Freed: Cuffs & Briefs, #5

By Valentina Don and Petra W.

I was freed.

 

And in love.

 

Hopelessly in love with Carson Pierce.

 

The problem?

 

The cuffs may have come off, but I was still locked up.

 

In every sense.

 

Part Five in the Cuffs & Briefs Series

• Language: English
• Publisher: Perfect Escape
• Release date: Mar 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393575481

Book preview

1. THE MORNING AFTER

As Laura Moore laid in bed she considered this the dawn of a new day. The threat of living out the rest of her days in prison no longer loomed over her and she had happily shed her alter ego. Stone was gone for good. It had been a whirlwind. Everything moved so fast, yet so slow, since her arrest that dark, rainy night outside of the art gallery where she almost pulled off the theft of the Jackson Pollock painting she had coveted for so long.

There weren't many people she could thank for getting her to this place. Really, there was only the one person. One person who believed in her. Who took a chance on her. Who made her trust again and taught her what it means to love. Carson Pierce, private counsel for criminal defendants. He stood by her through the arrest, barging in to meet her for the first time in the interrogation room at the police station. Then, through the trial, where they lost and she was convicted. But then, still through her appeal, where her world was righted again when the whole ordeal was dropped and the judge declared her conviction, and subsequent sentencing, overturned. That little piece of good, great, amazing, spectacular news came their way yesterday and they spent a good long while celebrating. Together. In bed. Where they were at their best. So, yes, Laura considered herself a free woman in that regard.

The only way she saw herself as not being free was when it came to Carson. He had forced himself into her life and, at first, she barely tolerated him. But then throughout their time together—thanks to his extraordinary ways of persuasion and getting her out on house arrest in his house—they grew to have respect and admiration for one another. That was really something, she knew, if she was being honest with herself, because he didn't treat her any differently because of the things she had done—stealing for a living, just for the fun of it. Then, that respect and admiration turned into trust and, well, the rest was history, because her heart got involved. Her heart kept her captive, tying her to Carson in a way she never allowed to happen, not since the last time she trusted a man.

Whether or not those cuffs would come off and the final locks around her would open, she wasn't sure. All she did know was that only time would tell.

2. THE NEW DEAL

Carson came in from the patio where he listened to crickets chirping and night owls hooting. It was a calm night and one that he hoped would be a memorable one, too. Laura was upstairs taking a shower and Carson was left alone with his thoughts. He'd thought about how he would have done what he'd been meaning to do for a while now. He'd thought about it, but each time, he thought it needed to happen when it felt right.

It was then that Carson heard noise coming from inside the house. It wasn't any noise, it was the sound of the keys on his piano being strummed. He always saw it there, but rarely ever played it. Though, when he did was when he felt the most relaxed.

He caught sight of the beauty that was sitting in black negligee on the bench. Her long black hair was hanging wet down her back and her long fingers were roaming haphazardly on the piano, playing random keys that didn't quite go together.

Carson chuckled as he walked up to her. Having fun? he questioned.

She smiled and ran her hands across all of the keys. For all the time I've been here, I've never heard you play.

He knew she spoke the truth and he had wanted to. Boy, had he wanted to so many times. But there never seemed to be enough time, he knew. Laura's case had been his top priority and he couldn't see past that. Didn't want to see past it. Let me, he told her as he scooted her over on the bench. He cracked his knuckles before lightly playing his favorite song. It was a classic and he wondered if Laura was enjoying it.

He looked over at her and searched her face for an answer. When he opened his mouth to speak, a fluid, operatic voice came from beside him. The sound was coming from the breathtaking woman next to him and he was stunned by how beautiful, not only she was, but her voice as well. She returned her hands on the keys on her side and began playing with him as she sung the words to the song.

If he didn't already love her, then in that moment he knew there wasn't a doubt in his mind that he was falling in love with her all over again. Laura blew his mind in the best way possible. He didn't interrupt her and didn't dare stop playing, only stared as she closed her eyes and continued singing. He stared for as long as he could have and watched her full lips breathe life in his big, spacious house.

When the song finished, he watched her in awe. She was everything he could have ever wanted in a woman and he was fortunate enough to have her sitting right beside him.

Laura flinched. What? What's wrong?

Carson looked serious. I never knew you could sing like that.

It's nothing, really. She added, It was fun though. You've got talent, Carson Pierce.

You, he said to Laura, have talent. And he meant it.

Laura brushed his compliment off