HUNTED

by C. Luca

As much as I want to simply ogle his naked sexiness—which is hard to ignore considering my other arm is resting so close to the length of flesh that had just been inside me earlier—I’m ready to switch the topic. This way, he doesn’t have a chance to verbally reject my offer of continuing our attraction for one another.

  “Can I ask you something?” I ask.

  “You can, but I can’t guarantee I’ll answer,” he warns.

  “Why is my safe word dandelion? When I was younger, I believe it was a rose. But then at fifteen, it switched. Does everyone get a safe word of the floral variety?”

  “I can’t discuss the others.”

  “Okay. So why dandelion? Isn’t dandelion a weed?” I ask as a wrinkle forms between my eyebrows.

  Amusement lingers in Kane’s hazel gaze. “Depends on who you ask. It’s part of the wildflower family, but it’s not actually listed as a weed. I think it’s a matter of personal opinion.”

  I look at him thoughtfully. “Really? I always thought it a weed.”

  “It’s also an herb; I believe it’s edible,” he adds.

  “Did you choose it for me?” I ask with interest.

  He hesitates. “Yes.”

  Now I’m amused as I give him a teasing look. “Did you choose it because it’s a flower or a weed?”

  His expression eases. “I chose it because you’re stubborn, and dandelions are persistent.”

  A new thought sets in, and I stare at him. “Wait, I was fifteen… You’ve been…have you been watching me for seven years?” I ask softly with a hint of disbelief.

  The skin around his eyes tightens ever so slightly, betraying that the question has somehow hit a nerve.

  I sit up, reaching down beside the bed to grab the discarded sheet before turning back to Kane. The sheet is now held to my breasts and body as I gaze down at him with dauntless determination. Yes, we’d just had sex, but I sense this conversation turning serious, and I won’t be able to focus if I’m sitting here completely naked.

  “Kane?” I persist.

  He rubs his face with both hands before dropping them. “No. I took over when you were eighteen.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you were becoming difficult,” he says levelly.

  My eyebrows pull together. “But yet you chose the safe word. Does that mean you were in charge of my case or something?” I wish I knew more about how the business works.

  Kane sits up and leans against the pillow behind him, looking sexy as sin reclined in the bed. “Yes. I monitor many,” he reminds, clearly choosing his words carefully.

  “Are you the one who has been sending the texts all this time too?” I press.

  He steadily gazes back at me. “Yes.”

  I can’t say I’m surprised, I’d had the inclination, but now I know for sure. All this time it was him…

  “Does that bother you?” he asks with intense fixation on me.

  “Not really,” I say honestly. “I kind of already figured.”

  He nods, and his expression shifts. “Tessa, I need to check my phone and the computers,” he says, his tone light.

  I nod and watch him climb out of bed, pulling on his briefs, and then his jeans. I’m disappointed to see that sexy body being covered, and I can only hope that I will someday see it again.

  “Kane?” I can’t resist asking.

  He’s reaching for his shirt, and he pauses and looks at me questioningly.

  “Will you sleep in my bed tonight?” I ask.

  His eyes narrow. “Tessa…”

  “Just for tonight,” I quickly add. “It’s my birthday until midnight,” I playfully remind.

  Thankfully, my playfulness amuses him, and now he shakes his head as he tries to hide a smile. “Glad to see you’re embracing it.” Much to my chagrin, he leaves the room without answering my question.

  “Is that a yes?” I call after him.

  “It’s a maybe,” he calls back.

  I grin and lie back down in the bed. If it’s not a no, it’s a yes.

  My smile fades as I process that he’s been watching me for four years. I still have more questions that I want to ask, but I am learning that I have to be careful with how many I ask and when.

  Back in Salt Lake City, there were times that I could have sworn someone had rifled through my belongings while I was working. Did Kane break into my place? Then, there were the few times men had actually shown interest in me but then never called. Were they just messing with me, or had Kane intervened?

