Reclaim Me

by Ann Marie Walker

  A blast of heat hit him as he opened the front door. The house hadn’t seemed that warm before they left, but now it felt downright tropical. Hudson stepped inside and a lone female snow boot nearly tripped him. He caught his balance, and as he did his eyes locked on the shoe’s partner and the twin socks strewn just beyond it. Next were jeans, a black sweater, lace panties and a matching bra. All blazing a trail that stopped at the threshold of glass doors that led to the deck, and a hot tub where his naked wife sat waiting.

  Fuck. He was instantly hard.

  Hudson made his way to the open doors. Steam billowed and curled upward around Allie’s face. She was slick, flushed from the heat, and so goddamn beautiful. He stood there with a case of the struck-stupids while his hard-on kicked behind his fly, more than ready to go for a swim.

  “You told me to get warm,” she said. Her voice was low and seductive.

  “That I did.” Hudson’s lips curved into a lazy, sinful grin. “And I like where you went with it. Very thinking outside the box.”

  She pushed her hand through the swirling water, and as she did, her breast rose out of the bubbling foam, revealing a taut pink nipple just begging for his mouth. “Are you going to join me?”

  She didn’t have to ask twice. Hudson stripped out of his wet coat and gloves, dropping one on top of the other and not giving a shit about the puddle they were leaving on the floor. His shoulders rolled and his biceps thickened as he pulled his sweater over his head, taking the T-shirt underneath with it and adding them both to the pile.

  Allie’s gaze raked over him as he popped the buttons on his fly, the avid hunger in her stare making the need between them a living, breathing thing. He yanked his jeans and boxer briefs down in one swift move, and his cock sprang free, jutting out from his hips. Her jaw went slack and her tongue swept the curve of her bottom lip. Sweet hell, he could practically feel the glide of it along his achingly hard length.

  With his eyes locked on hers, Hudson stepped into the hot tub and lowered himself into the water. “Come here, Mrs. Chase.” He pulled Allie across his lap and her thighs parted over his. Her forearms came to a rest on his shoulders and her fingers played with the hair curling at his nape.

  “I like hearing that.”

  He brushed his lips against her mouth. “I like saying it.”

  “Say it again,” she whispered. Her wet hand slid down his chest, forging a heated trail to his cock, and when her fingers grasped him, he hissed.

  “Two hands, Mrs. Chase.” He smirked as he said the name that now linked them together. She took him in both hands and squeezed, her thumb brushing across the wide crest. Fuck, she knew exactly what he liked.

  Allie arched her back, and with his tongue leading the way, Hudson latched onto her breast. He palmed the heavy weight in his hand as he teased the taut peak, his lips soft and gentle and his suction greedy. When he caught her nipple between his teeth, her breath rushed out and her hands tightened on a downward stroke of his shaft.

  “Christ, Allie.” He was too goddamn hard to think straight, but he had just enough blood running to his brain to know he was dangerously close to the edge. And there wasn’t a hand job in the world that could replace the feel of her coming all around him. “Put me inside you, baby. Take what’s always been yours.”

  She hovered over him, her body glistening in the warm glow emanating from the house; then, in a lithe move, she eased down on his cock. Hudson’s head fell back on a groan. She was tight, even hotter than the water that licked their bodies, and so fucking silky. He gripped her hips to halt her for a split second while he regained his control. When the urge to come too fucking soon passed, he began moving her up and down with smooth, measured strokes.

  “I love you,” she gasped as he filled her again and again, planting her palms on the thick muscles of his chest as he drove them both higher. The rhythm was inexorable, and as she began to move on her own volition, his hands drifted up her waist and over her ribs, her sleek muscles flexing and releasing under his hands.

  “I love you, Mrs. Chase.”

  Allie smiled, then her head lolled back and her eyes fluttered closed. He pumped his hips faster and deeper, wanting her to feel every damn inch of his cock. With every thrust his pecs tightened and his abs flexed.

