by Anna Hackett
He pulled out of her and she made a protesting noise, grabbing for him.
“Up.” He urged her to her feet and turned her. The tent wasn’t very big, and she was forced to bend over. He had the perfect view of her round ass, and the pretty sight of her just-fucked folds. He groaned and ran his fingers between her legs.
“What are you—” she moaned, pushing back against him.
“So fucking pretty, Peri.” He stroked her, listening to her mewling cry. “Can’t believe my cock fits in here. Did it stretch you out? Did it feel good?”
“Yes.” A husky growl.
“I’m going to slide back in here and make you come again.”
She jerked against his hand. Ronin sank back, resting on his knees, his throbbing cock hard as steel. “Yeah, you want that, don’t you?”
“Yes. Yes.”
He gripped her hips. “Sit back on my lap.”
He helped her sink down slowly. He fisted his cock with one hand, and when her damp, slick flesh touched his cock, they both groaned. Every muscle in his body went tight. Hold on. Don’t come yet.
“That’s it, Peri. Sit on my cock. Take it all inside you.”
She moaned and he controlled her movement, slowly sliding inside her warmth. It was torture.
Perspiration broke out on his skin until finally, she was flush in his lap, his cock lodged deep inside her. He nuzzled her neck and saw the curve of her flushed cheek.
“I’m alive because of you.” He bumped his hips up and she moaned. “My hard cock is inside you, because of you.”
“Please, Ronin…move.” She wiggled her ass against him.
He clamped his hand on her hip and held her down. He slid his other hand up to cup her breast and tease her hard nipple.
She moved against him, moaning helplessly. “Move, damn you.”
He smiled. His sexy woman wasn’t the most patient when she wanted something. “Okay.” He gripped both her hips, and used his strength to lift her, then slam her back down on his cock.
Her head flew back, hitting his shoulder. He worked her up and down his cock.
“Yes.” She moved as well, helping him, her body rippling on his.
“Touch yourself,” he whispered. “Reach between those sexy thighs and find that swollen clit.”
She slid her hand down, and when she moaned, he knew she was close.
And fuck, he was riding the hard edge of the orgasm of his life. She rocked against him.
“That’s it, Peri,” he murmured. “Give me your mouth, baby.”
She turned her head and he kissed her. As she came, her body shook, spasming around his cock. He swallowed her scream with his mouth.
Then he jerked her up and down another few times, and a blinding orgasm crashed into him. He roared his release, shooting deep inside her. It was strong enough that his vision actually dimmed for a moment.
Peri had slumped against him, limp and warm. He lowered them down onto the sleeping bags, their slick skin sticking them together.
Christ. Ronin pulled in a few deep breaths, running his hand through her hair. He’d had sex plenty of times. But this…this was something else.
He held her tight and listened to her harsh breathing slow down and even out. This was the bit he wasn’t good with. He wasn’t a snuggler, or someone to talk about his feelings. When he had sex, he ensured the woman enjoyed herself, and then he left.
Peri turned, wrapping her arms around him, and snuggled into his chest. Ronin relaxed. Apparently, Peri knew what to do.
She looked up at him from under mussed bangs. “Hey.”
“Hey,” he responded.
“You’re okay?” She reached up and cupped his cheek, gently scratching a nail through his stubble.
“Thanks to you.”
She smiled. “I think you paid me back with interest.”
“I think I sort of…took you by surprise.”
“For a second.” She scratched his cheek again. “Don’t think I wasn’t an enthusiastic, willing participant.”
Shit. “Peri, I didn’t even think about protection—”
“It’s okay. I’m on birth control and I got a clean bill of health at my last checkup.”
Ronin blew out a breath. He’d never not used protection with a woman. “I’m healthy, too.”
“Good.”
He tightened his hold on her, a feeling of rightness moving through him. “I may never be able to let you go.”
She leaned up and pressed a light kiss to his lips. “So don’t.”
