The ties that bind 3, p.20
The Ties That Bind 3, page 20
part #3 of The Ties That Bind Series
“What are your intentions toward Billy, Ransom?” Warren asked bluntly, catching him off-guard. “She has a good head on her shoulders, but she’s still young and idealistic.”
Kent groaned, “Dad—”
“No, son. We need to know that he’s the real deal. I’m not her father, but she’s family. With her mother gone, Billy needs people that only have her best interests at heart,” Warren said gruffly. He glanced down at his beer bottle, his Adam’s apple bobbing furiously. “I’m aware that she recently reunited with her father, but it’s still my duty to make sure she’s okay.”
“I can respect that,” Ransom drawled, looking him dead in the eye. “My intentions are marriage when she’s done with school. I want it all, and I want it with her. No one else. I can’t make it any plainer than that. You don’t have to worry about her anymore. I’d die protecting Billy. We’re going to be just fine, sir.”
The older man was so visibly relieved that Ransom wondered if he’d start crying. He frowned at the sudden cracks in Warren’s bearing. He’d seemed so composed but was now displaying a fuck-ton of emotional friction. Kent was oblivious. He was simply relieved to know that Ransom was as bonkers over Billy as she was over him.
“That’s good to know, man. I thought she was crazy for feeling the way that she does in such a short time and that you’d brainwashed her. I can see now that you balance each other out. I think I’ll head back to the table. I want to get a look at the menu again.”
Ransom waited until he was out of earshot to address his father. “Does Billy know that you were in love with her mother?”
Warren was stunned and looked as if he wanted to deny it as a cerise flush stole over his handsome face and disappeared into his hairline. His face crumpled and he looked so sad that Ransom was torn between pity and disgust. More than that, he felt sorry for Trish who obviously adored her husband.
“She doesn’t, does she? So, here’s my fucking question to you, Medina: Is your interest in her genuine concern or self-motivated?”
“How’d you know?” Warren mumbled. “I’ve always been mindful of how I spoke to Melody or about her around other people…”
“I’m here to tell you that you’ve done a piss-poor job of concealing it. That shit’s reflected in your eyes, and I could hear it in the way you said her name,” Ransom stated bluntly. “Were the two of you having an affair? Did she love you?”
Warren closed his eyes. “God, yes, she did. But we never acted on it. We were friends and somehow, Melody and I became more without ever saying a word, five years after she and Trish met. It just happened,” he acknowledged helplessly, giving Ransom a pleading look.
“I’d never screwed around on Trish! Try to put yourself in my shoes for a moment. To know Melody was to love her, and, in retrospect, Billy is very much her mother’s daughter. It was ironic when I realized Kent was falling for her. I thought, “Boy, the apples sure don’t fall far from their trees.”,” Warren admitted with self-loathing. “Melody had a persistence that made her unstoppable. She blazed a trail for her daughter and passed her spirit on to her too.”
“And neither of you never acted on your emotions?” Ransom was watching Billy and Kent. They were childhood friends who were blissfully ignorant and could never know there’d even been a slight option of their happy lives being decimated.
“Once,” Warren admitted. “When I couldn’t stand it any longer, I went to her office. The kids were twelve then. I told her I would leave Trish so we could be together. I begged her.”
“You were severely fucked,” Ransom graciously pointed out.
“I’d say that about summed it up. I’m not proud of it, and she rightly sent me packing. But not before I saw the yearning in her eyes. Melody told me to never speak of my feelings for her again or she’d move and leave our lives for good. I knew how much that would hurt Trish and Kent, and I wouldn’t survive not seeing her either.”
Warren’s lips twisted. “So, I kept my mouth shut to be near the woman I loved and continued to play a role I came to loathe as someone else’s husband. I was devastated to learn of her condition. Watching her die and knowing I couldn’t say anything Ate. Me. Alive. One day, I couldn’t take it any longer.”
“What did you do?”
