Addicted by Elle Kennedy
Everyone remained in high spirits after Rylan wrapped up the formalities. The music was turned up. The crowd got wilder. Lennox caught several of the teenagers sneaking sips of booze, but he pretended not to notice. They’d worked hard this month. They deserved to get a little drunk and have some fun.
Lennox threaded through the crowd in search of Jamie, finally tracking her to one of the couches, where she was chatting with Bethany. The sight of Bethany’s enormous belly triggered a wave of uneasiness. He didn’t know how Arch did it. If Jamie was carrying his child, Lennox would be a total basket case. He’d probably never let her leave the house.
“Hey, champ,” the pregnant woman greeted him. “Come join us. Jamie was telling me about the time she caught you jacking off on the beach.”
He turned to glare at his woman. “Seriously? Why is that a topic of conversation?”
“Because it was hot,” Jamie retorted. “And you should be flattered that I’m sitting here raving about your cock.”
His lips curved smugly. “I do have a great cock.”
Bethany hooted as he settled in beside Jamie. “Prove it,” she taunted.
Lennox opened his mouth, but Jamie answered for him. “Sorry, Bethy, but this”—she clamped her palm over Lennox’s groin—“is for my eyes only.”
Her proprietary statement made him harden in her hand. Jamie noticed, and turned to wink at him. Later, she mouthed.
Damn fucking right.
* * *
“What are you doing out here, gorgeous?”
Reese jumped when she heard Rylan’s voice from behind her. She’d been staring at the torches that lined the street, fascinated by the way the flames cast shadows on the sidewalk. Although Foxworth had electricity thanks to the city’s power grid, she rarely turned on the streetlights at night. Unless it was raining out, she preferred to light the torches.
She turned around and reluctantly waited for Rylan to join her, hoping he wasn’t about to push her for details again. Sloan had filled her in about the chat he’d had with the man, how Rylan had yet again extended an offer of assistance, but she still hadn’t decided when to include Connor and his men. Not if, because joining up with them was an inevitability. She would be stupid not to take advantage of Connor’s skills and resources.
But it wasn’t the time yet.
“You should be inside.” Rylan frowned, shoving both hands in the pockets of his jeans.
“Why? What do you need?”
“It’s not what I need. It’s what you need.” He sounded exasperated. “You asked for this, Reese. You wanted your people to be strong. So now come inside and see how strong they’ve become. Celebrate with them.”
She really didn’t feel like it. Despite the positive energy floating through town today, she’d been carrying around a weight of foreboding since she opened her eyes this morning. She had a bad feeling something terrible was on the horizon, as if there were a sea of black tar slowly creeping up to her gates.
But Rylan had a point. She needed to support her people. That was what a good leader did, right?
“Come on,” he prompted.
He took her hand and dragged her toward the front steps of the building, and she let him, because she knew he was right. A dark figure stepped out of the shadows just as they reached the door. Sloan, emerging from whatever corner he’d been holed up in. She wasn’t surprised or bothered by that. Sloan’s presence was soothing. It enabled her to let down her guard, knowing that he was always there for her.
Loud drum and bass met her ears when they walked inside. Seeing the smiling, happy faces of her people eased some of the pressure in her chest. She accepted the small glass Rylan handed her and slugged back the fiery shot of tequila, welcoming the burn.
In the blink of an eye, Rylan swiped the empty glass from her hand and set it on a nearby edge. “Dance with me,” he said.
Reese’s gaze instantly sought out Sloan. He was leaning against the wall near the door, his impenetrable gaze fixed on the male hand on her arm. When he gave a slight nod, she allowed Rylan to lead her toward the crowd.
Big hands circled her waist. One of them jostled the radio sticking out of her back pocket, so he slid his palms lower, loosely resting them on her ass. Her body responded to his nearness. To his masculine scent. After a moment of hesitation, she looped her arms around his strong shoulders.
Approval flared in his eyes, and then he yanked her closer so that their bodies were pressed up against each other.
She liked the way he felt, his broad chest crushing her breasts, his thigh thrust between her legs. Maybe she just ought to get it over with. Sleep with him. Use that hard body until they were both limp and mindless. Her panties grew damp at the thought, causing her hips to rock harder.
He buried his face in her neck and she heard him groan softly. The husky sound vibrated through her, floated down to her core and deepened the ache.
“Let me take you to bed,” Rylan whispered in her ear.
She swallowed the moisture that suddenly filled her mouth. Rylan lifted his head and she tipped her gaze to meet his eyes. They were the most fascinating shade of blue. Not pale and not dark. They reminded her of the cornflowers that used to sit in those pretty red pots on her mother’s windowsill.
He waited for her answer, his gaze fixed on hers as their bodies slowly moved to the music. She supposed this was inevitable too, going to bed with this man. They’d been circling each other for an entire year. Or rather, he’d been circling her, coaxing and prodding and testing her resolve.
“Reese.” His voice was low, husky. “I want to fuck you.”
“Shut it down.”
They both jumped as a sharp voice crackled out of her radio.
In a heartbeat, Reese was out of his arms, tugging the radio from her pocket and clicking it on. “Arch,” she snapped. “Talk to me.”
