Taking the Fall: The Full Complete Series

“She just took up residence at a bar,” I tell Sam as I put the rest of my shit into my backpack. Picking my phone back up, I watch her as we walk out of the room. “It looks to me like she’s looking for an easy score.”

Chapter Four

Anthony

We load into my truck, but this time Sam does the driving since I can’t navigate and drive at the same time. Something still doesn’t feel right, but from what I’ve searched this should be straightforward. If Samuel wasn’t so twisted up about her I’d be pulling him out of this one, but as it stands we’re going to take care of this and then end it. I’m ready to get back to my woman and make her mine.

I’m watching the feed on my phone, and suddenly the phone starts buzzing.

“Shit. It’s my mom.” I contemplate hitting ‘Ignore,’ but I know that won’t do any good. I look over at Sam, and he nods, knowing the same thing. “Just keep straight at the light, then go up two blocks and it’s on the right. You can’t miss the Snake Eyes.”

“Got it,” Sam says. He’s cool and controlled, and it’s more like what I’m used to when we’re on a run.

I put the phone to my ear and smile. “Yo, Jeanette, what’s shakin’?”

“Don’t ‘Jeanette’ me, Anthony. Where are you?” She sounds pissed, and that’s not good.

“Well, Mom, if you must know, I’m in Vegas with Samuel and Mary. We decided to drive down for the weekend, you know, have a good time.” It’s mostly the truth, but I know with my mom, the truth is the safest bet. There’s a pause on her end of the phone, and I have a funny feeling. “Mom, is everything okay?”

“Your dad and I rode by your apartment and you weren’t there. And your landlord was kind enough to let us in. Mind telling me where all your shit is?”

Fuck. Not good. “I can explain.”

“When will you be back?” I can hear my dad mumbling something in the background, but I can’t make it out. ‘Shut up, Saint. I’m talking to my baby.”

Great, this is the last thing I need. I’m in the middle of catching a half a million dollar skip, getting married, and losing my virginity all in twenty-four hours. I don’t need my parents asking about my living situation.

“Tomorrow.”

My mom lets out a huff of frustration, but what can she really do besides wait? “When you get back, come straight over. And bring Mary with you. We need to talk.”

Fuck. They know.

“Sounds good, Mom. Love you.”

“Love you, too, Anthony.”

Goddamn it. I hang up the phone and lay my head back on the headrest. I don’t need this right now. I take a second, and I make my decision. I need to focus, and this isn’t my priority. Mary is. There’ll be time to make money later. I want to marry my woman now.

“Sam, I need to get back to Mary. I’m gonna have to call this one. I’m out.”

Samuel pulls into the Snake Eyes casino and parks off to the side. We can see the entrance from here, and he’s squeezing the steering wheel so tight his knuckles are white.

“I’m sorry, Sam, but this is off. I haven’t had enough time to do some research on this skip. We’re going in blind, and I don’t like it. On top of that, I came here to get married, not chase a bounty. That’s enough for me, man. I’m going back to the room, I’m getting Mary, and I’m making her my wife. You coming?”

He looks over at me, and after a second he closes his eyes and shakes his head. Relief washes over me, but then I realize he’s not disappointed, he’s telling me no.

He turns off the truck, tossing me the keys. “Sorry, Tony. I’m staying.”

“What about walking Mary down the aisle?” I can’t believe he’d miss that for anything on this Earth.

He gets out of the truck and stands at the open door. He puts on his leather jacket, covering his weapons and winks at me. “Oh, I’ll be there. You guys don’t start without me.”

With that, he shuts the door and makes his way into the casino. I should probably be worried, but I’m not. No matter what happens, Samuel can handle himself, and if all else fails I’ve got every camera feed in Vegas at my fingertips and about ten trackers on his body. I can find him anywhere on the face of the Earth. I climb over into the driver's seat and put the keys in the ignition.

Waiting just a few moments, I watch the feed on my phone as Samuel walks into the bar and heads straight for Nika. “Good luck, buddy,” I say out loud and crank the truck.

