Red Flag (FSCU Pitbulls Book 2) Read online

  Eventually, I stir and when he pulls out, I moan, missing the oneness with him.

  He turns onto his side, facing me, and kisses my swollen lips. “Damn, I missed you.”

  I cup his soft beard while memorizing his beautiful dark eyes.

  “Me too.”

  Chapter 35

  Jackson.

  She’s so damn beautiful, so smart, so everything. I can’t let her go but I can’t force her to come live me.

  “I love you.”

  Her pretty mouth smiles and her eyes light up. “I love you, too… You truly surprised me. Thank you for coming.”

  I touch the wetness between her legs. “No, thank you for cumming.”

  “Very funny.” She sighs when I press into her and move my hand away.

  In a few minutes, she’ll be ready for me again. I swear I’ll take her all night long until she agrees to come to LA with me. She’s spent her whole life taking care of her mom. It’s time she lived her own life.

  She can get an apartment close to U of C, and we can be together.

  “Is it too late to change schools?” I ask after finishing the first quarter of this evening’s incredible love making.

  “Nooo… but my Mom…”

  “You are the daughter. She was supposed to take care of you. Your dad needs to step up.”

  “My mom needs me.”

  “Or do you need her to need you?”

  Her eyes go wide as she leans back and stares at the ceiling, her hand resting near my spent cock. “Maybe you’re right.”

  Halleluiah.

  “You don’t have to decide right now but if you want, I have a ticket. You can sit with me in first class. Come home with me darlin’.”

  I need you, too.

  “I can’t. Not right now. Give me the summer to think about it, okay?” She kisses the tip of my nose.

  Baby steps, my friend, baby steps.

  I’ve learned never to give up. “I have a couple weeks off in the summer. How about we spend it together? We could stay someplace close to your parents.”

  “There are some nice cottages on Lake Champlain not too far from my parent’s house. That might be nice.”

  It’s not the answer I was hoping for but it will give me another chance to change her mind. I’ve had my dreams come true, it’s time she finds hers.

  On the flight home, the empty seat next to mine reminds me of my failure but I use the time to research rentals. It’s late to be booking but I find a willing realtor, especially when I tell him my price range. The hard part is, I need a gym within walking distance.

  Then, it’s back to training, training, and more training. What I did at college is nothing compared to being a professional athlete. My coach expects me to bulk up fast. I can see where some would be tempted to use steroids but my cheating days are over.

  In June, two guys in dark suits show up while I’m knee pressing on one of the machines.

  One flashes a badge. “FBI. Got a moment?”

  “As long as I don’t have to stop, sure.” Lying on my back, I continue to work my thighs, pressing my feet up, and counting repetitions.

  “We just want you to know where we are with James Shannon.”

  “Okay…” I thought I was done with this.

  “He’s out on bail. If he, or any of his associates reaches out to you, let us know immediately.”

  My bullshit-o-meter goes off. “Y’all need to stop right there. Do I have to worry about anything? My family? My friends?”

  “We don’t believe so.” The guy’s face gives nothing away.

  I clunk my machine to a stop, jump off, and meet him nose to nose to nose. “Well, that’s fucking encouraging.”

  He takes one step back and hands me his card. “Thank you for your time. We’ll be in touch.”

  When they leave, I slip the card in my wallet, and make a few calls, starting with my old pal, Ink.

  Chapter 36

  Jackson.

  Star smiles and her eyes widen when she opens the door. She reaches out to touch the bicep bulging from my t-shirt.

  “Holy shit.” She wraps herself into my open arms and presses her beautiful body into mine.

  I thought I’d miss her pink hair but I don’t. Her blond locks are cut at her shoulders with pretty eyebrow length bangs. The look is more suited to a woman than a girl and I want her.

  My hands caress her back as I inhale her scent and my cock thickens. Damn, how I’ve missed her. I had no idea how bad it would be.

  The other guys, even some of the married ones, find action and have encouraged me to do the same but Star made me realize that sex, without love, isn’t what I want.