Ronin felt parts of him that had never seen the light straining to get closer to her. “Peri—”
“I know. You’re dark, bad, and dangerous.” She cupped his cheek. “What happened to you, Ronin, to make you think you don’t deserve some happiness?”
God, she cracked him wide open. “It wasn’t one big, terrible thing. Just lots of smaller ones. From being an abandoned, drug-addicted baby tossed out like trash—”
“Which has nothing to do with you,” she said fiercely.
He smiled sadly. “I watched so many people die while I was a SEAL. There were so many people I couldn’t save. I watched good men and women lose limbs, their eyesight, or go home in boxes.” He pulled in a shuddering breath. “I thought working for the CIA would help me find the missing chunks of my soul.”
“And instead, it took more.”
He nodded. “My last assignment was to help take down a human trafficking ring.” He closed his eyes, unwilling to sully what he’d just shared with Peri. “I saw women, hell, young girls, used and abused.” God, the things he’d seen. His hand clenched in her hair. He breathed in the fresh scent of her. “I had to watch terrible things, and pretend I liked them, to get close to the people we needed to bring down.”
She squeezed him tighter. “You did your part. You’re one of the good guys, Ronin. A hero. And now, you deserve a life.”
Ronin wanted to believe her. He cleared his throat. “How long was I out?”
“Half an hour.” She glanced at her heavy-duty watch. “We’ve been gone about two hours.”
God, it felt like a lifetime. Dec would have realized something had gone wrong by now. “They’ll be looking for us.”
“You need to eat something—” she sat up “—and drink something to get your strength back.”
“Thought I just proved my strength was fine.”
She rolled her eyes at him and reached over to the backpacks. As she pulled out some ready-to-eat meal packs, Ronin watched the sway of her pretty breasts.
She turned back, and handed him a package of food and a drink bottle. Then she realized he was looking at her. She glanced down, her cheeks going pink, then glanced back up at him, heat flickering in her eyes.
“You need to conserve some energy, Ronin. Not spend more of it.”
“I want you again.” He blew out a breath. “But there’s no time.” Hell, there hadn’t been time the first time he’d had her, but he’d already been inside her before any conscious thought had moved through his head.
She leaned in and kissed him. He pulled her closer, and drank from her mouth.
“Later,” she murmured. “After we finish this.”
“Later,” he promised. “Later, I want to fuck you from behind, and then wrap my hand in that pretty hair of yours while you suck my cock.”
She raised a brow. “And I want your clever tongue between my legs again, and then I want to climb you and ride you hard.”
His cock jerked. “You have yourself a deal, Peri.”
Peri spooned some of the bland food into her mouth, chewing slowly. “We need to find Dec and the others.”
Ronin was sorting through his clothes. She could see that the outer layers were still damp, but the inner layers that would be closest to his body were dry. Luckily, he also had dry socks in his backpack.
He pulled his thermal underwear on with a frown. “They should have come looking for us by now. I don’t think we’d be that hard to find.”
<
br /> Peri finished eating. “They’re probably close.” Her body was still tingling, and she kept sneaking glances at Ronin as he dressed.
God, that body. He pulled his trousers on and she stifled a sigh. She’d been thoroughly fucked and possessed by Ronin Cooper. She quivered and felt a throb between her legs, a very physical reminder. She really wanted to do it again. And again.
She started pulling her own clothes on. But that would have to wait. Right now, she had a sister to save.
Soon, they stepped out of the tent. She zipped up her coat, and they quickly took down the tent and packed up the rest of their gear.
Strong arms yanked her close. As soon as his lips touched hers, warmth curled through her. Yep, she couldn’t get enough of this man.
“Thanks again for the rescue,” he said quietly.
“Anytime, G-Man.”
His fingers brushed at her hair. “And thanks for the rest, as well.”
“Anytime to that, too,” she whispered.
“Hey, there you guys are.”
The voice had them both spinning. Lars stepped through the doorway of the building.
Peri smiled. “We are so glad to see you. We had an incident, but we’re okay.”
