Protecting Piper

by Cynthia Eden

  A faint grin lifted Eric’s lips. “And we’re getting his crazy ass back upstairs.”

  “Good.” Ben gave an approving nod. “Because I think my knees are about to buckle. Bro, catch me if I fall.”

  ***

  “I hate to just leave Mark in jail,” Piper said as she slumped back in Eric’s car. “I mean, he was trying to help me. Trying to stop Dante!”

  “I’ve already called Kendrick Shaw. He’ll be at the station with Mark by now.” Eric cranked his Benz. “Don’t worry, Mark won’t be alone. Layla isn’t about to railroad him. She’ll find the truth. She always does.”

  Weariness pulled at him. If Mark had just stayed back, Eric’s team could have contained Dante. The cops could have taken him in to custody. But the night had ended in more bloodshed. More death.

  “Did Dante have a stab wound?” Piper asked quietly. “In his chest? I mean, that’s what we were looking for, right? Because Ben was able to stab his attacker…”

  Eric had been able to get the answer to this question at the gallery. “One of the cops told me that he did.”

  A low sigh. “Then that’s the end, isn’t it? The proof we needed? Everything is over. Layla just has to release Mark, and then life can go back to normal.”

  Eric didn’t want things to go back to the way they’d been. He wanted better. He wanted different. He wanted her.

  He’d had Piper in his home and in his bed. Finally, really, truly in his life, and he didn’t want to let her go.

  So how was he going to convince her to stay?

  ***

  “You’re my lawyer?” Mark frowned at the slick guy beside him. A fellow that practically oozed cash in a suit that smelled of money. “Since when?”

  “Since Eric Wilde hired me.” The guy flashed him a million-dollar smile. “My name is Kendrick Shaw, and I am not only the best criminal defense attorney in Atlanta, but I’m the best on the whole East Coast.”

  Uh, okay. The guy was definitely confident.

  Kendrick straightened his already straight suit. “Now let me do most of the talking when the cops come in. The less you say, the better it is.”

  “I killed Dante—”

  “Jesus, see, that’s why I just told you…the less you say, the better it is.” Kendrick puffed out his cheeks. “You acted in self-defense that’s what you did. There was no killing involved. You saw a break-in at your friend’s gallery.”

  Mark nodded. “I knew someone was inside.”

  “You called Eric Wilde to alert him.” Kendrick’s eyes were hard. “That’s what Wilde told me.”

  Mark gave another nod. “I wanted him to know what was happening.”

  Kendrick’s hands motioned vaguely in the air. Sort of an I-Need-More gesture. When Mark didn’t add more, Kendrick said, “And because you were afraid the perp would get away. That’s why you rushed inside. You didn’t want him to get away, so you went into the gallery.”

  “The front door was open,” Mark mumbled. His temples were pounding, and his chest ached. The new tattoo seemed to burn his skin. “The lights were on upstairs, so I ran up there.”

  “When you found Dante Fallon—”

  “He had a knife, he lunged at me, so I killed—” Mark stopped and corrected himself. “So I acted in self-defense.”

  The lawyer nodded approvingly. “Damn straight you did.” He rubbed his hands together. “I’ll have you back at your home before the sun rises.”

  ***

  She opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. Sunlight trickled through the blinds. A new day.

  Eric’s arm was thrown across her stomach, as if he’d wanted to hold her in sleep. It was the second time she’d woken to find him still holding her, and she liked it. Before, she really hadn’t ever slept well with her lovers. She’d been restless, far too aware of every single movement they made during the night, but with Eric, it was different.

  He was different. Her head turned so that she could stare at him. Tousled hair. Long, black lashes. Dark stubble on his hard jaw. In sleep, he didn’t look vulnerable or softer in any way. He just still looked sexy and fierce, and Piper found herself inching closer to him.

  She pressed a kiss to his jaw. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  His eyes didn’t open. “I think every day should start this way.” His voice held no grogginess, but was completely awake and aware.

  A smile curved her lips. “With me thanking you?”

