He clasped their hands together beside her head and gazed into her eyes and settled his weight over her. In one powerful thrust, he slid inside, and she couldn’t stop the gasp of joy. He covered her mouth to absorb the sound and then he was moving inside her. With her pants around her ankles, she couldn’t lock her legs around him to hold on for the most thrilling ride of her life.
A bomb exploded inside her, fireworks bursting behind her closed lids. Maybe it wasn’t wise to use a bomb as a euphemism since her rental car had been wrecked by one, but she kinda felt the same way. Destroyed, but in a good way. The encounter was life changing. She never knew she was capable of such extreme feelings of indescribable pleasure. He followed her, groaning his release against her ear as he ground his pelvis against hers, setting her off again. She’d never felt the intense, almost cataclysmic sensations that rocked her body. He was good. More than good. A superhero of sexual prowess.
She wasn’t a delicate flower and she appreciated that he didn’t treat her that way. He was big—in every way—and strong and virile. For the first time in her life, lying beneath Declan Elliot, former Marine and current security specialist, she felt like Shiloh Storm.
#
Declan rolled off Kenzie and flopped to his back beside her, one arm covering his face. He’d just had sex with her on the faded brown carpet of a second-rate motel with most of their clothes on. He’d barely attempted foreplay before he was sliding inside her. He never intended to have sex with her when he kissed her. He’d been trying to chase the fear from her eyes, prevent her from hyperventilating, assure her that he’d keep her safe. Instead, he’d attacked her like a teenager with no control. Still, he didn’t regret a moment. At least he’d had the sense to not strip both of them naked in case the gang returned, or Jamal ventured out of the bathroom.
Ever since he’d laid eyes on the raven-haired beauty, he hadn’t been able to think of anything but burying himself deep inside her. Now that he had, he longed to do it again. It was rapidly becoming an obsession. He was an addict. He wasn’t sure he could get enough of her. He wanted to apologize for jumping her like a randy teen. For the unfortunate location. For the roughness of the encounter. He hadn’t held back, giving her everything in him. She hadn’t seemed to mind. Her breathy moans, muffled screams and the deep grooves on his arms encouraged him on. Sweet agony gripped him when she clenched around him. It was all he could do to keep from roaring his release to the world. Jamal was asleep a few feet away, for Pete’s sake. The boy could’ve woken up and walked in on them. He’d have been no better than Jamal’s mother who sold her body for drugs, except he’d given in for a trip to paradise.
At the very least, he should remove the condom and tuck himself back inside his pants. Check on the activity outside. Danger lurked on the other side of a flimsy hollow-core door. What if the men decided to search every room in the motel? He’d be caught with his pants down—literally.
He glanced over at Kenzie and his body hardened again. Damn, she was breathtaking. Her pants were still around her ankles and her sumptuous breasts were on full display, made even more bewitching by the rapid rise and fall of her chest. Was she thinking the same things he was? That she couldn’t wait for round two. His body was primed and raring to go.
She hadn’t said anything. Had he been too rough? He started to ask when her voice broke the silence.
“Declan?”
He was almost afraid to answer. “Yeah?”
“Do we need to leave?”
Apparently, she hadn’t been thinking the same thing. And she hadn’t noticed the part of his body trying desperately to snag her attention. “No. Let’s get some rest. We should be safe for a few hours. I doubt they’ll come back.” He removed the condom and stuffed himself back in his jeans. No way was he attempting to zip up yet and risk a painful injury.
He almost cried real tears when Kenzie covered up her dazzling nudity. With a resigned sigh, he slowly sat up and checked outside. The Eighty-Sixer’s cars were gone, replaced by two police cruisers, along with a crowd of curious onlookers gathered outside their old room. Pushing to his feet, he disposed of the condom.
“I’ll make a call…” His head fell forward. He’d destroyed his cell phone. He didn’t have Noah Addison’s phone number memorized, or any of the COBRA Securities numbers. It wasn’t like he could ring information for anything but a general number for the headquarters. Why didn’t he think to write them down before smashing his phone to bits?
