Friends and Lovers

By Olivia Barrington-Leigh

"This is my life. A thing made of fairy-tales and magic. Full of love and happiness, strong touches and quiet lovers. Together—there’s not a damn thing that can stop us."

Lilith first strike forces everyone to flee to a paradise sanctuary. While half of Elaina's makeshift family risk their lives to eliminate a woman driven insane by the death of her drug dealing, sex-trafficking,kidnapping children, there is new love forming. Wesley is introducing Veronica Jones, V, to his mother. John and Brittney, the last to find love when they least expected, are still shell-shocked to find themselves in a relationship. None of it matters if they can't get to Lilith before she kills them all. Jamie Lannister is offered protection and Lester offers help, both are now part of a world where happily-ever-after is almost guaranteed, but you have to work for it, and ever-after doesn't always mean a long time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Olivia Barrington-Leigh
• Release date: Sep 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301912926

Olivia Barrington-Leigh

Wife, mother, sister, lover...and one day, a damn fine storyteller.

Book preview

A Lover’s Kiss

Lovers Series

Book Four

Olivia Barrington-Leigh

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013

*****

Smashwords Edition License Notes

Thank you for downloading this free ebook. Although this is a free book it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organization is entirely coincidental.

Warning: Adult Reading Material. Book contains strong language and sexual content.

*****

Other works by Olivia Barrington Leigh

Touched

Lovers

A Lover’s Touch

Strong Lovers

*****

Chapter One

The next time he heard someone bitching about their job Wesley was going to stab the motherfucker’s eye out with a pen—or fork—or maybe gouge it out with his finger. People didn’t realize how lucky they were. Complaints about coffee runs, asshole bosses, and disliked co-workers, were in his ass sideways by the time he reached the side entrance of the house.

They’d been watching the house for days and Wesley insisted he could handle the handful of guards, but the numbers had been increased at some point between his arrival in town that morning and when he showed up at the house that evening. He could have rescheduled; waited on John, maybe even Manny, but he was ready to get the shit taken care of. His momma was coming in two days to meet the first woman he’d ever loved. The only woman. He was a nervous goddamn wreck.

The first snafu—other than the extra guards—was the time delay. He had to watch the guards to see if there were any changes within the watch of the house; counting the additional guards that were inside the house, and didn’t that just take a hot damn minute he didn’t have to locate all the bastards. They were ready but it wasn’t for him. Lilith St. James’s wrath was what they waited on. The bitch had gone ballistic when she found out her ex-long time lover had taken the children home instead of to Charles St. James, her ex-husband. She couldn’t take it out on Lester, so she was taking it out on everyone else. Wesley felt sorry for the man. It wasn’t like he knew what Lester had planned. The pilot of the private plane that had gone along with Lester’s plan was missing and presumed dead. Charles St. James wasn’t taken chances on being the next face on the milk carton.

The second fuck up was Wesley’s own over confidence. Most hired muscle, while trained, didn’t have the same level of skill as he. He was government trained black-ops. He could sneak up on your ass in a locked room and cut your throat before you realized someone was behind you. The blood covering Wesley’s arm and what he suspected was a cracked, if not broken rib, was curtsey of the second guard Wesley had come up behind. The man had moved lightning fast, not fast enough to draw his weapon, but fast enough to engage in hand to hand combat. He’d gotten in one good body-shot that felt like a dump truck plowing into his side, before the knife Wesley held swept across his throat. It was messy. Something Wesley couldn’t afford, he didn’t need anyone to see blood and alert the others.

He should have pulled out but the shit had hit the fan and if he left they may never get another chance, so he pushed on. Two guards later and Wesley was wishing he could complain about asshole bosses and hated co-workers, but not really. In truth, Wesley loved his boss and co-worker. It was John Chambers and he loved the man like a motherfucker.

Wesley lowered the goggles from the top of his head and pulled a small black pouch from his breast pocket. He made fast work of picking the lock to the electrical box and disabling the alarm. He went to doors leading into the dining room and let himself in. Wesley knew the house; he’d been in it once already. He was glad that Charles St. James wasn’t in the bedroom upstairs but in the library downstairs. The door was guarded but there was a second entrance that was left unprotected. The one leading from the den, and that’s how Wesley planned on gaining access to the man that was involved with the kidnapping of Elizabeth and Tallulah. After the unexpected fight outside Wesley made sure to bring his A game inside the house. He was a ghost as he made his way through the darken interior. He wasn’t surprised to find the door locked. He also wasn’t surprised how quickly he picked it. He was surprised at the gun pointing at him when he opened the door.

