Ten Thousand Words (42 page)

After we’d finished lunch, he had taken me back to his place to pack a bag. He intended to spend the rest of the week with me, and then the two of us would hole up at his place over the weekend.

George had been spotted on Friday afternoon, creeping around the bookstore. I hadn’t seen him, but one of Ricki’s boys had, and Ricki had called yet another family meeting in Aunt Ellen’s apartment, Skyping with Ronen and Lilla once more. This time, Ollie was there, and he didn’t take the news too well. In fact, he demanded we get the police involved, to which the rest of us just laughed.

“Why’s that so funny?” Ollie demanded, his forehead knotted in frustration.

Ricki and Ronen then explained, in minimal detail, of their connections. When they trusted Oliver completely, they might let him know what they truly did, and it would no doubt give more insight into Ellen’s, Jaime’s, and my involvement. What they did tell him was that the police knew of the situation and was letting us handle it.

“Are they hitmen or something?” Ollie hissed at me as I packed my overnight bag after the meeting.

I shrugged. “It’s not my place to tell anyone about who they are and what they do. If they want to tell you, then that’s for them to decide.”

“I thought I was dating this quirky author, and instead, I find out she keeps company with some truly sketchy people.”

I swung around to face him. “Do you want out then, Oliver? Because if you can’t handle it, now is the time before we get any deeper into whatever this is. This is a part of my life I’m never, ever going to willingly give up.”

“
Whatever
this is?” he nearly shouted. “There’s
no
getting out of this. But I have to say, I think it’s completely bizarre that you know such dangerous people!”

“They’re not dangerous to me. Knowing and loving them isn’t dangerous either. What they do so far has only put themselves in danger. I
can’t
tell you more than that. So, right now, you need to make a decision. Either you’re in or you’re out.”

He stalked up to me and grabbed my face, his own face a mask of fury. “There is no out of this, Xanthe. There’s no way I can walk away from you, away from us. You made sure of that before you told me…whatever it is you’re involved with.”

Then, he kissed me with all the frustration, hurt, and anger this situation had shoved on us. It was passionate and raw, and we ended up having angry sex then and there.

That was so hot.

That was how Beefcake and I found ourselves in Oliver’s living room on Saturday evening, watching a rerun of
Ancient Aliens
, while he ordered take-out from a nearby Italian restaurant. Beefcake seemed at home already. He’d apparently forgiven Oliver. He certainly enjoyed Ollie’s oversized loveseat, in any case.

“I’ll be right back,” Oliver told me, dropping a kiss on top of my head. “I’m locking the door, all right?”

“Okay,” I replied, giving him a smile.

Beefcake stretched and purred, jumping down from the loveseat, to come and settle in my lap. For the next thirty minutes, we sat and watched TV until Oliver came back.

“It’s me!” he called out as the door opened.

I got up and headed into the kitchen. While he pulled out plates and utensils, I unloaded the food from the take-out bag. The scent of garlic and tomato sauce warmly wafted up. He’d ordered eggplant parmigiana and salad.

As he stood behind me, his hands went around my waist, pulling me into his chest, hugging me. Melting into him, I closed my eyes. Everything I had ever yearned for, ever needed, ever wanted was right here in this moment.

“I’m scared,” he whispered.

“Of what?”

“That he’ll do something to you.”

He rested his bushy jaw against my temple, the scent of his beard oil assailing my senses. His heart hammered madly with his thoughts through my back.

“It fucking terrifies me that he’s walking around, looking for you.”

Turning around in his arms, I wrapped mine around his waist. “I know it’s pointless to say, but just try not to worry about it.”

Oliver’s arms tightened around me, one hand smoothing up my back and into my hair, and he pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Yeah, pointless,” he murmured.

This wasn’t going to be forever. One day, George was going to fuck up, and Ricki and his boys would take care of it. In all honesty, I was hoping it would be sooner rather than later. I didn’t like it when my man was stressed out.

For our first night together in his apartment, it seemed to be a pretty somber one. Ollie more or less poked at the food on his plate instead of eating it, which was a shame because it was fantastic.

“Look, you just need to let it go for now. The guys are looking into it. They’ve got people watching us and watching him, so…”

Dropping his fork onto his plate and pointing a long finger at me in anger, he snapped, “
You
need to take this seriously. He fucking put you in the hospital! How is it that you’re not more concerned about your own welfare?”

My jaw dropped, and my eyebrows shot skyward. “Because there are thugs watching him and watching us with the sole purpose of protecting us!” I snapped back.

He rubbed his face with his hands, making his beard stick out in all directions. “I’m sorry,” he said, his hands dropping to his lap beneath the table. “I’m just not used to feeling so helpless. I want to find this guy and—”

“He hasn’t done anything but be creepy. We can’t go after him for that.”

Eyes burning with his fury, he stared at me. “So, we wait until he makes a move? What if it’s too late by then, and he harms you?”

