it?”

“The lives of the rich and blameless,” I
reply, dryly. “He also got a shitload of money to sign a non-disclosure
agreement. They fucking rewarded him.”

His warm hand squeezes the back of my
neck. “Oh, Airen, no.”

“What was I going to say? I’d just turned
fourteen. At that age, I could’ve resisted, put a stop to it.”

“Did they say that?” he demands, anger
lining his voice.

“It was implied. If I agreed never to talk
about it, I could go back to my career, and things would go back to normal. Or
the whole thing could get dragged through a public trial, plaster our faces
across the tabloids, and he’d tell the world that I liked it.”

“Christ, Airen, between you, me, and Abby,
I’m not sure who wins the worst parents award.” He holds me tighter. “Tell me
about the nightmares.”

There’s no point in resisting. He knows
everything else, and I owe him an explanation why we can’t be together. “He’s
touching me, but he turns into you and I get confused.”

“I get it.”

“I love you, but I don’t know what to do.
When we’re together, his face comes back to me, his voice, calling me dirty.”

“Do you trust me?”

I nod. Abby and Joseph are the only two
people in the world I trust.

“Then don’t give up on us.” His soft lips
land on mine, his tongue slipping in for a slow taste. God, I’ve missed him,
missed this. He pulls my shirt off, and then his own before diving into my
mouth again. When his hand slips under my waistband, a groan escapes my lips.

“I don’t know if I…”

“Look at me, Dark Eyes. Say my name. Who’s
touching you?”

“Joey, but…”

His pace increases, his fist tightening
around me. “Does it feel good?”

“Yes,” I groan. My body sure as hell wants
him.

“Well, stop. Stop letting it feel good.”
His other hand shoves my shorts and boxers off. “Ignore it.”

“I can’t.” He slaps my hand away from his
crotch while shoving me back onto the couch. He’s spooned up behind me, his arm
dropped over my waist, his hand teasing with long firm strokes.

“Of course you can’t.” Hot breath raises
goosebumps on my neck. “It’s supposed to feel good, beautiful. We’re just
animals, full of nerve endings that are meant to be fired up. We’re made that
way.”

Oh shit, he cups my balls, rolling them
between his fingers before resuming his slow torturous strokes. “Cocks, balls,
nipples, and assholes full of sensitive nerves waiting to be set on fire. No
matter who does the touching. It’s natural.”

My entire body stiffens and bucks against
him when he slips a finger between my cheeks, into my ass. No one’s touched me
there but
him
. My childhood nightmare. Fuck, I can smell him, hear his
raspy chuckle. “Stop, Airen. Listen to me. Who’s touching you right now?” The
hand wrapped around my cock speeds up while his finger works in and out of me,
slow and steady. It feels so good. I shouldn’t…fuck. “It’s okay,” he reassures
me when a sob escapes. “Say my name, beautiful.”

“Joey.”

A warm palm clamps my jaw, turning my head
until our eyes meet. “Who’s making you feel so good?”

“Joey…shit.” The flashback of Craig begins
to fade.

“Why am I doing this? To hurt you? Demean
you? Control or abuse you? Why is my finger in you, Airen? Tell me, and I’ll
make you come like you’ve never came before.”

“To make me feel good!”

“Why?”

“Because…you love me.”

“Yes, Dark Eyes. I love you. Every inch of
you, inside and out. I love seeing you like this, putting that look on your
face.” His lips press against my ear as he whispers, “I’m going to blow your
mind now, beautiful. Are you ready?” He takes my groan as an affirmative.

There’s a quick pinch and burn when he slips
a second finger inside me, and I try to pull away. “Easy, let it happen. Take
it, Airen,” he orders, his voice steady. The slight pain fades almost
instantly, and I’m filled with an indescribable sensation. Pleasure doesn’t
begin to describe it.

“Right there,” he teases, stroking over my
prostate again, nearly sending me through the wall. “See how amazing it feels.
This is how you make me feel when you fuck me.”

“Joey.” My voice squeaks.