“We were at the hospital most of the day, and after Trish took Billy and Kent home with her, I doubled back. When Melody saw me standing in the doorway, I thought she’d send me away again. Instead, she told me she no longer had the strength to and patted the bed next to her. I climbed in and finally got to hold the woman I loved. Melody cried in my arms and I let her. I held her until the sun came up,” Warren recapped in a broken voice.
“And I returned the next night and the night after that until she went home. Two weeks I’ll never forget. After that, it was back to watching her die from afar, knowing there was nothing that I could say or do a damn thing about it.”
Warren sniffled and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jesus, you must think I’m a real shit.”
“I’m not one to judge; however, I will make an exception when someone is judging me. What I think, is that you’ve had the privilege of having two women love you in a lifetime,” Ransom answered tersely.
“Cherish your memories but live for the one that’s alive. Don’t risk your relationship by living in the past instead of the present. My old man did a real number on my mother with his infidelities and shitty ways with us kids. She finally had enough of his prick ass and left last year. Don’t think for one minute that it can’t happen to an NBA Hall-of-Famer. You don’t know what your wife’s feeling.”
He leaned over to ensure Warren knew he wasn’t fucking around. “However you choose to play it, I’m warning you right now; don’t drag Billy into your bullshit, Medina. I will break you the fuck down if she gets hurt behind your mess. Understood?”
Warren nodded uneasily. Despite the suit and cool eyes, there was a barbarity roiling beneath Ransom’s surface that he sensed was trying to escape and make good on that promise.
“That’s the last thing I intend to do, I swear. I couldn’t stand for her or Kent and his brother to look at me differently. I’ve always been proud to be a role model. God knows what I’d do if I ever lost them…”
Ransom pulled out his wallet and placed a tip on the bar. “It’s time to get your shit together, Medina. I’m hungry.”
Despite the bomb-drop, dinner turned out to be a Iively affair with a steady stream of conversation on topics that ranged from fashion, sports, current events, celebrities, politics, and, of course, Melody. Ransom shared an easy rapport with everyone. Memphis had dropped his pretense of shyness with him. By the time dessert arrived, he was fast asleep in his arms and Ransom was reluctant to let him go. When the evening came to an end, invitations had been extended to him for the little boy’s next birthday party, the NBA All-Star game, Thanksgiving in L.A., and Christmas in Aspen.
Nick entered his condo and dropped his backpack next to the door as he closed it. He passed the living room and headed straight to the kitchen and popped his food in the microwave. While it was reheating, Nick grabbed a beer from the fridge and opened the utensil drawer. Once the timer went off, he headed back to the living room with his takeout, pausing to turn the lamp on by the entrance. Nick placed his to-go bag on the coffee table and snatched the Magnum 44 he’d taken out of the utensil drawer and concealed inside. He pointed it at the darkened corner of the room.
“Show yourself!” he barked at the intruder sitting by the window.
They did as instructed and Nick blinked in surprise, so stunned, he almost lowered his gun as he stared at last person he was expecting. That was a reminder for him to maintain his grip on the weapon.
“What the are you doing here?!”
Lorelai smiled but didn’t answer. Instead, she walked toward Nick slowly.
“Stop! I’ll shoot your crazy ass if you don’t,” he warned.
Heart drumming, Nick forced himself to keep his hand from shaking. He’d never fired a gun at an actual person. However, the condescending smile this psycho was wearing told him that shit was about to change.
“Bitch, I mean it!”
Again, she ignored his warning. Nick braced himself and fired.
Click.
Nothing happened. Lorelai didn’t stop moving until the gun barrel was digging into her chest. Finally, she spoke.
“You’ve got good instincts. I like that in a man,” she purred. Lorelai reached into her pocket and pulled out the clip, waving it in Nick’s face. “However, not good enough. Any expert would have instantly noticed the weight difference without this.”
The piece was bought immediately when Nick turned of age in the hopes of having an opportunity to use it on Gualtierro. One day. For now, Nick wanted this woman who’d looked at his uncle like he was a piece of meat to feast on gone.
“Get the hell outta here before I call the cops!”
In an instant, he found himself staring into the barrel of the silencer as she snatched his gun and pocketed it with her free hand.
