“No.” Jan shook her head and raised her hips slightly. “Only us.”
“Only us.” He pushed inside her, burying himself within her in one long stroke.
She rocked against him, and he groaned deeply at the feel of her writhing beneath him, all luscious heat and soft passion. Jan locked her feet around his lower back and threaded her fingers through his hair once more as he withdrew to his tip then thrust back inside her again, over and over, each stroke pushing them both closer to the edge. Needing her closer, needing more, he slid his arms beneath her back and sat up, bringing her with him. The new position changed his angle of penetration, bringing him deeper inside her and allowing him to hit the sensitive spot inside her that he’d so recently learned drove her wild with need.
“You feel so incredible,” she whispered in his ear, nipping lightly at his lobe. “Don’t stop.”
“Never, sweetheart.” He rocked them both, pressing his pubic bone against her swollen clitoris and eliciting the most erotic mewl from her that he’d ever heard. “Never.”
Her head fell back, and he nuzzled her neck as he slipped his hand between them once more and found her clitoris with his fingers. He worked her gently, applying slight pressure to her sensitive nub until her whole body went whipcord tight.
“Dino…” she gasped. “Oh, God. Dino.”
“That’s it, sweetheart. Let go. Let go for me.” He mouthed the words against her skin, holding her close as he drove harder, faster, deeper into her, seeking his own release. “Yes. Fuck yes.”
At last a familiar tightness coiled deep in his gut, spreading outward through his groin and thighs, and he stiffened within her, coming so hard that his toes curled. They stayed locked in their passionate embrace—her face buried in the crook of his neck, his breath hot and heavy into the top of her hair—until gravity and drowsiness took over and they both slid back down onto the sofa.
“That was… wow!” She giggled against his throat, her warm breath ghosting over his skin.
“You can say that again.” He reached up and tugged the afghan draped over the back of the sofa down over them to keep the chill away. “Comfortable?”
“Infinitely.” She kissed him then snuggled into his chest. “I’m glad you were the one Blake sent over that day.”
“Me too, sweetheart. Me too.” Bodies still intimately joined, Dino tucked her in tighter against him and stroked her hair until her breath evened out into the patterns of sleep.
Sleepy and sated and feeling like finally things were on the right track again, Dino finally let himself relax. With Jan’s stalker in jail, he no longer had to be hyper-vigilant. No longer had to keep looking over his shoulder, on alert at all times. Now he could focus all his attention on Jan.
Which was why he never noticed the angry shadow peering in the window at them as they drifted off to sleep.
Twenty-Two
Hours later, Jan woke up in her living room, feeling stiff and a bit sore, but overall better than she had in years. The fact that the man lying next to her was responsible for said soreness—as well as her improved outlook—made her grin.
She slipped out of his arms and headed upstairs for a shower, stopping to pick up their scattered clothes along the way. They made quite a mess, but man, was it fun. After scrubbing down and pulling on a pair of fresh jeans and a sweater, she headed back downstairs.
Dino was up as well now, sitting on the sofa in just his jeans, and she hesitated at the sight of him, contemplating stripping him bare all over again. Except, given his now serious expression, she doubted that option was on the table anymore.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, walking back in the living room. “Is it Lou?”
“No.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her down on the sofa beside him, kissing her gently before tucking her beneath his arm. “I got a text from the office. They located Stacy’s cell phone in some dive motel off the Strip.”
Her buoyant heart deflated. “Oh, no. Is she all right?”
“No idea.” He exhaled, long and slowly. “I should probably head over there. Check it out.”
“I’ll come with you.” She threaded her fingers through his and met his dubious gaze with a smile. “I will. I want to help.”
He pulled her closer and kissed her on the forehead then let her go and stood. “Okay. Let me finish getting dressed, and we’ll head out.”
“Okay.” Jan gathered their mugs and took them to the kitchen while he tugged his shirt back on. She didn’t trust herself not to pull it right back off again if she stayed there. Nestled in his arms, surrounded by his warmth and spicy clean scent, she’d never felt more cared for or protected. That realization both elated and terrified her.
