Chapter Eight
“Thanks. Send her in.” Sage’s heart raced like she’d overdosed on fifty cups of coffee, still craving Alexander, still rattled from the near-miss road accident. Add the lingering remnants of guilt from Donovan’s suicide and she couldn’t stop discomfort from flooding her senses.
A light knock had her approaching the office door. Ready? Well, as ready as she could be with wobbly legs and an impending adrenaline-spike comedown. What an afternoon.
No. She shouldn’t assume the worst, or that’s all she’d see, all she’d attract. Maybe the woman had made peace with the circumstances and came to tell her.
Mallory entered the office, power dressed in an elegant white-linen suit, exuding confidence—not that she hadn’t always looked after herself, consistently appearing impeccable, self-assured.
“Hi, Mallory, good to see you.” Sage forced what she hoped passed as a calm, warm smile and gestured to the closest chair.
She sat, and Sage took the seat opposite, the furniture placement discouraging distance and facilitating clients to open up, to speak freely.
The woman’s eyes locked on hers. “Are you okay?”
“I’m sorry?”
“I saw what happened. I was parking my car and…”
Sage leaned forward. “What did you see?”
“A silver car nearly plowed into you.”
Shit. Yes. “Did you notice anything about the driver?”
“Male. Around thirty. Brown hair, sunglasses.”
Miles. The description fit him like a proverbial glove. Fuck.
“Is that what you saw?” Mallory mirrored Sage’s body language, a concerned crease in her forehead.
“To be honest, it’s a blur. I focused on how I could escape.” She studied Mallory’s eyes. “Did you get the license plate?”
She glanced toward the ceiling. “No, sorry. It all happened too fast.”
Damn. Though, Mallory’s description helped—or at least she hoped it would.
“No worries.” Sage got into her interested-therapist position—a slight lean forward, open posture, no crossed limbs—encouraging eye contact. “So, what did you want to speak about today?”
“Update you on where I’m at. I’ve started a new job. I’m getting myself back on track.” A wave of pain rolled over her face, and she sighed. “Those first few months were really hard. Horrific. But I worked out a way to give me some peace, to help me move on.”
“That’s fantastic. I’m rapt to hear you’ve found a positive way forward.”
“I decided Donovan would’ve wanted it.”
“Yes. He frequently spoke about wanting you to be happy.” And himself, but he didn’t believe he could achieve it. He’d been permanently scarred by his military service, and diverted his thinking onto what would please his wife instead.
Except his skewed assessment determined she’d be better off without him. Had he even asked her about it? Asked what she wanted?
Going by Mallory’s hysterical grief response to his passing, Sage doubted it. And raising it now would only pick the scab off old, festering, emotional wounds, not change the devastating outcome.
“Did you ever speak to a counselor about what happened?”
Mallory gave her a half shrug. “I tried, and it caused more pain. It dredged up a past I couldn’t alter, so I canceled the remaining sessions. Luckily I have a good social network and, as they say, time is a great healer.”
“It’s really important to have solid supports around you.”
“It is.” Mallory tugged on the hem of her jacket. “Anyway, thank you for seeing me.”
“Thank you for stopping by to let me know how you’re doing, and for your eye-witness account of my almost-hit-and-run incident.”
Mallory stood and waved her hand in an ‘it’s nothing’ gesture. “No problem at all. Karma will ensure people get what they deserve.”
An icy fist of dread seized Sage’s heart. Hadn’t her tormentor written similar words? She’d double-check, but so what? It didn’t prove anything. Lots of people used that expression, believed it. It didn’t mean Mallory was the bad guy, or in this case, woman.
The second her office door clicked closed, Sage emailed a first-names-only summary of her three client suspects to herself to run past Alexander. As an unbiased, independent outsider, he might identify something she hadn’t. At the very least, he’d give her a fresh perspective.
She shut down her computer and re-entered reception.
Alexander stalked over, looking like a rough-and-ready mountain-of-a-man, the sprinkling of stubble making him appear extra ‘don’t-mess-with-me’ fierce. But it didn’t frighten her. The steely, determined glint in his eyes and his hard, buff exterior turned her on…big time.
He cupped her cheeks with his huge hands. “Ready to go, baby?”
“Yes. Please.” She glanced at her faithful receptionist.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” The woman’s smile said, go-do-him…now.
