Protected by a Hero

by Susan Stoker, Cristin Harber, Cora Seton, Lynn Raye Harris, Kaylea Cross, Katie Reus, Tessa Layne

  Her dark expression lifted when she saw him. She hurried from the others, sidestepping two uniformed officers as she made her way to him. “Everything’s okay,” she whispered as she hugged him tight.

  “Thank God,” he murmured as he returned her embrace.

  As the other two men reached the desk, Wyatt stood and let himself be pulled aside by his attorney. Hurley nodded once at Vadim. “Can I talk to you for a sec before you go?”

  Even though he didn’t want to let Angel go, Vadim nodded and stepped away. “Will you wait with Wyatt?”

  She nodded, giving him a small smile that eased all his worry about her. Everything was going to be fine. Once she was out of hearing range, Hurley leaned against his desk, crossing his arms over his broad chest. Vadim knew the guy had played football in college and guessed he used his size to intimidate suspects. He better not have tried that crap with Angel.

  “What?” Vadim asked more harshly than he’d meant to sound, but he didn’t want to stick around here. He just wanted to be home alone with Angel. They’d been at the station for hours.

  Hurley raised a dark eyebrow. “Your girl isn’t under suspicion of anything. While we were questioning you three, our team ran the ballistics on Quinton Glass’s weapon. It’s the same that killed Emile.”

  Vadim nodded; Angel had told him what Emile’s father had said.

  “Everything is pretty clear cut with both cases and we get to close one murder investigation, but don’t think I buy that you called me about Emile because he vandalized your fucking car. Why didn’t you just tell me he was stalking your girl?”

  Vadim shrugged. “I didn’t need your help.”

  The detective gritted his teeth before he pushed up from the desk. “Cops aren’t the enemy, dumbass.”

  A ghost of a smile touched his lips. “Yeah, I know. You guys have your uses.”

  Hurley rolled his eyes, but his defensive stance relaxed. “Whatever. I’m just glad that fucker is off the streets one way or another. I put in a call to Angel’s hometown and it turns out she’s not the first woman he stalked. She’s just the first he harassed who actually filed charges. According to the sheriff, all the other women dropped the charges, likely because they’d been paid off or were too scared.”

  Vadim nodded. He’d figured Angel hadn’t been the first, but when Emile had been killed he hadn’t looked any further into him. Now he wished he had. Maybe he’d have discovered that the guy’s dad was a fucking psycho too. At least Angel was safe now. That was all that mattered. “Thanks for handling Angel. If you need anything from either of us, just call me.”

  “Will do.”

  Vadim went in search of Angel—he just wanted to get her home where she’d be safe. It was almost three in the morning and he knew she had to be exhausted. He planned to take care of her if she’d let him. She’d been through enough and deserved a damn break.

  * * *

  Vadim placed his hand on Angel’s shoulder, lightly trying to rouse her.

  Her eyes opened and she jerked once, as if startled. She blinked, staring at him in confusion. The soft dome light from the interior of his car highlighted her exhausted, beautiful face. “Did I fall asleep?”

  He nodded. She’d passed out from almost the moment she’d slid into the passenger seat of his car. “Yeah.”

  She shook her head, as if clearing her mind. “Can’t believe I did. I was so wired.”

  He stepped back from the passenger door, letting her get out on her own, guessing that she’d want some control right now. “A lot happened, it’s your body’s way of decompressing.” Sleep was a fucking cure-all sometimes.

  She met his gaze as she stepped out, her expression serious. “I never got a chance to thank you, but thank you for saving me.”

  He blinked, surprised. “You don’t have to thank me for that. Besides, your quick thinking gave me an opening.” And he didn’t even want to think about what could have happened if she hadn’t remembered the moves Roman had shown her.

  As if reading his thoughts, she laughed, the sound tense more than amused, as she shut the door behind her. “I should probably send Roman a fruit basket or something. I’ll never call him names again after tonight.”