Honestly, they’d never really discussed where this new thing between them was headed. For all she knew, he wasn’t looking for long-term.
“Hey, you ready, sweetheart?” He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back into his muscular chest. “The sooner we get over there, the sooner we can come back here.”
He waggled his brows suggestively, and she couldn’t help but laugh.
“Fine. Yes. Let’s go.”
Dino took her hand and grabbed his car keys and her bag off the table in the foyer on the way out. “My GPS says it’s a place called The Hideaway Inn over on Flamingo.”
“Never heard of it,” she said, climbing into the passenger seat of the SUV then clicking her seat belt into place.
“Neither have I.” He got in behind the wheel then started the engine. “That’s what worries me.”
Thirty minutes later, he swerved into a spot near the curb in front of a dilapidated white stucco building. The creaking sign blowing in the breeze out front said Hideaway in faded block letters.
Jan started to open her door, but Dino stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“You better put this on.” He handed her a gray knit skull cap. “Wouldn’t want anyone to recognize you in a place like this.”
“Oh, yeah.” She gathered her hair into a bun then shoved the whole mess beneath the hat and tugged it into place. “Better?”
“No.” He smiled and pulled her in for a kiss. “But if it keeps you safe, that’s all that matters.”
With a wink, he exited the car then came around and opened the door for her. Aviator shades in place over his eyes, Dino held her hand as they walked into the musty-smelling lobby and over to a cluttered, ramshackle desk stuck in one corner of the trashed room. A guy in a stained white tank top stretched tight over his bulging beer belly sat behind it.
“Excuse me?” Dino said, walking over. “We’re looking for somebody.”
The clerk looked them both up and down then sneered. “Ain’t we all, pal.”
Dino’s grip on her hand tightened slightly, and she looked over to see a small muscle ticking near his clenched jaw. The sheer power leashed behind his calm façade made her heart beat faster. “This person is a friend of mine.”
“So?”
“So.” Dino took a deep breath then stepped closer to the desk, looming over the short, squat man behind it like some avenging angel. Even Jan had to admit she was a bit intimidated. “How about you tell me which room she’s in and I won’t send you to the ER?”
The guy stared up at Dino, his mouth slack and his eyes wide. He swallowed hard then fumbled for the guest ledger on his desk. “What’s the name?”
“Stacy Winters.”
“Uh.” The clerk traced a shaky finger down his list then stopped beside a line near the bottom. “Yeah. Got her right here. She’s in room 105.”
“Thanks.” Dino strode back to the entrance, tugging Jan along beside him. He didn’t drop his tough-guy act until they were outside and around the corner of the building. Once they were out of the clerk’s range of vision, he pressed Jan up against the wall and kissed her hard. “Sorry about that in there.”
“You mean that was an act?”
The soft caress of his lips against her neck seemed comple
tely at odds with his harsh demeanor. “Yep. I’m not like my old man. I don’t punch people unless there’s a good reason. Especially now that I have someone soft and warm to balance it all out.”
She kissed him once more then took his hand. “C’mon. Let’s get Stacy and go home.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He pushed his sunglasses up to the top of his head and led her to a white door across the small, pothole-strewn parking lot, gold numbers stuck crookedly on the front, proclaiming it was the room they were looking for. “Ready?”
“Ready.” She stepped behind him as he knocked then waited.
Nothing.
Dino pounded on the door again. “Stacy, it’s me. I know you’re in there. Open up.”
A few bumps and a small crash issued from inside, but the door remained closed.
“Let me try,” Jan said, moving in front of him. She rapped lightly, doing her best to keep the worry from her tone. “Stacy, honey. It’s Jan. Please let us in.”
Finally, the door cracked open about an inch, a thick chain securing it in place. Stacy squinted at them. “What do you want?”
