Antihero (Imperfect Heroes Book 1) Read online

  Stupid female brain. Why does being a girl have to be so damn complicated? I envied the male mind. Simple, uncomplicated, no long inner monologues about feelings and decisions. Just food, sex, and sleep.

  Ellis picked me up in his muscle car and we drove the hour and a half from Tampa to Orlando. I was dressed in white capri pants and a dark-blue halter top and some comfortable sandals. In my overnight bag, I had clothes for tomorrow, some toiletries, a gigantic bottle of sunscreen, and a big floppy hat. Burning to lobster status was not my idea of a good time. My damned pale skin didn’t tan, so I had to protect it well.

  The drive was pleasant and when we reached the park, Ellis found a spot that was nowhere near the front. He cursed a little, but I didn’t mind. I could use the exercise and I had a feeling I’d be getting plenty of it today—and tonight.

  We finally made our way to the front entrance of the park. He presented tickets and we waited in line until we were finally let in. The park was absolutely magical. Even better than I remembered it—not that I had that great of a memory of it.

  I was on sensory overload. My attention darted from a Men in Black exhibit to the adorable Minions of Despicable Me to the magic of Harry Potter. I wanted to do it all and see it all.

  And we did.

  Every exhibit was captivating. Every ride and tour was perfect. I loved TV and movies, and I smiled at the memories each of the exhibits brought me. I couldn’t believe I had waited this long to visit this park as an adult.

  After going on five or six rides, Ellis asked if I was hungry.

  “Starving,” I said, smiling up at him.

  He grinned back. “Come on, I see a little food stand over there.”

  It hadn’t gone unnoticed by me that he hadn’t held my hand all day. He’d slung his arm around me a few times, but I tried not to let it bother me that he didn’t want to hold my hand, as stupid as it sounded. So I stood firm, rooted to the spot as I said, “Okay.”

  He went to walk but then stopped when he realized I wasn’t next to him. He turned around and I could see his eyebrows dip in question behind his black sunglasses. I smiled at him behind my Ray-Bans, and he walked toward me, coming to stop in front of me.

  “Aren’t you coming?”

  “Aren’t you going to hold my hand?”

  He hung his head in a dramatic gesture and ran his right hand down his face. He looked down at his left hand and held it up. “It’s kinda gross, I know. Wasn’t sure you wanted me holding your hand with it.”

  I looked at the missing pinky finger. The one next to it was pretty scarred up and a little bent out of shape. Why was he acting like I’d never seen that before? It never bothered me when he used it to touch my body.

  “I don’t care. Why don’t you tell me how that happened?”

  Quickly, he grabbed my hand and kissed it. “Some other time. Don’t wanna talk about it right now. I’m so sorry I didn’t hold your hand earlier. See? I’m an asshole…”

  I stopped walking again and looked up at him, putting my fingers up to his face. “Look, Ellis, I’m gonna make this easy for you. Everything you’ve ever heard about girls is true, okay? We want you to hold our hand. We want you to take charge in the bedroom, and even outside the bedroom sometimes. We want compliments, flowers, and to be taken care of. Yes, I can take care of myself, but it’s nice when someone relieves me of that duty every once in a while.”

  A mischievous grin lit up his handsome, tanned face. “Okay, T. You got it.” He kissed my cheek and led me to the food booth, where we ate hamburgers and French fries and drank soda and everything else bad for us.

  It was the best damn day ever.

  Chapter 11

  Ellis

  Best damn day ever. I hope she thought the same. Honestly, I’d scored those tickets from Mathis Associates. The pretty blonde owner gave them to me. She said every veteran who had been brave enough to come into her office and admit they needed a little “hand- up” (versus a “hand-out”) deserved a day of rest and relaxation. She’d given me a choice on which park tickets I wanted, and while Disney was the main attraction around here, I had always wanted to see Universal Studios. I’d honestly never been to any of the parks. We were too damn poor growing up to afford any of them, so to say I was more excited than a kid on Christmas was probably a fucking understatement.