  “No.” Now his eyes opened. So deep and dark and consuming. “With you in bed with me. With you beside me.”

  Her heart gave a fast flutter. “You’re wanting this…us…to continue?”

  “No.”

  No? She pulled away from him, clutching the sheet to her chest as she sat up in bed. A fast, jerky movement.

  “I’ve lied to you, Piper.”

  A horrible cold slid through her. She was in his bed, she’d woken feeling all happy and safe, and now she feared her world was about to implode. Talk about one brutal wake-up. “What lie?”

  He sat up, slowly. The sheet pooled at his waist, and his powerful abs flexed. “There is something you need to know about me. Something that I’ve hidden from you for a very long time.” He scrubbed a hand over his stubble-covered jaw. “This shit is hard because I’ve never done it before.”

  Never done what before? Told a lover to kiss off? That was exactly what she felt like he was doing. The case was over and he was already kicking her out? No, no, this could not be happening. She’d let him in. She’d trusted him. She’d started to think of a future with him.

  Why in the hell would you ever do that? A cold voice from inside chided her. You know he isn’t looking for forever. There is no forever. Not with a lover, there is just—

  “Come back to me.”

  Piper blinked. Stared hard at him. She should get out of the bed. Get dressed. Not have this conversation when her only covering was a sheet.

  He took her right hand in his and pried it away from the sheet. Her left still clutched the black silk to her chest.

  His face was so serious. So intense.

  “I wish I’d gone back to you after the first kiss.”

  The first kiss?

  “I don’t want only sex from you. I never wanted that. I want you. All of you.” His hold tightened on her hand. “I’m in love with you, Piper Lane, and I have been, for a very long time.”

  She shook her head.

  His jaw hardened even more. “I know you think I’m a jerk. Give me a chance to show you that I can be more. That we might be able to have more together.” Then he let her go. Let her hand fall from his. “I understand that you don’t feel the same way. I’m not trying to pressure you for anything. I just wanted you to know—you’re important to me, baby. You always have been. You always will be. Whatever decision you make about us, I’ll respect it.” He swallowed. “I wanted to say the words, you know? Because all this time, when you thought I didn’t care or that I was just the biggest asshole in the world, the truth is that all this time, I loved you.”

  Her heart was drumming out of control. Absolute madness. Chaos to the extreme. “Say it again.”

  He frowned. A sexy little furrow between his brows. “I’m the biggest asshole in the world—”

  She tackled him. Smashed the sheet between their bodies and tumbled him back onto the bed. “That part is fun, but say you love me again.”

  He smiled. Flashed her that slash, and some of the intensity in his eyes changed to pure heat. “I love you, Piper Lane.”

  She kissed him. Laughed. Kissed him again. And felt joy pour through her.

  His arms wrapped around her hips. “Does this mean you don’t mind?”

  “Mind?” Piper rose up, her knees pushing down on either side of his hips. The sheet fell and she didn’t care. “I love you, Eric.”

  He tensed beneath her. Piper felt his whole body go rock hard. “You don’t need to say—”

  “I absolutely, one hundred percent need to say these wor
ds.” She stared into his eyes. And he stared into her eyes. Impressive—his gaze didn’t drop to her bare breasts. He looked her dead in the eyes as she told him, “I love you. At first, it was a teenage crush, and then I was so mad at you. Mad for a long time. No one could ever drive me as crazy as you do…but, Eric, you aren’t the biggest asshole in the world. You can be so sweet and caring and protective. You can make me smile, and you can give me so much pleasure. With you, I start to think about the future, and I’ve never done that, not with anyone else.”

  His muscles seemed to relax.

  “I want to try a relationship with you.” Maybe they’d crash and burn but…she didn’t think so. She thought they just might work.

  The whole happy ending thing. A life together. Holding hands. Building dreams. Maybe even a family…one day.

  A little girl with his eyes would be incredible.

  “Piper, I want to try everything with you.” He winked. “And I don’t just mean sexually, baby.”

