Worth the Risk (COBRA Securities Book 21)

by Velvet Vaughn

  “Quinn,” she pleaded.

  “In a minute,” he murmured. “I want to look at you first. You’re ravishing, Vanessa.” The blush that filled her cheeks charmed him.

  “It’s your turn,” she insisted as she reared up to grasp his shirt. He helped her remove it, and then her hands skated over his abs. If he shucked his boxers, he might not be able to stop, and he needed to take care of protection. His brain wasn’t functioning on all cylinders. For the life of him, he couldn’t remember where he dropped the backpack. He spotted it against the far wall and made a mad dash for the condoms. When he returned, he tossed them on the bedside table and removed his shorts. Vanessa’s gasping intake of breath and wide eyes made him feel ten feet tall.

  Holding out her arms, she beckoned him to her like a siren luring an unsuspecting sailor to his demise. He obliged, coming down over her until they touched from head to toe. They both groaned at the exquisite contact. He wanted to explore every inch of her, but he needed her too much. She squirmed against him and wrapped her legs around him.

  “I need you now, Quinn.”

  Luckily, they were on the same page. Vowing to go slow the next time, he suited up and slid inside her, his eyes crossing in ecstasy. Home. He felt like he’d come home.

  #

  Vanessa had died and gone to Heaven. There was no other explanation for the sensations overwhelming her senses. Quinn warned her she was playing with fire. He’d been right. Her body was a roaring inferno only he could extinguish. He was even more perfect than her fantasies—and she’d been pretty damn generous with her mental images. He was big everywhere. She couldn’t wait to have all his masculine strength surrounding her, his body filling her.

  Her back bowed, and stars exploded beneath her closed lids as he entered her. She crested the cliff and plunged over the side, her inner muscles gripping his intimately. So good. Nothing had ever felt so incredible, so right. She wanted to cry from the sheer perfection of the moment.

  When he groaned low and long, it set her off again—or still. She wasn’t sure which. All she knew was that he owned her now, mind, body and soul.

  Chapter Thirteen

  A storm raged outside, and rain pounded down on the metal roof, insulating Quinn and Vanessa inside the cabin. The dogs slept peacefully sprawled out in front of the dying embers. Vanessa had fallen asleep tucked securely against his side. He, however, was wide awake and staring at the beams that crisscrossed the ceiling. He’d tried—he honestly did—but he could not resist her. He’d wanted her for so long, and now that they crossed the line, he knew one time would never be enough.

  Her father would likely take out his M9 Beretta service pistol and shoot Quinn if he knew what just happened. And he deserved it. Mort relied on him to protect Vanessa. How had Quinn repaid his trust? He’d slept with the man’s only daughter. Yet, he didn’t regret it. It was hard to lament the most amazing sexual experience of his life. He’d always known that if they ever got together, it would be spectacular. He’d been right.

  On top of guilt, he should be embarrassed at how quickly he’d climaxed. He wasn’t an overeager teenager anymore. But once their bodies joined, he lost all control. Feeling Vanessa’s release had done him in. He would go slow next time and savor her. It took all his willpower to resist waking her up by tasting every inch of her right now. His body was primed and raring to go for round two.

  As if she read his mind, a soft hand slid along his stomach and gripped him. Pushing all thoughts of right or wrong from his head, he rolled her beneath him and set about rocking her world again.

  #

  Despite the precariousness of their situation, Vanessa couldn’t keep the smile from her face. She’d just spent the most memorable night of her life in bed with her dream man. It was everything she thought it would be and so much more.

  Twitching the curtain aside, she was disappointed to realize the rain had stopped. It would be muddy and miserable, but they would be able to hike out soon. Once she was safe from the threat of the bad men, she was afraid Quinn would make a run for the hills. She couldn’t stand the thought of that happening. Being with him had solidified her feelings. She loved him.

  The cabin was no-frills, but it was remarkable. She felt safe and secure. It had more to do with the man than the structure, but having four walls, a roof and warm food helped.

