Brother's Fireman Friend (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 106) Read online

  My walls tighten, contracting around him, pulling every last bit of his offering as my pussy thirsts for more until finally he collapses on top of me.

  His weight moves me slightly and shakes me back into the moment, where I feel his creamy goodness slide down my leg and underneath my ass.

  He was right. He had more than I could take. Oh how much I want to take more.

  I can’t catch my breath and he must sense it as he rolls to the side, his dick still buried inside me and I’m surprised by a couple more aftershocks in the following second.

  His big arm then slides underneath my back and he pulls me in close to him.

  “Mine,” he growls, kissing my lips as I cuddle into him.

  “Mine,” I say softly against his skin.

  I’ve given him my virginity and as crazy and naive as it sounds, something inside me tells me he’s give me a baby.

  Us a baby.

  Ours.

  CHAPTER 19

  Daphne

  The next morning

  I tip back my beach chair two notches and soak in the mid-day sun as the sea gently caresses the white sand just in front of me.

  It’s one in the afternoon and Jonah and I have only been awake for three hours, only out of bed for twenty minutes.

  I underestimated how strong the Puerto Rican sun would be so Jonah ducked inside the gift shop to buy me some SPF 30, 45, or maybe even zinc if they have it. I would never complain about having blonde hair and blue eyes except the fair skin that comes with it is a bit of a blessing and a curse. Currently…a curse.

  “Ma’am!” our bartender slash pool boy slash do everything from yesterday yells apparently the moment he recognizes me. I sit up a bit, instinctively reaching for Jonah’s towel to cover up with. It’s incredible how vulnerable and almost naked I feel when he’s not here.

  “Hi,” I say, truly happy to see him despite my reservedness to be seen in just a bikini, despite Jonah instilling extreme confidence in me for nearly twenty-four hours in the sexual sanctuary that our suite has quickly become.

  “This came for you,” he says handing me a package.

  “For me? There must be a mistake.”

  “No, it has your name and room number on it. Definitely yours.”

  “Thanks, do you mind just setting it down on the table?”

  “Sure thing.”

  He does, flashing one of those friendly Caribbean smiles that make this part of the world so special before quickly retreating back inside.

  I look at the package, not wanting to touch it.

  The handwriting is very obviously a guy’s and I’m extremely on edge, reality hitting me like a slap in the face and reminding me I have to always remain vigilant.

  Suddenly I burst out laughing. The return address is the hotel’s. This wasn’t mailed this was all done from the hotel, obviously Jonah’s handiwork.

  He’s fast, I think to myself, excited to see what he came up with from the gift shop although a bit surprised he sent someone to deliver it.

  Maybe he’s playing a scavenger hunt game and this is a clue. He’s definitely not a cheeky kind of guy, but then again we are on vacation and I’m experiencing complete and utter bliss. Surly it’s the same for him and has lead him to decide to have a bit of cheeky fun.

  I carefully open the package in case it’s something I’m going to wind up keeping forever. No way is Jonah going to send an engagement ring or anything like that in a manner like this, yet it’s crazy that the thought is even crossing my mind.

  Or is it.

  Once I get the ends opened up I look inside. It looks like… I stick my hand inside slowly removing it. When it gets just over halfway out I drop the package, the flint and spark lighter falling from it and both finding the sand underneath my beach chair.

  It’s the same kind of lighter used to light a Bunsen burner…just like the one Geoff used to hold in his hand as he walked around class constantly sparking it like it was his version of stress relief like some people blow bubbles with chewing gum or smoke cigarettes.

  “They had SPF 45,” Jonah says as he slides into the chair next to me. “And you’re gonna need it because you’re white as a ghost. What’s wrong, baby?”

  “Nothing. I’m fine.”

  Jonah’s eyes quickly scan the area looking for threats like a special forces operator might and within a second he hones in on the two items on the sand.

  “What’s this?”

  My hands are shaking. “My question exactly, and I would say I don’t want to know the answer, but I already do.”

  “That prick professor.”

  I breathe out slowly and close my eyes as I nod.

  “I’m gonna fucking kill him,” he says through gritted teeth.

  My eyes stay closed as I reach my hand over and find his forearm, feeling the tension in his muscles which are wound as tight as piano wire.

  My mind instantly starts trying to put the puzzle pieces together. How did he find me? How did he find us?

  This was completely a surprise and Jonah booked everything. My name’s not on anything. Nothing.

  And there’s no chance in hell that Jonah had anything to do with this. I’m completely convinced of that. No way. No how.

