by Melissa Jane
Over Danny’s shoulder I could see Aiden watching and listening to what was taking place.
“The flower, I um… I don’t know what it is or what it means or what it has to do with me. I was working at site two when a few days in I woke in my room and at the end of my bed was a bright yellow flower. I didn’t think much of it at the time and I honestly hadn’t given it any thought until I was with you and we saw it on site three.”
“Was there a message or anything with it?”
“Just a small note underneath. It said ‘Anjo’.”
“Angel?”
“Yes!”
“So how does this connect to you?”
“Well you know the people we help call us Anjo, so the connection isn’t so strange.”
“I consider a dead body bleeding on the same flower left for you a very strange connection. Are there any villagers who know where you stay?”
I shook my head, knowing that simply wasn’t possible. “We stay two hours away from the first site. They have no way of knowing where we are. And they wouldn’t. It’s not in their nature.”
Danny’s hands fell to his sides as he took a step back, sudden realization dawning.
“He’s watching!”
“Who?” Now it was my turn to be confused.
Danny turned to Aiden. “He’s watching! Everything that happens to us, to the villagers, everyone, every move we make, he’s there and always has been!”
Aiden’s jaw twitched, his eyes narrowing as he absorbed Danny’s words. A sickening knot gripped my stomach, refusing to let go.
Suddenly, it seemed like we had lost any form of control we had. We were all in a lot deeper than we first thought and the nerve-racking part was that we were only figuring it out now.
“This is absurd! I have absolutely no connection to this man other than the fact, I clean up his mess.”
“You said it yourself,” Danny interjected. “There have been times when you have felt someone else’s presence while you were alone. Don’t you see? He is watching every move you make, Anna. He is waiting. Waiting to make you his.”
Danny
“Luiza is going to share with Aiden. I’m moving in with you.” I watched Anna’s face as she took in the lone bed in the room Aiden and I had been sharing. “Don’t worry, Aiden will take the floor,” I added, trying to intercept her thoughts.
“Why don’t we just stay where we are, we are only across the hall?”
“That’s not good enough. El Leon is here, Anna! In the bar the other night, his eyes were on you the entire time. I’m not even sure he knew I was watching him! Tonight while we were on the tank, he was there in the shadows. Even when I stopped, he didn’t move. He has turned the tables on us and now we need to stay guarded.”
“How do you know it’s him?” I could see the look in her eyes. She wanted so much to believe it wasn’t him. The fear he was instilling would soon take its toll.
“Well I am not a hundred percent certain, but the coincidence is a dangerous one and I have to act on my intuition. The flower alone is a key piece of evidence. He wants us to know he is here.”
“Shouldn’t we leave?”
“That would be ideal, but there is no way we can find safety in this weather. We don’t know this area well and I am certainly not keen on being even more disadvantaged by entering into his game.”
***
“You should go for a warm shower.” I suggested to Anna. She was still dripping from the rain, her dark hair clinging to her beautiful face.
“Do you mind? I will be quick so you can go in.”
“It’s fine, take your time.” I wanted to set us up before I could even think about the basics, like showering. Aiden and I had left the US with enough small security devices to split between us.
“Danny?” Anna’s voice was small and uncertain as she stopped and turned toward me.
“Yes?”
“Are we safe here tonight?”
“Aiden has first watch and is out setting up some equipment. He will see and hear everything that goes on around this place.”
I didn’t for a second believe that El Leon would try anything during the night. His tactic was simply to set us on edge. To officially enter us into this sinister game of his. He was toying with us, and for now I would let him. I had activated the alarm system on my iPad when I heard the shower running.
I knew I had to make my apologies to Anna for the suspicious tone I took with her earlier. It’s not that I didn’t trust her. The fear that somehow she had become a target was a genuine worry.
***
“Danny.”
At the sound of her voice, I looked up to find the most glorious creature in front of me. Dropping the iPad on the bed I took in Anna’s gloriously naked, milky coffee brown skin, delicious curves and inviting expression. She bit her bottom lip, a traitorous sign of her nerves. Her eyes on the other hand, were drowning me with desire.
Closing the space between us, I cupped her face in my hand, running my knuckles over her soft cheek with the other.
“What are you doing, Anna Bonita?”
Her hand tenderly touched my arm, her breath catching as she took in my shirtless state.
“I’m sorry, I’m not normally this forward.” The shake in Anna’s voice made me smile. She was nervous. “It occurred to me that I would be leaving soon and I don’t want to go without experiencing us.”
“Please don’t apologize. I’m loving every second.”
Her full lips pursed as she attempted to supress her own smile. Before she had a chance to talk, I tilted her face and lowered my lips to hers. I kissed her tenderly at first, enjoying her sweet taste. When she wrapped her arms around my neck I increased the pressure, her tongue meeting mine. She moaned against my mouth and my already hardened cock ached against her naked body.
Anna pulled away, panting as her hands roamed my bare chest. “Join me in the shower?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
With an adorable look of concentration on her face, her tiny hands worked to undo my belt. I reached behind and pulled my Glock from my waistband and placed it on the basin. Seconds later, I stepped out of my jeans and boxers, my desire for this beautiful woman on full display. Taking her hand in mine, I led Anna into the shower cubicle, steam billowing out of the open glass door. She fell into my arms, her mouth searching eagerly for mine.
