Adam's Thorn

by Angela Verdenius

  By the time she’d finished, Sarge pocketed his notebook and looked at Brandon as he walked back up to him. “Anything outside?”

  “A hell of a lot of work boot prints, ladders, scuffed soil. There’s been a lot of workers here the last few days.”

  “I want this area searched.” Sarge turned back to Barbie. “I’ll get someone down to look for fingerprints, see if we can find anything.”

  “You’ll find a lot of different ones,” Barbie said shakily. “There’re all the workers and me. Massage clients. Visitors.”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll sort the fingerprints out.” Sarge nodded at Adam and walked away.

  Trembling with both fatigue and the aftermath of the adrenaline rush, Barbie only half listened as Matt and Adam spoke above her head. Nestled close to Adam, all she could do was breath in his scent, finding reassurance and safety in his firm embrace.

  Right then, she couldn’t face staying at the house, face the unseen horrors within, but when she heard Matt suggest hospital for a check-up, she looked around at him. “No. No hospital.”

  Immediately Adam squeezed her gently, smoothing his hand once more over her hair. “It’s okay, baby. No hospital.” To Matt, he said, “I’ll take her with me. I can keep an eye on her, and if she needs to go, I’ll take her.”

  “Okay. If you need me during the night, you can ring me.” Matt patted her shoulder. “Adam’ll look after you, love. You’ll be fine.”

  Before she knew it, she was ensconced in Adam’s car. He buckled her in securely, dropping a soft kiss on her brow once more, running his hand gently down her cheek before stepping back, straightening and shutting the door.

  With a shudder Barbie looked at the house, seeing Sarge and Brandon disappear inside. Another patrol car passed them coming down the drive as Adam drove out.

  Barney meowed several times in the back seat, but used to travelling, he settled quietly like Fred, who just gazed out of the front of the basket.

  “Adam.” Barbie’s voice sounded small.

  “Yeah, baby?” He reached over, laying his hands over her fingers, the warmth of his sure grip comforting.

  “There was something in the house.” She looked at his profile, needing to know so badly. “Do you believe me?”

  “I believe that you heard something. I won’t deny that I heard something crash over the phone. I heard you scream.” His fingers squeezed almost painfully before he relaxed his hold. Now she could see that his jaw was tight, his mouth grim, but his gaze, though hard, gentled when he glanced at her. “I’m just so glad you’re safe.”

  Content with that for now, she relaxed back in the seat, clinging to his hand until he had to remove it to change gears. She was surprised when they turned off the highway. “This isn’t the way to the motel.”

  “Motel? Like hell.” He turned onto another street. “You’re staying with me.”

  Chapter 10

  Standing in the doorway of the bedroom, Adam gazed at Barbie in his bed. Fast asleep, she looked so innocent, her face pale, dark shadows under her eyes. She hadn’t slept well during the night, waking several times with a start. He’d been waiting, cradling her close and murmuring soothingly until she cuddled into him and fell back into a fitful sleep.

  Now she slept deeply, peacefully.

  Fury burned inside him. Who the hell had been in her house, destroying things and terrorising her? He’d rung up the police station first thing that morning when he’d crept out of bed, careful not to disturb Barbie, but there’d been no good news. Apart from damage, there was no sign of forced entry into the house. All the windows on the top floor had been closed, and with the amount of fingerprints everywhere, it was almost impossible to find out if anyone uninvited had been in the house.

  He knew exactly where this was going. Questions would be asked, it’d be investigated, but unless someone saw anything or the fingerprints turned up someone unknown, there didn’t seem a lot of hope in discovering who had been at the house.

  Christ, Barbie had been so terrified, and her scream had torn at him. He couldn’t get to her fast enough, terrified himself at knowing she was still in the house, having to cut the connection to call the police station to get help, calling Matt in case Barbie got hurt and needed medical attention. When he’d seen her running into the yard, he’d nearly died of relief, only to have it again turn to worry when he saw the blood on her arms.

