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  I need to get the hell out of here before I lose my sanity.

  “I’m sorry. If you want me on my hands and knees begging for forgiveness, then I’ll do it. You don’t know me, Ellie, but I’ll tell you, I’m not used to women speaking to me like that. Your spitfire temper turns me on. For your peace of mind, Shadow isn’t here.” His lips graze my ear, hot breath causing me to shiver in excitement and fear.

  I’m sure he doesn’t. They probably drop to his feet and chant out ‘what can we do to please you, oh mighty one?’

  I slip from his grasp, attempting to regain my composure before I turn around and face him. The last thing I need for him to see is how my mind is tossing me right back into my past.

  Shit, I never should have turned around.

  Logan is gorgeous. He’s also the wrong man for me. Yet, everything about the way he looks at me with adoration feels oh, so right. Like our paths were meant to cross.

  “Right. As if I’d ever believe a word you say.”

  He goes to kneel and my jaw drops.

  “Stop.” I laugh when there is nothing to laugh about.

  Emotions throw themselves into the mix as Logan closes the space between us.

  Fear. Lust. Anger. Confusion.

  “God, that laugh, such a beautiful sound. Whether you believe me or not, I had no idea you would be at the bar the night I brought you home with me. I asked Norah and Eric not to say anything about this being my party because they knew as much as I did, you wouldn’t have come. She went to talk to Eric. I wanted to see you again. I want to take you out. Spend time with you. Get to know each other. You can’t deny what we had was more than just physical. And, the only man you’ll be performing for will be me, if another man touches or sees what’s underneath this dress, I will hunt him down, slice off his balls and force him to shove them down his throat before I cut off every finger and shove them up his ass.”

  His lips press a kiss to the back of my head, sending tingles rushing as he breathes me in.

  “You remind me of my flowers. Free and beautiful and resilient. I might be a dominant man, Ellie. However, it’s not by wrapping a collar around your neck and tugging you behind me. I’d prefer to have you walk with your gorgeous head high by my side.”

  My mind whirls in confusion and chaos while my heart rate picks up and forgotten dreams of belonging to someone and them to me hit me from his last sentence.

  I can’t let Logan seduce me. He’d shatter me. Wreck me and mutilate those dreams the second he decided I wasn’t enough to keep him from wanting other women.

  “You’re wrong; I’m not any of those things, and you don’t know me well enough to tell me who I allow to touch me. I won’t be going anywhere with you, as in ever. Don’t try and manipulate me; I’m not a fool, Logan. You knew who I was and you played me. Please, if you haven’t told Shadow where I am, I beg you, please don’t.” I pant, my lungs trying to gulp in the air that suddenly becomes too thin. This is too deep, too profound, too damn confusing. Most of all, it’s hurting me in ways only others that went through what I did can understand.

  Devastation. It threatens to wreck me all over again.

  “Never. I’m not a spy for Shadow. You have my word on that. You don’t know me well enough to find out just what I’ll do if someone touches you, but I want you too. You aren’t a fool. You’re the most beautiful, sassy, sophisticated woman I’ve seen and I want to know every little thing about you. You’re a survivor.”

  “No. You and I don’t mix.” He’s a whore for shit’s sake. One the police turn a blind eye to.

  Logan Mitchell is trouble.

  “Wrong, Ellie. We do, and that’s what has your panties in a twist. That is if you're wearing any. Should I check?” He surveys me and smirks as my face flares with a heated flush.

  “You’re a real asshole; you know that?”

  “Yeah, sweetheart, I do. I’m finally seeing the woman that left my bed without a goodbye. When I realized you left, I couldn’t go back to sleep, I laid there and thought of your beautiful face and figured you must have caught on to who I was. I can’t stop thinking of the way you screamed when I fucked you. The way you had no idea how rich I am and even if you did, you would have wanted me for me and not the things you thought I’d give you. You haven’t left my mind. I’d kind of like to spend time with you, and by time, I don’t mean picking you up off the ground after you passed out from not breathing. Although, giving you mouth to mouth wouldn’t be a problem. Breathe, Ellie.”