  These are things I really want to ask, but now definitely is not the time. I can already tell that he’s worried I won’t be able to move on from him when this is all over.

  Truthfully, I’m not as confident as I pretend to be, but I figure I’ll deal with the reality of it when the time comes.

  “Don’t forget your cake!” Kane calls from the living room.

  The grin returns as I climb out of bed until the slight smear of blood on the sheet catches my eye. I think maybe I should shower first.

  After a quick shower, I slip on panties and a tank, not bothering with shorts. What’s the point? He’s seen every part of me.

  When I enter the living room, Kane looks up from a laptop and takes in my lack of clothing, groaning. “You can’t walk around like that.”

  I’m really beginning to enjoy that Kane finds me sexy, and I’m finding a newfound appreciation for my body. “It’s hot.” I walk to the kitchen and sit down at the table, picking up a fork and glancing at Kane.

  He’s watching me like a hawk. “It’s distracting.”

  I say nothing and cut into a piece of the cake, slipping a forkful into my mouth and chewing. The cake is delicious, and my heart warms over his thoughtfulness.

  Kane shakes his head over my deliberate ignorance over my lack of clothing. “I’ve created a seductress,” he mutters under his breath.

  “Is that bad?” I ask with a laugh.

  He shoots me a look. “Be nice if you want me in your bed tonight.”

  I hide a triumphant smile and push my fork back into the cake for another bite. The minutes pass by as Kane focuses on his computers while I enjoy my birthday treat.

  “Can I ask you something?” I ask after a while.

  “Is it sex-related?” he asks dryly, not looking up.

  “Nope.”

  His head lifts, his eyes connecting with mine.

  My expression sobers as I set down the fork. “They’re coming for me, right?”

  Without looking away from me, he closes the nearest laptop and holds my gaze. I have all of his attention. “Yes.”

  “If you and the guys don’t take them all out, where do we go next?” It’s something I’ve been wondering for a while now.

  “Let us worry about that,” he says lightly.

  “I can’t help but worry, Kane.”

  “Plans are already in the works. We’ll eliminate them, Tessa,” he assures.

  I push aside the plate, no longer hungry. “Do you think they’ll come soon?” I ask quietly.

  “These questions aren’t going to help you sleep,” he admonishes.

  “I know.” I release a sigh. “I just want to be prepared. The attack at the loft…”

  “All you can do is focus on one day at a time. Let me worry about the rest.”

  * * *

  Late that night, I’m lying in Kane’s arms and feigning sleep. As much as I’d wanted to do more than cuddle, he’d refused and insisted I’d already be sore in the morning.

  I want to savor every second of him lying here with me, because I know it won’t last long—not with his sleep schedule. Because of the heat in the mobile home, we’re once more lying in each other’s arms with no sheets. It’d be much better if we were naked, but I’d respected his wishes and climbed into bed wearing a tank and panties. For once, Kane has his shirt off, but he’s still wearing his jeans, his feet bare.

  As I Iie with him in the darkness, I listen to his heart beating beneath my cheek. It’s a comfortin
g sound, but it does nothing to ease the anxiety building deep within me.

  I’m beginning to worry about the next attack.

  Last time, Kane was shot. What if something much worse happens to him?

  This newfound feeling of caring for someone is scary. I’m not accustomed to it, and as each day passes, more apprehension builds.

  I’m perfectly aware that I am becoming attached to Kane. And I think he’s right. He’s definitely going to hurt me when this is over, but even so, I know I won’t regret any of it.

  Starting a new life is also going to be difficult, because I don’t want to go back to just existing.

  Nineteen

  Kane

  It’s the following morning, and I’ve been up for hours while Tessa sleeps in. I’d left her bed shortly after one, and in the moonlight, she’d been a gorgeous sight clad in a flimsy tank and panties.

  I rub my dry eyes and stare aimlessly at one of the computer screens. I should have never allowed things to go as far as they had, but it’s too late to take any of it back.