  It paid off, though. The look on Talia’s face was just damn priceless. I could tell she’d had about as much amusement park experience as I’d had. None. Watching her reactions and her beautiful face lighting up at all of the incredible rides and stops was unforgettable. Honestly, I found them incredible, too. Shame on me for having lived here my whole life and not visited. To make matters worse, I had lived in Southern California for a few years while stationed at Twenty-Nine Palms. But to be honest, that horrendous traffic and crowds had been sort of a turnoff. It almost wasn’t worth venturing into the big city to see Disneyland and Universal. Now I wish I’d sucked it up with my friends to go just for the experience. We had been offered discounted military tickets, but I just hadn’t wanted to go. Although I admit it was kinda cool to have experienced this for the first time with Talia.

  Back then, I had still been in shock that that was my life. Sentenced to serve my country instead of sitting in a prison cell amongst a group of questionable characters who probably would have fueled my unsavory desires and led me down a path of self-destruction from which I’d probably never have returned. So I had just hung out on the base, not leaving it very often, utilizing my smartphone to access the outside world and keep up with everyone else living their carefree lives while I was chained to the Marines.

  That was how I’d felt initially, anyway. Resentment and bitterness that this had been my only choice. Anyone who even thought prison was a choice was a stupid asshole. I thought I’d have more freedom in the military. I’d been barely more than an inmate. They told me what to wear and when. They controlled what I ate and when. They told me where I’d live and to shut the fuck up if I didn’t like it. They told me I could love, but that it came with a price. Occasional trips home to see loved ones and then back to work. The old cliché “If the military wanted me to have a family, they would have issued me one” resonated loudly in those days, so I just avoided the whole relationship thing. I’d find a pretty girl at whatever port or stop we’d been at and use her to satisfy my needs, and then move on to the next one. It was a sordid life, and back then, I really couldn’t have cared less.

  And now? I sort of didn’t care either. Except one girl had invaded my soul and captured my heart and I wanted to do everything for her.

  Shit... was this love?

  I glanced over at Talia in the elevator of Universal’s adjoining hotel I’d booked last night. She was looking at the stuffed Minion with a smile on her face. The cold, stiff organ in my chest felt warm for a minute. Then it began to beat a little wildly. She must have felt my stare because she looked at me, her warm honey eyes piercing me. She was still smiling a little, but her gaze looked more inquisitive.

  “You had fun, didn’t you?” I asked, desperate for a positive answer.

  She nodded right as the elevator dinged.

  We got out and made our way toward our room. Why was I nervous? She seemed nervous, too.

  I pulled out the card key and let us into the room. Talia set her handbag on the chair and sat on the bed, still clutching the Minion like she was ten years old.

  “You really like that thing, don’t you?” I asked, chuckling.

  She nodded and pushed some hair behind her ear. “Yes, I love it. I had a lot of firsts today.”

  Sitting next to her, I put my thigh flush up against hers and looked into her warm eyes. Deciding to take her hand, I clasped it in mine and asked, “Like what?”

  She grinned. “Like everything. Universal, someone buying me flowers—yes, I know that was yesterday, but still—and someone taking me on a day date and winning me a stuffed animal. I know it seems immature, but I love this thing so much.
I’m gonna put it somewhere special when I get home so it doesn’t get ruined.”

  My lips twisted in amusement. She was so damn cute I couldn’t stand it. “You look so happy. Remind me to buy you stuff more often.”

  Her face suddenly went serious, her ginger brows dipping as if in thought. I used my thumb to smooth out those brow wrinkles I didn’t like and used my other hand to tip her chin up to meet my eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “Did you ever find work? I mean, I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

  I chuckled and leaned down and kissed her cherry-red lips. “Not yet, but I’ve got prospects. And ya know what? Nobody’s ever taken advantage of me. If I didn’t want to do it, I wouldn’t. I do things because I want to, not because I feel like I have to. You make me want to buy you things. The look on your face is worth it.”

