by Jaime Rush
“It was easy not to get involved with anyone, not on a deep level. Like you said, I’d never met anyone who made me want to. Then I met you. It should have been easy not to get involved with you. There were the rules, and you are—were a rule follower. Our paths are totally different. We’re different.”
“But you kissed me anyway.”
He nodded, a soft smile on that lush mouth of his. “Kissed you and completely fell in love with you. I realized how much when I was trying to find you that night.”
Fell in love? Her heart stopped beating. She felt the answering pull of her heart. But he wasn’t smiling or making a declaration. “Don’t look so grim. You saved me, after all.”
“Go to your cousin’s house. Stay away from here until it’s over.”
“Stay away from you?”
He nodded.
Anger bubbled to the surface. “Don’t you dare to try protect me. I’ve spent my whole life being protected and controlled.” She stood. “I’m not that manipulated Daddy’s little girl anymore.”
He looked up at her. “You need time to figure out who you are.”
“You’re right, and what better way than to dive right in.” She stripped off her shirt.
That sent him to his feet, grabbing her shirt and trying to put it over her. “Livvie, you don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Hm, let me see. I’m taking off my clothes.” She slid her pants down her legs and stepped out of them. She unclasped her bra and flung it aside, then slid her panties down. “Does that about sum it up?” She jabbed her finger into his hard chest. “You woke up this tiger inside me, and now you’re going to make her purr.” She started unbuttoning his shirt.
“Livvie…”
She pushed his shirt back. “Do not tell me you won’t touch me because you want to protect little ole me from making some big ole mistake because I’m not in my right mind. Maybe I’m not. But you’re going to put me in my right body.”
She reached down and unsnapped his jeans, feeling a surge of her feminine power and such heat radiating through her, she had to fight to keep from ripping off his clothes. She loved that he looked shell-shocked but that his body was right on track. She pushed both his pants and briefs down in one action, and he stepped out of them. She kissed her way up his legs, feeling his coarse hairs pressing against her lips, loving the feel of them and his hard muscles.
Face-to-face, she said, “Stop fighting what we both want. You’ve done the honorable thing—now give in.” She kissed the soft, pale skin on his hip, traced her tongue around his belly button, and kissed her way up his smooth chest. When she reached his collarbone, she slid her fingers around his penis, and he groaned.
She kissed him, pushing him against a nearby tree, devouring him with her mouth as she continued to stroke his penis. He slid his hands behind her head and plunged into the kiss. She pulled him down to the ground but twisted so that he was lying down. Crouching over him, she felt like a tiger as she prowled over his body, taking her ever-loving time, teasing, loving on him with her lips, and finally taking him into her mouth.
All day she’d been bouncing between different emotions: anger, confusion, and lust. She’d spent enough time with the first two. Now it was time for lust.
Except you feel more than lust for this man.
Shhh.
She loved running her hands over his body, loved hearing his labored breathing, feeling his body tense in pleasure. But she didn’t want him to go too far. She kissed back up to his throat. With a growl, he turned her over and nuzzled her neck, then nibbled her ear. All the while, his hands roamed her skin. She shivered in pleasure.
That was nothing compared to when he went lower, putting his mouth where his hands had just been, loving on her breasts, every inch. She plunged her fingers into his hair as her body arched. His hand slid down over her stomach and teased at the edge of pubic hair and the ridge that led to her inner thigh. He feathered his fingers across her soft skin there, inching closer to where she throbbed with wanting. Her breath came in soft pants as he trailed his tongue across her stomach, following the path of his hand.
His fingers slid between her legs, where she was already wet, and spread them so he could slide between her folds. His mouth followed. The delicious build of her orgasm thrummed through her when his tongue dipped and swirled. Just as she was about to fall over the edge, he kissed her inner thigh, only to make her gasp with a flick of his tongue on her swollen nub. Her body tightened so much it hurt.
