Paradise Found: Cain (Paradise #2)(77)

“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.