  A laugh spilled from her. God, she was happy. After everything that had happened, it seemed so foreign to feel this way.

  “When I think of my future, you’re there, Piper. Every step of the way. At my side. My partner, with me.” His hands slid over her hips. “I want to marry you. But, shit, that’s not me trying to make you feel pressured.”

  Her eyes widened.

  “It’s just me wanting you. Wanting to offer you anything and everything in this world. Just know that, okay? I love you, and I want to marry you. But if you don’t want that, screw it. After what happened with your parents…” He shook his head. “Give me only what you want to give. If you don’t ever want to get married, that’s fine. We can be together any way you want. Because being with you is what makes me happy.”

  Her eyes were starting to burn. She blinked quickly even as her smile grew. Perhaps it was time to stop being afraid of the future. Long past time. She wasn’t her mother. And Eric definitely wasn’t like her father.

  They were different. Their path could be different. Their ending could be different.

  Happy. Good.

  “Let’s take it one day at a time,” he told her, voice rasping. She could feel his heavy erection pushing against her, and Piper rubbed her sex over him. He groaned. “One, uh, day…at a time. We’ll go as fast or—God, that feels good—as slow as you want.”

  Piper’s tongue swiped over her lower lip. “I don’t want to go slow.” Her whole life felt as if it had been lived in slow motion. And after everything that had happened—Jessica and Grady’s death, Ben’s horrible injuries, Dante…No, life wasn’t meant to be taken slowly. It was meant to be lived. You should grab every single moment, hold tight, and go wild. Experience everything—joy, fear, and love. Live. No holding back. “I want you. So…yes.”

  “Yes?” His face went slack with shock.

  “Yes.”

  He let out a shout and hauled her down toward him. His mouth met hers in a wild, delirious kiss. They were both laughing and smiling and kissing, and she was so happy.

  So incredibly happy.

  She had a lover she trusted. A man who knew all of her secrets. A man who was ready to stand by her no matter what threats came.

  A man who wouldn’t leave when the going got tough. A man who wanted her, who loved her—and she loved him just as fiercely.

  When he thrust into her, she moaned and he growled out her name. He drove deep and hard, and her hips lifted eagerly toward him. He was what she wanted—the man she’d always crave.

  Her nails raked over his arms as she urged him to go faster, even harder. His hand slid between their bodies, and he stroked her clit, caressing her even as his hips pistoned against her. He filled her completely, and her body was so sensitive, so tuned to him.

  He kissed her, and she loved the feel of his mouth against hers. The man knew how to kiss. He knew how to caress her and how to give her the best pleasure.

  He made certain that she came first. And she sure did. Piper’s orgasm slammed through her. Toe-curlingly awesome. So strong that she screamed as her whole body stiffened.

  Then he came. He pushed deep inside of her and let go. He shuddered against her, and she could have sworn that she tasted the pleasure in his kiss.

  Or maybe…maybe that was love.

  When her head lifted, Piper smiled at him.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “I need to see Mark today,” Piper announced as she stood in Eric’s kitchen.

  He lifted a mug of coffee to his lips, but a frown hardened his gaze. “He left the station. No charges were filed.” That didn’t mean charges wouldn’t be filed. The investigation was still ongoing, that was what Layla had texted to Eric. But the lawyer representing Mark had made sure that the guy was able to walk out of the station before dawn.

  With Kendrick Shaw, you got what you paid for.

  “May I borrow your phone?” She gave a little wince. “I need to get a new one or maybe Layla will return mine soon.”

  He slid the phone toward her.

  She flashed him one of her sunny smiles as she tapped in a number and then put the phone to her ear.

  She loves me. The knowledge was still sinking in. And he was almost afraid to believe it. The idea that he might get Piper, that he could have everything he’d ever wanted…it was a little scary. He was afraid that something would happen. Something would go wrong. Because no one got a happy ending, right? That didn’t work in real life.

  Just in books.

  “Mark? It’s Piper.” A pause. “Yes, I’m using Eric’s phone because the cops still have mine. Listen, I just—I wanted to check on you. Make sure you’re okay.”

