Sons of Justice 12_Confident in Love Read online

  Spade ran his palm along her back and then lower over her hip. It felt good, but one look at the man, that rugged beard, tattoos peeking out from the collar of his shirt, never mind the ones along both arms to his wrists in the dark green t-shirt, and she felt intimidated. He was a sexy bad boy and then some. Plus, they looked a lot older than her, but she was pretty sure Frankie was twenty-nine, and the others in their thirties. She was twenty-four.

  She felt Frankie take her hand and she looked at him. He tilted his chin upward. “So what was the potential situation at the club tonight that those guy friends of yours needed to intervene in?” he asked.

  “Oh it was nothing. No need to talk about it, just stupid stuff,” she said, and pulled back, but Cole placed his hand on her hip and pulled her closer to him between his legs.

  “You were okay? Didn’t get scared?” he asked her.

  She shook her head. Cole was big. Like six-feet-three big, with a beard, longer blondish colored hair, and a constant serious expression. Even now when he spoke to her, his eyes were squinting. Plus add in the flannel green button-down shirt, sleeves rolled up to his forearms and all those muscles showing, and she shivered a little. That got him squeezing her between his legs as he sat on the stool.

  “I was fine. Sometimes guys just act stupid, but friends were around and their friends, too.”

  “Who are the two guys who keep looking over here at you?” Woodrow asked, and she looked toward her friends, and sure enough Merdock and his brother Mickie were watching.

  “Oh, they pretty much took it upon themselves to act like my personal bodyguards all night,” she said.

  “And you let them?” Spade asked, with an attitude. He was intimidating just to look at. She stepped from Cole’s hold, pulled her long brown hair to one side, and then glanced back at her friends again.

  “We were all hanging out together,” she replied, and she had such a funny feeling in her belly. For some reason the thought that these men were jealous, besides interested in her, made her feel nervous. She heard her name and looked, and sure enough Brock and Gail were waving her over.

  “Shoot. I need to go.” She went to move but Nathan and Frankie stopped her.

  “Do you have to?” Nathan asked.

  She smiled. “It’s great that you guys are able to come visit for a little while. I know Talia hopes to spend lots of time with you guys.”

  “You’re coming to the party on the weekend?” Spade asked.

  “Definitely.”

  “So we’ll see you then, if not in a little while,” Bronco chimed in.

  “Okay, goodnight,” she said, and went to walk away, but Bronco stood up, pulled her into his arms and gave her a kiss on her cheek. That led to each man kissing her goodnight, but also giving her a squeeze, letting their hands caress along her lower back, and making her wish she could let her guard down and feel more of what they made her feel. She couldn’t take that chance. She needed to build her self-confidence, and feel positive about her life. She just didn’t feel happy right now in her career, or her lack of self-confidence and continued insecurities.

  As she stepped back, she nibbled her bottom lip. “It was a nice surprise seeing you guys tonight. Enjoy your dinner and get some rest,” she said, and didn’t know why. They weren’t her responsibility. They didn’t need some mother hen, yet she felt like they needed to take care of themselves and take this time to recoup. They had risked so much and it was commendable. She felt honored to know such soldiers, men as them.

  As she walked away, she could feel the men’s eyes on her. She, of course, hoped she looked super sexy in her outfit, but then some drunk guys at a table she passed told the waitress they wanted to order one of those and pointed at Avana. When she looked over her shoulder to where Frankie and the rest of the team were, she saw their concerned and angry faces, but then Brock took her hand and gave the guys dirty looks. Nothing else happened, and she remained hanging out with her friends, and an hour later waved to Nathan and them as they left to head out.

  She was shocked at the disappointment she felt, and also angry with herself. She wasn’t ready to date, and certainly the idea of dating scared her, then add in dating six men, and oh yeah, she definitely wasn’t ready. Now she wondered how that party might go, and how she would avoid them any way she could. She was good at declining offers of dates, with them it would be no different.

  Chapter One

  Frankie watched Avana and her sister Tiana work on the one self-defense move together in front of two other women. They weren’t quite getting the motion or the move.

