by Tawny Taylor
Lei’s teeth chattered as a bitter cold wind cut through the flimsy hospital blanket and torn paper-thin gown. “It’s a little chilly,” she said.
Finding nothing, he slammed the trunk closed and hauled her into his arms.
She sank into his embrace, grateful for the ample heat coming off his body. And when he started running, this time at a more human pace, she looped one arm around his neck to hold on. She felt so safe, protected, cherished in Malek’s arms, and her heart ached at the thought that after tonight, she might never feel that way again. She snuggled in, closing her eyes, and drew in his scent, committing it to memory.
Before she knew it, he was setting her on her feet outside of a hotel, behind a large garbage Dumpster. “You’ll draw attention if you go inside like this. I’ll check in and come and get you.”
“Okay.” Now missing his warmth, she wrapped her arms around herself in a failing attempt at shielding herself from the wind and dropped into a squat. Malek’s footsteps crunched on the frozen ice that had collected on the parking lot. Eventually, the sound faded away, and she was alone in the dark, counting every second, anxious for Malek to return to her. And, once again, breathless with fear.
When she heard footsteps approaching, she peered out from her hiding place.
A man, wearing some kind of coverall, was walking toward her. She immediately jerked back, hiding behind the Dumpster.
“Miss?” the man said, footsteps approaching faster.
She stood in place, frozen by indecision. Run and risk Malek coming back and not finding her? Stay put and hope he would be back before the man called for help?
As the stranger turned the corner, she stepped into the deepest shadow, which put her at a complete disadvantage. She was wedged between the huge metal garbage container and a brick wall. There was nowhere to go.
“Are you all right?” the man asked, halting a few feet in front of her. His gaze jerked up and down her body, taking in her nearly nude form, bare legs, feet and arms. “Where did you come from?”
“I’m fine,” she said, knowing he wouldn’t believe her. Who would? “I know it looks weird, me standing out here in the cold,” she said, her teeth chattering nonstop, “but there really is an explanation.”
The man’s eyes narrowed. “Such as?”
“I was”—she glanced around, then pointed at the closest vehicle, which happened to be a minivan—“cleaning out our van, throwing away some trash. Fast-food wrappers. And getting our luggage. My husband went inside to check in.” Not in one million years did she think he’d buy that lie. But she had no other choice.
The man’s eyes narrowed even more. He opened his mouth to say something; then his face went blank and he sank to the ground.
Lei sucked in a horrified gasp, clapped a hand over her mouth, and slammed her back against the wall. And then she saw Malek hefting the man over his shoulder.
“What does he know?” Malek asked her.
“N-nothing.”
“You’re sure?”
She swallowed a lump the size of a Hummer and nodded.
“Okay.” He set the man down next to the Dumpster and grabbed Lei’s hand. “I’d rather play it safe, not take any chances. If he sees a picture of you on the eleven o’clock news tonight, he might remember you.”
She glanced over her shoulder. “Are you saying you want to...?”
“I won’t do it. Let’s go. Before someone else sees us.” He hurried her toward a set of stairs that angled up to the second floor. Like most motels, this one had open outdoor hallways with the room doors opening directly outside. That part was convenient. No need for her to traipse through a hotel lobby.
Their room was dark and warm. Malek shepherded her toward the bathroom for a hot shower, promising to be back within a half hour. After making her promise at least a dozen times that she wouldn’t open the door for anyone but him, he kissed her until she saw stars, stuffed some of the money from the gym bag into his pocket, and left.
As Lei latched the security chain on the door, she prayed her sister was safe and her husband would return to her. And she would have at least an hour or two to show him exactly how much he meant to her.
25
The second Malek entered the room, arms loaded with Walmart bags, Lei hurled herself at him.
She kissed his face. His cheeks. His eyes. “Thank God you’re back,” she repeated over and over and over, legs wrapped around his waist.
