“Do I get a phone call?”
He sighed. “You aren’t being arrested. I’m trying to keep that from happening.”
Jake turned down the long, winding road that ended in Ian’s very private estate. Ian lived outside the city where there was still breathing room. Of course, Ian didn’t really care about breathing room. He did care about privacy. Ian had selected this little country estate of his for its lack of nosy neighbors. As Jake carefully navigated the road, Sean knew his brother had already been alerted that they were on their way. Ian’s security measures alerted him to anything and everything that made its way onto his property.
“And you’re not the cops?” Grace asked.
“We aren’t cops. We’re a group of ex-Special Forces that works as private security and does occasional government work on the side.”
She sniffed, a derisive little sound. “So you’re a mercenary.”
It didn’t bother Sean. He’d been called worse. “Use whatever name makes you feel better about yourself. The important thing is we’ve handled just about every situation you can think of. We can get you out of this. You just have to trust us.”
Adam had taken off his seatbelt. He had an umbrella in his hand. Sean had no doubt he would be right there ready to escort Grace inside.
“Yes, I’ll trust you. You’ve proven yourselves so worthy of trust up to this point.” Grace turned her head to look out the window.
Sean followed the line of her sight. He could see Ian’s big farmhouse coming up quickly. It had an enormous wraparound porch and the grounds were gorgeous. Ian had done very well for himself. All he could offer Grace was a crappy apartment that was far worse than her house. He had money saved up, though. He just hadn’t had anything to spend it on up until now. It would be better to put it into the restaurant he wanted to open, but if Grace needed a nicer place to be happy, he could do that. If he didn’t have to spend it all trying to keep her out of jail. “It’s my brother’s place.”
She turned and looked at him for the first time in twenty minutes. Her hazel eyes were puffy from crying. She didn’t cry prettily like some women. When Grace cried, it showed everywhere. He wanted nothing more than to press his mouth to hers and make everything go away. He forced his hands to remain still on her skin. They were restless with wanting to caress her and comfort her. Her tongue came out to moisten her lips, and he felt that little swipe in his balls. It had been too long. He had to get back into her bed. He wouldn’t feel sure of his hold on Grace until he was deep inside her.
“So your brother wasn’t a lie?”
He didn’t like the guilt that lashed through his heart when she looked at him as though he was the one at fault. “No, Ian’s real, and you’re about to meet him. I didn’t lie about everything. I was honest with you about most of the facts of my life. I just didn’t tell you my real name or what I do for a living.”
“Or that I’m some sort of suspect.”
“Yes, I left that out, too.” Once she was in bed, he could make her purr. She hadn’t faked her response to him. He just needed to reinforce those bonds, and he would have her. “When you meet Ian, don’t be scared of him. He can be intimidating. I just want you to trust me to take care of you.”
She turned away, but not before he saw the distrust in her eyes. It made him angry. He wanted to smash through that reserve of hers and force her to accept him. The car rolled to a stop. Even from his vantage point, he could see his brother, Eve, and Liam standing on the front porch. Ian had his arms crossed over his huge body. He watched the vehicle with that stare that told Sean he was in trouble. He would have to protect Grace from Ian. Ian could be ruthless. If his brother thought Grace was bad for him, Ian would do whatever it took to get rid of the threat.
The doors unlocked, and Grace scrambled off his lap. Sean would have preferred to carry her in. It was muddy and she could fall, but he doubted Grace would allow it. Sean followed her out. Adam already had the umbrella over Grace’s head. He pressed it into her hand and opened a second one for himself. Apparently Sean got to fend for himself despite the fact that it was his car and his umbrellas.
Sean raced ahead to get out of the rain. Grace and Adam took things a bit more slowly. They had cover.
Ian was frowning when Sean got up the steps. “Tell me no one saw you snag her.”