  A red stain crept up her cheeks and she grinned at me. “Okay, Ellis. Just don’t ever sell yourself short. I can pay for my own things.”

  I shook my head at her silliness and kissed her again, this time gently removing the silly Minion from her hand and putting it on the bed. Her body reclined back and I pressed myself on top of her, kissing her mouth. I then moved to her ear, then down her neck, grinning to myself as she let out a shiver.

  The night was absolutely perfect. We stayed tangled up in each other’s arms all night, fucking, then sleeping, then waking up to do it again.

  And this time, none of the condoms broke.

  Bright yellow sunlight filtered in through the heavy curtains covering the hotel room windows. Look at that. I’ve got my beautiful girl in my bed and I’m not freaked out. I was happy as fuck. A stupid shit-eating grin lit up my face and I blinked to make sure she was real.

  At that same moment, Talia’s eyes fluttered open and she smiled at me, and then yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

  “Sorry, I must have morning breath,” she whispered.

  I chuckled and wrapped both arms around her naked body and kissed her forehead. “I doubt that.”

  Hugging her to me, I was sure she could feel my morning wood. There was no way I wasn’t gonna be inside her again before we had to check out of this room. With her face pressed into my chest, she began to kiss me there, while her hand moved my backside and began stroking my lower back, and then my ass with her soft fingers. It was gentle as a feather and making me rock-hard.

  She continued to kiss my neck and my chest, and then slung one of her long legs over my hips and angled hers just right until my tip was at her entrance. Without any self-control, I shoved myself inside of her and we both moaned at the exquisite sensation. Before I could blink, she had me on my back and was on top of me, killing me slowly with the seductive gyrations of her hips.

  My eyes wanted to close, but I wouldn’t let them. I stared up into her face, those full pouty lips and those eyes the color of coffee with a little cream in it. When her teeth took that bottom lip hostage and she closed her eyes, I just about lost my shit inside of her.

  I grunted and closed my own eyes, trying to last. Football. The Gators. They’ll beat the Seminoles this year. They’ll even beat those Roll Tide motherfuckers. I need to get the oil changed in my car. I should buy Talia a helmet so we can go on coastline bike rides. I need to get online and apply for that job at the prison. Did I want to work in a prison? Might help me expend some of this energy. I wonder if they will teach me how to put on handcuffs? Then I can cuff T to the bed and violate her ten different ways…

  A scream broke me out of my musings and my eyes slammed open to see her head thrown back, her pale skin flushed beet-red and blotchy, her mouth half open in a moan of appreciation. It was then I felt her sweet walls clenching around my hard cock, and I did lose it. I pushed her off of me and made sure I didn’t lose it all inside of her. The condom had already broken once. We didn’t need to tempt fate a second time.

  She had a slight look of shock on her face when her body landed flat on her back, until she realized what I was doing… showering her in all the stickiness I had to offer.

  Ironically, we both laughed when I collapsed on the bed.

  We were like a couple of 16-year-olds.

  After showering, then checking out of the hotel, we went and got lunch at some sushi place. Now, I did not care for sushi, but apparently, Talia loved it, so I just ate it. Because really, when you spend a year eating MREs and sand, you just stop complaining about food and just eat the fucking shit in front of you. Raw fish wasn’t something I’d eat voluntarily, but I’ll admit it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

  Spending some time walking around the waterfront shops surrounding the restaurant, we both decided to call it a day. Exhausted from all the excitement of the past couple days, we got into my car and I navigated the streets on my way to the interstate to head back to Tampa.

  The last light before the freeway entrance was still red, but I heard a honk from behind me. Talia and I both turned around and saw an angry driver flailing his fists at us, and being that the light was still red, I couldn’t figure out why he looked so pissed and why he’d honked. Ignoring the ass (which wasn’t easy) I turned back around to wait for the light to turn green, and then heard another honk. I turned around again, throwing both arms up, shrugging my shoulders.

