Shrugging, she wondered how much to say. “It’s nothing I can confide, Connor.” It felt strange to omit the Master, but there was no way she was giving them any more control. She had to fight not to go to her knees as it was, her heightened submissive side struggling to appease the irritation they exuded. Irritation laced with worry. Her body thrummed, quite oblivious to the reality of the situation.
“So you keep saying.”
Rafe nearly growled at her. “It’s crazy to run when we can help you.”
“You have no idea why I’m running…leaving, Rafe. You can’t offer me something that won’t apply.”
“Then clue us in.” It was an order, and she had to bite her lip once again not to share. It would be so wonderful to have someone else shoulder the burden and… What the hell was she thinking? She was terribly weak if all Rafe had to do was make a demand and nearly have her comply, away from the club, no leather or trappings in sight! But to think of somebody harming Rafe—either of these men—because of her…
With a tiny shake of her head, she said quietly, “I can’t. And I have to go.”
“Maddy, look at me, little one.” Connor’s tone was implacable, but gentle, and she did as he asked.
His piercing blue eyes reflected such calm certainty. She could envision him in the prow of a single-masted ship, shield in hand while the other clutched some kind of heavy, metal weapon. Intent on surveying the shoreline for weaknesses and alert to any danger. She nearly melted before that gaze, and only recalling Ryker’s oft recounted monstrous treatment of his fellow man kept her from doing so.
“I can’t find anything new to add to your…file, Maddy. But I know someone’s looking for you.”
Dismissing his attempted foray into her personal life for another time, Maddy focused on not standing straight up and running, screaming as she went, from her temporary residence. Besides, their damn truck was in the way. God, what had they done?
“You were poking around online and…” She didn’t know how to confirm her worst fear.
It was Connor’s turn to shrug. She felt Rafe’s hot stare but her focus was on Connor. “We wanted to help. But I think I tipped somebody off.”
“What were your search parameters?” She didn’t miss how Connor came up on point and accepted she’d just spoken his language in cyber stealth. It didn’t matter, because he and Rafe already knew she wasn’t a marketing consultant. For women’s personal products. She had to get gone before Abbott found her.
“Your first and second names. Missing women your age. Unsolved crimes. But there was a trace back—”
“God.” It emerged as a plaintive prayer. Why had she used her real first names? “I knew better…”
“Maddy. Let us help.”
She snorted in her despair. “You’ll be the death of me.” And I’ll be the death of you, if I don’t get the hell out of here and put a ton of distance between us. Ignoring the alarmed looks on Rafe and Connor’s gorgeous features, she got to her feet, cutting off whatever Connor obviously wanted to say. “Move your damn truck.”
She saw the glance they exchanged, a speaking kind of look, and wished she spoke the language because she sensed it didn’t jibe with her wishes. In fact, it felt as though she’d crossed a line and knew such disrespect in Vantage would have resulted in a punishment. Rafe stood and headed off, but before she could follow, Connor was up and at her side. He grasped her arm above the elbow and guided her toward the front door. Rafe emerged from her bedroom and shook his head, then took a look in the bathroom.
“Empty. You rented furnished, Maddy?”
Trying to tug her arm free—unsuccessfully—she nodded. Connor drew her along but didn’t let her stop to gather up her case and laptop.
“Hey. I need those.”
“Rafe will bring them.”
Exiting the house, her feet hardly touching the steps, she resisted the forward momentum enough to observe Rafe leave and shut the door tightly behind him, her laptop under his arm. The other large case dangled with apparent ease from the same hand.
“C’mon, Maddy. You’ve given us reason to understand time is of the essence.” Connor firmly escorted her—to the damn truck.
“Hey!” She was going to bronze that expression. Then she realized Rafe also had her purse. Multitasker. “Tell me this isn’t what it feels like.”
“What does it feel like, sweetheart?” Connor released his hold on her arm, only to wrap his arm around her waist and hoist her into the monster vehicle. She felt like a sack of groceries.
