Gordon stepped out of the passenger seat and threw the van door open. Before anyone could move, Sloan jumped out and then offered his hand to Abbey. “Let me help you.”
“Thank you,” she said, her voice squeaking. It was the first time she had seen him smile all day.
They followed Gordon into the hotel and patiently waited as he arranged the rooms. One by one, he handed keys to the members of their team. He pressed one key into Sloan’s hand. “You and Abbey can share a room,” he instructed.
Sloan nodded and then ushered Abbey down the hall to the elevator. The ride up to the third floor was silent. As he opened the door to their room, the words tumbled out of her mouth. “All I want is a shower.”
Sloan gestured to an open door in the corner of the room. “As you wish, luv.”
She scuttled past him into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind her. She sighed as she looked around. It was just a tad bigger than the bathroom had been in her apartment in Brownsville. Her gaze returned to the door.
She had locked Sloan out. It was the last thing she thought she would ever do. Normally, she would leave it open in hopes that he’d join her. Usually, he would. Even in a room this small, he’d find a way to make love to her. She heaved another heavy sigh as she turned on the shower. Slowly, she peeled off her clothes and stepped beneath the hot stream of water. She gasped and moaned as the water hit her wounds. Her whole body cringed in pain. It took a while for her to adjust.
She didn’t know how long she was in the shower. For the first time in a week, she felt relaxed. As she wrapped the towel around her, she was struck with a thought. All the clothes she had brought were filthy. She would have to find the cleanest thing she had and wear it home. So much for being refreshed.
Sloan was still dressed in his black garb as he patiently waited for her to finish. The delicious aroma of food caught Abbey’s attention. A tray of meat, cheese, fresh baked bread, and pastries was perched on the dresser. “Please eat,” he murmured before he breezed past her for his turn in the bathroom.
Abbey crossed to the room, gazing at the delicacies waiting there. Her mouth watered. She couldn’t believe how good they smelled. She picked up a croissant and opened her mouth for a bite. Her lips slowly closed. What if he had poisoned them? They hadn’t covered that yet. Was this the final test?
Abbey shook her head as she chomped on the pastry. Sloan had sacrificed his life more than once for her. He wasn’t about to off her now with fluffy French bread.
She turned at the knock on the door. “Hello?” she called.
“Lass.” Liam’s voice floated through. “I bought you some clothes.”
Abbey breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you so much! But I can’t let you in. I’m only wearing a towel.”
“Understood. I’ll leave the bag outside, all right?”
“Sure. Thank you again.”
Abbey listened to his footsteps fade away before she opened the door and retrieved the bag. She excitedly rummaged through the contents. She giggled as she pulled out pajama bottoms and tugged them on. She nearly yanked the top on also before her eyes spied the white plastic container. Right. The salve.
Unscrewing the top, Abbey dipped her finger into the cool gel. She reached behind her back and rubbed it on the first gash she found. A sharp sting bit through her. She searched higher for another cut, contorting herself to find it.
“Let me help you.”
Abbey turned to find Sloan in the bathroom doorway, watching her. His thick, black hair was damp and tousled. His blue jeans hung off his hips. His hard curves glistened from his shower. Abbey’s hands instinctively crossed over her naked breasts to hide them.
He chuckled. “It’s not like I haven’t seen them before.”
Crossing the room to her, he placed a hand on her shoulder to turn her toward the dresser. Scooping some salve onto his fingers, he gently rubbed it into her wounds. Abbey shuddered at his touch. His hands had a way of doing that—turning her into a puddle of goo.
He looked up at her with a concerned expression. “Are you all right?”
“Fine,” she quipped as she watched him in the mirror. She thought for a moment and then said, “You tried to kill me.”
“If I had wanted you dead, Abbey, you would be. I trust your da with my life. I don’t trust him with yours. You’re mine. I’ll protect you.”
“It was kill or be killed.”
He winked at her through the reflection. “Your da doesn’t need to know. Besides, you nearly killed me, too.”
