Claiming Felicity

by Susan Stoker

  Joseph lay on his bed, smirking. He wished he’d installed a few cameras in her apartment. He would’ve given anything to see her reaction to the photo he’d left for her. There was something very exciting and arousing about being in her apartment when she wasn’t there. He’d taken his time, looking in every cabinet and drawer, inspecting the apartment, learning about his prey.

  And without a doubt, Megan Parkins was his prey. She’d pay for her interference . . . eventually. In the meantime, it was fun to mess with her. The electricity and other services were mere inconveniences. He knew she’d be able to get those straightened out easily. But the picture had to have freaked her out. He once again thought about how scared she had to have been when she realized he’d been in her space.

  His hand moved down his body and slipped under his sweatpants. Joseph stroked himself, imagining what Megan had looked like when she saw his gift. Maybe she’d even cried. He loved it when bitches boo-hooed. He closed his eyes as he thought about all the plans he had for Megan.

  Ryder would be a nuisance, but nothing he couldn’t deal with. He released himself from his pants and sighed in pleasure. He continued to run his hand up and down his length. He got more and more excited the more he thought about what he had in store for her.

  She’d be freaked.

  Scared out of her mind.

  Ready to do whatever he said.

  The smirk spread on his face as his hand moved faster and faster.

  As he orgasmed, he imagined the look of horror and absolute terror on her face when she realized what he’d done. When she realized that she couldn’t outsmart him this time. That she’d never escape him again.

  Chapter Ten

  “Rex? It’s Ace.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Ryder’s lips twitched. Figured his handler would immediately know something was up. “I have a situation that I could use your help with.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Right around the time my mom died, I found out I had three half brothers. They live in Castle Rock, and I came up to meet them. Stepped right in the middle of a situation.”

  “What kind of situation?”

  Ryder liked that his handler didn’t beat around the bush. “One involving a woman who has become very special to me, and a stalker who has gotten too close for comfort. He broke into her apartment tonight.”

  “You need her locks changed right now? Or will the morning work?” Rex asked without hesitation.

  Ryder sighed in relief. He knew he could ask his brothers for a locksmith recommendation, as they most likely had some connections in the area, but Rex offering to take care of it right now meant he could concentrate on making sure Felicity was all right sooner rather than later. “Morning will be fine. I’m not leaving her side tonight, so she’ll be okay until morning.”

  “What else?”

  “Joseph Waters. It’s who Felicity says is after her. From Chicago. Meat did some checking, but hasn’t come up with anything concrete.”

  “I’ll get with Meat, see what he’s found, then see what I can come up with.”

  “Appreciate it.”

  “You might have turned in your resignation, Ace, but you’re still a part of this team and always will be. You need anything, especially if it concerns your woman, I’ll be pissed if you don’t call.”

  And with that, the elusive Rex disconnected the call.

  After hanging up, Ryder thought, not for the first time, how lucky he was to be a part of such a close-knit group of men. He knew it wouldn’t have mattered if he’d called Ro, Ball, or any of his other friends—they all would’ve been on their way up to Colorado Springs in a heartbeat if needed. They might not all work together on every mission, but Ryder knew without a doubt any one of the other men would lay down his life for him, as he would for them in return.

  Ryder turned from the water cooler at a sound behind him to see Felicity standing in the entrance to the kitchen, looking unsure. Her short, black hair was sticking up in disarray, and her eyes were puffy with dark circles under them.

  He clenched the glass of water in his hand tightly. He hated Joseph Waters with all he had in him. The man was a coward, and Ryder hated cowards. Oh, he didn’t like anyone who preyed on those weaker than they were, but he hadn’t come across anyone as manipulative, sneaky, and sadistic as Joseph in a long time.

  He forced himself to relax, and took two steps to Felicity’s side. He held out the glass of water he’d poured for her, and she reached for it. She smiled up at him, but Ryder saw right through her bravado. She’d held it together extremely well as he searched her place, made his call, and encouraged her to get ready for bed. But he could see she was at the end of her rope. Physically and mentally.

