Hard Pursuit

by Sheryl Nantus

  Trey frowned. “That couldn’t be enough.”

  “The families of the workers who were killed are filing civil lawsuits. Capprelli is talking to the lawyers, trying to cut a deal, and he’s willing to say Vincent ordered him to push the workers. Vincent got nervous and refused to talk to them, even with our people present. I gave my statement, countering what the company lawyers recommended. After that, I announced I was leaving the company—taking my share of Sheldon Construction and going out on my own.” She tapped the embossed business card. “Phoenix. All mine.”

  “Why?” The whisper almost undid her, the single word digging right into her core.

  She drew a deep breath.

  Trey didn’t wait for her to answer. “Why now? After all he’d said and done, all you’ve gone through for your family—why now?” He sat up ramrod straight in the chair, hands on his knees. “You stayed with Vincent through thick and thin. So, what was the tipping point? The bodies at the site, the families at the hospital, the news reporters pushing you for a statement?”

  He was almost yelling, the words thrust toward her like daggers. “What was it?”

  “You.” She exhaled the word. “You.” She pulled her fingers in, pressing her fists against the bar top. “You got inside, and I couldn’t get you out.”

  Trey’s forehead furrowed. “I don’t understand.”

  “Before I met you, I thought I could work around Vincent’s issues. But you showed up and changed everything in my world.” She kept talking, not letting him interrupt. “The accident at the construction site was a chance for Vincent to show me he might have changed, reformed after hearing your accusation. Instead, he threw the blame onto Capprelli. Then I heard the confession, and I had a choice to make. You showed me I could be more. That I needed to be more. I spotted my chance and took it.”

  Trey spoke after a few moments of silence. “What about Vincent?”

  “If I know him, he’ll do what he can to avoid spending any time in jail, either on the construction accident or the hit-and-run. There’s no statute of limitations on manslaughter—the prosecutor said they’ll try their hardest to build a case. I think he’ll try to cut a deal, include rehab.” She hesitated. “I can’t promise you more.”

  “It’s enough.” He smiled. “I learned a little something from Nick’s parents. I can’t keep looking back—I need to move on. That doesn’t mean forgive and forget—but I’ve done all I can, and that’ll have to be enough.”

  “I understand.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry I didn’t call. I didn’t think you wanted to be disturbed.”

  “I didn’t. But now I’m back.”

  “You look good.”

  “Thank you.” He eyed her. “So, what are your plans?”

  Ally bit her lip before answering. “I have to go back to New York City in a few days. That’s where my home base was and will be. I’ve got connections there, and I can’t walk away from the city I love. I’m sorry.” She shook her head. “I love Las Vegas, I do. I’ll be visiting to check on the projects, but I can’t stay permanently. Not yet.”

  “Right.” He nodded. “I guess the next question is why did you come here?”

  “I came…” Her nerve faltered for a second. “I came to see you.”

  “And you have.” A smile tickled the edges of his mouth. “Let me make a bid. I’ll put it in business terms.” He stared at her. “Here’s my offer. I throw you over my shoulder and carry you to the truck, drive to my apartment, take you up to my bedroom, and rip your clothes off.”

  Her mouth went dry.

  He rose from the chair and stood in front of her, putting the bar at her back. He leaned forward and placed his hands on the bar itself, trapping her in his embrace. “I strip you naked, run my tongue over every inch of your body, and taste every bit of you before I make you mine forever, beginning by making you scream over and over again until you lose your voice.” One eyebrow rose. “To start with.”

  Ally cleared her throat. “Ah…” She crossed her legs in a vain attempt to hold on to the last bits of her sanity. “Is there any place here for negotiation?”

  “None,” he rumbled and her thighs clenched together at the possessive tone. “The only thing you have control over is how long I make you wait.”

  She leaned back to try and quell the desire sizzling through her. “How long do I have to consider this offer?”

  “Not too long.” The low rumble stoked her desire, ratcheted it up a notch. “And the clock’s a-ticking.”

  She paused, her mind spinning.

  He cocked his head to one side.

  “Time’s up.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  He was caught between heaven and hell, some sort of lovers’ purgatory where he needed her more than the air itself.

  He was done waiting.

  Trey swooped her up in his arms, enjoying her wild laugh. She wrapped her arms around him instinctively as he kissed her, one hand tangling in her short hair and the other sliding up under her skirt, stopping only when he reached her butt.

  She mumbled something into his mouth as he squeezed her ass, her hands tugging his T-shirt free from his jeans.

  He pulled free and stared at her. “What?”

  “My hotel room.” Her lips were swollen and wet. “It’s closer.”

  “No. This time in my space, in my world.” Trey let out a growl as he headed for the front door. “My apartment is about a twenty-minute drive. Hope we can make it.”

  They almost didn’t.

  It wasn’t on his part, sliding through yellow lights by the skin of his teeth and leaving angry drivers in their wake.

  It was totally on Ally, practically crawling into his lap while he struggled to stay on the road, her hands roaming over his bare torso and working on his belt, her mouth on the side of his neck, nibbling and nipping at him.

  Her leg slid over his, and he considered pulling over into a parking lot, right there in the middle of the day.

