Heart of a Devil

by Morgan James

  I turned to storm off, but he caught me around the waist and pulled me back. “C’mere, trouble. It was just a joke.”

  I yanked backward, trying to pry myself from his grasp. “I told you how much I don’t like them!”

  “I know, I know.” Vince loosened his hold but didn’t release me. “I’m sorry. I was just teasing.”

  In hindsight, I should have known. The tickle of the palm leaf didn’t feel anything like a spider. But my mind had been so preoccupied by thoughts of creepy, crawly things that I’d fallen for his trick.

  “I hate you.” Even as the words left my mouth, I melted against him, a strange combination of emotions swirling inside me as I sank into the warmth and security of his broad chest.

  A pair of huge hands swept slowly up my spine, then back down. “No, you don’t.”

  “Fine. I don’t hate you.” This time, he let me go as I leaned away from him. “But I’m still mad at you. Jerk.”

  “You know I would never let anything hurt you for real.” He turned and steered us toward the house. “But I kinda owed you for that little stunt you pulled at the restaurant. Brat.”

  My heart banged against my ribs as he draped one arm over my shoulders and dropped a kiss on the top of my head. I was so taken aback by the gesture that I almost missed a step. As if realizing what he’d done, Vince let his hand drop, his fingertips skimming my arm as it fell to his side. Disappointment hit me first, followed immediately by a warm glow around my heart.

  Something had changed between us tonight. I wasn’t sure what would happen next, but I knew instinctively that Vince would fight it. He’d deemed himself my protector and was reluctant to cross any lines. But I had no such qualms. I just had to figure out how to break down his resistance and make him see that I wanted this too.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Vince

  One arm wrapped under her breasts, her head was tucked beneath my chin, her body flush against mine. Even all hot and sweaty, she felt so fucking good. Every single thing about her turned me on—the way her hair smelled, the way the curves of her tiny body fit my muscular frame. For better or worse, things between us had shifted dramatically. And I wouldn’t change it for the world.

  I still couldn’t fucking believe I’d kissed her last night. It wasn’t a real kiss, but it’d been automatic, as if I’d done it a hundred times. That look on her face had done me in—the one that spoke of a mixture of shock and fear. I’d wanted to lift her into my arms and promise to keep her safe forever. Unfortunately, we’d already been here for a week. All she’d have left of me once we got home were the evasion tactics I was currently teaching her.

  With her chin tucked into the crook of my right elbow, I tightened my hold around her neck. “Now, show me how you’re gonna get free.”

  Her hands came up and wrapped around my forearm, trying to drag it away from her throat. She let out a frustrated little growl when I dragged her backward a few steps, demonstrating how easily I could overpower her. I loosened my hold and set her away from me, then met her gaze. “Your goal isn’t to overpower me—it’s to escape,” I explained. “Since you’re small, it’s going to be difficult for you to fight off an attacker and knock him out. Six seconds is all it takes to choke someone out. You need to remain in control and use your entire body to get free. Let’s try it again.”

  I pulled her back into a reverse chokehold. “I’m holding you with my right arm, so you’ll need to escape to your left. Small step forward with your left foot, then slide your right foot between our bodies and rotate your shoulders.” I tapped her right thigh, and she followed my instructions, slowly spinning until she was facing me. “Keep your body low as you move, then once your shoulders are free of my arms, push off as hard as you can and run like hell.”

  I turned her and pulled her against me, then dragged her backward a couple of steps. Her feet tangled with mine as she fought for purchase. She dug in her heels and rotated her hips toward me. “Come on, Jana. Break it, break my hold!”

  She threw all of her weight into the spin, loosening my grip, but I grabbed for her again as she tried to evade my hold. Adrenaline running high, I saw the move coming before one slender leg kicked forward, right toward the soft spot between my legs. I shifted slightly to the side, but her foot caught my junk, and I let out a little grunt of pain as I dropped to one knee.

  Fuck. I’d forgotten how bad that hurt.