  “Thanks,” she said softly, and brought the glass up to her lips.

  He waited until she’d drunk half the glass, then put his hand on the small of her back. “Time for bed, love.”

  She took a big breath, as if shoring up her courage, then asked, “Are you coming too?”

  He eyed her critically.

  Yeah, he wanted to be with her in her room, but it had to be her choice. And not because she was scared of Joseph Waters.

  “He’s not coming back tonight,” Ryder said softly, meeting her gaze with his own intense one. “He can’t get in through the windows, they’re too high up. The only way anyone is getting into this apartment is through the front door. And even if that happens, I’ll be here to keep him from getting to you. I can sleep on the couch just as I have every night.”

  “I know,” she said immediately. “I have no doubt whatsoever that if Joseph came through that door, I would be in absolutely no danger because you’re here. At one time in my life, I wasn’t afraid to ask for what I wanted. No, to demand it. But as the years have gone by, I’ve gotten more and more reluctant to do that. And it pisses me off. It’s ironic. I used to be the girl next door. Ready to take on the world. The harder I tried to be a badass, covering myself in tattoos, acting tough, dyeing my hair . . . the meeker I’ve become. It’s as if I’ve let Joseph win.”

  Without looking, Felicity put the glass of water she’d been holding on the counter and pressed herself closer to Ryder. He didn’t even try to hide his body’s reaction to her closeness. His erection pressed against her stomach. When she didn’t pull away, but reached up and put both her arms around his neck, he immediately tugged her all the way into him so they were touching from their thighs up to their chests.

  “I’m sick of being that person, Ryder.”

  “What do you want, love?”

  “You.”

  “Be more specific,” he told her with a hint of steel in his voice. “I want you. Badly. But I’ll give you whatever you say you want. If that’s me taking you hard all night long, that’s what you’ll get. If you need sweet kisses and caresses, great, no problem. If all you can handle for now is me holding you, you got it. I can’t read your mind, though. You need to tell me.”

  She bit her lip, and at that moment she looked like a nervous teenager on her first date.

  “I want all of that . . . but I’m not sure . . . maybe just cuddles tonight? Baby steps? Is that okay?”

  Ryder nodded immediately. “Of course that’s okay. We can sleep out here if you want,” he offered.

  She immediately shook her head. “No. That couch sucks. I feel bad enough as it is that you’ve spent as many nights on it as you have. You’ve already seen my room. It’s stupid to pretend you haven’t. Besides, I need to tell you . . . well . . . everything. And I’d feel better doing it in my space. Where I’m comfortable.”

  Ryder squeezed her waist and kissed her forehead. “Go ahead. I’ll be in shortly.”

  She looked up at him. “If you hate my space, don’t tell me, okay?”

  Ryder’s brows drew down into a frown. “Why would I hate it?”

  She shrugged a little self-consciously. “I don’t know. It’s just . . . it doesn’t match the me I am now.”

  He
r words were awkwardly phrased, but he knew what she meant. “From the glimpse I got, I’d say it matches you perfectly. Now, go. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” He punctuated his words with a squeeze, then took a step away from her.

  She looked confused about his words, but did what he ordered, reaching out to pick up her glass of water before turning and padding to her room.

  Ryder immediately went to the front door and checked the lock. Then he grabbed one of the chairs sitting next to a small table and tipped it against the door. It wouldn’t keep anyone out, but it would make one hell of a racket if anyone tried to enter the apartment. Then he took the other chair and propped it against the guest-room door. As he’d told Felicity, Ryder was fairly certain no one could climb up the side of the building to get in through either of the bedroom windows, but he wasn’t going to take any chances.

  Last, he went into the guest bathroom in the hall and got ready for bed, just as he’d done every night since he’d been there.

