by Lia Davis
“I can’t let you drive like this. You’re too upset.” He reached for her but she inched away. “Look. I'm upset, too. I didn’t expect Julian. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. Hell, I’m confused by all this and not sure what to do.” He attempted to pull her toward the house. “Please, come back inside. Let’s decide together what we need to do.”
“No.” Rachel shook her head and placed her hand over her mouth, fresh tears springing to her eyes. “I don’t want to face him again, not right now. Go back inside, Rod. Talk it out, figure out how we can break this bond so you can get rid of me and I can go on with my life,” she said emphasizing the words he’d said earlier.
Hands on his chest, she pushed him away. “I’m fine to drive. I really need to get away from you. I’m going home.”
Reluctantly, he released her arm. “I will come to your house later.”
Her shiny, tear-filled gaze met his and they maintained the contact for a beat before Rachel turned away and slid into the car.
Her driving seemed to be under control. The vehicle glided away and Roderick raked a hand down his face. He was such an ass. He’d made her cry. Damn Julian for his rotten timing.
Had she just said she cared for him? His chest tightened.
“I’m not going to break the bond, so just tell me what I need to do.” Roderick stalked into the living room and stopped short. Julian was gone.
Cyn remained on the couch, the throw barely covering his midsection. He pointed at a wooden box on the floor next to the fireplace. “Julian left something for you. He said once you make the decision he wants to see you in Rome.”
“Damn it.” Roderick ignored the item and sank into a chair. “What the hell did he accomplish by coming here? Rachel is upset and offended. I’m confused and you’re still naked.”
“He energized you, that’s a good thing.” The Scot scowled and shook his head. “Did you just say you’re not going to break the bond? Damn, you’re in love. It’s sad to witness the fall of Roderick the Great.” Cyn’s eyes flickered to the box. “Aren’t you going to see what’s in there?”
“Describe it,” Roderick requested.
“What?” Cyn’s brow crinkled. “Describe what?”
“Love.”
His roommate shrugged and looked away in thought. “I think it’s like a thorn or a splinter. Something that gets under your skin and it’s hard as hell to get out. No matter how deep you dig for it, you can’t get it out.” At Roderick’s pained expression, Cyn’s brows lifted. “That might be a bad example. Hell, I don’t know. I’ve been close to it once and from what I remember, it mostly turns you into a wuss.”
Great, now he was even further confused. Roderick pulled on sweatpants and headed to the garage. He rolled his red Ducati Monster onto a cement pad behind the garage and lowered the kickstand on the motorcycle. It didn’t really need washing, but he needed something to do. So he pulled out a bucket, sponge and a water hose, the entire time deep in thought. Was it possible he felt more than attraction for Rachel?
Spartans were not an emotional people. He barely remembered his parents ever in the same room with him as a child.
His mother was a gruff woman, her curt commands to him and his siblings the normal way. One afternoon, after cutting his hand open, he’d run inside his home to find her. With his father off to battle, he’d not thought to find another man lying with his mother. She hadn’t bothered to cover up their nudity. Instead, she had told him to go find his older sister to clean up the wound.
That was the way of Spartans, it seemed, for when he’d run and told his sister, she’d shrugged it off as if it were normal. Once he was old enough to go to battle, he learned most Spartans did not expect fidelity from the women left behind. They sure as hell didn’t waste time seeking sexual pleasure from other women or men themselves.
He’d left home before having the chance to marry, Julian finding him when he’d barely begun the change and had only been with one woman.
Over the years, lovers came and went but he’d never given any relationship an opportunity for more than a passing liaison.
Roderick finished washing the motorcycle and put everything away in the garage.
Maybe he’d call the only mated Protector he knew, Joaquin, a Spaniard. The Protector seemed content when Roderick had last seen him. That’s what he’d do… call Joaquin and ask him if he was in love.
Was that what he felt for Rachel? When did his feelings end and the blood-bond begin?
He looked at his watch; it was getting late and he needed to shower and dress. Mostly, he needed Rachel. The thought of her brought a smile and lightness in his chest.