  He gritted his teeth and stomped on the gas pedal, hoping and praying there were no police around.

  They skidded into the lot for his building as his patience was nearing its end, his driving need overriding his common sense.

  He threw his door open and ran around to the other side, dragging her out by the hand.

  It was pure luck and good timing on the elevator’s part that they didn’t end up naked in the hallway. They barely made it inside the apartment before he grabbed hold of her skirt and yanked it down and away, destroying the zipper.

  She gasped into his mouth, making him even harder—something he hadn’t thought was possible at this point.

  Trey stumbled into his bedroom doorway, pulling back just long enough to scan the bed. He’d made it up with clean white sheets before leaving for Pittsburgh, setting a single gray blanket at the bottom of the bed.

  In a perfect world, there would be candles around them, a thousand stars lighting their way to a new life.

  Maybe later, but not now.

  There was nothing but his need for her, his almost overwhelming lust for her calling to every bit of his body and soul.

  She unbuttoned the top of his jeans with a swift twist of her wrist, sliding her hand inside to stroke him, running her hand along his length.

  He arched back into her touch, his hands falling away as he rolled his eyes and groaned.

  “I missed you,” Ally rasped. “I wanted to call you, to tell you I was waiting for you. But I held back.”

  “No more holding back. For either of us.” He ripped her blouse open, buttons skittering across the hardwood floor. She gasped in reply, fueling his desire.

  “I’ll give you a shirt. Tomorrow.” Trey fingered the lacy bra and matching panties, cupping her through the thin black fabric. She was already wet, the dampness under his fingers calling to him.

  He backed her up against the edge of the bed, reveling in the way she trembled under his touch. Her skin was so soft—he could spend hours stroking her, explor
ing every inch of her body with his fingers.

  But not now.

  There’d be a time and place for that, but he wanted her more than anything he’d ever wanted—and judging by the way she was trying to yank his jeans off, it was mutual.

  A growl escaped her lips, and he smiled, pleased with himself for bringing out such emotion in her.

  She tugged his jeans down along with the briefs, sliding to her knees in front of him.

  He stepped back and took hold of her shoulders, pulling her to sit on the bed.

  “Not yet.” The memory of her mouth on him, the wet heat enveloping him, was almost overwhelming, and it took a concentrated push to keep control.

  She licked her lips and smirked at him, almost changing his mind.

  He teased her through her damp panties, enjoying the way her eyes were clouding over with desire.

  Trey kicked off his boots and socks as he toyed with her, kissing her hard as he continued to tease her. One finger slipped under the thin lace and yanked it away, leaving her bare to him.

  “This is becoming a routine with you,” she whispered. “I’m going to run out of underwear if this keeps up.”

  “I’ve got no problem with that.” He gently laid her back on the bed. “I’m fine if you want to walk around the place naked.”

  That earned him a loud laugh, which vanished as he laid his mouth on her, his tongue flicking out to caress her damp thighs.

  Her hands scrabbled to get a hold of his forearms, nails scratching his skin. Ally’s mouth opened as if she was going to answer him, but nothing came out but a long, rolling whimper that had him aching to be inside her.

  One long delicious swipe of his tongue and her hips rose to meet him, her soft cries calling him onward.

  The desire rose in him, swamping all coherent thought.

  Later on, he would be slow and gentle, take her to the edge and bring her back down over and over again, tease even more noises out of her. Later on.

  He had to have her. Now.

  He moved up to kiss her breasts, nuzzling and fondling them each in turn as she writhed under him, her hands skimming over every inch of him. His teeth skimmed a nipple, and she let out a squeal of delight, the sound shooting straight to his cock.

  His beard stubble scraped against her skin, leaving his mark behind. It added to his arousal as he lifted his head and saw the proof of his loving.

  Finally, he rose over her, anchoring his elbows on each side of her head. Her fingers dug into his ass, clutching at him as he moved into place between her legs.

  Her kisses dotted his face, urging him on.

  It was more than he could take.

  He slid home, relishing the way she arched under him, lifted to meet him stroke for stroke. It was as if they’d never been away from each other, the weeks away vanishing as he kissed her, letting her steal the breath out of his very lungs.

  If he died right here, right now, he’d regret nothing he’d done in his life.

  Other than waiting so long to get to this spot.

  …

  She’d thought about this. Dreamed about this. Ached at night for his touch.

  His hands went around her, holding her tight as he thrust in and out, his frantic pace betraying his driving need.

  Ally wasn’t going to complain. She’d been damp since he’d come up to her at the bar, the mere sight of him enough to send everything else out of her mind, everything but the desperate, frantic desire for him.

  Her hands skimmed over his back now, thrilling at the scent and feel of him against her. She’d never felt like this before, never had this hunger for a single man.

  Ally trembled, surging toward her release. She felt him racing toward completion as well, his thrusts speeding up.

  Trey’s right hand caressed her breast before moving between them, sliding through the dampness to find the spot with perfect aim, his thumb pressing against it with just enough pressure to push her up and over.

  Even as her vision whited out, her nails digging into his shoulders and raking across his slick, toned muscles, she heard him roar into the pillow beside her ear, the wild shout driving her on.