Shit.

I’ve been waiting for you, Charles St. James said.

I doubt it.

The man was a mess. Oh, his clothes were immaculate, and he was bathed and shaved, but his eyes were haunted. Had the man slept in last month? God knows Wesley and the rest of them hadn’t; not with Lilith on the hunt like a damn lioness.

Who do you work for, Lilith or Dubois and Porter?

Okay – maybe he was waiting on Wesley.

This is personal, Wesley said.

And wasn’t that the damn truth. There was no way he and John were leaving as long as there was a threat to Malachi and his family, which meant there was a threat to V. He’d hold off all the demons in hell to make sure she was safe.

I see, was all the man said. He motioned with his gun for Wesley to get up.

Mistake? Probably.

Charles backed up while Wesley stood and held his hands out in front of him. He did it slowly as to not spook the man. He didn’t think he was going to get out of the mess without getting shot at least once; he just preferred it not to be in the head or heart. That would really put a damper on things.

So tell me Mr.—

Wesley.

So tell me Wesley, to what do I owe the pleasure, Charles St. James said still backing up. Was he headed for the bar?

You kidnapped my nieces, Wesley said standing just inside the door.

A guard came in the other entrance and the look of shock had Wesley smiling. He pulled out a gun; a day late and a dollar short. Charles put down his own gun and poured a drink in a glass that was already on the bar. He pulled out a second glass and poured a drink and then waved to a seat across from him.

Please, don’t let me drink alone. I’m beginning to think I might have a problem, he said motioning to the drink with his head. Are you alone?

If the man had jokes at a time like this, he was someone that under ordinary circumstances Wesley thought he’d like. Too bad these weren’t ordinary times. Wesley picked up the glass and downed his drink in one swallow. It was being filled before it was back on the surface of the bar.

I’m alone, Wesley said taking a sip of his second drink.

It was no use lying. If he died here tonight John and Manny, quite possibly Malachi, would come and finish what he started. He was sad about V, sadder about the loss of her ass. He was obsessed with it, he was still trying to figure out which he loved more—the woman or her ass.

Charles nodded once and took his own sip. I didn’t kidnap your nieces, he said.

You didn’t help get them back to where they belonged, and you were going to keep them for that bitch of an ex-wife of yours, Wesley said.

The guard had made a mistake; he was standing right behind Wesley, a little to the left. He was in the perfect position for Wesley to turn and disarm him. The gun that Charles St. James had was on the bar, but Wesley could use the body of the guard to block the only shot St. James was going to get off. The door behind the bar was his way out. Things were looking good.

I was going to give them back, Charles said, breaking into Wesley’s replay of how he was going to shoot his way back to V—and her ass.

Excuse me?

Lester wasn’t the only one that thought Lilith had lost her damn mind in taking the girls. The man actually forwarded me the information on the Porter-Dubois clan before he left Lilith. He didn’t tell me his plan, of course, simply thought I should know what I was getting myself into. The two men have gone above and beyond when it comes to the safety of their family.

You could say that, Wesley agreed.

Did you kill my children Wesley?

The question jarred him. He hadn’t expected it, but he also hadn’t expected the night to end up this way. He hated question and answers. Fast and clean; in and out—that’s how you kill somebody.

Not both of them, Wesley said.

Charles St. James nodded again and stroked the gun that was lying on the bar but didn’t pick it up. Tell me what happened.

Wesley sighed when he should have been happy Charles was being a movie villain; doing a whole lot of talking, when he should have shot Wesley in the head as soon as the door opened. The second he’d allowed Wesley to stand the man’s chances for survival was slim to none; leaning heavily towards none.

Julia Winston, Benjamin’s girlfriend, stole half a million dollars from him. It was a game she’d played; meeting rich men and stealing their money. Malachi Porter was the first. Malachi Porter is a nice guy…your son...was not. It took Benjamin about a year to track down Julia and when he found her he kept her prisoner, raping her whenever he chose and showing her the new life she’d bought herself when she stole from him. He was going to sell her as a sex slave unless she got his money back. He gave her three months. She went home and tried to get back in good with Malachi, he’d been in love with Julia when she stole from him. Malachi’s a pretty laid back kind of guy, quick to forgive and forget, she thought she could get back in his good graces and either steal the half mil or have him give it to her outright when they became a couple again. She didn’t know about Elaina.

The woman that Malachi Porter shares with Christian Dubois, Charles interrupted.