  “Learn how to drive, asshole,” the driver yelled with his head pushed out of his window.

  Immediately, my blood ran cold.

  I knew that voice. It had been eight years, but that was a voice that would never, ever leave my memory.

  Ripper.

  How the hell was he out of prison?

  I glanced back once more, unable to control myself. His cold black eyes were still the same, but new tattoos covered his neck, and every single finger of both hands were inked as they gripped the steering wheel. His eyes were piercing what felt like my very soul, and his eyebrows were dipped in intrigue. Our eyes had officially locked and I felt my stomach turn over. As recognition slowly dawned in his eyes, my own had to be as big as saucers.

  His surprise turned to fury, and he got out of the car, slamming his door, and marching straight over to my driver’s door.

  In the span of five seconds, I had a decision to make. Two options—hit the gas, run this light, and get the fuck outta Dodge, or confront the problem head-on.

  Since I was a loose cannon whose brain wrote checks his body probably couldn’t cash, I looked over at my beautiful girl and said, “Stay in here, and do not—I repeat—do not get out of the car. Understood?”

  Her eyes were wide with fear, but she said nothing, just nodded and clutched the stuffed Minion to her chest. My own chest clutched painfully at the fear in her eyes. It probably reflected a little in my own eyes.

  I got out of the car and closed my door and met this thug head-on. I threw my sunglasses on so he couldn’t see into my soul (though I was sure it was too late for that), and I put my arms out. “What the fuck is your problem? Why are you honking at me?” I decided to go with ignorance for now. Maybe he hadn’t recognized me. I intentionally lowered my voice down another octave.

  Ripper went to speak, and I could tell he was about to go off on me for whatever reason, and he suddenly froze, his face turning from angry to suspicious. His clothes were extremely… urban. Black chino pants cinched at the waist with a belt, the band of his designer underwear showing out of the top, a tight white tank top showing off all his ink, and a black, flat-billed baseball cap with FUCK OFF written in white.

  “I know you,” he growled out, piercing me with his dark eyes. His skin looked pale next to them and his face really did seem to be turning red. He looked like he’d had a rough few years, too.

  Ignoring that, I said, “Why are you harassing me at a stoplight? What’s your problem?” It was so hard to keep a straight face. Not that I wanted to laugh. I didn’t know what I felt, but I did know I really wanted to get out of there.

  “Holy fuck. LT? Is that you?”

  Oh, fuck.

  How do I
answer that? Truth. The only way. “Yeah, that’s what I used to be called.”

  He stepped closer to me. “Where the hell you been?”

  Shit. “Here and there, dude.”

  “Well, you’re a shitty driver, LT. You cut me off back there…”

  “So what, Ripper? Why don’t you grow the fuck up and stop harassing people at stoplights?”

  He grinned in triumph, but it wasn’t friendly. Then he looked at my ink. “Are those fucking military tats?”

  “Are we done here?”

  He laughed and pulled a small handgun from the waistband of his pants. “No, asswipe, we’re not even close to being done. I want to know how I’ve spent the last seven years fighting to stay alive inside a penitentiary, and you’ve been nowhere to be found. You fucking snitched, didn’t you? I knew it.” He raised the gun and pointed at me, and then I heard Talia scream.

  His head jerked in that direction, and he made his way toward the passenger side of my car. I rushed over to stop him, not caring that he had a gun, but I was too late. He had yanked open the car door and pulled T out by her hair, while she continued to scream.

  “Get your fucking hands off her right now, or I’m gonna kill you. I swear to God, I will kill you,” I ground out, my hands in balls by my sides, considering going for my own .22 I kept under the seat. But what good would that do? Someone would end up shot.

  Dammit! How did a chill weekend at an amusement park turn into this?

  My past had caught up to me, that was how. You knew it was gonna happen one of these days, I reminded myself.