Paradise Found: Cain (Paradise Stories Book 2) (34 page)

I could only hope I had convinced her. I loved Sofie. As rocky as our relationship had been, I knew from the moment I saw her she’d be my greatest sin and my salvation, rolled in one. When we made love again in the early morning I told her such. She worried she wouldn’t ever feel safe until my father was a memory for us, and that’s when I knew what I had to do.

“Abel,” I called out, interrupting his rhythm as he beat the bag before him. That intensity was familiar. The drive and focus had been written on my face every fight. Abel continued to work, left, right, left. Touching him would risk me a jab, but I needed his attention. A light brush on the shoulder and my instinct was to duck as he spun to face me.

“Jesus, you startled me,” he said, ripping the earbuds from his ears. Music screamed through the set, and he turned off the iPod at his waist. Sweat beaded off my younger brother, whose body was lean compared to mine. He was taller than me, but not nearly as solid. It was a wonder we ended up in the same weight class. It had to be the wide range of weights allowed.

“Hey,” I said after he wiped himself with a small towel. I wasn’t one to mince words with my brother so I jumped right into my dilemma.

“I saw Dad.” That alone could have said it all, but Abel’s eyes didn’t seem to register. I saw our father often enough, as I went back to Vegas for fights, after I bought the house in Preston. Abel reached for his water bottle and squeezed for a stream to fill his mouth.

“He wants to set up a final fight for me. A sort of fight to end all fights,” I continued. Sweat began to bead on my own skin. I didn’t realize how hard this was going to be.

“I thought you already had a fight like that. Me,” Abel mocked sarcastically.

“Well,” I started then scratched at the back of my head. “He had something similar in mind.”

Abel stopped, lowering the water bottle, holding it in mid-air and stared at me.

“Are you fucking kidding?”

I wanted to chuckle. My kid brother was hardly the tough one and he rarely swore. He’d grown into a viper in his own right. Betta, he called himself: the warrior fighting fish.

“Who’s he want you to fight now, our sister, Evie?” Abel laughed without humor. The mention of our little sister’s name made me tense. I didn’t like to talk about her. Being sent away had been a godsend, she’d never understand. She never had to witness what Abel and I went through with our father. Granted, this left her with no mother or father to speak of, but she still went to a good school on the East Coast, where she was provided for in full. Funds I fought for left her without a want. I took care of my siblings.

“Actually,” I drew out the word. “He wants us to fight again.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” This time the voice was behind me, distinctly feminine. I turned to face a woman, who looked vaguely familiar to me, and it wasn’t just that she was Abel’s coach. Ava Shepherd had dark hair, almost black, and deep dark eyes as well. She was a fit woman. Solid to the core and wore her long hair in a severe bun that would have made her look schoolmarm-ish, if it weren’t for the athletic clothing she wore. She came across tougher than I suspected she was, although I had no doubt she’d put up a good fight in an attempt to kick my ass.

“What are you doing here, Cain?” she asked, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe to this private workout room.

“I came to see my brother,” I replied, as if it was any of her business and my tone told her so.

“Not if you’re going to fight him again, you aren’t speaking to him. I’m done with Atom Callahan and his demands. My fighter isn’t up for sale to be slaughtered,” she emphasized, lowering her hands to clenched fists at her side.

“Easy, beautiful,” I said holding up hands in surrender. The words somehow seemed wrong when said to her.

“Don’t beautiful me, you condescending prick and poor excuse for a brother. He’s not your plaything,” she said, pointing with a flip of her wrist at Abel. “He fights the fights he wants to now. Besides he has a manager.” She was referring to Jared Jacobsen from Imperial Sports Management. A fight with Abel wasn’t going to be some backyard brawl. He had representation, as did I, who would have to organize and approve any contest. But this wasn’t about making money or earning a championship belt. This was about family.

Abel let out a laugh, this one full of mirth.

“She’s so tough. Kind of reminds me of you,” he said, patting me on the shoulder. The contact startled me. I honestly couldn’t remember the last time my brother and I touched. As a child, I’d tried to comfort him when he cried after our mother left and cried harder after each beating I took for him. It was tattooed on my left arm as a reminder:
I am my brother’s keeper
. But as we grew, we grew distinctly apart. I was hardly home when Abel finished high school and then he went to college. I didn’t see him but a handful of times over the years, until I needed him. He helped me find Sofie.

Thinking of her brought me back to my purpose.

“Look, Dad won’t leave Sofie alone. He’s threatened her. In some strange convoluted connection, he had her parents killed.” I paused as I sideways glanced at Ava. I didn’t know her. I didn’t know if I could trust her with this information.

“Can you give us a minute?” I barked at her, as she no longer leaned against the doorframe but stood erect, staring wide-eyed at me in disbelief.

“I think I’d like to hear the rest of what you have to say,” she swallowed hard, but I wasn’t giving into this woman.

“This is between my brother and me,” I added curtly.

“I’d like to hear all the same,” she retorted, crossing her arms defensively.

“Look…” I barked.

“She can stay,” Abel interrupted. “What’s this about Dad and Sofie’s parents?” His voice was full of the concern, which my gentler brother had within him.

“It was a gambling debt. Her father owed Dad. Something about a lower class gambling house and them coming into an alley. Her mother stepped in front of her father and she was shot.” I peered sideways at Ava again, who still stood raptly listening; her crossed arms now had clenched hands turning white knuckled at each elbow.

“Her father was shot, too. They were left to die.”

“Shit,” Abel said at the same time that Ava’s hand rose to cover her mouth. Her head began to shake back and forth. My eyes narrowed in her direction. She looked like she was trembling and her skin paled. Refusing to address her, I spoke to Abel.

“I think your coach is about to lose it,” I mocked condescendingly. A woman being Abel’s coach still made me want to laugh. He ignored the jab at her.

