Savage Secrets (Titan #6)

by Harber, Cristin

  “I have no idea what you’re saying.”

  She kept going. Probably calling him every name she could think of.

  “Cat.”

  The tip of her finger poked his chest over and over. Damn, she had a point. How could he expect her to be totally honest with him when he was hiding a huge secret?

  “Kitten.”

  That just made her angrier. Her words gained speed, volume, and fury.

  “Oh for Christ sakes. Ay carrumba, chimichanga. I have no idea what you’re saying, but shut your pretty pie hole.”

  Her mouth froze, mid-foreign curse. She blinked and closed her mouth, almost delicately, which was funny, given the tizzy she’d been in. “Chimichanga?”

  Yeah, no shit. Chimichanga? He was one bullet short of a full clip tonight. “Got your attention, didn’t I?”

  “Pie hole?” Her voice teased

  “Pretty. Pretty pie hole.”

  Caterina covered her mouth, failing to hide a grin. She turned away and looked back without turning her head, trying to not laugh and failing. “You’re a piece of work.”

  He shrugged, just to make her smile again. “Better than a piece of shit, I guess.”

  “Ah, you’re a funny guy, Rocco Savage.”

  “Shhh. Daniel Locke.” He stepped closer, mimicking her earlier in the hotel room. “First kiss. First fight—” His phone rang, and she smacked his chest. Not many had his number, so he grabbed it, checking the screen. “Saved by Boss Man.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Rocco and Caterina walked out of the bar as Rocco answered the call.

  Jared spoke before Rocco even said hello. “Parker pulled a miracle out of his ass. Might as well start looking for the British equivalent of Cuban cigars because you’re gonna owe him. Big.”

  Well, hello, good news. About time you showed up. “El Mateperros is ready to meet us?”

  Caterina’s brows raised, and she mouthed, “really?”

  Jared grumbled. “Bigger.”

  Rocco shook his head at her. What was bigger than that? Supplies were, and more supplies made him a happy operative. “Sugar filled my shopping list of guns and ammo, and I can pick up my goods in the morning.”

  Caterina rolled her eyes as they boarded the elevator.

  What was that about?

  Jared continued, “Almost, but not why I’m calling. But you should know the girls talked. Not sure how that turned out. You know Sugar. No telling how Caterina took her.”

  Maybe that’s where the tattoo tidbit came from? What would Sugar have said? Something about his ex? Sugar was hit and miss in the nicety department. Maybe that was Cat’s problem? Girls liked to chat. So she got busted gossiping? That was the issue?

  Rocco looked at Cat. Her arms were crossed, and a textbook mildly annoyed was painted across her face. Yeah, he might have to dig into the Sugar-Caterina connection. They arrived on their floor, but he hung back in the hall because when he walked into their hotel room, he didn’t want Jared on his mind, but rather Cat in his arms.

  “All right, all ready, Boss Man. What’s the deal?”

  “We’ve got a solid lead as to where El Mateperros’s has a residence. Country estate, not too far outside London.”

  “You’re shitting me.”

  Jared chuckled. “Dead serious.”

  Caterina tapped Rocco’s shin with her foot. “What?”

  He covered the phone. “Got a surprise for you.”

  Her face lit up. If he could get that smile on her face at least once a day, he’d give himself a grade A in the temporary hubby department even after today’s failures.

  He turned his attention back to Jared. “Send me what you got. We’ll handle it and get back to you.”

  “Roger that.” The call ended.

  Rocco pocketed his phone. “Good news.”

  “Tell me.”

  “Better—I’ll show you. Let’s get in our room.” He threaded his fingers with hers. “Besides, it’s a surprise.”

  She bumped her shoulder into his and smacked his chest. “Surprise me now.”

  “I don’t know. You did say some awful things to me a few minutes ago.”

  “Stop it! You have no idea what I said. Besides, you were bagging out on me. I should still be mad.”

  “Can’t stay mad at a face like this.” He smiled and watched her focus on his dimple. For all the attention it’d gotten him over the years, it was the first time he cared.

  She squeezed his hand, dragging him toward the room. “Come on, tell me.”

  He scrolled through new messages and handed her his phone. “Feast your eyes on this.”