He was teasing her, knowing she was about to go off and not letting her. She moved into his mouth, and he slyly evaded her. She was nearly pulling his hair now, her breath in staccato bursts, and finally he gave her what she wanted, needed, desperately needed.
Her orgasm shuddered through her body, and she knew what the phrase rock her world meant now. Then he dipped his tongue in again and sent her rocketing off once more. Holy…holy… She didn’t even know she could go twice.
He worked his way up to her neck again. “Livvie, we can’t go all the way. I don’t have a condom.”
He really was trying to protect her, in more ways than one. “I do.” She twisted around and grabbed the box she’d bought at the store earlier that day. Seeing the display had revved her up, and on impulse, a very non-Olivia thing to do, she threw the box into the basket.
His eyes filled with both surprise and pleasure. She opened the foil package and slid the condom down his shaft. She batted her eyes, looking up through her lashes at him. “My, what a big, bad boy you are.”
He grinned. “And what a bad girl you are.”
She put her arms around his shoulders. “Mm, you bet. I kinda like this Olivia.”
“Me, too.”
While he was still sitting, she sat on his lap facing him. She eased onto him, and he fit perfectly, tight and snug. Her breasts brushed against his chest as they kissed, and even the slight movement sent shock waves through her. With his hand bracing her lower back, he tilted her back, and she felt him push even farther into her. She began to rock, slowly, then faster.
Little gasps escaped her, almost like high-pitched yelps. Just as she felt that growing sensation, she held off by slowing down. He kissed her breasts and dipped his tongue in the hollow between them. She was amazed he held on to his orgasm so long. She knew he’d been on the edge when she’d gone down on him.
His breathing, though, became more labored, deeper and shorter. Those waves of pleasure rocketing through her stole away her breath, too. The orgasm hit her like an explosion, sending her screaming in pleasure. His fingers dug into her back as she felt him throbbing inside her, heard him let out a long groan.
She pulled her head back, her face flushed, her mouth in a smile she couldn’t even begin to tame. He had that same kind of smile on his face. Warm aftershocks pulsed through her, and she could feel his heartbeat.
“You were incredible,” he said at the same time that she said, “You were awesome.”
She laughed, hugging him close, loving the feeling of being in his arms. Loving feeling him still inside her, and amazingly enough, still hard. Loving…him? He’d fallen in love with her. He hadn’t professed it in a, I want to be with you forever way, but that’s because he believed he was going to die soon.
She held his face in her hands. “Don’t try to protect me. It’s already too late. I’ve fallen for you, too. If you leave my life now, it’ll hurt as much as if I lost you in any other way. I’m already in up to my eyebrows. Let me make the choice. Whatever heartache might come, it’ll be worth it.”
He looked at her, his gaze intense. “I am so lost.”
She put her palm against his cheek. “Little boy lost. All those missions, that need you feel. For a man who’s good at finding things, you never realized you were missing a piece of yourself.”
His voice was barely audible when he said, “You’re that missing piece.” His gaze darkened. “But—”
She pressed her finger against his mouth. “Let’s just b
e, no buts.” No way could she let him go now. She sure as hell wasn’t going to let him die.
The sound of a twig snapping shot through the air. They both jumped to their feet, and he pushed her clothes at her, his gaze on where the sound had come. The sun was almost gone, leaving only wisps of light in the woods.
They both dressed wordlessly. He palmed his keys and took hold of her hand. He squeezed it and, leaning close to her ear, whispered, “Get ready to run.”
CHAPTER 36
Lucas spent the evening jumping down everyone’s throats. He finally put them out of their misery and went to his room. As agreed upon, Eric moved the desk in front of the door so Lucas couldn’t come out during his sleep. He sank onto the bed and tried to calm himself enough to go to Amy’s dreams.
He didn’t bother to take any nice scenery with him, as he’d done before. He pulled her from a dream about a talking black mouse.
“I want you home now.”
She turned around, her expression chagrined. “I didn’t think about your coming to my dreams.”