  I should be chock full of disgust at him and me. Instead, my mind follows along with imagining his mouth on mine again. His body on top of me or to sit out here amongst the flowers and trees and just talk.

  “Please, don’t. What we did was something I’ve never done before. I want you to leave me alone.”

  Humorous laughter rolls from him as he runs a finger up my spine and grips the back of my neck.

  My entire body shivers in ecstasy.

  “Somehow, I find that last sentence to be a lie. I get why you wouldn’t believe a word I’m saying. I’m not that man anymore. Please, can we meet and talk? Give me a chance to explain. You want me, don’t deny it. I bet if I stuck my hands between your legs, you’d coat my fingers with the juices from your sweet pussy.”

  God, he’s an arrogant, dirty mouth, irresistible asshole. A bad, bad man through and through.

  And one-hundred percent right.

  “If I weren’t positive one of your friends or many fuck toys here wouldn’t stuff me full of bullets before the sting hit my palm, I’d slap you. A friend of Shadow’s is no friend of mine.” My heart rocks in fear, and I detest it, hate that Logan has this kind of influence over me to draw it out. God, I want to kick my ass for going home with him.

  Never again will I be so stupid and drawn toward a man’s seductive words, a masculine face and a body packed with muscles.

  “We aren’t going to discuss who I fuck unless I’m fucking you.”

  “What?” I teeter on my feet, crossing my arms over my chest — stupid move. Logan’s eyes divert down to my breasts. My nipples harden under his darken stare.

  “You are an overconfident prick.” I need to calm down before I get right in this man’s face and cause a scene.

  That’s the thing though about being bitter after life dealt you a shitty hand, you tend to not put up with shit from anyone. At least I don’t.

  “I’m that and more. I’ve done terrible things, and I’ll continue, it’s in my blood. One thing I’m not is a man like Shadow.”

  “And you expect me to believe you? Fat-fucking chance.”

  A blow of terror and knowledge and self-destruction shoot through my veins. It’s obvious he knows what Shadow did to me.

  I feel sick and used. It pelts on me with the force of a hail storm. I’m in no way prepared to talk about it with him. Possibly never.

  “I’ll take that chance and prove you wrong, sweetheart. I’ll let you go, for now. I’m going to get to know you. I’m going to have you again and again. Next time I’m going to fuck you until you scream my name. I’m a man who always gets what he wants and make no mistake, Ellie; I want you.”

  Shudders multiply, spreading fire down my spine, shivers scatter, winding me up and up until my body heats and flames.

  “You’re either lying or hiding something from me. I’m not the woman I used to be. I lost my entire world. I’ve been trampled on, and brutally raped. A violation to not only my body, my mind too, and if you think you can take me on a ride and drop me off where nightmares live, then you underestimate me. Tell Shadow, Whitney, and Elizabeth if they come near me I will make them pay for what they did to my father and me.”

  A blanket of guilt covers Logan whole. The man is full of blame.

  God, I need to stop being a bitch and give this man the benefit of the doubt. It’s so hard when I’m scared.

  “Elizabeth is dead. She died about five years ago. I’d prefer not to discuss Shadow in public, you are safe from hi
m, Ellie. I give you my word on that.”

  Safe? I haven’t truly felt it in years, but for some unexplained reason, I believe Logan. Still, my fear will get the best of me until Shadow takes his last breath.

  I attempt to regain my composure and scan the crowd when I want to bend forward in hysterics over Elizabeth, over Logan, over the irony that has tilted my world upside down and left me dangling in thin air.

  A choked laugh catches in my throat. Dreams really do come true, at least partially. I don’t need to know how the witch died, as long as she’s dead. “Good, that means she’s rotting in hell. The only way I’ll ever be safe from the man is if he’s rotting next to his mother.”

  I take several breaths, trying to get it together while Logan stands completely still. His bottle of beer hanging from the tips of his fingers.