  There’s just something about Tessa…

  Everything about her consumes me.

  When she looks up at me with those big, brown eyes, I can’t resist her. Tessa’s the kind of woman you want to give the world to, or at least as much of it as possible. And when a woman like that is offering herself…

  Selfishly, I didn’t want anyone else taking her virginity, and as soon as she’d asked for what she’d wanted, I knew I was going to give her it. It also didn’t take her long to figure out that she’s got my dick nearly wrapped around her pinkie finger.

  Should I have slept in her bed last night?

  No.

  It’s just prolonging this mess.

  But hell…

  She knows now just how tempting I find her, and if she crooks her finger at me and wants to have sex, I’m likely going to be all for it. I’ve opened pandora’s box, and there’s no closing the damned lid.

  This is a disaster waiting to happen.

  Staring moodily at the computers, I release a low, heavy sigh. After last night, I’m struggling to get my head back into the situation at hand. Instead, I keep reliving in my mind how good it’d felt being balls deep inside her.

  Fuck.

  There I go again.

  Tessa’s questions from last night come back to me, and I quickly focus my attention on them as I grimace.

  I’d brushed off her concerns, but she should be concerned.

  This isn’t a game, it’s life or death, and she knows it. The problem is, if she gets too focused on a set plan, she may falter if things don’t play out as we hope. Yes, she’s going to crawl through the escape hatch, and one of my men will be there to meet her. But after that, there are plenty of scenarios that could play out.

  As much as I want to be the one to take Tessa to safety, it’s more important to take out the threat. I trust any one of my men to keep her safe. The threat has to be eliminated or Tessa will never be free of this danger. So once Tessa has been handed off safely, I’ll be able to focus on making certain she has a future.

  Unfortunately, the men after Tessa must be working for a high-level criminal organization.

  That’s the real problem.

  The business I’d built is meant to hide and keep people safely hidden. It’s not meant to take on an army of criminal enforcers. I simply don’t have the manpower, and Bryce, Leo, and Sean are the only men currently available to assist with Tessa’s situation. We can’t just push all our clients aside to focus on one. They all need to be monitored.

  I reach up and pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling a dull ache forming in my temples.

  So much could easily go wrong.

  This is why I stay up most nights, only sleeping enough to get by and still be able to function. After the amount of men that had ambushed the loft, I’m concerned they might bring in further reinforcements.

  Depending on how many there are, we might have to go with plan B. If the area becomes surrounded, Tessa’s best chance of escape is to hide somewhere within the mobile home community.

  It’s the main reason we’d chosen this place.

  It’s a fucking maze with as many homes that are packed into this large neighborhood. Add in the darkness of nighttime, and there’ll be plenty of places for Tessa to hide until things become safe.

  However, I haven’t shared plan B with Tessa, because I don’t want her dwelling over it or trying to peek out the windows to study the area.

  If the plan should go into effect, I’ll give her orders and a phone, and have one of my men send her off to disappear. There are large, pine trees nearby and looming throughout the entire neighborhood. Once she exits the crawl space below the trailer, she’ll be able to use a nearby pine for cover, and then quickly duck over to the next trailer.

  I’m really hoping it won’t come to that, because sending Tessa off on her own is quite the gamble, but so is not being able to take out the enemy. If we can’t stop them that leaves them available to continue going after Tessa. I’m going to need all my men to accomplish that.

  Every move we make is a risk, especially now that they’ve had time to regroup and could already be well on their way to tracking down our location.

  Which is why I should have never given into temptation.

  Tessa is distracting as hell, though.

  And now that I’ve felt what it’s like to be buried deep inside her with her legs wrapped around my hips, I want a hell of a lot more of it.

  I’m not certain I’m strong enough to deny myself that kind of pleasure, especially when she’s deliberately tempting me.

  Damn it.

