Maze (The Ballerina Series #2) (18 page)

Chapter Eighteen

Maze

It
broke my heart to see my baby’s face bruised. They hurt her. I wanted to kill
those fuckers again. This time with my fucking hands. Slow. I couldn’t believe
I’d cried like a baby in the car, but damn it hurt to see her like that. I will
NEVER let anything harm her again. As long as I live and even in death I’d come
back to kill any sonofabitch who threatened her. I had one final task to
complete before I could rest easy at my lady’s side. And this hurt like a
bitch, too.

The
depth of my uncle’s betrayal.

I
found it hard to fathom. This was someone who was almost as close to me as Joe.
My earliest memories are of Joe and me, but riding a hot second are memories
involving my uncle Tsang, pulling me down the street in a red wagon. When I was
old enough and ready, he even gave me my first real blade. He was one of my
first trainers besides Joe.

When
I came out of the building, I saw Will step out of the shadows and cross the
street toward me. He must have been watching the entrance. I didn’t alert him I
was leaving the building.

“Going
somewhere?” he asked coming to stand in front of me.

“Yes.
But I need you to stay here and watch over Ivy.”

He
looked down at the ground then back at me. “You sure?”

“Yeah.”

“You
know I should try harder to stop you.”

I
smiled. “You and I both know you can’t.”

Will
grimaced. “Good point. Just be careful.”

I
nodded at him. He knew exactly where I was going and who I would have to face.
I pulled my hood up, and took out my phone to text Dante. I just let him know
Ivy was home safe and she’d call him in the morning.

I
put my phone away and stuck my hands back in my pockets as I walked the five
blocks. Uncle Tsang had the corner row house. When I got there I was surprised
to find no spotters around the property. I knocked on the door and Jason, one
of Tsang’s guards, opened it.

“He’s
downstairs,” Jason said.

I
walked farther into the room and heard the door close behind me. I glanced
around, but the guy had left. I paused for a moment, allowing my senses to get
a feel of the house. I didn’t think there was anyone else there. He had no kids
and his wife spent more time in Hong Kong than here. At least none of Tsang’s
guards were immediately visible.

I
made my way to the elevator in the hall. I’d been to this house many times
before we left for Japan, and even after Joe and I returned to the U.S. Tsang
visited us too in Japan and all over Asia. Wherever we were, we saw him a few
times a year. He was always present at my major fights. I’d learned a lot from
him. I stepped onto the elevator and took it down to the lower level. He had a
gym down there. I knew that’s where I’d find him.

The
elevator stopped, I stepped off and immediately saw him. He sat in the lotus
position in the center of the exercise floorboards. The light overhead shone
off his baldhead and the short blade resting across his lap.

I
took off my sweatshirt, dropping it on the carpet beside me. I pulled the blade
I’d taken from my apartment out of the strap I wore at my back. It was the
first steel I’d ever owned. Mate to the one in front of me. Unsnapping the
holder, I let it fall to the floor. I approached the wooden mat and stood at
the edge. And waited. His eyes were closed but he knew I was there. Slowly and
finally, he opened his eyes. Resignation seemed to lay in his gaze as he stared
at me.

He
sighed. “I did not want it to be like this. I loved Joe like a brother and you
as a son. Do you know you are my heir to everything? I never wanted you dead.
The assassins were merely a final test.”

“No,
you just wanted to kill everyone I loved. The next time you close your eyes
will be your last. This ends now.”

“All
I ever wanted was to be Dragon Master and for you to stand at my side as
enforcer, as I stood beside Joe. I let Joe establish the Tong, encouraged it,
but he left everything to you. All of it. I was fine with that, as long as I
had the Triad but I needed a few things out of the way first. Joe and Liu.”

He
stood and withdrew the blade from its sheath, tossing the casing aside. “I was
going to return Ivy to you. I thought you’d have gone after Liu and killed him
after you found her. But you did it backwards. Didn’t wait for me to bring Ivy
to you. I knew once you had her back you’d go after Liu, and you’d be able to
get past his security. But you went to him first and left him alive. That’s
when I knew he told you everything. By the time I found out you’d already
gotten Ivy. So I’ve just been waiting for you.”