  She was just about to let the curtain fall back in place when movement caught her eye. A van drove slowly down the rutted lane that led to the cabin.

  “Quinn!”

  Alerted to her panicked tone, he rose from where he was preparing to restart the fire. “What is it?”

  “There’s a vehicle coming this way.”

  He hurried to her. “It could be the owner of the property.”

  She sneaked another peek. “I don’t think so.” She stood back so he could look.

  “Damn, it’s the men. Grab Rocky and hide.”

  Rushing forward, she picked up the startled dog and hustled into the bathroom. She thought about twisting the lock, but a bolted door was a big, flashing neon sign giving away her hiding place if the bad guys broke inside.

  Rocky trembled in her arms, no doubt feeding off her tension. Stepping into the combo tub and shower, she jerked the dark brown curtain partially closed. The opaque color made it impossible for her to see out, so she wouldn’t be spotted behind it. She left it mostly open with the hope they wouldn’t look harder.

  Time passed slowly. Had the men even come to the house? If not, Quinn would’ve let her know by now. What was taking so long?

  Her heartbeat triple-timed it, and she sucked in a panicked breath when footsteps headed her way.

  #

  There was no way the men looking for Vanessa would know where she was right now. Most likely, they were going house to house, searching for their prey.

  There was only one entry to the cabin, and the lock was easily pickable, as Quinn had proved. He could shoot them if they tried to break in, but without a direct threat, it would be cold-blooded murder. Plus, they’d most likely get off shots, too, and he couldn’t risk leaving Vanessa unprotected. There might be others waiting to capture her.

  He skimmed on his clean tactical pants and stuck his Sig Sauer in the back holster for easy access if needed. Fists pounded on the door, rattling the frame. Quinn called Kilo to his side and opened it.

  This time, there were only two men, one being Redbeard, whose mouth gaped open in astonishment when he spotted Quinn. Shaking his head, he looked perplexed. “You?”

  Quinn gave him a mocking smile. “Yep. Me.”

  Redbeard narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “You live here?”

  “Uh, not exactly.” Quinn rubbed his chin. “I’m sort of borrowing it.”

  The other man stepped forward. “How did you get here? You said you didn’t have a boat, and don’t try telling me you swam all that way with the dog.” He stabbed a finger at Kilo, who bared his teeth. The man yanked his hand back with a squawk.

  Quinn fought a smirk. “No, I didn’t swim. I was getting drenched on the island with all the rain. My buddy wasn’t scheduled to pick me up for a couple of days, so I built a raft.”

  “You built a raft?” There was enough skepticism in Redbeard’s tone to indicate he didn’t believe Quinn.

  “Sure did. It’s down there by the shore if you want to check.” He pointed in the direction of the lake.

  Redbeard jerked his head, giving the other man a silent command to verify Quinn’s story. “Check the boathouse while you’re at it, Griff,” he yelled. The other man lifted a hand in acknowledgment as he jogged away.

  He and Redbeard sized each other up while they waited. “Where do you live?” Redbeard queried.

  “What business is that of yours?” Quinn retorted as he straightened to his full height. “I’m getting pretty damn tired of you asking all the questions. Why don’t we turn the tables and I’ll ask you one? Who the hell are you? What are you looking for?”

  “That’s two
questions,” Redbeard muttered. “And as you so eloquently put it: none of your business.”

  Quinn crossed his arms. “Well then, looks like we’re at a standstill.”

  Redbeard mirrored his stance. “It looks like we are.”

  The man Redbeard called Griff returned. “Hey Dodge, look at this.”

  “Don’t use my name…never mind,” he huffed. “What is it?”

  Apparently, Redbeard didn’t realize he called the man by his name first. Griff held up Quinn’s hand-carved paddle. “He did build a raft and this.” Then he mimicked stroking it through the water.

  “Knock it off,” the man Quinn now knew to be Dodge chided. Could be a nickname. “Did you check out the boathouse?”

  “Oh, yeah. Empty.”

  Dodge turned back to Quinn. “You won’t mind if we take a look inside the cabin, would you?”