Her thoughts exactly.
As soon as she and Alexander were buckled into the car, he reached out and clasped her hand, holding it on her lap the entire drive to her house. They spoke sporadically, mostly menial, superficial stuff, both their minds seeming a little distracted. Hers definitely was… focused on the day’s events, plus Alexander’s covert yet palpable promises of pleasure. He’d already proven he had the skills to please.
The second he parked in her garage, he closed the automatic door, dashed around to the passenger side and pulled her into his arms.
“What are you…?”
“Taking you inside before I go all barbaric and fuck you right here.”
She gripped him tight, nipped the juncture where his neck met his shoulder and wound her legs around his waist. “That sounds like fun.”
He grunted. “Another time. I promised myself I’d worship your body, and I’m a man of my word.”
Oh. Her clit throbbed at his admission.
Key in hand, he wrenched open the door leading into the house, paused to lock it behind them and strode up the stairs to her bedroom. He lowered her down, her body rubbing the large impossible-to-miss bulge in his pants.
Alexander slid one hand onto her ass and the other onto her nape and angled her head, taking her mouth in a controlling, heart-stopping kiss.
He trailed his lips along her jaw, down her neck and up to her ear. “I need you naked.”
With his skilled hands, he had her nude in seconds, and lifted her onto the mattress. “Spread your legs so I can see how wet you are for me.”
Heat rose from her chest all the way to the top of her head. Such a dirty, dirty man. And she loved it, loved him. She propped on her forearms, ensuring she didn’t miss the Alexander strip show from the best seat in the house, and exposed her pussy, his eyes turning into molten blue pools of desire.
He threw off his clothes, all wild and inelegant, as though he couldn’t wait a second longer to join her. She’d never seen anything sexier. Then he got her pulse really pounding, positioning himself between her legs and putting his mouth right on her pleasure point.
She moaned and bucked, begging for more. And boy, did he deliver. He stroked his tongue over and around her clit, making her tremble and writhe, while his hands wandered over her thighs and breasts. Add the vision of his stunning face feasting on her most intimate parts with a savage, single-minded passion, and she climaxed.
He licked her through it, extending the elation and lapping up her arousal. The man commandeered her whole body, stimulating every single nerve ending…constantly.
“That was quick.” His breath caressed her flesh. “I’d just gotten started.”
“Alexander…”
“Yeah, baby?” He gently sucked on her clit, driving her right back up to the verge of coming.
“Don’t you want to be inside me?”
“Fuck, yeah. But first, I want to see you orgasm again, taste how much you want me.” He ran a soft tongue through her folds, in and around her entrance and latched onto her swollen little nub.
She couldn’t stop the inarticulate sounds falling from her lips.
He lifted her legs over his shoulders, burying his face deeper, and thrust two thick fingers into her entrance. Without warning she exploded, shattering into tiny pleasurable pieces. Pieces she wasn’t sure anyone could put back together…except Alexander.
He understood her inside and out, way better than her friends and family did. But maybe the seed had been planted before he’d left, germinated and now flourished under the right conditions, within the right environment.
Not that being terrorized was ideal, but it’d brought him closer—an extremely positive side benefit. He’d resumed a new and improved place in her life. And she couldn’t be happier, couldn’t be more grateful.
“Where did you go, baby?”
“I think I blissed out.”
“Fuck, yes.” The proud, sinful smile on his glistening lips had her getting all turned on again. “Let’s see if I can make it a hat-trick.”
He returned her legs to the mattress and raked his hungry gaze over her. “Flip over. Get on your hands and knees and dip your back.”
God she loved it when he got bossy in the bedroom. It had her all achy and wanton and wet.
She followed his instructions, and he growled. “Fucking sexy.” He kissed each vertebra and notched his cock against her opening.
Sage shifted into him, and he thrust home, sending tingles right to the tips of her toes. “Ohhh…Alexander!” She couldn’t even recognize her own voice, surprised she’d said anything that made sense.
“Yeah, baby.” He picked up his fucking pace. “Come on my cock.”
And she did, right on command. An avalanche of euphoria crashed over her, and he followed her into the orgasmic abyss.
His breath pounded into her shoulder, and she wanted more. When didn’t she want more of him?
