by Leah Brooke
When she did, he advanced again, pressing his lips against hers until she opened to him.
With a groan, he took her mouth with his, his entire body tightening when she tentatively touched her tongue to his.
A voice in his head kept reminding him to go slow, but the passion and sweetness he encountered had him hanging on to control by a thread.
She melted into him, kissing him with an innocence and hunger that called to his most primitive instincts.
To take.
To protect.
Gripping her waist, he broke off their kiss, staring down at her.
Her head fell back, her eyes closed and lips swollen from his kisses.
Taking a steadying breath, he caught her against him when her knees buckled, need for her clawing at him. “One kiss. One fucking kiss and I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.”
Stormy opened her eyes, blinking several times before a slow, seductive smile curved her lips. “Really?”
“Really! Shit. You’re gonna drive us out of our minds.”
The primitive needs she’d stirred in him prompted him to bend and wrap an arm around her thighs as he straightened, lifting her over his shoulder. “If you think you’re getting away without one hell of a fight, lady, you’re sadly mistaken.”
Chapter Fifteen
Lucas built a fire in the fireplace while Stormy showered, irritated at himself for imagining her naked with soap running down her body.
The thought of her hair unbraided and loose, streaming down her back, made his hands itch.
She was their client.
The sister of one of their best friends.
She’d been hurt in the past in ways that he could only imagine.
Despite Logan’s insistence, Stormy didn’t want to live in Desire.
She wouldn’t even consider it.
No matter how many times he went over the reasons that he shouldn’t get involved with her, he couldn’t get over the feeling that he and the others had met the perfect woman for them.
He’d felt it from the first time their eyes had met—the sense of the ground shifting beneath his feet.
He didn’t believe in love at first sight, but every moment he spent with her had everything inside him clicking into place.
Even though the feeling that she belonged to them wasn’t comfortable, it filled him with a sense of rightness that he’d never expected to find.
It warmed him in places of his heart that he hadn’t known had been cold.
With a sigh, he adjusted the logs one last time before setting the fire poker aside and moving to sit in one of the chairs closest to the sofa, where he hoped Stormy would settle.
He would be sleeping next to her soon—though he doubted he would be getting too much sleep.
Devlin would spend the night monitoring the video cameras while Caleb got a good night’s sleep, something they’d do in shifts.
With one ear on the low conversation taking place in the kitchen between Devlin and Caleb, and one on Stormy’s movements, Lucas stretched his legs out in front of him and pulled out his cell phone.
After a quick text to Ace to ask if he’d identified Stormy’s client, he turned his phone facedown on his thigh and waited for an answer.
When the shower stopped, Lucas tuned out the conversation between his friends, his attention drawn to what was taking place in the hall bathroom.
His phone vibrated, and turning it over, he read the message, stiffening when Ace requested that he call him from the landline.
Reaching out, he picked up the receiver on the phone on the table beside him and dialed, unsurprised when Ace answered on the first ring.
“Tyler.”
“Ace, it’s Lucas. What’s going on?”
“You’re not going to believe this. Stormy’s client is Eliza Ricci.”
Lucas looked up as Devlin and Caleb came into the living room, both men eyeing him expectantly. Holding up a hand, he focused on his conversation with Ace. “Please tell me she’s not related to Dominic Ricci.”
Dominic Ricci had been working his way up the food chain in the world of drug dealers, using murder and intimidation to carve a wide swath from Miami, working his way up the east coast.
Devlin whistled softly as Caleb went back to the kitchen to start working on his laptop.
Ace blew out a breath. “She’s his sister, and according to the FBI, she’s been working behind the scenes to help her brother.”
Raking a hand through his hair, he met Devlin’s gaze. “And Sam Kline had already established himself in Nashville. Ricci used his sister to set him up. With Kline behind bars, Ricci could move right in and take over.”
“That’s what it looks like. Look, I’m sending you some help.”
“No.” Lucas looked up when Stormy came into the room, gesturing for her to sit on the sofa. He met her glare with a raised brow. “It’s better to keep everyone away. Hoyt’s coming tomorrow with supplies, but I want everyone else to stay away.”
“Damn it, Lucas! You’re too fucking hardheaded.”
“Look who’s talking.” Watching Stormy drop onto the sofa with a sigh, Lucas rose. “You need people there, Ace. You’ve got an entire town to protect. We just have to keep Stormy safe.” Making his way to the kitchen, he watched Caleb work on the laptop. “Has there been any more trouble?”
“No. Everything’s quiet here. Hold on a second.”
Lucas heard a feminine voice in the background and assumed it was Talia, Ace’s dispatcher, who basically kept the entire police station running.
Seconds later, Ace chuckled. “They just found Sam Kline. He was tied to the flagpole at the police station in Nashville, along with several of his men. My understanding is that they were relieved when the cops found them.”
Smiling, Lucas passed on the information to Caleb. “Stormy’s client is Ricci’s sister, Eliza.”
When Caleb nodded and started typing again, Lucas turned away and moved to the doorway, watching Stormy, frowning to see that she no longer sat on the sofa.
Listening to whatever Devlin said, she paced back and forth in front of the fireplace, glancing at the windows each time the wind kicked up.