“Declan?” He turned at the soft whisper coming from the cracked bathroom door. “Is it safe to come out?”
He absolutely hated the terror in the young boy’s voice. He didn’t want Jamal to live in fear every day like when he was with his mother and brother. He wanted him settled into a life away from any violence where he was free to experience a happy, carefree childhood.
“Yes.”
Jamal jerked the door the rest of the way open and rushed out to embrace him. He would never tire of Jamal’s tender hugs. “Did you sleep well?”
“Not really,” he said. “I kept waking up and it worried me when you guys weren’t with me. I knew you’d want me to stay in there, so I did.”
Declan winced. He hoped Jamal hadn’t heard their sexcapade. He’d tried to be quiet, but it wasn’t easy with the hottest woman he’d ever met beneath him.
Though he didn’t expect the gang to come back, he wasn’t willing to bet Jamal and Kenzie’s life on it, and he didn’t want to pull the curtains and announce that someone was inside, yet they couldn’t fall asleep on the beds. They’d be spotted if someone looked inside.
“How about we bring the pillows and blankets out here and camp on the floor between the beds?”
“All three of us?”
“Yes.”
“Fun!” Jamal dashed to the bathroom to gather the bedding.
He turned to Kenzie. Her clothing was back in order, but her swollen lips, whisker-burned cheeks and messy hair had him wanting to drag her down and have his way with her again. “Okay?” he asked.
“Better than,” she answered with a smile.
Oh heck to the no. That clenching in his gut had to be lust. It couldn’t be any deeper feelings. He barely knew her—except carnally.
Spinning around, he headed to help Jamal carry the pillows and blankets. Soon they arranged a cozy spot for the three of them to share. There wasn’t much room and the floor was about as comfortable as, well, a floor.
He was lying on his right side with his arm under his head, while Kenzie rested on her left side facing him. Jamal sprawled on his back between them. “Can someone tell me a story to help me sleep?”
“Sure,” Declan said. “Kenzie would love to tell you one.” He smirked at her narrowed glare.
“How about a tale about an angelic prince, a regal queen and the ogre that lives beneath the bridge?”
He had no doubt he was about to become the troll in the story. As she started the saga, he closed his eyes, mesmerized by the cadence of her voice. When her hand slipped into his above Jamal’s head, he felt peace for the first time in ages.
#
Declan woke feeling surprisingly rested and refreshed for having napped on a floor. Spectacular sex did that to a person, he supposed. He never slept in, even on weekends, but bright sunlight streamed in through the windows. He glanced at his watch, shocked to realize it was almost noon. His body must’ve really needed the down time.
With the dawning of a new day came the reminder that they were on their own now and had nowhere to go and no way to get there. They couldn’t trust the police. There was a good chance the gang had tortured his name from Fuller before they killed him, so using credit cards was out. He hadn’t stopped at the ATM before his trip, so he was low on cash. They might be well and truly screwed.
Easing from the blankets, he tried not to wake the other two as he headed to the bathroom. After a quick shower, he brushed his teeth and shaved the stubble, wishing he’d thought to do that last night befo
re attacking Kenzie.
She was up when he emerged, and his steps faltered. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked first thing in the morning…er, afternoon. How she’d rocked his world off its axis last night. How he so badly wanted her to rock it again, right now in the shower, against the door, he didn’t care where, as long as she was in his arms. Before he could voice any of those thoughts and probably make a fool of himself, Jamal woke and jumped up from the makeshift bed.
“That was an awesome story, Kenzie. I fell asleep before the queen went to find the monster. Can you tell the rest of it tonight?”
She smiled widely, looking directly at Declan. “Sure. But I’ll warn you, it may not go well for the monster.”
Was he supposed to interpret that statement to mean he might not get a repeat of their nocturnal activities? He’d just have to deploy his wiles to change the queen’s mind.
