Bound (Bound Hearts #1) Read online

  I was good with my hands and I had scrimped and saved over the last decade. I was finally finished building my dream home. It was near the riverbank by Chet’s dad’s place. I loved being near the water. I had been living on a boathouse in their riverbank for the last year and half while I was building. As soon as the house was at least livable, I moved in it. It’s the only thing that’s ever been mine and all mine alone. Joe was retiring at the end of the year and the only child Joe and Mildred had, died in a car accident. That was before I knew them and I didn’t know of any other attempts of having a kid, so he was giving me the garage. At first, I thought it was a charity type thing, but Joe gave me a swift cuff on the head and told me I was the son he hoped his would have become. I said thank you and went back to work.

  I didn’t date. I was thirty-two and I had no plans on settling down. It sure as hell didn’t look like Adelaide was ever coming back. I might not ever wanna hear about her, but I didn’t blame her for getting out of this town and doing something with her life. Which I hope she did.

  My phone rang and seeing JR’s number on the screen, I swiped my phone open. “Yeah, bro? What’s up?”

  “Meet me at The Town Bar. I need a drink.”

  I chuckled, knowing what his problem was. “Is Sylvie causing a hassle in your castle?”

  “Fuck you man. Just get to the damn bar.”

  Click.

  “Shit. Well, bye to you too.”

  I turned my truck around and drove to the only bar in town. It was aptly named The Town Bar. There wasn’t any other place to go in this town if you wanted to have any fun. If you wanted more than that, you had to drive. The Town Bar, had a little bit of everything. Pool tables in one corner, a dance floor on the opposite side and then tables scattered all over the place. On a Saturday night, it was always packed. It might be a small town of three-thousand, but it seemed like everyone came on Saturday night before they went to church the next morning.

  Walking in, the place was busy. I met JR at one of the bar tops where they actually had chairs, and ordered my Bud Light, while he was nursing something heavier.

  “What’s up? You never drink hard liquor Chet.” I usually called him JR. He knew to answer me when I called him by his first name though. I knew something was bothering the hell out of him and sometimes he’d dodge the question until someone forced it out of him. Calling him his full name, was one of them.

  “Went home to find Sylvie fucking a dick that wasn’t mine for damn sure, in our bed. So, you got time to help me pack my shit later?”

  Whoa. He and Sylvie had been going hot and heavy for the past three years. He was almost to the point he was going to propose. Thank God he didn’t have to deal with that shit now.

  “Sorry bro-

  “Nope. No sorry needed.” He raised his glass and clinked it with mine. “So tired of this shit. I really thought she was the one. Lucky I found out now, before I put a ring on her finger and had a baby with her or some shit like that.”

  “Yeah, or some shit like that.”

  That was another reason I didn’t want nothing serious. Pussy was just that. Get it, get it done and move on. Even in the Marines, most chicks didn’t want anything serious. They were just there most of the time to tell their girlfriends they banged a servicemen. I wouldn’t have believed that until I witnessed it. Twice. Nothing off my back though. They saw me and their eyes lit up like the fourth of July.

  We were sitting at the bar drinking quietly, when I saw JR’s dad walk towards us. He tipped his Stetson and said, “Boys.”

  “Dad.”

  “Chet.”

  “Son, Sylvie called the house looking for you all frantic like. Is there something going on?”

  “Yeah, dad, she totally took me to the warehouse. Guy in our bed and trust me, she was enjoying his merchandise.”

  His dad sighed, then called the bartender over, “I’ll have what he’s having.”

  His dad, Chet Senior, too, didn’t drink hard liquor unless it was something stressful. “Something happen Chet?”

  He shook his head and that’s when JR finally got out of his stupor and stared at his dad.

  “What’s going on dad?”

  Chet wiped a hand down his face with fatigue and then sadness. “Addy’s home.”

  Everything in me stilled.

  They seemed to not notice me, because they continued talking like I wasn’t there.

  “I thought she wasn’t supposed to be here until tomorrow. She said she was staying the week. Something to do with her job. What does she do anyway? She ain’t ever told me.”