“I know,” he soothes as I squirm and
writhe against him. He’s let go of my cock at some point, and I didn’t even
notice. My whole world is the size of that gland deep inside me.

“Please.” Christ, did I just say that?

With a soft growl, he rubs firmly with
both fingers, and I’m lost. My entire body jerks and convulses. Sensation
explodes from the base of my spine to every cell I own. And it doesn’t stop.
Over and over, the heat and pleasure streaks through my veins until I’m wrung
dry. Fuck me, what was that?

“That was a prostate orgasm,” Joseph
replies with a chuckle. Shit. I guess I said that out loud. He slides his
fingers out of me and rests his head on my shoulder.

“Goddamn it, Joey. That’s what it feels
like when I fuck you?”

“Mmm Hmm.”

“You’re a lucky son of a bitch.” Our
laughter makes the aftermath a little less awkward.

“Are you okay, Airen? Are we okay?”

“Yes. You’re mine Joey. So no more late
nights with Troy and Nic.”

“I love it when you’re jealous.”

“I love you.”

“Me too.”

“Let’s get cleaned up and get some sleep.
We’ve got a stubborn, broken hearted girl to straighten out tomorrow.” He
crawls in bed beside Abby and plants a light kiss on her forehead. “I gave her
your goodnight kiss on the head,” I tease. “She probably wouldn’t have gone to
sleep otherwise.”

His eyes soften as he gazes at her with a
mixture of fondness and amusement. “How can one woman be so sweet and so
infuriating?”

“Maybe ask her,” I reply with a grin when
Abby’s eyes flutter open.

“Joseph?”

“Hey, ladybug.”

“You still mad?”

“Uh-huh.”

She rolls onto her side, facing us. “I’m
sorry.”

“I know.” A small smile tilts her lips and
she lays her head on Joseph’s chest when he wraps his arms around her. “Guess
what? I made Airen beg.” Abby giggles, glancing over Joseph’s chest at me.

“Ignore him. He’s dreaming.”

“He said please. It was awesome.”

* * * *

They wake before me in the morning and I
hear their low voiced conversation as they sit on the couch. “You can’t do this
to me, Abby. You can’t put yourself at risk like that. I’ve lost too much, Tim,
Mason, my parents. I can’t lose the only woman I’ve ever loved.”

“I’m sorry. I am. I saw those kids and…”

“I know.” He sighs. “I understand why
Airen’s such a control freak with you, why he’s so overprotective. It’s not
just you he’s protecting. If something happened to you, we’d never survive it.”

I couldn’t have said it better. I peek at
them and see her nod, biting her lip.

“Now, my girl, I want the truth about
something.” He tilts her chin up to look her in the eye. “What happened in that
hotel room before we got there? And don’t lie to me.”

“I got pulled inside. It happened so fast.
He slammed me against the wall and…pulled my pants down.” Her voice drops to a
near whisper. “Jon came in and I thought I was saved, but, he just left me
there.”

“He just left?” Joseph presses.

“After he told him to fuck me in the ass.”
Her face glows and the shame is clear in her voice. As if she did something
wrong.

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I was afraid. I
am
afraid of what
you’ll do. What Airen will do.”

“Do you trust me? Or Airen?”

“Yes! Of course I do!” Wide brown eyes beg
him to believe her.

“Then you have to start letting us in on
what’s going on in your head. We’re flying blind here. Has it occurred to you
that if you’d told Airen what Jon was really like, he’d never have looked for
him, never led him here?”

She nods again, chagrined. No arguing or
defending herself. She must feel bad. It’s not like her to sit there while he
chews her out.

“Abby, one more thing.” He pulls her into
his lap. “I’m so sorry I smacked you. I didn’t mean to do that. I’d never hurt
you.”

His face relaxes at the sound of her
chuckle. “I know that. It’s okay. Are we good, Joseph?”

“Always, baby.”

She cuddles into him, and he presses a
soft kiss on her lips. “I really want to go home.”

