Braden Security: Tied Up In Knotts Part 2

Chapter Five.

James sat in his office and stared into s.p.a.ce.

Was he being nave? Was a pretty face deceiving him? He didn't think so, but he had never had a reaction to a woman as strongly as to Avery. What was it about her that got his protective instincts up and standing at attention?

Did he feel sorry for her? Some women had a much harder time in life, and he never wanted to go in and make everything right. G.o.d, all he wanted was to have her safe and under him most of the time, so nothing could reach her if he was on top and surrounding her.

Yes, he finally admitted to himself that his interest wasn't strictly all professional. Yes, he wanted to catch the bad guys, but he also wanted her for only himself. He could just imagine her bound to each corner of his bed naked, with all her glory spread out like a feast, just for him. She would be magnificent, with all that long blonde hair of hers spread over his pillows, big green eyes wide and trusting. Legs that went on for days, spread and waiting only for him. His pants got tight at the visual. Getting up from his desk, he straightened his unruly c.o.c.k in his pants and looked at his watch. Time to get ready for Avery. It was just about the time she should be reaching the office, and he didn't want her staring at his crotch. Maybe later.

Avery had hurried from the diner and was out of breath as she approached the front door of Taylor First Rate Investments. She had left her job, not without a lot of trepidation. She was stepping into the unknown, and while exciting, she was also scared shirtless. What if this was just another front for some shady backdoor dealer? She had seen how many businesses operated around this area. She had to admit that an investment office in the middle of a rundown area just didn't seem to be on the up and up. Shaking her head, she thought of Clay. He didn't seem like the shady type.

Another perk of this job was being able to leave her rundown apartment and move into one that would have hot water. With her new job being only one floor below, she wouldn't have to step over drunks and drug dealers walking home every night. Taking a deep breath, Avery opened the front door.

She caught any breath that she had when her eyes met the man waiting for her on the other side. She had seen him before at the diner, but always just quick glances, but now she looked her fill. G.o.d he was big, at least to her he was. He stood up as she approached him, six feet and all rippling muscles with black hair just reaching the collar of his shirt. He was a breathless sight to Avery. Men she had come into contact with through her father, while being big, seemed to have a shifty look about them that scared the s.h.i.t out of her. Their beady eyes always looked too small for their faces and always looked at her with a leer.

James stood still as she looked him over. He didn't want their first real meeting to start on the wrong foot. He spread his arms wide and tried to say with his bright blue eyes and wide grin that he could be trusted.

How did all the men in this office seem to convey safety with only their body language? Avery didn't know. Avery had to smile up at him. She knew what he was doing, he was trying to gain her trust. But with his good looks and large muscular frame, she knew she would have to be on her toes to get anything pa.s.s this man. His blue eyes smiled friendly, even had a twinkle, but he also seemed to be hiding some secrets. She felt this as he also looked her up and down. She shivered. What would it be like to have a man like this all to herself? All of his attention directed only on her. She didn't know, but she was sure going to try and find out.

She had led a sheltered life, her parents were very protective. For too long she had only a.s.sociated with pre-approved men, weak men that bowed down to her father. But she read a lot of romance books and had hot fantasies of meeting men like James and Clay. She knew neither would have backed down from her father. She was glad James couldn't read her thoughts. If they knew what she was thinking, it would embarra.s.s the h.e.l.l out of her.

James put his arms back down and took a step closer to Avery. When she didn't back up, James took that as a good sign. Maybe all the days spent at the diner had been good for something. She seemed to trust him, probably because she was used to seeing him every day. He had done nothing yet to deserve her complete trust. He knew he would have to earn it.

"Hi, I'm James. I know that you've seen me at the diner. Clay told me I would be helping you move. As you can see, I've gathered the boxes and I'm ready anytime you are." James held out his hand as he approached Avery, getting even closer into her personal s.p.a.ce. Avery stopped her perusal of James, finally cluing in that he was talking to her.