  “Shit!” Jana threw herself forward and grabbed my shoulders. “Are you okay?”

  I let out a little chuckle. “I will be in a sec.”

  “I’m so sorry.” She pulled me into a hug, and on my knees the way I was, my cheek pressed against her stomach. We were both sticky and sweaty, but I didn’t give a single fuck. I wrapped my arms around the back of her legs and held on tight. Goddamn she felt so good—too good.

  She let out a little squeal as I shifted my weight, rolling us until she was pinned beneath me, my weight settled firmly between her hips. “Don’t ever apologize. You did exactly what I told you to do. You go back to check on someone and they do this.” I gestured with my chin to my precarious position between her legs. “This is exactly what a sexual predator wants.”

  Big blue eyes stared up at me, one hundred percent focused now on my words. I wrapped my hands around her throat. “Show me what you do.”

  Her right hand came up and wrapped around my forearm, and her left hand cut across my chest until the flat of her palm lay against the base of my neck. Her feet crawled up my body until her right leg was braced over my shoulder and the left swung in front of my face, forcing me to lean back. She grabbed my wrist with both hands, then rolled to the side so my arm was trapped between her legs. She arched her back, pressing her hips upward to put enough pressure on my elbow to snap the joint.

  “Easy!” I yelled, and she immediately released me, rolling to her feet and jogging away.

  “That was pretty good, huh?” She threw me a cheeky grin, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I climbed to my feet.

  “Yeah, it was.” She was proving to be a damn quick learner. She wasn’t proficient by any means, but I was proud as fuck that she was taking the instruction seriously. That cocky little smile gracing her lips made me want to pick her up and toss her tiny ass over my shoulder, dominate her in every way known to mankind.

  I dipped my chin. “You know I owe you for that.”

  She squealed and tried to dart away as I lunged toward her. I caught her wrist and tugged her toward me, but she slipped from my grasp, dancing backwards. Not taking my eyes from her, a predatory smile lifted my lips. “Where you goin’, trouble?”

  She licked her lips and glanced past me—to the pool at my back. A gleam entered her eyes, but she tried to play it cool. She shrugged. “I’m hungry, aren’t you?” She took a step closer. “What are you feeling for lunch? I was thinking—”

  All of a sudden she rushed me, arms outstretched, reaching for my chest. I grinned as I fended her off. Grabbing her around her tiny waist, I whirled her around so we were reversed and she was inches away from the edge of the pool. She held fast to my forearms, balanced only on the balls of her feet. I watched her face as she hung there precariously, suspended over the edge of the pool. If I let go, she’d fall in, and she knew it.

  She let out a little shriek as I released her waist and grabbed her wrists instead, lowering her another foot closer to the water. “Payback’s a bitch, trouble.”

  “If I’m going in, you’re coming with me.” She grinned hugely and levered all of her weight backward, trying to pull me in with her.

  I had to outweigh her skinny ass by at least eighty pounds; she had absolutely zero chance of budging me, but it didn’t stop her from trying. Digging her heels in, she used every ounce of muscle she possessed to try to pull me with her.

  Her face twisted in consternation, and I let out a laugh. She was so damn adorable I couldn’t handle it sometimes. Relaxing my muscles, I leaned forward, and we toppled toward the water together
. I surfaced and stood to find Jana hastily swiping long strands of blonde hair from her face.

  “You asshole!” She sputtered with laughter and swiped her arm across the surface of the water, sending a wave splashing over me.

  “Now you’ve done it.” I growled and dove toward her. She was hampered by the water as she tried to move out of arm’s reach, and I easily pulled her under. She popped back up, pressing down on my shoulders, and I allowed her to dunk me before wrapping my arms around her waist and lifting her off her feet.

  She threw her head back on a laugh as she clutched at my shoulders. “Okay, okay, truce!”

  “That’s what I thought.” I grinned.