  His gaze dropped to where one softly rounded arm rested on top of the thin cover. Scratches from the cats ran down her arms. The miscreants responsible were tucked securely up to her back.

  He’d actually woken to find Fred happily tucked up under his chin, purring away, his tail flicking across Adam's nose. Not a care in the world and why should he? His fool mistress had run through a house, in grave danger, to rescue him and his fellow furry mate.

  Once at his place, Adam had dug out an old baking tray, filled it with sand from outside and stuck it in his laundry, opened a tin of salmon and divided it up between the cats, and placed a bowl of water in the corner of the kitchen. He’d even changed the sand when he’d gotten up.

  But he shouldn’t be surprised, he thought, watching as Barbie turned over and, without waking, gathered Fred into her arms. Barney stood, stretched and flopped down near her knees, blinking several times at Adam. Nothing would stop Barbie getting her beloved cats out of danger.

  However, he was damned well going to tell her off when she was able to take it. Take her to task for disobeying him, for staying in danger. He could understand, but he was still going to tear a strip off her pretty little hide.

  Goddamn. He scrubbed one hand through his hair. If something had happened to her… He couldn’t even bear thinking about it. Rubbing his chest, he wondered if he was getting heart burn. Hell, even when she didn’t try, Barbie Declan was a thorn in his side. But she was his thorn, and that made all the difference.

  In that second, as he looked at her, remembered her terrified scream, relived the terror he’d felt while rushing to her side, Adam knew he’d walk through fire for her. Do anything for her.

  Never let her go, even though she was planning to leave one day.

  What had happened at the house had changed everything.

  Pushing away from the doorframe, he padded barefoot back up the hallway, turning into the kitchen. Crossing to the ‘fridge, he pulled out a carton of iced coffee and drank from the carton before remembering that he had a guest who might not appreciate that particular habit. However, the guest in question was asleep and it was a little late to worry, so he simply downed the rest and tossed the empty carton in the bin. Problem solved.

  Not long after, he heard the toilet flush and the sound of running water from the bathroom. Giving her time, he started making toast for breakfast, looking up when Barbie appeared in the doorway, rubbing her eyes sleepily. With her tousled blonde hair and sleepy, soft features, she looked adorable. She was still wearing the spare nightgown his mother had left behind, though his mother had never looked this good in it.

  Crossing to her side, he slid an arm around her waist and dropped a kiss on her lips, tasting mint toothpaste. “’Morning, baby.”

  “Hi, Adam.” She kissed him back, all sweet and soft. “I found your spare toothbrush, hope you don’t mind.”

  “Feel free. My home is your home.” And he meant it. At her small smile, he steered her over to the table. “Sit. I’ll get some juice and toast for you.’

  “Just juice, thanks. I’m not hungry.”

  He put two more slices of bread in the toaster before pouring a glass of apple juice and placing it in front of her. “You’ll eat.”

  “Thanks, but-”

  “Barbie.”

  “Adam.”

  He just gazed steadily at her and she subsided with a sigh. “Okay.”

  Minutes later, they were both seated at the table, two slices of toast on her plate, two on his, and several extra slices on a plate between them. Margarine, vegemite and peanut butter sat in the mi
ddle of the table.

  “Thank you for letting me stay here.” Barbie looked across at him.

  “My pleasure.”

  “Thanks for letting me bring Fred and Barney.”

  “I’m starting to realise that you three come as a package deal.”

  Her smile was a little brighter. “Yep.”

  They ate in surprisingly comfortable silence, but Adam knew her thoughts were far from pleasant. The small frown creasing her brow gave it away.

  He waited until she finished both slices of toast and pushed the plate away before filling her in on the latest news from the police station.

  “I don’t think they’ll find anything,” she stated.

  “Because you think its ghosts?” he asked calmly.

  Her cheeks flushed, but she met his gaze gamely.

  “I’m not laughing at you” he assured her.

  “But you don’t believe me.”

  “I don’t believe in ghosts, but I do believe you heard something you can’t explain.”

  “You think I’m nuts.” She didn’t raise her voice, simply stated a fact as though truly believing it.