  I feel Jonah’s forearm move underneath my grip as he grabs the side of my chair, easily dragging it across the sand as he tosses the table between us out of the way.

  He leans over, scoops me up and pulls me into him.

  I open my eyes just to see him raising his fist, knuckles out as he pumps it in every direction, a look that promises a painful death to the person who did this on his face.

  In the matter of mere minutes I went from being on top of the world to being quickly reminded of the past I’m trying desperately to leave exactly there…in the past.

  But it’s very clear that he’s here, in the present, and all my future plans are immediately put on hold.

  Thank god I have Jonah here to hold me. If I were on my own I can’t say I’d be in complete panic mode, but I can’t say I wouldn’t be far from it either.

  “Don’t you worry, Daphne. You’re my woman and anyone who’s stupid enough to cause you to feel one ounce of worry in your life is guaranteed to feel two hundred and twenty five pounds of misery…courtesy of me. This isn’t your problem anymore. This is mine. And I’m going to get a swift and definitive solution…for the both of us.” He pauses. “And I’m going to enjoy every second of it.”

  CHAPTER 20

  Jonah

  “How’s the calendar coming along?” Daniel asks. “Earth to Jonah. You there, bro?”

  The pencil in my grip snaps, breaking in half. “Sorry, man. I was thinking about some stuff.”

  “Damn, dude. Didn’t you just go on a vacation? You look like shit, stressed as hell.”

  After the incident in Puerto Rico we managed to find a boat that illegally took us to Cuba for the rest of our vacation. I don’t like breaking laws, but I also didn’t want to break some asshole’s neck in front of my woman when the whole point of us going down to the Caribbean was to get away from it all.

  Fortunately, just recently the U.S. national security adviser called Cuba, along with Nicaragua and Venezuela, the “the troika of tyranny.” That makes getting in more difficult. I paid a lady from the cleaning crew to flip our lights on and off throughout the day and night, deciding it was better not to cancel our reservation. Additionally, Cuba runs on cash with few ATMs on the island…less of a trail to follow.

  It worked in that we had no more hassles the entire time, although how can you really enjoy a vacation after something like that happens on the second day?

  Fortunately we were able to push it to the back of our minds and have a great time. The problem is that now that I’m Stateside again it’s front and center, my number one priority to the point I’m snapping pencils subconsciously as I stare into a computer database of records for this Geoff asshole.

  “Yeah, just too much sun. Not good for the skin and ma
ybe I’m still on island time, not quite awake yet.”

  “Speaking of island time are you ready for some rum punch and a pirate party?”

  “A pirate party?”

  “Yeah, seems some of the guys have leaked this whole calendar thing and now they want to have a big party, or technically the cheerleaders from the local NFL team wants to have a party…for us.”

  “Nah, I’m not interested, but you guys have fun.”

  “Jonah?” He moves in closer putting his hand on my shoulder. “You’re thirty-two man. I really want to see you with someone. Are you ever gonna settle down, or at least find a woman?”

  “Me? We’re the same age and you’re talking about going to some pirate party with a bunch of professional cheerleaders.”

  He leans back, his palms to me. “Guilty as charged.”

  I lift my eyebrows, pounding the point home.

  “Okay then, check this out. I got a date lined up for next Friday and the girl recommended we do a double date.”

  “What ever happened to a man and a woman just going out one-on-one?”

  “She’s a sapiosexual and she wants to play Trivial Pursuit. I need a teammate and it works out perfectly, as long as you can find a plus one.”

  “Nah man. I’ve really got other things on my mind.”

  “Sitting at home watching Shark Week by yourself while you do thousands of sets of shoulder presses on that chair you sit on that faces the TV. Don’t tell me you don’t do that. I saw the dumbbells on either side of it.”

  I can’t help but smile. “Better for my body than drinking.”

  “Drink water. Even better. I just need some help with this game. This girl likes smart guys so I need a good teammate to show her I’m not just some jock or meathead.”

  “What happened to the pirate party?”

  “That’s the week after.”

  “So it sounds like you’re really serious about this girl then.” My sarcasm is beyond obvious.

  “Look, man. I’m not letting you off the hook on this one. Plus one and show up.”

  I reach for a new pencil and tap it on the desk. I don’t need help, but, if I tell Daniel his sister has some guy bothering her, then I can get the whole station after this guy and it will be over fast.

  The only problem is she reiterated when we landed that she didn’t want Daniel to know yet. Plus, if I’m being honest I want the satisfaction of putting my hands around this guy’s neck and squeezing…myself.

  “Can’t man.”