Beside her, she sensed Ronin stiffen a little. His gaze was scanning behind Lars.
“Where are Dec and Logan?” Ronin asked.
“We lost your trail. They went to check one direction, and I came this way.”
Peri nodded, but when she looked over at Ronin, she detected something from him that she didn’t understand. “What’s wrong?”
Lars shook his head. “You have some sharp instincts, Coop.” The scientist pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Ronin.
Peri gasped. “What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m afraid your expedition ends here.” There was regret on the man’s face, but his arm didn’t waver.
“They offered you money,” Ronin said. “What is it? Sick kid? Relative in debt?”
“Sick wife,” Lars answered sadly. “She has cancer, and the doctors back home can’t do any more for her. But there’s an experimental treatment in Germany.” He shot Peri a regretful look. “I’m so sorry, Peri. I didn’t have the money, and I need to save my wife.”
Peri swallowed hard, betrayal cutting through her. “Did you kill your colleagues, too?”
“No!” There was horror on his face. “But I was supposed to keep all the station people away from Silk Road, and what they were doing here. Unfortunately, two of them ignored my warnings.”
God, this couldn’t be happening. Peri pressed her hands to her thighs. “You attacked me. In the bathroom.”
Heat filled Lars’ cheeks. “I’m sorry about that.”
Ronin took a threatening step forward. “You choked her.”
“Stay back.” The man’s gun stayed steady.
“Dec and Logan?” Ronin’s tone was as sharp as a blade.
Lars cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, I—”
Ronin leaped forward so fast, Peri jerked in shock. He landed a hard chop to Lars’ arm, and the scientist cried out, his gun hitting the icy floor. Ronin gripped the front of the man’s coat, and jerked him around. A hard punch to Lars’ face snapped the man’s head back and blood spurted from his nose.
“You couldn’t have killed Dec and Logan,” Ronin said. “They would’ve seen you coming a mile away.”
“No.” Lars pressed a gloved hand to his nose. “But the last I saw of them, they were in an unstable area. Ice was falling down from the roof, all around them.”
Ronin’s hand struck out, his fist slamming into Lars’ temple. The man crashed into the wall and slumped down to the floor, out cold. Ronin reached down and picked up the pistol. “We need to move. We need to find Dec and Logan.”
With a nod, Peri hitched the straps of her backpack tighter, and clicked her flashlight on. She followed Ronin out of the warehouse.
Then, she heard Ronin make a sound.
Before she could respond, a jolt of electricity raced through her body. Pain hit her, and her body started jerking. She collapsed on the ice.
Hurts. So. Bad. She forced herself to move her head slightly, trying to see what was happening around her. The ice was cold on her bare cheek. What was going on?
Ahead, she saw Ronin fall heavily to his knees, his teeth clenched, and his body jerking.
She blinked slowly, and that’s when she saw the small prongs in his back, and the thin wires protruding from them. Taser. Damn.
Heavy, black boots stepped in front of her face, crunching on the ice. But before she could see who’d attacked them, she passed out from the pain.
Chapter Thirteen
Ronin rose out of the black fog of unconsciousness, his entire body aching. Fuck. He kept his eyes closed, his brain whirling, trying to piece things back together. Peri!
Fighting off the pain, he opened his eyes a crack. Where the hell was Peri?
Unfamiliar panic rose, but then he saw her still-unconscious body beside his. He moved his hand close to her face and felt the warm puff of her breath on his skin. He released a breath. She was alive.
He shifted a little to scan the space around them. They were back in the main part of the old warehouse. Several men and one woman—all in black, cold-weather gear, and armed—stood nearby, talking quietly. Typical Silk Road muscle.
“You’re awake.”
The voice behind Ronin had an Australian accent. He swiveled his head and spotted a man crouching down, his hands dangling between his knees. He had an open, handsome face, with shaggy, blond hair escaping the black winter hat he wore.
“We were surprised to find you in our city,” the man said.
Ronin sat up. “Who are you?” His voice was a little croaky. He hated being hit with a Taser.
