Redemption (23 page)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Rage

We spent the majority of the day at the hospital. Dante was in critical condition. When I found him in the basement I thought he was dead. There seemed to be no life left in him.

But he opened his eyes when I bent down beside him. “I’m not dead yet, brother.”

I smiled. “Well, we gotta keep you alive for a little while longer. You haven’t fallen in love yet.”

“You’re definitely pussy whipped.”

I chuckled. Carefully, I picked him up underneath his knees and back. The bastard was heavy as fuck. “You’re gonna make it.”

He nodded. I didn’t realize what had happened to him until I got him up the stairs. Someone had hacked his shin in half. The white bone showed through the meat of his leg. The wound was fresh which meant he hadn’t bled out yet.

We got him to the hospital in ten minutes, the police were waiting for us. We spent hours answering questions before they let us go check on Dante. They had known momentarily that they’d have to amputate it. They went into emergency surgery, and he went into recovery. They suggested we go home and come back in the morning.

Despite Dante being in the hospital, I’d never felt so safe. Hannah was home, Neveah safe and Dante alive. Denver wasn’t getting out of this one. My family was safe. We pulled into the driveway around ten that night, no one said a word as we went inside.

I needed to touch Neveah, but I wasn’t sure where I stood with her dad anymore. The last time I checked he still hated my guts. “Neveah,” Wes said. “Take Hannah to the guest house and get her some of your clothes. I need to talk to Dec—Rage.”

Neveah shot me a nervous glance but guided my sister to the guest house. Chase stood awkwardly in the corner of the room, but Wes didn’t ask him to leave. “Take a seat.”

I did without hesitation. “You’re bad for my daughter,” he said.

I kept my face calm although I wanted to beat the living hell out of him already.
Please don’t try to keep her away. I need her so much.
“But you put your life on the line today to save her. I don’t know about the man you used to be, but you’ve proved to me that you’re a good one now.”

I glanced at Chase who gave me a thumbs up. “Thank you, sir.”

Wes nodded, stroking his jaw. “You can have the guest house back until you get on your feet. And of course I want you to fight, you’re good at it and there isn’t any sense in throwing away good talent.”

Clutching the couch, I leaned forward. “What’s the catch?”

Wes grinned. “There isn’t one. But no sex in my house. The guest house is yours,” he grimaced, waving me off. “I don’t want to talk about it. You get the picture.”

I did. I was free to have Neveah in every way I knew how. I was free to love her. “Thank you. You’ll never understand how much this means to me.”

Wes lifted a brow. “You’ll have to pull your weight around here, though. We never patched that roof.”

I stood up, offered Wes my hand and felt a weight lift from my shoulders when he took it. “You,” I said, turning to Chase. “Thank you for today. Both of you. If it wouldn’t have been for you two—I would have killed Denver.”

Chase laughed. “You went Hulk mode. I fear the man that’s brave enough to steal Neveah away from you.”

I scoffed. “Does that mean you’re going to stop flirting with her?”

Chase’s grin widened. “Hell no, it’s too much fun. But that’s all it is, fun. Today kind of crushed all my dreams of Neveah, anyway.”

Wes and I exchanged glances. “What do you mean?”

Chase interlocked his fingers behind his head. “I’m in love with your sister.”

I narrowed my gaze at him. “I’ll murder you.”

He didn’t laugh as much as I’d hoped. “I’m better than a murdering drug dealer, right?”

“I’m not sure,” I snapped.

Wes held his hands up in surrender. “I’m out of here. You’ve been warned, Chase. I’m not pulling him off of you when he attacks your ass.”

Chase bounced on his feet, jabbing into the air. “If he can catch me first. You might be strong but I’m quick—,”

I reached out and caught his jab. “Don’t touch my sister.”

Chase laughed and followed Wes toward the door. When the door shut, I nearly raced toward the guest house. Hannah sat in the middle of the bed with Neveah.

“Hey.”

Hannah eyed both of us before getting up. “I think I’m going to go for a walk. Do you mind if Lucy comes with me?”

Lucy’s head popped up. “Go ahead.”

Hannah gave me a small smile as she slipped through the door. She knew I needed this time with Neveah. Once the door shut, Neveah launched herself at me. “Angel,” I whispered, kissing every inch of her face. “I was so scared I’d lost you.”

She clutched my shirt, pulling me closer. “You saved me,” she whispered. “You could have died, Rage. You saved me.”

I pulled back to look into her eyes. “Angel, I was only returning the favor. You’re the only reason I’m here.”

Tear streaks marked her face, but it was just as perfect as before. “What are we going to do?”

I pressed my thumb to the corner of her mouth. “We’re going to be fine. Your dad said I could stay.”

A smile etched her face. “What about Hannah?”