  “Okay wait. Let me show all of you. You’re looking completely confused.” He stepped closer as Avana and Tiana stopped and stepped back. He reached his hand out to Avana, her eyes widened and a blush formed on her cheeks. She felt the attraction he felt, and it was getting stronger. He knew Nathan and the team wanted to get to know her, too. They met her several times at the hospital, then the other night at the diner, which got them even more interested in her. Later today they would all be spending time together at a party at Tat’s and his team’s home. It would be the perfect opportunity to start laying the groundwork of asking her out.

  He released her hand once he placed her in the middle of the mat and he began a step-by-step instruction once again. He felt her tighten up when he wrapped his arm around her midsection. She was petite, but well-endowed and then some. Men looked right at her breasts when they spoke to her, and he knew by her facial expression that it annoyed her. He, however, was most intrigued by her eyes, that were a gorgeous color brown with specks of light green, and she always smelled edible. He adjusted his stance and hoped he didn’t get an instant erection from holding her close. She was that appealing. He towered over her, and one arm could capture her and take her wherever he wanted to bring her. Because he knew she was petite, weaker, not so aggressive, he really wanted her trained and capable of fighting off an attacker if God forbid that ever happened. The team and he wondered more about the potential situation Merdock and Mickie needed to intervene over at Raven’s. It made him feel like he should have been there to protect her, yet she wasn’t his woman. Obviously, he wanted her to be. He had trained plenty of women over the years and never had an attraction like this to any of them. In fact, most annoyed him because they flirted or commented about his muscles and killing capabilities. Avana didn’t.

  “Okay, now I’m locked around her. Arm tight, front leg practically over her front left leg. What can she do?” he asked the others.

  “Stomp on your foot?” Dorothy said.

  “Okay, what else?” he asked.

  “Throw all her weight to the right and turn out of your hold while she first stomps on your foot as a distraction,” Tiana said.

  “Okay, try it Avana,” he said to her. He held her close, had his chin on her shoulder breathing in her scent, his arm wrapped tight around her small, feminine waist. Holy God she was so sexy and sweet. He had an overwhelming need to possess her, protect her and make her his. His thoughts were interrupted as she slammed her foot down on his foot hard, then swiftly turned and got out. She looked shocked.

  “I did it!” she exclaimed, and the women clapped, and he nodded.

  “Very good. Now let’s partner up,” he said, and her sister Tiana grabbed for Betty, Dorothy grabbed Clarice, and everyone had a partner except for Avana. One look at Tiana smiling and he had a feeling Avana’s sister knew that Frankie was interested in Avana. “Come on, there’s another move we can work on,” he said to her. He took advantage of being her partner, of touching her, holding her close and whispering into her ear. He then turned the tables on her and had her attack him, which turned into a little grappling match on the mats with her above him, straddling his hips as she tried to stop his hands from grabbing her neck and then him rolling her to her back and pinning her on the ground. They stared at one another, breathing heavy, and then she looked scared. Her brown eyes filled with tears and he released her arms but didn’t get up off of h
er.

  “You’ll get it. You get some moves you feel comfortable with and that will come naturally and be effective.”

  “I don’t know, Frankie.”

  Time was up, and the others were starting to gather their things. He hopped up and then offered her a hand, but she didn’t take it. She hopped up like he did with no hands and landed perfectly. He smiled. “Impressive. Been working on that?” he asked as they started walking toward the others.

  “A little.”

  “A lot. She does it all the time,” Tiana teased and then winked.

  He chuckled. “So I think it’s kind of cool how Frankie does that. You’re just jealous because every time you try you fall on your ass,” Avana teased Tiana.

  “Well I don’t get the one on one training like you do,” Tiana teased back and winked. Frankie chuckled.

  “Hey, you’re going to be at Talia’s, right?” he asked her, and she nodded her head.

  “She’ll be there. I’m going to be a little late. I have some showings. In fact, we need to head out. You two can chat at the party,” Tiana said and winked.