I
was done listening to him. I did not know this man. I’m not sure I ever did.
“Joe trusted you. Loved you and you betrayed him. For that alone I will kill
you.”

I
stepped onto the floor and he came at me. This was not a fight like any I’ve
ever fought. This time I not only fought my mentor, an enforcer, someone who
trained me and knew my weaknesses, but also someone I trusted and loved.

I
shoved all that aside as I’d been trained to do. I stored those emotions in a
little box and sealed it shut to deal with later. For now my sole focus was on
stopping the ache in my heart. The only way to do that was for him to stop
breathing. Best to get this over with quickly.

Tsang
spun and lashed out with his blade at the same time, catching me across the
bicep. My mind registered the cut but blocked out the pain, rejecting the
numbness.

I
followed him immediately, mirroring his turns without missing a beat. I caught
him in the heart when he came out of his motion, driving the sword deep enough
there would be only one outcome. He lowered his arms and shock transformed his
features. He looked down at the blade and then back up at me, recognition in
his gaze. He nodded once, rubbed the hilt before firmly grasping his hands
around it and shoved it in deeper, falling to his knees in front of me.

I
breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. Now all I had to do was live with the
blood on my hands. But Ivy was safe. I’d never have to fear for her life again.
I turned around but my body remained numb. All I could think of was getting to
Ivy. I stepped on the elevator and went back to the main floor. I found Will in
the living room waiting for me.

“Do
I need to clean up?”

“What?”
I was in a daze but recognized Will’s voice. I knew he’d asked me that question
before tonight and each time the answer had been no. But for some reason I
couldn’t answer it this time.

“Go,
get in the car,” he ordered. “It’s right out front. I’ll be there in a few
minutes. Go.”

I
nodded my head and opened the door before walking out. I made my way down the
stairs and found the car double-parked on the street. I got into the front
seat, closed my eyes and waited. I don’t know how long he took. Time seemed to
stop for me. Something inside of me had died tonight. The radio was on and an
Evanescence song came on, the words resonated in my soul. I felt dead inside. I
needed Ivy to breathe life back into me. I only had to hang on a little while
longer. Keep the darkness at bay until I could just hold her one more time.

The
car door opened and Will got in. “You okay?”

“Take
me home, Will. I want to go home.”

“Hang
on. Here.” He handed me my sweatshirt that I’d dropped on the floor. I took it
from him and just held it on my thigh.

“And
everything is going to be fine,” he said. “I took care of things in there.
You’re clear.”

I
heard his words but I was too tired to try to ferret out his meaning. I closed
my eyes. When I opened them again the car was parked in front of the gym.

“One
last thing,” Will said before I could let myself out of the car. I turned to
look at him.

“What?”

“You’ll
probably be questioned by the cops, at least to notify you about Tsang’s death.
Tell them you were at the club but left early and came back here. That you were
working out almost all night with Mark and me. That’s the pattern you’ve had
for the last couple of weeks and easily verified by others.”

“What?”

“You
heard me. Understand.”

I
nodded. I did. “Thank you. And thank you for following me.”

I
let myself out and unlocked the outer door. I took the steps two at a time.
Mark still stood in front of our door just as I’d left him.

“You
can go,” I told him and unlocked the door. I stopped in front of the closet
with the washing machine and dryer. Looking down at myself, I was a mess. You
couldn’t see the blood against the black of my shirt but I could see the spots.
I opened the door and stripped, even taking off my underwear. I kicked off my
boots and took off my socks, then stuck them all in the washing machine. I put
soap in and turned it on. I shut the door.

Naked,
I walked into our bedroom, but I made it a point to keep my gaze down and not
to look toward the bed. I didn’t want to see or go to Ivy until I was clean. Or
at least as clean as I could get my skin.

I
went to the bathroom. I turned on the shower and stepped into the stall,
letting the hot water wash over me. I put my head under the water, my hands
rested against the wall. I watched blood go down the drain and I couldn’t tell
you if the water falling on my face came from the faucet or my eyes. I heard
the soft click of the door opening that I’d closed.

Still,
I didn’t lift my head. Not until I felt small soft hands on my back. They moved
to encircle my waist and she plastered her tits against my back and held me
tight.