  He’d killed a man. Eric doubted that the guy was okay.

  “You’re at the shop already?” Surprise had her eyes flaring as she looked over at Eric. “Yes, I’ll come see you. All right. Yes, I—um…” She frowned down at the phone.

  Eric eased closer to her. “Everything okay?”

  She handed him back the phone. Bit her lip. “He’s already back at the tattoo shop. Said he can see the crime scene team coming and going from the gallery.” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Tugged on the lobe. “He sounded funny. Stressed, but I guess that’s to be expected, isn’t it? After everything that happened?”

  “Yes.”

  She swallowed. “He wants me to come and see him. Said he had something that he needed to tell me.” Her breath blew out. “I’m going to run by and then I’m supposed to go meet the insurance adjustor at my house so that we can get started on the repairs.” She hopped off the barstool. “I need to—”

  His fingers closed around her wrist. “Stop.”

  Her head tipped back and she looked up at him.

  “I love you.”

  The shadows immediately left her eyes. She smiled at him. “I love you, too.”

  Good. Wanted to make sure that hadn’t just been one awesome-ass dream. He kissed her. “You don’t have to do all that stuff alone. I can go with you. I can—”

  “The bad guy is dead, remember? I don’t need twenty-four seven protection any longer. It’s all clear. Call off the level six protection because I am good to go.”

  So it would seem. He kissed her again. “How about this…I’d like to go with you. Because I enjoy being with you. And I’m still scared as shit because of everything that happened. It would make me feel so much better if I could tag along with you.” He flashed what he hoped was a charming smile.

  She frowned suspiciously at him.

  He kicked the smile up a notch. “I’m also really, really good with insurance adjustors.”

  Piper gave a light laugh. God, he loved that sound.

  “Fine,” she relented. “But I figured you’d have more important things to do today.”

  “Nothing is more important than you.”

  Her lips parted. Her gaze searched his. “You say that like you mean it.”

  He absolutely did mean it. “I’ll get the keys.”

  *** />
  Layla Lopez was on her fourth cup of coffee. Fourth, maybe fifth? She’d kinda lost count because she’d pulled an all-nighter.

  A sharp knock sounded at her office door. She grunted a response, and the door opened, revealing her partner Mac’s rumpled form.

  “Pack it in, woman.” A big, brown envelope was tucked under his right arm. “The bad guy is on a slab. There is no reason for you to be dead on your feet.”

  He was right. She should go home. Collapse in bed. Stop drinking the coffee that tasted like piss. She stretched her shoulders and heard weird things pop. But as she rose, her gaze was drawn to the envelope. “What’s that?”

  He looked down. “Oh, yeah. The report on Mark Rogue’s sister. Poor girl never stood a chance. She was hit from behind and then stabbed by her assailant.” He shuffled forward and offered the file to her. “No wonder he went all crazy on the perp last night. That shit happened to my sister, and I’d be forgetting my badge, too.”

  She exhaled. “Thanks, Mac.”

  He pointed at her, one short and stubby finger. “Go home. Get some rest. Don’t let this job kill you.” He turned on his heels. “The perps aren’t worth it.”

  She put the envelope down on her desk. He was right. The case was done. The killer was on a slab.

  Her fingers slid over the envelope…

  ***

  Piper’s gaze swept toward the gallery. Sure enough, she could see the crime scene team there. “I’m really over yellow police tape.” It was flapping in the wind. “This is going to destroy business.” When word spread that her gallery had been the scene of a murder…

  Eric wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “No, you’re not looking at it the right way. You’ll get a ton of press. And you’ll get all of the curiosity seekers who want to come by. Business will boom.”

  She threw him a doubting glance.

  He shrugged. “Glass half full, okay? Not empty.”

  Piper could only shake her head. They headed for the front of the tattoo shop. There was a neon sign to the right of the store, and the green letters glowed OPEN. She entered the shop, and a little bell jingled overhead.

  But no one was behind the counter.