  Quinn uncrossed his arms and fisted them on his hips. “In fact, I do. You still haven’t told me who or what you’re after. You saw that I was alone with my dog on the island. You think I picked up a mermaid or something and brought her here?”

  “We’re pursuing an escaped convict,” Dodge lied. “We want to make sure you aren’t being coerced into hiding the criminal.”

  Quinn’s brows raised. “You two cops?”

  Griff snorted and muttered something. Dodge backhanded him in the chest, knocking him back several steps. Griff winced and rubbed his breastbone.

  “What was that?” Quinn tapped his ear. “I couldn’t hear him.”

  “He said you can call us bounty hunters,” Dodge replied smoothly. No way in hell was that what Griff said.

  “So, you two are looking for an escaped felon, huh? That doesn’t sound good. Should I be concerned?”

  “Stay vigilant. Meanwhile, we’ll come inside and make sure you aren’t harboring a fugitive.” Dodge lifted his weapon, causing Quinn to reach for his. Before he could grab it, Dodge said, “Let me make myself clear. This is not a request.”

  Quinn held up his hands and stepped back. Kilo’s ears perked, and he started to growl. Quinn gave him a command to stand down while the men pushed inside. Dodge searched under the bed and in the cupboards while Griff headed towards the bathroom.

  It took every bit of strength to keep from reacting. Clasping his hands behind his back, he fingered his weapon.

  Dodge closed the last cabinet and stalked towards Quinn. Time seemed to stand still while they waited for Griff to report in. Quinn kept his posture relaxed while he quaked with unease inside. He had no doubt he could take the two men out before they got a shot off, but then he’d have to get rid of the bodies before Vanessa saw them. She’d witnessed enough death for a lifetime.

  Air trapped in his lungs when the man reappeared. It rushed out when he shook his head. “Clear.”

  Thank God. Somehow Vanessa managed to hide both herself and Rocky from view. The bathroom wasn’t that big. Maybe she crawled in the dryer.

  He lifted his hands in a gesture meant to convey that he’d been telling the truth all along.

  Dodge nodded. “Sorry to have bothered you again.”

  “Thanks for the heads up about the convict. I’ll keep a lookout.”

  “You do that.”

  Quinn watched while they loaded into the van. He waited until they turned around and headed down the road before giving Kilo the command to relax. Closing the door, he made sure to lock it before proceeding to the bathroom. He had to see Vanessa’s hiding place for himself.

  The doors were open to both the washer and dryer. Griff had been thorough but not meticulous enough. It was obvious to Quinn that she was behind the partially closed shower curtain, but that was because he knew she was somewhere inside the cramped space. He tugged the curtain back. “It’s safe…ahhh.”

  Slapping a hand to his face, he stumbled backward until he bumped into the counter.

  “Oh, my gosh, Quinn, I’m so sorry.”

  He sensed rather than saw Vanessa scramble after him since he was currently unable to use his eyes for their intended purpose. “You blinded me.”

  “It’s just air freshener,” she tsked, grabbing his arm to turn him around. What, that was supposed to make him feel better? It felt like a thousand bees were stinging his peepers.

  “Bend down so I can wash your eyes out with water,” she commanded.

  “I can do it,” he grumbled. It was all his fault. He should’ve announced himself instead of scaring her into defending herself. What she’d done was both smart and resourceful.

  The cool liquid felt soothing on his irritated eyes. He jerked when he felt Vanessa remove the gun from his pants and then start unzipping him.

  “Uh, Vanessa, honey, I’m not in the mood—”

  “Shut it,” she barked. “You need to rinse for like twenty minutes. It will be easier to do in the shower.”

  His lips twitched. “Did you just tell me to shut it?”

  “Yes, now take your clothes off and get in the tub.”

  “Only if you join me.” He wiggled his brows, which wasn’t easy to do with his lids clamped shut.

  “Just stop and start rinsing.” The last word ended on a sob.

