What the absolute fuck!I was too shocked to speak. I knew he was something else, and it shouldn’t have been a big deal he had guns, right? I mean, loads of people collect them or go hunting or whatever. My breath picked up as my heart raced. I stepped back into the wall as I stared at the open cubby filled with various weapons trying to wrap my mind around what I had found.It was clear Nash was hiding secrets. I just had never expected that it would be something that included shit like this. Most people who collected weapons usually had them on display or in a gun vault. I remember my stepfather having a gun case in his office in our old house. Not in a secret cubby hidden in a closet behind a bunch of clothing.That was just beyond weird and sketchy.Pulling out my phone, I thought over it for a moment, wondering if texting Nash was the right thing to do. I had only just started actually getting to know him and what I did was a complete invasion of property.But I had to k
NashThe call abruptly ended and the smile vanished from my lips. A gnawing feeling consumed me, hinting that I might return to the apartment to find it vacant. Something that set panic in motion that I hadn’t felt in so long. The notion of Vanessa leaving, as so many others had, loomed over me. Ordinarily, I'd be indifferent if someone walked out of my life, but Vanessa was different; I couldn't bear to let her go. I needed her like air in my lungs, an unfamiliar sensation that defied my circumstances. I couldn't fathom the thought of it ending.It was as if the day that she entered my life she changed me. I knew she wasn’t in love with me. That was obvious, but I couldn’t deny how I felt about her. While she had been studying for school all last year unaware of my attention, I had been watching her. Slowly growing obsessed with her. From the way she walked with such confidence, to the smile on her face and how she stuck out her tongue when she was concentrating hard w
NessaThe instant my head touched the pillow, I surrendered to the seductive embrace of deep sleep. However, the tranquility was short-lived. Dissonant sounds from within the apartment stirred me, and I groggily rolled over to glimpse at the crimson numerals on my alarm clock. It was past half-past two in the morning, and the fact that I was awake was a sin. A gnawing reluctance to leave the warmth of my bed gripped me, but a loud crash echoing from the living room jolted me fully awake. My heart pounded in my chest as I leaped out of bed, the urgency of the situation dispelling my drowsiness. Nash wasn’t due to be home yet, and I knew without a doubt that I had locked the damn door. Which could only mean that someone had broken in, and I was unprotected. Glancing towards my nightstand, I spotted the black metal baseball bat I had brought with me from my days of playing ball in high school. My mother had always told me that there was no better weapon for a woman than a bat and
The following morning, I awoke to find myself in bed with Nash. His arm was draped around me, pulling me close. Sunlight filtered through the windows, casting a faint glow over the room as thoughts whirled through my mind and doubts crept in. I had been drawn deeper into Nash's world, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for the consequences.I knew that he had his own demons. That there were secrets, even before I allowed myself to crawl in bed with him. Nash just had this aura about him. From the way he walked, talked, and stared at me—I knew deep down he wasn’t someone to mess with.And though I had been wary, I couldn’t deny the attraction to him.The part of me that craved his touch.I told myself last night that I wasn’t going to allow what he did for a living to bother me but now that I was awake lying in bed thinking about it, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was getting myself into something that was far more dangerous than I should be part of.If I was going to be the fo
NashAnger seeped through me knowing that the woman I wanted as my own was being claimed by her stepbrother as if he had any right to have her. She was mine, and now not only did I have to deal with the benefactor wanting her, but I had to deal with this too.Making my way towards my car, I contemplated what my choices were. More than anything though...I needed a drink. I had waited for her to fall asleep and then had someone look after the apartment, and her, while I stepped out for a bit. I was too angry to stay around, too angry to look her in the eyes further.Because every time I looked at her, a sense of jealousy took over me that I couldn’t control. I wasn’t the kind of man to get jealous. Hell, I wasn’t the kind of man who acted out of control. That was the reason David had put me in this fucking position to begin with. Because I was the best of the best, and I knew how to get jobs done.The moment I pulled up to the bar, I felt myself spiraling. An angry roar escape
NessaThe moment that Nash had left, I found myself sitting in the darkness pondering over what I was to do next. That was until my tears lulled me to sleep and exhaustion overtook me, the dark abyss of my nightmares haunting me the moment I had closed my eyes.Two days had passed since then, and I had yet to leave the apartment. My professors understood that I was ill, the flu to be more exact and I needed some time off.It was a lie, but I had to tell them something. Nash didn't want me to leave without someone hovering over me like my very own personal shadow and there was no way that I was going to allow him to have people following me. So it meant I was stuck at home, being watched like a child by a six-foot burly tattooed man named Pete.His eyes focused on me; his hand poised over the gun at his hip as he stood by the front door completely unmoving. Which was odd considering we were literally in the fucking apartment. The least he could have done was relax a bit, the
NashThe dim lighting from the living room was the only light in the apartment. Standing by the open bedroom door, I peered into the darkness where Vanessa lay sleeping on my bed. I had bent her over more than once tonight and while I knew she loved it, loved me being rough with her, it didn't stop me from worrying that I would take it too far.Gritting my teeth, I gently closed the door, running my hand over my face and then through my hair as I turned back towards the living room.Pete and Brady stood there, arms crossed over their chests as they stared at me. Brady's expression was more amused than Pete's, who always looked indifferent.One thing I liked about him.He didn't ask questions and minded his own business."So, did you find anything?" I asked Brady, whose posture relaxed as he made his way towards the armchair and sat down."Do you really want to have this conversation with her sleeping right there?"It would have been a problem, but against my better j
I couldn’t believe it. Sasha was standing in my apartment! Tears filled my eyes as I rushed towards her, throwing my arms around her as if I hadn’t seen her in years, even though it had only been months. The sweet smell of her perfume cascaded off her as she embraced me and brought back memories from when we were kids. Her long dark hair was longer than I remembered, only further reminding me of how long it had been since I had last seen her.“Holy shit! What are you doing here?!” I exclaimed as we pulled away from each other. Her brown eyes shot daggers at Nash before turning back toward me.“I told you that I was coming to get you if I didn’t hear from you.”Shit. I did remember that text, and giving her a sheepish grin, I bit my bottom lip. I hadn’t meant to worry her but with everything going on time kind of just slipped away from me.“I’m sorry…it’s been crazy lately,” I replied, trying to show her I was fine. Even if I was far from ever being fine.“Well, it’s okay now.