Jake was right behind Sean, shaking the rain off his hair. “Of course not. They didn’t see Sean at all. Adam and I just talked her into leaving work a little bit early. As far as anyone knows, she’s at happy hour with her friends. She’ll hear the news about Kayla sometime tonight, and that buys us some time. Trust me, the way gossip works at that office, someone will call her and leave a message on her cell. No one will expect her to be at work tomorrow.”
“She doesn’t know?” Eve’s eyes watched the ground behind Sean, probably trying to get her first good view of Grace.
“I didn’t want to tell her like that. Kayla was a really good friend of hers. She has to be eased into it.” Sean knew he should have mentioned it, but he would rather wait until they could be alone. He needed to be able to hold her when he told her someone was trying to take her life. Maybe then she would cling to him. “Is Black here?”
Ian’s head shook, and a small smile crept across his face. “Not yet. It’s a good thing, too, since our little suspect seems to be very slowly getting away.”
Sean turned and saw Grace walking, or rather slogging, down the yard. Her heels seemed to be sinking into the grass, but she kept on with her head held high. She wasn’t running, merely walking with a stubborn stride. The little umbrella was perfectly erect over her head. Adam was walking beside her. His words were muffled by the rain, but Sean was sure he was trying to convince her to come back with him. He just didn’t understand that Grace required a firm hand.
Sean jogged back down the stairs and out into the driving rain. His long legs ate the distance up quickly. He didn’t care about the rain pouring down. Grace was already disobeying and already causing trouble. “Grace!”
She stopped briefly and turned to him. She looked strangely prim and proper in her skirt and gray buttoned up blouse. It would look better if she unbuttoned a few of those little pearls, but Sean wouldn’t complain. He didn’t want other men looking at her breasts, either. Her face was pale as she regarded him. “I’m going home. You aren’t the cops, so you don’t have any right to keep me here. I’ll call the police when I get home, and they will sort all of this out.”
A slow boil was starting in his veins. She was pushing him hard. He needed to calm down. “This is for your own protection. I’m not doing this to have fun.”
“It really is important, sweetheart. I’ll stay by your side,” Adam offered in a voice that rankled Sean’s every nerve. The other man’s pretty-boy face was entreating Grace sweetly. Sean wondered how Adam would look after his balls had been ripped off and shoved down his throat.
“Get the hell out of here, Adam.” Sean recognized he was invading the other man’s space, but then Adam didn’t seem to have a problem with boundaries. He’d been stepping all over Sean’s for days. “This is between me and my sub. I don’t see her wearing your collar, so step back.”
Grace’s hand immediately went to the gold heart around her neck. In one smooth move, she pulled the delicate chain off her body and tossed it in his face. “I don’t belong to you. Either one of you. And if either one of you follows me, I’ll call the cops as soon as I can flag down a passing car, and I will press charges for kidnapping.”
She turned and started walking again.
Sean reached out and grabbed her elbow. At the same time, Adam pushed his shoulder back, causing Sean to lose his balance. He and Grace went down in the mud. The umbrella tumbled away. Grace fell onto his body, the length of her pressing down into him. His cock responded immediately. Her face came up, so close to his he could kiss her without really trying. And then Adam was pulling her up, his hands circling her waist protectively.
“Grace
, I’m so sorry.”
Not as sorry as he was about to be. Sean was done. Without a single sound, he moved from his place on the ground and pounced. There was no yell, no warning. One moment he was on the ground, and the next, Adam was the one in the mud.
Sean pulled his fist back and planted it squarely in his rival’s face. He could hear Jake yelling in the background. Let him come. He’d take that fucker down, too. Adam kicked up, trying to roll Sean off him, but Sean had the advantage. One hand wrapped around Adam’s throat and squeezed. Adam gasped, abandoning his attempts to throw off his opponent. Both of his hands came up to try to pull Sean’s fingers from his throat. Rage was riding Sean. He’d been through too much. Loving Grace, losing her—first to her own betrayal and then to a killer—had his nerves on edge. She was alive, but somehow she seemed even further away from him than when he’d feared she was gone. He felt completely out of control when it came to Grace, but this…oh, this he could do.