"No, I'm just here to gather the boxes. I will pack and be ready to move tomorrow at ten. Didn't Clay tell you?" Avery pulled herself together. She was not having this man see her apartment and the state that it was in. For some reason, she wanted him to have a good impression of her. If he saw her apartment, he would think she was the biggest slob going. She wasn't always, well sometimes, but a girl had to read a good book now and then and laundry and dishes were always still waiting for her when she was done.

"I'll just take the boxes and get started. Thanks for getting them for me. I wasn't looking forward to going to the back of the grocery store." Stepping around James, she bent down and started to grab the boxes that were stacked just behind where he was standing.

"Here, let me help. There is no way you can carry all these boxes in one trip. You'll be going back and forth so many times, you won't get any packing done." James leaned over and grabbed the rest of the boxes in his hands and stood.

Avery bit her lip. It would save time, but how was she going to stop him from seeing her apartment?

"Come on, be sensible. You know you can't possibly carry them all. Just let me help. I promise not to bite. Well, until you want me to," James said with a straight face. But the twinkle was apparent in his blue eyes as he looked down at her.

Avery knew she would seem unreasonable if she refused. This man wouldn't understand her not wanting to show her dirty laundry.

"OK, but just to the apartment building. I'll take it from there." Avery opened the door with two boxes in one hand and held the door open with the other for James. James, being a gentleman, shifted the boxes that he held to one arm and took the door from her.

"Ladies first."

d.a.m.n! Avery had been looking forward to watching that tight a.s.s of his walking in front of her. Sighing Avery walked out in front of him.

James was now able to appreciate her tight a.s.s as she swayed in front of him, trying not to drop the boxes that she held.

Avery ended up walking in front of James all the way to her apartment. The sidewalk was narrow, with not enough room for them to walk side by side with the boxes they held. Avery tried to think of something to say to James.

James seemed to be on her wavelength and before she could think of anything he asked, "How long have you been living in this neighborhood?"

"About a year? Give or take?" Avery said.

"Why this area?"

His question stumped her. What could she say without seeming pitiful?

Avery was relieved when she spotted the front steps of the apartment and didn't answer. Instead she turned around and looked up at him, dodging his question, and brightly said, "Here we are. Just leave the boxes on the steps and I will take them up. Thanks for all your help."

James looked down into Avery's big green eyes. "No way, lady. I was told to do a job and I don't stop when it's only half finished. Lead me to your apartment?" James's stance seemed to say he would book no argument. His eyes, while still friendly, seemed to have a hint of blue steel in them. He wasn't backing down.

Avery stood to her full height of five feet. Well, she wasn't backing down either. "I can handle this myself. I'm used to doing things for myself. Please understand that I appreciate your help. But please don't push me in this. I am not employed yet by your firm and don't take orders well."

James glared at her. He knew that she would be walking up at least three flights of step with boxes. Taking a cleansing breath, James knew when to back down. His kitten had claws and James, while he couldn't wait for them to be sunk into his back with pleasure, knew this was not the time for the Dom in him to come out. He would negotiate this time. He wanted her to feel safe with him.

"OK. Let's make a deal. I will take the boxes up to your third floor hallway and leave them there. I'm not leaving you to walk three flights back and forth with boxes."

Avery sputtered. She wasn't used to men being so forceful when it came to her well-being. She had learned from her short time on the streets that she needed to fend for herself, n.o.body cared if she needed help. Avery though for a minute. It would be nice not to have to go up and down the stairs. Glancing at the boxes in James hand, she knew it would take her a least three trips.

"OK, you win, but just up to the hallway. By the way, how did you know that I lived on the third floor? I didn't mention it to you."

"Clay must have mentioned it when he asked me to pick up the boxes," James lied as he stepped forward and opened the front door of the apartment for her.

Sliding around him, Avery tried making herself as small as she could. Trying not to touch James's large body as she walked through the door was impossible. The door wasn't the largest and James seemed to be taking up most of the s.p.a.ce. Avery felt herself brush him. Her a.s.s was just the right height to brush his crotch. If she didn't know better, she would think he was packing, but she knew James was not hiding a gun. Well, at least she hoped not. But something sure felt big and solid. Was he hard? Or was this his at-rest package? Avery gulped. Wow, he was big everywhere. Her other parts started to respond and Avery quickly ran up the first flight of steps not waiting for James. Red-faced from her thoughts, Avery turned to James.

