Little Fury: Book 1 of The deadly Little Thing Trilogy
Little Fury: Chapter 31

PRESENT

I’m so lost in my thoughts that I almost miss my turn-off. Thankfully, my navigation is set and I see the airport up ahead. It’s small, used mostly for planes bringing in fishermen who takes boats from here to many of the surrounding islands.

I see the hanger Ben told me to go to, and drive right over, marveling at the lack of security. I pull into the hangar and see my plane, and I notice Matt standing, talking to the pilot. He looks in my direction as I pull in and park my truck beside his Charger. Once in park, I let my head fall back and breathe. One flight and a two-hour drive, and I’ll be able to collapse.

Matt opens my door and looks me over. “I’m fine, Matt. I need food, some painkillers and sleep.” His grumpy ass glares at me, then takes my hand and helps me out.

“Ava?” I hear Caden from behind Matt.

“I’m okay. I’m just exhausted.” Caden takes my hand and leads me to the plane. He helps me up the stairs and into a seat. Then brings me pills and a drink along with some snacks. “I love you, Caden. You always feed me, and it’s like the best thing ever.”

“You’re welcome, Ava. Please eat and drink the sports drink as well. We will be taking off right away.”

“I didn’t see Ben.”

“He’s here loading his computer equipment, and you know he won’t let anyone else do it.”

I let out a little chuckle at that. “Ben needs to learn to relax more.”

“I think we all do.”

“Caden. You can stay. You don’t have to come with me. None of you do. I’ll give you all the money you need to disappear.”

“Ava, my place is with you and those other two assholes. And look at it this way, Costa Rica will force us all to slow the fuck down.”

“Ha! I hope so. You and Matt should make babies.” He gives me a look, and I realize how that sounded. “I mean, replace someone who makes you happy, settle down, and make some babies. Or, even, hey–settle down with Matt and adopt some babies. I would seriously love being an aunt to the babies you guys got.”

“Ava, honey, I’m going to just back away now. You should recline and get comfy and get ready to sleep.” I hear him chuckle as he heads out into the hangar.

“Whatever, he knows what I meant. But Matt and Caden would have cute babies if it worked like that.”

“Talking to yourself, boss lady?”

“Always, Ben, I have the best advice and stories.” I deadpan.

He gives me a huge smile, that dimple still there. He has grown into his height and looks, that’s for sure. Ben has never had issues with the ladies. None of the guys do. Even older now, Matt is still a freaking smoke show, and that guy pulls men and women of any age. It’s pretty impressive to watch. Caden is still Caden. He doesn’t do random hookups and never has. He dated a few women over the last five years, but once he decided to stay in my employ, he would never bring someone into this life. I hope he doesn’t stick with that promise; that man needs someone to come home to.

Matt and Caden enter the plane, as does Gus, the pilot. “Hey, Ava, we are ready to take off. It should take us about eight hours to get to Costa Rica.”

“Thanks, Gus.”

The guys replace seats. Matt sits beside me while Caden goes into the cockpit with Gus. Ben sits further back so he has a table to set up his laptop.

“Did you eat? “

“Yes, Matt, I ate; Caden gave me snacks.” He rolls his eyes at me.

“What?”

“I’m sorry about Jake.”

The mention of Jake brings a pang of sadness, but I try to push it away. “It’s fine.” I tell him. “Really, who in our business gets to have something like that? I had him for six months, and I wouldn’t give that up for anything.”

“I know, Ava, but after all the shit with Marcus when you were together, I worried that maybe you would never fall in love again.”

“I loved Marcus, but I was never in love with him like he was with me. I thought I was. But after meeting Jake, I know now that I wasn’t. Or, at the very least, I didn’t love him enough. That was ultimately what did us in. He was in love with me, and one day, he woke up and realized I would never love him that much. Well, that and the drugs and the other women and Alexi.”

“So what? He started plotting your death after that?”

“Ha! No. He stayed with me for a while after he realized it. I think he wanted to make sure he was right. Or he hoped to prove himself wrong. It all changed once Marcus realized that his feelings for me gave me power over him. Alexi was finally able to get his claws into Marcus. He was able to influence him and finally drive a wedge between us.”

I take a sip of my sports drink as we start down the runway, getting up to speed for takeoff.

“No, I’m pretty sure he didn’t start plotting my death until about nine months ago.” Matt looks at me and raises an eyebrow.

“I’ve had a two-day drive to think about it,” I say.

Caden comes out of the cockpit and sits beside Matt.

“What are we talking about?”

“I was just starting to fill Matt in on when I think Marcus started to plot my death.”

“Ahh yeah, that’s a story I’d like to hear as well,” Caden says, and Matt grunts back, looking out the window.

“Can I listen as well, or is it an adults-only story?” Ben calls from behind us.

“It is going to be so great living with him. I honestly can’t see me wanting to kill him for being a smartass,” Caden tells us.