“Either you get home, or I’m coming to get you.”
“No, let me do this. We’re waiting to see how the test mouse did with the newest version of the antidote. Lucas, this may be your salvation.”
“Have you found out what it is yet?”
“Not exactly, but it may be a myto…myxo…a slime mold. He’s obsessed with them. He said one of them moved—moved onto his plate! That’s how he accidentally ingested it.”
She did sound excited, but he couldn’t get past her deception. Especially since that deception could put her in danger. “I’m giving you one last chance to either come home or tell me where you are.”
Her expression fell. “Lucas, I can’t take the chance you’ll come here and kill Wallace. Not on purpose, like Eric might. But through Sayre. I’ll be back tomorrow.” She put her arms around his shoulders and gave him a look that threatened to melt him. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” But he was going to have a hard time forgiving her for sneaking off.
He pulled out before he said something he’d regret. Besides, he didn’t want to tire himself. He had something else to do.
He pictured his twin brother, focused on him with every cell of his body. The process was faster this time, and he felt his soul fly into the other man’s dreams. A dream of violence, Sayre pinning a woman to the floor with his body. He looked up. The woman disappeared, and he came to his feet with a feral smile.
“Hey, there, brother. Nice of you to drop in.”
Lucas had nothing to say to him. He’d read about him on the Internet and knew what kind of monster he was. There would be no reasoning with him.
He wrapped his hands around Sayre’s throat. They struggled, Sayre with his hands around Lucas’s throat as well.
“Aw, brother, you don’t have to give me a hug,” he said in a strained voice. “I know you love me.”
“Leave me and my people alone.”
“But I love my little visits. And your girlfriend, she’s cute.”
Lucas brought up his knee and shoved it into his gut. Sayre doubled over, looked up with a snarl, and sent him hurtling right out of the dream.
Lucas woke with a start, his body soaked with sweat. Hell. Of course Sayre had seen Amy when he’d possessed Lucas. The crazy part was, she might be safer where she was—away from him.
Nicholas pulled the knife out of the backpack, gripping it so hard his knuckles hurt. He knew, somehow, that the sound was either Darkwell or his men. Probably both. Darkwell wouldn’t hurt his daughter, but she could get caught in the cross fire. And if he forced her back to the estate, Sayre could get to her.
He did a location on the car. Straight out to the west. With Olivia’s hand gripped in his, he led her in that direction. Two figures moved out of the shadows up ahead. He stopped, hoping they wouldn’t see their movement.
“Over there!” a man shouted.
Damn. They probably had night goggles or heat-sensing ones. There was barely enough light to see by.
“Sir, they’re heading west.”
Sir. Darkwell.
He led Olivia in a different direction. The two figures separated and disappeared among the tree trunks. He wanted to call a time-out and get her out of there. Footsteps sounded in the distance. He could hear her fearful breathing, see the whites of her eyes as she searched around them. He gave her hand a squeeze of reassurance.
A gun pressed against his side. “Don’t move.”
He jammed the knife into the man’s arm. The gunman screamed and dropped the gun.
Olivia gasped. Another man grabbed her from behind and pointed his gun in Nicholas’s direction. “Drop the weapon.”
Nicholas kept his grip on the knife.
“Look, buddy, our orders are just to bring you in. Unless you cause trouble. Then we take you out. Your choice.”
No way was he going to be a guinea pig like Lucas.
The first guy tore his shirt and wrapped it around his gushing arm.
“You all right, Dan?” the second man asked.
Olivia took advantage of his momentary shift of attention, grabbed the hand holding her, and bit down hard. He jerked his hand away, and she grabbed his gun. He wouldn’t let go, and they struggled.
Nicholas felt around on the ground until his fingers touched the cold metal of Dan’s gun. He pointed it at the second guy as he wrested his gun from Olivia’s grasp.
“Don’t move. I will shoot.” He meant it. Something inside him changed, grew harder, stronger. He really felt like a Rogue.
