Hidden Fate

by Tara Thomas

She took his hand and entwined their fingers, but she didn’t look at him, choosing instead to focus on their hands. “I know you said it, but hearing you back it up just now means so much more to me.”

  “Does that mean you’re thinking about it?”

  “Yes,” she said, finally smiling. “It does.”

  * * *

  That night, they went on a walk around Brent’s neighborhood. He suggested it because Janie loved looking at all the historical homes and he thought the fresh air would do her some good.

  She certainly seemed to be in better spirits. There was a sparkle in her eyes again and her steps were light as they walked. She even teased him a time or two about moving to the north and “becoming a Yankee.” He laughed and told her he didn’t think it was possible to be a Yankee and also to own a historic home in Charleston.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “That’s a pretty shaky argument to me.”

  “Give me some time and I’ll think up a better one.”

  They passed a few minutes in silence before he spoke again. “What do you think about leaving for DC a few days early?”

  “How early?” she asked.

  “Like tomorrow early.” There was no reason not to go that he could think of and part of him couldn’t help but think she’d be safer out of town.

  “I think that’s a great idea,” she said.

  “Good. We’ll pack when we get back home.”

  They turned to head back and out of the corner of his eye, he’d have sworn he saw someone duck into the shadows. He glanced at Janie, but she was looking in the opposite direction at a house.

  It wasn’t dark yet, but it would be soon. He walked a bit faster, inwardly cursing himself for being so flippant about Janie’s safety. What was he thinking to bring her out? They were too exposed walking as they were. He knew she normally carried a gun with her, but he’d be lying to say it didn’t make him nervous.

  “Brent?” she asked and he realized she’d asked him a question. Repeatedly, from the way she said his name.

  “Hmm,” he mumbled, trying to act as normal as possible while keeping an eye on their surroundings.

  “I asked what time we were leaving tomorrow.” She narrowed her eyes. “Are you okay? Did you see something?”

  He couldn’t lie to her. He respected her too much to do that. Besides, he knew her strength and knew she could handle the truth. “I’m sure it was nothing.”

  “But you did see something?” Her eyes darted around the street.

  “I’m not sure what I saw, which is why I didn’t say anything. Regardless, I’ll feel better once you’re safely inside the house.”

  The change to Janie was immediate. Gone was any sign of lightheartedness. She moved with one goal in mind—getting to the house. Every step was accompanied by a sweep of her gaze all around the street. Brent knew her sharp eyes would miss nothing. God, he hated this. It broke his heart that she was going through this.

  He also knew getting to DC in the morning was the best move he could make at this point. Even the top-of-the-line security system his home boasted suddenly didn’t seem adequate to protect her.

  A movement in the bushes at his next-door neighbor’s yard made them both freeze.

  “I didn’t imagine that,” she said.

  No, unfortunately, there was no way he could pass that off as a figment of his imagination. “Do you have your gun with you?” he whispered.

  “Yes.” Her hand shifted to her hip. Obviously, the tunic top she wore covered up her holster.

  He could tell Janie didn’t want to bring her gun out in public, but she kept her hand on it as they drew closer to the bush. He could see her breathing heavier with each step forward.

  Three steps away from the bush. Her hands started to shake.

  Two steps. He held his breath.

  One step.

  A massive ball of black fur jumped out from behind the bush and landed on the street in front of them. Janie pulled her gun, but somehow managed not to shoot the cat now standing in their way.

  “Oh my God,” she said. “That cat scared the life out of me.”

  Brent put his hand on her back and quickly guided her to the front door. The cat the day before had been white. He watched her carefully to make sure she was okay. “Me too. I’ve have never been more happy to see a black cat.”

  Once they were both inside, he closed and locked the doors, and armed the security system. He took a quick peek out the window, just to see if there was anything in the shadows that shouldn’t be. He didn’t see anything. Unfortunately, he knew enough to know that whoever was chasing Janie wouldn’t be seen unless he wanted to.

  “Let’s pack,” he said. The morning in DC wouldn’t come soon enough for him.

  * * *

  They arrived in DC early the next morning, thanks to Brent’s insistence of a private jet. Janie had balked at first, but he played it off like he always traveled on one and she finally relented. He told himself he had just stretched the truth a little. Yes, he sometimes flew in a private jet, but often than not, he went commercial.

  Yes, he was paranoid.

  Yes, he was overprotective.

  Did he care? Not at all. He’d do what he had to do in order to keep Janie safe.

  The hotel they were staying at allowed them to check in early. He loved the way Janie’s eyes grew big when he opened the door to their suite.

  “Brent,” she said in amazement. “This room is ridiculous. Seriously. It’s bigger than my apartment.”

  “Humor me.” He walked up behind her and put his arms around her, dropping a kiss on her neck. “I like pampering you.”

  She was so different from the type of women he normally dated. Most of them expected such things. And while he didn’t used to mind it, experiencing what a joy it was to do things for Janie made him realize how shallow those women were. Which proved how shallow the relationships had been.

  Janie was a strong-willed woman who could kick some serious ass. That was probably why it pained him so much to see her scared. He knew how much it took to break her confidence.