The woman the two men are devoted to completely, Wesley corrected. Anyway, when it became clear to Julia that Malachi was not going to leave Elaina, and he threatened Julia with certain death if she hurt Elaina, Julia’s next bright idea was to steal Elaina’s jewelry collection. By this time Carlos arrived to collect. Benjamin agreed with the plan. On the day that Carlos and Julia broke into the house Elaina walked in and was kidnapped and held for ransom because the jewelry wasn’t kept in the house. Carlos took Elaina and Julia to Julia’s parents’ river house where he raped Julia and was about to do the same to Elaina when a friend of the family stopped him with a bullet. The next day Malachi offered to pay the half mil owed, it was then that we found out the two were in fact brothers. Benjamin’s threat was clear. He was gunning for them, Christian, Malachi, Elaina. All of them, one of them, who knew; all we did know was that it couldn’t be left unfinished, especially not with Benjamin being a sex slave trafficker. If Lester sent you the information on Elaina than I’m sure you know what happened to her at the hands of her old employer," Wesley asked.

I am.

Charles St. James stared at Wesley. He palmed the gun and Wesley tightened his body. He was nanoseconds from moving when Charles shocked the shit out of him again.

I want to hire you to kill my ex-wife.

Chapter Two

Wesley ran up the stairs two at a time. He’d thrown some money at the cab driver and was out the door before it came to a complete stop. He prayed that the door at the top of the stairs was opened because he was going to have to buy a new one if it wasn’t. Of course it was locked. He put his shoulder into it and broke it easy. V pulled the gun and pointed it center mass and didn’t the sight of her wearing his shirt, holding a gun, pointing it with deadly accurate aim just make his dick that much harder. He was on her before she could put it down.

He ripped the shirt she was wearing, sending buttons flying, just to see the front of her body before he got down to business. He turned her around, pushing her over the couch. God, he’d been dreaming about her ass for the last two days. He fumbled with his belt and pants until he freed his raging erection. V was on the same page and when she put her leg over the back of the couch he thought he was going to lose his ever-loving mind. He laid a hand on one of her glorious ass cheeks, opened her wide, grabbed his dick and drove it home. They both yelled when he entered her. The sound of the gun going off stopped them both.

Wesley was balls deep in the best piece of pussy he’d ever known. The police would be called, he had to be quick.

Hurry, V said in front of him.

God I love you, he said moving his hips again.

Wesley fucked V every day, sometimes as many as four or five times, there was no place better he could think of being then in her sex or in her arms. He bent his knees and V slammed back on his cock hard enough to rock him on his feet. He spread his stance and felt his orgasm tighten his balls at the same time he heard the police sirens.

V’s sex grabbed at his dick and it was all he needed. He cried out as he came. He would have stayed there and rocked himself into another hard-on but company was on the way. He pulled out of her with a groan, stuffed his glistening cock in his pants and licked his palm and fingers while staring at a straightening V, his promise that they were just getting started.

You’re insane, she said with a little laugh.

Just wait, he warned her.

Police!

Accidental discharge, Wesley yelled.

The policeman’s head peeked around the corner in a flash and then disappeared. He was low to the ground. Smart. Most people trained guns where they think people’s head would be which would have been higher up since most people enter a room standing. Two officers filled the doorway, one on his knees and the other on his feet.

Put your hands were we can see them. The one standing ordered, a tall redhead, who looked about a second out of the academy.

Umm, ma’am, you can keep yours on your shirt. I can see your hands just fine. The one on the ground said.

God bless small towns. Wesley looked at V. The shirt that he’d all but ripped from her body was open. A line of exposed skin ran down the center, exposing her completely, nothing but the thatch of black hair covering her snatch.

Thank you officer, she said closing the shirt with one hand, the other she kept in the air.

Either they figured out what happened or figured Wesley and V were not threats. The officer on the ground stood and his partner seemed to relax a little.

Where’s the gun, the redhead asked.

His partner, a man of about forty, holstered his weapon and walked into the room.

On the couch, Wesley said, motioning it with his head.

Whose gun is it? The older man asked.

Mine, it’s licensed and registered, V answered.

The older guy went around the couch. What happened?

Was that amusement Wesley heard in the man’s voice?

Over zealous reunion, Wesley said.

Why did you have a gun Ms. –

Veronica Jones, V said. I live alone; the neighborhood’s not that great.

What happened to the door?

I broke it, Wesley answered. There was no reason to lie. He didn’t believe in lying about small shit. He’d save his lies for important shit, like—did you kill that man?

Johnny I think you can put your gun up, the older officer said coming around the couch and standing in front of Wesley and V. He handed the gun to V.

You could have killed someone ma’am.