  I’m crazy to wish he’d drop that bottle and take me in his arms. To whisper over and over the promises I’m safe. To let it sink in.

  “He isn’t dead. He isn’t in New Orleans either. Listen, Ellie. I’m sorry I scared you. Please, can we go talk? I don’t want you leaving here with a fist full of worry.”

  The last is so much easier said than done.

  A woman catches my eye, looking at Logan like he hangs the moon, and me as the woman who just strolled in to cause a scene. I’d like to thank her for momentarily pulling my mind back together. To remind me that I don’t know Logan. He could be lying as far as I know.

  “A woman is glaring at me; she better not be your wife or girlfriend.”

  I’d ask the Devil to take my soul if she is.

  “Whoever it is, it’s neither. I don’t have a wife or girlfriend.”

  I wait for him to turn around and see who I’m talking about, it doesn’t come. Probably because he can feel all of them at his back, it’s hard not to.

  “I don’t know what you want with me. I mean, look at these people, then look at me. I’m not like them.”

  I don’t bother looking at him. I can feel his displeasure and anger at my words leak right out of him.

  Confusion and madness and mayhem twirl my brain like a spinning top.

  This is all just too much.

  “No Ellie, you’re not and that’s what makes you so damn perfect. I won’t stop coming after you. I don’t think I’ll ever stop.”

  I’m swimming in a river full of shock to speak anymore. I hold my pose, my heart slamming like a ping-pong ball in my chest.

  Anxiety and panic. They are wretched things, and they overpower me.

  “I’m sorry. Every time Shadow and I pulled away from your house, I told myself it was the last time I’d go, but then I thought about what he might do if I didn’t tag along. A part of me has blamed myself for what he did. I don’t underestimate you; I admire you.”

  God, who is this man standing before me with anguish dripping from his every word? I swear I can physically feel his guilt and hear his pain. It’s gnawing at the noise in my head.

  Horrid memories try pushing in. I block them out; I can’t talk about what happened to me, not in front of people who would likely laugh at me, dropping to my knees.

  “What happened to me isn’t your fault.”

  “No, it wasn’t, but I knew how out of his head Shadow was for you.”

  I’ve never had a one-night stand until Logan. I’ve never been with a man in my life. Not willingly anyway, and as I watch him walk away, leaving me with piles of questions and head in the direction of the gray stoned guest house, I’m scared agreeing to that night is going to ruin the strong and independent woman I am.

  On second thought, it already has.

  Chapter Two

  Logan

  “The fuck is wrong with you, Logan? Ellie was all Shadow talked about for as long as we’ve known him. You couldn’t stop at fucking her, could you? You had to go and invite her to your party? When Shadow finds out, he’s going to lose his shit. Not that I care if it drives him crazier than he is, it’s her safety that concerns me. For many reasons. I heard people were glaring at her like they wanted to strike her down and the party ended less than twelve hours ago. Imagine how many others know.”

  Lane, one of my two younger brothers, starts in on my ass with a long-winded hurl of worries when he comes through the door of our office. His tone, obviously full of rage. We haven’t spoken much since the day of the party. He’d left shortly before the first guest arrived. Guess he’s pissed.

  That makes two of us.

  I keep my mouth shut, I know my brother, and he isn’t done. Probably shouldn’t have told him I slept with her. The thing is, we don’t keep secrets from each other. Learned a long time ago how secrets and lies can ruin a man, and here I’m holding back from telling Ellie one.

  Pretty goddamn pathetic.

  “You’ve fixated on her for years. I told you to make her yours a long time ago and not build on our fortune. Why wait until now when things could blow up in our faces? I swear to God, I won’t let you ruin that woman. Ellie has been through enough. Either you start explaining, or I’ll tell her everything.”

  One of his questions is easy to answer. I won’t be saying it out loud. I knew one taste of Ellie’s sweet little body would be too much for even a man like me to handle. Wet and tight and fucking delicious.

  Mine.

  And I want to fuck her again in every position possible.

