He leaned forward to get a better view, “Looks like it has their attention too. Must not be friendly. Look at them scramble back to their rig.”
“Wylie?” Eva began to panic. “Wylie, he’s going right for them.”
The car rammed the back of the SUV and took chase just as it pulled away.
“Get down!” Wylie hollered as he reached for her. “Keep your head down in case they exchange fire.”
“We need to get out of here. Wylie, go,” she cried.
The fear in her voice pained him. There was a time when Eva would be the first one in line to follow the riot, completely fearless, but the events of late had wounded her in more ways than one. She was scared—and rightfully so—but he’d get even for that piece of security and confidence that had been stolen from her. Then he’d do everything in his power to restore it—no matter how long it took.
“It’s okay, darlin’. They don’t know we’re here. They aren’t going to hurt us. Just sit still another minute, and then I’ll get you out of here,” he affirmed. “Whoever is in that car is doing us a favor right now.”
“Then let’s buy them a beer later and get the hell out of here,” she cried.
Wylie put the car in gear. Backing out of the parking spot they occupied in the grocery store lot, he headed in the opposite direction as the other vehicles.
“We’re fine,” he reassured her after several minutes of stroking Eva’s hair as she rested her head on the center console. “You can sit up now. They’re long gone.”
They were stopped at an intersection just outside of town, and Wylie reviewed his route to determine the best direction to travel. A loud bang caused them both to jump and look to their right in search of the source.
“Gunfire,” Eva exclaimed as she studied the country-like terrain. “I’m hoping that was just a farmer defending his chicken coop.”
More rounds exchanged, and Wylie declared, “I think we’ll take a left here. I hope the guy in the car comes out of this okay. We owe him one.”
“Or do we? What if they’re just in the way of him getting to us?”
“I guess we aren’t hanging around to find out.”
“I thought the point was to stay off the grid,” Eva snarked, as she followed Wylie, hand in hand, through a hotel and casino lobby.
“We are,” he replied. “Play tourist. Nobody can see us here. Several of our biggest clients are right here on the Strip. Liam has all BK employee’s facials blocked from the rec programs. As soon as it detects us, it erases us on a three second cycle. Nobody can see us.”
“In all the hotels?”
“Nope, just the ones we run security for. It’s like it triggers a jammer…it’ll follow us through the whole place. As long as we stay here…”
Eva jumped in, “We get to hide in plain sight.”
“Exactly.” Wylie pulled her into his side with his arm draped around her shoulders and leaned down. “Now kiss me. We want to fit in.”
She smiled and kissed him.
“See, there you go. Now you look like a tourist here for a long weekend.”
“Because I kissed you?”
He winked. “No, because you smiled and giggled.”
“I don’t giggle. And I don’t want to attract any attention, even touristy, because my face is still—”
Wylie cut her off and finished her sentence, “Beautiful as ever. Besides, you can barely see anything under that hat, and half this town is so drunk they can’t see straight.”
“You are the kindest man. Thank you for saying that, but—”
He cut her off again as they waited for the elevator, “No buts, Eva. You don’t get to say anything bad about my girl.”
“Oh, I’m your girl, now? That’s an interesting twist of events. You hated me this time last week.”
“I never hated you.” Wylie’s tone was sincere, maybe even a little hurt. “I didn’t want to like you, and man, did I try, but I never hated you. I think this day was coming quick anyway. You’re little disappearing act just sped things up a bit.”
Eva rubbed her hands together in a mischievous way. “A-ha. My plan worked.”
The elevator arrived, and they both stepped on. Wylie put his thumb against a digital reader, and the doors shut, and they were swiftly whisked to the penthouse level.
“Was scanning your finger smart?”
“Totally smart. The only access to that reader is Brother’s Keeper—it’s our floor. We have one in every place we manage. These aren’t typical clients and require on-site Keepers. These are their living quarters while on the job and where we all meet if meetings are needed.”
