Vengeance Unleashed (The Wanted Men Series Book 1)

by Nancy Haviland

  With a hand splayed over her sternum, he pushed gently until she was on her back again. He came down beside her all hot skin and solid muscle.

  “You’re very, uh, impressive.” Please don’t hear the anxiety in my voice, she begged in mortification.

  He grinned.

  She swooned over the not-seen-enough expression.

  “You have no idea how hard it is for me to be taking my time with you,” he surprised her by saying.

  Oh, she knew how hard it was—she’d seen it firsthand. “Why are you? Taking your time, I mean.”

  “I want you ready. And, if I have anything to do with it, this will be something you never forget.”

  He didn’t allow her a moment to gather her wits after that charming statement before he claimed her mouth, his lips crushing hers, his tongue thrusting deliciously. His hand traveled over her ribs again, one gripping the curve of her waist while the other continued along her hip and down her outer thigh, making her squirm. Her legs drifted apart as her body craved more.

  But he tormented her a little longer by grasping her calf, pulling her leg up, and rolling her over so that she was intimately sprawled across him. He removed the binding from her hair, hissing through his teeth as he ran his fingers through her heavy tresses.

  “You really are fucking magnificent.”

  She winced, knowing she wouldn’t be for long. He wasn’t going to think she was so great when she wimped out and begged him to get his massive snake out of her because it hurt.

  Would it hurt though? She was so wet she could feel it on the insides of her thighs. That had to help, right?

  Tell him, dummy! What if he’s beginning to think you’re an inconsiderate lover rather than a scared, inexperienced one?

  Good plan. “Uh, Gabriel, I probably should have mentioned this before. Um, I’m kind of…new to this.” She spoke quickly, evasively—she didn’t want to throw out the V word in case he chivalrously told her to pack up and get out. “So, if, uh, I do something wrong, or don’t do something you’d like me to, please tell me, ‘kay?”

  She held her breath when he froze, going still as a corpse.

  What was he thinking? Was he going to end this?

  God, she hoped not.

  “What…what did you say?” he finally rasped.

  She tried not to cringe as she traced patterns on his skin and cleared her throat. His uncharacteristic stammer was unsettling. “Sorry if that puts a damper…” She trailed off, feeling her shoulders bow ever so slightly. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but I don’t want you to be disappointed.”

  Disappointed?

  The word had her shifting, and that caused his hard shaft to rub directly between her legs in a way that made her want to grind harder.

  She held off because she couldn’t get past that word. Disappointed? She might regret her inexperience right now, but she shouldn’t be ashamed of it.

  She straightened her shoulders. Why should she be? She had nothing to apologize for here.

  She tilted her chin up—an act of defiance against any chagrin she’d felt a moment ago—and finally looked at him. His lips curled up at the corners, as if he noticed the change in her. He gripped her upper arms and rolled over until he had her beneath him again.

  “What are you telling me, Eva?”

  “I’ve never had sex before,” she stated boldly.

  Her legs, with a life of their own, flexed to hold his between them so he couldn’t run off screaming about virgins and their deception.

  “Holy shit.” His words came out on a rough breath, his expression just shy of bewildered. “Eva…Jesus Christ.” He lifted and looked down her body. For what, she didn’t know. “Thank God you told me. Holy shit,” he growled again before claiming her mouth in a kiss that was so hot and wet it made her feel as if she were burning alive.

  Guess he wasn’t going to bail.

  She moaned into his mouth as he found her breast, his fingers teasing her nipple. When he switched his attention to the other, she squirmed and dug her fingernails into his forearm.

  “More?” he asked against her mouth.

  “More,” she demanded as her sex pulsed with need. She thrust her hips up and clawed hungrily at his shoulders. “Please.” She barely recognized her own voice as the plea fell from her lips.

  One of his hands slid through her hair and he fisted a handful, pulling so that her back arched. He ducked his head and took a nipple into his mouth, sucking hard, then scraped his teeth gently against the peaked tip. Her back arched again as she cried out with pleasure, bucking against him.

