by Lyn Horner
He pulled her to him, flattening her breasts against his hard chest and sealing her mouth with his. While their tongues engaged in a game of chase, his big, strong hands explored her back and pressed her pelvis tight to his engorged penis. He growled and squeezed her butt, urging an answering sound from her throat.
“I can’t wait,” he muttered, lifting his head and gazing at her with desire-laden eyes.
“Then don’t.”
Breaking away, he stepped to her bed and bent to toss back the comforter. She gasped in shock at the sight of a splotchy, reddish-brown scar extending down the left side of his back from shoulder nearly to his waist.
“Dev, your back! she cried.
He straightened instantly, frowning. “I was burned in an accident on my last job. It’s healed. The scar will fade with time, so I’m told.” He sighed and turned his face away. “I’ll understand if it bothers you too much to … you know.” He gestured at the bed.
Shaking her head, she padded over to him and reached up to touch his cheek, raspy with blond whisker stubble. “Look at me,” she said. When he did, she didn’t need to read his mind to see the vulnerability lurking within him. “Your scar doesn’t bother me, not in the way you mean, but it must still be painful. I don’t want to hurt you, Dev.”
His grim expression cleared. Running the fingers of both hands through her hair, he tipped her head back. “What little pain there is, I can’t feel it when you’re in my arms.” Reclaiming her lips, he made her forget everything but her raging need to have him inside her.
They tumbled onto the bed, rolling in a tangle of arms and legs. Michaela ended up on top. Kneeling with her knees on either side of his hips, she reached for the condom he’d deposited on the nightstand. Ripping open the foil packet, she discarded it and unfurled the rubber down his jutting length. He watched her through the whole process, devouring her with his eyes while his hands glided up her thighs to the curls shielding her womanhood. As he began to explore her damp folds, she cried out and arched above him. Screwing her eyes shut, she withstood the sweet torment for as long as she could.
“Enough!” she choked out. Pushing his hands away, she grasped his shaft and positioned the head at her opening. Slowly, she lowered herself onto him, biting her lip at the exquisite sensations this provoked and bringing a groan from Dev. When he gripped her hips and drove upward, filling her completely, she couldn’t contain a shriek of pleasure. Not thinking, just feeling, she moved up and down faster and faster.
“Take it easy, baby, if you want me to last!” Dev panted.
“No! I don’t want easy!” It had been a long time since Michaela had been with a man, and she’d never been with a man like him. She liked that he was confident enough to let her call the shots this first time. Her body demanded more and more and more.
“Okay! Go for it!” Gritting his teeth, he met her every move with an answering thrust, somehow staving off his release until she cried out and dissolved in bliss. Then, before the waves of delight completely receded within her, he rolled her over and, adding a few powerful strokes, roared with satisfaction.
CHAPTER SIX
Dev lay on his back with Michaela cuddled close to his side, her head on his shoulder, a hand on his chest and one long, lovely leg bent across his thighs. Drowsy and mellow after their mind-blowing sex, he smiled to himself and thanked his lucky stars for bringing her to him.
“I dreamed of you before we met,” he murmured, “and I knew you’d be mine.”
She stiffened and wrenched free of him. Rising on one elbow, she glowered at him. “I’m not yours! This was sex, nothing more!”
Startled by her vehement reaction, he rolled onto his side and stared at her. “It wasn’t just sex for me and I don’t believe it was for you either.”
“Yes it was!” She shot into a sitting position. “I’m not yours or any man’s.” Crossing one arm over her beautiful breasts, she pointed to the open door. “Get out!”
Dev sat up more slowly. “Why? What’s this all about, Goldie?” Something obviously lay behind her angry outburst, something painful involving a man.
“It’s about me. It’s about my refusal to let a man control me.” Her voice hitched. “Leave, Dev, please.”