“She’ll be here until she feels safe enough to go back to her apartment. Denver won’t be able to touch her in prison.”

Neveah’s face turned soft. “Dante he—,”

I gritted my teeth. “Don’t say it. He’s going to recover and we’ll help him. I don’t want to talk about it right now. I don’t want to do anything but kiss you, love you.”

She searched my face, her eyes telling me she wanted me just as bad as I wanted her. Standing on her tip-toes, she pressed her mouth to mine. She was hungry for me, I felt it in her grip, in the way she kissed me.

I carried her to my bed, lowering her to the mattress where I’d taken her before. I needed to be inside of her. The urgency to show her how much I needed her weight heavy on me.

“Neveah,” I whispered, unzipping the jeans she’d just put on. “Please tell me you love me. I need to hear it.”

She sighed into my mouth. “I love you, Rage Cohen.”

I groaned, yanking her jeans off of her legs. “I’m so in love with you that I’d do anything to have you.”

She lifted her arms, and I helped her out of her shirt. Her breasts were bruised, and my heart sank. “Did he touch you here?”

Her cheeks turned bright pink. “I—I didn’t want to tell you. He didn’t rap me but he
touched
me.”

“Motherfucker,” I groaned, lowering my mouth to her nipple. Her back arched when I kissed the bruised flesh. I said a silent prayer that God would let me take away her pain. “I’m going to kiss every single inch of you, Angel. When I’m finished you’ll know you’re mine.”

After fifteen minutes of sucking and kissing her body, her soft moans turned into cries. Taking her foot, I kept my eyes glued to hers. She breathed harshly, her chest rising and falling in quick jabs. Her eyes rolled back when I sucked her toe into my mouth. “Oh God, please,” she begged.

I took my time, sucking each one into my mouth, reaching forward to press my thumb against her clit. She came undone in front of me. The face she made during an orgasm was the sexiest one I’d ever seen. No one looked as completely undone as she did. So turned on by my hand.

I lowered myself to her and kissed her mouth hard. “I want you,” she whispered. “Please.”

I nodded, pulling my jeans down in one swift movement, I slammed into her pulsing pussy. Tears brimmed my eyes as I sank further into her. “Love me,” she whispered, rocking her hips against me.

I groaned into her, biting and sucking her bottom lip into my mouth. “Anything you want,” I panted. “I’ll give you anything you fucking want.”

She cried out, her head fell back against the pillow, her fingers dug into my shoulders. I fit so tight that every time she lifted her hips I had to keep from coming. “So goddamn tight.” I pulsed harder into her, loving the way her legs tightened around my waist.

“I’m coming,” she said. “Oh God, don’t stop, I’m coming.”

I wasn’t going to stop. Not until she’d had enough of me. Not until she was satisfied. I pressed harder, tilting her waist upward, giving myself the access to take her higher. She shook against me, her hands clutched tighter, and her body convulsed. “Yes, yes, yes, right there,” she screamed.

All her pint up feelings drifted from her face, and she came around my dick, sending me over the edge. I gripped the covers next to her head and pumped into her three more times before releasing.

Neveah touched my cheek, and I turned to kiss her palm. The sweet smell of her skin was stuck to me, and I didn’t want to ever wash it off. “I know this sounds morbid,” she whispered. “But I’m glad I found you in the woods, Rage.”

Smiling down at her, I stroked her jaw. “It was fate, Angel. Of all the places they could have left me, they leave me near you. Of all the people that could have found me and it was
you
. Because I was meant to meet you. When you told me
I’ve got you
, I knew you really did. We’re meant for each other.”

I caught the tear that traveled down her cheek. “You lead me to my redemption,” she whispered.

I shook my head. “No. You are my redemption, Angel.”

Epilogue

Neveah

One month later

“He’s up next!” Aunt Shelly screamed in my ear.

I didn’t need her to tell me because I’d been waiting for it. I’d counted down each fight waiting to see Rage. The New Orleans arena was huge compared to the one at home. We’d been waiting for this match since Rage started fighting at the gym.

I glanced down at my blank cell phone and frowned. Dante hadn’t text me back. Hell, I had hardly talked to him in the last three weeks, and he lived with us. After his surgery, Rage stepped up to the plate and started talking care of him. He’d been closed off and hadn’t showed any interest in anything. I’d never been in a wheelchair, but I knew he was upset about it.
Who wouldn’t be?

I slid my phone back into my pocket.

The last I’d heard of Denver, he was awaiting trial. Knowing that the scumbag would never see daylight again made the kidnapping worth it.

“I know,” I shouted back, my hand cupped around my mouth. “He’s pumped for this fight!”

She smiled sweetly my way. “I wonder why? Would it have anything to do with you spending an hour with him before we left—alone? I thought I heard moaning coming from your condo before I knocked.”

