Hot Texas Flash, page 18
“All that comes to mind is the group of young women in the “Queenie Sisterhood”. That’s the group started at Texas A&M University when you went there. There’s chapters of the group all over the state. I’m sure you knew some of them.”
“Are you sure?”
“The sisterhood is still intact. They recently had a fundraiser at the Women’s Club here.”
“Do you remember if anyone I dated back then was in the group?”
I’m shocked but glad to get a lead. It may go nowhere, but Queenie is not a common name.
Mom laughed. “Only all of them as I recall.”
“What about more recent, like a couple years ago. Truthfully, I can’t remember who I picked up. Those were the heavy booze times.”
“Let me think about it. I’ll go back through my calendar and see if an entry triggers me. But what about the one who followed you around, Rhonda I think.”
“I blocked her from calling my cell and the house, and after I got the Sheriff’s restraining order on her, she didn’t bother me again. I don’t think she’d be brave enough to send these kinds of text, but I’ll look into it. Please check your calendar, Mom. Call me with any information that might help. I can’t let this take Flash away from me.”
“Nash, I’m sorry. Sounds like you’re dealing with a sick person. Make sure you keep them safe. You hear me, son?”
“I will. These threats sound too serious to ignore.”
I’m positive Flash heard the conversation, which is good, I want her to know I have not a thing to hide.
The rest of the day brings no new information. David and I talk several more times in an effort to remember anyone it could be. His FBI friend will be available tomorrow. My Mom hasn’t gotten back to me yet. And Flash is too quiet for it to be good.
We sit on the patio after dinner until it’s bedtime which Flash helps with. She adores this little child, I can see it.
“I like it when you help me with her. I worry I don’t do things the right way. You’d tell me if I get it wrong, wouldn’t you?”
“So far what you do is perfect. I’m surprised a man could know so much about a baby. You do her care just fine.”
She says the right things but with plenty of distance in them.
“I know you’re angry, but I want to hold you while you sleep tonight.”
“That’s not possible, Nash. I can’t handle any more drama with you and past women.”
“Don’t judge me before you know the truth. You get some sleep honey.
She nods and goes to her room.
I take a walk to Juan’s house to ask more questions about the security system. He needs to be fully aware there’s a risk. He assures me all crew is on alert with a closer watch, as he is. It helps to know that but not enough to relax.
I’ve only dozed off and on the whole night. Mostly laid here my eyes on the ceiling. This ranch is dead quiet with only a few sounds of horses as they move around in the barn. The dogs are quiet. Everyone’s sound asleep and I doze off again.
I wake to a suttle sound, not sure what, it’s not loud and more of a sixth sense. I get up and ease outside taking a place to stand in the dark of a small grove of trees not far from the house. It’s not long till Juan eases across the yard, he’s checking the fence line same as me.
“There’s somebody out there, not close enough for the dogs to get upset.”
“I thought the same thing,” Juan answers. We split up and walk the fence line around the house and barns. Neither of us found any sign.
Chapter 29
Flash
The week passed in a strain with more text messages that read the same as the others—stay away from Nash. Most other things appear as normal but it’s not normal. A couple nights the dogs were unhappy at the fence line but calmed before we got outside. Probably a pack of coyotes. Nash is putting in hard effort to track down who this Queenie is with not enough luck. David’s on it with him and has his FBI friend involved. Local reports have been filed with police. He hasn’t talked much about it but he’s angry, upset and on constant alert.
So far, they’ve found out the text are from a buy-time untraceable phone. I heard him speak with his mother several more times, but she has nothing new. He’s gone through the names of the “Queenie Sisterhood” many times but none jumped out.
Every night I hear Nash and Juan go outside to walk the fence line. I haven’t mentioned to him that I know. We haven’t talked much unless it’s about Lizzie. She’s a good little child and I truly adore her. Every time I hold her, I think how much I’ll miss her when she’s gone. The thought comes to me that he’ll give up and leave.
He hasn’t made any attempt to be close to me this whole past week. Hasn’t said he loves me but in honesty, he’s consumed, on guard every night most all night.
Anyway, he’s caught again in the same pickle as before, proof he was a total man-whore. My idea is I’d have to deal with his exes often if we were together and that’s only a constant reminder of what I hate.
It’s hard to keep my focus on work but I have to. My broken fingers are finally healed and I’m not at all interested in a repeat of that experience. To push all this mess out of my mind is a bitch of a chore. Easy to say, hard to do, especially when I’d die for this man and have no clue how to make this end in a good way.
Nash and Juan go into town to pick up our order of grain for the horses. Those two men hit it off in the best way. I like that. When they get back I notice they’re both quiet, but having whisper chats together. I have no idea what that’s about.
Of course, Rosa thinks he walks on water and spoils him with his favorite foods. She never had children and she treats Nash like a son which he tolerates better than most men would. He smiles and has flowers or special foods delivered to her occasionally which makes her fuss over him more.
After dinner we take our spot on the patio in front of the fire pit same as we do every evening. Only there’s a different feel about tonight.