  “Friday. Eight o’clock. See you then.” He leaves my office before I can add anything, not that I’m going to. I don’t play those kinds of games and as my best friend he should know I’m not going to succumb to peer pressure, even if it is him.

  I slide the laptop out of my top drawer, opening the lid and entering my buddy Steve’s password. He’s a police officer in town and when I told him I needed access to some information he didn’t even ask me what for. He told me he had an off day today and handed it right over, along with his login credentials.

  I fire up a VPN with an IP address from Vanuatu, a tiny country in the South Pacific. That way if this ever comes back to him he’s got plausible deniability.

  I hate the idea that I’m circumventing the law, but there’s nothing I hate more than seeing my woman worry.

  There’s no way I’m about to go Harvey Keitel in Bad Lieutenant, or the fireman equivalent, but I’m also not going to sit by idly and let anyone in this world think they can get to my woman…whether that abuse is psychological or physical. Nothing. I’ll tolerate none of it.

  And when a match comes up for a university professor with the same name at her previous college I have the tip of the string that’s going to unravel the whole ball of yarn, which in this case is this bully’s entire existence.

  CHAPTER 21

  Daphne

  I let out a scream as I kick the life sized punching bag that’s shaped like a man. It barely budges.

  I move closer, sending a furious round of punches into his gut and he barely moves.

  Finally I throw my shoulder into it and it tips side to side, but doesn’t fall.

  It’s a small victory, but it’s a start.

  My heart is racing in the gym’s kickboxing room. They usually have classes, but when they don’t, members are allowed to come in and practice on their own.

  I joined specifically for this and this alone. And coming in the late morning is the best time as most people are at work. I don’t want anyone to know I’m here. Hell, I don’t want anyone to know I’m anywhere…except for Jonah.

  But the last thing I want to do is make my problem his problem, although we’re way past that point.

  I’m tired of this victim thing and I don’t want Jonah worrying about me anymore.

  He already knows everything about what’s going on and I know he’s going to protect me and keep me safe. His strength, protectiveness, and possessiveness are some of the many reasons I’m so head over heels for him, but I need to find some strength from inside myself as well.

  What if I didn’t have Jonah?

  What if Jonah’s at work when something goes down?

  I’m tired of all these what if’s.

  I kick the bag some more until I’m literally exhausted before grabbing my bag and heading out to my car.

  I’d much rather shower at home, although it’s not really like you can call an Airbnb home.

  As I approach my car I see a guy on a black moped with his helmet on in the parking lot. The helmet has a visor, which is pulled down.

  Who leaves their helmet on when they’re idling, or technically not even idling? The engine is off, unless it’s one of those electric ones.

  He leans to the side, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, which I can see are all crinkled up from here. Cigarettes in his front pocket? Wouldn’t that ruin them?

  He taps the top and one falls out as he quickly lights it bringing it up to his visor, before flipping his visor up and somehow taking a drag.

  What the…?

  I move quickly to my car, keeping an eye on him.

  Pulling out of the lot, I adjust my rearview mirror and see he’s still just sitting there…but his head is turned, tracking me.

  I drive quickly, staying at the top end of the speed limit, and a few streets down when I see him sitting at the light perpendicular to me, my blood runs cold.

  How did he?

  Shit! He must have ditched the cigarette and pulled out the back lot of the gym where there’s a bike path which he used as a shortcut to get back on the main roads.

  He just stares at me.

  The light turns green and I pull forward, only then realizing he was idling at the green he just had, or is he waiting to turn left?

  What the hell’s going on?

  Am I seeing things now? Am I seeing Geoff in anybody and everybody?

  I continue straight and thank god he turns left by that time he’s barely a speck in my rear view.

  I breathe out hard, not realizing how much air I was holding in nor for how long.

  I drive quickly to my rental, park the car, and bolt inside.

  Locking the deadbolt behind me, my back finds the door as I slide down into a crumpled mess.

  My head leans forward finding my hands, whose backs are resting on my knees.

  It’s really time to get out of here.

  This town. Everything. And never come back.

  CHAPTER 22

  Jonah

  “Working late, captain?” Daniel says.

  I breathe out hard. “Do you mind coming inside for a second…and closing the door behind you?”

  “Yeah, sure. What’s wrong?”

  Daniel slides into the seat in front of my desk in no time as my eyes move from the computer screen which shows a rap sheet a mile long for this Geoff guy.

  There’s no time to waste. I have to tell him everything and I have to tell him now.

  “Two things,” I begin. />
  “Okay.”

  “I hate to do this this way, but I have to before I get to the second point. Please just bear with me and remember we’re friends. Everything I do is always with good intentions and you know I only think long term.”