Meadowlarks 3 : Endless (17 page)

I held and squeezed one breast, while slowly rubbing between her legs with my other hand. I could feel myself moving inside of her. The water lapped and splashed out of the tub when the momentum grew and our bodies began to lose to the power of the ecstasy.

“I...I’m…” she cried out.

“Let it go, baby. Give it up to me,” I growled. Biting out the words through gritted teeth. “I’m there too.”

Truth was, I had been ready to go since I climbed into the water with her. All this was pure and delicious torture. I held myself back, restrained from just pumping once or twice and getting myself off. This was about her. It was always going to be about her. What she wanted, what she needed. And right now, what she needed and wanted was me. I was giving her all of me, right here in this tub.

“Weston!” She cried as the first initial shock hit her, crippling her forward, almost pushing away from me. “I can’t! No more!”

“Yes!” I pulled her back. She was going to stay wrapped around me. She was gonna stick this out; I wasn’t done yet.

“Please,” she whimpered, throwing her head back as another ripple ran through her body. I reached down and touched her again, flicking my fingers across her swollen flesh. All of her muscles clamped down around me, and I felt like I was in a vise grip.

“Damn, baby…”

Pulsating heat tore through my body. Leah leaned back and lifted her arms to pull the back of my head down to meet her mouth. Kissing me softly and gently licking my lip with her tongue. “You’re not done with me yet, are you?”

“Not even close.” I bit her lip and held her face as I kissed her careless abandon.

***

Leah

I couldn’t tell him. Nope, couldn’t. How could I tell the man that I was so madly in love with that I was terrified to be with him? That knowing that there was someone out there bound and bent on ending my life simply because I’m with Weston Casey. I needed him so badly. My mind wasn’t even willing to think about anything else. I fought a losing battle with myself, knowing that I was helpless. I couldn’t stay away from him, and I couldn’t handle the thought of what might happen if I didn’t.

She could kill me. No, she would. Will. Maybe even both of us. Who knows? Who was she anyway? I need to ask him. I swear he knows…and if he doesn’t, he’s thinking about it awfully hard. I may not be a mind reader, but I can see through his eyes that he’s going crazy in his head. That perfect head. I swoon…and shake my head.
Stop it, Leah.
You’re focusing on how you’re going to get out of this fucked up situation, not about taking Weston again in some random place in this way too big condo.

He’s sleeping now. Curled tightly around my body, like he’s afraid to let me go. I smile, looking over at his face. I can’t believe he’s thirty. He could pass for a twenty-four or 25 year old any day of the week. Then again, he does have these small lines near his eyes lately. Worry lines, I bet. My heart thumps, so loud I can only hear it in my eyes and nothing else. I’m falling fast, and hard.

A small noise keeps buzzing on the other side of the bed. It’s his phone. It’s vibrating. I lean up to see. It’s turned over so the screen is barely lighting anything around it. If I could just push him over a tad—I could peek at his phone. No. I can’t…but, I want to. Who would be calling him this late anyway?

I clear my throat slightly, and gently push his body. Holding my breath, waiting for him to wake up and hold me tighter. He doesn’t. Instead he actually releases me just enough that I can lift my arm and reach over to the nightstand just inches away from his body.

The phone stops vibrating just as my fingers touch the smooth surface. I stop. I shouldn’t be doing this. It’s his phone, his privacy. I pull back and bite my nails.

Oh, screw it.

Two missed calls. Thirteen text messages. All from the same person. Sara.

I swipe my thumb across the screen and instantly form a lump in my throat. The wallpaper behind all the icons on his iPhone…is of me. I recognize it from a photo shoot we did months ago. It was one of my solo shots. A fan blew my curled hair back from my face, I held up a fake golden microphone and pretended to sing. My mouth hung open and I scrunched my nose like I was hitting a really high note.

Seeing that on his phone. I couldn’t snoop through his messages. As much as I wanted to. I couldn’t. Not now. I quietly place the phone back, face down and fall back into bed. I should be tired, considering everything my body has gone through in the past twenty-four hours—no, month—but I can’t sleep. I’m wide awake. Wide awake in a bed with a sleeping Weston Casey, no less.