I place his cold beer on the table next to him when he takes my wrist and pulls me onto his lap.
“I almost spilled my wine,” I chuckle.
“You need to sit here. I’ve missed being close to you, but you already know that.”
“I don’t know. Mind reading is not one of my skill sets, and to assume is trouble.”
“Then let me show you.”
His lips are on mine in a second full of lust and so manly delicious. I kiss him back and hope he sees I want him much closer than this. As in my bed.
“But I can read that pretty mind of yours. I think your kiss just invited me to your bed. I hope I’m right.”
“You’re always right which makes you more cocky than ever.”
“I’m not cocky! Never.” He snorts.
We kiss off and on, finish our drink and wait for Lizzie to fuss. It’s the cue she’s ready for sleep. I take her for a quick bath, fresh nightgown and her bottle while Juan and Nash talk in the kitchen. It’s unusual for Juan to come back here after he’s finished for the day. His house is on the other side of the barns. The baby monitor is on, she’s almost asleep and I go to my shower.
“Room for one more?” He has me scooped up before I can answer taking my mouth with recklessness. “Um, so perfect pretty girl.”
“We can’t hear Lizzie in here,” I mumble.
“She’s asleep, I checked before I came in.”
“Tell me again, Nash.”
“Tell you what?”
“Did you really miss me?”
I nibble his ear and down his face.
“So fucking much,” he growls.
“How much?”
I asked and licked the water off his neck.
“Ahhh…” he moans. “You have no clue how much.”
“Prove it.” He takes my breast apart with his licks, bites to my peaked tips. He knows exactly what to do to me with his groans to show me how much he wants this.
I’m pressed against the shower wall, his one hand on my ass holds me up as if I’m the weight of zero, and the other strokes in my soaked channel.
“…I can’t wait.”
“Come now baby, I’ll take your pussy again.”
With that, my juices release over his hand. So good.
“I need you in me…please, now.”
“My sweet girl, I love hearing that.”
He glides his engorged shaft along me then eases into me, holds still for a second, his head back, face twisted in a mix of how good, how execrating.
“Fuck yes!” and he thrust deep into me with a throaty growl. “Yes… this.”
Could it get any better? I can’t see how. He holds me against the wall and pounds into me with a need I’ve never felt from anyone but Nash.
“… these tits, so hot that just a touch and you come every time.”
He’s right. I’ve missed him too much this last week.
“Come with me. I need to fill this cunt.”
His body strains with every muscle taut, shaking, a groan in his throat.
“Flash…baby,” he groans out.
His warm spray of seed fills me and mixes with mine. I wonder what it would be like to have his seed grow in me. A dangerous thought for me.
He soothes his hands over my cheek, his eyes admiring me radiating love.
There’s no need for words and we bathe each other quickly, he dries me, carries me to my bed, pulls covers back and climbs in with me.
“Can’t get enough of you, get over here,” he leaves tiny peck along my shoulders up my neck till he gets to my bottom lip nips it hard enough to make me yelp, then licks it better.
Instantly he stops, raises up in full alert.
“Shh.” His finger goes to his lips as he eases off the bed, stands still for a minute to listen before he steps into his jeans and boots. He leans over me. “Stay with Liz,” he whispers. “Don’t come out.”
“What is it?” I ask with no sound.
“Not sure.” He moves quietly out the doors and across the patio.
I go into the guest bedroom with the baby and take a position to look out the window. It’s dark but I can make out Juan not far from Nash. Their focus is on the one small section of fence that’s a blind spot in the security system. But if there’s someone out there where’s the dogs? They hear every noise.
In the split second I turn to see if she’s still sleeping there’s men yelling in Spanish, when I look back through the window there’s four or five men in a fight with Nash and Juan. I can’t make it out clear enough to know details.
How can I help? They’re outnumbered. I dial 911.
I’m in the middle of the call when a loud crash sounds in the house, its glass breaking, lots of glass, followed with someone talking. I tell the 911 operator and put the phone down.
Jesus No! Two men talking inside the house, one gives instructions to find the baby.
Can I push the dresser drawers in front of the door? It’s heavy but I have to. I get it halfway across and now they’re outside the door pushing on it to get in. They must have heard me. My only way out is the window. Thank god it’s not high off the ground.
I get it lifted up easy enough, grab Lizzie which startles her and makes her cry, and I climb out the window. I hit the ground running.
“NASH… NASH!” But I only get a short distance when arms behind me throw me to the ground and a man’s on top of me telling me in Spanish to let go of the baby.
“Naassh….” My panic pierces the dark as the man struggles with me to get Liz out of my arms. I have her gripped into my stomach and I’m crushing down on top of her. I fear my weight will hurt her, but I can’t let him pull her away. The man jerks on her legs, pulls at my arms, he curses me in Spanish. He’s punching my head and shoulders.
Fuck No! Hurts so bad!
Stars buzz around in my eyes mixed with blackness.
Please don’t let me pass out.
The ground vibrates. I can’t figure it out.
Don’t let go of Lizzie, no matter what.