Abbey felt her face flush warm. Her voice was quiet. “You left me in Belfast.”
Sloan’s fingers stopped. He wiped them on his jeans and then caressed her hips with his hands. Nestling his head against hers, he let go a deep breath. “I thought I had ruined you. That I had turned you evil. Destroyed your soul.”
“You were disappointed in what I did.”
“Not in you. In myself. I could never be disappointed in you. It took your da to make me see. You and I are more alike than I realized. When put to the test, you adapted and survived. I thought I had found a perfect angel. In reality, I found the perfect complement to myself. The yang to my yin.”
Abbey turned to look at him. Her gaze wandered to his mouth. Lord, how long had it been since she had kissed him? The answer popped into her head. The night before he left for Belfast. Far too long.
Sloan must have shared the same thought because he parted her lips with his, his tongue tasting her, his breath stealing hers. She willingly surrendered as his fingers slid from her hips and up her rib cage until they reached her hands. He pried them from her breasts and then replaced them with his. He pinched her nipples between his fingertips until they were hard pebbles. She gasped at the sensation.
Sloan broke free of the kiss and then took her hand, leading her to the bed. An evil smirk spread across his face as he sat and pulled her to him. “What a pity, Abbey. You went to all the trouble of putting those pajama pants on just so I can take them off you.” He hooked his thumbs around the waistband and slid them down, leaving her naked before him. She kicked them free from her feet.
“Seems like you got dressed too quickly too,” Abbey quipped as she reached for the waistband of his jeans. Her fingers skimmed his skin as she popped the button open and then tugged down the zipper.
Sloan stood long enough to shove his pants and briefs to the floor. “Come here, lass.”
“Not yet.” Abbey smirked at him just before she dropped to the floor between his knees. Her eyes focused on his cock, hard and erect against his belly. She took it in her hand, gently stroking it before wrapping her lips around the tip. She softly sucked as she drew more and more of him into her mouth.
He hissed as he writhed against her. She gripped a hold on his thighs to keep him still. He wove his fingers in her hair, his guttural moans filling the room. She fought to accept his length as he bucked his hips, driving him deeper. Finally he tugged her head up to look in her eyes. A growl came from his lips in place of words. He wrapped his hand around her arm to guide her to her feet as the other was still knotted in her hair. She couldn’t help but lap at the dribble of precum that beaded on the tip of his cock. He shuddered at the sensation.
Abbey straddled his lap, staring down into his eyes with a smile. Sloan gazed at her for a moment before his teeth found her peaked nipple, nibbling and sucking at it as he kneaded her other breast with his hand. She whimpered in protest. She grasped him in her hand once again to guide him before she sunk down onto his lap, driving him deep inside her. She gasped as she clung to him. He filled every aching piece of her. She listened to his breaths come in ragged pants. He clenched her ass, encouraging her to move. Abbey rode him slowly, savoring the feel of him sliding in and out of her. Her peak came fast and hot. She murmured incoherently as her body shook, the fire racing through her veins as she orgasmed.
Sloan cursed as he held her close. His hips bucked violently beneath her. She felt his whole body strain
and shiver, his thrusts growing slow and deliberate as he throbbed inside her. He buried his face in the curve of her neck as he slowly exhaled. “Luv, we have quite a bit of lost time to make up, don’t we?”
“That we do.” Abbey tugged down on Sloan’s bottom lip and then covered his mouth with hers. He moaned as he pulled her down on the bed with him, returning her fierce kiss with one of his own.
»»•««
Abbey’s senses woke before she opened her eyes. And the first thing she sensed was that something was seriously out of place.
There was nothing Sloan O’Riley did not control. The last time he had let someone else have control of his life, his father and brother had died. From then on, no one had dictated his life. It was the only way he had survived. This included the happenings in their bedroom. He always slept on his back with her in his arms. If someone were to attack, he would always be ready.
Always be in control.