  “Which one of your concerns would you like me to address first?” I keep my dick from growing, and my anger in check. Lane keeps it up and brother or not; we’ll be going at it with our fists.

  I’m aware I shouldn’t have extended an invite to Ellie, but I was going out of my mind not seeing her again. When I’m around her, I feel peace. No obligations, no pretenses. No bullshit.

  Total peace.

  Ellie handled herself with dignity and grace at my party, while the women acted like jealous peasants out to destroy. Every woman I felt stabbing me in the back with their possessiveness as I made my appearance known. As if they had the right. They were looking at Ellie like they wanted to spike her in the eyes with their heels. And the men looked at her like they wanted to fuck her, and she isn’t one to be touched, talked to, or shared. Can’t blame the men because the woman is as beautiful as she is laid back. The men know the rules and would never lay a finger on her. Now a few women, in particular, I’m not so sure about. Something tells me Ellie would handle them just fine. Still, I wouldn’t want anyone from my past anywhere near her, let alone trying to hurt her.

  I’ll make them aware if they even look her way, there will be hell to pay.

  Fuck, do I want to mark her as my territory. Own her. Possess and control. I will break through her tough built up exterior. It’s a goddamn challenge I accept.

  In the meantime, I might not own the people I opened my house to, but my brothers and I control them, and if one of them steps across the line and touches her or opens their mouth about a secret I have yet to tell Ellie before I do, I won’t hesitate to ruin them.

  I make very few exceptions in my life. I’ve murdered, came home and washed off the blood and slept like a baby. Women, on the other hand, not sure if I have it in me to physically hurt one. I know someone who does, and I’d see to it they are put in their place.

  “My biggest concern is Shadow. He’ll be out of prison in less than six months. Early release on good behavior, as you know. That held him off from kidnapping Ellie years ago as he planned. He’s going to find her and what do you suppose he’ll do when he finds out about you?”

  Think he forgets the minute I get word he’s out, I’m gunning the raping son of a bitch down, and until I do, Ellie will be surrounded by an army of protection.

  “I hope he does. All the more fun I’ll have when I kill him.” Shadow is a crazy man; no emotion except anger and his bloodthirstiness for Ellie run through his screwed up mind. I’ve waited a long time to put him six feet under for what he did to her. I’d like him to suffer before I slice his throat, knowing that gorgeous woman is mine
.

  He blamed me for ratting on him, for turning him in. I don’t snitch. That’s not my style, but I know who did, and so does Lane. If someone crosses me; I go after them in the brutalist of ways. Simple as that. Some I torture until I decide they’ve had enough. Others get a bullet right away. Whitney and Shadow deserve to suffer for going after Ellie, and so did their dead mother. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the lucky one to kill her. That privilege went to someone else.

  “Right. You have it all planned out, don’t you? How about when Whitney decides to blackmail us with our client list? Politicians. Doctors. Lawyers. Celebrities. We have some very influential people who trust us, Logan. We pay big money to keep the law off our ass. I suppose you have that all figured out too. Those people get exposed and we are as good as dead. Swear to God, your head is so far up your ass that you forget where your loyalties lay.”

  My fingers immediately flex into fists. I don’t need to defend my loyalty, Lane of all people knows it, but my reply is one he’d best swallow down with his words. “You better watch it. I’m as loyal as you are. Whitney knows better than to turn my laptop over to anyone.” Somehow, about a month ago, Whitney slithered through security at the club and stole my laptop that could ruin a lot of people if she gets someone to hack into it. That happens, and we’ll be rolling in deep shit. The problem is, she took it and vanished. We’ve been looking for her since. It won’t be long before she’s found. I do not doubt that at all.

  I have information on the bitch. She breathes a word and she’s as good as dead.

  As far as our safety? We’re fine. Greed is a crazy bitch. Toss a few grand to crooked cops and they have your back. Just like every other greedy man and woman out there wanting a piece of the Mitchells, they know there’s more coming if they do their job.

  As I watch my brother pace toward the bar and pour himself several fingers of scotch, my mind drifts back to Ellie.