by Maddie Wade
“I think that is a good idea, Viking.” Gunner chuckled which wasn’t something he’d anticipated on this trip at all.
He got her to the lift, and once inside, she curled into him, her head in his neck, her lips resting against his pulse. He wasn’t a dick, but he was a human, and she was testing every ounce of control he had with her sweet mouth on him. Just the thought of those lips around his cock had him having to adjust his jeans so he didn’t end up with permanent teeth marks from the zipper.
Lacey was the one woman he hadn’t been able to get out of his head, and yet they’d barely shared a kiss. He didn’t know what it was about her, but she’d burrowed into his soul and made a place for herself there. Had life been different, he would’ve followed up after her attack, made sure she was safe, that she was recovering and maybe even asked her out on a date.
Yet that wasn’t his path now, the choices he’d made had steered him in a direction he couldn’t come back from. Up until a few hours ago, he didn’t even care if he came out of this alive. His only focus to end the threat to his former team and his family, and if he died doing it, he was okay with that.
He looked down at the woman who was snuggled against his side as he walked her to her door and wished things were different, that he was a better man. Her scent played havoc with his control as she struggled to find her key card in her bag. Gently he took it from her fingers and unlocked her door for her, pushing the door open wide.
As he did, his instincts kicked in as he saw the destruction inside. A gasp of dismay had him pulling Lacey behind him at the same time he pulled his weapon.
“Stay here. I need to check and make sure nobody is still in there.”
Lacey nodded, all signs of her drunken state seeming to have fled to be replaced by fear.
Gunner cleared each room silently and efficiently, stepping over her clothes strewn about the bedroom, the mattress that had been slashed, and the tv smashed on the floor. Whoever had done this had been frenzied, but they were gone now. Quickly he made his way back to Lacey, who was standing exactly where he’d left her by the door. Her skin was paler than usual, her eyes bright with fear instead of the joy and desire of moments ago, and for that alone, Gunner wanted to rip whoever had done this to shreds.
Taking her arm, he led her out of the room and back towards the elevator, hitting the button for his floor. Lacey was quiet as if she was in shock, and he knew this would be bringing back unhappy memories for her. As the doors opened, she seemed to snap out of her fog.
“Where are we going?”
Gunner took her upper arm in his hand and directed her toward his room. “My room. We can call security from there.”
“Oh, okay.”
He didn’t like that placid acceptance from her, not because it wasn’t helpful but because her fire was integral to her personality. Not in the same way Pax or Evelyn had fire, hers was more subtle, refined.
Moving into the room, he checked his own security measures were in place, and happy his room hadn’t been breached, he took her inside and led her toward the couch. She sat with a shiver, and he crouched down and pulled a blanket from the back of the sofa over her shoulders.
“Thank you.”
Her voice was small, and he had to grit his teeth to bite back the growl in his throat. Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead, needing to touch her in some way, to reassure her she wasn’t alone. His brain was running scenarios as to who had done this. Was this to do with him or her previous boyfriend or merely a robbery?
Stepping to the fridge, he grabbed two bottles of water, figuring they’d probably had enough alcohol for tonight. He offered her one, and she took it with shaking hands and trepid smile.
“I need to make some calls. You okay for a minute?” Lacey nodded, and he was relieved to see some of the colour coming back into her cheeks. Gunner moved to the other side of the room and took out his phone. He had a choice to make now. Did he call Bás or Jack? It wasn’t much of a choice he realised as he dialled the number and waited.
“Yes?”
“Jack, it’s Gunner.”
Gunner could practically hear his former boss sit up straighter. “What’s wrong?” One of Jack’s many talents was being able to read people’s voices and now was no different.
“I’m in Düsseldorf at the Sheraton. My flight got cancelled.”
“And this concerns me because?”
“I ran into Lacey Cannon and we had a drink. When I walked her back to her room. We found it had been trashed. All her things slashed, mattress slashed, the whole works.”
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah, a little shaken up but she’s fine. I’m going to call security as soon as we hang up.” Gunner sighed and rubbed his temples where a headache was forming. “I know I have no right to ask favours from you, but could you get in touch with Nate and see if Fortis can look into her ex and see if he’s still in prison?”
“I can do that. Anything else?”
“Make sure Nate meets her at the airport. I can keep an eye on her here, but if this is somehow connected to me, I don’t want her left alone.”
“You think it is?”
“Not really, but enough people have gotten hurt because of me. I won’t let her become another victim.”
“Consider it done.”
Jack hung up, and Gunner felt the knot of tension in his belly ease. Now he had to get Lacey safely into the hands of Nate and Fortis, and she’d be fine. Like Eidolon, Fortis Security consisted of former Special Forces that were more like family than anything else. He knew Zack and his team would make sure the woman who was looking at him like he had all the answers safe. Gunner scoffed silently as he called the front desk. He didn’t have answers, and the truth was, he’d made such a fuck up of his life he could hardly find his face in the mirror these days.
But by God, he’d keep her safe if it killed him.