  She stared, stopping in the hallway. A little line furrowed above the bridge of her nose. Looking up, back to the screen and then up again, she titled her head. “Is this what I think it might be?”

  He nodded, taking the phone back. “I’m your favorite person. Ever.”

  The screen was dark green with the outline of a house, a few cars, and a narrow road. There were three light colored blips inside the house.

  “You got me thermal images? We know where El Mateperros is? Ay Dios mio.” Her smile was megawatt. That must’ve been her kind of present. “How? Never mind! Not important.”

  She bounced down the hallway. Amused, he followed. Her mind must’ve been racing. Her mouth sure was going back and forth between English and Spanish. Seconds later, they were in the room, excited to the max, and sex had nothing to do with it.

  “I’m not as crazy as I look.” She reached for his phone again.

  “You might be. But I kinda dig it.” Yeah, he was kinda digging her like she was kinda obsessed with El Mateperros. The more he thought about her, the more he wanted her. Any plan to keep away for the sake of the job was quickly becoming pathetic. He tossed her the cell. “Guess that makes me nuts too. Want to go stake the fucker out or plan our next move?”

  Catching the phone, she held it against her chest, angling her head so that her eyes did that look-through-the-lashes thing that he was quickly realizing was one of his weaknesses.

  “You dig crazy?” she asked, a little too quiet, a little dead-ass sober.

  “I dig you.” He let the words hang. She didn’t move.

  Everything tensed. The room slowed. He might always remember that look in her eyes, but he couldn’t define why.

  Rocco cleared his throat. “So let’s follow up on the fucker.”

  “I’ve never been this close before.” She sucked in her bottom lip. “Love this. Really. This is just… amazing.”

  Breaking through their heaviness, Caterina jumped forward, locking her arms around him, hugging tight. “Thank you.”

  The physical impact of her hug shocked the hell out of him. Fevered awareness shot from his toes into his hair. Everywhere in between burned red hot—just because she touched him. He breathed in her spiciness, mouth watering. He closed his hold around her, hugging her back. Keeping her tight against him.

  Not thinking, only feeling her curves, he blinked and found he had her against the wall. Pinned. Blood rushing to his cock, he pushed against her flat stomach. His mouth slanted over hers, then journeyed to her jaw, her ear. Kissing her neck. Sliding his tongue down her collarbone. The insane taste of her skin and the intoxicating smell of her hair consumed him. Pushed him to the brink of coming undone. Just couldn’t think straight.

  “Caterina, sweetheart. I need you.” He throbbed, pulsing in place and dying to be inside her. Carnal need, raw and unabated, pulsed through him.

  She nodded, breaths hitching. “Yes.”

  There was the job, then there was her. And the job was supposed to come first. Always. But with Caterina, it didn’t.

  “Thank God you said that.” His hands ran over her, everywhere. Groping, feeling, caressing, owning. Fingers memorized her feel. The touch revved his senses. Tension fueled his lust, which was stronger than he’d ever experienced. More powerful and potent. It was a hunger. He wanted her. Thought about her. Avoided her. Fell to her. A
nd now he was drowning in her. Caterina was his vulnerability, his thirst. One look. One shot. One taste. He was done.

  “You’re dangerous, Kitten.” He could barely breathe for kissing her. “The devil himself couldn’t make me stop right now.

  She shimmied up his thighs. “I’m an angel. Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  The room spun. Sounds crashed around him. But it wasn’t a hallucination. No. This was different. Her voice echoed in his ears.

  Angel. Angel.

  Scary familiar. Rocco pinched his eyes closed. He came crashing down hard. Reality scratched at his perception. A hard and fast detox from a Caterina-fueled oblivion. “Angel?”

  “What?” Her breaths were as uneven as he felt. “Rocco?”

  He closed his eyes, flashing back. Carpet swirling. Walls melting. An angel by his side. God, he was losing his ever loving mind. “I can’t…” do this.

  Can’t breathe.

  Can’t make sense of anything anymore.