  But he wouldn’t be rushed. He teased and tormented while she moved, shifted, ground down, trying anything to ease the buildup that pulsed between her legs. Nothing helped.

  Leaning on his shoulder, he reached down and grabbed the thin strap of her thong. He gave it a sharp tug, tearing the sides loose. The moment the silk fell from her body, he was cupping her. Her breath came out in a whoosh when he teased her sensitive folds with just his fingertips, spreading the wetness he’d created. She opened her legs wider, giving him better access.

  “Gabriel…” Her breath hitched and then came even faster. Her hips came up to meet him as he sank first one long finger inside her and then two. He pulled back then thrust, repeating the action as his thumb circled around her clit.

  Eva’s body shattered, burning through the first orgasm she’d ever had with a man. Electricity zinged along every nerve ending, his ministrations causing the sensations to go on and on, stealing reality from her, until she came back to feel Gabriel moving down over her stomach and hips, kissing and licking at her skin everywhere along the way.

  Her eyes flew open when she felt his warm breath on her. He pressed her knees down to spread her wide, then flicked his tongue against her clit. She moaned low and long as he made a lazy pass from bottom to top, the sound rising in pitch as he slid his—three?—fingers inside her, giving her a satisfying fullness.

  “Gabriel!”

  He thrust deep, hitting her so right that her eyes watered and her throat thickened. She struggled to hold on to what little control she could still feel. But then that pressure was back, climbing again, stronger than before, the maddening feeling now just hanging there as he worked her, doing something…something…keeping her suspended. He teased her clit with his lips, then his tongue, before sucking it fully into his mouth. Just as she was about to rail in agony, she crested and fell.

  She panted and moaned, writhing through the climax. Her inner muscles clamped and then relaxed, only to clamp down again and then finally let go.

  Eva floated back into her mind to the feel of Gabriel’s lips on her inner thigh, kissing once, twice, and then a third time before he pulled away. He captured her gaze and prowled up her body, his smooth muscles bunching and rolling, a stalking predator, until their faces were level.

  He held her eyes as he licked his lips. “Your pussy likes me.” The bold—obvious—statement had her gasping. He smirked and dipped his head into the crook of her neck to nuzzle so sweetly. “Beautiful little thing is in for a treat.”

  As a laugh bubbled up and escaped her, he cupped her cheeks and kissed her. She tasted him, and herself, as she untangled her legs from his so she could wrap them around his waist. Tightening her thighs around his hips, she pushed her heels into his butt, wanting him inside her.

  He held back, just the tip of his erection nestling into her folds. “Easy, baby,” he warned as he moved his hips, sinking a little deeper into her. And then a little more, slowly moving forward, and then back, working himself in. Her eyes rolled in her head at how good it felt.

  “Gabriel. I’m good. Swear to God,” she promised, dropping little kisses on the sides of his mouth. “Give me more.”

  He growled and surged forward, entering her fully, stretching, filling her.

  Eva stiffened at the sharp sting, the heaviness feeling foreign yet incredibly right made more so by the pleasure roaring through her. She tentativel
y rolled her hips and, oh, God, just about came apart again.

  Gabriel cursed softly and stilled, his body tense. She opened her eyes to see him watching her, his expression more open than she’d ever seen it.

  “Eva…” His voice was husky. “Tell me you’re okay.”

  “I’m okay,” she promised. “Please don’t stop.” She lifted her hips, taking him deeper. “Oh, yes, like that,” she praised as he began moving. “God, that’s good…so good…”

  “Sweetheart…” He rocked his hips slowly and gently at first, then faster and harder. “Goddamn perfection. Just like I knew you would be.”

  NINE

  The dull light of a typical West Coast morning brought Gabriel into full awake mode. He aimed a drowsy glance at the clock on the bedside table and wasn’t surprised to find it was later than he normally slept. On any other day, he’d be settled in his office by now.

  Not this morning. No way in hell.