“We’re gonna give it a week to make sure word gets around about Kline. Then we’ll be back home.” Turning away, he lowered his voice. “I want to make sure the Riccis aren’t a danger to her.”
Ace sighed, his frustration obvious. “We’ve got nothing on them. Eliza lied to Stormy about her name, but that’s not against the law. Hell, maybe now that Kline’s in custody, they won’t bother Stormy anymore.”
Not wanting Stormy to hear him, Lucas moved to the other side of the kitchen. “You don’t believe that any more than I do.”
Ace sighed again. “No. I don’t. But until they’re caught doing something they can be arrested for, there isn’t a damned thing we can do about it.”
Lucas rubbed his forehead, willing his headache away. “There’s something we’re missing. Right now we can keep her safe. Once we’re back in Desire, the Riccis won’t be able to get near her and we’ll find a way to get to the bottom of this.”
* * * *
Stormy tried to eavesdrop on Lucas’s conversation with the sheriff, but he spoke in such a low voice that she couldn’t catch more than a word or two.
The rain had begun again, which made eavesdropping even more difficult.
“Would you like me to turn on the radio?”
“No.” Irritated at herself for her own restlessness, she paced closer and closer to the kitchen doorway. “I think I’ll fix myself another sandwich.”
She moved toward the kitchen, aware that Devlin followed.
He’d already told her the name—the real name—of her client.
Stunned to learn that she was the sister of a drug dealer even more powerful than Sam Kline, Stormy struggled to make sense of it.
Walking into the kitchen, she paused in the doorway, her stomach tightening at the look of hunger
in Caleb’s eyes.
She wished she could just go up to him and ask him to hold her until the storm passed, but she’d learned long ago not to show any signs of weakness.
Annoyed at herself for even contemplating it, she looked away.
Lifting her gaze, she stared at Lucas’s wide shoulders as he stared out the back window. “Yeah. Unless she comes after Stormy, there’s nothing we can do.” Lucas turned suddenly as if sensing her stare. “In the meantime, she’ll stay with us. I’ll talk to you later, Ace.”
He pressed the button to disconnect and tossed the phone onto the counter. Glancing at Devlin before eyeing her again, he lifted a brow. “Problem?”
Forcing a smile, Stormy went to the refrigerator, gathering ingredients for a sandwich she didn’t want, the storm stretching her nerves to the breaking point. “Just hungry. I thought I’d have another sandwich. Does anyone else want one?”
Aware that all three of them watched her suspiciously, Stormy took her haul to the table and began fixing herself a sandwich, her head spinning.
They would never agree to use her as bait to get Eliza to come after her, so she’d have to find a way to do it.
She still had to sneak a call to Kathy, to warn her roommate about Eliza’s identity.
She’d never forgive herself if Eliza used Kathy to get to her, and she couldn’t do a damned thing about it from a remote cabin in the woods.
The best she could do for now would be to warn her.
And hope like hell that Kathy wasn’t in on Eliza’s plan.
Slicing a tomato, she jolted at the first boom of thunder, a line of blood appearing on the tip of her finger just as the knife clattered to the table. “Damn it.”
She closed her eyes against the next flash of lightning, memories assailing her.
Hot hands grabbing her.
The smell of whiskey.
The pain.
Caleb reached her first, gripping her wrist and pulling her to the sink. “Come on, honey. Let’s see how badly you hurt yourself.”
Her eyes burned with unshed tears, and acting on instinct, she jerked out of his hold. “Don’t touch me!”
Caleb exchanged a look with Devlin and Lucas, holding out both of his hands for her to see them. “It’s me, Stormy. Baby, look at me.”
Lifting her gaze to his, she blinked back tears, jolting at the next crash of thunder.
Hard eyes filled with pure evil.
Caleb crooned to her and stepped closer, the mental image of evil, dark eyes replaced by brilliant blue ones filled with tenderness and concern. He smiled in gentle encouragement, reaching out slowly, and began to rub her shoulders.
Watching her eyes, he spoke in low tones, sliding his hands to her back. “You’re safe, Stormy. Whatever memories thunderstorms bring back, they’re only memories. Nothing can get to you. Don’t you know we’d die to protect you?”
The warm hands moving on her back helped her settle more than she would have expected. “I don’t want anyone to die.”
When she realized she’d been about to drop her head on his shoulder, she shoved at him with her uninjured hand. “Let go of me before I get blood on you. Just leave me the hell alone.”
Devlin came up beside her, taking her injured hand in his and leading her to the sink. “Not a chance in hell.”
Taking her other hand in his, Caleb lifting her chin, staring into her eyes, his tender gaze knotting her stomach. “I think it’s a little late for that.”
Devlin turned off the water and pressed a towel against her cut, lifting her hand and pressing a soft kiss on her wrist. “Definitely too late.”
Shaking her head, Stormy sighed. “I’m broken. I can’t be what you want. Ever.”
Devlin smiled. “You already are.”
Chapter Sixteen
Lucas read the newspaper on his tablet, surreptitiously watching Stormy out of the corner of his eye.