Seeing the glisten of tears in her blue diamond eyes, he wanted to pull her into his arms but realized she wouldn’t welcome any comfort he might give. Jaw set in resignation, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, stood and gathered up his clothes. At the door, he paused to look back at her. She had pulled up the sheet and now lay curled on her side facing away from him, covered up to her ears. She made him think of a terrified child hiding from the boogeyman. He didn’t like playing that part.
Quietly closing her door, he went downstairs, dragged on his shirt and jeans and flopped on the couch, wishing he was back in bed holding Michaela in his arms. She might refuse to accept the fact that she was meant for him, but he knew better and he meant to prove it to her. First, he needed to discover the reason for her attitude toward him and men in general. Getting her to open up clearly wouldn’t be easy, but he was good at solving puzzles and deciphering codes. Somehow he would decode Michaela’s secrets. He had to.
*
Michaela tossed from side to side, regretting her harsh reaction to Dev’s claim that she was his simply because he’d seen her in a precognitive dream. She hadn’t wanted to hurt him, but he’d struck a blow to the hidden, unhealed hole in her heart with his crazy assertion.
So what if he’d dreamed of meeting her? That didn’t mean she was going to give herself to him in more than the physical sense, and that wasn’t going to happen again. He’d pleased her with his willingness to let her be in charge, unlike some men, but she had enjoyed it entirely too much. She couldn’t allow him to undermine the vow she’d made years ago after losing Tara.
Memories of her daughter flashed across her mind, bright and bittersweet. For as long as she lived she would blame herself for what happened. If only she hadn’t trusted the bastard she’d fallen madly in love with, Tara would be alive today. She’d be ten years old now, busy with school and friends, the light of her mother’s life. Instead, she was gone and Michaela lived with a pain no man could ever take away.
Burying her face in a pillow, she let the tears she’d been holding back flow. Before exhaustion finally drove her to sleep, she wondered hazily how she’d looked in Dev’s dream. Silly thought!
The following morning, he looked tired and barely spoke. Intent on building a wall between them, she did the same. As on the previous day, he drove her to work and checked out her office before giving her the okay to enter. She thanked him, he said he’d be back to pick her up after work and left. Evidently he didn’t feel the need to wait and speak to Jennifer again.
Around noon, Michaela was standing at the receptionist’s desk exchanging a few words with her when Andrew walked in. Damn! I should have had Jen lock the door the minute the last morning patient left, she thought, frowning at him.
He looked dapper as always in a gray pinstripe suite, shirt and tie. Smiling, he crossed the empty waiting room, halting a respectful distance away from her. “Michaela, I’m glad I caught you. May I have a few moments of your time? Please.”
She wanted to order him out but preferred not to make a scene in front of Jennifer. With a curt nod, she indicated the door to her inner office. He followed her in there and shut the door behind him. She stood by her desk, arms crossed, looking him in the eye.
“Andrew, I’ve told you twice that I don’t want to see you again.”
He bent his head and rubbed the back of his neck in an affected manner. “I know, and I’m sorry for going against your wishes, Mickie,” he said, making her temper simmer with his use of the nickname she’d begun to hate. “But I must apologize for behaving like a jealous ass. You have every right to be angry with me.”
She relaxed her stance slightly. “ Thank you for apologizing. If that’s all –”
“No!” His head snapp
ed up. “Uh, that’s not all. I … I beg you to forgive me and give me another chance.”
Sighing, she clasped her hands at her waist and shook her head. “I do forgive you, Andrew, but I can’t go out with you. I’m simply not attracted to you, don’t you see?”
He turned red. Dropping his nice guy pose, he scowled furiously and fisted his hands at his sides, giving her a jolt of fear. Instinctively, she darted a quick probe into his thoughts. Reading black rage and an urge to choke the life out of her, she gasped and stumbled back a step. Then it was as if a steel barrier dropped between her and his mind, preventing her from probing any deeper.
“So be it, my dear.” With that he turned and strode out, slamming the door so hard that she felt the vibration through the soles of her shoes.