Post-sex endorphins flooded her senses, and she’d never felt better. Him, too, going by his contented sighs, the way he stroked her skin. But how would he respond once the threat was extinguished? Would removing the danger dilute the intensity of his feelings? Eliminate his compelling need to be a savior?
Alexander shifted onto his back and pulled her to him. She nuzzled into his neck and kissed his pec over the intricate leaf tattoo. “This is beautiful.”
“It is.” He hesitated, as though unsure whether to say more. “It’s Sage.”
“Sage?”
“Yeah. I needed you close to me…always.”
“That’s so… You’re the sweetest man.” Tears welled up in her eyes, and she pressed loving kisses over his heart. This guy…
But before they could really relax and enjoy each other, they needed to sort out her stalker situation. She sighed. “Not to ruin the moment, but I reviewed my client notes. I think one of three could possibly be behind this.”
He stiffened. “Show me.”
“Let me get my phone.”
He released his Herculean hold, and Sage grabbed her mobile from her handbag. She opened her email app and gave him her summary. “Miles is the frontrunner after Mallory said she saw him drive the car that nearly ran me over today. But who knows? It might be true or her vision could’ve been compromised or she may be protecting herself. We need to contemplate all possibilities.”
Alexander read and reread her notes, staying silent for a long time.
Nervous energy bubbled up inside her. “What do you think?”
“I think you did a great job at narrowing down options. They all have potential. They all have motives.”
He handed over her phone, and she placed it on the bedside table. “So, now what? How do I lure the person out?”
“You won’t. I’m not putting you in any more danger.”
She pushed onto her elbow and stared down at him. “But we have to do something!”
“No, we don’t. Just go about our daily lives and observe. The person will get impatient, show their cards.”
“That could take ages! I want to get on with my life. I’m sick of living in fear.”
He scrubbed his hand over his imperfectly handsome face—a face that had seen much more than she’d ever comprehend. It amazed her that these military men and women made it back even partially functional. “Believe me, it’s about patience. Being impulsive gets people killed. I know.”
Oh. Shit. Of course he did. “What happened?”
He half shook his head. “I don’t want to burden you with it.”
“You’re not. I want to know.”
He scrutinized her eyes, as though debating whether to expand on his experience. He must have seen her determination and sighed. “We were doing a peace-keeping mission and came across a family. They looked distraught. I had two of my men stay to try to comfort and assure them we’d get them to safety, while I went and checked out any broader threats.
“I’d hardly made it outside of the bombed, condemned building when an explosion threw me and the rest of my crew across the sand, instantly killing the guys who’d stayed behind.
“The blast originated internally, with the supposedly distressed ‘family’—decoys more like it—right where I’d been standing not even two minutes beforehand.” His gaze lifted to the sky as though it could give him some much-sought-after strength. “I lost part of my family that day. I’d made a huge error in judgment and almost killed my whole team. I should have had their backs. I should have been less emotional and more practical.”
She touched his cheek, his eyes distant. “That’s awful…horrific—living in war zones, dealing with the constant stress and hazards and loss of lives, having to make potentially life-changing decisions in a split second.
“I can only imagine how hard that is. But you’re not responsible. You made choices based on the circumstances, on the information you were given. How could you know it was a trap? You were trying to help, do the right thing—and that’s admirable.”
“Is it? I made an unatonable mistake. I let my emotions get the better of me, and people died—people close to me, people I loved. And I can never get them back.”
She stared at him, his facial expression full of anguish. “It doesn’t mean that you ignore your instincts or go too hard the other way to try to overcompensate. That can cause issues, too.
“Learning from the past is as important as focusing on the present. Right now, we need a clear plan, something enticing enough to draw the culprit out without too much risk. We need to be smart, strategic and put the right safety measures in place.”
His gaze flicked to hers, and he studied her eyes, not quite looking convinced.
“It’s about balance—not being impulsive or over emotional. It’s about neutrally assessing and implementing. It’s about having a contingency if things don’t pan out as planned.. Whatever we decide on needs to prevent the person from causing too much damage when caught, because they will thrash and scream and try to bargain.”
Alexander’s jaw clenched and a muscle spasmed, rippling through his sexy scruff. “They won’t succeed. I’ll make sure of that.”
“The point is not to put either of us in unnecessary danger.”
He clasped her face with gentle, loving hands and stared into her eyes. “That is the aim, but, just know, I’ll take a bullet for you. Whatever’s required. You’re important to me. Beyond important.”