There’s a loud yell, then a hard thud. The pressure of being tugged is gone. More noises are very close, loud growls, curses, men yelling. They’re still fighting.
I try to get up, but I’m so dizzy I fall down again. I can’t see a thing and the pain is horrible. She’s still pressed into my front and I try to crawl away from the fighting without losing my grip on her. Stars float across my vision back and forth.
“Nash, don’t kill him, don’t.”
That’s Juan. I’d know his voice anywhere.
Sirens get louder. Yes. Thank God!
Finally, I’m on my feet, staggering and tripping, but strong arms go around my waist and catch me up.
No! That man has me again!
My grip on Lizzie is binding her, so very hard. I know I’m hurting her. I kick, throw my weight back, twisting to get away as I scream for Nash.
“Flash! Flash! It’s me. I got you, baby. I got you. You’re okay now.”
The voice is near my ear but is it really Nash? Maybe it’s not. But it has to be, they didn’t speak English.
“Nash?”
“Yes baby. It’s me. I’ve got you.”
“Oh God… He was trying to get Lizzie.”
Chapter 30
Nash
“It’s okay now. I’ve got you and Liz.” All I can think when I look at them is my girls are hurt. “We’re okay baby”
I scoop them up and go for the front of the house.
“Don’t be scared baby. It’s all over, we’re good. You’re okay.”
I lost all rational thinking when I heard Flash’s screams and saw that bastard punch her over and over. He fought hard to get Lizzie away and had a good hold on her little legs.
Flash didn’t let that happen, fuck no, she fought like the devil to stop him. She even bit his arm till blood poured enough to make him back off for a minute. I love my woman, how she’s a fighter to the end.
Juan makes a path for me to get them to the ambulance in the front of the house.
“We need to let the ambulance crew check you both honey. I’ll be right next to you the whole time.”
I’m caressing her shoulder or arms as I look for injuries. I want to hold her into me, but I have to make sure I don’t hurt her. Lizzie is crying but not as hard now that I have her in my arms.
Flash has her hands on her head, but she asked about Liz. “Is she okay? I held her too hard.”
“You had to baby. She’ll be okay.”
The ambulance crew does a full check on each one of them. Lizzie seems almost back to normal by the time they’re finished. They didn’t find an injury other than bruises, but I spoke with the ER doctor who gave me a list of things to watch for and to take her in if I get concerned.
They didn’t see evidence of a brain concussion on Flash, her eyes retracted properly and were equal. I let out another sigh of relief.
“Let me get you inside.” I pick them up and settle them on the sofa. “I think you need to have food and liquids, then down for sleep. We have time to get a few hours before morning.”
I do all I can to act normal to put a sense of calm back into the house. They’re tired and upset but both are better after food.
“Time for bed again little girl,” I tell her as I hug her then lay her in her crib. She’s quiet and comfortable enough to fall asleep.
I’ve already settled Flash in the room with her since she didn’t want to be away from us. My clothes drop and I take a quick shower to wash off the blood. That’s how fights go, bloody. Flash pulls the covers back for me to come in next to her.
“Hey honey. How do you feel, any better?”
She nods yes. “A little.”
I pull her into me and think how close they came to serious harm all as a result of my mistakes from years ago. Life can be a blinding nightmare of lessons learned the hard way.
“I’m so proud of you, how you fought him off. You’re such a champion the way you guarded Liz. I don’t even know what to say except that I respect you, love you. God knows I wish this hadn’t happened.”
“You got to us and that’s what counts. I wasn’t sure I could hold out much longer. All I could see was stars in my eyes and black. I could feel my grip getting weaker.”
There’s a sad note to her comment. It breaks my damn heart.
I try to smile. Her arms wind around me and I feel her lips on my chest.
“I’d fight to the death before I’d let anyone get her. Who were they, and why go after a baby?”
“Again, a person from the past. Because I don’t ever want secrets between us, I’ll start from the beginning. Back several years ago when I drank heavy, I ran into a gal in a bar that I went to college with and we had a one-night stand. That happened a couple more times, unplanned. When she tried to make something out of it, I ran her off in a really bad way. Never saw or heard from her again for years. Then last month she was in the feed store and asked me to go to her house that night for dinner. I said no, that I was engaged and not interested. She showed up every place I went, the hardware store, grocery store. It was clear she followed me. I blew her apart one day when I was in town. She wasn’t happy. Then she somehow got my cell number and called every few hours all day and night for a couple days. I blocked her and had a restraint order served on her. That was the last I heard. She hired those guys to break in and take Liz. To me that sounds like what a very disturbed person would do. The police said she has a record of similar behaviors in other states and she has mental problems, but I don’t care about that. She has to be tried for this crime and I’ll see to it she is.”
“Did you and Juan think they would come?”
“We got several tips these guys had asked a lot of questions about your ranch. We thought they may show up to make trouble, but I didn’t think they’d go after Lizzie. I figured it would be me, or maybe you.”
“I wonder why the dogs didn’t go after them. They’ve always been great to keep people out.”
