Desperate Victory, page 7
He circled one of my nipples with his finger and the skin puckered tighter. It was the perfect amount of teasing, not quite giving me everything yet at the same time making me want it.
“My kotyonok,” Ezra said, his whisper almost hoarse. “Mine.” The word stamped so far below the surface that no one would ever erase it.
I was his.
I was Adam’s.
I was Milo’s.
And I was Bodhi’s.
They were also mine.
“Me and Adam.” I cupped his face, staring up at him. Adam didn’t have to be here to be with us.
Ezra’s expression crumpled for a moment, the raw vulnerability peeking out from behind the darkness, leaving him open and unguarded. “You are perfect.”
I chuckled. “No one is perfect—” I arched to nip his lower lip. He chased my mouth with his own, sliding in to the hilt. The moment he sank home, we were both gasping. “Ezra,” I whispered his name against his lips. “I love you.”
He groaned and deepened the kiss. Each time he lifted his head to allow us to breathe, I exhaled his name again. The soft huff of his laughter as his chest rubbed against my breasts and the full of him settled on me was a miracle.
Nothing else mattered. We were together. I loved him. All of him. All the broken and scarred bits he hid beneath brashness and sarcasm, dipped in alcohol.
He hid nothing from me. Not his needs or his wants. Not his fears or his nightmares. You only got to wake from a dream once, but we could dream of each other again and again.
We could wake up like this, together. He ran his tongue over his lips. I drank in the sight of him from the wet lips to the sleepy-eyes to the rumpled hair. Loving them consumed every part of me and it seemed to grow the more time I spent with them.
Honestly, obsessed was not a strong enough description for what Ezra aroused in me. The hunger in his kiss fired my own and I rocked with him. I couldn’t get enough, I didn’t think I would ever have enough.
When he rolled onto his back, I moved with him. He wrapped me up tight like I was his favorite blanket. Feet flat against the bed, he controlled the rhythm and I didn’t fight him for it.
Every strike of his cock deep inside lit me up. My inner muscles clenched around him. Hands on his shoulders, I rolled my hips. Every thrust matched our rhythm together and he clamped his hands down on my ass.
“You’re so goddamn beautiful,” he told me in a hoarse voice. I kept my gaze on his, no matter how hard we pushed each other. Then I fell into him as our mouths collided. There were no more words, just skin on skin, fingers digging in and the pure liquid heat spiraling out from within me.
He stroked my ass, my back, and then cupped at my breasts. With every teasing brush of his thumb or light squeeze of his fingers, he dragged more pleasure out of me. Light pressure, firm pinches, the teasing rolls and caresses, every single one did something different.
When he abandoned my lips and locked his mouth around my nipple, I couldn’t stem the tide. It was like my orgasm just broke out. The force of it shattered me and he just slammed into me, the internal pressure so perfect it threatened to undo me.
It was my turn to drag his head upward once more and when our lips touched this time, he came in a hot spurt that added fresh fuel to my fire. We lingered there, savoring the kiss. Little nips and licks that reminded me we were together while I blanketed him.
Satisfaction and need twined together. The musk of sex perfumed the air and I found myself wanting to wrap my mouth around him. Give him a blowjob that would blow his mind. At the same time, I didn’t want to let go or move away.
Later, I promised myself. Right now I needed this as much as Ezra did. I lost track of time as we lay there. He stroked his fingers up and down my spine. A soft knock on the door brought an end to the interlude.
“Yes?” I called lifting my head. The door opened and Bodhi glanced in. His gaze found mine and there was warmth in there as well as a bit of an apology.
“Adam called,” he said. “You haven’t looked at your messages. But he and Milo are on their way back to get us.”
Us.
Then he’d spoken with Liam. The others would back us and I glanced down at Ezra. “You don’t have to go.”
Adam hadn’t been able to kill his father, and I would never have asked it of him. I wouldn’t do it to Ezra either.