I know, and ordinarily I am much more careful with my firearm. I didn’t have time to put the safety on.

Next time, give her minute will you? He said turning to Wesley and winked at him.

I’ll try officer.

You working with Christian and Malachi aren’t you? He asked.

Can my girl get dressed?

The officer looked a little embarrassed that he hadn’t already offered. Yes of course, sorry about that Ms. Jones.

No problem, sorry you had to come out, V said. She smacked Wesley on the ass before leaving the room.

I do work for them. It’s another reason V has a gun, I was out of town and told her to take it with her everywhere.

The redhead had holstered his gun. Any leads?

Wesley turned to the redhead. No, and we’re still a little on edge officer—

Johnny Taylor, he said offering a hand.

Wesley Adams, he said taking it and turning to the older cop.

Tom Slader.

Nice to meet you, Officers Taylor and Slader.

You ex-military, Slader asked.

Special forces, Wesley answered as V came out of the bedroom. She was wearing another one of his shirts and a pair of his jeans. The woman lived in his clothes.

I was national guard myself. What branch were you?

Wesley smiled but didn’t answer.

Oh, Slader said. Well, we’ll leave you two at it. He paused and then laughed.

Take care of her. She’s had it rough a couple of years back, he said getting serious again.

Wesley knew it was Elaina the man referred to. I know. Malachi and Christian called me in for security then too.

The man nodded, Officer Taylor shook his hand again and shook his head when he reached the door.

You owe me a door Adams, V said behind him.

I’ll get something that can keep me out. Wesley turned to her. He pulled his t-shirt over his head and toed off his sneakers. Or in, he said before she squealed and made a run for it.

****

It was time like these that made what they did, and the shit they’d been through, seem almost worth it. John tightened his arm around Brittney’s waist and was rewarded with a smile filled with love so absolute that he thought this heart would burst out of his damn chest. She mouthed, I love you, and winked at him before turning her attention back to the group of people he’d come to…love.

So what do you think, Elaina asked and John wasn’t even a little embarrassed that he was lost in the land of Brittney and hadn’t heard a damn word in the last ten minutes because all he could think about was how happy he was.

I’m sorry, I missed that.

I said, what do you think about Charles St. James’s offer?

I think that since we were planning on killing her anyway, getting paid is like the cherry on top.

For ten million it’s the whole damn sundae, Wesley said.

Did he offer any suggestions on how to get to her ass? Malachi asked.

Malachi was ready to storm the fort when they found Lilith in the Dominican Republic. John had known it was as close as he’d ever come to a suicide mission but had been prepared to follow his boy’s ass into the fire.

He has someone working on it, Wesley said, It almost seemed too good to be true.

Just because he was married to the woman doesn’t mean he’ll fare any better than us. They’ve been divorced a long time, V said.

Yeah, but they were married for fifteen years. That’s a long time getting to know someone and she was young when they met. Some of that shit she had to have picked up from him, Manny said. You’re not born with that kind of crazy, it’s a learned skill. Manny was the only one in the group that was mateless. Susan had backed out at the last minute but Malachi’s newest best friend had come over for their Sunday dinner.

I still can’t believe Brittney let her lover go, Wesley said and got the finger from Brittney for the statement.

You’re lucky John’s so much bigger than me or I’d spank you, Malachi said.

The dark skinned man who’d brought the girls back had been interrogated by Brittney and V after V had frisked him and while Elaina was on the phone with Malachi. Elaina had been on the phone pretty much begging Malachi to come home when she saw the man carrying Lu and holding Elizabeth’s hand from the window of their front room. She’d dropped the phone and rushed to her children. The man had handed over the girls. Brittney and V had taken him to Christian’s office and by the time Elaina checked her children, and confirmed Malachi and John were on their way home Brittney had released him.

And I’m glad I did since St. James confirmed the man was on our side, Brittney defended herself.

I wouldn’t say on our side… Wesley said.

He grew a conscious, Christian said.

Whatever, in the end he did the right thing and he was never going to let anything happen to the girls.

So he said, Malachi said, starting the argument that was really more like some macabre joke.

Okay, we’ve already agreed to disagree. I really didn’t want anymore bodies if it wasn’t necessary. I didn’t want to come over here and think, ‘Gee, that’s where I shot that big black guy who kidnapped the girls that time,’ she said.

You could have held him for me, Malachi said, pouting.

Yeah, because, ‘gee that’s where Malachi shot him’ is so much better.

Alright you two, cut it out, V said.

The monitor sitting on the table suddenly filled with the sound of a crying toddler. Everyone went to