“No killing the kid; we need his skills. I don’t want to have to train a new one,” I scold him. “Anyway, as I was starting to tell Matt, nine months ago, I had a meeting with the Irish. They needed a couple of people taken care of, and they couldn’t do it themselves. They also wanted it to look like an accident. Thomas Murphy sent them to me. Marcus wanted to tag along because he had been trying to get a sit-down with Liam Campbell for a while. We met in Vancouver. Liam was cordial to Marcus but wouldn’t even pretend to discuss business with him. He told Marcus that he had no interest in doing business with him. He said that while he does have his hands in some drugs, heroin is not one of them and never will be. Liam made sure Marcus understood that he considered him less than.” I sigh, remembering the shit show that night was.

“Once Liam told Marcus flat-out no, Marcus got pissed off. He stood up from the table and started to walk away. When he saw I wasn’t following, he snapped his fingers at me. He snapped his fucking fingers like I was a fucking dog or one of the whores he fucks. Before I could call him on his shit, Liam stood up and walked calmly over to him. Have you ever met the Campbells?”

They all shake their heads. “Well, Liam Campbell is all man. You guys are men, but Liam Campbell is something else. He’s six foot four. Black hair and blue eyes. Dark lashes and brows. He has a jawline that should be illegal. Liam Campbell demands your attention. He is devilishly attractive. I say devilishly because Liam looks like how you’d picture the devil. Oh! And shoulders that make Matt look small.”

“You and Irish men, hey Ava?” Caden laughs at me.

“It’s so true. I can’t even explain what the Irish accent does to my lady parts.” We all laugh, remembering every single time I had to interact with Thomas Murphy.

“Anyway, Liam stood up, walked over to Marcus, and got right in his face. Marcus is tall and in good shape. But next to Liam Campbell, Marcus looks like Ben.”

“Hey! I’ve put on a ton of muscle. Don’t be mean.”

“Sorry, Ben, yes, you have.” I chuckle again and keep going. “Anyway, Liam got in his face and calmly told him never to speak to me like that again. And that ‘he should learn some fucking respect for the woman who is probably the only reason he was still alive and that anyone still does business with him.” I close my eyes, taking a breath. “Liam said some things to Marcus I couldn’t hear, and Marcus said nothing, just nodded and looked at me, then turned and left with Alexi. Marcus called me about five minutes later. I told him I would take the job from Liam and talk to him the next day. That night still pisses me off.”

“That went over well with Marcus, I’m assuming?” Caden asks.

“Caden, it really didn’t,” I reply.

“Will you have dinner with me, lass?” Liam asks me.

“I think I could be persuaded to do that.”

“What will it take for me to persuade you?”

“Honestly?”

“Yes.”

“Very little. Just keep talking to me, and I’ll do pretty much anything you ask me to.”

He looks at me over the rim of his whiskey glass as he takes a sip, never breaking eye contact. “Let’s start with dinner and then see how we feel about dessert.”

The conversation flows easily between us. We talk about a few of the more interesting jobs I’ve done over the years. I tell him about a couple of hits that went awry and about stealing a 200-year-old book for some recluse collector. Before long, we had been sitting talking for a couple of hours.

“You should come up to my room with me, Ava.”

“Hmm, I don’t usually visit clients in their rooms. Doesn’t seem safe to me.”

“I’m not safe, Ava, but you’ll be safe with me.”

He stands up, moving closer; bending down over me, I feel his breath on my neck. I smell the whisky he’s drunk tonight and a deep, warm spice that I’m sure is just him. He smells so good I close my eyes as his lips graze the curve of my ear. I can’t hide the shudder that his closeness elicits from me.

“Say yes, Ava, come to my room and let me taste every fucking delectable inch of you. Let me bury my tongue in you.” I feel his hand on my leg, his fingers brushing across the flesh on my inner thighs. “While you come on it, whimpering my name.”

I don’t speak; I can’t. I just nod and stand. He takes my hand, pulling me into his side. We walk to the hotel lobby, leading me to the elevator, where one of his guys has it waiting already. His men check that the elevator’s empty, and Liam pulls me into it with him. None of his guys join us, and when the elevator doors close, Liam is on me.

His kiss is possessive and hungry. He wraps my hair around his fist, tugging it. The slight twinge of pain causing me to gasp against his mouth, giving his tongue the access it wants. His tongue slides against mine, and he grabs my bottom lip with his teeth, biting. I moan into his mouth, and he takes that from me like I owe it to him.

And maybe I do.

I feel drunk as he kisses me. Like my lips and body are his to control and use, however he pleases. My entire body is alive from his kiss. I feel him everywhere, and I want him to take more from me. Take all of it.

His hands are on my ass, and he lifts me; I wrap my legs around his waist as he pushes me into the wall of the elevator hard. I feel him against my core; he is so fucking hard already. My skirt is up over my hips, and his hands have my ass in their grasp, and he kneads it as he rolls his hips into me. The movement rubs him against my core, against my clit. I break the kiss and drop my head back against the wall of the elevator as he rocks his hips into me again. I moan out my breath as he drags his pant-covered rock-hard cock against me.

Liam groans in response to my breathy moan, “I think I’m going to make you come like this first before I even get my fingers or tongue into your sweet pussy.” He punctuates his words with another roll of his hips, and I answer with another needy gasp.