“You’re important to me, too, so don’t do something stupid. Don’t put yourself at avoidable risk, trying to be a hero. I need you to stay alive. We both need to.”
His unwavering stare held so much potency, affection and adoration, she almost cried. “I love you.” His voice cracked, his tone full of absolute conviction.
“I love you, too. And I don’t want anything to jeopardize that, not one single thing. So you better not fuck it up.”
A grin tugged at his lips. “I won’t ever fuck up with you again. I promise.”
“I know.” She loved a smart, fit, muscly man in uniform…or out of it—someone willing to risk his life to protect his country, to protect others. Alexander still did all that, even though he’d been discharged from service.
Would his protective nature put him at increased risk? Probably. Most likely. It’s what he did, what he’d spent the best part of his career doing. Emotionally, they were both compromised. However, he’d well and truly done his duty and paid the PTSD price. She wanted him to heal, not revert into that dark solitary place.
Sage took a deep breath and exhaled the escalating anxiety. “So what’s the plan?”
“Wait for the next communication and say you want to meet to talk.”
“Then?”
“I come with you, and we sort it out.”
“What if they demand I go alone?”
“I’ll tail you and stay way behind, enough for me to see you without being obvious. If they’re smart, they’ll request somewhere secluded they believe they can escape from if things don’t go as expected. They’ll have somewhere in mind and use a reason they assume you can’t argue with…so don’t.
“Wherever it is, I’ll be right behind you. I’ll put a tracking device on your car and hide one in your clothes. That way, even if you’re forced away from your vehicle or your mobile is confiscated, I can still find you.”
“Okay.” Sort of. Initially she’d been flying on adrenaline, buoyed by the need for a resolution, but now the stark reality of their predicament made her feel incredibly exposed and vulnerable. However, they’d run out of other options. This strategy seemed their best, highest-probability bet to flush the person out. She just hoped the perp was inexperienced and all talk.
Her phone buzzed and she startled, a shudder jerking along her spine.
Alexander ran his hands over her bare skin and pressed a tender, confident kiss to her lips. “I swear I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She believed he’d try to uphold his promise, but no one could control the entire environment. No one could control the future. Sometimes things happened that couldn’t be predicted. And sometimes those things had far-reaching, life-changing effects.
She wound her arms around his neck and her top leg over his waist, in an I-never-want-to-let-you-go hug.
“Baby, I could stay like this indefinitely, but you need to check your phone.” His rough, raspy voice penetrated her ear.
“I know.” She didn’t move. Part of her had hoped if she disregarded those messages, avoided the jibes, the taunting, the terror, the problem would cease to exist—lose momentum, peter out. And she and Alexander could live in their own little protected bubble, like they kind of had been.
Reluctantly she untangled herself from his hot, ripped body and reached for her mobile.
An ominous text.
You think you’ve got protection? Think again. I’ve found a chink in his armor.
She gasped, and Alexander snatched the phone from her hand. He glared at the screen, his jaw clamping tight, his eyes flaring like boiling blue caldrons of fury.
“Whatever they think they know, they understand jack shit. I’ve hardly been back in the country for five minutes.” His voice sounded as harsh as his expression. “Obviously they’ve seen us together looking friendly. They probably think I’m your weak spot, your kryptonite. Then hurting me serves an even greater goal. Kills two sitting ducks with one stone.”
Alexander was her weak spot. Hurting him would kill her.
He threw her mobile onto the quilt and slammed his fist into the mattress. “They’re not getting past me to you. No fucking way. Not happening.”
Her phone started ringing, and for a moment they stared at each other without moving. Then he grabbed it and handed it over.
Chase. She pressed the call-answer button.
“Sis, I’ve been in a car accident. Don’t freak out. I’m okay but the ambulance has taken me to the hospital to check me over as a safety precaution. If I tick all the right boxes, they’ll send me home soon.”
“Chase, oh God. Which hospital? How long do you think you’ll be? I’ll come and get you—”
Alexander grabbed the mobile out of her hand and hit speaker. “Let us know when you’re ready.”
“Alexander?”
“Yeah.” He hung up.
Sage stared at him, her mouth agape. “What the fuck was that?”
“Me keeping you safe.”
“Excuse me?”
“It could be a ploy to get you out of the house.”
“You think Chase is involved?” No fucking way.