“Like you’re making me go with you. Especially seeing as Rafe is driving my car!” She peered out the window to watch Rafe fold his tall, muscular body into her little compact, her belongings placed in the back. He jacked the driver’s seat back so far it appeared he joined her suitcases. “You can’t do this.”
“If you want to call the cops, be my guest.” Connor jumped in beside her and cranked the engine over, throwing the shifter into reverse.
Slumping back in the seat, she folded her arms over her chest, forcing her brain to work through this glitch. These two testosterone-fueled heroes had another think coming if they thought they could pursue this avenue. She just needed a minute to figure it out, if only her hormones would quit interfering. Connor was too close—she couldn’t think.
“He has my phone.”
“I’ll loan you mine.” Got her, the jerk. Like she could call the cops. Besides, despite the impromptu kidnapping, she didn’t fear these men. Nope, but she was for sure terrified of her response to them. She forced a glare.
“Seat belt, Maddy.”
She drew it across her body and snapped the buckle into place. At least she was away from her last known address, if Abbott’s tech freak had had time to tag Connor and Rafe and follow them here. Although Wilkes liked her, in a weird kind of way, so he might not be as diligent, or at least delay reporting to his boss. He dicked with Abbott sometimes because he could, and she knew it. And he knew she knew. She prayed for time.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Our place.”
“No. That doesn’t work. You have to know that. If your IP address was traced…”
Connor didn’t reply and she had the urge to smack him, clenching her fists against the impulse. “Connor, I’m serious. I can’t go to your place. Please.”
“Convince me.”
“The person after me will go through anyone and anything to achieve his end. I won’t risk you.”
“So it’s not like we’ll be in trouble legally, then. You haven’t broken a law we can’t fix.”
“You aren’t listening!” She made herself calm down, avoiding the glance he shot her. “No, I’m not at odds with the law.” Unless he counted identity theft, and he already knew about that. So did he interpret the law differently? She couldn’t let herself get sidetracked, get in deeper with them. “It’s far worse than that, and I’m not telling you anything else. You need to drop me at the airport with my things.”
“We’ll talk first.”
Aside from leaping from the now speeding vehicle, she really didn’t have any choice. Rafe had her car and her belongings. If she had her purse, her new identification, she could lose herself, but they’d closed off all her avenues of escape. At least until she could get to a computer. With a huff she stared out the windshield and ground her teeth.
Chapter Four
Connor figured he knew their little sub better than she was aware. All those hours watching her, listening to people talking, asking questions about her had paid off. He could almost hear her plotting, her obviously talented brain seeking a way out. It was heartwarming, the way she was so worried about him and Rafe, but she had no idea who was now firmly on her side. That staid, middle-aged look she had going on brought home how serious she was about keeping her identity and whereabouts private, and he deeply regretted raising a red flag. Now he and Rafe needed to fix it, and if it meant convincing Maddy to be their One while they went about ensuring her
safety, well, he just had to keep his priorities straight. He had no issue with Maddy using other identities. She wasn’t capitalizing on the theft, but trying to survive, something they could help her with.
Rafe was already heading for a 24/7 grocery store to dump the grey compact. Taking Maddy’s belongings with him was a stroke of genius. She’d have to deal with Connor, accepting she couldn’t go anyplace without her things. Rafe would catch a cab from the store, giving Connor time to get Maddy to their place—sans any possible tail—then they could have the heart-to-heart so necessary to face and deal with the threat. He’d make certain there wasn’t a welcoming party, of course. And if there was, then they’d go to plan B, go to the club. Avoiding the bad guys…well, it wasn’t his first rodeo, and the usual environment was far more hostile, with far fewer friendlies.
Maddy kept her own counsel the rest of the drive, and he left her to her thoughts. The faint, flowery scent of her wreaked havoc with his senses, and his need for her grew exponentially. He wanted to ask her to remove the wig, but if it protected her identity for one extra, necessary moment, then he’d live with it. Once again, he checked his mirrors. Rafe’s vehicle—Connor had a very similar ride in dark blue—was fairly memorable despite its color, and they’d planned to park down the block and walk back as they had in the morning, until he’d seen the courier service. And the woman who turned out to be Maddy on the front steps. He’d stopped thinking strategically at that point and thought only to box her car in and not allow her to escape.