“Yes,” I say as the elevator doors open, and Liam walks us out of it, his hands holding my ass firm so he keeps me pressed against him. The steps he takes rock him over my clit, again and again. He takes another step into the suite, pushing me against another wall. His mouth replaces my throat, and he drags his teeth over my sensitive skin, his hips rolling into me over and over.

My hips start moving to meet his, every thrust causing my panties to drag along my clit, spreading my lips, allowing the material of his pants and his rock-hard cock to drive me closer and closer to an orgasm.

“Fuck, Little Villain, I can feel how sopping wet you are for me; you are soaking my cock right through my pants.” My eyes close as I let my orgasm grow. “Look at me, Ava,” his words are said low and huskily. “Eyes on me every time I make you come tonight. Do you hear me?” My eyes open to meet his.

“Yes,” I reply to his command.

His mouth is back on my neck, one of his hands is grabbing my breast, squeezing and pinching my nipple; the overload of sensations through my clothing is making me dizzy. He doesn’t even have me naked yet. Fuck. I think to myself.

“You going to come for me?” he asks as he grinds himself into me.

“Yes,” I reply, and a strangled, needy cry leaves me.

“Good girl. Now, let’s see you come all over my pants; let’s see how wet you can make them.” He rolls into me harder and bites me where my neck and shoulder meet, and I cannot stop the orgasm as it hits. I throw my head back, banging it against the wall as I let out a cry. My nails dig into the back of his head; pulling him closer so I can ride my orgasm out against him. My breathing is fast and ragged.

“Fucking hell,” I mumble. Liam chuckles at me.

“Oh, Little Villain, we are only getting started; that was the single most fucking beautiful thing I have ever seen. I cannot wait to watch you come while my cock is buried so far into you.” He looks down to where my skirt is over my hips, and he runs his knuckles over the lace.

He presses one against my clit.

“Liam,” I whimper.

“That’s one.”

I look at him, confused. “I told you I’d make you whimper my name, lass. I’m keeping count.”

“Ahh,” I say, laughing at him.

“Put your purse on the table, lass.”

“Huh? What table?”

“This one.” He drops my purse onto the table beside the elevator doors.

We’re staring at each other, and he growls low in his chest. His mouth is back on mine, and he starts walking down a hallway, carrying me with him as he ravishes my mouth again. My phone starts ringing just as we reach a door. “Can you ignore it?”

I drop my head against his. “No, probably not. No one calls me unless they actually have to speak to me. And very few people have my number, so I need to answer it.”

I unwrap my legs from him, and he sets me down on the shiny black stone floor. I walk back to my phone, my shoes clicking with each step. I see Liam from the corner of my eye. He’s standing in the hall, his arms braced against either side.

“Hello …. Well, why the fuck would you let him do that? Jesus fuck, Alexi, what fucking use are you?” He starts yelling at me in Russian, and I pull the phone away from my ear. Liam grabs it from me and puts it on speaker.

“You will watch your fucking tone with her, asshole, or you and I will be having a very direct conversation,” Liam growls at him in Russian. Alexi stops yelling at me and switches back to English.

“Ava, I had to take a fucking call from Yuri. I was gone from him for about ten minutes. I came back, and he was already half a vile in.”

“I fucking hate you, Alexi. Marcus never tried a fucking drug before you. If I get the chance, I’m going to kill you so fucking slowly and painfully for what you did to him. I’ll be there in ten.”

Liam looks down at his phone. “My car is waiting for you downstairs. My driver will take you wherever you want to go. Is there any chance I can persuade you to take me with you?” Liam looks up at me, asking.

“I wish, but you, unfortunately, are the reason for this little temper tantrum,” I reply.

“I assumed. Colin will go with you and stay with you until he is certain you are safe.”

“I could probably give you like four minutes,” I say, waggling my eyebrows at him.

He lets out a laugh at that. “Ava love, the first time I bury myself in you, it will be after you have already come on my tongue and hand.”

“A girl can dream.” I step into him just as the elevator doors open. A guy steps out, who I’m assuming is Colin. I grab Liam’s shirt, pull him down to me, and kiss him hard.

“Goodnight, Liam.”

“Goodnight, Little Villain.”

“Marcus hung up on me. A couple of hours later, I got a call from Alexi–Marcus was fucked up, and there was an escort who had been hurt. So, I had to cut my evening short to deal with that.” I shake my head at the memories from that clusterfuck of a night.

“After that, Marcus was different with me. After I completed the job, Marcus was distant the next week. He stopped confiding in me. Even after we broke up, we were still us, you know? We were still the other person’s person. But it was all different when I chose to do the Campbell job. I knew it was different, but I figured it was a tiff, and we would get past it like we always had. Guess I was a wee bit off about that.” I laugh without humor. “Anyway, that is when I think he started to plot my death.”

“Well, fuck, Ava.”

“Pretty much, right, Matt?”

“You need to sleep, Ava,” Caden tells me. I nod and recline my seat. I pull my legs up and snuggle into the pillow. Matt leans over and covers me with a blanket. One of them dims the cabin lights, and I’m asleep. I don’t wake up until Caden tells me we have landed.