“No. But this person knows a lot about you and your life. Who’s to say they didn’t ram into your brother on purpose, knowing you’d want to see him. If you’re all flustered and vulnerable, you’ll be easy to kidnap or attack…presumably both.”
She started trembling and couldn’t stop. “So, what now?”
“When your brother’s got the green light for discharge, I’ll go get him.”
“You’re going to leave me alone? Shouldn’t I come with you?”
“Too dangerous. Too easy to separate us and lure you away.”
She tried to swallow the boulder of stress blocking her throat. “It’s unsafe here, too. They’ve broken into my house before. They could do it again.”
“That would be pretty bold and extra difficult now that you’ve got the additional security measures in place.”
“I suppose.” She wanted to believe it, yet confidence drained from her like dirty dishwater down the plughole.
“Lock yourself in your bedroom and keep your phone on you. If you hear anything, call triple zero, then me. Got it?”
Her heart wouldn’t stop racing, her stomach roiled, her skin turned clammy. If her body didn’t settle, she’d be taken to hospital next. She tried to swallow the huge lump of anxiety swelling in her throat. “I think so.”
He held her face, his gaze locking on her eyes. “No ‘I think so’. I need a definite yes.”
“Yes.”
“Good. I’m going to grab the trackers from my place. I won’t be gone long.” He swung out of bed, pulled on his jeans and T-shirt and flew out of the house, a man on a no-time-to-waste mission.
Sage threw on her robe and locked the door behind him. She stood there, frozen, and hugged her arms around herself. This sucked.
Thankfully, within thirty minutes, he returned. Even in that short time, she’d missed him.
She heard him fiddling around with her car, then he strode inside and shut the door. Sage stood at the top of the stairs, and he charged up, reached for her and wrapped her in his arms. “You okay?”
“Fine.” Kind of.
“Anything weird happen? Anything at all?” He pulled away and studied her eyes.
“No.”
“Good.” He planted a hard kiss on her lips, then held her hand and led her back into the bedroom. “Let’s get this tracker secured inside your bra.”
Alexander grabbed the lacy one he had flung onto the floor earlier in their haste to fuck and requested she put it back on. She did, her hands shaky, fumbling with the clasp. Alexander took over, his fingers becoming a welcome distraction. No, much, much more than that.
Purposeful.
Driven.
She hungered for his warm, arousing, adoring touch.
He installed the tiny bug in among her underwire, and she could barely feel the thing. The chances of someone discovering it were remote, unless they had experience in the field.
Like Miles.
Like Trista.
She shivered.
He ran his palms along her arms and looked her in the eye. “You’re all set. The second I go, you lock me out and stay home. And keep your mobile on you at all times. Understand?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
Alexander cupped her face. “It’s all going to work out, okay?”
“I hope so.”
“Do you trust me?”
“Of course. It’s everyone else… Well, except my brother.”
Her phone rang. “It’s Chase,” she said and pressed the green call-answer button. “How are you doing?”
“Ready to go home.”
“You can stay at my place.”
“Thanks, but I’m fine. They’ve given me a cleaner than clean bill of health.”
“That’s great.” She swallowed the bulge of nerves balled in her throat and darted her gaze to her man.
He nodded.
“Where should Alexander pick you up?”
“Just Alexander? Is everything okay?”
“Yes. What’s the address?”
Chase hesitated, then recited the details. She repeated the info aloud, allowing her man to type it into his phone.
She hung up and turned to the guy she loved. “He’s ready.”
“Are you?”
“I don’t have a choice. Like you said, you shouldn’t take too long. And I have the bra tracker, so unless the person gets me naked, we should be fine.” She needed to inject some humor into the conversation or risk drowning in a deluge of distress.
He stroked her very responsive nipple. “Good point.”
“Pity you have to leave now then.”
“Massive disappointment. But my best friend needs me.”
“He does. Go. I’m good.”
Alexander held her plastered to him and smashed his mouth to hers in a kiln-hot kiss. “See you soon, baby.”
She locked up behind him, rechecked all the doors and windows, activated the alarm and bolted herself in her bedroom. She put the TV on low…and couldn’t concentrate. Until Alexander arrived, she’d sit on that scary, treacherous, emotional edge.
Her phone rang and she answered, shoving it to her ear before even checking the caller ID. “Alexander?”