“That’s…crazy.” She laughed. “And maybe a little spoiled? Penthouse?”
“Hey, it’s big stakes here in Vegas with a lot on the line. They are the prime target for every criminal there is. It was practically built by criminals if you really think of the history.”
“Touché.” Eva nodded. “Who runs this hotel? Won’t they be in the penthouse? I thought the goal was to stay off the grid—even avoid the team for now.”
“My cousin Cane. He’s actually staying off-site with a client we’re protecting. It’s a big case.”
“Oh, that’s the Anson Deveraux case. I remember the last briefing on that. He’s the serial killer…”
“That’s the one. Cane is protecting Charlie off-site so we get to use this place for the night before we make our last run before heading off to Montana.”
“Just one night? But it’s Vegas.” She whined playfully.
“I’ll bring you back when this is all over. Deal?”
When they stepped off the elevator and into the penthouse, Eva’s eyes went big, and her jaw dropped. “Um, you better. Are we really staying here?”
He stood in the entryway and watched her practically skip to the floor-to-ceiling windows that look over the city with the kind of joy and awe a child experiences in a toy store. So many moments with her had brought him a sense of defeat as though he was letting her down because she was fearful. But this? This made him happy.
He felt her absolute abandonment at that moment—no fear, no stress, no worry—and it brought him so much pleasure. He couldn’t wait for the day when this was all behind them, and he could give her more days like this and watch her smile without a care in the world. He knew this moment would be short-lived, but he’d take what he could get for now.
“If you like that, check out the rest of the place,” he teased. “If you want, we can stay here again.”
She looked over her shoulder at him with a seductive grin, then rushed off to the other side of the penthouse. With a chuckle, he stepped down into the living space and sat on the sofa, waiting for her return as he listened to her oohs and aahs.
“Wylie. This place is huge,” she hollered from a distance. “I’ve never stayed in a place quite like it.”
“You’ve never been in a penthouse? In your line of work?”
She came into view with her hands on her hips and gave him a sly look. “I’m not an expensive hooker, Wylie. I head up a pretty substantial organization full of…crime. We do things big, but not Vegas big, apparently.”
He laughed as she continued to wander, taking in every detail. “It is pretty incredible here. It’s an experience for sure. I wish I could give you the grand tour of the entire grounds, but we’ll save that for another day.”
She turned to face him with the lights of the Las Vegas Strip at her back. “Promise?”
“Promise.” His tone had dropped to a deep timbre with the loaded promise.
Eva pointed behind him. “What’s over there, Wylie?”
“The master bedroom. It’s pretty…big. There’s a shower that overlooks that same view behind you…and a pretty big bathtub too. You can watch all of that from in there.”
She bit her bottom lip. “Show me?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Wylie was at her side in two large steps and swept her into his arms even faster.
She squealed at his gesture and tossed her head back in laughter while he carried her down a short hall to the most deluxe accommodations imaginable.
“This. It’s…”
“Beautiful,” he whispered as he lowered her down his body to her feet. “So fucking beautiful.”
With her arms draped around his neck, she stood on her tiptoes in search of a kiss that he was happy to provide. So happy, he didn’t hesitate to reach for the hem of her shirt and pull it over her head, breaking their connection for only a moment. In a whirlwind of movement, he freed her ample breasts and dropped her bra at her feet.
“God, Eva,” he moaned, taking one of her breasts in his mouth. “So. Fucking. Beautiful.”
While he taunted and teased her with his tongue, she reached for his waistband and dropped his garments to the ground in a pool around his feet. He stepped out of them as he helped her out of hers. Sans clothes, he picked her up and wrapped her legs around his waist. She fit him perfectly, and he liked the feel of her.
Holding her this way, skin to skin while feeling her heat against him, left him hungry for more. He moved them to the all-glass stall that overlooked the Vegas Strip and flipped on the dual showerheads before propping his hand against the glass to steady them as the water cascaded over their heightened bodies. When she lifted herself over him and slowly made her way down his cock, he nearly finished before they’d even began.