  “Didn’t tell us either. Just said she was gonna get here tomorrow. She knows Maggie’s b-day BBQ is next Saturday, and said she’d be there. Also said she would be bringing someone with her.”

  “She get married?”

  “Nah. I don’t think so.”

  Adelaide. Married? Everything inside me froze at that thought. No fucking way. A beautiful girl like her however, I wouldn’t think she’d still be single, but I just couldn’t think of another man’s hands on her. My hands fisted and I wanted to punch something fierce.

  “I wouldn’t have even known she was here until I saw her walking out of Geoff’s place with a hurt and an anger I’ve never seen on her before. I was gonna stop and ask if everything was okay, but she hurried to the vehicle she was driving and peeled off like the hounds of hell were coming after her. I was on my way home from picking up the tractor I loaned out and didn’t necessarily want to follow with a big ass tractor behind me. That’s when your mother called, telling me Sylvie’s been blowing up the house phone. Thought I’d find you here.”

  “Yup. You found me.”

  This was getting heavy. I really didn’t want to deal with this right now. My brain was filling itself with images of Adelaide. The last time I saw her, she looked all shiny and innocent. She probably hadn’t changed. Ten years, of course she’s grown into a woman, and out of that awkward teenage stage perhaps, but she was probably one of those-wait till the third date to kiss, get married before sex and white picket fences in her eyes-type woman. I wanted that ten years ago. Now? Hell, who was I kidding? I’m pretty sure if she gave me a chance, I’d marry her tomorrow. Letter notwithstanding.

  While listening to Chet and JR talk about moving his shit back to the farm, the atmosphere seemed to shift. Got huskier. Potent.

  That’s when I heard Chet Senior say, “Well, hell. There she is.”

  My head upturned quickly towards the front entrance.

  Holy. Fuck. Me. Shit. That was not Adelaide. This woman was all sexy with sinfully sweet curves, beautiful brown hair that teased the top swells of her breasts. She was wearing a leather jacket, an animal print type top that stopped an inch from the top of a pair of painted on jeans. Did she have a belly button ring? Jesus. Then red cowboy boots. Oh mother of God. That’s her. She always said she would get a pair of red cowboy boots when she got the chance.

  Finally, I looked up at her face. Fucking beautiful. Glasses framed her eyes. That didn’t change. Perfectly shaped lips that were already making my cock rock hard.

  She moved with a swagger and confidence she didn’t have before. She was close enough to us, but she still had the hurt and angry look Chet was talking about. She didn’t look anywhere except getting to the bar top as fast as possible.

  “What’s it gonna be sugar?” The bartender had flown to her as soon as he spotted her. Hell, looking around, every dick, cock and prick got glued into her as they noticed the atmosphere shift too. I hadn’t even seen the back of her yet. She definitely were one of those women whose genes didn’t slack off. She was the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen.

  “Bottled water and a double Crown shot.”

  Whoa. Never thought I’d hear that from her bow-shaped lips.

  The bartender did as she bid and like the pro it seemed she became, she tossed it back without any problems. That was hotter than hell.

  Then she said, “And keep ‘em coming.” />
  Chet and JR were just as speechless as I was.

  “She surely has changed,” JR said when he finally lifted his chin from the floor.

  Hell, mine was still dangly.

  “Well, boys, she has changed. She’s a grown woman, and the way every male in this room is looking, she’s about to be flocked. Chet?”

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Courtland?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He wanted me to keep an eye on her for the time she was here. Hell if I wouldn’t. I would keep two eyes, because after one dick went up to her, luckily she turned him down, I was about to punch anyone else who approached her.

  The three of us waited, thinking maybe she would notice us. Just then, she brought her phone in her line of sight, and her smiled turned sweet and loving. Damn, if that was a lover, I might end up killing someone for sure.

  Fuck. I didn’t want this, I told myself. Just by looking at her, I could see she was a walking talking trouble magnet. A hot one, but she was trouble with a capitol ‘T’.

  “Hey! Yeah, I’ll be on my way shortly. Just thought I’d stop for a drink first.”

  Her voice was low, husky and just made for cool sheets and hot nights. I couldn’t help reaching a hand down and shifting my junk. My jeans were getting tighter by the very sound of her voice.