  Shifting his attention to the warm body cradled in his arms, he considered never going to work again. Eva was sleeping soundly, her hair spread all around. She had one hand fisted and tucked under her cheek and one of her long legs was draped over his.

  A virgin.

  A fucking virgin.

  Christ. He couldn’t get over that. Humbled didn’t even come close to how he felt once he got through the possessiveness now coloring his every thought.

  His cock hardened as he remembered how often they’d come together through the night. She’d been responsive. A sensual creature. One he couldn’t wait to have again and again…

  Dread snaked its way into his thoughts, the reality of what he’d done threatening to ruin his morning.

  Fuck. He was a selfish, egotistical asshole who deserved everything her father was bound to throw at him. How could he lay there replaying what they’d done when danger seemed to be lurking around every goddamn corner?

  He ran a lock of her hair through his fingers as something dark and evil formed in his chest at the thought of someone harming her. He had to fix this. Make things right. And that meant a face-to-face with his brother.

  Slipping his legs out from under hers, he got up and covered her with the sheet before shrugged into a robe and snagging his crumpled pants off the floor. After digging his phone out of his pocket, he turned it on but ignored the series of vibrations—messages begging for attention. He scrolled through and found a number for the hotel manager covering this shift. After he told her what he needed from the boutique downstairs, he disconnected.

  His nape tightened in a way that told him he was being watched and he turned to find Eva in the same position he’d left her, only now her eyes were half-open and looking right at him. He dropped his pants and moved toward her like a magnet to metal, settling on the edge of the bed with a hand on her hip.

  “Good morning.”

  “Morning.” Her soft smile and sleepy voice was foreplay.

  She stretched as she pushed herself into a sit with one arm, keeping the sheet across her breasts as she flipped her long hair over her head so that it fell like a waterfall down her back.

  “What time is it? I should be getting dressed, huh? You probably have to leave for—” She gasped, her eyes widening. “Oh, nooo!” Between one blink and then next, she was on her knees, all traces of warm sleepiness gone as if they’d never been. “What time is,” she demanded, jumping off the bed. “Shitshitshitshit!”

  He surged to his feet and tried to avoid getting slapped by hands that were flapping around like little birds. Even in her agitated state she’d, unfortunately, taken the sheet with her to keep her naked body covered.

  He grasped her shoulders firmly, stilling her. “What the hell’s wrong.”

  “I start my new job today!”

  Her endearing wail had him fighting a smile. That was it? “Eva. Sweetheart, it’s not even seven yet.”

  She blinked up at him. “Oh.”

  “We have plenty of time to get you to work.” Not that they couldn’t be late. He considered tumbling her back into the messy sheets but killed the idea when he remembered he had some explaining to do once they reached the office.

  “Why don’t you shower while I take care of getting you something to wear.” Disappointment crushed him when he had to settle for kissing her and leaving her to clean up while he went out into the main room to wait.

  When the knock came, he accepted the offered garment bag without thanking a grinning Jak, then went through to the bathroom to hook the hanger on the back of the door. He took only a few seconds to admire the tempting shape behind the frosted glass of the shower, then left to get his own shit together.

  As he chose one from the many Armanis and Tom Fords hanging in his walk-in, he made some loose plans. He’d leave late this afternoon. Him and Alek. They’d go to New York, deal with this shit once and for all, and be back for Eva’s second day on the job.

  His gut churned at the thought of possibly having to choose between her life and Stefano’s. Why the fuck had his brother brought them to this point? Fucking idiot.

  Maybe he should take her with him. Keep her close.

  Yeah. And make her that much more accessible to a man who wanted her dead.

  Okay. So she stayed put. Fuck. He didn’t like that. Didn’t like any of this.

  Leaving the walk-in, he stalled at the sight that greeted him.

  The boutique manager had turned his request for something casual into a black-and-turquoise sleeveless summer dress. The black nail polish on Eva’s toes twinkled in the morning light as she slipped her feet into a pair of black sandals that had a beaded design across the top in the same color scheme as the dress. Her wet hair was twisted and secured to her nape with who knew what so that the slender column of her neck and throat were exposed.

