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“Ah hell...that’s unfortunate,” Fray worked the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger. Heightened annoyance had him gripping his phone in a manner that threatened to shatter the slim device.
“You want us to take care of it?” Zyon asked.
“No,” with effort, Fray loosened his hold on the phone. “No I want to be there when we talk to him.”
“How’s it going down there, man?” Concern wrapped War’s words.
“In what way?” Fray countered.
“That good, huh?” Zyon guessed.
“Is there anything else we need to talk about?” The last thing Fray wanted was to discuss El.
“Nothing other than we’re still trying to dig up something on this VanSty.” War sighed, “that’s who Dunlap’s old company wanted to partner with.”
“VanSty,” A sour smirk cruised into Fray’s expression when he repeated the name.
“You know it?’ Zyon asked.
“I do. So do both of you.”
“From where?” War chimed in next.
Sadly, Fray’s thoughts were suddenly miles away from the topic at hand. “Listen um...I’ll see you guys in a few days,” he ended the call without another word.
Ellia was making her way into the hotel cafe. Her arms were filled and Fray took that to mean she’d come prepped for work. He hadn’t seen her since the night they left LaRue’s for a more private evening of passion that never materialized. Two days had passed since then. Fray had spent his time securing the remaining signatures needed for the vote against his cousins. Accomplishing that goal-the primary reason for his visit though, did nothing to keep his mind off the only goal he really gave a damn about.
She’d chosen a table along a stretch of windows that permitted weak sunlight to douse the room. The effect complimented the golden illumination that showered down from the lamp bowls secured in the lofty ceiling. The room was elegant and cozier given the overcast day.
Regardless of the environment’s warming welcome, Fray couldn’t shake the chill that seeped beneath his skin. He stood there, watching El speak briefly with a server. He signed the check to have the breakfast charged to his room and set out to close the distance to her.
She was already studying a legal sized sheet of paper inside the portfolio lying open on the intimate square table she occupied. His mouth twitched in approval of her and he enjoyed the sight she made- beautiful, diligent, and solitary.
“So what’s on tonight’s menu?”
El gave a start when his quiet question touched her ears. Lashes batting incessantly, she opened her mouth and then closed it. She was then turning her head back toward the portfolio in a jerky manner. Moments passed before calm interceded and she was able to look at him and wait.
“I just couldn’t, Elli. I couldn’t.”
“I know,” she smiled albeit sadly. “You didn’t do anything wrong. We tried it just-just won’t work.” Her smile gained resolve. “I don’t regret it. I don’t regret anything that happened while you’ve been here.”
Fray’s look of apology and regret, rolled over into something fierce and he realized what she meant-what she’d misunderstood.
“It’s alright to change your mind,” she was saying, “It can be a lot to-”
He pulled her from the chair, ignoring the uncertainty in her eyes. “Shut up,” he said. “You’re wrong.”
When the uncertainty held fast in her hazel stare, he whispered a curse. “How long before you get it through your head that I love you? Nothing that’s happened,” quickly his dark eyes scanned her. “Nothing changes that, El. I’m following through on everything I said to you at LaRue’s- everything and more.”
His smile made its second appearance of the morning. That one more devilish as opposed to the sour one he’d sported during the talk with his cousins.
“When I got to the house...I thought about carrying you to the door and I...”
Discovery dawned for her then. “That night,” was all she could say.
“I could see your father standing there and I couldn’t move.”
“Would it help you to know I haven’t been angry with you in a long time?” She smoothed the back of her hand across his jaw. When he grimaced, she cupped his cheek and squeezed until he looked her way.
“Since long before you came back,” she added. “Remember I told you I kept the mark to keep my anger but...that didn’t work. You think the fear I have is for you and yes,” she shrugged faintly.
“It’s there, Fray- faint, subtle, but it’s there. It could be there for a long time but it’s losing strength and you’ve had so much to do with that. The fear...it wasn’t because I was afraid of what you might do to me physically, but how you’d react when you saw this...” she cast a quick look down at herself.
“I’d never feel that way,” Fray cupped her jaw to bring her eyes back to his face. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Fray-”
“What gives you the distinction of being the most beautiful,” he steamrolled her budding disagreement, “is that I know what’s beyond the looks and I’ve never met anyone who could touch that.”
