She felt his hard length pressing and retreating from her softness and wanted to cry out in frustration. She had to have him closer, needed his skin beneath her hands to touch and taste as he was feasting on her.
Her thoughts flowed into action. Galen’s shirt opened and was discarded without breaking contact. She could feel the heat of his skin burning her fingers, making her ache for more of his fire.
“More...Galen...I need—” She couldn’t finish the sentence because his hands had wandered to the snap of her shorts. One deft finger slipped under the material and caressed the silky skin. Her body shuddered in response and she didn’t feel the rest of the material flowing down her legs until he whispered for her to move out of them.
Then the night air was touching her bare skin briefly before he lowered her onto the mossy bank and covered her with his burning body, only his thin jeans between them.
She expected him to yank the material off and thrust into her immediately, but he surprised her. He planted soft heated kisses along her jaw, ears, neck, and then worked his way back toward her lips. His rough callused hands teased her already tormented breasts with tender strokes.
“Galen.” It sounded like a plea or prayer. She wanted him, wanted him to end the ache he had created.
“Shhh, love. It will be all right,” he softly whispered in her ear.
The cold air brushed her body as he moved away. No, her body cried, where is he going? He couldn’t think to leave her like this? Before she could voice her confusion, he was back. His hard body pressed completely against hers. His erection free and pushing against the dampness he’d created between her thighs.
His knees slowly separated her legs and he settled on her, resting his weight on his elbows so as not to crush her. “Regin.”
It was just her name, but there was a wealth of emotion hidden behind it.
His eyes burned silver in the moonlight. They were hot and focused solely on her. Until that moment she never knew the restraint he placed on himself. His eyes had been hot and passion filled, but nothing like now. He was holding nothing back from her. His wants, desires, needs, and cravings, everything Galen wanted heated molten eyes.
He drew his hips back and plunged inside her waiting wet warmth. The feel of him inside her shattered the last of her own restraint and she screamed his name. Her legs came up of their own accord, wrapping tightly around his waist. Her arms latched at his neck, pulling his head down to devour his waiting lips. His tongue pushed ruthlessly between her teeth, mimicking the movements of his hips.
He made love to her mouth the way he was taking her body. Galen was relentless and demanding, his hips plunging and retreating never giving her time to adjust before changing his rhythm. He was hard and fast, then slow and thorough the next minute.
Her climax hit her with the same relentlessness. She could feel the pressure building, her nails raked his back, hips pushing to take him to the depths of her womb. He must have sensed her desperation because he began pumping faster and harder.
“Let go, baby,” he urged. “Come for me.”
Regin’s body exploded in fragments, the world spun out of its orbit, rainbow colored stars fell around her head. She heard Galen’s swiftly drawn breath, then felt his increased pace and his release inside her.
****
Hearts slowed reluctantly, breathing became less frantic as she looked into familiar eyes. Eyes that told so much, yet hid even more. This wasn’t the time or place to have this conversation Regin knew, but it seemed fate had a way of playing her hand exactly the way she wanted.
She turned her back to him, not wanting him to see the emotion surely reflected in her own eyes. “Galen, who is it you think I am?”
She heard him curse softly behind her. “Huh?”
Regin waved a hand between their naked flushed bodies. “This. Why did it happen? You agreed it was a mistake the first time.”
“Damn it, Regin! How the hell am I supposed to answer that? We’ve got more important things to discuss,” he demanded as he got to his feet, grabbing at his discarded clothes.
She never knew pain could spread like fire so easily from a few simple words as she watched him dress.
“There just for a minute I thought you knew me. That you saw me.” Where had those words come from? It took every nerve in her body to shrug her shoulders as if his response didn’t matter as she gathered her own clothing.
His harsh breathing was closer now. The heat from his body crept over her own, warming her making her want to lean back and absorb his heat and strength. His next words dispelled her actions.
“See you?” he cursed. “I see you every day and every night in my dreams. I’ve dreamt of having you every way a man can take a woman. I’ve seen you naked in my bed, under me, against the wall, on the table. What the hell are you talking about me seeing you?” he questioned, as he drew his jeans over his lean hips.
There—another piece of her heart broke off. She could feel the tearing inside her chest and marveled that a person could live when their body was being ripped apart. “It doesn’t matter.” Regin forced herself to laugh as she donned her own shirt and jeans. “It was a silly thing to say.”
She turned back toward the house, easily sidestepping Galen’s attempt to stop her. “It’s getting late and I’m sure you have tons of secret stuff to do,” she said, pausing to look back over her shoulder.
Standing there half in darkness and half moonlight, Regin was reminded of the first day they’d met. He’d been standing in part shadow and part sunlight that day as well. It was the way Galen lived his life and maybe it was a sign of the way it was supposed to be. Knowing that didn’t help to lessen the pain.
Galen had lied to her. He had deliberately led her to believe she was safe here with him. It was all an illusion and an innocent person had paid the ultimate price.
“Regin, wait. We need to talk. Townsend is still out there. You aren’t safe.”
A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “Safe?” she questioned, turning to look at him. “Since when have I ever been safe? I know that he’s going to kill me. I’m just fighting to make it later rather than sooner.”