  We break off our hug and kiss, igniting a passion that will have to wait until we get to the vacation house.

  “Do you want to stop and say hi to my dad?”

  My brows raise. “I do if you do.”

  She grins. “Not, really. I invited him and my mom to a barbeque next Saturday.”

  “How’s she doing? Is she home?”

  She shrugs. “Honestly? Things haven’t changed all that much.”

  Then, come home with me.

  I grab her bags while she locks up her parent’s house. I hang back when she walks to the car so I can watch her pretty behind sashay.

  When we settle into my rental SUV, she puts a hand on my thigh. “How far away is this place?”

  “About an hour.” I back out of her driveway and onto the tree-lined street with lush green lawns.

  My right hand covers hers and I wonder if I should find a hotel along the way. “I can’t wait for you to see the place I found. It’s got this deck overlooking the water, a hot tub and a sauna.”

  “Wow.” Her smile warms me like a summer day and I want more so I expound on the house on Lake Champlain.

  “It sits on top of this hill with no paparazzi for miles.”

  “You’d be surprised. Burlington is a pretty big city. They may find you.”

  “No way.” I shoot her a shocked expression and her laugh is contagious.

  “I only meant, we should stay put. I don’t want to share you with anyone or have people sneaking about when I’m sunbathing in the nude.”

  Oh, fuck me. My blue balls ache and I press harder on the pedal.

  We exit the empty interstate onto a sleepy farm-filled highway that meanders between the rolling hills. Every once in a while, over the tree tops, Star points out a glimpse of the lake.

  “I spoke to U of C.” Her hand clamps my thigh.

  “And?” I glance off and hold my breath.

  “They want me, but it might not be until next semester. He suggested I take some online classes that would count toward my degree.”

  Shit. That means she could be in Vermont until Christmas or, it might mean she’ll pack up her stuff and move in with me this summer. I promised myself I wouldn’t pressure her or ask again but I’m dying to know.

  “Online, huh. I suppose you could live just about anywhere?”

  “I suppose I could.” Her brows raise.

  What the hell? Should I ask? Is she waiting for an invite?

  “You know whenever you want to move in, you can.”

  Her mouth turns down and the sparkle in her eyes dims.

  What the fuck did I do wrong now?

  I’m guessing her mom is worse than she’s letting on. Regardless, after the season, she all but agreed to be with me. It’s enough, for now.

  She points and I turn onto a narrow, windy road. We pass a gas station, bait shop, and a country store.

  When my stomach grumbles, her brows lift. “Should we stop for food?”

  “I asked the owner to stock the fridge. We should be good.”

  “I’m impressed.” I don’t tell her I hired a personal assistant. She’ll find out when she comes home with me.

  “That’s it!” Star jumps up in her seat and points at a mailbox beside a dirt road.

  The sun disappears as we pass under a canopy of thick pines a
nd leafy maples. About ten minutes later, we exit the primeval forest and drive through a meadow of wildflowers.

  Beyond that, on top of the hill, a red mansion matches my picture online. The two-story building with a wraparound deck sits on a manicured green mound surrounded by orange lilies interspersed with grasses and specs of yellow.

  A flock of sparrows takes flight as we come up the narrow drive. Over the sparkling lake, one lone sailboat moves slowly across the bay.

  “This is amazing.” Star bounces out of the vehicle, runs up the stairs, and bends over the railing. “My God, what a view!”

  Chuckling, I follow her gaze across the clear blue lake. A slight breeze blows, rippling the water and sending a brief reprieve from the warmth of the day.

  “Let’s go inside, find the bedrooms.” She reaches around and caresses my butt cheeks.

  I fumble in my pocket for my key, unlock the door, and enter into the main living room. A huge fireplace graces one whole wall, two stories high. There’s seating for twelve, a home theater, and an open kitchen complete with granite countertops and stainless-steel-appliances.

  She opens a few windows, turns on the overhead fan, and she races up the stairs. We make love on a king sized bed overlooking the vast lake.