“I believe you, Fray,” she smoothed her thumb across the fabric of his tie, “but you won’t believe me when I say I have no anger for you. You want me to trust your feelings, but you can’t trust mine. Until you can I...I don’t think there’s anything that can move us to a better place.”
That being said, El turned to collect her things from the small table. Then she was standing on her toes to put a lingering kiss to Fray’s jaw before making her way from the dining room.
***
“Have you told El about it?”
“Nah, she’s got enough on her plate.”
“How’s that going?”
“Well I haven’t heard any stories coming out of Charleston about a Guthrie with a butcher knife in his chest, so...I guess it’s goin’ pretty well.”
Seela Desmond’s laughter was soft yet steady. From her home studio in Denver Colorado, she spoke with her cousin in L.A. and tried not to let the conversation draw her thoughts too far into darkest territory.
“Did you get the stuff Tel promised to send?”
“Not yet.”
“I still don’t get why he’d send it to you of all people.”
“Thanks.”
“You know what I mean.” Briefly, Seela pursed her lips and ordered herself to forge on. “So how does he expect you to identify a bunch of numbers?”
Moira sighed over the phone line. “I don’t think he expects me to- not alone anyway.”
“Zy.” Seela recalled what Moira told her about their cousin Teller wanting Moira to seek the man out.
“Why would he send you into their hands even if he does think they’re the lesser of two evils?”
“Lesser of two evils,” Moira’s sultry tone took on a more savory chord.
“All I’m saying is wouldn’t it be easier for Tel to decipher this himself?”
“He told me he was covering his bases in case he wasn’t around to see to all that.”
“And he wants you to seek refuge with Zyon Hammond of all people,” Seela flexed her sock-covered feet toward the glowing fire in the stone hearth. Content with the warmth, she snuggled deeper into the wicker framed arm chair heavily padded with midnight-blue cushions. Her contentment lasted as far as Moira’s next words.
“I’m not the only one he wants seeking refuge with an ex, Seela.”
For a long moment, Seela was fixed on the thriving flames. Seamlessly, she was taken back to the dark spots in her memory- the ones she struggled to avoid.
“That’ll never happen,” her voice was like stone.
“So you’re not curious about him, Seel?”
“Why would you think that? Think I’d want to know anything about Warwick Noble?” Hearing his name trip off her tongue so fluidly, had Seela clamping a hand over her mouth.
“I’m sorry Seel-”
“Why would you think I’d be stupid enough to want to see him, let alone be curious about what he’s up to?’
“I’m sorry, alright?!”
Quiet held for an even longer moment before Seela groaned. “No Moy...No, I’m sorry. Arguing over those two should be the last thing we ever do.” She grinned when Moira’s laughter came through the line.
“Hell yeah...anyway, I talked to El. You know she’s after me to go back there for Bin’s eighty-fifth.”
“You should. Bin would love to see you. You’ve been away too long.”
It was true. Moira had faithfully returned for each of Bin’s birthday celebrations up until 5 years ago.
“So what about you?” Moira countered. “You should go too.”
“I’m fine sticking to my usual routine. I’ll visit Bin and El once all the excitement dies down after everybody heads back home. But it might be good for you to see everyone, especially Teller. See what’s driving this ‘reunion with the exes’ kick he’s on.”
“Maybe Seel...Maybe I could hold my temper long enough to get to the bottom of that mystery.”
Seela responded with a burst of laughter.
“What?” Moy probed. “You think that’s beyond me?”
“Course not,” Seela’s voice threatened more laughter. “I think anyone who knows you would totally agree that Moira Croix and holding temper go perfectly well together in the same sentence.”
Laughter returned, flowing between the cousins in a boisterous and appreciated fashion.
***
El was making her nightly security check downstairs before heading up to bed, when she heard the slap of the brass door knocker hitting the wood out front. She sucked her teeth in frustration, not happy about having to run back upstairs for a robe. At that time of night, it could only be one of the security guards assigned to roam that end of the island.
She was about to call out for the visitor to give her a sec, when Fray’s unmistakable tone drifted in.
“El, it’s me.”