  “Tiana,” Avana reprimanded, and then she grabbed her bag and water bottle, turned back and gave him a little wave, but she looked scared.

  He smiled to himself. He was pretty sure he did a good job letting her know he was attracted to her. Later as the team and his cousin made some of their own moves, she would surely know where they all stood. Interested in getting to know Avana, together as one team.

  * * * *

  “Oh my God, Frankie is finally making a move on you. Holy shit. I wonder if it has something to do with his cousin Cole and the rest of the team coming here?”

  “What? The rest of the team?”

  Tiana chuckled. “Come on, Avana, you’ve seen firsthand with our friends what’s it’s like when men set their eyes on a woman they want to claim guardianship of, to make that woman theirs. It’s happening.”

  “No. No, no, no, I’m not ready to date or to be claimed or whatever. Look at me, Tiana. They’re huge, muscular, capable, and I don’t know any of them at all.”

  “That’s what dating is all about.”

  “I don’t date, remember that? I decline dates. I’m good at it, too. Got the whole thing down pat.”

  “Well, it isn’t going to work with soldiers like them. With a man like Frankie. He’s hot, Avana.”

  “You like him? Oh God, you like Frankie and he’s flirting with me?”

  “Whoa, slow down. I did not say I like Frankie. I’m just saying he is super good looking and sexy. He’s a soldier, a trained martial artist and he’s so nice. He’s perfect for you, not for me. He likes you, so stop trying to appease everyone else, or give up what you want in fear of insulting someone for causing them to be upset or jealous. I know you, and you put others before yourself constantly.”

  “I, I thought maybe Dorothy liked Frankie.”

  “Oh hell yeah that woman would jump his bones if he held her like he holds you and does moves on you, but obviously the man isn’t interested in Dorothy. He’s interested in you. Maybe he was letting you know even more so today because tonight his team will be at Talia’s.”

  “They don’t even know me. What did they do, see me at the hospital and say, oh, she looks pretty, and weak, we could control her, claim her, and who knows, maybe the little bit of attraction we have will turn into more?” she said.

  “What? Are you nuts or something, Avana? It doesn’t work that way. I saw you talking to them several times at the hospital. Hell, Woodrow looked ready to throw you over his shoulder and take you to the custodial closet and claim you right there.”

  Avana gasped and Tiana laughed loudly as she drove the car.

  “Admit it, you think that sounded hot.”

  “I haven’t had sex in several years. A picture of a sexy, muscular guy would make me aroused.”

  Tiana laughed. “I haven’t dated anyone in even longer, but I invested in Big Bob. You should have invested in one, too.”

  Tiana loved teasing Avana about the vibrator Tiana had. She tried talking Avana into getting one, too, and some toys so she would get through her dry spell and maybe let her guard down, so when the right men came along Avana was ready for them. Ready for the real thing, but she was so shy and timid. Ben had messed with her head, and even after she finally broke things off with him and had to press charges for assault, he stalked her for several months. That made Avana paranoid and untrusting of any man she met who showed interest.

  “Frankie and them are different,” she said to Avana, knowing that Frankie knew Avana had been in an abusive relationship. He just didn’t know the extent of it, about the assault and the stalking.

  “They were friendly when I saw them the other night at the diner. But I don’t think I’m interested. Why are you pushing me to get involved with them, with anyone? You don’t date either and turned down Ellington Blake when he was pursuing you,” Avana said.

  “Ellington Blake wanted to fuck me in a jacuzzi in a house I was showing him. Not exactly a good move as a real estate agent in the community we live in.”

  “Oh, so if there weren’t any dangers of anyone finding out you would have had sex with him in a house you were showing?”

  “No.”

  “Why not, Tiana?”

  “I’m pretty sure that his dick is nothing like Big Bob’s. There’s certain criteria men have to meet okay.”

  Avana laughed, turned in her seat and looked at Tiana. “So let me get this straight, you won’t date or have sex with any man you meet, even if you like him unless he’s guaranteed to have a penis as big, thick and long as Big Bob, your vibrator?” she asked her very seriously.