“You
should be asleep,” I told her.

“It’s
my turn to take care of you now.” Ivy turned me around until I faced her and
then placed her hands around my neck pulling my face down to her. She placed
her mouth over mine and her tongue invaded my mouth.

I
moaned, inhaling her deeply. I could breathe again. I tightened my grip on her
waist and plastered our bodies even closer together. I guided her backward,
pressing her against the tiled wall. I flexed my legs and grabbed her thighs,
lifting her. She wrapped her legs around my waist. Her hands wound around my
neck, and I raised her higher until we were perfectly aligned.

I
felt between our bodies. Grabbing my cock, I eased inside her. She felt
incredible. I sighed and bent my knees so I could push into her even more. She
used gravity to bear down on me, taking me deeper inside her. I began to move,
and with each stroke, her muscles clenched me, firing my blood, letting me know
I was alive. I wasn’t going to last long so I increased my pace. I moved one
hand so I could rub my thumb against her clit.

“Come
for me, babe. Milk my dick. Come, then make me come. Take all of me.”

“Oh
God, Maze. Oh God.”

She
shook in my arms. Her muscles contracted both inside and out and that’s all I
needed to trigger my own eruption into her waiting haven. My legs trembled. I
lowered her legs so she could stand, and I rested my head back against the
wall, still holding onto her waist. In truth, she and the wall were what held
me up.

She
kissed my shoulder. “I love you.”

I
raised my head and moved the hair out of her face and placed it behind her
ears. “You are my everything. I love you.”

We
finished showering and toweled each other dry. She opened up a cabinet and
found the first aid kit. I didn’t say anything as she took a large
pre-medicated Band-Aid out then placed it over my cut. She kissed it when she
was done. I picked her up, and naked, I took her back to bed. After laying her
down, I turned her on her side so she rested with her back to me and I held her
close against my body. I slid my arm around her waist and rested my leg between
hers. She pressed back against me and took a hold of my hand.

“Sleep,
babe,” she said. “Sleep.”

I
wasn’t sure what tomorrow would hold for us. But as long as we faced it
together I wasn’t going to give a shit. I would bring her no more harm.

Chapter Nineteen

Ivy

I
heard the door open and Maze entered the outer room. I thought he’d come
straight into the bedroom but he didn’t. Then I heard the washing machine going
and I understood he must have turned it on. I wondered why he’d want to do
laundry at dawn. I heard him in the hall near our door and relaxed back under
the cover. I pretended I was sleeping but I saw when he stepped into the
room—naked. When he went straight to the bathroom and shut the door, I
sat up. My mind ran through all kinds of scenarios. None of them good. I heard
the shower go on and I got out of bed. I had to know, had to be sure he was all
right. He’d taken care of me earlier. I couldn’t help but feel he needed me
now. I opened the bathroom door as quietly as possible and pulled the t-shirt I
wore off, dropping it to the floor. I opened the shower stall and stepped in.

I
turned him into my arms, drinking in the sight of him. I noticed the cut on his
arm, it wasn’t very deep and the water had washed off most of the blood. Other
than that there were no new marks on him. I breathed a sigh of relief. He was
fine. Without a word we took care of each other. He needed the closeness and
comfort I knew only I could give him as he gave me. And that’s what we did.

Afterward
when we went back to bed. He held me in his arms and I pretended to sleep. I
felt his body relax and his breathing even out. My Maze slept and I was glad he
rested safe and sound, home with me.

My
mind wanted to shy away from what happened to me earlier tonight and what I
suspected Maze did to save me, what I knew he did even afterward to keep me
safe, but I found letting it go was hard. I asked God for forgiveness and
prayed we’d make it through this. The only thing I needed to decide, really,
was if I wanted him to tell me the details. If I should ask or just let him
tell me if he chose. I decided this was not something I could ask him and
demand the details. I could give him that. I knew tonight whatever he had to do
affected him. I refused to let it affect our relationship. His actions stemmed
from love and a need to protect me. A weight lifted off my shoulders. I’d made
my decision. The only one I could make. I would not press him.

I
awoke the next morning to the sensation of being surrounded and aroused by the
man I love. He suckled at my breast and his fingers stroked against my clit. My
sex immediately readied for him. I was wet. He slipped a finger inside me.