She slowly opened her eyes, confirming her suspicions. Sloan was not lying on his back as he had since they had first started sleeping together. No, this morning, Abbey was on her side with her head and shoulder on the pillow. Sloan’s face was buried in the curve of her neck. His warm, steady breath breezed across her naked breasts. One arm was wrapped tight beneath her, clenching her to him. His other hand gripped her ass tight.
Abbey glanced, bewildered, around the small, light blue room. She could see at least four items within an arm’s reach that she could use to end his life without waking him.
She shook her head. I really need to get the assassin thoughts out of my head. She buried her fingers in his thick, black hair and pressed a deep kiss against his forehead, cradling him closer.
Abbey felt Sloan stir. She half expected him to jump from her arms when he realized his error. We must have been exhausted after all the lovemaking. Not that this has happened before.
She looked down into his sparkling, sleepy blue eyes. “Good morning, luv.”
Abbey tenderly smoothed his hair. “Good morning.”
Sloan buried his face against her breasts as he held her closer. Abbey closed her eyes as she soaked in the moment. She couldn’t understand what had changed him, but she wasn’t going to stop him.
They startled at the thundering knock on the door. Sloan pulled from her arms slowly, his eyes fixed hard on the wooden barrier. He stood and tugged his jeans on and then slipped his gun in the back of the waistband. As he strode to the door, Abbey checked her phone. It was muted. Twenty-seven missed calls, ten messages. All from Gordon.
Sloan opened the door a crack. With a smile, he pulled it open farther.
“Don’t you answer your phone?” Gordon demanded.
“Guess not.”
“Where’s Abigail?”
Sloan tossed the door open the rest of the way. Abbey clenched the sheet to her naked skin. It was more than her stepfather needed to see.
“Should have known. Get dressed. We’re leaving in ten minutes,” Gordon barked. He gripped the doorknob and slammed the door shut.
Abbey tossed the covers off her and bolted across the room for the bag of clothes Liam had brought to her. As her fingertips touched the handle, she felt two strong hands capture her waist. She was tugged back against a hard body. She could feel the hard ridge of Sloan’s cock pressed against her back.
He nuzzled her neck with kisses. “We have time for a quickie.”
She giggled as she looked at him over her shoulder. “With you, there’s no such thing as a quickie. Save it for home.”
Sloan’s mischievous grin faded as he let her go. Without another word, he stormed into the bathroom. Abbey stared at the door, confused. She shook her head and then quickly dressed in the T-shirt and jeans from the bag.
The ride in the passenger van to the airport was silent. Sloan stared out the window, his gaze unfocused as the French scenery passed by. He held Abbey’s hand tightly in his. He had been silent since they had stepped out of their hotel room. She watched him with concern. Something was on his mind, and it was eating him alive. As they drove between the private hangars to the airstrip, it became clear. The twin Sloan Enterprise corporate jets waited for them.
“You’re not coming home.” Abbey stared at him in disbelief.
“I’m not,” Sloan confirmed. “I have to go to London to get this sorted out.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“Ethan and Ame need you.”
“They need their father too.”
Sloan sighed. “Aye, I know. I promise you that I’ll be quick. One day. Two at the most. Then, I’ll be home.”
Abbey touched his cheek as she gazed into his eyes. “I’m holding you to it.”
Sloan held Abbey’s hand tight in his grip as he helped her step from the van and led her to the planes. She took a deep breath. Two days. He promised. She could survive two more days.
She jolted to a stop as he did. Glancing back at him, she could see the apprehension in his eyes as he glared at the two aircraft.
One of the pilots approached them. “Mr. O’Riley, we’re ready to leave for London.”
“Give me a moment,” Sloan snarled.
“Of course, sir.” The pilot scuttled back to his plane. Gordon and Liam followed him inside.
Sloan tugged Abbey to him and held her tight. “Come with me. I can’t be without you,” he whispered in her ear.
“But what you said about the children?” she asked, puzzled.
Sloan didn’t say another word. Instead, his lips engulfed hers in an urgent, desperate kiss. Abbey clung to him, burying her fingers in his hair as she returned it.