Kenzie and Jamal took turns using the bathroom while he checked the activity outside. Yellow crime scene tape had been secured across the busted door of their old room, but the police were gone. A few people milled about, but none that looked like gang members. They needed to leave the motel, but he didn’t want to do so in broad daylight. They made a memorable trio. Stealth was the key. Now he just needed a plan.
“What’s the plan for today?” Kenzie asked, reading his mind. She munched on a brunch of stale pop-tarts and lukewarm water from the stash of vending machine booty he’d pilfered last night. She handed him a frosted strawberry pastry and he tore open the wrapper.
“I’m going to call my coworkers to come up with a plan of action.”
“Noah and Ethan?” Jamal asked around a mouth full of food.
“Yeah, but I don’t have my phone with their contact information.”
“I know Peyton’s number.”
“You do?”
His head bobbed, shaking crumbs free to cover his blue t-shirt. “I memorized it when I needed a ride to swim practice.”
“That’s awesome.” Declan stuffed the rest of the pop-tart into his mouth while grabbing the complimentary motel notepad and pen from the table. Jamal recited the number and he scribbled it down and then sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the receiver to dial. He was surprised when it went through. He figured he’d have to call collect or something. The motel must charge the calls to the rooms.
“Hello?”
“Peyton? It’s Declan Elliot.”
“Hi, Declan. It’s so good to hear your voice. I’m so happy you’ll be moving here with us.”
“Thanks. I’m excited, too.”
“Hi, Peyton!”
“Is that Jamal? Oh my gosh, is he with you?”
“He is, but it’s a long story I’ll explain later. I really need to speak with Noah, but I lost his number.”
“They have war games scheduled for this afternoon. His cell will be off, but I can head over there and find him.”
War games meant simulation exercises like ones used in the military to prepare for a variety of situations. They were used for training without actual combat to ensure readiness for the field. He’d participated in many during his Marine days and the ones COBRA Securities practiced were similar. Some of the drills included random targets popping out and you had a split second to decide if they were friend or foe. “No, that’s okay. If you can give me his number, I’ll leave a message for him to call me back.” He scribbled the digits down when she recited them.
“Is everything okay, Declan? Is Jamal in trouble?”
“I do have a situation here. I could use Noah’s help.”
“I don’t care to go pull him out of training.”
“Thanks, but it’s not necessary. We need to stay out of sight and right now we’re safe.”
“I really don’t like the sound of that,” Peyton murmured. “If he hasn’t called you when I see him, I’ll make sure he does. You can always call me back, too.”
“Thanks, Peyton. I appreciate it.”
“Tell Jamal I desperately miss him.”
“Will do.”
After he hung up, he scooted back against the headboard. He’d go stir crazy being locked away in a motel room for so long. He wanted to go for a run, but it wasn’t safe. Movement out of the corner of his eye had him scrambling off the mattress. “Go to the bathroom,” he ordered the other two as he crouched down between the beds.
A woman pushing a cleaning cart stopped in front of their window and checked the clipboard in her hand. Declan quickly scanned the room, happy to realize Kenzie had moved all their belongings into the bathroom with them. He turned back to the woman as she slid the clipboard in a pocket of her cart and then looked directly into the room. He ducked down, praying he’d hidden in time. When there was no pounding on the door or a key being slid in the lock, he chanced another look to discover she’d moved on. She’d been coming from the left, meaning she must’ve started at the far end and worked her way back, so she should be returning her cart to the storage room.
It hadn’t occurred to him that someone might rent the room for tonight. They needed to be prepared for any contingency. Kenzie had folded up the blankets they used last night and stacked them on the floor. They kept their packed bags by the door, so if someone did show up, he’d have to do some fast talking. Overslept the check-out time or something.
He called out that it was clear. Kenzie and Jamal emerged from the bathroom. Kenzie stuffed the remaining food items in one of the bags. Though it was supremely uncomfortable, he arranged the blankets on the floor between the beds so they could sit and watch television out of the line of sight from the window while they waited for Noah to call back.