  Face to face, we stared at each other, and all of a sudden it sank in just how close we were. Jana’s chest rose on a breath, brushing against mine. The sport bra she wore was thin, and I could feel the outline of her tight little nipples through the fabric. My dick leaped to attention between us, and I was momentarily amazed by my body’s reaction. Even after taking that shot just minutes earlier, my cock was eager as ever at the prospect of being near Jana.

  Every trace of mirth vanished from Jana’s face, and she wrapped her legs around my waist. There was no way she couldn’t feel my arousal for her. I adjusted my grip, sliding my hands under her bottom. Goddamn, I loved her ass. I loved to look at it, but that was nothing compared to actually touching her, reveling in the feel of the soft globes filling my palms.

  I was flirting with fire, but for the life of me, I couldn’t remember why it was a bad idea. Jana evoked feelings in me, both emotional and physical, that I’d never experienced. I’d tried to rationalize it by telling myself it was only because I hadn’t been with a woman in months. But I knew better. It was Jana that was different. I couldn’t think when she was around, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. She was a walking wet dream, a perpetual distraction. I couldn’t focus on anything but her.

  Her lips were only inches from my own. Tiny droplets of water clung to her skin, and I wanted to run my tongue over her, lick up every single one. I dropped my gaze to her mouth, full and sensual. Her lips rolled inward then parted slightly on a soft sigh as her fingers sank into the hair at the base of my neck. She was begging for it—and I was going to give it to her.

  I dipped my head just as a high-pitched ring pierced the air. Both of us froze. The ring came a second time from my cell phone, and Jana lifted her gaze to mine. I wanted to ignore it, to recapture the spark I’d felt a moment ago zinging between us.

  A third ring pealed incessantly.

  Fuck. “I should get that.”

  I simultaneously cursed and blessed whoever the hell had just ruined the moment as Jana unwound her legs from my waist. Cool water replaced the feel of her hot body against mine, and I wanted to pull her back to me. My fingers twitched against the curve of her ass as she slowly slid down my body until she was on her feet.

  Shaking my lust-addled head, I made sure she was steady, then braced my hands on the side of the pool and launched myself up and over. I threw a quick glance over my shoulder to where Jana had paused on the steps of the pool. She was bent over at the waist, hair draped over one shoulder as she wrung water from the long strands. It glimmered in the sunlight, and I wanted to run my fingers through it, gather it up and pull her close, take that kiss she was so willing to offer just minutes ago.

  Turning, I adjusted the massive hard-on tenting my shorts and almost groaned at the contact. I’d jerked off at least once a day for the past week, but it hadn’t satiated my desire for her at all. Each encounter left me feeling unsatisfied and empty.

  My gaze dropped to her ass, barely constrained by a tiny scrap of teal fabric. My cock jumped to attention once more, and I let out a little growl as I snatched up the phone. Fuck. It was going to be a long ass week.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Jana

  My heart slammed against my ribcage, and I dragged in an unsteady breath as I pressed one hand over my chest and leaned against the door. While Vince had taken the phone call, I used the opportunity to slip inside and put some distance between us. I needed a second to myself to process everything that had happened—and everything that hadn’t.

  I swore he was about to kiss me before his phone rang, breaking the moment. I couldn’t figure him out. One minute he was the big, bad bodyguard, keeping me locked away in the ivory tower. The next, he was laughing and smiling, joking like we’d known each other forever. Despite the innocent flirting over the past few days, I felt a real spark with him. He made me feel giddy, like I was walking on air, but I had no idea if he felt the same way. Our past was so conflicted by drama, I didn’t know how to reconcile his recent behavior. The hard ridge I’d felt through the thin material of his shorts told me it was more than just friendly banter, but I had no idea if he would ever let himself feel more for me.

  Not for the first time, I wished I had someone to talk to other than Vince. Since he was currently the subject of my speculation, he was the last person I could turn to. A rash desperation took hold, and I scrabbled through my bag, looking for my cell phone.

  Vince had given it back a few days ago, once things between us had smoothed over a bit. I’d thrown it back in my purse, and now I snatched it up. While I waited for it to turn on, I stripped out of my soaked sports bra and shorts, then slipped into dry clothes.