“Mmm,”
I murmured and opened my eyes to look into the storm filled gray of his.

“Good
morning,” he said. A grin on his face.

I
entwined my arms around his neck. “I’ll say.”

“How
are you feeling?”

“Perfect.
You?”

He
smiled. “The same.”

“Is
it…” I had to know. “Is it over?”

“Yes.”
He lowered his face to mine and kissed me. At the same time he removed his hand
and eased himself inside me. Flicking my clit at the same time, causing my
inner muscles to spasm. I raised my legs and crossed them over his waist. He
shifted and pushed even deeper into me until I felt his balls rubbing against
my lower lips. He pulsed inside me, and I shuddered as heat built in my core.
With each stroke, he took me higher onto the summit until I stood at the top
and fell over the side. He didn’t give me pause, but picked me up and took me
to the heights again. He moved faster and I kept his pace. He took me to the edge
and together we dove over that cliff. He grasped my hands in his as he came and
squeezed our fingers together.

“Never
leave me, Ivy. Never.”

“I
won’t.”

We
spent the entire morning making love, never leaving the bedroom. We ignored the
buzzing of both our phones. It was as though we needed to make sure the other
was fine.

My
face would be a mess for a few days, and that slice on his arm needed another
Band-Aid. He’d rubbed some salve on my face and I put a Band- Aid on his arm.
Other than the one bathroom run to take care of those things, we hadn’t left
the bed. About midday my stomach rumbled.

Maze
laughed then placed a kiss on my belly. “I think someone needs some food.”

“I
guess someone burned up all the fuel I’d previously stored.”

He
rolled away from me and grabbed his cell. He read it for a minute. “You better
check your phone and call Dante so he doesn’t come over here. He left me five
texts and three phone messages. I’m going to call Will and have him go get us
some breakfast.”

“You’re
right I better call him. What…what should I tell him?”

He
sighed. “The less the better for him. Tell him you’re fine and we’re taking a
few days to spend together. In fact, I like that idea. We’re taking a vacation.
But we’re not leaving this room. I’ll have Will make a grocery run so we don’t
have to get take out every day.”

I
smiled, liking the idea of taking a vacation at home. Enclosed with him,
protected from the rest of the world. “I’m not sure it’s part of a bodyguard’s
description to make grocery store runs.”

Maze
laughed and it reached his eyes. I was glad. I never wanted to see the kind of
despair I saw in them last night.

I
sat up, grabbed my phone, and called Dante. He was happy I was all right and to
hear from me. But he was understandably angry at my vague description about why
I’d disappeared. I explained to him I just needed some time to think and went
off by myself for a while. I told him Maze and I had worked things out. I
wanted to spend a few days with Maze, so Dante and I had to put off training for
a week. I figured by then my face would have cleared up enough I could be
around Dante without him asking even more questions, or worse, think Maze hurt
me. I shuddered to think what would happen then. I knew Dante cared about me
and God alone knew what he’d try to do to Maze and what Maze would do to him.

I
hung up the phone. Maze lay back on the bed and rubbed his fingers up and down
my arm. I’d heard him call Will and tell him what we needed.

“Everything
go okay?” he asked.

“Yes.
Dante naturally wants to know what happened. Not sure he believed me when I
said I just wanted a little time to myself. But he accepted it.”

He
nodded. “It’s for the best.”

“I
know. I just hated lying to my friend. I’m not exactly sure what I was lying
about.”

Crap.
I didn’t want to challenge him in any way as to what happened last night.

He
leaned forward and kissed my shoulder, then placed his arm over his face.
“Trust me it’s best that you don’t.”

He
lowered his arm and looked at me. I lay down and turned on my side. He turned
to face me and placed his hand on my hip. I put mine on his chest. There was
something else going on here. I could still sense an underlying sadness inside
him.

“What’s
wrong?”

“I
won’t tell you what happened last night. Not all of it but I do need to let you
know something. The Triad. Uncle Tsang was behind it all. I need to stop
thinking of him as my adoptive uncle. He wasn’t exactly what he appeared to
be.”

“I
don’t understand. What are you talking about?”

He
sighed. “Tsang had Joe killed. He’s the one who had you abducted.”