And then his control was taken away when something hard smacked him brutally upside the head. He lost his grasp and toppled over onto the muddy ground. Adam leapt up, never one to miss an opportunity. Sean was holding his head when he realized Adam’s fist was coming toward his face. There was a flash of silver and black, and Adam went down, too, joining him on the wet ground, his previously pristine suit a mess of mud and blood.
Grace stood over them both, the umbrella folded now, and she wielded it like a club. She was a curvy, avenging angel looking down on them. Her hair was plastered to her head. Her blouse was soaked, and it was obvious she was cold. Her breasts heaved as she dragged air into her lungs. Sean suddenly knew what it felt like to be a barbarian. She was his mate, and she had defied him.
“Grace, I’ve had enough. I’m telling you to get your sweet ass into Ian’s house, or we’re going to have trouble. “
Adam was getting to his feet. He opened his mouth, but Jake had his hand around his best friend’s neck. “Not a word. I swear, Adam, if you pursue this, I am going to advise Ian to fire you. If that doesn’t work, I’ll convince Eve that you aren’t fit for duty.”
Adam’s jaw dropped open. “Some fucking friend you are. I am doing this for us. She could be the one. You want her just as much as I do.”
“No, you’re doing it for you. You’re being a selfish little prick. I have been your best friend for years. We’ve been through some shit that most people wouldn’t have made it out of sane. We did because we were a team. We’re a part of this team, too. This team has been our family for years. You are being a traitor to this team. All feelings, wants, and desires are secondary to the team and the mission. So, Adam, the question is, are you still a member of this team or are you going to walk away now?”
Adam threw off Jake’s hand and stalked toward the house, his decision plain. Jake nodded to Sean and followed, leaving Sean alone with Grace. At least someone knew how to handle Adam. Grace’s eyes were wide as though she had finally realized just how much danger she was in. She shrank back, holding the umbrella across her chest. Like that little thing could stop him.
“Are you coming inside, Grace?” The question was even and calm. He stood very still, making no move toward her. He didn’t have to. When he wanted her, he would take her, and there would be nothing she could do to stop him.
“I told you, I’m going home. I took off that stupid collar, Sean. You can give it to the next idiot who’s dumb enough to trust you.”
His blood was starting to thrum through his system as anger turned into something else. They would never get through an interview session with this much tension between them. Maybe it was time to follow his instincts. “I won’t ever take another sub, little one. You’re mine, and it’s going to stay that way.”
“Not in this lifetime, Sean,” she snarled the words at him, every movement of her body just begging him to force the issue.
“You have a safeword, Grace,” he offered magnanimously. “Are you going to say it?”
“Fuck you.”
He practically growled. “Not your safeword, baby.”
He was on her in a second.
* * * *
What the hell was she doing? She was tugging the tiger’s tail, and she couldn’t seem to stop. Ever since the instant she had discovered Sean’s lies, something wicked had taken up in Grace’s chest. For awhile it had been drowned out with sorrow and self-doubt, but now it flared to life and demanded to be heard.
“You have a safeword, Grace.” Sean was so gorgeous. His blond hair was dark now that it was wet, and his clothes clung to his body like a greedy, worshipping lover. His eyes were firmly focused on her, leaving no doubt as to what his intentions were. The rain was coming down in sheets, but there was no mistaking his low growl for an offer of amnesty. He wanted her to submit. He wanted her on her knees waiting for his command. If he couldn’t have that, he wanted her to admit she couldn’t handle it and walk away. “Are you going to say it?”
The words were out of her mouth before she could judge the wisdom behind them. Oh, she was in so much trouble and still that safeword was buried with absolutely no hope of ever being said. “Fuck you.”
A fierce grin lit his face. “Not your safeword, baby.”
Sean moved almost faster than her eye could track. He was so quick and graceful. There was only time to try to bring the umbrella up again, but before she could strike, his hand wound around the handle. It was tossed away. Grace attempted to turn, to prolong the fight. The outcome was inevitable. She would go down, but she wasn’t going down easy.