She heard the harsh cursing of Galen’s response, but turned her back and walked toward to house. “This isn’t over between us, Regin. When Townsend is caught and no longer a threat, we’re going to have it out—you and me. But before we have that luxury, I need you to answer a few questions for me.”
“What? Didn’t your report fill in all my details for you?” Regin refused to look back at him. She knew it was over, even if he didn’t. It was foolish to think there could be something between them after he destroyed what trust Regin was beginning to have in him.
Galen swung her around by her shoulders to face him. “Oh yeah, the report was great, but it left a few details out. Like how you’ve been getting letters and threats from that bastard from the day Townsend was incarcerated. Let me guess, the letters said you would pay for doing this to him. That when he got free he was going to come after you.” Galen stopped, ran his fingers through his hair and stared at her.
“You being all powerful and all knowing, thought you could just be-bop all over the country without him finding you. You were safe as long as you kept moving, right Regin? You didn’t think he could find you if you never settled down. As long as OceanTide kept forwarding the letters, you were safe.” He gave her a long steely look. “Well, sweetheart, you were wrong. Townsend’s out. He’s found you, and he’s not going to stop till one of you is dead. Does that about sum it up?”
Fury burned away Regin’s common sense. “You know nothing about me, Galen. You think you’re so smart and clever. If it wasn’t in the report or gleaned from your brilliant mind, it doesn’t exist. But you’re wrong, Matthews. I didn’t run to hide. I ran to keep ahead. Every town I went to, no matter where it was, he found me, the letters found me. So yeah, I ran as far and as fast as I could. Hoping if I ran long enough and fast enough, he wouldn’t find someone else
to hurt in my place. But this time, I wasn’t careful and look what happened. Lee was killed in my place. Lee was killed because of me.
“Because you, Damon, Tatum, and the FBI didn’t trust that I might know what the hell I’m doing, Lee’s blood is on all our hands now.” Regin whipped around him, wanting to be far from him when the tears burning her throat spilled over. “Put that in your report and shove it—you, jackass.”
Galen let her go. She was only a few minutes from the house and he could watch her from where he stood.
It was easier to see Regin walk away now with nothing more being said. Everything would have to wait. He was still getting used to his own memories.
He had only wanted to bring her comfort tonight. To somehow, in his small way, show her she wasn’t alone, he was here for her. She didn’t have to fight this battle by herself. He would stand by her side and guard her from whatever was to come. He would be here for her this time and nothing was going to take Regin from him.
Galen might have lost her trust, but he wasn’t going to lose her.
He let out a sharp bark of laughter. “The biggest thing she needs to fear appears to be me.” He would have to push Regin and his lust away. They would only distract him and that could lead to his death or hers. His death he could accept, Regin’s he never would. Experience had taught him what life was like without her. It wasn’t worth living.
Chapter Nineteen
“Regin.” Footsteps pounded behind her. “Regin, wait a damn minute.” It would be useless to run. Galen’s men were everywhere on the island. One would follow wherever she went. They were like dogs with a bone when it came to her. None of them seemed to understand that she had no intention of leaving the island and setting herself up as bait.
“What is it?” she snapped at the edge of her patience.
“Sorry, Regin, but I can’t let you go walking around by yourself. Boss’s orders.” A tall man with blonde hair jogged up to her. She couldn’t make out the color of his eyes, but something tickled her memory.
“You can tell your boss to take his orders and shove them up—”
“Please, Regin,” the man interrupted. “I can’t go and say that to the boss.” He stuck his hand out. “By the way, I’m Will Vincent.”
Regin shook his hand, wondering why he was bothering to try and charm her. She didn’t think he got those orders from Galen. She was under island arrest. Not allowed to go anywhere without a guard dog. Galen even had the nerve to commandeer her own dog. Annie, he told her, was going to go over every inch of the island, hopefully recognizing a scent.
Regin knew he’d already sent the rope Townsend used to tie the dog up to the lab. Along with the hideous velvet ribbon from Lee’s neck. She was glad she’d taken the walk to the other side of the island when the men came to take the body from the pond.
“Uh, Regin.”
Jerked out of her musing, Regin glared at Will. “What is it?”
“Where exactly are we going? I need to call it in to Saber,” he sweetly informed her. “I am going for a walk. You can go to hel—” “Yes, ma’am, I’ll tell Saber we’re going for a nice long walk to cool you off. He’s second in command,” he said as he reached for the radio clipped to his belt.
“I don’t care if you give him stock tips, you aren’t going with me. He doesn’t need to know where I am.” Regin threw her hands in the air and circled around. “It’s a freaking island, where the hell can I go?”
Instead of answering her, Will turned the radio to his mouth and spoke quietly. What he said to the mysterious Saber, she didn’t know but minutes later Will was leading her to the dock.
“Um, I thought we weren’t allowed to leave the island. Will? What’s going on?” The possibility of freedom teased her.
“Well, I was told you weren’t allowed to take a step off this island. Never did say anything about me leaving and you stowing away in a boat. Now did they?” His laughter rang into the night.