Just the feel of her against him was tantalizing, so being inside her was pure ecstasy, and he couldn’t get enough. The faster she moved against him, the more primal and unrestrained he became. With her back now against the glass wall, he held her in place and drove into her. He licked a trail all the way to her hard pebbled mounds, causing her to tip her head back and arch in a way he’d yet to draw out of her. Overwhelmed by such fervor and the need to move, she began to grind, rubbing her bundle of nerves against him with every thrust.
It seemed he’d found one of her sweet spots, a way to her sensuality, and he exploited the shit out of it. When he felt her perfect fitting core begin to tighten, it was all he could do to match her moans. In a feral moment of purely electric sensation, he swiped at her nipple with his tongue in a teasing manner before he gently bit down on it and scraped her with his teeth, causing her mouth to form a perfect o as the pleasure drove her over the edge.
It pleased him to see her body pulse against him and feel her core pump him as he reached his ending. But it wasn’t his ending entirely because he was quickly primed and ready to have her every which way she’d have him. While tangled in a soft, sultry kiss, he walked them to the bed, dripping wet, and laid her in the middle where he made slow, sweet love to her.
18
“Shh,” Wylie whispered as he placed his hand over Eva’s mouth and pulled her into him as she passed the closet coming from the restroom.
He slowly removed his hand and tapped her ear before pointing toward the living space where she heard someone moving. Looking over her shoulder, she shrugged and furrowed her brow, and somehow, he knew exactly what she was asking him and shrugged back. He didn’t know who it was or how anyone other than a very short list of Keepers could gain access to this level.
Wylie stepped around Eva and kneeled down, peering through the two-way gas fireplace to see if he could get a glimpse of who had dropped in to visit them. It was Cane, his cousin who had occupied the penthouse previous to taking off-site accommodations to protect a client. He’d just come from the other side of the suite with a bag in his hand. Wylie looked up at Eva and mouthed, “Cane,” then looked back at his watch.
Just as Cane was about to leave, he paused in the entry and turned around to scan the place. He sensed something was off. He could feel their presence. Despite looking right at Wylie through the two-way glass fireplace, he turned away and left. He didn’t see him.
Wylie stood. “He’s gone, but he knows something is off, so we need to go, now.”
“Good idea,” Eva agreed. “It wouldn’t be the end of the world if he saw us, though, right? I mean, it’s Cane.”
“He’s family. He’s safe, but if he knows we are here or asks questions…too risky.”
Wylie grabbed their bags and Eva’s hand and led her to the elevator. They made their way to the hotel lobby where they could exit. And as they did so, weaving through the crowd, Eva gasped and pulled her hand from Wylie to grab her opposite arm.
“What is it?” he asked frantically.
“My arm. That guy went by and somehow…” She lifted her hand and revealed a decent-sized bloody gash. She turned around to look at the man who’d passed her to see where he went, but he was already buried in the crowd. “He’s gone. It was like something on his backpack caught on my skin.”
“Did you get a good look at him?” Wylie asked, searching the crowd from where he stood. “No, but… Well, maybe?”
“Do you know him?” His tone more stern as a subtle sense of panic or maybe urgency made its way in.
“I-I don’t think so. I only noticed him because he looked right at me, but…I couldn’t tell you why, though. Maybe the bruises?”
Wylie hesitated for only a moment, weighing the right thing to do. Get back up to the penthouse where they would be safe while he tapped the security system and did a casino-wide search for anyone suspicious. Or get in the car and get the hell out of there before nothing became something.
“I’m fine,” Eva insisted, making the decision for them. “I can clean this up in the car. Let’s just get out of here.”
Outside, Wylie made another hard stop before shifting her to a bank of cars just beyond the valet. “Shit. Dark car, blacked-out windows, six o’clock.”