  She straightened and gave a start when she saw him, then ran a hand over the material covering her flat navel in a self-conscious gesture. “Thank you for this.” Her voice was curiously raspy in its discomfit. She bent and grabbed the heels she’d worn last night. “I have to go. You know, drive home. Change. Maybe eat something. You know…”

  She trailed off as he approached, holding her eyes, not liking in the least how uncomfortable she appeared, even if it was her first morning-after. He lit up remembering that and dropped a kiss to the side of her neck. “Let me grab a quick shower and I’ll bring you to your car.”

  She shook her head. “I’ve already put you behind schedule. No need to make it worse. I’ll find it on my own.”

  His brows came down. “You haven’t done anything to my schedule, Eva. If I want to take a few hours because some exquisite creature wants to rock my world, then I’ll take those hours.” He kissed her shocked mouth. “Now go out and have a coffee. There’s a tray in the dining room. Help yourself to whatever else you find. It’s usually fruit and yogurt. I’ll be quick.”

  Without giving her a chance to protest, he disappeared into the bathroom. If she was gone when he got out, she was going to be one very sorry girl, he vowed as he hung his suit on the door and dialed Quan.

  “Hey.” His boy’s voice was sharp and alert.

  “Morning. You around?”

  “Just hanging in my room until I hear two sets of footsteps. You know, since her car is still in the garage.”

  Gabriel’s lips twitched. “Listen for one in case she leaves without me. If she does, stay on her. But she shouldn’t.” He hoped she didn’t. “Have her car brought around. You’ll follow her home—”

  “Jak will.”

  “What?”

  “Jak will follow her home. I’m on you.”

  Of course. “Right. Tell Jak to follow her home, where she’ll change and then leave again right away. Once she makes it to the office, you two can meet up and hang until I need you later. Do you know if he ran the plates from last night?”

  “Rental. Bob Miller. Figured a generic name like that would be exactly what it was, so we dug deeper. It was Stefano’s PI, who is now sweating it up at the wa
rehouse. Seems the guy has a conscience. Had a letter in his pocket addressed to you. He told Jak he was going to drop it off at the hotel on his way to the airport.”

  Gabriel frowned. “What’d it say?”

  “‘They know about the girl. Keep her away from her house.’”

  Gabriel nodded around his surprise at the gesture. “Get the fuck outta here.”

  “No lie, brother.”

  Shit. Eva was going home now. With Jak on her tail and Nick and Bobby T waiting for her return. She was covered.

  “Let him go,” he said, getting back to the PI. “Warn him to fuck off, though. Without roughing him up. He was only doing what he was being paid to do. And keep his info, because he was damned good at his job. Then I want you to call Nick and tell him to head next door and do a sweep of Eva’s house. I also want Bobby T to comb the area, make sure no one’s hanging on the street.”

  “Will do.”

  “Thanks, man.”

  He ended the call, catching his reflection in the mirror as he reached in to start the shower. Now that Eva knew them all, they were going to have a hell of a time shadowing her without her picking them off. She was no dummy. But they’d deal. Her protection was the most im—

  Gabriel’s stomach dropped like he’d just taken a leap out his bedroom window.

  Protection.

  He hadn’t used anything last night. Not once.

  Fuuuck.

  Could Eva be on the pill? Or had she just been too caught up in losing her virginity to think about condoms. How the fuck had he forgotten about the box he’d tucked into his nightstand just yesterday morning?

  Easy. He’d been with her.

  An image of her naked body drifted through his mind, but it wasn’t until that image morphed into a pregnant Eva that Gabriel’s obsession hit a new level.

  Jeeesus Chriiist, he thought as he quickly slammed a trap on that shit. What the hell was he thinking? A happy little fucking family wasn’t in their future. What would that even look like? Him, post punishment, rolling around in a wheelchair—or worse—with Vasily’s goddamn daughter dodging bullets while dragging their perfect fucking child around corners for the rest of their short lives?