Grace pushed against him as he hauled her into his arms. Her breasts pressed against him. His hands tightened around her arms forming manacles she couldn’t escape. His mouth slammed down on hers.
Yes, a voice deep inside her said. This was what she had pushed him for. This was what she needed. She couldn’t ask for it. Her pride demanded that she stay away from him, but her heart was willing to push him into giving her what she wanted. She wanted Sean. She wanted him inside her with a ferocity that surprised her. Sean’s tongue dominated. She felt small and helpless compared to him. He plunged into her mouth as the rain came down, and there was nothing she could do but feel his desire.
And yet…Grace attempted to shove against his chest. He had used her and would continue to do so. What was she thinking? Why couldn’t she use her safeword and be done with it?
“Don’t fight me.” He murmured the words against her lips. “I want to be gentle. I want to show you how it can be. If you keep pushing me, I’ll take you to the dungeon and there won’t be any tenderness.”
But she didn’t want his tenderness. That had proven to be false. His passion though, she would take that. Grace brought her foot down on his. He hissed in pain as the stiletto made contact and dropped her hands for a moment. Grace turned to try to run. She was face first in the mud with Sean’s big body pressing her down before she could take a second step. She was caught between the soggy earth and Sean’s hardness.
“I told you.” His words were shouted as he held her down. She struggled, but he was far too heavy. She felt him moving, squirming, and then he rolled her over in one smooth move, recapturing her quickly. He had his belt in his hands. Before she could protest, that strip of leather bound her hands together in front of her body, and Sean hauled her up like a calf he’d just roped. “You can walk with me, or I can drag you through the mud. Your choice, Grace.”
Or, she could say her safeword and be done with it, done with him. She started to walk behind him, his hands tugging her along, but the shoes stuck in the mud, and she stumbled. Sean cursed, and in a second she was cradled in his arms being carried toward the big house. Her bound hands sat in her lap. She shivered from the cold, but a part of her was heating up. What kind of a woman was she that he could use her, and she practically begged him for more?
Sean didn’t pause as he hit the steps. His eyes stared straight ahead.
“Later, Ian,” he growled as they passed a huge blond man who had to be Sean
’s brother. There were others there, but no sign of Adam and Jake. Grace was grateful for that. This was between her and Sean.
Sean kicked open the front door.
“Sean, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Ian asked, following them.
Grace could see him over Sean’s left shoulder. He looked just like Sean, only harder and more dangerous. Ian Taggert didn’t look like a man who was used to being ignored.
“Are there towels in the dungeon?” Sean didn’t stop. He moved with great purpose down the hallway. Grace’s heart skittered. Dungeon. She’d never seen a dungeon before.
“Sean, this is utterly ridiculous.”
“And yet it’s happening,” Sean shot back. “Are you going to come between me and my submissive?”
Grace heard Ian’s sigh. Sean seemed to have said some magic words that made him back off slightly. “You need a monitor. Does she even have a safeword?”
Something wicked was riding her. That big, blond guy who didn’t even know her was acting like she was an idiot. “Yes, it’s ‘screw you!’”
Sean barked his laughter and walked through a set of French doors. She could hear Ian talking to the blonde woman who had been on the porch. He was saying something about how his brother had gone insane.
Then Sean slammed the doors shut, and Grace wasn’t thinking anymore. His mouth covered hers, devouring her. Grace closed her eyes and gave herself over to the feeling. This was real. It might be the only real thing left in the world. Sean tore his mouth away from hers, and Grace felt the loss. The doors opened again, but Sean didn’t seem to care. She could hear the other people talking as Sean strode to the middle of the room. He set her on her feet, but before she could move, he had her bound hands attached to a hook in the ceiling. Grace could still stand, but just barely. It made her feel vulnerable and terribly aroused. She shivered, and she wasn’t sure how much of it was from the cold.
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