“We’ll say our goodbye’s this evening and
leave first thing tomorrow.”

“Good. You and Air are back together. The
rescue is over. Jon’s gone. We can go home and get back to normal. I need it.”

“Me too, ladybug.”

They both look at me when I flop beside
them on the couch. “I think you should put her over your knee. Make sure she
learned her lesson.” Joseph swats me on the back of the head.

“Quit instigating. Everything’s forgiven.
Besides, when I spank this sweet little ass again, she’s going to like it.”

Abby groans and scoots off Joseph’s lap
when there’s a knock at the door.

Sammy grins up at me. “Wanna go fishin?”

I spend the rest of the morning and most
of the afternoon on the pond with Sammy. He’s not happy we’re leaving, but he’s
getting along with Troy and Nic, so he’ll have someone to fish with when I’m
gone. Plus, I gave Troy my silver pole to give him after we leave. It’s a load
off his mind now that the other kids are safe, and he seems happier.

In the evening, Mac and Diane stop by our
RV to say goodbye, along with a few of the women we rescued. Ever have a room
full of people thank you for saving their lives? I recommend it.

Troy and Nic invite us to a farewell
dinner. Abby, Eric, and Joseph squeeze in on one side of the tiny dining table
while Gary and I take up the other. Troy and Nic sit at either end, grinning at
their overflowing kitchen. “Told you we’d fit,” Troy says.

“As long as no one needs to breathe out,”
Nic grumbles. “So, how early are you off?”

“As soon as it’s light,” I reply.

“I’d like to camp at that same park if we
can,” Abby says. “Do you think we can find it?”

“Gary’s the one that’s good at
directions,” Joseph remarks.

Nic and Troy both give him a pointed look,
and a sheepish grin crosses his face as he glances around the table. “About
that. I’m not going back. I’m gonna stay at Diane’s for awhile.”

Abby chuckles. “You can’t stay in one
place long, can you?”

“Ah, there’s a whole world out there
honey. I ain’t seen half of it.”

“That’s not what you’re trying to see,”
Joseph teases, and Gary winks at him.

“Emma’s gonna shit,” Eric blurts. Oh, hell
yeah, she is.

“Well that’s another thing. I need someone
to give this to Emma.” A sealed envelope lies in his large dark hand.

“Not it,” Joseph says, laying two fingers
on the side of his nose. The childish game makes everyone laugh as they imitate
him.

“Thanks a shitload, Gary,” I reply, taking
the envelope. “I’m going to switch your damn Dear John letter for directions to
Diane’s and an engagement ring.”

The lighthearted atmosphere lasts through
dinner and drinks. It’s late when we say goodbye. After a quick hug from Gary,
Abby embraces Troy. “Come visit us,” she pleads.

“We will, in the spring, I promise.”

Troy moves to hug Joseph next, throwing me
a cautious look. “I’m so glad you’re happy, Troy. You deserve it,” Joseph
murmurs. “Take care of him,” he adds, grinning at Nic.

Nic nods and pulls Abby into a hug. “Take
care of this crazy girl. You have your hands full.”

“Hey.” Abby giggles, stepping back. She’s
stopped by Nic’s hands on her shoulders.

“One bullet hole is enough.” Before Abby
can react, he plants a soft kiss right on her lips. Joseph’s angry eyes dart to
mine, but he lets it go when I shake my head. Nic is as gay as they come. It’s
harmless and watching Abby try to control her reaction is funny as hell. Seeing
Joseph all jealous is pretty entertaining too, since I’m always the one accused
of being possessive.

I hear her gasp, but she doesn’t resist.
He squeezes her hand and says, “Take care of yourself, doll.”

Nodding, she backs away from him, dazed.
“Okay,” I tease, pulling her to me. “I hope you’re happy. You fried her brain.”

“Shut up.” Abby laughs, blushing to her
roots. It was a pleasant end to an unpleasant trip.

On our walk back to the RV, I grab Abby
and throw her over my shoulder, smacking her on the ass. “Ow! What was that
for?”