We’d discussed this. If Ezra stayed, Milo or Bodhi would stay with him, because I was going. Wallace Graham had a lot to answer for, not the least of which were the scars on Ezra’s body but also the ones we couldn’t see.
“I’ll go,” he said and I pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. “You should probably shower in Bodhi’s room, because I’m more likely to fuck you against the wall in the shower.”
I chuckled. “Tempting.”
“Raincheck?” The offer was sweet and I gave him another kiss.
“It’s a date.”
“Downstairs in fifteen,” Bodhi said as I rose. He gave me a delicious once over that sent a very pleasant tingle through my aching cunt and definitely made me wish we had more time. “I’ll have coffee ready.”
“You love me,” I murmured, pausing to give him a kiss as he held the door open for me.
“I do.”
“Does that mean he loves me too?” The snark was all Ezra, his masks slotting firmly back into place.
“Sure,” Bodhi said. “But I’m not kissing you.”
I caught the look of shock that rippled over Ezra’s face before Bodhi closed the door. He followed me to his bedroom and the en suite.
“What’s up, Trouble?” I still had Ezra’s cum on my thighs, not that it seemed to trouble Bodhi in the slightest.
“You sure about taking him, Buttercup?”
Was I? I gave the answer a lot of thought as I got the shower started. “Yes. I wish he wasn’t going. It’s going to be hard for him. It would be hard for anyone. But it has to be his choice.”
Absolutely, one thousand percent his. Arms folded, Bodhi leaned against the door frame as I slid into the shower. If he needed a moment, he could take it.
It wasn’t until I’d soaked my hair down that Bodhi finally responded. “We’ll keep an eye on him. But if one of us pulls the plug and says to get him out—I need you to be the one to do it.”
Because Ezra would do it for me. He would protect me. I really wanted to gut Wallace Graham with a spork. It sounded hideous and appropriate at the same time. Yet, I could see Bodhi’s point.
“Okay,” I said slowly. “If I need to leave…”
“You just tell me what part of him you want, Buttercup. I’ll deliver it on a silver platter.”
That really should not be hot or romantic, but it was both. “Thank you.”
“Always,” he said, then left me to finish showering. Ten minutes later, I put my hair back in a braid that would keep it out of the way and neat. The clothes I wore were all black—as much for the mourning as to hide evidence of blood.
The boots were also black, but not my favorite pair. They would also be more likely to clean up and not need disposal. Cosmetics were light enough to not take long, but also efficient enough to hide the smudge of worry from beneath my eyes.
When I descended the stairs, I found all four of my guys waiting for me, along with a couple of extra Vandals. Adam lifted his chin, the darkness cloaking him, one I wanted to embrace.
Because we were going to get our pound of flesh for Ezra and close that particular door permanently. Wallace Graham would never lay a finger on him again.
Harper could never hurt Adam or Andrea again. We were getting our sister back. And Wallace Graham?
He was a dead man.
Just another name on a list we were going to check off.
No more enemies left to come at us from behind.
None.
Chapter
Eight
BODHI
Adam and Milo returned with a pair of Vandals to join us on the family excursion. Liam O’Connell and Vaughn Westbrook were excellent choices as backup. O’Connell because he knew all the players. Westbrook, on the other hand, was nearly six and a half feet of heavy, layered muscle decorated with tattoos.
He also had red hair which was utterly at odds with his genial nature. I didn’t have a problem with it, I’d never met a red-headed man that wasn’t an absolute barbarian when it came to fighting or madder than a goddamn hatter.
I approved of both. Since this ginger was relatively polite and easy-going the rest of the time? Fine by me. Always needed to watch out for the quiet ones.
Ezra came down before Lainey. The wet hair betrayed his shower. He’d gone for casual, and dark colored clothing. Solid plan. There would definitely be blood spilled.