I
sat up again. “What!”

“I
don’t understand it all myself but it goes far back into Tsang and Joe’s
history. Tsang wanted more than he had and Joe stood in his way.”

“And
you.”

“Oh
me, he wanted to stand at his side. He thought the only way to do that was to
take away from me the people I loved. He let me think someone else was behind
it all. But all this time it was Tsang. Always Tsang.”

“Oh,
Maze. I’m so sorry.” I rested my head on his stomach and just held him. He
stroked my hair. I felt the gentle rise and fall of his chest.

“After
Joe, he was the closest thing to family to me. Some family, huh?”

I
raised my head. “Not everyone is like that.”

“I
know. I know your family isn’t. I’ve seen the closeness you all share.”

“Yes,
and you’re now a part of it because you’re a part of me. Never forget that. I
love you. You will always have me. Always be able to trust in us.”

He
smiled but there was still a hint of sadness there. It might be a long time
before it was gone completely, but I’d do my best to make damn sure of it.

There
was a knock on the door. Maze got out of bed and put on a pair of shorts. He
left the bedroom and a minute later, I heard him talking to Will so I took the
opportunity to run to the bathroom.

I
put Maze’s robe on since mine was at Dante’s condo. Crap, I wouldn’t be able to
get my stuff back until next week and some of my favorite pieces of clothing
were there. Oh, well.
 
I suspected
I wouldn’t need much anyway.

I
went into the kitchen and found Maze fixing us both a cup of tea. He’d already
spread the bagels out on plates for us. He turned around when I entered and put
the cups he held in his hands on the breakfast table. I limped over to him and
kissed him.

“How’s
your foot?”

“It’s
fine. I wanted a break from the walking cast so I’m just babying it.”

He
pulled out my chair for me, and I smiled before sitting down. He waited until I
was seated before taking his place. I grabbed my bagel and took a big bite. It
was delicious.

“I
thought we’d talk about what we wanted from the grocery, and I was going to
send Will or Mark a text with a list of the stuff to pick up.”

“That’s
a good idea,” I agreed.

“And
I’ll even cook for us tonight.”

I
smiled. Who would have ever thought that day we met on the beach so long ago
we’d end up here? The guy with the dragon tattoo down his side who got into
fights at the drop of a hat would be willing to learn to cook for me.

“Did
you ever think we’d end up here?” I asked.

He
chewed and swallowed before answering. “I wanted this. I wanted this more than
anything, but didn’t dare even dream it.”

“I
did.”

He
smirked. “I know. I counted on that. And I’m going to do everything in my power
to make sure all of your wishes come true.”

Later
that day, Maze got a call. We were putting away the groceries and he was trying
to decide what to make for dinner when he answered it. “It’s Will. I need you
to go into the back bedroom and stay there.”

“What’s
going on?”

“Some
cops are on their way here and need to talk to me.”

“What?
No.”

He
grabbed my arm and hugged me. “Listen. I don’t want them to see you. You have
nothing to do with any of this. But, I need you to stay out of sight. If they
don’t see you then they have no cause to even think you were involved in
anything that happened last night.” He released me then opened up the dyer, he
took out sweats and a t-shirt and quickly put them on. “Now, please, babe. Go
to the back room and wait there for me. Go.”

I
felt tears welling in my eyes and knew he was right. One look at my face and
there’d be questions. I wouldn’t, couldn’t, answer without doing Maze harm.

There
was a knock on the door and I went to the backroom. I left the door slightly
ajar and sat on the couch so I could try to hear what was said. I heard Maze
open the door and the voices of two men. One identified himself as a detective.
They came to tell Maze Tsang killed himself last night. It appeared to be a
suicide. He’d stabbed himself with his own short sword. I almost gasped in
shock but stopped myself before I uttered a sound. I thought Maze had killed
the man.

I
heard Maze tell them he’d seen Tsang a couple of days ago and he seemed fine.
They wanted Maze to come down later this evening to identify the body. He
agreed. They also asked him where he was yesterday. He told them he’d gone to a
club and then come back home. That he’d been down in the gym working out until
late. They wanted to know if he was with anyone. He gave them Will and Mark’s
names. Then they left.