Olivia took the gun from the guy.
Nicholas jabbed his gun into the uninjured man’s back. “Move, both of you.”
His heart thudded as they walked toward the edge of the woods. “Be ready,” he told Olivia. “Your father’s probably going to be waiting there.”
Her body stiffened, but she nodded. He saw something change in her, too, in the way her shoulders broadened and her chin jutted out.
The second man looked back at Olivia. She narrowed her eyes, holding her gun just inches from his shoulder. “I’m a CIA officer. I know how to shoot.” She winked at Nicholas to indicate she was bluffing. It had worked. The men walked even faster.
They broke out of the forest, the two men first. Darkwell was behind his car, gun aimed at them. His headlights were on, illuminating the area and nearly blinding Nicholas.
“Try anything, and I’ll shoot them,” Nicholas said. He’d never shot a gun before, but he’d do it if he had to.
“Go ahead.”
He went cold. The man meant it.
“Father!”
“Olivia, get over here. You’re a Darkwell, not a fugitive or a traitor. I don’t want you hurt.”
She stepped in front of Nicholas. “You’re right, I’m not cut out for this stuff. But I won’t let you shoot him. Let us leave, and I’ll come back and talk to you.”
“Livvie…” God, that she would shield him from her father’s bullet. That she would risk her safety.
“It’s okay,” she whispered.
“Olivia, you’re acting like a foolish teenager. Get over here now.”
“Tomorrow. You’ll have to trust me, just as you asked me to trust you all these years. Promise you’ll let us leave, and I promise to meet you tomorrow.”
He hesitated.
One of the men began to slowly reach back, and Nicholas jammed the gun into his back. “That son of a bitch doesn’t care if you die. Why should I?”
The man relaxed his arm, his mouth tightening.
Darkwell’s mouth was pinched, his eyes hard and cold. “All right.”
“I’m trusting you, Father. Don’t shoot this man in front of me. I would never, ever forgive you for that.” His stance faltered at that, and he laid the gun on the roof of his car. She stayed close to Nicholas as they walked to the Camry.
“Don’t let me down, either, Olivia.”
“I won’t.”
She
took the guns from Nicholas once he was in the car. They tore down the road, both looking behind them. No headlights followed.
“You could have been hurt, putting yourself in front of me like that.”
She wrapped her fingers around his arm. “I had no choice. I knew he’d kill you, and that scared me beyond words.”
“You can’t go back to him. Remember what I said.”
“I have to. I gave my word. A Darkwell always lives up to her word.”
He looked at her, seeing the seriousness of her expression.
“I’m not going to stay.” She turned toward the back again. “I need to confront my father about my mother. I need the truth from him. If he did something to her, I’ll have some leverage. I’m going to use it for you. I can find out the truth about BLUE EYES. He owes me that. And I’m going to reason with him about his mission to kill the Rogues. I’m the only hope in convincing him to leave them alone.” She looked at him. “To leave you alone.”
“He’s got a history of manipulating you.”
“That is history. I’m not that Olivia anymore. You can’t stop me, Nicholas, so don’t try.”
His expression hardened, but he relented. He reached over. “If you can’t convince him, stay away from the Rogues, from me. I don’t want you in another situation like this one.”
“There you go again, trying to protect me. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.” She gave him a strong, beautiful smile. “But first we go to this place where the eye is. I want to see it, too.” Her smile faltered. “Then I go to my father.”
It hit him. “You’re trying to save me from dying.”
Her expression was even more serious. “I know that fire is going to happen because of my father. I’m going to do whatever I can to stop it.”
CHAPTER 37
Amy woke the next morning in the guest suite, anxious to see how Astrid 4222 had fared through the night.
She followed the aroma of coffee to the kitchen, where she found Magnus looking at the courtyard, a dark expression on his face.
He turned when she stepped up beside him. “You’d like some coffee.”