  Vadim just nodded, not trusting his voice as he looped his arm around her shoulders. He could have lost her tonight, something he was having a hard time wrapping his mind around. Hell, he didn’t think he’d ever get over seeing her being held by that gun-wielding asshole. It was a stark reminder that no matter what he did to protect her he couldn’t keep her safe all the time. Even though he wanted to.

  But he could give her the tools to protect herself. And after tonight he planned to enroll her in self-defense classes five days a week—if she let him.

  When they stepped inside Charlie was lying near her empty water bowl whining. He squeezed Angel’s shoulders once. “Let me get her taken care of. I’ll be in our room in a sec.” It belatedly registered that he’d said ‘our’, but she didn’t seem to notice as she nodded and headed toward the bedroom. He knew she still had to be angry at him for the lies he’d told about her old place and that they’d have to talk about it. He just hoped she’d actually forgive him once all the dust from this settled. She might have said it was okay at the bar, but he figured she’d still want to talk. Something he wasn’t looking forward to. He was so used to taking control of things that he knew it would be an adjustment remembering he couldn’t just make decisions for her. Because she was right, they had to be equals and he had to trust her in the way she trusted him.

  He still didn’t feel like he deserved her, but hoped he’d get over his own shit. He had to if he wanted to keep her, to claim her. And he did, in every way possible. He loved her and planned to tell her tonight, even if it was too soon. After almost losing her, he wasn’t going to hold back the words he’d never said to another woman.

  Once Charlie was settled on her beanbag in the living room, he reset the alarm, locked the doggy door and went looking for Angel. The bed was empty, but she’d left a trail of clothes to his bathroom.

  The shower was running, steam billowing out from the cracked open door. He hadn’t thought she’d want anything physical tonight—this morning—but the string of clothes was a not-so-subtle hint. Instantly hardening at thoughts of her bare, luscious body, he stripped and rolled a condom on before he stepped into the bathroom. Even though he couldn’t see her, his entire body tightened with need as he imagined taking her up against the shower wall.

  “You better be naked,” Angel called out, making him grin as he reached the frosted glass enclosure.

  He stepped down the one step into the big shower. Angel was standing directly under the shower head, her wet, red hair seeming almost brown and her pale, pink nipples beaded tight. Her hungry gaze nearly killed him.

  “Aren’t you too tired?” he asked.

  She rolled her eyes before her hazel gaze raked over him, flicking down to his erect cock and back up to his face. “Are you? Because if you are, I can just take care of myself.” As if to prove her point she reached one hand between her legs and started stroking her clit very slowly.

  His cock, which was already rock hard, pulsed as he watched her. While he wanted to take over, he loved watching her like this. Their first time together he’d sensed she’d been a little nervous, whether about her body or him, he wasn’t sure. She clearly wasn’t now. And it was fucking hot.

  She spread her legs a fraction, fully cupping herself and he couldn’t stand it anymore. He closed the short distance between them, placing his hand directly over hers.

  Angel immediately arched into him, rubbing her breasts against his chest as she removed her hand, letting him take over stroking her. She was warm and slippery against his caressing fingertips. “Have I told you how much I love this shower? All the glass makes it seem bigger,” she murmured as he dipped one finger inside her. She closed her eyes, her lips parting as he slid another in, pushing deep. It thrilled him how wet she already was. />
  Bending down, he nipped at her earlobe, tugging it between his teeth as hot water rushed over him. He stilled with his fingers inside her, wanting to tell her something important about himself. He’d been more open with her than he had with most people, but he wanted her to know all of him. And if he didn’t say it before the lust took over, he knew he wouldn’t be able to tell her for another few hours. “After my mom died—overdosed—I got moved around to different foster homes. They were always crowded.” It was why he craved space so much.

  Leaning back, she slid her hands from his shoulders to his chest, her touch perfect, gentle. “Is that why you live in the desert instead of closer to the city?”