He wasn’t tired, but the cartoons were lulling him to sleep. Jamal was sprawled on his stomach with his head in his hands and his feet in the air, his attention glued to the television. Declan had a feeling he’d become acquainted with Spongebob and Squidward and all their underwater friends soon.
If he was going to be Jamal’s guardian, he needed to keep him active. “Okay, everyone up.” He stood. “It’s time to get our blood pumping.” He made the mistake of looking at Kenzie, remembering how exquisitely she forced his blood to pump last night. Judging from the darkening of her eyes, she was thinking about the encounter, too.
Exercise. Focus on that. “Start with stretching and then we’ll ramp it up.”
After an hour of sweating through jumping jacks, pushups, sit-ups and a variety of muscle-building moves, the motel phone jangled. Kenzie disappeared into the bathroom and Jamal collapsed to the blanket on the floor with a tortured sigh while he answered.
“Declan, it’s Noah. I got your message. What’s up?”
“I’ve got a situation here.” He gave a quick rundown from Jamal’s frantic phone call and his subsequent flight to Detroit, the house fire, car bomb to the murdered detective.
“Damn, Declan, why didn’t you call me sooner? I can be on the next flight.”
“It’s not safe for you to come here. Heck, it’s not safe for us to be here. We need to get out of town.”
“Do you want to head this way?”
He did, but he’d heard the horror story of the compound being infiltrated by rebels a few weeks ago, and there was no way he’d bring trouble to their door before he officially started his job. These gangs were brutal and ruthless and wouldn’t hesitate to harm anyone in their path. “I think we’ll lay low and make our way back to Chicago where I can gather my things.” In other words, his weapons. “Maybe we can figure out what they’re after.”
“Ethan and I can meet you there.”
He exhaled a relieved breath. “That would be great. Thanks.” He could use all the help he could get.
“Give me the number where you’re staying. I’ll call you back soon.”
He rattled it off from the sticker on the phone and hung up. Ten minutes later, Spongebob was coercing him to sleep again. Kenzie emerged from the bathroom brushing her long hair until it hung like a silky black curtain around her shoulders
. When she caught him staring and smiled, she looked like every fantasy he’d ever dreamed, and it was all he could do to keep from stalking over to her, tossing her on the bed and ravishing her. The ringing phone jerked him from his thoughts.
He grabbed the receiver. “Noah?”
“No, this is BeBe Davis.”
His voice softened. “Hey, BeBe, how are you?” He’d met the office manager during his training and fell in love with her, as had all the agents. She didn’t let the fact that she used a wheelchair slow her down at all. He’d never met anyone with more energy or zest for life. She was simply marvelous.
“A lot better than you, Declan. Noah told me some of what happened. Why didn’t you call me sooner? I could’ve helped you out. You’re one of us now.”
That warmed his heart. “Honestly, so much happened so quickly, I’ve barely had time to breathe.”
“Well, I’ve got you now. In about an hour, a black SUV will park in front of your motel room. You’ll find an untraceable phone in the console, and an envelope with some cash in the glove box. In the back will be supplies.” Weapons. “Noah said you need to stay off the grid, so the car or phone can’t be traced. He also wanted me to let you know that he and Ethan would head to Chicago in the morning to wait for your arrival. Please keep in touch with us so we know what’s happening.”
Declan cleared his throat. Though Eric would always be his brother, he’d found a real family. “I will. Thanks, BeBe.”
Kenzie was watching him when he disconnected. He repeated what BeBe told him as he jerked the curtains shut. He wasn’t sure who would be delivering the vehicle, but he didn’t want anyone to get a look at Kenzie or Jamal.
Her mouth gaped. “How did she arrange all of that so quickly?”
He shook his head. “I was warned not to ask. Some of the other agents swear she’s part Glenda the Good Witch or something. She works her magic in mysterious ways.”
“Thank goodness she’s on your side.”
Declan chuckled. “No kidding.”
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