He chuckled. “Now this is the kind of greeting I like.” Wrapping one arm around Lei’s waist, he turned, pinning her between the wall and his big, hulky body. “I guess I don’t have to ask if you missed me.”
“I did. I really did.” She planted a kiss on his lips and he growled. She liked the sound of that growl—low and deep and sexy.
“Wife, if you don’t stop that, our food is going to get cold.”
“To hell with the food.” She bit his neck. “We don’t have a lot of time. I want to make every minute count.”
“We’ll have plenty of time.” He cupped her chin and looked deeply into her eyes. “Don’t you worry about that.”
She wanted to believe him. Absolutely. But there was no guarantee. There never was. And with all the death and danger she’d seen lately, she was even more appreciative of that fact. “Have you heard from Drako? Is Rin safe?”
“I did, and she is. For now.”
She was so relieved to hear that. Even the thought of losing Rin made her insides twist. Now she was free to concentrate on Malek, on making every precious minute with him count. She rocked her hips forward, grinding her bare pussy into him. “Make love to me, Malek.”
His arms slid down and cupped her ass. “Hmmm. That’s a mighty tempting offer.”
“That’s no offer.” Knowing he was playing, she grabbed two fistfuls of hair and pulled until their mouths were a fraction of an inch apart. “It’s a demand.”
“There’s only one dom in this family, baby. And it isn’t you.”
A zing of heat buzzed through her body at his words. “Is that so?”
“It is so.” Another wave blasted through her when he crushed her mouth with his and showed her exactly who was boss.
His kiss was not soft. It was hard. A possession. A domination. And she shuddered and quaked in his arms as wave upon wave of desperate wanting washed over her.
God help her, he was right. Being dominated by this man thrilled her. More. She wanted more.
Seeming to read her mind, he caught her wrists in one big fist and pinned them behind her back. He carried her to the bed and gently laid her on her back, angling over her. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life showing you the pleasures of submitting.”
She looped her arms around his neck. “That’s one promise you’d better keep.”
Again, he kissed her, but this time his lips weren’t as hard. And while they sent her to oblivion, his hands did wonderful things to her breasts. He kneaded and stroked and pinched and caressed. And with every touch, every stab of his tongue, her body burned hotter, her pussy wetter.
Whimpering, she pulled on his neck, coaxing him to settle over her. She longed to be held in his arms, to feel his weight on her.
But he broke the kiss.
“Malek?” she asked.
His lips curled into a half smile. “I’m still wearing my clothes.” He gave her a do-something-about-it look.
She was all too happy to help him. She knelt on the bed, grabbed his shirt, and yanked it over his head. Then, just because he was so gorgeous and right there, she licked and nibbled and kissed her way down the bumpy terrain of his shoulders, chest, and stomach. The man had the most beautifully sculpted body this side of heaven. Even with the scar slicing down the center of his abdomen.
The scar.
She trailed her finger down the healed wound. “Malek, it looks completely healed. How could that be?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’m glad.” She kissed the freshly healed skin. “How str
ange. I didn’t even think about it when we were running. Do you think they did something to make it heal?” Next, she unbuttoned his pants and pulled them down. His snug boxer-briefs were last; then he was standing before her nude. A picture of pure masculinity. Of latent power. “You’re beautiful.”
“I’m not beautiful. And I’m not cute.” He bent over her, crowding her and forcing her to lean back. “I’m dangerous. I’m sexy. I’m your master.”
By the time he’d said that last word, she was lying flat on her back, legs dangling over the edge of the bed, and he was on all fours, looking hungry and hard and ready. He wedged a knee between her thighs and pushed, easing them apart.
Her heart rate kicked into double time.
She reached for him, but he caught her wrists in one hand and once again lifted them up over her head.
He said, “I’m in control. Me. You touch me only when I say.”
A raging inferno shot through her body, and she sucked in a huge lungful of air. What a wicked thrill, to have this gorgeous, dangerous man taking command of her body. The sound of that sharp edge in his voice made her blood burn. The feral look in his eyes made her nerves tingle. And the way his mouth possessed hers when he kissed her made every cell in her body vibrate.