“We want to talk to you.” Jan forced a smile she didn’t quite feel. “Please?”
Stacy sighed and shut the door in her face.
Seconds later, the sound of the chain rattling followed by the snick of the lock opening sounded.
“Let’s go.” Dino reached around her and pushed inside. “Stacy, what the hell is going on?”
“Nothing. Jeez.” She ran a trembling hand through her mussed hair then rubbed her nose. “What are you guys, the cops or something?”
“Or something.” Dino gave her a stern look then did a quick inspection of the room. He held up a baggie filled with traces of white powder near the bottom along with a glass pipe, and Jan’s heart sank. Dino cursed and tossed the stuff back in the trash before walking over and grabbing Stacy by the arm. “We need to get you out of here.”
“What? Why?” She tried to shake him off but couldn’t. Her steps were wobbly, and her face was drawn and pale. Dark shadows marred the skin beneath her eyes, and there were bruises on her neck. Bruises in the shape of a man’s fingers, Jan noted. “I’m not going anywhere. I like it here.”
“Stacy, hon.” Jan approached and wrapped an arm around her cousin’s shoulders. “This place isn’t safe. Why don’t you come home with me and we’ll talk about this some more?”
Stacy gave her a sidelong glance. “Can we paint our nails?”
Dino gave Jan a questioning look over the top of Stacy’s head, and she grinned. “We used to do that all the time as kids. And yeah.” She pulled Stacy closer. “We can paint our nails if you want.”
“Okay.”
Stacy allowed them to lead her outside to the SUV then balked when they tried to load her inside. “What about my purse?”
“Got it right here.” Dino held up a small black leather clutch. “Now get in.”
“You’re so bossy.” She poked him in the chest with her finger. “Stop being so bossy.”
“Stop acting like a child, and maybe I will.” He hoisted her slim weight easily into the backseat and strapped her in despite her protests. “Now, be a good girl.”
She flipped him off in response.
Jan snorted. “We Winters gals do like to speak our minds.”
“I’ve noticed.” Dino slammed the door then walked around to get into his seat while Jan did the same. Once they were both buckled in, they took off back toward Jan’s house. They drove for several miles in silence before Dino said, “You know she needs professional help, right?”
“Yeah, I realize that now. What was that stuff back there in that baggie, anyway?”
“Crack, most likely. Maybe some cocaine thrown in for fun.”
“Doesn’t sound like fun to me.”
“There’s a rehab facility over near the Greenbriar. I called a few weeks ago, and they were willing to take her in.” He glanced in the rearview mirror at a suspiciously silent Stacy, then back at Jan. “We could get her checked in today, if you want.”
“I don’t know.” Jan winced. Knowing someone had a problem was one thing. Forcing them into rehab against their will was quite another. She and Stacy had just gotten close again, and she hated to do anything to drive a wedge between her and the only family she had left. But given what she’d seen back in that motel room, maybe this was the only reasonable course of action. “Do you think that’s the best thing to do?”
“Yeah, I do.” He reached over and took her hand again, showing her the strength and support she so desperately needed right now. “She won’t get any better without help.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.” At the next corner, Dino veered right and turned away from their original destination and toward what Jan assumed was the direction of the rehab center. Ten minutes later, they pulled up in front of a group of modern-looking buildings that looked more like a high-class spa and less like a home for drug addicts. Hell, if Jan wasn’t so busy, she wouldn’t mind spending a few days meditating among their peaceful gardens and waterfalls.
Dino got out and opened Jan’s door then leaned in close to whisper, “This might get ugly.”
“Why?”
“She’s somewhere she doesn’t want to be. Even if you and I know it’s for the best. She might fight back. I just want you to be prepared.”
Jan nodded then stepped down from the vehicle, expecting to do battle with her cousin if necessary to get her the help she needed. But once Dino pulled open the back door and unbuckled Stacy’s seat belt, she remained oddly quiet. She exchanged a concerned look with Dino then followed behind him as he led Stacy inside.