  “What.” Her voice dripped over him, cold as ice. The what wasn’t a question. More of a verbal slap in the face, and it stung. Caterina’s legs dropped. Her cheeks pinked. From embarrassment or fury, he had no idea. Didn’t matter because it took a serious dick move to make her react that way. She was a rock. Completely collected. Man, he was on fire today. One wrong move after another.

  He stepped backward. “The job. I’m here for the job.”

  “Right.” The word was a brutal jab.

  But he deserved it. “I’m…” losing my grip. Reliving daydreams. Or nightmares. He rubbed his eyes. “Jet lag or something. It’s been a crazy couple of days, and my head’s bothering me—”

  Alarm registered in her eyes. “Your head?”

  “I’m…” Unable to complete thoughts… Making moves that I can’t cash in… Acting like a bitch-ass pansy. Or, all of the above.

  She smoothed the front of her shirt, unintentionally drawing attention to her killer rack, and if he could’ve kneed himself in the nuts for pulling a stunt like this, he would’ve.

  Caterina cleared her throat in a cute little way. “Fine. I’d really rather talk about El Mateperros anyway.” Her pretty little lips lied to his face, and Rocco knew he would chalk this moment up to one of his biggest losses, ever.

  Fuck. He shook his head. Now he was the embarrassed one, watching her try to make him feel better. “Bullshit, no need to make me feel better. Asshole move, I got nothing to say.”

  “Well, maybe.” Her half-smile teased him, and she almost looked shy. Almost.

  “I’m going to pay for this one, aren’t I?” Again he closed his eyes and shook his head, thanking God she was being a good sport about his major poor form. “Don’t hurt me in my sleep.”

  “I won’t.” She made a cross over her heart. “Lo prometo.”

  “Look, we’ve been up forever. I’m dying to get to the ACG house, but I want to do it right. Let’s call the night and hit it hard tomorrow?”

  She was absolutely giving him an out. Despite what he wanted to do, he needed to take her up on that one. Mental exhaustion wouldn’t help in the hunt for the Dog Killer.

  She grabbed some clothes from the dresser. “I’m going to jump in the shower, then we can go to bed. Get some sleep. I promise, you’ll wake up in the morning and feel so much better.”

  As Cat walked to the bathroom, all he could picture was the shower-steamed mirror. Hope you feel better, Handsome. And he’d never been more excited to crawl in bed and just sleep next to a woman.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Eyes still shut, Caterina yawned and rolled over in the sea of blankets. Solid man surrounded her. She was tucked under his arm, wedged against his side, and he smelled like heaven. It’d been too long since she’d woken up next to a man. Well, that wasn’t true. She’d spent more than a few nights camped out at random covert locations around the world. But knapsacks and a team of black ops dudes didn’t count. They were always on the job. She was never interested in them. Plus they knew she could castrate them with a piece of dental floss, so they stayed away. Smart.

  All that time spent on knapsacks near stinking men taught her that Rocco wasn’t sleeping. She knew it without opening her eyes. How long had he been awake? Carefully, she blinked. His chest was bare. A huge bicep acted as her pillow, and he was watching her. “Morning, sunshine.”

  As soon as her head had hit the pillow the night before, she’d been lights out, which was a miracle because he had her worked up and ready to explode. A little talk about his head bothering him had taken her down a notch. Yes, she worried about him. But how on earth did she miss out on a moment like Rocco heading to the shower after she got out, then crawling in bed with her? There was no excuse for missing out on that show.

  “It’s almost nine in the morning. You always such a late riser?” Rocco’s voice sounded whiskey rough.

  Closing her eyes again, she let it rumble over her. “I wouldn’t have killed you if you got up early and made a coffee run.”

  “Done and done.”

  “Wait. What?” She propped up on her elbow, her eyes tracing the pinkish scar on his chest, wondering how someone so tough was so considerate. “You got out of bed? Left, then got back in bed?”

  “Yeah. You sleep like the dead. Coffee’s in the kitchenette.”

  “Why?” No one ever got her coffee. True, most times there wasn’t some place to grab any, but there was always a coffee maker somewhere. Or Instant and some water.

  “Why, what?”

  “Why would you do that? It’s so…”

  “Nice? I’m a nice guy. Sometimes.” He had her on her back before she could blink. “Yesterday sucked big, hairy monkey balls. Forget about it. Okay?”