When he broke the kiss and looked into her eyes, she whispered, “Malek, I want to have your baby. I need to have your baby. That way... if... if... I’ll have a piece of you. One tiny, perfect, sweet piece.”
“Lei...”
“It’s the right time. I’ve prayed for a miracle.”
He entered her slowly, and she shuddered at the excruciating pleasure. How perfectly he filled her. His cock stretching her pussy, grazing that secret spot inside as it gradually withdrew, then pushed back inside.
Lying on her back, she skimmed her hands up and down his smooth back and nibbled on the thick muscle of his shoulder. He murmured sweet words in her ear as he rocked his hips back and forth, back and forth. Her body fell into pace with his, her stomach clenching, tipping her pelvis up so she could take him as deeply as possible.
Their bodies moved as one. They inhaled at the same time, exhaled. They both were stroking, kissing, nipping, pushing each other toward that glorious crest. It was lovemaking. Sweet, pure lovemaking. A testament to their love. Their commitment. Communication on a level that could not be understood, could only be experienced.
Lei’s blood pounded through her body, and with each heartbeat, the heat swirling deep inside increased. Her muscles tightened. Her fingers. Her feet. She clawed at Malek’s smooth back and begged, “More. More!”
Sensations battered her, the scent of Malek’s skin blending with the perfume of their pleasure. The sound of Malek’s heavy breaths and her soft moans and whimpers. The taste of him on her lips as her tongue swept across them. The feel of his hard, strong body possessing hers. His heat soaking into her. His desire pulsing along her nerves.
Malek’s thrusts turned hard, fast, as together they rocketed toward orgasm. He kissed her, his tongue sweeping inside, filling her mouth with his decadent flavor. A huge surge of erotic heat blasted through her and she tumbled over the edge. She moaned into their joined mouths, the sound echoing in her head, blending with Malek’s as he growled. He withdrew his cock and plunged one last time, and her pussy filled with his cum. They kissed through all the quakes and tremors of their orgasms. And they didn’t stop until they were both breathless and dizzy and spent.
Remaining inside her, Malek eased onto his side, taking her with him. He laid a thigh across her hip. “I love you,” he said, over and over.
“I love you, too.”
His stomach rumbled, and he laughed. How she adored that sound! “Now, I’ve got to eat.” He rubbed his flat stomach. “You’re going to wear me out.”
“Well, at least you’ll always be smiling.” She wrapped her arms around him, refusing to let him go. A tiny pang of fear hit her at the thought that soon he’d be walking out that door, and she had no idea if he’d come back.
“You bet I will.” He gently disentangled himself from her. “Just as soon as I take care of this one last thing, we’ll be ready to start our new life. Husband and wife. In a new city. New home. A fresh start.”
“That sounds wonderful.” Smiling, she ran her hand over her belly as she watched her husband get dressed, wondering if maybe that fresh start might involve a new life, a child.
After stuffing a sandwich down his throat, Malek kissed her, promised he’d be back as soon as he could, told her he loved her, and handed her the cell phone. “So you can stop worrying.” He left.
“Malek Alexandre is on the property.”
Holloway glanced at monitor one, then smiled. “Good. Is Talen ready?”
“Yes.”
“Excellent.”
“Are you sure this is the right way to go?” Ewoldt asked, shifting his gaze to monitor two as they followed Malek’s progress. “We could have them both in custody. That’s two out of three. And we know where the third one is, too.”
“No, it’s obvious they aren’t going to tell us where the weapon is. We’re going to have to let them lead us to it.”
“We could question them some more.” Ewoldt weighted the word question, indicating the form of questioning he’d like to take.
Holloway shook his head. “We’ve already water boarded Talen and gotten nowhere. We’ve threatened the wife. And a pregnant woman. They aren’t going to talk.”