  Naked, she rises, and takes my hand. “Go for a swim?”

  My hands cup her breasts as I kiss her and my interest rises again at the thought of entering her in the cool water.

  I grab a couple towels from the linen closet and follow her down the stairs.

  In the kitchen, she opens a cupboard and asks, “Are you hungry?”

  “I can wait.” I grab a couple beers and walk down the slate path to the dock. On the beach, she inspects an overturned canoe, chained to a tree.

  “The owner gave me a key. We can try it out later.”

  “Naked?”

  “You think?” I snicker as she does a funny little dance on the dock, boobs bouncing.

  I’ve never seen her so carefree and I fall in love all over again. She’s more like pinky than serious med student.

  On hands and knees she checks out the water then jumps in.

  “Yikes!” Sputtering she bobs up, eyes wide. “Holy f-f-fuck!”

  “Cold?”

  “N-n-no. Bathwater. C-come try it out, if you d-dare.”

  I stick a toe in. Compared to my ice baths, it’s warm. Running, I dive in, open my eyes under water, and pull her down.

  When I tickle her ribs, my fucking heart grows at her muffled laughter as we come up for air. The water’s up to her chin so she wraps her legs around my waist, and her arms around my neck.

  My cock, no dummy, takes notice and reaches for her.

  Her eyes go wide as I kiss her, push my tongue into her mouth, and slide her slowly onto me.

  “Hold me tighter, darlin’” I pump up as her thigh muscles clench.

  Weightless, I grab her butt and pull her closer. Bracing my feet into the small stones, I bend my knees and thrust.

  Water splashes, her slick juices lubricate me, and I hasten my pace. Under her bouncing globes, I find her nub as she does this shivery shake. I never felt anything like it.

  My cock goes fucking wild, my brain disengages, and my inner Neanderthal takes charge.

  With her orgasm pulsing around me, I grab hold of her and plunge. Again and again I impale her while she screams, ecstasy on her gorgeous face.

  When she cums again, I explode so hard and fast, I see stars.

  “Oh my God.” Her head falls to my shoulder, her body limp as I slip out of her.

  “Ditto.”

  With her still in my arms, I walk her to the edge of the water and wrap a towel around her. I can’t fucking imagine going back to LA without her.

  Half-closed lids lift. “You got bigger.”

  “You probably say that to all your NFL lovers.” I chuckle, grab a towel, and rub my hair and beard dry.

  “We still need to unpack our stuff.” I wrap it around my waist and grab her hand.

  She eyes the rental car. “Mmm? I suppose. If you do that, I’ll make us something to eat.”

  “Deal.”

  The mosquitoes have come out so we eat in the kitchen as dusk settles and the moon rises over the lake.

  Star slathers an ear of corn with butter and takes a bite. “Oh my God, I can’t believe how hungry I am.”

  I’ve already finished one burger and have started in on my second. “You, darlin’, know how to tire a man out.”

  She grins. “Not too much, I hope.”

  I wiggle my brows. “Never.”

  We settle onto the couch with our ice cream and watch a movie while thunder rumbles in the distance.

  “Storm’s coming.” She closes the windows and stares out at the lake where angry clouds gather, white caps crashing against the shore.

  The wind rattles the house, thunder cracks with a bright flash, then the TV and all the lights go out..

  “Shit. So much for finding out who done it.” She fumbles her way to the kitchen in the pitch black.

  “Not much, but it’ll have to do.” She comes back with a flashlight, candles, and some matches.

  “Shsh.” I grab her hand, turn off the beam, and put a finger to her mouth.

  Her head in my hands, I pull her ear to my mouth. “I heard a car door. Are you expecting anyone?”

  She whispers back. “No. Maybe the owner is checking up on us.”

  My gut says different. If that were the case, they would’ve come before or after the storm, not just as the lights went out.

  I reach to my pocket for my phone but I left it charging upstairs. Shit.

  When I hear another noise, I bound up the stairs to the back bedroom and stare out into the inky darkness. With the next lightning flash, adrenaline shoots through my body as my brain registers what’s about to go down.