Seconds later, an urgent knock sounded and Jennifer charged in. “Oh, thank God!” she cried, pressing a hand over her heart. “I was afraid that terrible man had hurt you. Should I call Mr. Medina?”
Shaking in reaction to what she’d read in Andrew’s mind, Michaela leaned heavily on her desk. “No, don’t call him,” she said weakly. “But would you order a sandwich for me? I’ve changed my mind about going out.”
“Sure. Right away.”
“And, Jen, please lock the outer door.”
“I already did.”
“Good girl.” Managing a smile, Michaela walked around the desk on trembling legs and dropped into her chair.
*
Dev spent the day at Michaela’s house, chasing down more information about Andrew Kohler. He’d found a couple brief references to the guy yesterday on the internet, enough to verify he came from Minnesota and was a stockbroker, or had been before being let go by the firm he’d worked for in Minneapolis. Why he’d been fired was the key question. When Dev’s current search produced no results after almost two hours, he decided to contact a friend from his Army days who had proven his ability to hack into virtually any secure system.
Luckily, Patrick – or Patsy as he called himself online – hadn’t been arrested for his illegal snooping, yet. He replied to Dev’s email message almost immediately. Seeming excited by the request for help in uncovering Kohler’s past, he said to give him a little while to do some sleuthing. Within a half hour he sent a message with very enlightening facts about the former stockbroker.
Dev met Michaela in her office at five o’clock and walked her out. She remained as silent as she’d been that morning until they sat buckled up in the Range Rover. He was about to start the engine when she suddenly spoke.
“I have something to tell you about Andrew.” Worry lines creased her forehead.
“Did he show up again and bother you?” he asked in alarm.
“Y-yes, but please, let’s go. I don’t want to sit here in the open.” She glanced around fearfully, making clear just how badly Kohler had frightened her.
As soon as Dev pulled out of the lot, he said, “Okay, start talking.”
“H-he came to my office, looking all contrite and asking me to forgive him and give him another chance. When I said I couldn’t go out with him, he grew furious. Without really thinking, I probed his thoughts. What I read terrified me.”
“What was it?”
“Oh, Dev, he wanted to kill me! I think you’re right, he might be one of the Hellhounds.” Her voice quivered and cracked on the last word.
Reaching over, he gripped her cold hand. “He’s not going to get near you, Goldie, I swear. But you have to give in and let me take you to Lara, where you’ll be safe.”
“I know,” she said dejectedly, “but I’ll need a day or two to arrange for my patients to see other doctors. Please, I have to know they will be cared for.”
He squeezed her fingers. “I’d like to get you off the island tonight, but I understand. Two more days at the most, agreed?”
“Agreed.” She smiled, giving him hope for their future.
“Now, I’ve also got some news about Kohler. A friend of mine did a little digging into the guy’s past and unearthed a couple skeletons in his closet. First off, he was fired several months ago by the brokerage house he worked for. Evidently he’d been supplying insider tips to a few of his cronies. He could have been jailed for it, but the firm hushed it up, not wanting to scare off their clients.
“Second, he has an unexplained source of income. Someone has been depositing a hefty sum in his bank account every month, keeping him in fancy suits and paying the rent on his luxury condo. No doubt the same someone who’s footing the bill for his trip down here.”
“You think the money is coming from the Hellhounds?”
“I think it’s a good bet considering the way he’s pursued you.”
Michaela withdrew her hand from his and hugged herself. “They murdered Malcolm Flewellen then hunted Lara. Now, if you’re right, they’re after me. But, Dev, how do they know the Guardians exist, much less that I’m one of the seven?”
“I don’t know, darlin’. There are seven Guardians?”
“Yes.”
“Interesting. Seven is a magic number according to the Bible.”
“You’re a student of the Bible?”
He chuckled. “Not really, but I had it drummed into me as a kid by my mother.”