Taking a roundabout way home, he considered the situation. For sure they’d need to govern their carnal interest in Maddy, as it had already interfered with their usual focus, but he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice, and Rafe wouldn’t either. After trying out some maneuvers that never got old, Connor was satisfied he hadn’t picked up a tail and took the next direct route to the house. There was no place for anyone to park a surveillance vehicle without it being evident, and the lane was empty. Same went for their drive, and the gates were still closed, the dogs’ black-and-tan bodies mere shadows as they paced. Connor hit the remote for the gates and cruised inside.
As they drew up, Maddy stirred beside him, and he allowed himself another long look. “The sexy librarian look is indeed intriguing, honey.”
His inner Dom flexed when she dropped her gaze, one small hand coming up to slip the glasses off. He eased them away from her to fold and tuck them into his pocket. Pressing free of his seat belt, he opened hers then tugged her across the bench seat to pull her against his chest. “It’ll be okay, Maddy. I promise.”
She tipped her head back and stared at him. For an instant, he thought he had her trust before shadows filled her remarkable eyes and she closed them. He felt the burden she bore, and knew it was crushing her. He and Rafe were going to take it off her shoulders. Pressing a kiss on her forehead, he reached behind him to open the door and step out to the ground.
As he lifted her down, he marked how rigid she’d become and recognized the building of defenses. He and Rafe were adept at dismantling all the walls a submissive woman erected against them, one brick at a time, and he looked forward to the challenge.
“Your home is nice. You, uh, take your privacy seriously.” Her compliment was as stilted as her demeanor, and Connor swallowed a grin.
“Thanks. C’mon, I’ll give you the tour.” His offer was interrupted as she tugged free of him.
“Oh my God, they’re beautiful!” She was on her knees, right on the raked gravel, offering a hand to each of the guard dogs as they approached. Connor envied the animals even as he supervised the meet.
“The one on your left is Hannibal. And the bitch is Anann.”
Maddy cast him a glance as Hannibal insinuated himself between her and Anann and snuffled at her shoulder. “But Dobermans originate in Germany.”
Shrugging, he watched, fascinated, as Anann pushed in beside the male for another scratch behind her ears. The dogs didn’t normally invite familiarity. “It’s said the Irish would have welcomed Hitler.”
“Some of them, maybe,” she allowed. “One tyrant is much the same as another.”
“How’d you know where Anann’s name came from?”
Her face closed up and she extricated herself from the usually aloof animals—they were trained to ignore strangers unless unaccompanied—with a final pat for both. “I probably read it someplace.”
Right. Like Connor had, in one of those useless courses he’d taken at the private school his parents insisted on. Not so useless now. He’d bet their Maddy was of Irish descent, and he wondered if her last name was as common as Murphy or Kelly.
She brushed off her knees and clasped her hands in front of her, body language back to holding him at a distance, and so he headed for the house.
“Where’s Rafe?” He slowed his longer steps to allow her to keep up, and kept hold of her arm, unable to resist her soft skin. Anann and Hannibal paced behind her.
“He’ll be along. He’s dumping your car.”
“That works. I mean, I’d planned to do that, on the way to the airport. Really, Connor, as soon as he gets here with my stuff, just call me a cab. It’s for the best.”
Punching in the code for the front door, he gently pushed her through the entry, the dogs halting obediently at the step. “We’ll need to be convinced about that.”
He saw her very nearly stamp her foot and wanted to laugh. Maddy was going to be more than enough for them.
“You can’t keep me here against my will.”
“Size and numbers say we can, sweetheart. And we’ll endeavor to change your mind, make you a willing captive. Now, come through to the kitchen and I’ll put together a meal. We’ll save the tour until later.” Including the master suite and play room.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Sure you are,” he said genially. “I heard your belly rumbling all the way here.”