  He nodded, loving that she understood what he was trying to say when he couldn’t get all the words out.

  She smiled softly, the action taking his breath away. “I love you, Vadim.”

  Her sudden words made him still, unsure he’d heard right. He’d been ready to tell her the same thing, but hadn’t expected her to return the sentiment. Not this soon.

  “You don’t have to say anything,” she continued, arching against him, rubbing her hard nipples over his chest. “I just wanted you to know.”

  He pumped his fingers into her once, earning a low gasp of pleasure from her. “I love you too.” No way was he holding back the truth, not when she’d been brave enough to tell him first. Not when he didn’t want to go another second without telling her how much she meant to him. “I know I fucked up with your apartment, but I swear I’ll never do anything like that again.” Gently he brushed his lips over hers as he continued his slow thrust into her tight body.

  She shuddered, her grip on him tightening. “I know and even if you do something stupid like that again, I’ll still love you. I’m not going anywhere.” She playfully nipped his bottom lip.

  He wasn’t sure how she knew he’d needed to hear those exact words, but what she’d said eased the tension that had been humming inside him nonstop since the bar. Hell, since he’d made his first move on her. Angel was everything to him. She was so sweet and affectionate and he still couldn’t believe she’d chosen him.

  He withdrew his fingers from her and clutched her hips. “Do you want gentle?” he murmured against her mouth. Because the way he was feeling he wasn’t sure he could give her that right now. He needed to claim her, fast and rough, right fucking now to satisfy the primal need inside him.

  She shook her head as she continued kissing him, stroking her lips against his teasingly. He loved the way she nipped him with her teeth.

  His hips rolled against her as he dug his fingers into her soft skin. Without warning he lifted her up. She immediately wrapped her legs around him, her kisses growing more fervent.

  “In me, now,” she panted as she started feathering kisses along his jaw, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

  She didn’t have to tell him twice. Pulling his hips back, he pressed her back against the wall and repositioned their bodies so his cock nudged her slick entrance. Water rolled down them, but he had more than enough traction with his feet to take her the way he wanted, the way his body demanded.

  When he thrust into her, she moaned his name, her head falling back as she met his gaze. He held her still against the wall, his cock pulsing inside her, her inner walls clenching around him. Her breathing was ragged, matching his own as he slowly pulled back out, then slammed into her, letting her feel his need and the power that drove him.

  She arched, another moan tearing from her lips. “Faster,” she rasped out, her hazel eyes dark with need.

  Hell yes. While he wanted to touch all of her, to cup her breasts and tease her clit as he fucked her, he was barely hanging onto his control as it was and he couldn’t hold back the dark tide of need inside him a moment longer. He held her hips tight as he began thrusting hard and deep. Each time he slammed into her, her eyes grew more heavy-lidded, her inner walls tightening around him.

  Oh yeah, it wouldn’t take her long. When she reached between their bodies and started stroking her clit, he jerked harder against her. Just the sight of her touching herself was enough to set him off.

  Crushing his mouth to hers, he continued thrusting, savoring the feel of her hot, tight sheath squeezing him with every stroke. The pleasure intensified until it became a burning agony inside him. His heart was pounding out of control and he could barely breathe, desperate to mark her in this primal way. When her fingers dug into his shoulder and she dropped her hand from her clit, she tore her mouth from his and cried out his name as her climax slammed into her.

  He felt it ripple around his cock, her inner walls tightening as her heat rushed over him. Vadim slid his arms fully around her back and crushed her to him. Burying his face against her neck, he inhaled that lavender scent and found his own release, his orgasm making his legs shake as he continued thrusting into her tight body. As she wrung everything from him.

  Angel kissed his neck then his jaw as he came down from his high. “I love you so much, Vadim.”