“Tight-lipped bastards,” Ewoldt grumbled.
“If they were on our side, I’d respect them for it.”
“Their story’s pretty convincing—that using the weapon would be dangerous. Clearly, they believe it.”
“That’s because that’s what they’ve been taught their whole lives. How could a non-exhaustible power source be dangerous? It would shift the world’s economy, putting the U.S. in control of the world’s power supply. But that would be a good thing, since right now it lies in the Middle East and so much of that territory is a political and military hotbed. From what I’ve read, it’s a clean power source, too. No more carbon emissions. I see no downside to it. None whatsoever.”
“Maybe they know something about it we don’t. Why else would they hide it?” Ewoldt asked as they turned their attention to monitor three.
“I don’t know.”
“I mean, if they used it to generate power and then sold that power back to the power company, wouldn’t they stand to gain a hell of a lot?”
Holloway shrugged. “Sure.”
“So ... why haven’t they done it?”
“Again, they’ve been brainwashed into believing it’ll destroy the world.” Holloway rolled his eyes, then turned his focus on monitor four. He’d told his men before Alexandre was spotted to prepare for him, to put on a show of trying to capture him, but to allow him to rescue his brother and escape. So far, things were going exactly as he’d planned. Two men down. Not too horrible a loss. He figured he’d lose maybe ten more by the time the brothers were off the compound. “Come to think of it, I wonder if the Alexandre brothers haven’t found a way to harness some of the weapon’s power already. Did you see what that bastard did when he broke out?”
“Yeah, I thought maybe it was adrenaline.”
“I’ve seen what a man can do when he’s pumped up on adrenaline. What he did went way beyond that,” Holloway said.
“Yeah, I saw the video of the oldest brother frying Oram to a crisp, too. I thought that was one hell of a trick. That maybe he was hiding some kind of flamethrower.”
“Me too. But seeing what Malek did earlier ... they’re tapping into the weapon’s power somehow. Another reason why we need to get our hands on it. Can you imagine what we could do with it militarily? Imagine if every soldier in our forces was as strong as that,” Holloway said.
“Still, we’re taking a risk by letting them go.”
“A small one. Neither brother knows what we’ve done. Talen Alexandre will lead us right to it.”
&n
bsp; “I hope you’re right.”
Holloway cringed as two more men were thrown like fucking toys, their bones snapping as their bodies slammed into a wall. “I have to be right. Almost seven billion people are counting on it.”
Not much farther.
Malek’s senses were hyper-alert. It seemed the tiniest sound and the slightest scent were amplified a thousand times. His muscles were tight, ready. His heartbeat was racing. Already, he’d barreled through several doors, tossed a handful of men aside, and was following the scent of his brother as he stormed down the white-walled corridor.
He paused at the end of the hallway, turning his head left and right, trying to catch the scent. Just as he stepped to the left, something whizzed past his ear. A second one followed. In front of him, a hole instantly appeared in the wall. Then another.
Fuck! They’re shooting at me.
Malek dove around the corner. But as he was flying through the air, something hard slammed into his shoulder. Pain exploded through his body, the world became a blur, and then his body hit something bigger, harder.
The floor.
Blinking, fighting to see, he scrambled to his feet, his arm held tight to his side.
Talen’s scent was strong now.
“Talen!” he shouted.
“Malek?”
He kicked open the door on his right. Talen was lying on a bed, looking like hell. Malek hauled him up off the bed, and once Talen was standing, turned and faced three men, all of them with guns pointed at him.
Shitpissfuck.
Malek’s heart jerked in his chest. He hadn’t come this far to get caught now.
“Rin!” Lei couldn’t help it. A sob of relief tore up her throat as her fingers constricted around the phone. “You’re safe!”
“Yes, we’re okay. Drako caught someone watching the house. That guy’s history. And we’ve moved. It was horrifying, but we’re both okay. He won’t tell me. What’s going on?”