  The motion of their bodies sloshed the water over the sides of the hot tub, splashing all over the deck and dripping through the cracks to melt the snow below. Steam rose all around them and sweat gleamed on Allie’s face. He was drunk on the sight of her and the feel of being deep inside her was the chaser.

  “Hudson.” Allie’s fingers dug into his shoulders. “Oh . . . God.” Her eyes met his and her breath hitched in her throat as her body began to quiver.

  “That’s it, give it to me,” he commanded. The muscles in his neck chorded with the last vestige of restraint. “Now.”

  Her orgasm shot through her so violently that she shouted his name. Her release ricocheted and pulsed around his cock; all the while her eyes remained locked to his. Every sensation and every emotion manifested into this one perfect moment. Their life was a complicated mess, but the truth of their love was simple.

  Raw and unchained, Hudson’s own release shot down his spine. “Fuck,” he cursed on an explosive breath. His hips locked to hers and his erection kicked deep inside her as he came long and hard.

  Incredible. Absofuckinglutely incredible.

  They rode out their orgasms together, and when they finally stilled, Allie’s head collapsed on Hudson’s shoulder and her body melted against his chest. His arms tightened around her, and for a moment he felt as though he could keep them connected like that forever.

  But the next morning, reality crashed in and twisted up hard in his gut. They ate breakfast in near silence, then waited for the driver to arrive to take Allie back to Chicago. Alone. The weekend might have been perfect, but their lives were far from it. And going their separate ways after a one-day honeymoon wasn’t the natural fucking order of things. They should have been jetting off to a tropical island, or at the very least hibernating in his cabin for the next two weeks.

  Instead Hudson found himself kissing his new bride good-bye. Allie’s lips lingered on his for a moment, and a single tear slid down her cheek.

  “Hey.” His voice was soft. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “I know.” She lifted his hand and kissed his wedding band. “I love you.”

  “I love you too, Mrs. Chase.” He mustered a reassuring smile. “Call me when you’ve arrived home.”

  “Of course.” Allie slid into the backseat, and Hudson leaned down to press one last kiss to her lips before shutting the door. He knocked his knuckles against the roof, then watched as the car pulled away, taking his heart with it.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Allie kept her head down as she made her way to the back of the conference room. Since they’d returned from Paris there had been plenty of occasions where she’d had to pretend Hudson meant nothing more to her than any of the other board members. But this time it was her husband who had just strolled into the room. The sight of him dressed in a navy pinstripe suit and wearing her favorite crystal blue tie hit her like a brick wall. Every instinct told her to go to him, to touch him, to kiss him, or hell, to even just talk to him. But she couldn’t, not without raising suspicion. So instead she turned on her heel, seeking refuge at the small breakfast buffet Colin had ordered for the morning’s meeting.

  She felt Hudson’s presence as he drew closer, and by the time he was standing next to her, every nerve in her body had sprung to life. In a subtle move his fingers brushed the back of her hand as he reached for a coffee cup. “I missed my wife this morning,” he murmured, his voice caressing her heated skin.

  Allie’s lips parted on a sharp intake of air. Hearing Hudson call her his wife was bittersweet, a double-edged sword that both warmed her heart and pierced it. Her gaze met his for the first time, but Ben Weiss walked up behind them before she could reply. Not that it mattere
d. The look in Hudson’s eyes told her he knew exactly what she was thinking.

  “I believe we’re ready to begin,” Ben said.

  Hudson and Allie took their seats at the opposite ends of the conference table. At times it felt as though they were in a scene from an old Western, locked in some sort of standoff at high noon; but Allie loved every minute she spent sparring with Hudson across the glossy mahogany. He would grumble about how she was the proverbial thorn in his side, but she knew he loved it, too. They challenged each other, brought out their best, and then took it to an even higher level.

  If only the other board members saw it that way.