He nudged her from him as they parted. “Go please, Abbey, before I change my mind again. This time, it would be for good.”
Abbey was even more confused as she pulled from his arms and backed away. She followed Robert and Bartholomew to the second plane. She turned back before she stepped inside.
Sloan stood where she left him. He hadn’t moved a muscle. Abbey’s heart broke as she watched him. She saw a side of her husband she had never seen before. For the first time, he clearly didn’t know what to do. He looked lost and abandoned.
“Come on, Abbey. The tower gave us clearance to take off,” Robert urged.
She nodded as she slipped inside the plane and took her seat. As the jet taxied away, she looked out the window.
Sloan was still standing alone where she had left him, his hands fisted at his sides. She collapsed back in her seat. Seeing him hurt so much was far more than she could take.
Chapter Eleven
Being home wasn’t as good as Abbey had hoped. It just wasn’t the same without Sloan. Once the jet landed in Minneapolis, Robert and Bartholomew escorted her home, refusing to let her go into the office. There were strict orders from Sloan that she spend the evening with her children, not with work.
She was overjoyed to see Ame and Ethan. She played with them until well after their bedtime. She fell asleep on the floor of Ame’s bedroom quickly after she put them to bed.
Abbey was in the office first thing the next morning to start tackling the London project. By the hundreds of emails waiting for her, she was glad. There were meetings, phone calls, and video chats. The conference call ripped her heart apart. Sloan’s voice was demanding as usual, but she could hear the hint of sadness. And with twenty other people on, she could hardly tell him that she loved him, even though she was very tempted to.
Confusion still plagued her mind. Sloan was a proud, controlling man. He needed nothing and no one. But ever since the Gauntlet, he had seemed lost. Something had affected him. Was it that she had almost killed him?
The office door opening caught Abbey’s attention. She looked up to find Logan leaning against the doorframe, a cheesy grin plastered on his face. Sitting back in her chair, she frowned at him. “What do you need, Logan?”
Logan’s smirk grew bigger. “Just had a couple questions.”
Abbey waved her hands over the piles on her desk. “Ask. This Lo
ndon project is killing me.”
Logan stepped into her office and closed the door behind him. Then he dropped into one of the seats across from her. “How far did you get?”
“Get where?”
“The Gauntlet.”
Abbey sighed, exasperated. By Logan’s smile, she could tell he was thrilled he had been chosen as part of the team. “How far did you get?” she countered.
“Sixth room. Or the equivalent to the sixth room in Montana. I had five rooms. Robert choked me out.”
“I thought it was kill or be killed.”
“Seems the big lug has a soft spot for me. So, how far did you get?”
“Seventh room.”
“So, Gordon got you.”
“No. I beat the Gauntlet. I just never got to the dock door. Things got complicated.”
“How did it get complicated? Did you kill your stepfather? He hasn’t been on a conference call yet.”
“It wasn’t Gordon. It was Sloan. And I almost killed him.”
Logan’s eyes grew wide. “Your seventh room was your husband?”
Abbey’s office door opened as Logan spoke. She let out a little gasp. Sloan filled the doorway, glancing at each of them. There was a chuckle in his brogue. “Yes, I was her seventh room. And my lass fights like a hellion.” Sloan closed the door and then looked at Logan. “Did you tell her that you only lasted one hour of wrestling before you were chucking up your beans and rice? Or that in your sharpshooter training you shot the truck across the street?”
Logan’s grin faded as he stood. “I have some papers to finish so that I can get them filed with the court.” He rushed from the room, slamming the door behind him.
Sloan laughed as he settled on the sofa. He motioned for Abbey to join him. She nearly leaped from her seat and crossed the room to do so. He gently kissed her. “I missed you, Abbey.”
“I missed you too.” Abbey ran her thumb gently along the circles beneath his eyes. “You look so tired.”
“Barely slept. I just wanted to get home to you.”
Abbey gazed at him. “You’ve been calling me Abbey now. I don’t understand.”
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