"You coming?" Avery's face turned even redder. "I mean we don't have all night." Her voice was abrupt and louder than she would like.

James just stood at the bottom of the stairs and grinned. He knew she had felt him when she brushed past. He had been hard since he had first seen her tonight. The d.a.m.n thing never went down when she was around. With her red face, he knew she was having the same thoughts. With a knowing twinkle in his blue eyes, he followed Avery up the stairs.

Avery watched James retreating back as he walked back down the stairs. Well at least he hadn't argued about bringing the boxes into her apartment. Avery knew her face was bright red still, but hoped that he would just think it was from the climb up the stairs, and not what it really was. She had to get her mind out of the gutter. After all, they would be working together and she had to get her thoughts and hormones under control. She couldn't walk around the office every day with a red face and wet panties. She didn't own that many pairs and most were waiting to be washed. Shaking her head she remembered watching James's tight a.s.s as he strolled down the stairs. "Well, thinking about his a.s.s," Avery said to herself, "is not going to help." Picking up the boxes, Avery opened her apartment door and slid the boxes inside.

James whistled a happy tune as he walked down the sidewalk back to the office. If he wasn't mistaken, Avery was very aware of him. That was a good start.

Chapter Six.

Waking up the next morning, James sat up in bed and cursed. He was reacting like a teenage kid with his first girl. Waking up with wet sheets from a dream that seemed to be so real. He dreamed he was b.a.l.l.s deep inside of Avery. The feelings he got were like no other. Nothing matched the feel of her tight sheath holding him. James swung his legs off the bed, reaching for tissues he now kept close by. This wasn't the first time they had been needed since he had met her. Cleaning himself up in disgust, his other hand wearily wiped through his sleep-mussed hair. He had to do something about this. He was hard again just thinking of her. He had to stop dreaming and take action and soon. Getting up, James walked to the bathroom and stepped into the shower. Turning the water as cold as he could stand, James took himself in hand. He had to take the edge off, before he met Avery.

Avery, on the other side of town, hopped from her bed feeling excited and full of energy for the day. Looking into the mirror she grinned at herself and crossed her fingers. Maybe this was the first step to...

Well she didn't know how to complete her thought, but anything was better than the boring routine that had become her life. Walking into the bathroom, she stepped into her shower and groaned as the hot water, finally hot, reached her aching muscles.

She had worked late into the evening, packing up her belongings. She didn't think she had a lot. But when gathering them together, she found that she had ama.s.sed more than she thought. A couple of plants, more used books, and some thrift store clothes.

Avery had worked to pack everything, so when James got here he would only have to help her move. Scrubbing herself, Avery couldn't stop herself from imagining James in the shower with her. Every brush of the loofah across her skin felt like his hands. A moan was barely held in when she rubbed the loofah over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, they were so sensitive. G.o.d just thinking about James had her core dripping, getting her ready for him. The real thing could only be better than her thoughts.

She had started dreaming of him the first time she had spotted him in the diner. He was not the usual client the diner catered to. He stood hands above the other guys in the diner, with his black hair and startling blue eyes. Having a body that would have any red-blooded woman licking her lips also helped. Avery had nightly dreams of him sweeping her up and carrying her away from all this. Crazy, but in her dreams, he was the knight in shining armor that every little girl dreamed about. She knew she was being childish, but with reality beating on her door every day just to survive, Avery allowed herself the dream. If she didn't have dreams and hopes, she probably would have gone crazy those first few months that she was on her own.

Avery had not been raised to be self-sufficient. The first months had been a hard and fast growing-up experience, but one childish dream couldn't hurt, Avery kept telling herself.

Avery stood so long thinking in the shower that the water was now cold. Shivering, she hurriedly stepped out and dried herself.

Coffee, then James? Wow, the day was already great and she smiled as she slid on jeans and a T-shirt. Looking at herself in the mirror, Avery took the T-shirt back off. She needed a bra to keep her nipples covered. They seemed to have developed a daily uprising every time she spotted James. A girl had to have some secrets after all. She didn't want to scare him off at first glance, not that he looked like he could be scared off easily.