“Party’s over,” was the static-ridden reply. “Send everyone home. Curfew in effect.” There was an ominous pause, then, “Enforcers at the gate.”
21
Lennox knew something was up when the music abruptly cut off. Animated conversation continued to echo all around him, but he was shooting to his feet long before Sloan’s sharp whistle sliced through the air.
“We need everyone back in their quarters!” Reese’s second-in-command boomed. “Now.”
Lennox had to give the people of Foxworth credit. Nobody questioned the order. Nobody even hesitated. One minute everyone was dancing and drinking and enjoying the party, and the next they were briskly marching toward the exit. There was no pushing or shoving. No one getting trampled in a stampede of panic. Lennox had witnessed this same orderly evacuation during one of his previous visits, and it could only mean one thing.
Enforcers.
“Stay in your rooms,” Sloan barked to the crowd. “Consider this a lockdown until further notice.”
Lennox reached for Jamie’s hand. “Let’s go,” he urged.
She nodded and followed him to the door. They hurried out of the rec center, but Sloan’s voice stopped them as they descended the front steps.
“Lennox, we need you.”
Shit. He released Jamie’s hand. “Go back to the room, love. I’ll be right behind you.”
She gazed at him unhappily, ignoring the people streaming past them on the sidewalk. “I’m coming with you.”
“No.” It was Sloan who expressed the strict sentiment. “We don’t let any of our women near those bastards. Women stay indoors.” When Jamie’s eyes narrowed, the man gave her a contrite look. “This isn’t some sexist bullshit on my part, sweetheart. I know you could kick those fuckers’ asses to next week, all right? But these reps think they have a claim to all the pussy behind these gates. It’s easier to make sure they keep their dicks in their pants if we’re not dangling our women in front of them.”
Although she
She gave him a fleeting kiss before darting off. Lennox could still taste her on his lips as he fell into step with Sloan. “How many?” he asked briskly.
“Six.” Sloan adjusted the strap of his rifle without breaking his stride. “Luckily Nestor isn’t among them. It’s one of the other reps—Charlie, I think.”
Lennox had no idea who Charlie was. Or who Nestor was, for that matter, other than being the man Sloan had coldcocked for trying to steal Sara. It was hard to keep track of all the Enforcers that Reese had deals with.
When they reached the courtyard behind the main gate, Reese, Beckett, and Arch were already congregated there, armed with rifles and deadly expressions.
“Where’s Ry?” Lennox said warily.
“Out of sight,” Sloan answered. “Pike too. We try not to let the fuckers see any new faces. Makes them ask too many questions.”
“Then why am I here?”
“Because I want you here,” Reese said sharply. “I want you to memorize these faces, Len. You need to be prepared in case they ever find their way to Connor’s.”
He wanted to point out that Rylan and Pike also lived with Connor, but it didn’t surprise him that she’d chosen his presence over theirs. He and Reese had known each other far longer than they’d known the others, and it was clear that Connor and his men hadn’t fully earned her trust yet.
Tension seeped into Lennox’s bones as they positioned themselves in front of the gate. Arch planted a meaty hand on the handle, then glanced at Reese for confirmation. She nodded. A grinding noise screeched in the air as Arch dragged the heavy metal gate open.
A military truck came into view. Several shadowy figures stood in front of it.
Lennox aimed his handgun at the nearest man, a rush of hatred burning his throat as he registered the familiar uniform. The Enforcers that patrolled West Colony wore black tactical gear with a red stripe down the sides of their trousers and a red-and-white logo over their breast pockets. The logo said something about honor and service, which was bullshit as far as Lennox was concerned, because these men had no honor.
One of the Enforcers stepped forward. He was tall and bulky, with a head of sandy blond hair and a nondescript face that was lined with exhaustion.
“What are you doing here, Charlie? You’re supposed to radio ahead,” Reese barked when he approached the gate.
“Wasn’t planning on stopping here, but we ran into some trouble.” The Enforcer nodded at someone Lennox couldn’t see.
Two more men stepped forward. The one on the left could barely walk, and was leaning heavily on the other one’s shoulder.
“What’s wrong with him?” There wasn’t a trace of concern in Reese’s voice. Only annoyance.
“Concussion, I think. We were heading back to the city after our colony sweep and ran into a few of your outlaw friends,” the man said sarcastically.
Lennox’s chest went rigid. Shit. Had they found Connor’s camp? There weren’t any other communities this close to Foxworth.
The Enforcer’s nose turned up. “Reeked of booze and filth. Hell, I still can’t get their stink out of my nose.”
“Not everyone has the luxury of living in Foxworth,” Reese said with a shrug.
“I don’t think those scavengers live anywhere,” Charlie muttered. “Fuckers tried to rob our truck while we were taking a piss break.”
Lennox relaxed. Bandits, then. No outlaw would be stupid enough to steal from one measly Enforcer truck.
“Wilson got a good knock on the head fighting one of them off. Started getting woozy and puking in the truck on the drive back, so we figured we’d give him a night to rest before we hit the city.” Charlie gestured to the rifle Reese was pointing at him. “Put that shit away. I already told you last month, I have no intention of changing the terms of our deal. Just give us some booze and grub, set us up in our usual quarters, and we’ll be outta here at first light.”