Dressed in sweatpants, T-shirt, and her new robe, she looked comfortable but even softer and more vulnerable, especially since she’d left her hair loose.
Curled in the corner of the sofa with her feet on the cushion next to her, she let her head fall to the side against the back cushion, her injured hand on her lap.
Her eyes closed once more but only remained that way for a few seconds before popping open again.
Lifting her head, she blinked several times and looked in his direction again as if making sure he still sat there.
Pretending to remain focused on his tablet, he continued to watch her out of the corner of his eye as she settled again.
The storm had lessened, but he’d checked the weather and knew that another line of storms would be coming through soon, and he hoped to get her to sleep before then.
With any luck, she would sleep through them.
Devlin and Caleb stayed in the kitchen, trying to get as much information about the Riccis and Dominic’s organization that they could gather.
Pretending to read, he continued to watch her look toward the window again before sneaking another glance at him.
Since pretending to ignore her hadn’t worked, he set the tablet aside and met her gaze. “It’s safe for you to fall asleep. Would you feel better if we went to bed?”
“No!” Sitting straighter, she turned slightly and tucked her legs under her. “I’m comfortable here. I like the fire.”
Lucas had no intention of spending the night in a chair when he had a perfectly good bed just feet away. As soon as she fell asleep, he would carry her to bed, and hopefully, they could both get some sleep.
Suspecting that telling her that would make her even more determined to stay awake, Lucas inclined his head, staring at the ankle bracelet that glimmered in the low light.
“Would calling your brother help you relax?”
Her eyes widened as if the offer surprised her. “No. Thank you. I’m fine.”
Another gust of wind had her glancing at the window again. “If I call him, he’ll think I’m scared.” Smiling, she laid her head back again. “He’s such a worrier. He can’t get over the fact that I’m not twelve anymore.”
Her smile fell, and she looked toward the window again with a sigh. “I guess I’m just not tired. Feel free to go to bed. I’m just going to stretch out here in front of the fire.”
Intrigued by her reference to being twelve, and the fact that she regretted saying it, Lucas settled back and stretched his legs out again in an attempt to make himself appear as nonthreatening as possible.
“What happened when you were twelve?”
Stiffening, she traced a pattern on the belt of her robe. “Nothing.”
Impressed that she was such a good liar—not good enough to fool him, but good—Lucas inclined his head. “Of course not. Nothing ever happened to you. Logan didn’t rescue you from something or care for you after it happened—something, by the way, that was too terrible to talk about. You hate and mistrust men for no reason, which not only makes you very good at what you do but gives you an excuse to stay out of relationships.”
Her expression remained closed, but something flashed in her eyes, something so brief that he wouldn’t have seen it if he hadn’t been watching for it. “What did Logan tell you?”
“Nothing.” Studying her features, he raised a brow. “But then you knew that. Your brother is very protective of you.”
“Yes. He is.” Her fake smile irritated him more than it should have, another sign of his growing possessiveness toward her. “That’s what big brothers are for, isn’t it? Logan is exceptionally good at it.”
Lucas noticed that the quiet conversation between Devlin and Caleb had ended, as had the tapping of keys on the laptop. “He’s had a lot of practice, but it’s more than that, and you and I both know it.”
“You know nothing.”
When the silence from the kitchen continued, Lucas knew that Devlin and Caleb both eavesdropped. “I don’t know everything, but I know enough. I know that thunderstorms terrify you, so my guess is that whate
ver happened, happened during a thunderstorm.”
Numerous scenarios raced through his mind, each one adding to his rage. “That’s why you’re afraid to go to sleep.”
“I’m not afraid to sleep, Lucas.” She sighed, glancing toward the window again. “I’m just not tired.”
Raising a brow again, he allowed a small smile. “If you were mine, your penchant for lies would pretty much guarantee that you wouldn’t be able to sit down often.”
Shaking her head, Stormy gave him a strained smile. “You’re all the same in Desire, aren’t you?”
Amused, Lucas interlaced his fingers over his stomach and settled back. “Oh? In what way?”
“You’re all bossy, controlling, and so damned old-fashioned that I’m surprised you don’t all wear six-shooters. You run roughshod over the poor women too stupid and weak to see you for what you are. Having a strong woman would probably scare the hell out of you.”
“Stupid? Weak?” He tried to picture any of the women in Desire in that role and found that he couldn’t. “It’s obvious that you haven’t met any of the women who live in Desire. They’re all strong-willed women and opinionated as hell. It takes strong men to handle these women. Would you ever be able to respect a man if you could walk all over him?”
She blinked, apparently surprised by the question. “Of course not, but I also wouldn’t want to be bullied.”
Lifting a brow, Lucas allowed a small smile. “And you think these women would?”
“They must, because they put up with it.”
“I’ve never seen women more secure than the women in Desire. They all know that they’re loved and protected.”
She took her robe off and stretched out on the sofa, covering herself with it despite the fact that a blanket lay within reach. “I don’t believe you.”
Lucas shook his head before leaning back into a more relaxed position. “You really don’t trust men at all, do you?”
Turning to her side, she smiled and closed her eyes. “I thought we’d already established that.”