“No, I don’t think I will,” she decided with a smile so serene that Nick was shaken in addition to being pissed. “Unless I read the situation wrong, and let me assure you that I’m very good at reading people, Mr. Olente, you and I have a common enemy that we’d both like to be rid of.”
“What are you talking about?” he shouted. “I think you have me confused with someone else. Can you please just go?!”
She smiled at him. “You’re so tense! I bet you could use a vacation. I’ve only just returned from one. Would you like to guess where I’ve been?”
Trepidation slithered down his spine. “Was it hell? It seems like the kind of place you’d enjoy.”
Lorelai laughed. “No, though I’m sure many people have wished me there. Especially my exes. I’ve been to paradise, Nick! Do you mind if I call you Nick?”
She didn’t give him a chance to answer. “Of course, you don’t, seeing as how you and I are going to be very good friends.”
“Get to the point!”
She jerked her gun toward the sofa. “I will after you have a seat. Please don’t let me keep you from your dinner. You were so happy to get it.”
Lorelai pointed at the white plastic bag with a blue design and yellow writing. “Oh, and it looks like you’re making it a Blockbuster night too! What are we watching?”
“None of your damn business.”
Tracking her every move, Nick obeyed, even though he’d lost his appetite. So, she’d been the one spying on him? He would humor her ass while he searched to get the advantage over her.
Lorelai sniffed appreciatively when he opened the styrofoam container. “Mmm. That smells delicious! I wish my mother knew how to throw down on Greek food like yours. I bet you get homesick just like she does for you. Did you know she stays in her room most of the time? Rarely does she ever walk on the beach, and if so, Barrera’s guards are stalking her every move, especially that big one, Benito. Your uncle leaves him at the villa whenever he travels to visit Pena.”
He’d throw the beer in her face. Break the bottle and stab-
Wait. What did she just say?
The bite of food Nick had shoved in his mouth might as well have been sawdust as he comprehended her words. He forced it down while Lorelai smiled arrogantly and took the seat across from him. Crossing her legs elegantly, she placed the gun in her lap yet kept it trained on him with watchful eyes.
“What do you know about my mother?” he hissed, protective instincts kicking in. Adrenaline combined with fury launched him to his feet. “You went to Baja?!”
“Bravo, Nico!” she praised. “Isn’t that what Cosima calls you? Let’s see; what do I know about your mother? I know she’s quite beautiful, even in her prime. That’s where your coloring comes from, correct? It’s said that her beauty started a war between two brothers that resulted in one of their deaths and her becoming Barrera’s special pet.”
Nick took one step. Lorelai’s bullet sank into the sofa where he would have passed next.
“That’s the only warning you’ll get. Kneecapping your ass isn’t a problem for me, motherfucker.”
“What do you want from me?!”
It was a good thing he loved his mother, Lorelai thought. It would make gaining his cooperation easier. She and Raymundo were now even. Her original plan to seduce Barrera was discarded as her curiosity regarding Nick and his obvious hostility toward his uncle grew. Raymundo wasn’t familiar with Enrique Olente, but once Lorelai had explained his background, he revealed that he had family in Baja that might be able to help her. Raymundo put out some feelers and was able to connect her with a reliable contact that smuggled her there.
That source introduced her to a maid named Maria who came to work at the Olente compound when it was first built. She’d been let go two years ago, and for the extensive history on the Olente’s, Barrera, and the compound’s layout, Lorelai contributed three-thousand dollars to her retirement fund.
“I want your cooperation to take down Barrera,” Lorelai replied smoothly. At his skeptical look, she elaborated, “Help me and I can guarantee your mother’s freedom once and for all from that bastard.”
Billy was still floating on cloud nine when they arrived back at her place. The night had been a rousing success, and she was overjoyed that everyone had gotten along.
“Babe, I swear I thought they were going to adopt you and oust me,” she quipped. “You had them eating out of the palm of your hand! Nicely done!”
Ransom, who was in the middle of undoing his pants, grabbed his crotch and gave her a suggestive smile. “That’s cool, except, there’s only one person I want eating out of my palm.”