“Not that I want you to say otherwise, but I want you to be sure.” The last thing I wanted was for Anna to feel vulnerable in my company. She could simply be frightened of all that had happened tonight.
“I couldn’t be more sure, Danny.” She was panting, her hardened nipples teasing against my chest.
Pushing her against the shower wall my hands cupped her fine ass. Her plump curves felt so good under my touch, my lips ravaging her slender neck. She moaned with every suck and nibble, her stomach rubbing against my cock.
“Babe, you’re driving me crazy when you do that.”
“Good, I want you crazy,” she replied seductively.
With a growl, I hoisted Anna up, her legs wrapping around my waist. With one arm hooked around my neck, she snaked the other between us, her hand gripping my cock. She stroked me until I could take no more and had to be inside her.
Lifting Anna up a fraction higher, she guided the tip of me into her tightness.
“Please,” she whispered against my ear.
With the sound of her sweet voice pleading with me, I dropped her down my length, a deep breathy groan sounding from her mouth.
“My god, you feel out of this world.” Pinning her against the wall, I rocked my hips, thrusting slowly until she moulded around me. Cupping my face she pulled me in, kissing passionately, moaning with each movement.
She moved her own hips in time with mine. Driving deeper into her wetness, I felt her walls clamp around me and moments after that with nails digging into my skin, this beautiful woman released her pleasure around my throbbing cock. She rode the waves of o
rgasm, quietly screaming against my mouth.
“That was the best sound I have ever heard,” I could feel her lips form a smile.
“More,” Anna barely said, her voice raspy.
“That’s the second best.” Gripping her ass tighter, I drove deep inside, encouraging a pained cry. I took her with all the desire I possessed, her breasts jostling with the movement.
“Stay inside me,” she begged.
I wasn’t in any state to argue. With her tongue meeting mine, her hips moving in sync, I could hold on no longer. Sinking myself in deeper, I released into her pulsating pussy, my groan of pleasure mixing with her whimper of delight. She continued rocking ensuring I was done, her soft lips trailing down my neck.
“Babe, you are incredible.”
“Well,” she purred. “I’m up for round two if you are?”
“Wow!” I said lowering her onto the tiled floor, my hands resting on her small waist. “Where did you come from and how can I keep you?”
Anna
Danny was a composed man, confident and strong. All the reasons why I had immediately regretted my brazen seduction attempt. My regret quickly dissolved as his eyes narrowed, gaze lingering as it traveled up and down my body. He stood before me, the muscles in his arms bulging as his hands fisted. The gorgeous man was restraining his desire when all I wanted was to feel his touch. To have him inside me. I had never behaved in such a wanton manner before. We hadn’t even been on a date, but the chemistry was there and it was real.
We moved from the shower and fell onto the bed, water droplets still covering our bodies. Danny’s lips were making a trail up my thigh, his stubble crazing my skin, bringing my nerve endings to life. He tenderly bit my inner sensitive spot, his hands gripping my ass.
“Why does every bit of you taste so damn good,” he asked his lips still trailing their way up to my sex. Before I had a chance to answer, Danny’s mouth took me hostage, his tongue licking and sucking my folds, his teeth gently nibbling my clit. The combined sensation had me writhing beneath him, his determined hands wrapping around my waist holding me in place. My own hands gripped the small pillow above, knuckles turning white as pleasure rippled through me.
Before I had the chance to release, Danny lips trailed a possessive path up to my breasts pulling my nipples into his greedy mouth. I was lost in such a state of ecstasy, caught in a world that plagued us with such horror, yet I had found such beauty. He settled between my open legs, my clit pulsating with desire to have him inside me again. As if reading my thoughts, Danny sucked my bottom lip into his mouth before sliding his length all the way in. I groaned in a mix of delight and pain, my legs falling wider allowing him to take me deeper. A deep guttural sound reverberated down his throat, his muscled biceps framing my face as he thrust rhythmically, his length filling me completely.
Drawing his face to meet mine, I stared into his milk chocolate eyes. Tracing the line of his brow with my finger, he turned and kissed the palm of my hand.
“I’m in love with, Danny Peters.” My voice was husky, nervous from suddenly becoming so vulnerable.
“Anna Bonita, I loved you the moment I saw you!”
He kissed me so hard and so passionately, pleasure raked through my trembling body, my release devoted all to one man.
There was an emotion that passed between us. One difficult to describe. We had known each other for almost a month, yet it felt like a lifetime. Our bodies that moulded together so perfectly and came alive with a fiery passion had only just united.
I wanted him.
I needed to breathe him.
I never wanted to let him go.
***
“Anna wake up!”
I bolted upright, my heart pounding hearing the urgent restraint in Danny’s voice.
He was crouching by the side of the bed, the whites of his eyes flickering. “What’s happened?” I couldn’t disguise the panic in my voice. It was almost completely dark except for the glow of Danny’s iPad.