  As soon as my phone powered up, my screen was bombarded with hundreds of notifications that had come in through email and text message over the last week. Ignoring all of them, I pulled up my phone log and quickly tapped Maggie’s number, then waited impatiently for it to connect.

  Maggie didn’t even bother with a hello. “Jana, please tell me that’s you!”

  “Of course it’s me.” I laughed. “Who else would it be?”

  “Thank God! I was starting to worry about you.”

  I smiled at her overprotective reaction. She could be super paranoid sometimes, but I loved her to death. “I thought Harvey told you I was headed out of town.”

  “Yeah,” she huffed. “But you never know. The whole thing just sounded sketchy with your elopement and everything. You never even told me you were seeing anyone.”

  I could hear the accusation in her voice, but Con’s strict instructions came back to me, and I smoothly ignored her unspoken question. “I know, I’m sorry. Everything happened so fast, and we wanted it to be a surprise...”

  Ha. Wasn’t that the understatement of the year? Getting married had sure surprised the hell out of me.

  “Right...” Maggie sounded worried. “Well, as long as you’re okay.”

  “I’m good,” I reassured her. “I was kind of just calling to check in, see how everything’s going.”

  “People are losing their minds over here,” she replied. “Your social media has been going crazy, with everyone wanting all the details.”

  “Thanks for taking care of that,” I said. “I know everything happened kind of suddenly.”

  “It’s fine,” she said. “I’m just glad to hear from you and know you’re okay.”

  “Of course.”

  She must have heard the hesitation in my voice, because her tone turned contemplative. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

  I shrugged one shoulder as I sank onto the corner of the bed. “It’s been kind of boring, honestly. We’ve only gone out once since we’ve been here.”

  Maggie let out a crack of laughter. “Have you been stuck in bed the whole time?”

  My cheeks burned at the implication, and my gaze slid to the pillows just a few feet away. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t imagined what it would be like between Vince and me, especially after the past few days. He’d showed me a side of himself I hadn’t known existed, and for the first time since I met him, I really believed there might be a possibility of something more.

  I must have waited too long to answer, because Maggie laughed again. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  I rolled my eyes, mentally slapping away the image of him in
bed next to me, all sweaty and sexy. “Just been hanging around,” I said, trying to keep the details to a minimum. “Swimming, walking on the beach. It’s been fun.”

  “You never take a vacation,” Maggie cut in. “You should enjoy it while it lasts.”

  “I know.” I threw myself back onto the bed with a sigh. “But Vince says it’s not safe yet.”

  “Vince is with you?” Maggie asked.

  “Well, yeah.” I rolled my eyes. “Who else?”

  “But I thought you were on your honeymoon?”

  Her question caused me to bolt upright. Shit. My mind raced to come up with an acceptable excuse but failed.

  “Wait a second,” she said. “Are we talking about the same person? As in Vince Incarnato—your bodyguard?”

  “Um...” I licked my lips, debating whether I could lie my way out of this. She was going to find out eventually anyway, so I gave in. “Yeah. We’re... together.”

  “You married him?”

  Incredulousness saturated Maggie’s tone, and I bristled. “Of course. Why do you say it like that?”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” she snapped. “Maybe because you guys have been at each other’s throats since he came to work for you. Damn.” She huffed a mirthless little laugh. “He moved fast.”

  There was no concealing the derision in her tone this time. “It’s not like that,” I snapped. “He’s a good guy.”

  Ten whole seconds of silence ensued, then a sigh filtered through the speaker. “Do you love him?”

  The question hit me like a ton of bricks to the chest. “Enough to marry him,” I said softly, realizing how true the words were.

  “Are you sure he’s not taking advantage of the situation?”

  I had to laugh. If either of us was taking advantage of anyone, it was me. “Definitely not,” I said.

  Maggie persisted. “Seriously, though. How long have you known this guy? How can you be sure?”