He ducked as she took her high heel off and threw it at him. “I’m playing!” he laughed. “I had a good time too. It wasn’t my normal scene, but it was great getting to know the people who are important to you. Thanks for including me.”
Billy faced the mirror and smiled at his reflection as she removed her necklace and earrings and placed them in her jewelry box. “Told you they’d freaking love you! What time are we going to look at apartments tomorrow? I want to sleep in a little if you’re cool with that.”
She unbuttoned her purple fitted blazer and tossed it on the bench at the foot of her bed and sent her white tube top sailing into the hamper across the room. Billy jumped when instead of answering her, Ransom wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, cocooning her. Surprisingly, for a big man, he moved like a phantom when he wanted to. His blood seemed to run hotter than the average person’s, and she luxuriated in his protective embrace that screamed he had her back no matter what. Ransom pulled Billy flush against him; every delightful indentation of his wide chest plastered against the planes of her back. At his touch, goosebumps spread across her overheated skin. Still evading her question, Ransom buried his face in her braids. She watched him with a soft smile in the mirror, relishing the feel of him and the way the colorful, sinewy muscles of his arms flexed only for her.
He was a masterpiece. A contradiction of rough, sinewy edges, sculpted lines, and tattoos that melded together perfectly to form a work of art with a heartbeat. The need to touch Ransom was overwhelming and her hand reached back to caress his jaw just as his grip tightened. Billy’s eyebrows puckered when his body hardened with tension and his breathing shifted to harsh puffs.
“Hey, what’s up? You good?”
Ransom lifted his head, and Billy sucked in a shocked breath when she got a good look at him. She was hypnotized by his reflection, the fierceness carved into his face and the brilliant shine of his moss eyes that held her captive.
“I can’t stand Professor Dick’s ass,” he acknowledged darkly. “Kent irked the shit outta me for a minute too. In case I’m not being clear, I want to take apart any motherfucker who even fantasizes about having a chance with you, fancypants.”
Billy softened at his admission, and she tipped her head back to ghost Ransom’s lips with hers. The notion that he might think any other man could rival him was preposterous if that’s where he was going with this conversation. She was his in every way imaginable. Billy tried to pull back and tell him so, but he yanked her back in and fused their lips together. This kiss was wilder, hotter, and much more demanding than the one she’d initiated. It left her reeling and aching for more of him as his hands slid up her rib cage to cup her breasts. His tongue tangled with hers while his thumbs brushed over her nipples through her lacy strapless bra. Ransom devoured her moan and rubbed the turgid buds between his thumb and forefinger, sending jolts of pleasure to her pussy and making her breasts achy with arousal. His shaft, thick and insistent against her bottom, was a consolation reminder that there was more to come when he reluctantly broke the kiss.
Craning her neck, she hoarsely assured him, “I only see you, babe. You know that. No matter what happens, you’re mine and I’m yours forever. Nothing will or can ever change that.”
“I do, wildthing. The point I’m trying to make is, I’m not scared of losing you to them,” Ransom admitted roughly, his nose grazing the side of her neck. Damn, he wished he could bottle her scent and keep it with him, especially the fragrance between her legs. For now, he’d settle on carrying her panties in his pocket.
“I’m scared of losing you to something bigger. Something beyond our fucking control. I’m talking about cancer, baby,” he gritted, rubbing his bearded cheek against her cheek.
Billy’s heart stalled, witnessing how visibly shaken to his core he truly was. Her man, who had the heart of a lion, had buried his fear under false bravado for her, she realized. “Oh, Ransom…”
“I’ve been shot and stabbed at, and some instances were too close for comfort, but those situations didn’t faze me. As a member of an MC and an Enforcer to boot, that was the job. But the thought of that happening to you scares me fucking shitless. I hate it, Billy. Tonight really opened my eyes to how heavy the loss of your mother was. Not just to you but…how she affected everyone,” he finished, thinking of the combination of fondness and longing with which the women and Kent had spoken of Melody.