  Instantly contrite, he forced his burning eyes open. “Oh, honey, I’m sorry. I was just joking around. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

  “You didn’t. I made myself cry. Now please get inside.” She shoved him until he had no option but to comply. Reaching out, he snagged her arm and dragged her under the water with him.

  “My clothes,” she objected.

  “Will dry,” he finished as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “Please don’t cry. It breaks my heart.”

  “I hurt you,” she sobbed.

  Tilting her chin, he kissed her, so attuned to her, he found her lips unerringly without the benefit of sight. “It was my fault. I should’ve called out to let you know it was clear. I was curious to see where you hid. Forgive me?”

  “Eyes, Quinn,” she scolded. With both hands, she tilted his head back, allowing the water to cascade over his face.

  Though they might be bloodshot for a while, the burning was gone. It hadn’t been a direct hit, so he’d be fine. Right now, his main objective was to take away Vanessa’s remorse. Running his hands beneath her shirt, he caressed her soft skin with no bra to hinder his explorations.

  “Quinn,” she protested, but it was a token one as she leaned into him. He made quick work of her soggy top and boxers. Lifting her, he pinned her against the wall while he ravaged her mouth. Her scent intoxicated him, drove him wild. He couldn’t get enough of her. His body was willing and able as if he hadn’t made love to her all night long. She did this to him.

  He was seconds away from sliding home before he remembered protection. Though he yearned to feel her with no barrier between them, he wouldn’t do that to her. Slowly lowering her legs to the ground, he said, “Don’t move.” Hopping out of the shower, he sprinted to his backpack and found a foil packet. Both dogs were staring at him inquisitively. “What?” Kilo’s response was a jaw-cracking yawn before his head plopped back down. Rocky still looked confused, probably wondering what the strange human was doing standing naked in the middle of the room, dripping water everywhere.

  With condom in hand, he headed back to Vanessa. She stood where he left her, looking so damn captivating, she took his breath. Yanking the curtain open, he stepped inside and yelped. The water had turned cold. Fumbling with the knobs, he shut the taps off and then reached for a towel to wrap around her. Sweeping her off her feet, he carried her to bed.

  #

  Dodge was getting pretty damn frustrated. There was no sign of the woman they now knew to be Vanessa Lacroix, local veterinarian. She hadn’t shown up at her house or work. Maybe she had drowned in the lake. That would be the best scenario of all, but he couldn’t afford to be careless. Until a body was recovered, they needed to keep searching for her, which was hard to do when they all had jobs they needed to work. Since he was the leader of
the ragtag band of misfits—as he thought of Griff and the others—it was up to him to fix any problems. He’d taken personal days so he could continue to hunt for Lacroix until she was found one way or another.

  Making matters significantly worse, Griff opened his trap and blabbed to the big boss about the situation. Dodge hadn’t been there because—hello?—he still didn’t know who ran things. Griff couldn’t fake the stark fear in his eyes. It’d been a brutal conversation. Griff came back with orders to find the girl or else. Dodge knew exactly what “or else” meant. Death.

  They’d all taken turns searching, but there was no sign of her. Swanny located her vehicle, and they’d combed through it, but the only interesting things they found were an assortment of dog treats and toys. They’d staked out her vet clinic and investigated her condo, but she still hadn’t made an appearance at either location. Where the hell was she?

  Life had taught Dodge to be a glass-half-empty kind of guy, so he didn’t assume she’d drowned. As soon as they let their guard down, she’d appear and take them all down.

  They’d traveled the length of the lake at least a half dozen times. There was very little boat traffic on the end where she’d escaped from and few houses. Most activities were centered on the other end by a marina, state park and public campground. They’d searched those places too, to no avail.

  What he needed was a strategy to draw her out of hiding. Something huge. Big enough that if she didn’t show up, he might start to believe she was indeed fish food.

  Dodge smiled and rubbed his hands together. He had just the plan.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Vanessa ran a comb through her hair as she studied her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were as puffy and red as Quinn’s. She still couldn’t believe she’d doused him with jasmine and lime-scented Febreze. At least she hadn’t permanently blinded him.