I narrowed my gaze at her. Of course Aunt Shelly listened before she knocked. She wouldn’t be her if she didn’t.”

Dad called out from ringside at Chase. “Swing left. Block. Block. Block! Jab!” Chase was beating this kid’s ass.

Hannah sat down beside me with a bag of popcorn in her hand. “Want some?”

I waved her off. “No thanks.” I needed to keep my breath fresh for after the fight. Rage had promised me a night to remember if he won which he would, he always did.

Aunt Shelly leaned forward. “Hey Hannah, your man is fighting. You should watch. He’s good with his hands.” She waggled her eyebrows.

Hannah’s cheeks turned bright red. There wasn’t any denying that she liked him. From the first moment Chase laid eyes on her, I knew he wanted her. It’d been the same look he gave me when we were kids. “He’s not interested in me,” she whispered, her eyes searching the popcorn in her hands. “Plus, I’m not ready to date. Not after last time.”

Who could blame her?
She’d promised to marry a guy that’d tried to kill her brother. Not to mention the whole drug lord of the south thing. Shelly rolled her eyes. “Well, I can promise you that Chase isn’t in any gangs and hasn’t been to prison.”

I shot her a dirty look
.
“What are you trying to say? You talk a lot of shit for someone that’s single,
Aunt Shelly
.”

She flipped me off but smiled. “I’m just waiting for the right guy,
Neveah
. Not everyone rescues their dying prince charming in the woods. Sorry!”

I bit the inside of my lip and watched as the ref announced Chase the winner. Sweat trickled down his face but his eyes were glued to Hannah. “Oh shit,” I whispered, smiling over at her. “He’s looking at you.”

Her blue eyes widened. “He is not!” she shouted.

Aunt Shelly nodded. “Is so.”

Hannah pretended to look at her phone, her eyes never strayed from the blank screen. Chase winked at me, and I knew he’d get her. There was something about the way he stared at her that made me think of how Rage looked at me.

“He’s up! He’s up!” Aunt Shelly elbowed me. “He’s up!”

I couldn’t help my giddy laugh. I searched the ring for him, and there he was. He stood in the corner, his eyes on me and a smile that told me he was
mine
. “Fighters to the center of the ring.”

His opponent was huge. The kind of muscle that looked like he’d gotten from a bottle. Rage didn’t look too worried about it, since he hadn’t taken his eyes off of me. “My brother loves you,” Hannah whispered, her hand on my knee. “I can see it in his eyes.”

My heart swelled in my chest. I knew he loved me, and hell if I wasn’t in love with him. But hearing the person that grew up with him tell me, made it all the more real.

“Son,” the ref snapped his fingers in front of his face. The crowd roared with laughter but Rage only winked my way.

“Bitch,” Aunt Shelly mumbled.

I didn’t look at her. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him as they touched gloves. His opponent bounced around the ring, his gloves blocking his face. Rage gave me long sideways glance. I motioned for him to pay attention but he blew me a kiss.

“Rage! Pay attention. Swing!” Dad called out. I could see the frustrated line in his forehead from our seats. Rage drove him crazy with his devil-may-care attitude. “Swing, son!”

Rage grinned right before sending him a right uppercut. The man stumbled backwards, shock written heavily on his face. Rage was on him before he could blink. A double-punch to the ribs, one left uppercut and then a right hook. He fell like a sack of potatoes.

The entire arena stood up, and I jumped up with them, my hands above my head in applause. The ref lifted Rage’s arm and shouted his victory over the roaring crowd. Rage pulled his hand and jumped the ropes, his eyes settled on my shaking body. When he stopped, a grin lifted from the corner of his mouth. “That one was for you, Angel.”

Aunt Shelly waved her hand in front of his face. “The last one was for her too, why can’t you do one for me?”

Rage laughed and my stomach tightened at the sound. “Sorry, Shelly. My fights are only for one girl. I couldn’t handle you anyway.”

She flipped her blonde hair. “That’s right.”

Dad slapped Rage’s shoulder. “Stop eyeing my daughter. You could have had him a lot sooner.”

Rage lifted a brow. “Well, I have to make sure no one’s flirting with her.”

Dad rolled his eyes. “Since when can’t Neveah handle herself? The last time I checked, she’d whoop most of the guy’s asses in this building.”

“He’s right,” I said. “Even yours.”

Rage grabbed my waist and drug me toward him, letting his mouth rest against my ear. “You won’t be saying that tonight, will ya? Cat got your tongue, Angel?”

I pushed against his chest and stared up into his eyes. “Go get changed. Because when we get home I need to talk to you about something.”

“What’s wrong?” he lowered his head. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I said. “But I’m ready to go as soon as you are.”

He didn’t pry but nodded. He raced off to the locker rooms while I tried to gather my thoughts.