“We are leaving. Get dressed and leave the light off.”
I looked at the window to see it was still pitch black outside, rain falling heavily against the window pane.
“Leaving? I thought it was too dangerous to take off in this weather?”
Sliding on my jeans, I watched with some apprehension as Danny hooked the Glock in his belt and packed away his security equipment.
“Where’s Luiza and Aiden?” Before he could respond, there was a quiet knock at the door before it creaked open and the two entered. Even though I couldn’t see them well, I could see Luiza looked sleepy and dishevelled, while Aiden appeared alert and on guard.
I hurried over to my best friend who stood rooted to the spot, her body trembling. “Honey, everything is fine. Trust in them.” I whispered in her ear, wrapping my arms tight around her shoulders. I didn’t know if everything was fine. I had no idea. On the inside I was petrified. I knew Danny didn’t want to leave at dark, so the sudden urgency to take off was not sitting well with me.
Danny clipped his bag around his chest securing it tightly before taking a few steps toward us. He wrapped a hand around the nape of my neck, his thumb stroking soothingly.
“I need you both to stay in between Aiden and me.” He whispered. “Don’t talk until we are safe and be light on your toes. Can you do this for me?”
“What about Alec and the others?”
It was then I knew. In that moment, my world had suddenly changed. It was written all over his handsome face. Sadness, anger and grief, all mixed together.
“It’s not them he’s after, Anna.”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I gripped his hand, my feeling of desperation flowing through to him.
“I will keep safe, ok?”
I nodded in agreement and Aiden took the lead out the door. The hall was dark, the air stale. I could feel Danny’s hand tentatively touch my waist as he guided me down the passage. In front, a small pen light barely illuminated the way. Before we reached the stairs Aiden came to a sudden halt. His torch flicked to the side brightening up a circle of wall. A few seconds later it abruptly switched to the other side.
Behind me Danny turned on his own light and scanned it over each side. He cursed under his breath before breaking formation, running his hand over the long rough scars in the drywall. Each wall had three rows of randomly spaced apart knife wounds.
“These weren’t here before.” Danny’s deep voice whispered.
“Definitely not.” Aiden affirmed.
“The wallpaper is pulled in different directions.”
“He has been up this hall a few times by the looks of it.”
Luiza whimpered quietly next to me as the gravity of the situation once again bore down on us. This time the threat was too close to home. El Leon had been here, on the other side, stalking the halls in an apparent attempt of intimidation.
“Go now.” Danny steered me down the stairs, his Glock by his side. Luiza made quick steps ahead clutching onto Aiden’s belt. Our footsteps were loud despite the earlier warning. As I made tracks to the hotel door, my foot slid out from underneath me. As I fell backwards clutching at nothing, Danny’s hand wrapped around my arm preventing me from falling hard. I landed softly on my knees before staggering to my feet.
“Keep moving, Anna.” Danny’s tone was strange, my hands damp with a thick, sticky substance.
“Danny!” He shone the light on me and I swallowed the bile rising from my gut. “Whose is this?”
The glow fell to the ground where I had landed. A pool of blood stained the wooden floor. No more than a step away, the body of the landlady lay lifeless, her head bludgeoned, one side of her face completely destroyed.
“Oh my god! What’s going on?” My body was now trembling, threatening convulsion, my voice following suit.
Danny’s hand cupped my cheek drawing my attention back to him. Even in the darkness I could feel his intent radiating off his features. “Stay focused, Anna.”
Behind m
e I heard Aiden curse and Luiza whimper as they too caught sight of the gruesome discovery. We had go get the hell out of this place before the supposed threats meant we would be bludgeoned next.
Both Danny and Aiden ushered us out the hotel front door creating a protective guard around us.
Rain had been falling for most of the night, the ground nothing more than a mud bath. Danny held my forearm tightly as we trudged through the slosh to get to the truck. We were saturated, skin hurting from the sharp bullet-like rain and albeit completely frightened. Now the men appeared composed, their eyes narrowed with a determined focus. They were prepared for combat, I had no doubt. What they weren’t prepared for was being on the back foot, knowing that our invisible man was watching from his safe spot.
Danny
We were running a terrifying risk driving through the jungle in the middle of the night with slim to none visibility. But we didn’t have a choice. The fact that our main target had been right outside our rooms running his blade along the hall while having killed the landlady, left us with no choice. Anna wasn’t safe. What he wanted with her, I had no idea. What connection they had remains a mystery.
“Where are we headed now?” she asked in a small voice. Beside her I could see Luiza trembling. Palm leaves slapped against the windscreen, while jagged tree branches scraped against the side panels. We jostled about as the tires dipped and mounted newly formed obstacles, but with each passing second we were getting further away. Aiden sat calmly on the other side, clutching his Glock on his knee.
“At the moment we are just getting as far away from there as possible. We will find a safe place for you two to stay and once day break comes, Aiden and I will track that fucker down. Right now, we are not safe. I don’t know how many men he had surrounding the property or even what his next move was going to be.”
“Wouldn’t they have killed us already if he had others watching? I mean, he has virtually just let us escape.”