  Well, she was dead wrong there. “No, I don’t. I know you heard something. I believe it was human, you believe it was supernatural. We believe different things.” Leaning forward, Adam snagged her hand, turning it over to gently run his fingertips across her palm. “But we both want the same outcome.” He paused. “Or maybe not quite.”

  Barbie raised her eyebrows.

  “You want the haunting to stop. I want to beat the living shit out of whoever did this to you.”

  She chuckled a little, dropped her gaze to where he still stroked her palm, his gentle touch so at odds with his tone.

  Hell, make that at odds with his feelings. He wasn’t lying. He wanted to not only beat the living shit out of the bastard who had terrorised her, he wanted to make an example of him, a warning to anyone who thought they could do anything to upset his little thorn.

  Standing up, he leaned across the table and dropped a kiss onto her lips. When she responded, he moved around the table, taking her other hand to pull her up against him.

  Another gentle kiss, warmth running through him at her response, the way she snuggled closer.

  Nice. Very nice. But first things first…

  Dropping his mouth to her ear, he said softly, “Barbie?”

  “Yes.” She rubbed her cheek against the side of his jaw.

  “You ever, ever disobey me again when you’re in a dangerous situation, and you won’t sit down for a month, never mind a week.”

  She went so still, her breath a warm puff against his bare chest when she dropped her head forward.

  He leaned down further, his gaze on the top of her head as he held her in his arms. “I’m furious with your actions, Barbie. I was so terrified, so Goddamn scared when I knew you’d disobeyed me and stayed in that damned house with someone trying to hurt you.” Not once did he raise his voice, but nor did he hide his anger, letting her feel it in the tightening of his arms, hear it in his tone.

  He heard her swallow, felt her slightly shuddering breath. Bending down lower, he was able to see her profile. She was biting her lip, her eyes when she glanced sideways at him so unhappy but defiant.

  “I won’t leave Fred and Barney,” she said. “I won’t.”

  “I know. I understand. But it sure as Hell doesn’t make me happy regardless. You should have left, waited for me to go in.”

  “Would you have left me in there?”

  “It’s not the same.”

  Tilting back her head, she looked up at him. “It is the same for me. Fred and Barney are my family. I could no sooner have left them in there than leave you.”

  Shit, that both warmed him up and chilled him all over again. “Doesn’t matter about me. If I tell you to go, you go. Understand?”

  “That’s bullshit. Why is it okay for you to come for me, but not me for you?” she demanded a little hotly.

  “Because it just is.”

  “That’s a crock of shit.”

  “Watch that mouth.”

  “Or what?” she glared up at him. “Barney and Fred matter to me. You matter to me. Anyone who matters to me, I stay for them until they’re safe. That’s who I am. If you can’t accept that…”

  Goddamn. Tipping his head back, he inhaled deeply. She made sense, he could understand, but regardless… “Barbie.” He dropped his head back down to look her steadily in the eyes. “I’m a man. And a cop, but firstly a man. As a cop, I care for my people. As a man, I care for my woman. Explanation enough.”

  “Really?” Fire flashed in her pale blue eyes. “Fine. Then as a woman, I care for my cats and my man.”

  “As a cop, I expect people in dangerous situations to obey me. As a man, I expect my woman to obey me in dangerous situations. Hey, look, same thing.” He cocked an eyebrow a little arrogantly. He knew it, but damned if he was going to hold it back.

  “As a woman,” Barbie retorted angrily, “I expect my man to be a stubborn arse. You’re all that and more.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Really.”

  Looking down at her, those soft lips so mulishly set, the sparkle of fire in her eyes, the slight heat smouldering deep down, he couldn’t stop a flash of amusement and an answering spark of - really? Lust? Right now?

  Well, hell yes. Lust and Barbie were never far from combining in his mind, sick bastard that he was, so he just went with it. No sense denying it.

  And right now, he needed to be close with her, as close as a man and woman could be.

  Dropping his head, he kissed her.

  Half expecting her to rebuff him, he was pleasantly surprised when instead Barbie kissed him back, lips so soft he wanted to lick them.