“And seven is magical?”
“Sure. Remember the story of Joshua and the Battle of Jericho?”
“Um, not too well. Why don’t you refresh my memory.”
“It goes like this. When Joshua and the Israelites came to the walled Canaanite city of Jericho, God told Joshua they were to march around the city for seven days. On the seventh day they made seven circuits around the wall. The priests were ordered to blow seven trumpets. Then the soldiers gave a great shout and the city walls fell.” He grinned at her. “And that’s just one example of all the times the number seven plays a part in one miracle or another.”
“Huh, fascinating.” After a moment’s silence, Michaela said, “For the Guardians, I fear seven may be an unlucky number. One of us may be a traitor.”
He glanced at her sharply, frowning. “You think one of the others might be in league with the Hellhounds?”
She shrugged. “It’s a terrible thought, but otherwise, I can’t see how the Hounds learned about us. Yet, even that doesn’t explain how they found me, if they have. None of us know where the rest are located, except for our leader, the High Guardian.”
“That’s Lara now that her uncle is gone. She didn’t know how to contact any of you, either, until I decoded Malcolm’s book.”
Michaela turned her head to stare at him. “And now you also know how to find all of us.”
Dev was just pulling up in front of her house. Frowning, he put the car in park and turned off the engine. Then he faced her. “You still suspect I might be a Hellhound?”
“I … don’t want to, but … .” Gaze darting away, she twisted her hands in her lap.
“But you’re not sure I’m not.” He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, thinking. “There’s one way to prove it. Read my mind.”
She gave him a wide-eyed look. “You would let me do that?”
“Yes, if it will convince you once and for all that you can trust me.”
Nodding, she suggested they go inside and get something to eat first, explaining her gift would work best if he was in a relaxed setting.
*
Parked half a block behind them, Andrew Kohler sat in his rented sedan, hidden behind darkened windows, and watched Michaela and her muscle bound boyfriend climb the front stairs to her house. He ground his teeth when they disappeared inside. It should have been him with her. Having assured his master that he was making good progress in seducing the voluptuous blonde Guardian, he now faced the onerous task of reporting his failure.
Wishing he could kill the woman and the big ape who’d put him in this position, he pulled out his cell phone and punched in the secret number known only to the master’s closest confidants. As always, there was a short delay while his call transferred to a s
econd number that no one except the master himself knew.
“Speak,” said a machine-like voice.
“Master, it is I, Andrew.”
“Ah, Andrew. I presume you wish to report good news.”
“Um, not exactly.”
“What do you mean?” the voice demanded sharply.
“There’s been a complication. I, uh, am no longer seeing Dr. Peterson. Another man has stolen her affections.”
“You have failed me!” the mechanical voice screeched.
“I am sorry, Master,” Andrew choked out. “The woman is very difficult. I’ve tried time and again to win her over, but the other man came between us.”
“I don’t want excuses!” the voice hissed. “You will obtain the scroll she guards by any means necessary and bring it to me at the appointed place. Is that clear?”
“Yes, master.”
“Good. Do not fail me again, Andrew. You know what fate awaits you if you do.”
“Yes, Master.” Barely forcing out the words, Andrew felt his gorge rise as the line went dead. Trembling, he dropped the phone and closed his eyes, fighting down the threatening eruption from his stomach. He had never seen the master’s hooded face or even heard his natural voice, but he had witnessed the punishment meted out to those who failed him.
“I will not be one of them!” he vowed to the silence around him. He would force Michaela to turn over the scroll to him, and then he would put an end to her.
CHAPTER SEVEN
As soon as they finished cleaning up after their thrown together meal, Dev insisted they get to the main event. Even though this was his idea, he felt kind of nervous about Michaela looking into his mind and seeing things he didn’t want her to see, especially his x-rated thoughts of her. He hoped she wouldn’t be offended, but even if she was, this was the only way he could think of to convince her he was on the up and up.