“Well I’ll be damned, maybe I am in love.”
Chapter 7
The woman in the mirror had hollow eyes. They reflected hurt and emptiness that could only come from a broken heart. Rachel swiped away the steam that formed and continued to stare at her reflection.
“What am I going to do now?” The wide-toothed comb caught in her wet hair and she tugged at it without gentleness. It was a wonder there was any steam in there at all. She’d taken a tepid shower in hopes of cooling her body from the need to be with him. Roderick would be there any minute and she needed to maintain her distance, if not physically, then emotionally.
She donned a robe and padded to the bedroom.
If what Julian said was true, there might be a way to break the bond. She would insist they break it and each of them go on with their lives as if nothing ever happened between them.
It would be much easier for Roderick. He didn’t love her.
Moving forward was something she could do, but to forget him would be impossible. Her hand slid to her still flat stomach and her gaze jerked to the trashcan.
The test she’d picked up on her way home came up positive. She was pregnant.
Single parenting was not exactly in her plans, but that didn’t matter. She’d have her child and would love it so much that having one parent would be more than enough. The dinging of the doorbell pulled her to the present. Roderick didn’t use his key today, which meant he was already disengaging.
There was no need to dress. It was inevitable they’d have sex. At the knowledge, her body responded with a heated rush. Rachel steeled her heart and opened the door.
In one fluid motion, Roderick entered and wrapped his arms around her. Crushed against his chest, Rachel struggled to push back. Somehow, his hold was firm and gentle at the same time, not allowing for her to move away.
“I forgot my key. Rachel, I’m so sorry,” Roderick whispered against her hair. “Please forgive me for those stupid words.” He cupped her chin lifting her face to his. “I’m sorry for making you cry. It wasn’t my intention…”
“Don’t say anything more!” Rachel screamed and shoved at his chest. Still, he did not release her, so she slumped in resignation. “Rod, I don’t hold it against you. I understand you aren’t happy at being forcibly tied to me. What hurts is you lied to me. You led me to believe you were invested emotionally.”
“I…” he stopped speaking and released her. “You’re right.” His words cut a new hole in her heart. “Being bonded was something I never considered, especially after living for so many centuries.” He looked up at the ceiling in thought.
Rachel backed further away. Every word he spoke struck like a dagger to her soul.
“Call Julian, let him know we need to know how to break the bond. Whatever I need to do, I will do it.” She was relieved no tears fell so she continued. “Just don’t say anything else, please.”
“I don’t want to break the damn bond,” Roderick moved so fast, she didn’t have time to react. His mouth crushed hers with so much need it shocked her. Tears sprang to her eyes. How could she live without this? Her Protector no longer a part of her life?
With swift motions, Roderick picked her up and took the familiar path to her bedroom. He set her on her feet and pulled the belt of her robe, sliding the garment off her shoulders so it pool
ed around her feet. When he backed up, his gaze roamed over her, sending a delicious tingle. Maintaining eye contact, he began to undress and Rachel mentally devoured every inch the fabric slid off of.
His beautiful, silver gaze was on her, a slight curve to his sensuous lips. It was impossible to look away as he pulled his shirt off. Within seconds, he stood before her, fully nude and all man.
“I can’t wait,” Rachel told him between kisses. “Please take me now.”
He smiled, “If I could make you wait, I would, just to hear you beg for me. Lucky for you, I can’t wait either.” A growl escaped, his mouth opened and his eyes closed.
It could have been mere seconds or hours. They spoke an entire love scene without saying a word. When he stalked to the bed, the only sound she could formulate was a sharp inhalation.
They landed on the bed, a tangle of arms and legs, each vying to touch more of the other’s body with a desperation like that of lovers separated for too long.
His mouth took hers as she raked her fingers into his hair holding him in place.
"Now," she cried out..."please."