  Twenty

  Tessa

  I’m facing the headboard of the bed, my hands gripping the frame while I brace all my weight on my knees. Kane is repeatedly thrusting into me from behind as I gasp with each penetration.

  The mattress is providing plenty of cushion beneath my sensitive knee, and I’m very much enjoying this new position. My thighs are spread, back arched as Kane’s hands grip my hips, holding me in place as he slides his thick length in and out of me.

  Each time he fills me, I push back with my hips.

  The bed is squeaking behind us, and I can hear the slickening sounds of him sinking into my wetness. I love the feel of his hips pushing into my backside, and I whimper.

  Kane, sensing I’m close, quickens his pace, his hips thrusting into me over and over. I begin to moan as I feel my orgasm building, and Kane drives his length harder into me, his pumps shorter but firmer.

  My nails sink into the frame of the headboard and I tilt my head back, groaning as my inner muscles begin to contract as my body explodes.

  Kane swears behind me, and his hands tighten on my hips as he penetrates me harder a few more times before finding his own pleasure. We stay in our erotic position for a long moment as Kane breathes raggedly behind me.

  Then, we finally collapse onto the mattress, all sweaty and tangled together.

  “Christ, you are going to be my downfall,” Kane groans, rolling onto his back. Immediately, he pulls me close to his damp chest as we catch our breath.

  I smile and snuggle closer, slipping my leg over his so that the damp folds between my legs are resting against his naked hip. “Come on, you didn’t put up much resistance,” I tease.

  He gives me a look, one that states that his lack of resistance isn’t helping the immediate situation. “Exactly.”

  “They won’t come for me during the day,” I remind.

  As the days go by, Kane’s becoming edgier. Either he knows something and isn’t telling me, or he believes another attack is coming soon. Neither of those scenarios are welcoming, and I’ve been doing my best not to dwell too much on the possibilities.

  “I still need to work,” Kane says lightly, effectively changing the subject.

  I’m disappointed as the languid peacefulness of post-sex begins to fade as reality quickly closes in.

  “And
that was my last condom,” Kane deliberately adds.

  I look towards him and open my mouth to tell him that I can’t get pregnant, but then I promptly close it. That’s the very last subject I want to discuss.

  Kane, being as watchful as he is, doesn’t miss a thing. “What are you thinking?”

  I blurt the first thing that comes to mind in order to avoid his question. “Did you go through my things?”

  He looks momentarily confused. “What things?”

  Well, crap. This isn’t really a topic I wanted to discuss, either. At least not when we’re naked after having mind-blowing sex. Unfortunately, there’s no going back.

  “When I was working in Salt Lake City,” I explain. “Sometimes, I would come home and find things just a little…off. Nothing major, but I always wondered if someone had been there or if it was just my paranoid imagination working overtime.”

  Kane’s completely silent as he stares down at me. Whatever he’s thinking, he’s hiding well.

  My suspicion intensifies as his silence drags on. “You did, didn’t you?”

  He grimaces slightly. “A few times,” he admits.

  “Why?” I ask with bewilderment.

  “You were becoming rebellious, we needed to make certain you weren’t hiding anything,” he says simply.

  I frown, and my eyes drift beyond his bare chest to stare sightlessly at the closet across the room as I think over his answer. I’m not quite sure how I feel about him rifling through my personal belongings.

  “And I was curious,” Kane adds quietly.

  My eyes jerk back to his face. “Curious?”

  He nods, his eyes watchful.

  “Curious about me?” I prod as some kind of emotion deep inside my chest perks up.

  “Yes,” he says steadily.

  Is it bad that I am thrilled that his interest was already personal before I made this mess? My earlier indecision over how I felt about him invading my privacy completely fades.

  Kane’s eyes narrow as he accurately reads my expression. “You look pleased. Don’t be,” he says in a hard-edged tone.

  His admonishment doesn’t bother me in the slightest. “It’s nice to know I at least drew someone’s attention, I mean in a good way,” I quickly add.