“Hello, there,” a middle-aged African-American woman said, approaching them. “How may I help you today?”
“Hi.” Dino slipped his sunglasses off once more and smiled at the woman. “I called a few weeks ago about having my friend here admitted. Her name is Stacy Winters.”
“Ah, right.” The woman led them over to a large oak desk then stepped behind it and clicked a few keys on her computer. “Yep. I’ve got that information right here. Are you a family member?”
“I am.” Jan stepped forward.
“Great.” She smiled at Jan then glanced at her head. “Nice hat.”
“Thanks.” Jan looked at Dino and bit back a smile. “I’m her cousin.”
“Cousin will work.” The woman motioned for them to have a seat then directed her attention to Stacy. “Ms. Winters, my name is Deborah, and I’ll be your intake partner while you’re here with us. Does that sound all right to you?”
Stacy shrugged but remained silent.
“Awesome.” If the woman noticed anything out of the ordinary, she didn’t show it. Then again, considering what they dealt with on a regular basis in a place like this, Stacy probably seemed like a piece of cake, Jan supposed.
Deborah printed out several forms and explained them to Jan before she signed on the dotted line. An hour later, they kissed Stacy good-bye, and Jan promised she’d be back four days later, after Stacy completed her mandatory detox period.
Dino took her hand again as they walked back out into the sunshine. “I know that was hard for you, but you did the right thing.”
“I just hope she gets the help she needs.”
“This is one of the best facilities in the country. She’ll get the best care here, I promise.”
Jan stopped in front of one of the many small waterfalls decorating the plaza in front of the parking lot. “It seems lovely here, anyway.”
“Yeah.” He slipped his arm around her waist, his gaze never leaving her. “Beautiful.”
Warmth suffused her system, and she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
“For everything.” She took his hand and led him toward the car once more. “Now let’s get back to my place before I tackle you right here and have my wicked way with you.”
Twenty-Three
The ne
xt morning, Jan and Dino headed back to Treble Studios, as usual. Except everything wasn’t as usual. Not anymore. She glanced over at Dino in the driver’s seat and found him looking at her as they waited for the stoplight to turn green. She grinned, and he squeezed her hand, entwined with his on top of her jeans-covered thigh.
“Happy, sweetheart?” he asked, his brilliant-blue gaze dropping to her lips before returning to her eyes.
“Yeah, I am.”
“Good.” He leaned over and kissed her, his lips warm and soft and infinitely inviting. Since they’d gotten back together, she couldn’t seem to get enough of him, always wanting to touch him or hold him or kiss him. Making up for lost time, she supposed.
A honking horn behind them had Dino pulling away from her, his expression reluctant. He waved to the irate guy behind them in the rearview mirror then took off again.
Jan chuckled, checking her appearance in the mirror once more as they pulled into the small studio parking lot. No matter how thrilled she might be to be back together with Dino, it still felt tentative. Things were good, she knew, but inside she still had that niggle of doubt, that feeling that the other shoe was about to drop. It was all part of her problem with trusting anyone. A problem she was trying hard to defeat.
Her trust issues aside, she didn’t want the world to know about their budding relationship just yet. Tabloid gossip was one thing. Showing up to work with mussed hair and smeared lipstick was quite another.
Dino pulled the Tahoe into a parking space and cut the engine then reached over and took her hand again. “You going to be okay in there today, after what happened with Lou?”
“I’ll be fine.” She flipped the mirrored visor back up and took a deep breath. “I mean, it’ll be weird and all. I’m so used to having him around all the time, watching everything I do in there, but I think it’ll be good. I’ve got a couple of new song ideas I want to hash out, so that’ll keep me busy.”
“You know I’m here for you, right?” He reached over and smoothed an errant lock of her long brown hair away from her face. “Not just as your bodyguard. Whatever you need, you tell me, okay?”
Deadly Betrayal (The Rockford Security Series Book 1) Page 20