  While Allie had enjoyed a sweet victory when it came to preserving the print edition of their flagship paper, most other votes hadn’t gone her way. For that she had two people to thank. One was Duncan Wentworth, a man with money older than most anyone else in the Chicago. Wentworth wielded an undeniable influence despite never having worked a day in his life, and he never missed a chance to patronize Allie’s efforts.

  The other member blocking her at every turn was Melanie McCormick, a woman who’d earned her seat on the board through a string of successful divorces. To Melanie, the climb up the corporate ladder had come in the form of wedding vows spoken to men with ten times her net worth. Previous targets had been twice her age, but if her unabashed appreciation for Hudson was any indication, this time she’d set her sights on a much younger man.

  Melanie slithered up to Hudson the moment the meeting ended. Having seen the same less-than-subtle maneuver played out at nearly every gathering, Allie had expected nothing less. But there was something different this time. Allie could see it in her eyes. Melanie was upping her game, and Hudson Chase was the coveted prize.

  Allie took her time gathering her belongings until she and Hudson were the only two who remained. “What was all that about?” she asked as he strode across the now empty conference room.

  “It seems our fellow board member has found herself without an escort for the Ingram Gala this weekend. She asked me to do the honors.”

  “She asked you out on a date?” Allie squeaked.

  “Don’t look so horrified, Alessandra.” Hudson smirked. “I’ve been told I’m quite a catch.”

  “You’re a married man.”

  He chuckled. “She doesn’t know that. But I doubt in her case it would make much difference.”

  “That’s not making me feel any better.”

  “I’m sorry.” His eyes were lit with amusement. “Although jealousy is quite becoming on you.”

  Allie glanced down at her bare left hand. When she spoke her voice was barely a whisper. “I hated taking my ring off this morning.”

  His gaze softened. “As did I.”

  For a brief moment the world around them fell away and they were back in the candlelit barn. The intimacy that passed between them made her chest tighten to an almost unbearable ache. Hudson lowered his head, his lips inching closer to hers.

  Behind them someone cleared his throat. “Sorry to interrupt,” Colin said.

  Allie stepped back. “It’s fine. Just going over a few additional items,” she turned, giving him her full attention. “What’s up?”

  Colin’s eyes darted to Hudson then back to Allie. Her assistant was far too perceptive to have missed what was going on. But he was also proving to be fiercely loyal. She felt confident he would never breathe a word of what he now surely suspected. “Detective Green is here to see you.”

  “Show her to my office and offer her something to drink. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  “Will do.”

  “What’s that about?” Hudson asked once they were alone. The frown that creased his handsome brow revealed his unease.

  “No idea. This meeting wasn’t scheduled.”

  He gave a tight nod. “She has news then. She wouldn’t stop by to tell you things were status quo.”

  “Do you think they’ve connected Julian to all this?”

  “Don’t get too far ahead of yourself. See what the woman has to say first,” he cautioned. “And call me as soon as she leaves.”

  “Absolutely.”

  They stared at each other for a moment more until Hudson blew out an exasperated breath and ran a hand back through his hair. “These platonic good-byes are growing tiresome.”

  Despite her agreement, his frustration actually made her smile. “And if people knew we were married you’d what, push me up against the wall? “

  “For a start.”

  “I think I’m going to like working with my husband. With any luck this charade will be over soon.”

  “One can only hope.” Hudson’s words echoed in Allie’s head as she made her way back to her office. Hope. It was what got her through the past few weeks. Hope they would finally be free of Julian’s threats; hope her parents’ murderer would be brought to justice; and most of all, hope that she and Hudson would finally have the future they never thought possible.

  But when she stepped into her office, all hope faded. Detective Green sat in one of the chairs in front of Allie’s desk, her back straight and her expression grim. As had been the case every other time they’d met, the middle-aged woman was dressed in a conservative suit, and her sandy brown hair was pulled back in a tight bun. Her green eyes still cataloged every detail of her surroundings, but when she met Allie’s questioning stare, her gaze no longer possessed the confident reassurance that had carried Allie through the darker moments of the investigation. This time her gaze was filled with nothing but apologetic disappointment.