  There’s a man crouched by a car and I’m pretty damn sure he’s holding a gun.

  I reach for my phone and dial 911 with no response. Checking closer, I realize I got no bars.

  Fuck. I jump down the stairs, feel around the couch, and find Star’s hand.

  “Upstairs. Now.” I pull her behind me as I formulate a plan.

  Whoever it is, they underestimated me. My fingertips search for the suitcase’s zipper, I open it, and fumble until I grasp the cold metal of my pistol.

  A whimper beside me strengthens my resolve. This evening is going to end badly, but not for us. “Get under the bed, to the back.”

  After I’m sure she’s set, I slide the mattress half off the box springs so it covers the opening. If a gun goes off, it will lodge there.

  Thunder booms, the wind howls, and glass breaks in the kitchen. There’s a sheer drop out the back window. The only way out is back down the stairs.

  I curse myself for not being more aware. The security team I hired to train me, will be so disappointed when I explain what a moron I was.

  If I live to tell them.

  It has to be a member of Shannon’s crime family. The FBI’s warning comes to mind. Fuckers. It was a lot more dangerous than they let on.

  Footsteps creak against the floorboards. He’s coming. I figure my best chance is to get him as he reaches the top landing.

  Fuck. What if it’s the local sheriff checking up on us?

  With that thought, holding a gun seems like a bad idea. I put it at my feet as the intruder creeps in a dark, so inky, I can’t see my hand in front of my face.

  I wait until the top step creaks, launch low, and send us sliding down the hall. He fires and cement falls from the ceiling. Lightning flashes and lying on his back, Shannon grins, the barrel of his gun pointing between my legs.

  Thunder cracks in the same instant as the pistol’s blast.

  Chapter 37

  Star

  Crying out, I rush from where I stand in the bedroom doorway, drop to my knees, and feel around until my lover’s face is under my fingertips. His eyelids flutter as I pass by and cup my palms around his whol
e head, down his torso, and around his back.

  “Star. I’m fine.” He squeezes my hand, crawls to the other man, and metal scrapes against the floor.

  “He’s still breathing, but just.”

  Shaking, I lean back against the wall and when lightning flickers, my dinner erupts and spews onto the floor.

  “I h-had to shoot. H-he was going to kill you.”

  Warm arms surround me and hold me as my mind plays out the last few seconds over and over, again and again.

  I crawled out from under the bed when the gun’s safety clicked. I knew the instant he placed it on the floor and couldn’t understand why. Before I could ask, he launched, I grabbed his gun and pointed down the hall.

  I will forever see the next instant burned into my retinas. Shannon had a gun aimed at my man’s head with this sick grin so I pulled the trigger.

  “I didn’t know….”

  The warm body wrapped around me pulls me to standing. “Know what sweetheart?”

  “If y-you were dead. What if I’d hit you instead, wh-what if his gun went off first.”

  “It didn’t. None of that happened. Come on. We need to get help.”

  “Is he dead?”

  “You want me to check?”

  “No. Yes. Oh shit. I don’t know.” Thunder rumbles, the storm moves south but the heat lightning remains.

  Jackson stands. “I need to get the flashlight. You okay?”

  “Uh huh.” He unwraps my fingers clutching onto his forearm.

  “I’m only going into the bedroom. I’ll be right back.” When he moves away, a chill worse than the dead of winter hits me, and my whole body shakes.

  When the bright beam of his flashlight hits my face, I close my eyes and open them when he pads bare footed down the hall.

  There, blood pools around Shannon’s body. Jackson feels for a pulse and by his grim mouth, I know I killed a man.

  Tears well. I didn’t know the guy but what if he has a wife and kids?

  Jackson checks the intruder’s pockets, finds a cell phone, and punches in a number. “Yes. We need someone here immediately. A man is dead, my fiancé is in shock, and we have no power.”

  He sits on the floor next to me with his arm around my shoulder stroking my hair.