“If he tries to approach any of us, then that’s when Ricki’s guys will take action.”

“What will they do to him?”

I didn’t answer, and his eyes grew wide.

“I thought they worked
with
the authorities!” he said loudly. “This is insane—”

I shot him a hard glare, shutting him up for using
that
word.

“You know what I mean,” he huffed. “I’m being kept in the dark—”

“Not completely,” I pointed out. “That should tell you something. Aunt Ellen, Jaime, and the guys know you’re aware that there’s more about them than meets the eye. You need to be patient and prove to everyone that you can be trusted. I’ve done all I can to be as honest as I’m allowed.”

Oliver sucked in a sharp breath.

“Believe me, my life would be a lot easier if I could be open about all of this with you. One day soon, I hope to be. Until then, can we just not talk about it anymore?” I asked. “I don’t
want
to worry about George, so I’m not. I’m not giving that motherfucker anything else!” Now, my appetite was ruined as well. “He already took enough from me!”

Stunned, Ollie sat back. “You’re right, love. I’m sorry.”

I waved his apology to the side. “I understand you’re upset. You have every right to be. These aren’t normal circumstances.”

We cleaned up after dinner, and then Oliver took my hand and led me to the stairs with Beefcake sauntering behind us.

Oliver paused to look at him. “Is he going to watch us?”

I snorted. “Probably. He is my cat after all.”

Oliver grinned and hefted me over his shoulder. Beefcake didn’t go into attack mode but followed us up the steps to the bedroom that had never had another woman in it.

Ollie

For the first night spent with a woman in my bed, I pushed aside my paranoia about George and any thoughts about Xanthe’s secret life with her friends. Having her share my personal space was wonderful. It felt natural, as though she’d always been here.

It was a novelty to wake up next to
my
woman in
my
bed. It just did something to me. I needed to capture it, so I could hold it in my hands and gaze upon this one moment for the rest of my life.

Slipping out of bed, making sure not to wake her, I found my camera and loaded it with fresh film. I wouldn’t risk digital with this. These photos would be for
us
. We’d never show them to anyone else.

Glowing pale in the early morning sunlight, Xanthe was captivating in her sleep with her cheeks rosy, her hair spread around her, a pierced fat breast uncovered. Crawling onto the bed, straddling her feet, I gently tugged the covers down her torso, enchanted as the cool air caressed her nipples, making them pucker. She stretched and opened her eyes while I continued clicking away.

“What are you doing?” she asked, still groggy.

“I’m photographing the most beautiful woman in the world,” I replied.

Gasping, she reached for the blanket in an attempt to cover herself, but I was ahead of her and tugged it out of reach, exposing her in all her naked glory.

“Ollie!” she hissed.

“Don’t worry, love. No one will see these but me.”

“But—”

Dropping the camera, letting it hang around my neck, I pulled her legs up, spreading her knees wide.

“Oh, that’s gorgeous,” I told her, letting my fingertips dance along her flushed core. I picked up the camera and snapped another photo.

“Oliver…” she said softly. “I don’t think I’m comfortable with this.”

Grasping myself in my left hand, I rubbed the head of me through her slick heat, taking a photo of that. “I would kill anyone who would try to look at these, love. I promise.”

Her body relaxed slightly, and I pushed in the tip, snapping another photo.

“Fuck,” I grunted, feeling the tingles start. “That’s got to be the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

I took another few photos as I sank in fully. My left hand moved into view, and snapped some shots of my thumb rubbing her clit. Her legs fell open even more, allowing me to take the most intimate pictures of her. I withdrew slightly, taking a photo of my cock shimmering with her juices.

“My turn,” she said, her voice deep and throaty.

I took the camera away from my eye to look into her face. She was biting her lip and reaching out her hands.

Pulling the neck strap over my head, I handed her my baby. “You push that to take the picture—”

“I know how to use a camera,” she stated. Indeed, she even adjusted the lens like a pro. “Go on.”

I grinned at her, my eyes on the lens. My hands went to her hips, and I thrust in hard, making her tits bounce nicely. She snapped a picture and another. I was becoming far too turned on by this.

“You’re beautiful, Oliver,” she whispered, taking another photo.

My eyes closed, and I breathed in an effort to control myself.

“Just let go,” she prompted.

“Love, I might not have a choice.”

“That good?” she teased, squeezing her hot, wet walls down around me.

I moaned, letting my head drop back, hearing the click of the camera.

“Do that again.” She squeezed me, and my hips jerked.

“
Fuuuck
.”

“That’s awesome,” she said softly. “I totally get it now.”

Something primal rose up inside me. Lifting my head, I snatched the camera out of her hands and tossed it aside. Falling on top of her, I surged into her welcoming warmth as far as I could get, feeling her completely drenching me. I was growling at her like an animal, a mindless beast. Grabbing her face in my right hand, I slammed my mouth down on hers, biting her lips and sucking on her tongue.