  She stood the moment Allie entered the room. “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”

  “Not a problem.” Allie shook the detective’s outstretched hand, then rounded her desk. “I was hoping your visit meant there’d been a break in the investigation. But judging by your expression I’m assuming that’s not why you’re here.” She gestured toward the empty chair. “Please sit.”

  “I wish that were the case.” The detective’s suit jacket split open as she sat in one of the leather chairs, offering Allie a glimpse of the badge she wore clipped to her waist and the gun she kept holstered at her side. She drew a deep breath through her nose. “There’s no easy way to say this, Miss Sinclair, but we’ve hit a dead end.”

  Allie’s heart pounded in her chest. This couldn’t be happening. Julian wasn’t going to get away with murder. “I thought you identified the shooter?”

  Green nodded. “Yes. But we can’t find anything to link him to a third party. No bank deposits, no calls or recent trips out of town.”

  Then you’re not looking in the right place, she wanted to scream. But she couldn’t tell the police what she knew, not without incriminating Hudson.

  “At this point all indications are he was working alone.”

  “With what motive?”

  “It could have been a robbery as we first suspected. But without any further information, we may never know if he was working on his own or not.”

  Allie’s eyes drifted shut as she took a moment to compose herself. When she opened them, the detective was standing in front of her desk.

  “There are no victories in my line of duty, Miss Sinclair; nothing I can do to bring back lost loved ones. But I work hard to try and bring them justice, and a sense of closure for their families. I’m truly sorry I haven’t been able to do that for you.”

  “Thank you, Detective Green. I know you’ve dedicated a lot of time and effort to this investigation.”

  “If there are any new developments, you’ll be the first to know. But for the time being, at least, the department considers this case closed.”

  Allie waited until the door clicked closed, then rested her elbows on the desk and dropped her face into her hands. That fucking bastard. Without a doubt there would be no further developments. Julian had covered his tracks too well. The team Hudson had assembled was the only remaining hope. If they could find something, anything, she could use as leverage against Julian . . .r />
  The shrill ring of a phone cut through the quiet office and Allie jumped. At first she ignored it, hoping Colin would pick up, but then she realized it was her father’s direct line. Who even had that number? Allie had certainly never given it to anyone. She reached for the handset and answered with a tentative “Hello?”

  “Bonjour, Alessandra.”

  Speak of the devil. Literally. Allie grit her teeth. “Julian.”

  “So tense, ma cherie.” A short, harsh laugh came across the line. “What’s the matter, still chafing over your loss?”

  “My what?”

  “Today’s vote.” A lighter clicked near the mouthpiece of his phone. “Couldn’t quite convince them.”

  How the hell did he know that so quickly?

  “No matter. Once I’m in control, I would have reversed it. Terrible idea.”

  “Are you spying on me?”

  “Keeping an eye on my company.” He blew out a harsh breath that was undoubtedly a plume of smoke.

  “It’s not yours yet,” she muttered.

  “You’re losing too often to that mongrel.”

  “You called to tell me I’m not winning enough battles in the boardroom?”

  He snorted his derision. “I have better things to do with my time than spend it hurling insults, Alessandra. Not much sport either. As you Americans say, shooting fish in a barrel.”

  “Then why did you call?

  “Because your litany of failures is altering my timetable. I fear the board will oust you before they convene in March. If they appoint your former lover as the permanent CEO, he’ll never sign over his shares, no matter how wide you spread your legs.” The lascivious tone of his voice sent a cold chill down her spine. “I’m returning to Chicago on the first of the month. I want this mess resolved by the time I’m back.”

  “But that’s only—”

  “Eleven days. Use them wisely.”

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Enough of this bullshit, Hudson thought. Nick was late. Again. The sun had set and the last of the hazy orange rays reflected off the surrounding skyscrapers, making the Magnificent Mile look like a fiery planet. Which was deceptive since the chill that descended barged in like an unwelcome houseguest.