  So he did. Yummy.

  Man, it wasn’t enough. He might have her mouth, but he wanted her body, too. One last kiss before taking her hand and striding from the kitchen, Barbie padding along behind him.

  In the bedroom, he backed her up to the bed, hands cupping her face as he kissed her again, deeply, licking, taking in her flavour greedily. The way she responded had his desire flaring, the soft curves of her body pressed against his making his hands ache to stroke her bare, silky skin.

  Hitching the nightgown up each side of her, he raised it slowly before drawing it up over her head and tossing it aside, breaking the kiss only for those fleeting few seconds before reclaiming her mouth.

  Now, finally, his hands were on all that warm, fragrant skin. Sliding his hands up her sides, he smoothed over her shoulders before running his fingertips down her spine lightly, laughing into her mouth when she shivered and arched into him.

  Clasping her generous derrière in his hands, he squeezed the ample flesh, delighting in the way she filled his hands to overflowing. Flattening his palms, he pressed her into him, bending over her to trace his mouth across her cheek and down her throat, dropping to his knees before her as he kissed his way down to her full breasts. Opening his mouth, he closed his lips over one pink nipple, flicking the hardening bud with the tip of his tongue.

  So responsive. So damned, sweetly responsive. Barbie could do his head in, in more ways than one. Even now his shaft was thick, aching, pressing urgently against the zipper of his jeans.

  Ignoring it, he feasted on her breast, sucking at the nipple, hearing her soft moans, at the same time he pulled her hips against his abdomen. The light scrape of the curls sheltering her femininity sent a carnal shudder through him. Thank God he was only wearing jeans, for he loved the feel of her against him.

  Releasing the nipple, now a hard, urgent nub, he licked across to her other breast, removing one hand from her derrière to cup the tear-shaped globe in his palm, loving that the roundness filled his palm. He might have big hands, but her breasts were bigger, deliciously so. Drawing on her nipple strongly, he felt her arch, heard his name tremble in the air as her fingers dug into his shoulders.

  He liked the bite of her short na
ils, but her whispered ‘I’m sorry’, and the sensation of her small palms smoothing where her nails had just dug in sent a surge of tenderness through him. That even now, in her state of arousal, she could be so mindful of him, so caring, had him aching to bury himself deep inside this woman he loved.

  Wanted to be closer than possible, close in body and mind, so close. Buried inside her deeper than anyone could go. To be so deep inside her that she’d never be able to stop feeling him even when he wasn’t around.

  One push of powerful thighs and he straightened, easing her down on the bed, sliding his hands beneath her knees to lift her legs up onto the mattress, turning her easily.

  Standing beside the bed, he unsnapped and unzipped his jeans, sliding them down his legs before kicking them away.

  Her gaze swept hungrily over him, but when he did the same, he saw the blush on her cheeks, the way her gaze faltered, the dark lashes that swept down to hide the shadowing of self-consciousness in her eyes.

  One knee beside her hip, he swung his other leg over, satisfaction filling him when she automatically parted her thighs so that he could settle between them. Oh yeah, the moist heat from her centre begged for him, but there was something he had to attend to first.

  Cupping her cheeks, he smoothed his thumbs across the high cheekbones. “Look at me, Barbie.”

  Those thick eyelashes trembled, lifted, the brightness of her pale blue eyes looking directly up into his.

  “I love your body,” he stated quietly, steadily. “Never hide from me. I love your curves, your softness. You’re so different to me, so opposite, and I love it. I love how our bodies fit together, how your body gives for me, accepts me.” Gently, he kissed her, a feather light kiss, a mere touch of lips to lips. “Never be ashamed to be naked in front of me, because I love you. Every delicious bit of you.”

  “Oh, Adam.” Her arms came around his neck, drawing him down, holding him close as she kissed him back, a little more hungrily, but still gentle.

  For a few brief minutes he gave himself up to her ministrations, accepting her kisses, enjoying the feel of her hands smoothing down his back and shoulders, but it wasn’t in him to give up control for long.