Aunt Shelly leaned in toward my ear. “You’re going to tell him tonight, aren’t you?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I am.”

She grinned at me. “He’s going to be excited. Don’t freak out. Just tell him.”

Easy for her to say.

***

We’d moved out of the guest house when August hit with Dante. I’d transferred to the local college, and I’d finished my degree there. Moving back to Phoenix wasn’t in the question. My home was in Huntsville, and it always would be.

We’d used Rage’s winnings from boxing and my refund checks from school to get us a condo. It wasn’t the largest condo but it had enough space for us. 

The soft carpet squished between my toes when I opened the door and the smell of the vanilla candle I’d lit warmed me.

Rage locked the door and pressed his mouth against my neck. “What do you want to talk about?”

He was anxious. I could see it in the way his shoulders tensed and because he’d only asked eight times on the way home. I turned to face him, his black upright hair had fallen into his grey eyes. I could swim in them for hours. They were the only ones I wanted to see each morning and night.

I glanced at Dante’s shut door. “Maybe we should check on Dante?”

Rage frowned. “I know him and he’s not ready to talk. Let him heal, Angel.”

I bit my bottom lip. “Um, let’s go make some hot chocolate. I’m kind of thir—,”

He sighed. “Bullshit, you’re not thirsty, just tell me. Here.” He reached down and tossed me over his shoulder.

“Put me down, Rage Cohen!”

He grunted and carried me to our bedroom, tossing me on the bed before covering me with his body. “Now, tell me what the hell is going on. I was about to die on the way home. Who knew you were so good at keeping secrets?”

I gave him a weak smile and played with the collar of his shirt. “Actually,” I whispered. “Let me up. I’ll go get it.”

“Get what?” he begged. “Please, Angel, tell me.” I laughed when he poked his lip out. “Angel, I’m not a patient man. Don’t push my boundaries.”

I shoved against his chest until he let me up. I walked to the bathroom and grabbed the positive pregnancy test from the cabinet. It felt like a brick in my hand when I walked back out.

Rage sat with his thighs spread wide and his hands holding himself upright. “Come here,” he said.

I shook my head when he tried to grab for me. “Do you love me?”

He lifted a brow. “Didn’t me saving you prove that I love you, girl? What’s going on? I’m starting to get nervous.”

I grinned. “You being nervous makes you all the more attractive, you know that right?”

Rage smirked. “Topic, please?”

I shook my head and before I lost my nerve, I handed him the test. His eyes lowered and then widened. He opened his mouth twice but then shut it. Carefully, he took the test in his hand and stared at it.

Nerves swarmed my insides. I wasn’t sure about the look on his face or the way his shoulders tensed. “Rage,” I said. “If you’re not ready—,”

He cut me off with his mouth. He dropped the test and curled his fingers around my nape, dragging me closer to him, not stopping until I was pressed against his erection. “We’re going to have a fucking baby,” he whispered. “A fucking baby. Oh my God, a baby!”

“We need to work on your potty mouth for the next nine months.”

His grin widened.

“You’re happy?” I asked.

He furrowed his brow. “Why wouldn’t I be, Angel? You’re going to have my baby. My baby, nobody else’s. Mine.”

I nodded. “I mean, I haven’t had sex with anybody else in the last few days so—,”

He grabbed me and tossed me on the bed while I laughed. “Last few days, huh? Did he make you scream like I do?”

I bit my lower lip, watching the beautiful man on top of me. “No one has ever made me feel so full. No pun intended,” I whispered through a smile. “No one has ever made me feel so alive.”

He closed his eyes and sighed. “My life has never been this right before, Nev. Not before my parents died or after. Nothing made sense in my life until you. Now everything is falling into place.”

Rage sat up and pulled my shirt up to my ribs. So gently, he rubbed his open palm against my stomach, over my curves and ridges. “There isn’t one place in this goddamn world I’d rather be than here with you. And now with him. He’s going to have everything he needs and wants. I want him to turn out like you. You’re so perfect,” he said.

“Well, let’s hope he or
she
gets your good looks.”

Rage grinned and dipped a finger into my belly-button. “It’s going to be a boy, just so you know.”

I lifted a brow. “Oh yeah? What if it’s not? Would you be disappointed?”

He shook his head furiously. “No, Neveah. I’ll love our baby no matter what but never as much as I love you.” He brought the hand that’s rubbed my stomach to my jaw. “Never as much as I love you. I can’t wait to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you. Do you know I thought I’d never say that to anyone? Now it’s the only thing I think about.”

Tears slipped down my face and he kissed them away. “Don’t cry, Angel.
I’ve got you
.”

I nodded. “And I’ve got you.”

The End

   Thank you for reading.

Book #2 will release in April 2015. It’s Chase and Hannah’s story.
“
Salvation
.”