  His throat clenched with too many emotions. After growing up alone, Angel was someone he’d never imagined having in his life, but always hoped for. She was more than worth the wait, and he was never letting her go. Wrapped around each other, the warm water rushed over them, the heat enclosing them in a safe cocoon. “I love you too.”

  EPILOGUE

  Four months later

  Angel nudged open the door to Vadim’s office with her foot. She had a hot cup of coffee in one hand and a binder in the other. Summer school started in a week and Vadim had set up a desk and work station for her in his office.

  Well, now it was their office according to him. The man was just too damn sweet for his own good. She knew this work space was a sanctuary to him so the fact that he was sharing it with her meant so much.

  She set her stuff down on her new desk and pressed the button on the panel for the drapes. It was early and she wanted all the natural light she could get while she set all her school files up. She’d been out of college so long she wanted to be ahead of the game when her classes started. Even if she was only taking two, she’d already cut her schedule at the Cloud to three days a week. It wasn’t like she had to work while she finished school, not with her parents’ insurance money, but the thought of not having a job at all was too weird.

  As the drapes settled into place, revealing the beautiful desert landscape, she saw Charlie standing outside the ceiling to floor length glass windows with something dangling from her mouth. But she didn’t see Vadim anywhere.

  Frowning, she opened the door and Charlie trotted inside before sitting perfectly still in front of her. Vadim had gone out with Charlie to get the dog some fresh air earlier so they should be together. Even though Charlie rarely went far, he was so protective of the dog—another reason Angel loved him. The sun was already up and the gentle breeze of the seventy degree weather felt good. Bending down, she affectionately rubbed Charlie’s head. “Where’s your master?” she asked as she started to pull what she saw was a tiny basket from Charlie’s mouth.

  The dog let go of the basket with a soft whining sound and Angel realized there was a small, square blue box nestled in the basket. She pulled it out but could only hold and stare at it.

  Charlie nudged her hand but Angel ignored the dog. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized what it was. But it couldn’t be what she thought…could it? She’d only been living with Vadim for four months—thankfully he hadn’t wanted her to find her own place and she’d happily taken over more than half his closet. But this…No way.

  “Only one way to find out what’s in there,” a sexy, familiar voice said.

  Lord, how long had she been kneeling here staring? Her head snapped up to meet Vadim’s pale gaze as he stood in the doorway. The smoldering look in his eyes made her entire body flare to life. Thankfully there was no doubt there. Sometimes she saw a flicker of worry in his eyes, at the most random of times, as if he was afraid she wasn’t real or was going to leave. Hell freak
ing no. Not in a million years. Vadim was the man for her.

  Swallowing hard, she looked back down and opened the box to find a huge, sparkly engagement ring. Tears blurred her vision as she smiled, pulling it from the box.

  When she looked up again Vadim was kneeling in front of her, reminding her how quiet the man was. Batting away her tears, she grabbed his shoulders and lunged at him, kissing his lips, cheeks and all over his face. “Yes, yes, yes!” she shouted.

  Giving her one of those rare full-on smiles, he held onto her hips, holding her steady. “I don’t think I asked a question.”

  “You don’t need to. The answer’s still yes.” Laughing, she kissed him again as he plucked the ring from her hand and slid it onto her left hand ring finger.

  The End

  Dear Readers,

  Thank you for reading SWEETEST SURRENDER. I hope you enjoyed it! If you’d like to stay in touch with me and be the first to learn about new releases you can:

  • Sign up for my monthly newsletter at: www.katiereus.com

  • Find me on Facebook: facebook.com/katiereusauthor

  • Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/katiereus

  • Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/katiereusauthor

  Also, please consider leaving a review at one of your favorite online retailers. It’s a great way to help other readers discover new books and I appreciate all reviews.

  Happy reading,

  Katie

  Complete Booklist

  Red Stone Security Series

  No One to Trust

  Danger Next Door

  Fatal Deception

  Miami, Mistletoe & Murder

  His to Protect

  Breaking Her Rules

  Protecting His Witness