As soon as the light hits this bedroom, I’m pulling out my phone and taking a rare and treasured shot of a sleeping and beautiful Weston. It’ll be my home screen photo.

***

Sure enough, I didn’t sleep. Not a wink. I did manage to climb out of bed when I whispered that I had to go pee, and Weston simply grumbled in his sleep and lifted his arm for me to get out of bed. Then, I grabbed my phone and climbed back in. Stealing a picture of him and saving it. I could have just downloaded one from the Internet. But, no. Someone else took those, everyone has seen them. This picture, was taken by me and will only be seen and appreciated by me.

“I hope you’re not planning on putting that on Facebook…” Weston muttered softly, opening one eye slightly to peek at me through his long lashes.

“How did you…”

“You moved. You didn’t pee.”

Oh, he’s good.

I wanted to ask him who Sara was. Why she was calling him and texting him so late. But, I didn’t. I bit down on my lip and swallowed the words before they escaped and came out all wrong.

His phone vibrating again made me frown and his brows furrow. He kissed me quickly before turning and reaching over to answer it, not looking at the caller ID.

“Hello?” he answered. No, growled. “Fuck, I completely forgot. Shit, I’m sorry Josh…a lot has been going on…No…Yeah, I’m actually in New York right now…What? Yeah…Okay, well shit. Give me an hour….Okay, bye.” Rolling back over, Weston wraps his arms and legs right over me, his body almost right on top of mine.

“Everything okay?” I ask, searching those beautiful eyes for an answer.

“I have a job here. I forgot all about it. I’m not supposed to start until Monday,” he frowns. “But Josh has board members coming in today that I need to meet and sit in on a last minute conference.”

That means he has to leave.

“I’m going to take you with me. I’m not leaving you here alone.”

“I doubt they have in-house daycare for your thirty year old friend,” I tease.

“Friend?”

“Well…” I shrug.

“You’re mine. In every way. You’re my
girl
friend. My…damn it. You’re everything to me, Leah.” Weston’s eyes narrow. “Why would you think otherwise?”

I shrug, playfully. “I don’t know.”

Weston rolls his body and towers over me, warning eyes and pursed lips, he glares at me. He inhales sharply, then leans down, hovering his mouth right above mine. “It’s me and you, Leah.”

Then he kisses me. Without another second to let me speak or even think about what he’s just said. He takes me, as his own. And I let him, I want him to…I
am
his. Once the kiss breaks, his lips hover over my mouth again, heavy and hot breath blows down on me, leaving me desperate for his touch again.

“I don’t care if you have to sit on my lap during the meeting, you’re coming.”

I roll my eyes. “Weston…I’m not gonna do that! If I was with Neil, I’d be fine.”

He glares down at me. “Baby…”

“Baby, nothing! I’ll be fine. Besides, I’m supposed to go to the studio this afternoon.”

He closes his eyes, seemingly having some internal battle with himself. “Fine.”

I win. I giggle and pull him down into a kiss. “I love this whole caveman-protecting thing though, it’s so cute.”

“Cute? I’ll show you cute…” Weston growls and reaches down between my legs, slipping his finger inside of me. “You’re always so ready for me.”

I blush.

***

Weston

My heart thrummed when I walked away from Leah. Even though she was with Neil, and he was a big fucker all on his own, I still didn’t feel right about it. I need to be the one to protect her, to keep her safe. But Josh will have my balls in a vise if I don’t show up to the meeting today. Neil met us outside of a Starbucks near the hotel. I wasn’t going to let her go back there just yet. I needed to go and take care of those damn shoes.

Slipping her card through the lock of the door, the light turned green and the latch clicked. Here goes nothing. I inhale, preparing myself the visual of the fried footwear. Sure enough, there they were, still placed on the plates like they were a forgotten dessert or something. A twisted knot rolled in my stomach as I entered the room and closed the door behind me.

I found a plastic Walgreen’s bag under the sink in the tiny kitchenette and put both shoes into the bag, careful not to touch them with my bare hands. I was pissed that Detective Soloman didn’t come over to the condo to speak with her last night. He had called just as we got out of the tub, explaining he was still held up at a scene downtown and he regretted he wasn’t able to come. I told him I would bring her by this morning to see him.