  Then she sighed heavily, as if something was weighing heavily on her and I shifted in the chair to pay close attention.

  “Not so hot. God, Uncle Chet would flip his shit if he really knew his brother.”

  My eyes shifted to Chet and noticed his body hardening, and his eyes held confusion and shock. I remember whenever Adelaide had problems, sometimes Chet would be an intermediate between her and Geoff. He was protective of her as any father would be. But none of us knew the true extent of what went on in Pastor Hunter’s house. Not even Chet.

  “Yeah, and Geoff would have a heart attack if he knew what I did for a living. And you know he would throw an apoplectic fit if he seen my ink and piercings. Huh. For some reason, that appeals to me. If he gets near me I will. I don’t care if I said it before. Please. Yeah. I’ll be there soon. Love you too. Bye.”

  Shit. I didn’t know if she was talking to a male or female. Which irritated me to no end. I loved watching her every move though. The fact she said she had piercings and ink? Damn. I wanted to see every piece. And where? I saw the belly button knot, but if she had others? In more intimate places? I might just come in my jeans with the thought.

  The ink shop where I got the script I put on, told me about piercings. I ended up dealing with a quick burst of pain as I got my dick pierced with a Prince Albert. It took a few months to heal thoroughly and I didn’t even notice it most of the time.

  Looking at Adelaide right now though, and with my ever increasing erection, I could feel the sensitivity build. Lost in my own thoughts, I didn’t realize she was being approached by yet another dipshit. I knew I wouldn’t be able to take much more of this. I was about to get up and interrupt when she took the guys hand, and let him lead her to the dance floor. She knew better than to dance with some stranger. I don’t know where she was living the past ten years, but a stranger was a stranger. Luckily, the song was fast paced, and over quickly. She came back, and put her leather jacket on the bar counter.

  “Doesn’t she fucking know someone could steal her jacket?” I knew it was a flimsy excuse. I was ready to bend steel. Then, she turned around.

  “Holy-,” Chet started.

  “Jesus-,” JR chimed in at the same time. But it’s what I said that made both of them whip their heads and stare at me incredulously.

  “Damn, that’s fucking hot,” it sure as hell wasn’t like any tank top I’ve ever seen. I must not have seen it right because it was more of a corset. The back dipped low on her shoulder blades and the magnificent ink covering her back, expanded the entire region and the rest was underneath her so called top. It wasn’t completely visible, since the bar’s light was low and smoky. Maybe a bird. I was dying to see it and any other ink she put on her skin.

  “I didn’t know she had gotten a tattoo. Neither did Maggie. She is right though. Geoff is gonna have an issue if she comes to the BBQ and that shows. Or, if she’s wearing anything so revealing.”

  “Yeah. Uncle Geoff is going to-

  “Who gives a shit? She’s a grown woman, just like you said Chet. She has a grown woman’s mind. She can do as she pleases.” Looking into both men’s eyes, I knew their protective instincts were being pushed to the limit.

  “I thought you really didn’t give a shit about her, Courtland.”

  “That’s where you are dead fucking wrong, Chet Junior.”

  I might not have wanted to know where she was, probably in fear of going after her and asking what the hell that letter meant. I had considered her one of my best friends, despite our age difference. She was there for me just like JR had been. I still cared about her. Deeply. She was the only girl I ever truly loved. The only one I ever thought could be mine and mine alone. Then that fucking letter. Was it going to stop me now? Hell, no. She did grow up to be one fine ass looking woman, and I sure as hell might get some pleasure in teasing and torturing her just like that letter tortured me for the past ten years. A little pay back seemed fair enough for me.

  I tipped my Chevy baseball cap to both of them, turned my cap backwards and made my way to the dance floor.

  The country song they were playing was all about getting some. Adelaide was flowing and dancing with another dipshit. Awfully fucking close. Too close for my taste. Her ass was rubbing all over the guy’s dick. It was like they were ready to do exactly as the song suggests.

  Over my fucking dead body.

  I went right up behind the guy, tapped on his shoulder, he knew who I was by the widening of his eyes. He knew the reputation I had and the look I gave him meant serious fucking business.