Reese waved her weapon at the two Enforcers beside him, then the three loitering near the truck. “What about them? They gonna give us any trouble?”
“Only if you give them a reason to.” Charlie raised an eyebrow. “So what’ll it be, Reese? Deal on or off?”
There was a moment of silence before she grudgingly murmured, “On.” Then she turned to Sloan. “Take them to the bell tower. Send someone to bring them some booze and grub.” Her last words held a mocking note.
Charlie whistled at his men. One of them swiftly slid behind the wheel and started the engine.
A moment later, the truck slowly drove through the gate.
* * *
“Len. Baby. You need to stop pacing.”
“And do what?” he shot back. “Sit still? Play cards? Relax? I’m not relaxing until those fuckers are gone, Jamie.”
Which meant he was in for a long night, because he had no intention of leaving his post. He’d been pacing the floor for the past hour, but always in view of the window. Always monitoring the street below to make sure none of their “visitors” decided to take a late-night stroll.
Lennox understood why Reese did business with them. He wasn’t naive enough to believe that Foxworth could exist like this, thrive like this, without the arrangements Reese had in place. Dealing with the Enforcers was a necessary evil, a way to ensure the survival of her people.
But goddamn it, she was letting their enemies into their midst. Opening the gate and welcoming a pack of wolves into a town full of lambs. He hated the thought of Jamie even breathing the same air as the Enforcers, let alone sleeping fifty yards away from them.
“This is nothing new,” Jamie said from the bed. “Reese has done this hundreds of times before. She gives them a place to stay, they leave Foxworth alone. Just sit down, Lennox.”
“No.”
He stubbornly turned his gaze back to the window, then blinked in alarm. Either he’d imagined it or he’d just seen someone darting through the square.
His pulse sped up as he moved closer to the windowpane. Reese had ordered someone to extinguish the torches, so all he saw was darkness. No, wait. A flash of red. Was that a woman’s dress?
Hadn’t Sara been wearing a red dress tonight?
A spark of concern had him spinning around. “I need to go downstairs and check something—”
He stopped talking.
Jamie stood directly in front of him. Bare-ass naked.
“No,” she said firmly, “what you need to do is take your pants off.”
“I think I saw someone,” he protested.
“I think you’re panicking,” she corrected. Her heavy sigh echoed between them. “I get it. This situation isn’t ideal. I don’t want them here any more than you do, but we aren’t in charge, Len. Reese is, and this is the arrangement she’s made with them. Worrying and pacing and pressing your nose to that window all night won’t achieve a damn thing. They’ll still be here. We’ll still be here. So let’s try to calm down, okay?”
He stalked back to the window and peered out, but he couldn’t see anything. There was nobody out there.
He jumped when Jamie’s arms encircled his waist from behind. “Lennox. Please.” She kissed him between the shoulder blades. “We’re stuck in here until dawn.” Another kiss. Her hand drifted to his groin. “And since I doubt you’re going to let yourself sleep, we might as well try to pass the time in other ways.”
His traitorous body responded to her touch. With each stroke of her palm against his crotch, his cock swelled and thickened, until he was fully erect and thrusting into her hand. Fucking hell. This woman was an addiction. He craved her with a fierceness he’d never experienced before.
Groaning, he twisted around and crushed his mouth over hers. When her tongue curled around his, it sent a shock of heat to his balls. He
“You turn me into a goddamn animal,” he told her, ripping off his shirt and tossing it away. He lowered himself onto her and rubbed his groin over her pussy, feeling the heat of her searing through his trousers.
Jamie’s hands clawed at his zipper, her tits bouncing enticingly as she tried ridding him of his pants. “For fuck’s sake, Lennox, help me out.”
With a burst of laughter, he undid his pants, but just as he was easing them off his ass, a faint cry wafted in from the open window.
He and Jamie instantly froze.
“Did you hear that?” she demanded.
Damn straight he did. He was already hopping off the bed and doing up his pants. “I told you I saw someone out there,” he muttered, angry at himself for letting Jamie distract him with her stupidly gorgeous body. “I think it might have been Sara.”
A sharp gasp echoed behind him. “Sara? You mean it looked like a real person?” Jamie sounded distraught. “I thought you were just seeing things in the shadows.”
He snatched his gun off the table and turned to find Jamie hurriedly slipping into a pair of jeans. “What are you doing?”
“Coming with you.” She threw on a T-shirt, then grabbed her own weapon.
Every fiber of his being wanted to argue with her, order her to stay put, but he knew she wouldn’t listen to him. Not if Sara was in trouble. Jamie had taken the girl under her wing from the day they’d met.
“Stay behind me,” he ordered. “And if I tell you to run, you run, you hear me?”
“Loud and clear,” she said with a nod, and he could tell she wasn’t mocking him. Her expression was too damn somber.
They descended the short flight of stairs to what had once been the lobby of the law office but was now an empty space. Lennox approached the door with Jamie tucked up behind him. He pushed it open.
They heard the female scream the moment they stepped onto the sidewalk.
Shit.