Well, she may not be with me, but these damn shoes will be. I’ll drop them right on his desk. Demanding they start looking deeper into this. I’ll even give him Sara’s name, I don’t care. No more bullshit. I’m not going to go crazy trying to figure out how to stop this lunatic
and
keep Leah safe at the same time. There needs distance between them. As long as Sara is in Wyoming, I can keep Leah away from her.

I riffled through my bag that I had dropped in the doorway when I first arrived. Shit, I didn’t even think to bring a suit. I was in such a rush to come back here and be with her, I only packed some jeans, t-shirts and underwear. I’m going to have to go to get one before heading to Montedesco.

“Hello?” I answered my ringing cellphone.

“Hey, Weston. It’s Riley…”

“Hi, Riley. What’s up?” I ask, unzipping my jeans and kicking them off. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. I just wanted to check in regarding the hiring.”

Shit, I completely forgot about everything back home. “How is that going?”

“Good!” She said happily. “I’ve hired a receptionist, and today I’ve got three interviews set up with potential agents. Bob recommended two of them.”

“Great. Good job, Riley. I knew I could count on you. Whoever Bob recommends will be good, I bet.”

“Pete also said all the furniture will be moved in today. It’s so exciting.”

I smile. “Awesome. Can’t wait to see the place.”

“How’s Leah?” she asks.

“Good. Great, actually.” I don’t mention the shoe incident to Riley. “She’s going to the studio today. I’ve got a meeting with Josh.”

“Weston, thank you.”

“For what?”

“Showing us the real you. The one what I knew had to be in there this whole time. I’ve never seen Leah so happy…not even with Joel. Anyway, have a good meeting. Tell Josh I said hello.”

Laughing, I reply. “Yeah, he’ll love that. And thanks for the compliment, even though I don’t quite see what you’re seeing. I’m working on it though. Let me know how the interviews go. I’ll have to call Bob and tell him I appreciate him looking out for us.”

“Sounds good. Goodbye, Mr. Casey.”

“Goodbye, Mrs. Cole.” I smile as I say her name, and hang up the phone.

Who the hell is Joel?

Leah’s never mentioned a Joel. I push the thought out and finish dressing before heading out the door to head to the 105
precinct.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Weston

Detective Soloman’s face resembled Leah’s as he looked down into the bag I set on his desk. “And they were left at the hotel? You should have called—”

“Umm, I
did
call, remember? Anyway, whatever, they’re here now. Do your CSI thing and find out who did this.” I cross my arms on my chest and inhale deeply through my nose. Calming myself.

“Where is Leah now?”

“With her band at the studio. She’s safe.”

“Fuck, this is crazy. I’m gonna be honest here, we’re at a wall. I can’t figure out who would have taken her, and why. Especially why they would drop her off at the hospital. It just doesn’t seem like it makes sense.”

“Sara Sutherland,” I whisper. “Look into her.”

“Who is she?”

I clench my jaw. “An ex-employee of mine in Sheridan, Wyoming.”

“Wyoming? Why the hell would someone from there do this to Miss Marshall?”

“Because of me. I think so, anyway. Look, just check Sara out. She’s been acting fucking weird lately and it doesn’t sit well with me.”

Soloman nods. “Okay, thanks.” He picks up the bag. “This is so fucked up…”

“You’re telling me.”

“I’ll let you know what we find, Mr. Casey.”

I nod and turn on my heel to leave the station. Next, suit and tie, and Montedesco Properties.

***

Leah

Tears began to trickle down my cheeks as I sang. I was singing this for him—for Weston. A new song that Jett and Aaron had written while we were on our brief break after the club fire. The song moved me so much, that I couldn’t hold back.

“Leah?” Lucas asked over the mic from the other side of the glass. “You okay?”

I nod. “I am. It’s just such a sweet song…”

“You sound beautiful, girl. Keep doin’ your thang,” he drawled. “We’re ready to restart whenever you are.”

Sitting up straight on the stool, I clear my throat and close my eyes, ready to sing “Unbroken Butterfly” once more. The words began to flow out, even though I had only read over them today, they were burned into my mind and I sung with all the might I could muster.

“A thousand butterflies whisper;

they fly as I lift up my arms,

flying under me, lifting me.