  “She’s not yours pal. Beat it.” I never knew I could growl, but I did, and he scat like the pussy he was. I swiftly took his place and put my hands on Adelaide’s hips. Damn she was nothing but curves. I got a real good close look of at least half her tattoo.

  It was expanded between both shoulder blades. A Phoenix. With a rainbow of colors. Above the bird was ‘Through these Ashes, Rebirth and Beauty’ scrawled in a cursive font. The bird looked delicate and feminine. Just like her. I can’t wait to see the rest. She also had an open book with the pages shaped into a heart with the lettering, ‘Love Prevails’ right underneath it. That one was small on her left shoulder and on the right, a cross with ‘Keep Faith’ written on each side of the horizontal line.

  I leaned in close and got a trace of whatever she had sprinkled on her skin. Like pomegranates. Or maybe that was her shampoo. She smelled amazing. She was lifting her hair off the back of her neck, a thin sheen of sweat was collecting at her hairline and sliding down her neck. I couldn’t resist. I bent down and licked it clean off.

  The salt and spice of her skin was like ecstasy. She must have been still buzzing from those three doubles, because she wasn’t paying attention. So I didn’t stop and I bit down and sucked her skin in deep with my teeth. Her hands fell free from her hair, and they reached up to wrap around my neck. The song in particular, ‘Country In Ya’ by Chase Rice was one to make a man’s heart beat faster and the sensuality run wild. The way Adelaide was moving against my body? Hell. I wonder if she felt the erection I was packing against her. She was still a short little stick of dynamite.

  I must have bit just a little bit too aggressively as my teeth ran down her neck, leaving one hell of a hickey, because she whimpered. That was a sound I wanted to hear again. As soon as I put her underneath me. I moved a hand and wrapped it above her breasts, where I could feel the top swells against my forearm. I brought her in real close and the other hand I placed just underneath her belly button. My fingers dipped just underneath the band of her jeans as I lifted her a bit into my dick. She felt freaking incredible.

  “Ade
laide.” I knew my voice came out low, and growly. That was my intention. The lust I was starting to feel was untamable.

  Her gasp was barely audible, but her body stiffened and froze on the dance floor.

  She shifted her head slightly to see where my hands were placed. I heard her intake of breath. Then, the little witch did something I never would have imagined. She lifted her foot up, growled and she slammed it on my boot. And her damn hand had reached back, grabbed my balls and squeezed. I let go of her instantly. I had on steel toe boots, but her damn boots had a little heel and even the thickest shoe could feel that. And did she really have to do that to my boys? Fuck.

  She turned to me as I was hunched over, and shoved me back until I was ass down on the cold hard floor as she stomped away in all her furious glory. Jesus sweet mother of God, that woman was mine.

  Three

  Adelaide

  OMG. I couldn’t believe my eyes. When his deep southern drawl hit my system, it sobered me up like a bucket of cold water being splashed in my face. I only looked down at him for a second, when I shoved him as hard as I could. By the look of shock, then that angry glare he gave me, I knew it was time to high-tail it out of there.

  Besides. How dare he, of all people, come up behind me and touch me like that? Kiss me like that. Suck my neck like a damn vampire. Crap. My hand flew to where I could still feel where his teeth scraped my skin, and came away with a small smear of blood. Whoa. He must have really sucked hard. I hadn’t really felt it. Those double shots of Crown made me feel really flowy like and when that guy came up to me at the bar top and asked me to dance, I was feeling just right to not say no. I had no idea he had been replaced.

  Or maybe I did. The way the man’s hands on my hips had changed should have clued me in. They had tightened and grinded me up and down an impressive erection. I didn’t want to look to back and see what guy was behind me. I was out there to dance and have a good time. I wasn’t drunk enough that I didn’t have some sense. When his mouth hit my neck the first time to tongue away the sweat running down, had sent shivers down my spine. No one has ever tasted me like that before. (Well any way at all really, but-whatev-.) It was somehow erotic and sexy. When he bit down and the harder he bit, I knew he was leaving a hickey. I didn’t really give a damn. I felt my panties dampen with arousal and my nipples were starting to feel extra sensitive with the piercings.