  As he stood in front of Felicity’s bedroom door, he took a deep, calming breath. He felt as if he’d waited forever for this moment. At times he hadn’t been sure he’d be able to break through Felicity’s walls. But she was letting him in tonight. He’d make sure she didn’t regret it.

  He turned the knob and stepped into her space. He closed the door behind him, locking it for good measure. Then he spun around and stared at the woman he wanted more than he wanted his next breath.

  She was sitting in the middle of her bed, looking unsure. Before he lost focus, Ryder let his gaze swing around the room.

  He’d seen her room earlier when he’d searched the apartment, but purposely hadn’t lingered, as much as he’d wanted to. Walking into her private space after being in the austere living area was like walking into the Garden of Eden after spending years in purgatory. The assault on his senses almost made him forget he was looking for any signs that Joseph Waters might still be in the apartment.

  It smelled fresh and clean, as if she’d just done laundry. The scent of lilacs was, not surprisingly, stronger here than in the outer room. The riot of pastel colors around the area was calming. The quilt on the bed was thrown back, and Ryder wanted to run his hand over the obviously expensive pale-pink sheets on her bed to verify their softness. A softness he wanted under him as he held Felicity in his arms. It was quiet in her room as well; no sounds from the downtown square penetrated through the window high above the back alley. The only sense missing was that of taste, and Ryder knew that would be satisfied by Felicity herself. The taste of her lips against his, the perspiration of her skin as he ran his tongue over her body, and the ultimate pleasure of finding out what she tasted like as she came under his tongue.

  He looked at the posters on the wall, the pictures on the dresser, the worn stuffed giraffe on the bed, the books on the floor. He took it all in, this time without having to worry whether or not Joseph Waters was lurking nearby. The difference between this room and the others in the apartment was shocking. While every other square inch was pristine, here in her room, chaos reigned.

  Ryder smiled. He loved it. Every inch. This was the real Felicity. The mess here was exactly what he would’ve expected from someone as full of life as she was. He felt comfortable here. Relaxed.

  His eyes came back to Felicity. She was biting her lip, and her brows were furrowed. Even as he watched, she chewed on her bottom lip uncertainly.

  Not wanting her to stress for one more second about what he thought, Ryder quickly strode to the bed. He put a knee on the mattress, and she quickly scooted over. Without saying a word, he lay down and pulled her into his arms. He pulled up the sheet, which was just as soft and luxurious as it looked, and settled against the pillows.

  At first, Felicity lay stiffly in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder, but as time passed, she slowly relaxed. Her arm tentatively moved across the black T-shirt over his belly to rest on his chest. She wiggled closer, getting comfortable. Then she finally sighed.

  “Comfy?” he asked.

  “Very.”

  “Good.” He didn’t say anything else, letting her take the lead on their conversation. He had a million questions, but as he’d told her earlier, he wouldn’t push.

  “I’m a slob,” she said after a minute had passed.

  He chuckled. “Naw. If you had more furniture in here, you’d be able to put all your books away.”

  Neither said anything else for a minute or so, then, as if she couldn’t resist, Felicity asked, “So? You haven’t said anything about my room. Don’t you want to know why it’s so different from the rest of my place?”

  Ryder tightened the arm that was around her shoulders for a moment, then said, “I want to know anything you want to tell me. But you absolutely don’t have to explain this room to me.”

  She lifted her head then. “I don’t?”

  “Nope.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I can see the real you loud and clear when I look around this room.”

  She put her head back on his shoulder. “And who is the real me? I’m not sure I even know anymore,” she said quietly, if not a little nervously.

  “Underneath that badass exterior you try too hard to project is a hard-core science nerd. Who probably majored in math of some sort in college. Who loves a good sci-fi book. But along with that nerd is a woman who is a romantic at heart. From the flower posters on your wall to the soft pastel quilt on your bed. These sheets under us tell me that you’re a woman who likes to be comfortable. And the pictures of the ones you love scattered around your space tells me that you’d do anything for a friend. Even leave if it meant keeping her and her children safe.”