I turn around and head back to the Blue Diamond. I make one pit stop on the way back to the hotel. I’m thankful that nothing in Vegas closes. You can literally get anything you want twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Once I’m back at the hotel, I go to our room and knock on the door. After just a second, Mary opens the door, smiling at me, and steps out of the way for me to come inside. My arms are full of boxes, and she looks at me with shock.

“What’s all this?” she asks, seeing me set them down.

“Well, I know this was last minute, so I stopped and got a few things. Sit your cute ass down and I’ll show you.” She laughs and goes over to the couch, and I walk over with the first box.

“New,” I say and set the box in her lap. She opens it up and puts her hands over her mouth in shock.

“Anthony, you bought me a wedding dress?” She pulls out the simple white dress that I know is going to look perfect on her.

“I know we’ll have a big wedding later, but I still wanted you to feel like a beautiful bride, even if it’s just for you and me.”

I see a few tears slip down her cheek as she touches the dress. I don’t want her to be sad, so I go to the next box and hand it to her.

“Old and blue,” I say, and watch her open it.

“Oh, my God. They’re beautiful.” She gently touches the vintage blue sapphire earrings.

“I tried to find a pair that matched your eyes, but nothing was as perfect.” I feel my face heat with embarrassment saying that, but it’s true. There’s nothing as perfect as she is. And no piece of jewelry can compare to her.

I wait for her to put them on, then I pass her another box. “Borrowed.”

“What’s this?” She pulls out the gold band and looks at it and raises her eyebrow.

I laugh and point to it. “That’s mine. I’m letting you borrow it for one hour, then I want it back.”

She laughs with me, and then I see more tears fall down her cheeks. I kneel down in front of her and kiss them away, then touch my forehead to hers. “Go get ready, princess. Don’t make me wait any longer.”

She closes her eyes and nods, taking her things with her to the bathroom.

While she’s getting ready, I check the feed on my phone and feel my smile spread from ear to ear. “Well, well, well. Looks like Samuel’s having fun.”

Chapter Five

Mary

“Damn. Seeing you in the dress makes me harder than this past Halloween when you dressed up like a slutty pussy cat,” Anthony growls against my mouth, taking my lips again. This time he picks me up and shoves me against the wall, my legs locking around him the best they can in this dress. So much for not kissing me again until we’re married, but fuck it, we’re at the chapel so close enough.

“Are you at least going to let me go outside dressed like this?” I tease. Pulling back, I try to catch my breath because he’s been all over me since I put this thing on. I didn't even make it out of our bedroom with that Halloween costume on, but I hadn't wanted to. The point was to once again try to bait Anthony into finally making love to me. He ended up doing everything but that that night, over and over again for hours. Who would have thought I should’ve just bought a wedding dress and walked around the apartment in it? My virginity would have been long gone.

“Only long enough to make you mine.” He pulls back, his voice husky as he nibbles on my neck.

“No marks. We have to see our parents this week for Thanksgiving. Let’s not add any fuel to the fire.”

“You saying I c

an’t mark you?” I feel him suck harder on my neck, and it makes me buck into him. My neck is my weak spot, and he knows it. He barely has to run his fingers across me there and I’m instantly wet and clawing to get at him.

“Anthony.” I moan out his name, my eyes falling closed, and I just enjoy the feelings running through my body. It’s all I can seem to say at the moment. I should tell him to stop, but I can’t, and I don’t want him to.

“You saying I can’t leave my love marks on you? I like my love marks on your body. Lets people know you belong to someone. Someone who can’t keep his hands off you. Someone who likes to see the signs of me all over you.”

“Yes, please.” He backs away a little, letting my legs drop from around his waist. I try to protest, wanting him plastered against me with no space between us. Using his foot, he pushes my feet further apart, and I feel one of his hands bunching up my dress. Then his hand is on my pussy, his other one going to my face, and I feel his forehead rest on mine as his thumb rubs along my jaw.

“Eyes on me, princess.” I look up into his eyes and see so much looking back at me. The power and intensity make my stomach tighten.

“I’m about to marry you. Make you legally mine. Because God and everyone knows you’ve been mine from the moment we both entered this world.” His fingers part my pussy lips as he starts to softly stroke my clit. My body pushes into his hand like it always does, always wanting to be as close it him as possible.