Eva took a sly glance in the direction he noted under the guise of kissing him on his cheek. “Bullet holes in the front fender. It’s our guy from yesterday.”
“Fuck. The guy inside, who looked at you and did that to your arm…”
Eva nodded and picked up the pace. “I get it. Might be his ride. Where’s the car?”
Wylie pulled a key fob from his pocket that he had taken from the penthouse suite and deactivated the alarm on a nearby SUV. Walking Eva to the passenger side, he safely saw her inside before rounding the vehicle and hopping in. Before he pulled out, he scanned the busy area once more and didn’t notice anyone who stood out or had eyes on them.
“We need to get out of the city and hit the backroads. Car looks empty.” Wylie pulled out quickly, watching his mirror to make sure they weren’t being followed. “Just keep your head down a bit until we clear this traffic. Something about that cut doesn’t feel accidental.”
“Why just cut me?” she asked. “To prove how close they can get to me?”
“Or maybe he meant to do far worse than cut your arm and missed his opportunity.”
“I kind of like the safe houses and seedy motels off the beaten path a little more than Vegas right now.”
“I agree. I think it’s time to get in touch with the team. When we make it to our next stop, we’ll make contact,” Wylie affirmed. “Once Cane realizes this rig is gone from the high roller comp cars, he’ll know someone was here and make a call anyway.”
“So everyone will know our location,” she concluded.
“Well, supposing everyone else made it to the ranch, and we’re the only ones left. It’s getting a little too close for comfort now, so we may need help getting in these last two legs of the trip.” Wylie looked her way. “Somehow, someone keeps finding us, and it isn’t from the team at this point.”
“You did say we were being hunted…”
Eva woke up from a deep sleep as they drove on a two-lane highway flanked with wooded terrain. It was daylight, and according to the clock on the dash, it had to be the next day. She rubbed the back of her neck and stretched it left, then right before turning to Wylie.
“Have you really been up all night? You should’ve woken me. I could have driven.”
“You were sleeping pretty hard.” He shrugged and offered her a grin. �
��I figured your body’s still healing, and we’ve been through a crazy few days. You needed to sleep.”
“I feel bad. You’ve done all the driving.” She sighed, laying her hand in his where it rested on the center console. “Pull over. I’ll drive for a while, and you can sleep.”
“Nah. We’re almost there.”
With her brows furrowed, she surveyed the area again. “Where? Looks like we’re in the middle of nowhere. Please tell me we aren’t camping in the forest.”
When he didn’t reply, she exchanged her curious tone for one of nerves. “Wylie, this isn’t safe. This is…”
He squeezed her hand gently to reassure her. “Calm down. You’re safe. We’re safe.”
“There isn’t a soul in sight, Wylie. Zero traffic…” She was still frightened and pulled her hand from his to rub her wounded arm. She looked in the side mirror to see if there was anyone behind them in the distance and came up empty. “Calm isn’t the word I would use. This is beyond calm out here. Especially after the week we’ve had.”
“We’re in McKenzie Ridge. You’re safe, Eva. I promised you’d always be safe with me.”
“Wylie!” she shouted. “McKenzie Ridge? Let’s just flash a neon sign with an arrow pointing our way! You have family here. We have friends… This is exactly the kind of place these people would look first.”
“Not if they don’t know where to look. I’m guessing they’ve already been to town, scoped it out, and put cars on all our friends and family here. They won’t come looking here if they don’t know there is somewhere else to look.”
“How does that even make sense? We don’t even know who they are,” she fired back. “Cartel? My people? Your people? The government? All of the above?”
“I bought this place a while back, and nobody knows about it, not even my family. It’s not even in my name or the company name, so there’s no way to trace us. They won’t come knocking if they don’t know we’re here,” he all but promised. “Besides, they’re more likely to hang out in Portland waiting for us to come back. Safer here than there.”
Brother's Keeper V: Wylie (the complete series BOX SET): NEW RELEASE + Series Box SET included! Page 127