  But it was more than her strength. She was also smart and funny. She knew more about the antiques in his house than he did and she appreciated his iced-tea-making abilities. He loved her often sarcastic sense of humor, not to mention her knowledge of Greek theater.

  He watched her as she walked over to the large picture windows overlooking the Potomac. She’d had a hard time lately. Not too long ago, a homeless man she’d grown close to had been murdered. Probably by the same person who was after her now. And she’d been suspended from her job. How could he not want to protect and spoil her?

  Someone knocked on the door and he smiled. Speaking of spoiling, his first surprise was right on time. She raised her eyebrow as he went to open the door, but didn’t say anything. They were both hopeful that whoever was threatening her wouldn’t know that she’d left town. Another reason he’d wanted to take a private jet.

  He checked to make sure it was the deliveryman he was expecting, though, just to be safe.

  “Your package, Mr. Taylor,” the man said, handing him the box with the well-known Charleston designer-shop logo on the side. Brent tipped him and turned around, not wanting to miss Janie’s expression when she saw the box for the first time.

  He wasn’t disappointed. Her gasp of shock made him want to surprise her again and again. He held the box out. “A little something for you.”

  “Little?” She took the box and put it on the couch, her finger traced the logo. “You shouldn’t have.”

  “I most definitely should. We’re going out tonight and you need something to wear.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “It’s a surprise.” He nodded toward the box. “Open it.”

  She gave him a big grin and lifted the lid. He knew he’d done well when her hand flew up to cover her mouth. Tears danced in her eyes when she looked up at him. “You remembered.”

  His chest ached just looking
at her and all he could do was nod. She lifted the outfit from the tissue paper almost reverently. “I can’t believe it.”

  The night of their first date, they’d met in downtown Charleston. She’d arrived first and he’d found her eyeing that cocktail dress through a store window. When he mentioned it to her, she’d brushed it off by saying she had nowhere to wear it. Be that as it may, he couldn’t stop imagining how she’d look in the silver silk gown with the flowing skirt. While setting up the DC trip, he’d gone back to the store and arranged to have it delivered.

  “You really shouldn’t have,” she repeated. “But thank you.”

  “You’re very welcome. Want to go try it on? I can’t wait to see it on you.”

  He knew he was in trouble when she turned her teasing eyes on him. “I think if you’re not telling me where we’re going, you don’t get to see me in this gown.”

  She had him there. “You drive a hard bargain.”

  She shrugged. “Fair is fair.”

  He wasn’t sure how fair that was, but he was willing to go along with it if it meant she’d keep that smile on her face. He crossed his arms. “I can live with that.”

  “Let me hang this up.” When she came back, she wrapped her arms around him. “Do we have anything we have to do today?”

  He murmured against her lips, “Not that I can think of.”

  “Good,” she said, before kissing him.

  It wasn’t a kiss born of urgency, but rather a slow and gentle prelude. She tilted her head when he deepened the kiss, as if needing for him to take more of her. He was more than happy to oblige and when her fingers fumbled with his shirt, he moaned at the feel of her hands on him.

  “Janie,” he whispered. “You feel so good. I love it when you put your hands on me.”

  “How fortunate,” she said. “I love to put my hands on you.”

  She kissed him again and he smiled as he replied, “Prove it.”

  She took it as a challenge and he nearly came on the spot when she unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. He also loved it when she got aggressive with him.

  “Mmm,” he hummed in pleasure when she slipped a hand between their bodies and palmed his erection. “So good.”

  Most of the women he’d been with were content to let him lead in the bedroom, and many times, they’d just lie there and let him do all the work. Janie was a breath of fresh air. She wasn’t afraid to tell him exactly what she liked and what she wanted.

  “I want to feel your skin on mine,” he said. “Take me out.”

  He also liked that she truly wanted to please him as much as he pleased her. She would often tease him when he asked for something directly, but only to heighten his anticipation by making him wait.

  Within seconds, his pants were undone and she had taken hold of his shaft. He nearly lost it at the feel of her thumb stroking the slit on his head.

  “Oh, yes.” His eyes almost rolled to the back of his head. “Just like that.”

  “I want you to come in my mouth,” she said, and his eyes flew open at the very thought of it.

  “Are you sure?” He’d never been with anyone who particularly liked for him to do that. For damn sure, he’d never had anyone ask him to do it.

  She looked at him with dark, lust-filled eyes that held only the truth. “I wouldn’t say it otherwise.”

  “I don’t want you to do anything you aren’t comfortable with,” he said. She kept stroking him the entire time they were talking and it was getting harder and harder for him to carry on a conversation.

  This time she didn’t say anything, but dropped to her knees, keeping her eyes on him as she did. Only when she reached the floor did she look away. He watched and felt himself grow longer and harder until she took his entire length into her mouth and his eyes closed involuntarily.

  Fuck. Her mouth felt so damn good.

  He dropped his hand to rest lightly on the top of her head. Not to hold her in place or to guide her, but because he wanted the connection of somehow touching her as she pleased him. The thought shocked him a bit. Before, he’d never cared about anything other than the actual blow job. Never had he ever cared about any connection other than the feel of his partner’s mouth on his dick.