Avery brushed her long blonde hair and stopped fantasizing. She had to get her head in the game. Today was moving day, not make out day, walking over to the coffee pot, her one costly indulgence, she had to have good coffee to get her going every morning. Just as she turned on the coffee maker, there was a rap at the door.

Looking at the clock, Avery realized she had been in the shower longer than she had thought, and it was almost ten o'clock. It was probably her knight at the door. Giggling to herself at her fanciful thoughts, Avery opened the door without looking through the peephole to see who was on the other side.

Lounging on the other side wasn't James, it was her next door neighbor. "Well, well, home at this time of day? I guess it's just my luck." Looking around the small apartment, he added, "Doesn't look like you are doing anything. I have lots of ideas how we can amuse ourselves."

Danny had been bothering her since she had moved in. She usually saw him before he saw her so she could escape into her apartment before he could reach her. Would she never learn that some guys couldn't take no for an answer? Avery tried to close the door as soon as she realized who was on the other side, but Danny put his foot out and stopped it half way.

"Now Avery, you don't want it to look like you're unfriendly?" He smirked back at his pals behind him. Pals that Avery had failed to notice at first glance out the door.

"What do you want Danny? I'm in a hurry this morning. I don't have time for this." Avery put everything into trying to sound gruff and unfriendly, but her voice came out as a squeak. She wasn't a brave person and she was afraid of Danny and his group. They seemed to run the neighborhood and people, while she couldn't say they respected them, they always gave his gang a lot of s.p.a.ce.

Danny stood up from his slouched position beside the door and pushed it completely open, waving to his friends at the same time." I smell coffee. Isn't it nice that she made some for us? Always knew you were the friendly type." Pushing Avery to the side with his hand, Danny and his group walked into Avery's small apartment. As the last one cleared the door, Avery made a move to escape, but the guy grabbed the back of her t-shirt and pulled her back inside and slammed the door.

Avery looked at Danny and his pals. They all looked like they needed a bath and the smell of marijuana was heavy in the air around them. They had probably just smoked a joint the smell was so strong. Avery looked at them, leery as Danny grabbed the coffee pot and poured some coffee into the cup she had left beside the pot. Waving the coffee cup around, he told his friend to make themselves comfortable. Pointing at Avery, Danny waved her over to him.

"Aren't you going to pour some coffee for the rest of my friends? We've had a long night and sure could use some." With that he winked at his friend and laughed at a joke only he knew. Two of his friends had flopped down on the couch and were proceeding to unpack the box on the coffee table in front of them filled with her merger CD collection. As they pulled her CDs out, they made a pile between them, throwing any CDs they didn't like on the floor. One of his others friends started to open the boxes around her bed. Dirty clothes that she had packed up last night were being pulled and thrown on the floor, even her underwear was out for everyone to see. Avery didn't know if she was mad or embarra.s.sed.

Walking into the kitchen area, Avery poured out more cups of coffee for Danny's so-called friends. "I think you might want to cut your visit short. I'm expecting someone shortly to move me. I don't think he will appreciate you drinking his coffee."

Danny laughed at her and grabbed a kitchen chair and sat down. "Big words, but I watch you and you don't know anyone. You don't have any friends around here. So tell me another one." Danny turned toward his pals and kicked a box at his feet. "We have plenty of time, doll. Let us drink our coffee, and we will get to the good stuff shortly."

James was just about to knock on Avery's door when he heard the discussion on the other side of the door.

The door had not completely latched when the last guy had slammed it, letting James get a glimpse of the group inside Avery's apartment. He couldn't see her, but these individuals didn't seem to be the type that Avery would hang out with. Four large unkempt men were in her apartment going through her packed boxes. James stepped back from the door and quickly made his was back down to the second floor. He wanted to rush right in and save Avery from having to deal with the vermin, but knew in this neighborhood that they were probably armed and also dangerous. Pulling out his cell, James called Clay back at the office and gave him the scoop.

Clay picked up on the serious situation right away. "We'll be right there. Angel just arrived and the others are in the kitchen. ETA five minutes."