  He went slack, his arms trembling as he tried to hold himself off of her. With a grunt, he slid to one side, pulling her into a deep hug.

  “How bad is your jet lag?” He kissed her softly, his tongue teasing her bottom lip.

  “I could use a nap.” She smiled. “Then round two.”

  “Then three, four, and five.”

  She couldn’t think of what to say to that, so she closed her eyes, warm and safe in his arms.

  She woke up with a jolt, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. A beam of sunlight, sliced by the window blinds, lay across the bed, telling her it had to be early afternoon.

  A hand tightened on her hip, keeping her still.

  Trey’s soft kiss on the back of her neck settled her as she laid back on the pillow, curling into his warm embrace.

  Her stomach gave an embarrassing growl.

  Trey chuckled as he laid a line of kisses from her neck around to her earlobe, tugging on it with his teeth. “Someone’s hungry.”

  “I might have skipped breakfast. Someone made me miss lunch.” She twisted around to face him. “Although, I might have an appetite for something else.”

  He threw one leg over her hip, pressing her against him. “Really?”

  She slipped her hand between them to take hold of his erection, delighting as he rose to her touch. “Really.”

  He groaned as he arched against her, automatically reacting. Then, with a sigh, he pulled back. “You better eat. Don’t want you fainting on me.” He gave her a wink. “At least, not for lack of food.”

  Ally playfully slapped his chest. “You think a hell of a lot of yourself.”

  Trey grinned and turned away, twisting the sheets with him. “Damned straight.” He stood up and looked at her naked body sprawled across his bed. “I could get used to this.”

  “What does that mean?”

  He stopped still, his expression telling her he hadn’t thought much past the words. “I’m not sure.”

  “Here.” She patted the bed. “Get back in here.”

  “Hold on.” Trey went out of the room. He returned a few minutes later with a handful of granola bars, dumping them on the bed.

  She laughed as she helped herself to one, finding it delicious.

  Trey slid in beside her, pulling her onto his chest as she nibbled on the snack. “There. Not a lot, but it’ll hold you for the time being.”

  She closed her eyes, reveling in the simple taste of nuts and honey. “Okay. We have to talk.”

  His chest rumbled under her as she drew her fingers along the lightly furred skin, moving from one small scar to the next.

  “I think…” She pressed her palm to his chest. “I might be a little bit in love with you.”

  “Hmm.” His right hand stroked her bare back. “I’m a little bit there, too. So, I guess the question now is what do we want to do about it?”

  She looked up at him. “I want to make you an offer.”

  “Can’t be better than the one I made earlier.”

  “I have to go back to New York in a week. There’s no way around that. At the best estimate, I can be back here in a month to supervise the ground-breaking at the new development and make sure the contractors are on point. My uncle has conceded a number of projects to me—since I never signed a non-competitive agreement, it’s not an issue. He also knows he’s got to lessen his workload, especially with Vincent’s uncertain future.”

  “I understand.” He ran his fingers through her hair.

  “Except…” She drew a deep breath. “I need a right-hand man. Someone who can stand with me and help make Phoenix successful. Someone like you.”

  His forehead furrowed as he took in her words. “I’m not a businessman. I’ve got no formal training.”

  “No. You’ve got computer savvy and a good attitude.” She continued, afraid to
stop. “I love you, Trey. I want you to be with me as I make this company bigger and better, more successful than Sheldon Construction ever was.”

  He smiled. “You don’t want me to play the same role I was before? The strong man behind the woman?”

  “Yes. And no. I want the strong man behind me and beside me. I want your mad computer skills to help make my dreams come true, and with them, yours.”

  He cupped her face in her hands. “I got up the morning after you left and went to work at the club. I sat down in front of my monitors, and all I saw was you. Every screen, every camera. At the bar, in the parking lot, no matter where I looked. When I found you, found Vincent, it was the end of a part of my life. I’d done nothing other than search for him, put my life on hold while I sought him out to deliver justice.”

  “With Dylan and the others,” she added.

  He nodded. “I flew drones, I fought when necessary, and I hacked the hell out of systems to help others. But when it came to helping myself, I stalled—until you showed up with Jessie and that birthmark. When you left, I had nothing. I was nothing.” He locked eyes with her. “Now I know who I want to be. I want to be with you.”

  A smirk touched his lips. “Let me say it again, without speaking.”

  Before she could reply, he was kissing and nuzzling his way between her legs.

  Then his mouth was on her, and she couldn’t think or say anything at all.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  She awoke in near darkness, the bright neon lights from a nearby casino illuminating the bedroom window. The brilliant pink and blue flashed on and off, reminding her of a firework display.

  “I got this place because I liked the night lights,” he whispered before laying a loud, sloppy kiss on the back of her neck. “It’s Vegas, after all.”

  “Ah.” She didn’t try to pull free, her body blissfully lax and lazy from the afternoon’s loving. “I still have a few more days.”

  Trey hummed something as he nibbled her earlobe. “It’ll take me a bit of time to lock things down here. Don’t want to leave Dylan short-handed, and he’ll want me to make sure everyone’s trained on the system.”