  All that was different with Janie. He forced his eyes to open and look while he dug his fingers into her hair and massaged her scalp. She hummed in pleasure, her hand dropping between her legs. The thought that she was getting turned on by what she was doing made his balls tighten and he knew he wasn’t going to last very much longer.

  He held still, forcing himself not to thrust, but allowing her to work him over. She took him all the way in her mouth until he felt the back of her throat. He sucked a breath in through his teeth and he fisted her hair.

  “I’m getting ready to come,” he warned her, still wanting to give her a chance to change her mind if she wanted.

  But she would not be swayed. She grabbed his upper thigh with her free hand, not allowing him to get away. He wasn’t sure he’d ever experienced anything hotter and he groaned, releasing down her throat.

  She didn’t pull off, instead, she swallowed rapidly, taking everything he gave her. Even when he’d finished, she was still attentive. She gave him several licks, finally placing a kiss on his tip as he slid out of her mouth.

  Normally after such an intense orgasm, he’d feel completely spent, but seeing the look of satisfaction she had, and the way she rocked triumphantly to rest her butt on her heels, revived him. He held his hand out to her and pulled her to her feet.

  “That was incredible,” he managed to say. “I’m going to need some time to recover, but do you know what I’m going to do in the meantime?”

  Her only reply was to lick her lips.

  “Damn it, Janie.” He led her to the bed. “Keep that up and I won’t need any time to recover and I do want to give you at least two orgasms before I fuck you.” He nodded to the bed. “On your back.”

  She gave him a saucy smile. “I definitely won’t argue with that.”

  “Good.” He pushed her thighs apart. “Now hold on.”

  He turned his attention to bringing her as much pleasure as she’d brought him moments before. Taking his time, he used his fingers and his mouth to work her over. He loved how she responded to him, her body softly opening to his touch and the way she writhed under him.

  Several times, her legs tried to close, but he held them open, determined to make good on his statement to make her come twice before moving on. When she came the first time, it was with a soft cry of surprise. He took that as a challenge and doubled his efforts.

  Her second time was neither soft nor quiet. It couldn’t have come as a surprise, either. Surely by then she had to know he’d been telling the truth when he’d told her of his intent.

  Likewise, he’d been correct in other ways as well. By the time he’d made her come the second time, he was hard again. So, while she shook in the aftermath of her fading orgasm, he rolled her to her belly, slipped on a condom, and positioned himself behind her.

  “Think you can come again?” he asked, stroking her backside as she got up on her hands and knees.

  “I don’t know,” she admitted. “That’d be four in a short period of time. I think it’d be a record.”

  “In that case, it’s a given. You’re doing it.” He passed a hand between her legs and smiled to discover she was wet again. She rubbed against him when he found her clit. “Oh, yes. You’re definitely coming again.”

  “Oh, shit,” she panted when he pushed inside her. “I think you’re right.”

  He started working his hips, thrusting into her. “I know I am.”

  After coming in her mouth, he was able to take his time the second time around. He stroked his hips with long and precise motions, making sure he brought her as much pleasure as possible. She didn’t even try to hold back this time, but moved her hips along with his and when she came, he followed close behind.

  As he gathered her in his
arms, he wondered how he’d be able to convince her to move with him, because he didn’t think he could do the long-distance thing with her. He wanted her forever.

  * * *

  He watched them through his binoculars from the hotel across the street. They had put their guard down. He could tell because they were smiling so much. At first that made him mad. How dare they be laughing and smiling after he’d sent her a death threat? Did they think he was joking?

  But the more he thought about it, he liked the fact that they were relaxed. It wasn’t that they thought he wasn’t serious. They thought they were safe in Washington. Which really meant they were much more stupid than he originally thought.

  He wasn’t sure yet how he was going to take advantage of the fact that he knew where they were and they didn’t know it. Should he surprise them with something left in their hotel room? Wait until they got back from dinner? Or would it have more of an impact if he waited until the next day? If he let them enjoy their false sense of security before jerking it out from underneath them?

  Hmmm, so many tempting ways to go about bringing Janie down. Which one would be the most fun?

  The buzz of his telephone made him sigh and put his binoculars down.

  UNKNOWN CALLER

  Hell, he knew exactly who that unknown caller was. Though sometimes he wished to God he didn’t.

  “Hello,” he answered.

  “I heard you left town rather quickly,” The Gentleman said. “I thought you might be doing something stupid.”

  Interesting. Did he really think he’d try to run?

  “No, sir. Just playing with my prey.”

  There were a few seconds of uncomfortable silence before the caller spoke again. “You know your time is limited?”

  “Yes, sir,” he replied, deciding he had liked it better when The Gentleman wasn’t so obsessive. Still, as long as he didn’t know about the DNA evidence he’d unknowingly left behind, he wasn’t going to complain. Because that was the only DNA that had ever been collected on him, the police department wouldn’t be able to identify with it. All he had to do now was to ensure there was never any collected that could be tied to him. Risky, but possible.