  Ryder felt Felicity swallow several times as she tried to gain her composure. When she did finally talk, she blew him away with her strength.

  “It was in college. My friend Colleen was dating Joseph. He was abusive—mentally and physically—but she refused to leave him. One night I called the cops when he was hurting her. When they arrived, Colleen denied anything was wrong. She refused to press charges, and since Joseph hadn’t hit her anywhere the cops could see, they were helpless to do anything.

  “He was really upset that I dared to interfere and started to make my life a living hell. He planted drugs in my apartment, which got me kicked out as well as expelled from school before I could graduate. I lost a job with an engineering firm I had lined up. The charges for dealing drugs were eventually dropped. But he killed Colleen, then he did his best to frame me for it.

  “I was eventually cleared because Colleen was found beaten to a pulp with both her legs and arms broken. The coroner determined that whoever killed her had to have been strong enough to overpower her and then snap her bones. Joseph literally beat her to death, Ryder. With his bare hands.” She shuddered and closed her eyes.

  Ryder clenched his teeth to keep from swearing out loud. He didn’t want to do or say anything that would make Felicity stop talking so he could get as much information as possible to his handler and make Joseph Waters pay for every single thing he’d done to the woman in his arms. His woman. He had no doubts about that whatsoever.

  She continued her tale. “I moved back home with my adoptive mom. She took me in when I was seven, and at first, I was so scared she’d send me away. But from the very first day, she told me I was staying. When I came to her after Colleen was killed, she was so scared for me. She was the one who encouraged me to leave. Told me that Joseph wasn’t going to stop coming after me. She even gave me what little savings she had to help me start a new life.”

  Felicity gestured to a picture across the room of a woman. “She was beautiful. Had long brown hair that I wished I had more than once instead of my blonde hair. Her eyes were so kind, it was the first thing I noticed about her when I first came to her house as a foster kid. She always had something nice to say about everyone . . . except Joseph. She hated him for what he was doing to me as much as I did. So I left with her encouragement. I called her on March th
ird every year, the day she first brought me home. I used a burner phone so Joe couldn’t track the call.

  “After the first time he found me when I was living in San Antonio, I realized that I needed to get serious about hiding. I’d been using my real name and not being as careful as I should’ve been about using my mom’s credit card. I used some of the money my mom gave me and bought myself a new identity. Megan Parkins was gone, and Felicity Jones was born. I had a Social Security number and a fake birth certificate, but I was scared to use them. Somehow using a different name and picture ID didn’t seem too bad, but if I used that Social Security card, I’d feel like a criminal. So I lived off the radar. Paid cash for everything. Got jobs where I could get paid under the table. I started to work out more, because I was bored, and anything else cost money, but also because I think a part of me thought if I changed what I looked like on the outside, it would make me stronger on the inside. That being stronger would make me feel less vulnerable.

  “I saved a lot of money. The more I saved, the less I wanted to spend. It felt like as long as I had the cash hidden in my stuff, the better off I was. I lived off cheap food and even cheaper crappy apartments. I eventually made my way up here to Castle Rock and met Cole when we literally ran into each other while jogging. I liked it here, and liked Cole. I took a chance and used the money I’d saved up to open Rock Hard Gym with him, and you know the rest.”

  “Tell me about your trip to Chicago earlier this year,” Ryder said softly.

  She turned over, putting her back to him, and Ryder immediately curled up behind her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back into him. He propped his head on his other arm and leaned into her, nuzzling her hair. His larger body surrounded her, giving her his warmth as she continued her story.

  “Every couple of days, I checked the Chicago news. Maybe in the hopes of reading something about Joseph getting arrested or something. But I saw an article about a fire in my old neighborhood. There was a picture of a burned-out shell of a house with a car half-burned sitting in the garage.”