“Liam,” Ezra said by way of greeting and the other man nodded. When Ezra glanced at me, I pointed to the coffee on the table. I’d made it for both him and Lainey…
There she was, and I enjoyed the time it took her to descend the stairs to just savor her appearance. From the neat braid of her hair to the careful tucking of her pants into her boots. Nothing in her appearance or her wardrobe betrayed our plans.
Except…
I canted my head to the side as she took the coffee.
“I know,” she murmured. “I need to get my gun. I wanted coffee first.”
That was part of it. “You need knives for your boots. We’re going to update your wardrobe before we leave.”
“You want the tags done now or after?” Vaughn asked. It was his first question since he arrived. That explained the case he’d brought with him. James, the doctor who ran with them, and Vaughn were both skilled at under the skin geo-tags.
“After,” Lainey said after taking a drink. “I don’t want any more delays. If one of us has a reaction, I’d rather not split us up.”
“Good points.” Adam agreed with her and Milo just gave her a long look before he nodded.
“Are you sure we all need to get chipped?” Ezra grimaced.
“Yes,” Lainey said firmly. “We’re all allowed our privacy, and I will never use the tracker unless we think you’re in danger. But too much has happened and we’re all going to feel better if we can find each other when it matters.”
No argument would survive against that reasoning. To give Ezra his due, he gave up the fight without even waging it. If we’d had to pin him down to tag him, we would have. Cooperation, however, was appreciated.
“Plan,” I said, taking over. “We’re splitting into two vehicles. Lainey B, you’re with me and Adam. Ezra, you’re with Milo and Liam. Vaughn, I’ll give you the option of choosing which team you go in with, but I want you to take the front door after we deal with external security.”
Ezra frowned. Yes, I was separating him from Lainey and Adam. With them, he was a distraction. Milo and Liam were more than capable of watching his back and he was less likely to engage in theatrical heroics for them.
It was a win for everyone.
For his part, Vaughn merely nodded. “Fine by me. How many are we expecting?”
The plan was relatively straightforward. Ezra had the security codes and he wrote it down for everyone. Adam knew the layout of most of the guard positions as well as where the main security office was.
“We’ll start there,” Milo said. It was where I’d wanted his team anyway. As much as I enjoyed removing security issues, it kept Ezra out of the direct line of fire with his most dangerous opponent.
Wallace Graham.
Lainey took a long drink of her coffee then studied the screen on the laptop. Wrapping an arm around her middle, I tugged her back to sit in my lap. It would let her study the layout for Harrows Park that I’d pulled up. She relaxed against me, though there was a tight litte frown where her brows drew together.
The house was a monster and it was parked on a very large tract of land. Strategically, it could be a fortress. The Grahams, however, had embraced entertaining and socializing instead of more intense security measures.
Still, they had a staff of more than forty for security and another twenty or so for the household itself, not counting groundskeepers and gardeners. Sixty some odd people who could get in the way…
“What if they have guests?” Lainey didn’t look at the screen anymore, she glanced at Ezra. “I know your mother begins preparing for the Daughters League this time of year.”
“She isn’t hosting,” Ezra said. “That honor went to the Mansfields of Bridgeport, so the ballroom will remain closed.”
That was good.
“There are too many variables to account for every single one. So we’re going in quiet. You three will hit the security office, close it down and make sure no one can signal law enforcement. Locking down the garages and the gates should be next.” We went over every aspect of the plan until it was time to move.
Plans always had to be fluid. It made life interesting and coordination like this survivable. Coffee finished, Lainey strapped on her shoulder holster and covered it with a jacket.
“Be safe, Mayhem.” Milo ordered her before dropping a kiss on her lips.
“You do the same, Pretty Boy.” She winked then glanced to where Ezra still wore a frown. He hated this. I couldn’t blame him. His father was a problem.
We were fixing the problem.
“I’ll be good,” Ezra promised. “Mostly. Liam will probably kick my ass if I’m not.”