Quickly, she rushed for the door. Visits at such an hour usually meant the reason behind them wasn’t good. She whipped open the door and barely had time to say Fray’s name before he was scooping her up high against his chest and carrying her through the house.
With El in tow, he unbolted the back door lock and took her out into the night.
“Fray-” light laughter held her voice once he stood with her in the dirt driveway.
It didn’t take long to notice he wasn’t in a light-hearted mood. “Fray?” El’s discovery of that fact carried heavily in her voice when she spoke his name that time.
Fray looked her way and his gaze, as jolting as usual, set her heart on throb along with the rest of her. When she opened her mouth to speak, he accepted the invitation. He took her mouth in one deep, conquering thrust.
El gave herself fully to the kiss. She indulged, unmindful of everything, including where they were and that she was clad in one of her skimpier pieces of nightwear. Her small, hungry moans seemed to fuel the intensity Fray used to claim her mouth. For purchase, her fingers curled into the neckline of the lightweight burgundy hoodie he wore with a pair of loose fitting denims.
It seemed Fray was breaking the kiss no sooner than he’d started it. Boldly, he retraced his steps to the back porch. He didn’t stop until they were inside the house and he’d kicked the door shut behind the heel of a dark, hiking boot.
“Did it,” he bowed his head to inhale deeply several times.
Ellia’s lashes fluttered while discovery stirred. She realized that Fray’s strange actions over the past few moments had been part of some attempt at triumphing over the demons that had made themselves known a few nights prior.
“Better?” She laughed, happy his efforts had proved successful.
Fray didn’t appear quite as happy. His expression still harbored the intensity that drove his kiss. El read the look as a sign that his emotions were still in overdrive. Tenderly, her fingers grazed his cheek to soothe.
“It’s alright,” she felt something ease in his grip and smiled.
The move was deceptive and gave Fray the chance to reposition El against the wall near the backdoor. Instinct, had her locking her legs high around his lean waist as their kiss reengaged. Her habitual whimpers were soon overpowered by his as the ravaging thrusts had her head bumping the door.
Her tongue battled desperately with his, but Fray was the pure aggressor. When he freed her mouth in order to scrape perfect teeth down the line of her neck, she used the opportunity to take in much needed breath. Her lashes fluttered again when his fingers moved along the undersides of her raised thighs. Stealthily, they walked the lush, silken flesh toward the generous curve of her bottom which was seductively encased in white lace. El cried out not so much from shock and delight as she did from annoyance and disappointment.
Fray started to peel away the lacy panties but realized that would be impossible with her legs around his waist. Not about to relinquish his hold on her, he tugged the wispy fabric until it snapped.
When she would’ve argued his tactics, Fray only initiated another kiss that roused moans instead of discussion. Her moans carried only the hints of disapproval when the material was yanked and ripped from her hips.
Ellia’s massacred underthings were, at best, a fleeting memory when she felt his sex, thick throbbing and deep. She welcomed the intrusion as his wide erection spread her inner walls with a pleasure on pain sensation that sent orgasm cresting as moisture mounted and streamed.
Fray set his face at the dip between El’s neck and shoulder, inhaling her scent as he drove her. He covered her hips where tufts of her short, cotton nightie was bunched. El wedged her hands inside his loose-fitting denims then. She clutched and squeezed his ass where the muscles flexed in tandem to his rhythmic strokes.
The wall was hard enough without the added pressure of 200 plus pounds of lean muscle. She didn’t mind. He needed the outlet. She knew all too well what it was like to have a ghost return unexpectedly to wreak havoc on an already ravaged mind.
Long seconds ticked by before Fray raised his head. “El-”
“I’ll kill you if you apologize for that.” Regardless of the hard wall she’d just been pounded into, El knew she’d go through it again to experience the pleasure he’d provided with smoldering ease.
Her words had him chuckling, the gesture causing the gray flecks to dance vivaciously in his pitch eyes.
“So am I being let off the hook for that too?” He jerked his head toward her discarded and destroyed undergarments.
Mock annoyance sparked in her eyes. “Those’ll cost you,” she sighed.
“How much?”
El rested her head back on the wall, smiling as her inner muscles squeezed his sex still connected with hers. “All,” she decided when his erection was delicious redefined.