Regin felt like a teenager sneaking out after curfew. There were a lot of reasons why she shouldn’t, but she knew Townsend wasn’t going to strike tonight. It didn’t fit his style. He’d wait a few days or weeks until he’d built up the perfect plan, then come after her again. What would be the harm in taking a few minutes for herself?
“Will, we’ll be seen going to the dock. Won’t we?” she questioned.
“Not if we cross the bridge and head to the cottage. We’ll sneak around back and they’ll never know we’re at the dock.” Will assured her.
“Let’s do it.” Regin smiled for the first time in what felt like ages.
****
“Where’s Regin?” Galen demanded as he reached the pond. “Regin’s fine. She’s with Will. She wanted to go for a walk,” Saber explained. “Will two-wayed me and said they’d be gone about twenty minutes. He’d check in then.”
Galen waited for the tension to ease as he listened to the news. But strangely, his shoulders tightened even more. “Are you sure she wanted to go for a walk? It’s dark out and she doesn’t know the island well enough to be traipsing around at night.”
“Matthews, let it go. She’s with Will on this tiny hunk of rock. Nothing’s going to happen to her. Townsend’s not stupid enough to try for her tonight—”
“He’s already tried.” Galen interrupted.
“As I was saying,” Saber continued. “Too many people around to make a grab for her. Relax, man, Regin’s going to be fine,” his friend assured him.
“I still don’t like it,” he said. “Something’s not right with this whole situation.”
Saber went through the list of evidence they’d found, along with his own suspicions. The conclusions made both men wary.
“Damn it, Saber, none of this explains how he got onto the island. He couldn’t have flown here and that’s the only possible explanation.”
“I know, but there has to be something we’ve missed, some other way for him to have gotten here. How did Townsend manage to get Lee’s body here and then dump it without any of us picking it up? The radar picked nothing up. None of the sensors were tripped and the dog didn’t bark. The man’s like a ghost.”
“Doesn’t matter how he got here, Saber. What matters is we make sure it doesn’t happen again. Nothing is going to happen to her.” The vehemence of his words surprised even Galen. “I know, but we’ve tried everything and we’ve struck out,” Saber told him. “There’s something we’re missing,” He’d never felt so helpless in his life. He was doing everything he could to protect her and it still wasn’t enough.
“We’ve got the entire team combing the island. There’s no way he can get to her before we can,” he assured Galen.
Right then over Saber’s radio, static broke the silence.
“Code Gamma! He’s got her.” The sound of a gunshot followed and Galen’s blood froze as Regin’s scream filled the air.
****
Regin’s eyes burned with tears as she spied
Will’s body bleeding at her feet. Townsend tightened his arm more securely around her waist, cutting off her breath while he shoved his knife against her throat. Frightening memories flashed back of the last time she was at his mercy. But this time was different—she was older, wiser, and better prepared.
“Don’t you think you’re pushing your luck, Shawn?” she gasped out.
“There’s no one who can save you, bitch. By the time they get here, it’ll be too late. I’ll have won the game and you’ll be dead,” he promised as he pushed her toward the railing of the bridge.
Regin knew she didn’t have the luxury of waiting for the cavalry to arrive. She would save herself, damn it.
Quickly Regin stomped on his instep, catching him off guard. His arm fell from her waist and she threw her elbow back into his stomach. He dropped the knife and gasped for air. She whirled around to face her nightmare.
“This isn’t going to happen again. You won’t win. I’ll destroy you first.”
Townsend lunged toward her, his face
twisted with anger, a growl roared from his lips as he grabbed Regin’s head and buried his hands in her long hair. “If I can’t win, then we’ll both lose.” He threw his body over the side of the railing dragging Regin with him.
The last thing she heard before the water closed over her head was the sound of feet running across the wooden planks of the bridge.
Galen heard the splash from his position on the bridge. He was grateful that Saber was on the other side, backing him up. He’d reached the middle of the bridge when he saw through the blackness the shadow of his friend diving into the dark water.
Galen was halfway over the railing when a hand closed over his arm.
“Sir, you can’t go down there. We need you up here. It’s dark and no one else can take the shot if Townsend comes up. Saber’s down there with your woman. He’ll keep her alive.” Taco swore as he held Galen back.
Galen cursed as he jumped back down to the platform of the bridge and trained his glock on the thrashing water.
****
Regin struggled against Townsend’s hold, but not quick enough to evade the material thrown around her neck. She kicked her feet and pulled against the velvet tightening around her neck. Black dots swam before her eyes, growing larger with the passing seconds. Time was running out.
Suddenly, another pair of hands joined in the struggle. Strong masculine hands clasped her waist to lift her off Townsend. Regin couldn’t see her rescuer, but knew it wasn’t Galen that clutched at her so protectively. Townsend must have felt the renewed struggle because his hands tightened on her throat and body. He refused to release her and lose the game. He wanted them both to die in the murky blackness of the water.
She felt her rescuer’s hands release his hold and she wanted to whimper not to give up. She wanted to live, but as these thoughts played out in her head she felt something hard being pressed between Townsend’s body and her own. Her savior’s hand grabbed her waist as his other hand pushed against the madman’s.
Familiar Strangers Page 20