Chapter 4
Lacey could feel the effects of the alcohol wearing off already and was glad to have her head clearer. The small visual she’d seen of her room before he’d ushered her out of there had been like a dagger to the heart. Her sense of security had vanished in the blink of an eye. Her damaged clothes and personal items were all replaceable, piece of mind wasn’t. All the techniques she’d put in place after her attack by her ex-lover, Carmine Russo, were gone as fear overwhelmed her in a heartbeat.
Lacey looked up as Gunner moved to sit next to her, his body providing warmth and comfort as he lifted his arm and she scooted closer to feel the safety of his body close to hers. He leaned them back on the couch, and she settled against him with a trust she’d always felt for this man. He was a protector, and she knew he’d never let anyone harm her while he was around.
Lacey also knew it was temporary. Whatever forces had brought them together were fleeting, and she mourned that fact above all others.
“How are you doing, Cosmo?”
Lacey felt her lips tip up at the new nickname. “Better, thank you.” She knew she should be dealing with this herself, not allowing Gunner to swoop in and be the hero. She needed to be her own hero and take back control. That had been the thing that kept her sane after Carmine had held her at gunpoint and tried to force her to marry him. A rigid control on her life and her future. It was one of the reasons she was moving to Hereford and leaving the city.
A home of her own surrounded by people who made her feel safe would give her that. Having her own business and not relying on managers and agents gave her more control, but for this one minute she needed to lean on someone, and Gunner was the man she trusted to hold her while she shored up her emotional defences.
A short time later a knock on the door had her stiffening and siting up sharply, her muscles tensing for flight. Gunner’s hand on her cheek, forced her to look up at him, anchored her to the moment. “It’s hotel security.”
Lacey nodded, feeling foolish. Gunner moved to the door, checking before he let the man in, conversing with him in flawless German. Gunn
er moved back to her and crouched in front of her, his hand landing on her knee and rubbing in a circular motion meant to ease her.
“Apparently, the security footage shows a man going into your room shortly after you left, but a cap obscures his face. They want to know if you saw anything suspicious in the hallway?”
Lacey stopped remembering the feeling of being watched as she swam and the man in the elevator who’d given her the creeps but had done nothing to her other than that. Lacey rolled her lips, considering how to say it without sounding like some paranoid female.
Gunner angled his head, and she could tell he knew she was hiding something. “Lacey?”
“I got the feeling someone was watching me when I took my swim earlier, and then in the lift on the way down to the bar, some guy gave me the creeps, but he didn’t do or say anything to me.”
“Fuck, Lacey, why didn’t you tell me?”
Lacey’s spine stiffened at his sharp tone, and she went still under his hand. “Why the hell would I have told you, Gunner? We’re nothing to each other, barely even friends.”
She saw her words wound the gentle giant of a man as he nodded. “Fair point. Can you give me any more details?”
“Gunner, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. Of course we’re friends. You saved me once before and again tonight. I can never repay that. I’m a little edgy, but that doesn’t excuse me being a bitch.”
His crooked grin hit her right in the belly, forming a warmth to permeate her body in the most intimate places. Damn this man was attractive, she’d felt the physical pull when they’d first met and again tonight.
“You could never be bitchy, Cosmo. I shouldn’t have reacted as I did. You owe me nothing.”
“I owe you so much more than that. You’re my saviour yet again.” Her words had the opposite effect of what she wanted, and she saw him pull down emotional walls right in front of her. His expressive blue eyes went hard, his jaw a stone mask on his handsome face.
“I’m nobody’s saviour.”
With that he stood and went and spoke to the security officer, she guessed relaying her answers to him. The next half hour was spent recounting every detail from tonight to security and then for a few hours after that, the German police.
As Gunner closed the door, she was regarding him warily. He’d relaxed a little but was still maintaining his distance, and she hated it. She wanted the relaxed, warm man from earlier who had played the piano and then flirted over drinking games with her, but she had no clue how to reach him.
“You can stay here tonight. I’ll take the couch.”
She should argue, but the truth was she felt safer when he was around. He’d taken a call earlier to say her ex-boyfriend was still locked up, so there was that at least.
“I can take the couch,” she began but stopped when he arched a brow at her. “Come on. I’m half the size of you.”
“Don’t give a rats ass if you’re a fucking faerie. You’re taking the bed. If anything comes through that door, there’s no way in hell you’re between it and me.” He shook his head, emphatically. “No fucking way.”
“Fine. Alright if I take a shower first?”
Gunner grunted, and she took it as a yes and shut the door to the bathroom. The hot shower made her feel more human as the last of the booze wore off, leaving her with just the come down from the shock of the evening. Slipping on a t-shirt Gunner had given her, she towel-dried her hair and then cracked the bedroom door allowing the light from the lounge to creep in and light the dark corners.
It was embarrassing to admit that as a grown-ass woman, she was scared of the dark, but it was the truth. Sliding into the bed that Gunner should have been using, she curled on her side and tried to shut out all the memories that tried to weaken her from flooding her mind.
Instead, she let her mind wander to the memory of Gunner’s arms around her as she listened to him quietly walking about the other room. It made her feel safe enough to fall into a fitful sleep.
The next thing she knew, arms were around her and an absent screaming was hurting her ears as she fought the invisible foe off with little effect.