This time she did stamp, and he’d have addressed her disrespect if it weren’t for the sheen of tears. Moving quickly, he gathered her close and tucked a finger beneath her chin to have her look at him directly. “Maddy, I was teasing. But I know you’re hungry.”
Mouth set in a rebellious line, he thought she’d remain quiet, but then she spoke. “I know I’m an armful, not like the size twos you’re used to scening with.”
What the fuck? Where had that come from? A belated memory of the little drama in Thomas’s office surfaced. “Rafe loves armfuls, Maddy. Me too. We want a woman, and that means someone with curves, an actual ass to paddle, someone we know we won’t break.”
He knew he’d made a mess of it, having lost her at actual ass, if the look on her face was any indication. So he decided to show her, taking her mouth in a kiss that promised considerably more. When he released her, she gasped for breath, black-and-red wig askew with their efforts. Connor chivalrously didn’t stare too obviously at her heaving breasts, other than to admire the way her nipples had hardened and were poking his way against the fabric of her shirt. Grabbing her hand, he placed it against his aching cock that was struggling to free itself from its cloth prison.
“This tell you anything, sweetheart, about how I feel about armfuls?”
The door opened behind them and Rafe moseyed in. Nearly silent on his feet, Connor wouldn’t have heard his best friend if it hadn’t been for the snick of the latch. He’d probably had the cab drop him at the concealed pedestrian gate. Rafe studied the clinch he and Maddy were in and raised one dark brow. “I’ll just put her stuff upstairs.”
Maddy took a breath, likely to dispute Rafe’s intention, so Connor scooped her up and carried her to the kitchen, figuring it never hurt to show her who had the upper hand—and to underscore how her perceived weight issues were nonsensical.
Depositing her on one of the stools at the island, where she grabbed at the edges with apparent imbalance—as if he would ever let her fall—he pressed a kiss against her temple. “Eggs and bacon okay? With toast? Or I can do a mean omelet.”
“Whatever. I don’t want to put you out.”
“Sweetheart, you rattle our cages for certain, but you aren’t putting us out. At all. I guess I’ll surprise you.”
He gathered the ingredients together and began to assemble them, whisking eggs, then setting them aside to chop scallions and mushrooms. Rafe strode into the kitchen and yanked open the fridge, scrutinizing the contents. He pulled out some strong cheese.
“Chop some of this in, Con. I’ll take care of the toast.” His friend paused to frame Maddy’s head in both hands, leaning in to take her mouth, and by the way their curvy sub’s hands fluttered up to his shoulders, she didn’t find it objectionable. In fact, when Rafe let her go and grabbed the loaf of bread, Maddy blinked like a little owl and this time grabbed the edge of the counter for support, leaning against the stool’s backrest in apparent disorientation. Maybe they needed to put the talk off for a little while until they took care of some other, rather obvious, needs. His lower head was in total agreement, and now they were behind nearly impregnable walls; maybe carnal was okay.
The kitchen filled with the smells of caramelizing onions, and Connor threw in the mushrooms, then stirred the eggs through. Grating the cheddar over the top of the skillet’s contents, he shoved the whole works under the broiler, then set out plates and utensils. Rafe was buttering toast while the one-cup coffeemaker did its thing. They’d both cut back on caffeine as they got older, worried it would put a jag on their edge. But Maddy loved coffee—and chocolate. Vantage had offered those details up too, before she became available to them, as well as information about other personal things. Right down to the kind of protection she disparaged, a dislike of latex condoms. They’d already stocked up on lambskin and polyisoprene condoms, although Connor suspected Maddy wouldn’t have anything to do with lambskin either, and not because of the risk of a virus-based STI infiltrating the pores. The club touted sexual health too insistently for that, guarding against all sexually transmitted infections. Nope, their little miss softy would be thinking about all those baby sheep who gave up their lives so she wouldn’t get pregnant.
The Death of You Page 7