The erotic sounds of his hard breathing in her ear took her attention as he guided his hardness to her center. Finally he pushed in. Inch by inch, he moved with excruciating slowness. Incredible how the simple act made her tremble all over. She licked his throat, tracing circles on the soft skin, knowing he enjoyed it.
It was easy to lose herself in the friction of each movement as he moved in and out of her. Rachel clung to his broad shoulders as he picked up the pace. Perfect and all consuming, every stroke sent her closer to the brink, the edge she couldn't wait to fall over.
She reached to hold his taut ass urging him as her climax closed in.
Then all she could do was flail, lost and splintered. Roderick's cry was all she heard in the fog that enveloped her.
By the time he found the energy to roll off of her, Rachel was finally able to form a coherent thought. She scooted away from him. She not only needed space, but had to protect her heart.
“Why are you laying so far from me?” Roderick lay on his side, his luminescent eyes scouring her face for answers. “I don’t want to break the bond, Rachel. I choose to stay with you.”
“Can you still be a Protector?”
“No. Mated or not, he’s punishing me by cutting me loose. I will speak with Julian to see if perhaps he will reconsider, but I doubt it. He rarely changes his mind once he makes a decision. Actually, I don’t think he’s ever changed his mind.”
Rachel rolled to her side facing him. “Then we must go to Italy and see him. We’ll ask him to break the bond. There is no need to remain bonded.”
“You don’t want to be bonded to me?” The soft question shook her. Was he hurt? Or was it just his ego?
“I don’t want you to lose your job because of me.”
With a growl, Roderick got out of the bed and began to yank his clothes on. “I have to go to work. I have another week until my replacement arrives. Hopefully, I will be able to last that long without losing all my energy. Then I’ll to go to Rome and meet with Julian.” An emotion flickered across his face when he looked at her, but she couldn’t decipher what it was. “Know one thing, Rachel. We are not breaking up.”
She ignored the tug of the words at her heartstrings. “What’s happening to you?” Rachel asked, reaching for his arm. “Why are you becoming weak?”
He sat on the edge of the bed to pull on his boots. “When a Protector shares his blood, he also shares his immortality. When it’s done wrong, the Protector is at risk. The keener eyesight, hearing and night vision, coupled with the need to forge the bond all come together and drain too much energy from my body. Julian left some stuff behind for me to sort through. One of the items is a mating set we can use in an effort to form a proper bond. If it works then I should be able to gain back my ability to stay strong.”
“And if it doesn’t?” Guilt twisted around her gut. He’d lost it all because he’d saved her life.
“Then I will be a regular guy, who lives a long time, I suppose. It’s one of the things I need to talk to Julian about.”
He reached for her and kissed her. The softness in the action touched her to the core, but she reminded herself that not once had Roderick said he cared for her.
A soft smile curved his lips. “Don’t worry, it will be fine. I’m a doctor. I have a PhD. I can get a job easy.” He snapped his fingers. “Just have to figure out how to mask my eyes. Contacts, I suppose.” With a casual shrug, meant to ease her worry, he stood and stretched. “Gotta go. I’ll see you tomorrow, all right?”
“Roderick?”
He stopped in the doorway and turned. Rachel’s heart hammered in her chest with newfound appreciation. The man was gorgeous. Although huge, he was well formed, somehow muscular without being too bulky. His long, silver hair, tussled after their lovemaking, was now pulled back with a thin, leather strap that showcased his strong jawline. She absorbed his features from his patrician nose to his well-formed legs.
“Please be careful.”
Even with the upcoming meeting, Rachel couldn’t help but be affected by the beauty of the Italian countryside. The winding road from the larger city of Rome to the town of Olgiata cut through stunning landscape. Villas and tall, thin, pine-like trees dotted the sides of the road. Once, when everything settled and her life became more stable, she vowed to return and spend time exploring the wonderful country. For now, her focus was on one thing and for that she had to be prepared. There were no assurances, no idea whatsoever in her mind as to what would happen in the next moments. But she had to try; it was time for someone to stand up to the Roman.