  Tiana nodded her head. “This woman has standards.”

  “You are nuts. I saw Big Bob when you first brought him home, and he is huge.”

  “Honey, I’d hate to inform you, but from what I could tell about Frankie, he’s hung pretty damn big himself.”

  “Oh God,” Avana said, and covered her face with her hands and Tiana laughed loudly.

  “I can’t wait to tell Thylane about this. You are so red right now, and you gave big, tough, martial artists Frankie a hard-on during class.”

  “Stop that. I did not.”

  “You did, and you felt it against your ass.”

  “Did not, now stop that.”

  “You are such a liar, Avana. He’s going to make a move. Today at the party.”

  “Maybe I won’t go.”

  “Bullshit you won’t. You promised Talia, and I know you’re going to tell her about Frankie and what he did today. It was pretty obvious he wants you.”

  “Wonderful, well the answer is still no. I don’t date.”

  “Don’t be so quick to dismiss them like you do all the other men who ask you out. Besides, by the way these men in SoJ work, a woman doesn’t stand a chance of escaping once they set their eyes on her. You’ll know today at the party where they stand, and you’ll also realize that you like them, too, but your fears from Ben hold you back. It’s been long enough, Avana. Maybe it’s time to be free and live again.”

  Avana was quiet as they pulled the car into the parking spot outside the condominium complex. “I’m not ready, Tiana. I’m not,” she whispered.

  Tiana felt so badly for her sister. She wanted her happy, and she was timid, shy, and was only beginning to gain some self-confidence back, and it had a lot to do with the self-defense training.

  “Take your time and be smart like you have been. From what I hear, and what we’ve seen, soldiers have some skills, and their whole shock and awe tactic can catch a woman off guard where she can’t recover from. That has to be one hell of a feeling, and I think one day, we both deserve to feel something so great as that.”

  “Maybe dating someone less intimidating, and a little easier to handle would be wiser to start? You know, get my feet wet.”

  “Honey, Gail’s cousins Merdock and Mickie do not make you wet. Frankie does, and his team w
ill, too. Can’t tell me when you saw them the other night at Sandman’s that you weren’t aroused. I noticed how you wouldn’t expand on meeting them and how it really went.”

  “Nothing happened.”

  “Bullshit nothing happened. Just mentioning it makes you blush. So tell me what went down.”

  Avana explained and Tiana was shocked, but felt so happy for her sister.

  “Well, there ya go. They definitely were setting up the groundwork. Six lethal SoJ soldiers. Hot damn woman, when you get back into the dating game you go full throttle.”

  Avana’s mouth gaped open. “I am not back into the dating game.”

  “Yeah right. We’ll talk again after Talia’s house. Just do yourself a favor, and keep an opened mind. I bet Talia will be thrilled to have you as a sister-in-law,” she teased, and Avana gasped then slapped Tiana’s arm.

  “You are so terrible, and revenge is sweet, Tiana. You remember that.”

  * * * *

  “So she was shaking after you showed her those moves?” Nathan asked, as they all gathered around in the kitchen at the house.

  Frankie nodded, then drank from his bottle of water.

  “God damn she felt so good in my arms. I keep making fucking excuses to use her as an example just so I can hold her and inhale her shampoo. Her sister, Tiana, definitely picked up on it. In fact, she made sure I ended up as Avana’s partner today.”

  “I knew I should have come in there to start sparring and maybe struck up a conversation with her,” Bronco said to them.

  “Slow, remember,” Frankie stated.

  “You keep saying that, and also mentioning that there are things we don’t know. So why not tell us?” Cole asked.

  Frankie looked at Cole, then Nathan, Spade, Bronco, and Woodrow.

  “I don’t want to betray her trust in me. She came here by being pushed by Talia to get some self-defense training. She was so shy, timid and nonaggressive. I mean she still is,” Frankie said to them.

  “She’s petite, and I think she’s a little self-conscious of that sexy body she has. Men are drawn to her,” Woodrow said to them.