Warrant (Righteous Outlaws #1)(30)

"That's bullshit!" she yelled. "It's bullshit, and you know it. He was  trying to cover up his own ass. Hide his mistakes by making bigger ones.  And for what?"

"I don't have the answer to that," I said, squatting down beside her. "Only he knows that."

A tear slipped down her cheek, and she swatted at it angrily. "I'm not  going to cry. He's no longer worth my tears," she uttered.

I wanted to take her into my arms and comfort her, but the wild look in  her eyes made me keep my distance. She didn't need me right now. She  needed to figure this shit out on her own. "It's okay to cry."

"No, it's not! I'm not weak. Not anymore. Not after everything I've been through, and everything I know."

"It won't make you weak," I said, and she blinked up at me. I could see a  crack in her wall, so I tucked her hair behind her ears, cupping her  face.

"Yes, it will." Wrinkles formed on the bridge of her nose, and, while her will to fight was strong, the tears were stronger.                       
       
           



       

"Then I won't tell anyone," I said, and her gaze met mine. A smile  tugged at the corners of her lips and a laugh slipped out. It was the  sweetest goddamned sound I had ever heard. It was pure, just like my  Sunshine. I was afraid that, after everything, her pureness would be  gone, but it was still very much a part of her.

Tears mixed with laughter and I smiled, running my thumb gently across  her cheek. I swiped away the wetness from her skin, and relished in her  warmth. Loving how soft she was beneath my rough hands.

"What do I do now?" she asked.

I wished I could tell her. Make the hard decisions for her, so she  wouldn't have to carry the burden, but I couldn't. This was all on her.

"Whatever the fuck you want," I finally said.

She linked her fingers with mine, her grip tightening, as if she was  trying to draw strength from me. She didn't realize that she didn't need  my strength. She was a tough little thing on her own. "I have to talk  to him," she said.

The problem was, I hadn't taken my new deal with the doc to church yet.  Once Aubree spoke with her father, our part of the deal was already  squashed. We gave the doc our word that we wouldn't tell his family.  That we would keep his secret from getting out. By telling Aubree the  truth, I betrayed my club.

I could ask her to hold off. To give me time to get to the guys, and put  an end to this, but that wasn't an option. This wasn't my game anymore.  This was Aubree's life, and she deserved to have control over it. She  lived her whole life with people making decisions for her, and  controlling everything she did. There was no way in fucking hell I was  about to become one of them.

"But not tonight," she said. "Can I stay here with you?"

"Always. However long you want to. This place is as much yours as it is  mine. It might not be the mansion you're used to, but it has a roof, a  working bathroom, and me." I winked, and another sweet laugh tumbled  from her lips. She threw her arms around my neck, and I hugged her  tightly.

"I couldn't ask for better," she said, and, as her warmth mixed with mine, I swore to myself that I would never let her go.





Cash





I blinked the sleep out of my eyes, and ran a hand over Aubree, curled  up into my side. We were on the floor still, and must have fallen  asleep. I scanned the room, unfortunately a career hazard, making sure  we were alone. Those goddamned pain pills knocked me the fuck out.

Aubree looked so peaceful, and I didn't want to wake her. She had a  rough day, and needed her sleep. I managed to sit up, resting my back  against the couch, but not letting her go. A whimper rumbled up her  throat, and her body twitched.

I ran my fingers along her hair, hoping to soothe her and wash away  whatever was going on in her mind. Her body twitched again, but this  time a little more violently. She twisted and turned, rocking back and  forth in my arms.

"Sunshine," I said, shaking her arm. "Wake up."

She continued flailing and pain etched at the corner of her eyes. "No!"  she cried out, her breaths coming in short loud gasps. Her fingers  clawed at me, and I gripped her wrists, holding on as tight as I could.

"Aubree." I shook her harder, trying to bring her back to me, ignoring the pain it caused in my arm. "Aubree!"

Her eyes shot open wide, and she scrambled to sit up. She looked at me,  and, suddenly, all the emotions she had been holding back exploded. I  grabbed her shoulders and drew her against me with my good arm. "It's  okay. Shh. Shh. It's okay." I ran my hand across her back in long,  calming circles.

When she pulled back, I took her chin between my fingers. "What was that about?"

She smirked and then shrugged. "A side effect of killing a man."

"This happens a lot, then?"

"Every night. Sometimes, he kills me before I wake up. Other times, I  win and I get the shot. The worst though …  the one that scares me the  most …  is when he kills you and there's nothing I can do. I watch you  bleed to death. Watch the life drain from your body as he strangles me.  At that point in my head, I'm begging him to kill me. To take away the  pain, but he never does. He holds me in place, and makes me watch you  slip away from me completely."

I snaked my hand around her head, bringing her forehead to mine. "That  will never happen. You're safe now. I would never let anything happen to  you. I promise."

"I don't care about me. I couldn't live if something happened to you.  Promise me, that no matter what, you will always come back to me."

It was a promise I didn't know if I could keep. In my life, tomorrow was  never guaranteed, but, if Aubree was choosing me, I would always find a  way back to her. "I promise." She crushed her lips to mine, plunging  her tongue into my mouth. With my good arm, I grabbed her ass and  hoisted her into my lap.                       
       
           



       

"This time, we're not getting interrupted," I growled against her lips.  Everything around us faded away as I allowed myself to get completely  consumed by my Sunshine. I knotted my fingers in her hair, and pulled  her back from my mouth.

I dragged my tongue down her neck, showing her that I was going to taste  every inch of her. Savor her sweetness, and take all that she was  willing to give me.

I slowly moved down her body, hooking my fingers in her shirt, and  yanking it out of my damn way. My gaze swept over her, taking in the red  lace bra. "New?" I asked, running a finger along the edges.

Her teeth slid over her lip and, damn, if that didn't turn me on. "Do you like it?"

I clasped her hips and moved her beneath me. "Fucking love it," I  growled, tracing my tongue where my finger just was, and bringing my  mouth back to hers. I kissed her and coaxed her lips open to let me in. I  nipped gently at her lip, and then continued my way down her body.

I cupped her tit, molding it between my hand, loving the feel of lace  against my skin. I skimmed my lips across her forehead, her nose, her  cheeks and her chin, dragging my mouth ever so slowly down her neck. I  pressed a kiss to her shoulder, pushing the red strap down her porcelain  skin.

"Take this off," I said, tugging at her shorts.

She slipped them off, and tossed them aside, revealing matching panties.  All the blood rushed to my cock, and I unsnapped her bra, letting the  cups fall from her perfect tits.

She sucked in a quick rush of air, as I bent my head and took her nipple  between my teeth. I pinched the other one in sync with the laps of my  tongue. Aubree arched into me, pressing her center against my raging  hard on.

"Do you feel how hard I am for you?" I asked, and she responded with a sexy as hell moan.

Her hand slipped beneath the waistband of my jeans, and she cupped my  cock. I sucked in a sharp breath as the cool touch of her hand settled  around my shaft. "I want to taste you," she said, a plea in her eyes to  give her exactly what she asked for. "I've never … I've never done it  before. I want to be dirty for you." She blinked up, her innocence  fading to a sexy little vixen. "Please."

I unzipped my pants, and let my dick spring free. I stood up to give her  better access, ripping my shirt off and discarding it. The corner of  her lips curled up as she crawled toward me. Her small fingers wrapped  around my thickness, as she touched her tongue to my tip, tracing slow  toe-curling circles.

She pulled back, opening wide, and sliding her pretty little virgin lips  onto my throbbing cock. Her head drew back, her tongue swirling as it  went. My fingers knotted in her hair as the pressure began to build in  my balls.