“Accurate,” Liam said, then waved him to the car.
Lainey blew Ezra a kiss then Adam gave him a long measuring look. When Ezra grinned and saluted, Adam rolled his eyes.
Better.
They were finding balance.
“Let’s go,” I said, opening the passenger door for Lainey.
All the smiles faded. It was time to get to work.
Once on the road, Lainey and Adam were both on their phones. She made calls to track down Dinah Graham while Adam handled getting his security in place to replace the Graham security.
A few had already been bought and paid for, but that wouldn’t be all of them. I already had a cleanup crew on standby. When we finished with Graham, we had one more target to eliminate before we left—if time allowed. If not, we’d deal with him when we came home.
The drive to Harrows Park was over an hour and it flew past as Lainey and Adam made plans. Some calls they didn’t want to put Ezra through. The rest? Well, we couldn’t make the calls until it was time.
“She’s definitely out,” Lainey said as we arrived at the gates to Harrows Park. No one was in the guardhouse and the main gates were closed. “She’s checked in for a full spa day to get ready for the memorial service.”
I nodded then used the remote from Ezra to open the gates. Both cars had one. They were entering from the back, while we came from the front. I wanted all the attention on us.
Honestly, I wanted all the resistance on us too. It would be great fun to see them try to keep us from doing what we came here to do.
I parked in the porte cochere and took my keys before sliding around the car. Adam was already out and he had Lainey’s door open. I gave them both a nod as I ascended the steps to the entrance.
Unsurprisingly, these doors weren’t locked. They opened right into the foyer. The doors on the far side of the foyer might be locked, but I wasn’t concerned. Security cameras, patrolling security, and an estate of land offered the feeling of protection.
Arrogance. The downfall of so many and a lesson that the wealthy and the powerful should have learned. Influence was only valuable to the people that needed it or wanted it. The rest? Well, it only provided a shield against those not willing to take what was owed to them.
Pushing open the doors to the main house, I wasn’t surprised to find a footman hurrying to greet us. “I’m sorry, Mr. Graham is not receiving visitors today.”
“Henderson,” Adam said as he swept past me. “We need to talk.”
If we didn’t have to kill the staff, we wouldn’t. Some of them would have to go. Unfortunately, some would have blind loyalty, either bought and paid for or earned over the years.
They could no more sacrifice it than they could their own families because they built their whole lives and identities around the families they served. It was a throwback to a different age, and a different place. I never wanted staff like that.
Frankly, I didn’t want staff. I preferred people with principles that would turn on you if you turned out to be a raging psychopath who locked up your wife. Or beat your son. Or plotted the sexual slavery of your stepdaughter.
I didn’t think that was unreasonable.
Lainey walked at my side as we trailed behind Adam. He collected another footman, then a butler on our way to the kitchen.
The housekeeper rose as Adam and his entourage swept in ahead of us. The cook turned around, his expression fierce. Yeah, we were intruding on their territory.
“Gentlemen, ladies,” Adam began, summoning their attention to him. “I have an offer for you and it’s only available for thirty seconds.”
Outside the windows, I could see one of Adam’s security teams moving. Excellent. Touching Lainey’s shoulder to remind her I had another task, I left her guarding Adam’s back as I took the door down to the wine cellar.
The Grahams had quite the collection stored in temperature controlled vaults, along with a few other artifacts and items they didn’t share with the public. Vaults within vaults.
I liked digging through secrets. However, I wasn’t down here for the secrets. We’d have time to sort all that out for Ezra later. Right now, I wanted the primary security room.
As much as I disliked applauding the man, I had to give the Grahams credit for this. Stored within the wine vault, in a room of its own and on a separate feed, was the primary servers and control room for the whole house.
Security had access to some feeds and some cameras. This room recorded everything. It was how Wallace Graham manipulated and extorted his way to the top. He had dirt on a lot of people, all safely stored where no one could get to it.