The call was abruptly dropped. James knew Clay was probably gathering the others and making their way to Avery's apartment.

Clay, Angel, and the others quietly climbed to the third floor where they found James in front of Avery's apartment door.

"Anything new?" Clay asked James under his breath when he reached him.

"No. They are just razzing her and drinking coffee."

"Ready?" James knocked on the door.

"Avery, are you there? It's James and the others from Taylor Investments. You ready to go?"

Avery signed a deep breath of relief. Danny looked at her. "Are these your friends you were talking about? Well, let them in. We don't want to seem unfriendly, now do we?" Danny put his hand under his hooded jacket to his belt and waved at Avery to open the door. He wasn't expecting much. Investment brokers usually were pencil pushers and not much of a threat to Danny and his gang by his way of thinking.

Avery opened the door as wide as it would go, in the hall stood James at six feet, Clay at six three and Angel that had to be six five. The other two were large shadows behind them. Avery could just barely make them out over the large muscular frames of the three already filling the open door.

Danny stood up swiftly, his chair falling to the floor behind him. The others seemed to come to a halt at the same time. All reached under their hoodies that they wore.

James stepped fully into the apartment and looked over the group with his steely blue eyes. Clay's gray ones were a stormy slate and Angel's were black as they took in the group of men that had invaded Avery's apartment. James's group wanted their menacing stance to tell the punks that maybe they should rethink what investment brokers looked like. They looked like avenging warriors, their smiles telling the punks that they had a winner-take-all att.i.tude.

"If you're smart, you will take your hand away from whatever weapon you are hiding and get out of here as fast as you can." James's voice sounded brittle as if he didn't have any patience with Danny's group.

Danny took his hand from under his hoodie.

"Well, you must be the brains behind this gang." James kept his eyes on Danny as he spoke to the group with steel in his voice.

One of the guys who had stopped in the midst of throwing Avery's clothes around tried to make himself look taller and yelled, "What are you going to do? Yous don't look that scary to me."

In the blink of an eye, Angel threw his knife from behind Clay and James. The knife was accurate. It hit the guy in his left shoulder and knocked him to the bed behind him. Grabbing his shoulder he cried out.

Danny seemed to shrink when he took in his friend withering in pain on Avery's bed.

Holding his hands palm up toward them, Danny turned and went to his friend to help him up off the bed.

"We know the lady. She asks us in for coffee. No need to get so jumpy. We weren't doing anything," Danny told them with a friendly smile that didn't reach his eyes.

James looked over at Avery. "I thought you had better friends than this? Did you invite them in for coffee?"

Clay and Angel didn't take their eyes off the men now gathering in the middle of the room.

Avery gasped at James. How could the man be so stupid? With her feet planted firmly on the kitchen floor, Avery put her hand on her hips and glared at James. "No, I did not invite them in for coffee. What do you think I am, stupid?" Avery was going to go on, but James raised his hand, stopping her.

Looking back to the others in the room, he addressed Danny. "I guess you got the invite wrong? This lady is moving and any coffee she made was for us. I'm very p.i.s.sed that you drank it all. If you don't want to see us mad, you'll leave right now and apologize to the lady."

Danny looked over all the large men standing at the door. He was holding up his buddy, but also thinking over their odds. He knew it was a lose-lose situation. With one guy down they could never take them.

Stepping forward, balancing his friend up, Danny turned to Avery and leered at her. "Sorry, I guess I mistook your invite."

At the door, he waited for James, Clay, and Angel to move. On the other side in the hallway, he could see two other large men. They both had guns hidden under their crossed arms with the barrels pointed in his direction. Danny's eyes darted to James.

"You don't play fair."

James and the others stepped to the side and allowed Danny's gang to pa.s.s. When Danny pa.s.sed him, Angel put a hand out to stop him, gripping the knife still embedded in his friend's shoulder, he pulled it out by its handle.

"Hey, that hurt," the guy yelled at Angel.

Angel just stepped back and wiped the blood off the knife on the guy's hoodie. Snapping it closed, he put it back in his pant pocket. "Next time you'll remember to see if you're welcome or not before entering a lady's apartment."