“My name is Jesse Colston. This is my expedition.”
“So you’re a thief.”
“Yep. And you’re Ronin Cooper. Treasure Hunter Pain-in-the-ass Security.” The man’s smile was slow and easy. “Did you find the vajra?”
Ronin’s pulse tripped. They hadn’t found it yet. “The weapon you’re looking for?”
Colston nodded thoughtfully. “You don’t have it. You would’ve rubbed it in my face if you had, I’m certain.”
Beside Ronin, Peri stirred. She rose up on one elbow, her gaze landing blearily on Colston. Her eyes widened, and she sat bolt upright. “You!”
“Ah, Miss Butler.” Colston shook his head. “You were stupid to come down here.”
Peri glanced around, her worried gaze meeting Ronin’s before she looked back at the Silk Road man. “Where’s my sister?”
“She’s proven herself very useful,” Colston said.
Peri’s lips firmed. “Is she alive?”
The man nodded. “For now. Who else is with you?”
They both stayed silent. Then Colston moved, faster than Ronin had expected. He grabbed a handful of Peri’s jacket and jerked her to her feet.
Ronin leaped up and took a step toward the man. He wanted to slam a fist in the guy’s surfer-boy face.
Ronin heard the guards move, and froze. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw several of them pointing assault rifles in his direction.
“Who. Else?” Colston said, giving Peri a shake.
“Fuck you.” Her voice was soaked with venom.
Colston nodded his head. A guard stepped forward and punched Ronin in the lower back. Dammit, right in the kidneys. He arched his back and swallowed a groan. He wouldn’t give Colston the satisfaction. Peri bit down on her lip.
“There are two others,” a male voice said.
Ronin looked over at Lars, sitting against the rock wall. He had his knees drawn up, a hand probing his swollen, bloody nose. “Declan Ward and Logan O’Connor.”
Colston’s expression turned very unhappy. “Dammit all to hell.” He shoved Peri away from him. “Declan Fucking Ward is here. That’s all I need.”
Ronin caught Peri, and her hands twist
ed in his jacket. Staying calm, he studied the group, taking in size, strength, and weapons. He had to protect Peri. He had to get her out of here.
He scanned their surroundings, his gaze landing on an open doorway that led outside of the warehouse. If they could get out onto the street, they could lose themselves in the maze of buildings, and hopefully lose Silk Road.
He looked down at Peri, and saw she was watching him. He inclined his head minutely to the doorway. She blinked slowly.
Good girl. Now, they just needed a chance.
“Damn, just what I fucking needed,” Colston ground out. “Declan Ward breathing down my neck. For once, I thought we’d managed to avoid THS, and—”
Before the man could finish his rant, Ronin reared forward and head-butted him. The Australian let out a shout, and Ronin swung him around, using him as a shield between Peri and him, and the rest of the group.
“Go!” he yelled at Peri.
“Don’t shoot!” Colston shouted.
Peri took off, sprinting for the door. Ronin gave Colston a shove, and then followed her.
Gunfire echoed off the walls and bullets pinged off the ice nearby. Ronin ducked and dived out of the doorway.
He was back on his feet in an instant, grabbing Peri’s arm. “Run.”
They quickly turned the corner, their boots slapping on the slick, rocky ground.
“Get them!” a male voice boomed.
“Which way did they go?”
Holding on tight to Peri, Ronin sprinted down the streets, twisting and turning. A flurry of gunfire followed behind. Bullets slammed into the ice beside them with a thick thud.
“Down that alley,” he called to Peri.
She adjusted her course, but when more gunfire sounded, she stumbled and crashed into him.
He caught her, half carrying her into the relative safety of the alley.
Fuck, was she hit? “Are you okay? Did they get you?”
She slapped a hand over her arm, and then tugged at her jacket. “Bullet winged me.”
He gently turned her arm around. He saw a tear in her jacket, but no blood.
“I’m fine, Ronin.”
Thank God. The sound of shouts and footsteps grew closer. “Come on.”