Julian’s picturesque villa took her breath away. Although she’d been to beautiful homes before, she’d never seen a house so gorgeous. None of the Protectors seemed to be hurting for money.
A doorman of sorts answered the door and showed Rachel inside into an open, red-tiled expanse that made up a combination living room and open terrace. Her heels clicked on the tile when she walked across the airy space. She noted most of his furnishings were white. The home was not quite austere, but not inviting, either.
The view from the terrace beckoned and Rachel went out to admire the landscape. She grasped the banister while leaning over to take it all in. “Beautiful.”
“Welcome, Rachel.” Julian’s deep voice flooded over her like ice water and, instantly, her heartbeat quickened. She swung to see him stride toward her. Barefoot, wearing jeans and a t-shirt, he seemed at ease in the space. His movements, although graceful, put her on edge.
“Please join me for a glass of Chianti.” He stopped next to an ornate, marble-topped sideboard of sorts and poured two glasses of wine, his eyes constantly lifting to her face.
Julian joined her at the terrace and, although he didn’t stand too close, Rachel had to force herself not to put more distance between them when she took the proffered glass from his hand.
The Roman looked away, seeming to study the panorama, and Rachel took advantage of his distraction to study him. Julian reminded her of a masterpiece. Beautiful yet untouchable. Impenetrable walls surrounded him, the invisible force field emanating an energy that terrified her.
“Are you not thirsty?” The cock of his eyebrow at the still full glass in her hand almost made her drop it. He knew.
“I-I am here to speak to you about Rod…Roderick.” Rachel stuttered, setting the wine glass none-to-gently on the thick banister. “Please break our bond and allow him to fight in your Protector Force again. It all happened because he saved my life. How could you punish him for that?”
Julian looked away again. “I have known the Spartan for a long time. Do you know when I found him, he lay dying in the middle of a battlefield? He was the only survivor of a clash against Messenian forces. His flesh shredded by spears, his bones smashed into the ground under the warhorses’ hooves of the departing Slavonic army. Yet he lived. Crazed with pain, he somehow hung on. He was ama
zing, relentless, a true male of worth.” The Roman’s penetrating gaze met hers. “The reason he lived is his strong will, Rachel.”
“Even more of a reason why you need him,” Rachel pleaded.
The man regarded her without expression. It was as if she spoke to a granite statue. “I will not change my mind about this. You’ve wasted your time and money coming here.”
“Why?” Rachel screamed. “This is crazy. Rod told me they are already outnumbered in Atlanta and you’re going to take him off the streets because of an understandable mistake? I’m willing to break the bond with him. Please do it. Break us apart and allow him to go back to work.”
The floor shook beneath her feet and Rachel shrieked in fear. Jaw clenched, Julian’s angry eyes bore into her and he took her forearm, his fingers digging into her skin. “You know nothing, little girl. Do you think I make decisions idly? Roderick is one of, if not the most powerful, of the Protectors. I did not choose to lose him. He did. I will not change my mind.” A sneer marred his handsome face. “Ah, it gets better.”
“Release her arm at once, Julian.” Both she and Julian turned toward the voice. Frosty eyes moved from Julian to Rachel. “We are not breaking this bond.”
Great...Roderick was there.
Her Spartan practically flew across the room intent on tackling Julian to the ground. However, in the next instant, he stumbled back as if bouncing off an invisible shield.
“Why don’t you wish to break the bond?” Julian seemed baffled, his head cocked to the side. With brows pinched, he waited for Roderick’s reply.
Rachel started to argue, but Roderick’s next words stopped her.
“Because I love her.” He faced her. “I am in love with you, Rachel, and want to share my life with you.”
For the first time, Julian showed warmth of sorts. He uttered a soft chuckle. “The consequences of your actions will not be clear for a long time. I cannot grant you your wish to continue in the Protector Force. You could be killed or, worse, cause one of the others to die. So, for now, the answer remains no.” He met Rachel's gaze, the probing in his pointed stare discomfiting. “The bond between you two must be completed now. The next in line will come."