  “Big hairy monkey balls do nothing to get me naked.”

  He half-cocked a smile, and his dimple waved at her. “Yesterday sucked. Erase it from your memory.”

  His forearms were on either side of her head, and his eyes were inches from hers. When he spoke, the words tickled her lips. Heat raced through her. His erection pushed against her as he fell into place between her legs. What she would do for her skin to be bare. To feel him like this against her. All that male beauty made her crazy enough to beg.

  “Okay.” She nodded, embracing her swirling emotions. Too fast. Too soon. So right. So now. Even after the stunts he’d pulled, her need for him was desperate, and if he didn’t touch her soon, she was likely to hurt him.

  “We’re starting over.” The morning roughness still scratched his voice no matter how long he’d been awake. He shifted his weight, and his shorts-covered length rubbed her pajama pants. They had on far too many clothes. She wanted to say something about that, but pure desire colored his expression, such a dominant stare, a face used to giving orders. No doubt he’d take care of that issue on the quick. Adrenaline pulsed in her veins, rushing in her neck, tightening her chest. Need throbbed in her core. She angled so that their friction would torture her in the best of ways. She’d never wanted to be touched more than she did in that moment.

  Wait. “Rocco.” She lifted her hips, arching into him. Her body and her mind were having a stop-go disagreement. “You’re okay?”

  “Don’t ask me that again, and I’ll be fine.”

  They were a go.

  He crashed full lips onto hers, picking up where they’d left off the night before. Suckling her mouth. Revving her from sleeping to sexy with the speed of a morning kiss. Hunger ravaged her. Blinded her. All she could do was feel his hard body and crave every minute caress she could glean.

  She nodded, her bottom lip dragging over his. “I won’t say another word. Totally silent.”

  Rocco tore her shirt straight down the middle. Its fabric ripped, and the sound echoed in her ears. He chuckled, cavern deep. “I didn’t say that.”

  He devoured her neck. His massive hand cupped her breast, thumb toying with her nipple and sending a whirlwind of sensation cycloning from the tip to the farthest reaches of her nervous sy
stem. Every nerve. Every synapse. They danced and fired and shouted in insane excitement.

  “I want to hear you. Feel you. That hot little attitude of yours, I’m dying for it to come out and play.”

  “Por supuesto.” Of course.

  “Don’t know what you said, Kitten. But damn, that’s hot.”

  Nothing about this was sweet. It was rough, and it was what she wanted. Rough hands. Rough mouth. Rough can’t-get-enough-of-you sex.

  She arched off the bed, and his kisses trailed to her other mound. He sucked deep into his mouth, rolling his tongue and growling. An earthquake of reactions nearly blew her mind. Skin shivering. Pussy begging. Mind tumbling so fast and hard for Rocco that she didn’t know which way was like and which way was lust.

  “Roc.” They were moving fast, exchanging real rings with pretend meanings, but she’d take it. His hips flexed, and she met his move. “Take your shorts off.”

  “You first, Kitten.” His lips tickled her nipple. Gasoline to her fire.

  His hips shifted, and her body’s begging and pleading magnified. She shucked her pants, grabbing his along the way. Made her giggle, made him smile. Made for the perfect moment.

  They were naked. Tangled. Hot flesh and wild need. The stalk of his erection was far past impressive, hot and in her hand. She stroked her fingers down to his balls, letting her other hand trail.

  “First time I saw you, I wanted this,” he growled.

  She nodded because she was choking down the same thoughts and so much more, scared it would make him run. Again. And then she might kill him.

  He grabbed his wallet from the nightstand drawer, found a condom, and slid it on.

  Smoothing his hands over her folds, he teased the nub of nerves with a stroke of his knuckles. “You are so damn sweet.”

  Why sweet? She was anything but. Hard-shelled. Hot-headed. And when he looked at her like that, touched her without slamming into her, Caterina believed him. They would do both wild and unrestrained, but they could rock a moment that might just qualify as special. He ran both hands down her thigh, cupping behind her knee and angling it, dragging the heel of her foot back. Rocco leaned over and kissed the knee, sliding her other leg up.