“What does this have to do with me?”

“Sofie is refusing to divorce me.”

Abel smiled at the same time that Ava snapped, “You’re married?” It was my turn to ignore her.

“He’s threatening her grandparents, if she doesn’t.”

Abel wiped a hand through his long bangs, holding them back from his forehead for a moment.

“Fuck. Will he stop at nothing? Threatening Elma. Now Sofie. There is no one he won’t hurt to get what he wants,” Abel stated. It was simply the truth.

Ava had stepped into the room at this point. Her hand lowered from her mouth, and it loosely clasped her other hand.

“Abel,” she warned. “This isn’t your fight.” Her eyes pleaded with him.

“It wasn’t Cain’s either, but he fought me to save Elma,” Abel answered. “I’d do it for Sofie, too.” He looked at me. “I’d do it for you.”

“I’m sorry, man,” I offered weakly. “I just don’t see any way around this.”

I was forever grateful that Abel was accepting this challenge. My next concern would be how we would survive without one of us being killed in the end. Ava must have had the same thought because she offered, “I think I know someone who can help.”

Our clothes were removed in that frantic passion only Cain had. I was almost naked and propped on the kitchen counter within minutes. His shirt was gone, but his pants were only pulled down enough to release him. A few gentle strokes of his fingers over my folds, constantly damp at the thought of him, and he decided I was ready enough. He didn’t break the connection of our mouths, other than to slip clothes over our heads. Slipping inside me, I groaned, but he captured the sound. His hands slipped around my ass and dragged me to the edge of the counter. It was like his body was divided in two; making certain we were one in several manners. Kissing and sexing was a restatement of his promise; he would protect me. Although he was the greatest danger to me, he wasn’t going to let anything else be frightening to me.

My ankles were crossed behind his back as he thrust forward, driving into me words that weren’t being said. I was lost in the moment, like I constantly was around him. I came fast, and he followed with a force so fierce, he pulled me off the counter. I would have fallen without his strength to support me as we continued to remain connected. He dropped us down to the kitchen floor, where we lay replete and breathing heavily.

“What was that?” I questioned, rolling my head to look at him, as he lay half draped over me.

“I missed you today,” he answered, his voice muffled in my neck. His words tickled and I laughed softly. Picking up his head quickly, he looked down at me.

“That is one of the most beautiful sounds,” he said sincerely. “I want to capture that laughter and carry it with me everywhere.”

My eyebrows pinched and my face softened. He was incredibly sweet and his compliment warmed me. Reaching up for his face, I brushed my hand over his cheek. He leaned into my palm, as he had done before and kissed it, holding his lips there for a moment longer than necessary.

“I love you,” he mumbled into my hand, closing his eyes as if the words were too painful or too precious to share.

“I love you, too,” I said, forcing him to look at me. “What’s going on?” There was something wrong. While my back was cold on the tile floor, the fear that was seeping into me was colder.

“I saw Abel today.”

“Cain,” I stared at him, “you didn’t ask him to fight you? Not for me?”

His gaze back at me was full of surprise.

“Of course, I asked him, and of course, he said yes.” He rose on an elbow to glare down at me. Being on my back on the kitchen floor was growing uncomfortable, for more than one reason.

“Cain, this is ridiculous. You can’t keep fighting your brother.”

His hand came to my jaw, and he held my chin.

“I’d fight anyone for you. Brother or not. I’ll fight for my wife.”

I attempted to shake my head, but he was holding me fast to stare into my eyes. His mouth descended on mine again, in the same frantic way he entered the kitchen. It was as if he was afraid he would lose me. As if he needed assurance that I was real.

“This isn’t about you, though. You know that, right? This is about Abel and me. This is about control. My father wants it over us. He just can’t let us be happy. He doesn’t even know what happiness is.”

It took a moment for the question to form, but once it came to my mind, I couldn’t hold it inside.

“Are you happy?” I blurted. He blinked at me as if I’d slapped him. Not hard, just as a wake up.

“Jesus, Sofie, of course, I’m happy. I ... I don’t even think I knew what happiness was until I met you.”

“Why?”

“Because all my life my father made certain I wasn’t happy. He beat it out of me. Then he beat it into me. Work hard; be better. Be happy.”

I smiled at him because he wasn’t really answering the question I had asked.

“I mean, why are you happy with me?”

His eyebrows pinched and he wiped a hand down his face in frustration.

“Because the way you look at me makes me feel … good. Like I’m good. Like I’m good for you. And I know you’re too good for me. You’re beautiful, smart, loving. You’re everything I’m not, but wish to be.”

Frustration hit me next.

“You,” I laughed mockingly. “You’re so striking; it’s blinding. You’re smarter than you give yourself credit. And you love more than anyone. You’ve taken everything for Abel. You provide for Evie. You handle Kursch. Even your father. In your own way, you love him while you hate him.”

Whatever I said, it was too much. He pushed up off the floor and pulled up his track pants. I sat up slowly, and he reached down for me. I straightened my clothes before allowing him to help me stand.

“And me,” I added to drive the matter home. “You love me; the quiet, shy, good girl, who never would have attracted you in a million years. You love me.” I had to have the last word, and I walked out of the kitchen leaving him to ponder what I said.

I was shy after our kitchen acrobats and disagreement, but I made us dinner and we ate at the kitchen counter, near where he’d consummated his desire for me. We remained quiet, until Cain purposely dropped his fork, which made me flinch.

“I noticed you were cutting that apple funny the other night,” he said out of nowhere.

“Funny?” I questioned.

“Yeah, in half, sideways. Not the long way from top to bottom.”

“Oh, well, there’s a star in the middle,” I answered nonchalantly.

“A star?”

I stood and took an apple from the counter, cut it in half and presented it to him.