“Lacey, hey, it’s me.” The deep voice managed to get through the fog of terror and the sound of screaming eased until she realised it had been her. With a sob, she fell into Gunner’s arms realising she’d had another dream. It had been six months since the last, and she’d thought she was winning this silent battle with her demons but evidently, the robbery tonight had set her back.
Wiping her eyes with the tissue Gunner offered, she fought to pull her shit together until she was somewhat under control again. Chancing a glance at Gunner she saw nothing but compassion and a steely determination to protect on his gorgeous face.
“I’m okay now.”
“I’m glad you are, Cosmo. Damn near gave me a heart attack.” He flopped back on the bed, pulling her in close as she held tight.
“Sorry. I thought I was over them, but it looks like the nightmares are back.”
Gunner stroked her hair, and she realised he was in only athletic shorts as her fingers touched the warm muscle of his chest.
“Don’t apologise, Lacey. I, more than anyone, know how real nightmares can be.”
“You have them?”
“I did. Sometimes I still do.”
“Do you remember them?” Her fingers skimmed over his skin, making him shiver, the muscle rippling with strength.
“Every detail.”
He went silent, and she wondered if he would tell her but stayed quiet, not wanting him to bring his walls back up. She was sure he wouldn’t answer when he began to speak, his voice low, the pain like cut glass on her skin.
“I have a sister.”
Not what Lacey was expecting, but she stayed silent, knowing that this was important.
“Milla is seven years older than me, always protected me but she was my best friend. When my parents died, I was only three, so didn’t remember them much. Milla sheltered me. We had my grandmother, who was a saint to be looking after two kids but losing a child had made her nervous, so she was strict. She hated me doing anything dangerous in her mind, and so I hid it. Milla was the buffer and let me get away with so much.” His chuckle was humourless as it faded away. Lacey felt the overpowering need to comfort this man who had saved her, to take away his pain.
“You don’t have to go on if it’s too painful.”
“I went out onto the lake when I shouldn’t have, and it started to crack. Milla, she came out after me and got me to safety, but the ice was too thin, and she went in the water. By the time they got her out, her brain had been starved of oxygen for too long. She has a brain injury, locked in a body and mind that won’t work anymore, and it’s my fault.”
The anguish broke her heart as tears for this warrior, and everything he’d lost, fell down her cheeks and onto his warm skin.
Bringing her hand up, she angled his face toward her and saw the pain in the ice-blue depths. “You were a child.”
“I should have known better.”
“Maybe but all kids do things they know they shouldn’t, but not all of them end up with such horrific consequences. You take the blame, but it was her choice not to get help, her choice to go after you. Do you really think she would want you to blame yourself for what happened?” Gunner stayed still lost in his own guilt, and for the first time, she saw a man on the edge. Weighed down by guilt and pain that she didn’t fully understand and more than anything she wanted to take away his pain.
Without thinking, she pulled his head down, seeing the fire in his eyes return before her lips touched his. Firm and gentle, she kissed him until her tongue flicked at his closed lips and then he took over. He rolled them so he covered her body with his own, his big hands cupping her face as he kissed his way down her neck, desire and need taking over them both as each touch became frenzied and desperate.
His teeth grazed her neck, and she moaned with a burst of pleasure as her nails found his back, scoring alon
g the warm skin making him groan as he rocked his hard length against her core until she was mewling, the orgasm just out of reach. Gunner pulled away, lifting his tee over her head until she lay beneath him in her underwear. His eyes feasted on her like she was precious.
As a model, Lacey felt confident having eyes on her body, but the tenderness and awe she saw in Gunner’s eyes made her desperate to feel everything with him. Slipping her hand into his shorts, she grasped his hard length and stroked as he groaned and pumped his hips into her hand.
“Fuck, Cosmo, you’re going to kill me.”
“I want you, Gunner.” Never in her life had she wanted anything more than she wanted to feel this man inside her. His lips found hers as his fingers toyed with her swollen clit, making her arch into him as she pushed his shorts down the thick muscles of his thighs.
Sliding her panties down her legs, she kicked them off as he wrapped her leg around his waist, and she felt the tip of him against her entrance. His lips on her nipple as he sucked first one tip and then the other into his mouth, driving her crazy with lust, had her almost coming undone in his arms.
But his fingers on her clit stroking her to a fever pitch as she urged him closer made her gasp as her climax hit her in a wave of pleasure so intense, she couldn’t catch her breath. Pulses of bliss spasmed through her body like fireworks as he continued to lavish her body with his wickedly good hands.
“So beautiful, Cosmo.” His words were ragged as he nipped and kissed her mouth and neck.
“I want to feel you inside me.”
“Are you sure?”
Lacey grasped his long hair by the roots and forced his eyes to her. “Fuck me, Gunner.”
His lazy smile was not what she expected, but a second later as he pushed his hard cock inside her, all other thoughts fled her brain.
Everything from the unfamiliar burn of him stretching her body, to the feeling of being full was perfect. She held on to the silky strands of his hair as he gazed down at her, tension bracketing every nuance of his face and she knew he was worried he’d hurt her.