Chapter 14
Ren drove into Halle from behind.
She moaned. He clamped his hands on her hips, holding her still for his thrusts.
She panted softly, her hands twisting into the covers. He felt every sound she made in his balls. She tilted her head, and he saw the curve of her jaw, her parted lips, and her hooded eyes. With every thrust, her breasts bounced.
His little, no-longer-a-virgin temptress had let him come on her pretty breasts. Then she’d coaxed him into sliding inside her again.
“More,” she murmured. “Deeper.”
Ren covered her back with his body, sliding a hand into her hair. He tugged until her head tilted back. He drove inside her.
Not once had she been afraid to show him what she was feeling, or what she wanted.
“Who’s inside you, Halle?”
“You are, Ren.”
He’d wanted to be gentle. Knew she’d be tender. But the way she begged him to go deeper, the way he felt her rippling around him, he couldn’t stop or go slower.
He reached under her body, between her thighs, and felt where she was taking him. Her delicate skin that had never taken a man before him was stretched tight around his cock. He found her swollen clit and stroked.
She cried out.
He felt her pussy ripple around him. With a groan, he plunged fast and deep.
She came with a sharp cry. Damn, he’d never get enough of the feel of her coming. The sounds she made, the way she felt.
Fingers clamping on the hips, he buried himself deep and came inside her.
Fuck.
His vision grayed and he held her tight as the pleasure roared through him. He arched his back, and savored the connection between them.
When the searing intensity finally subsided, he dropped onto the bed beside her, and she turned and curled into him. That small, trusting move tugged at his heart. He wrapped an arm around her.
“Told you that I wasn’t too sore,” she said.
He ran his hand down her back. “Baby, I’m not going to complain.” He pulled the covers over them.
He’d snuggle with her for a few minutes, until she fell asleep. But he wasn’t planning to sleep tonight. He needed to keep watch. Needed to keep her safe.
She nuzzled her face against his chest. “I really like sex.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I’m glad, baby.” He could tell from her slurred voice that she was sleepy. He breathed in the scent of her clean hair. “Sleep now, Ariel.”
“Okay, Ren. Night.” Her eyelids closed.
“Night, baby.”
He held her as she snuggled deeper. A few minutes later, he felt her breathing even out and her body relax as she fell asleep.
Emotions he’d been holding back for a long time stormed through him. Damn. He looked at the candlelight flickering on the ceiling, his arm holding Halle tightening.
He felt like the lock on his heart, on the place where he kept his darkest memories, had cracked.
She made a sound, and he relaxed his hold.
But deep down, Ren knew he’d never be able to let her go.
Ren listenedto Halle’s soft breathing.
He’d touched every part of her. Claimed her as his.
His hand curled. He would never be good enough for her, but she made him believe he could be.
He vowed to do whatever he could to make her happy.
You’re mine now, Halle Bradshaw.
She’d delighted in every second where he’d lost himself in her.
No, that wasn’t right. He was realizing that he’d actually found himself in her. When he was with her—whether holding her, listening to her talk, or inside her—everything noisy inside him went quiet.
Everything felt right.
Despite her complaints, he’d woken her long enough to get dressed before she’d fallen back asleep. At first light, they had to go.
He leaned his head back against the wall. While he’d preferred sleeping with her wrapped in his arms, he was fine sitting there in the quiet darkness, keeping watch over her.
His backpack rested by his leg, and he glared at the dark shadow of it. That damn fuel cell had caused a lot of trouble. Had put Halle at risk.
When he found out who’d betrayed them, he’d make sure they paid.
He heard a sound outside.
Ren tensed. Maybe it was an animal?
He pushed the curtain aside the smallest inch. It was dark outside, but moonlight washed over the ranch. He scanned the other cabins, and didn’t see anything.
He kept watching.
There.
A shadow moved by one of the other cabins. He sucked in a breath.
Another one. Near the lodge.
A team in black was moving through the ranch.
Fuck.
He slowly settled the curtain back into place. He moved to the bed and shook Halle awake.
“Halle.” He kept his voice low.
She jolted. “Ren?”
“Shh. We have company. Get your shoes on.”
He couldn’t see her face, but he heard a sharp breath.
“Okay.” She pulled her shoes on and then ripped the blanket off the bed. She shoved it in the cupboard. “So, if someone checks, it won’t look like we were here.”
“Good thinking.”
Ren pulled his backpack on and double checked his handgun. They moved to the back door, and he cracked it open, checking that there was no one outside. He tapped Halle’s arm and crept outside, pulling her with him. The night air was cool.
He pressed his mouth to her ear. “Stay right behind me.” Then he pressed a quick kiss to the side of her head.
He waited a beat, and made sure there were no signs of the intruders. Then he tugged her behind him, heading straight for the trees.
Halle couldn’t move silently. Every noisy footfall, every snapped twig, made him wince. He shook his head. She was doing the best she could.
Finally, they made it to the trees. He pointed ahead, and she nodded.
They moved deeper into the forest. They needed to put as much ground as possible between them and their pursuers.
Without warning, a dark shape rounded a tree. The man was cradling an assault rifle. When he saw them, his eyes widened behind his mask.
Fuck.
Ren leaped at the man.
They crashed to the ground. Ren wrestled for the weapon, and yanked it out of the man’s hands. He pinned the attacker to the ground.
The man jerked up, and knocked Ren off balance.
They grappled, and rolled across the ground, both grunting. The guy was smaller than Ren, but strong.
But Ren was better trained.
And he had more to fight for.
He rolled, and got the guy in a headlock. The man tried to twist free, but Ren held on tight, pulling him backward. Then he got a firm hold on the guy’s jaw, and twisted.
There was a dull crack.
The man’s body went slack. Ren knew he couldn’t let the man warn his team. He dropped the body and rose.
“Ren?”
Halle was watching him, her hands twisted together.
Shit, she’d watched him kill a man. Again.
Was she afraid of him?
“It’s okay.” Grimly, he dragged the body into the bushes. Then he crouched and pulled the man’s mask off.
He was Asian. Ren released a breath, and straightened. “We have to move. Fast.”
She came straight to him and wrapped her arms around him. “Then let’s move. Thank you. For protecting me.”
Something tight inside him eased. She wasn’t afraid of him. He cupped her jaw. “Always.”
They heard noises in the distance. He took her hand and pulled her deeper into the trees.
Halle ran through the forest,desperately trying not to trip.
She could barely see. Occasional shafts of moonlight filtered through the trees and helped, but unlike Ren, who could clearly see in the dark, she felt like she was stumbling around blind.
She’d gone from a warm bed, and memories of making love with Ren, to running for her life.
Focus, Halle.They had to keep the fuel cell safe.
They had to find help.
The terrain got hillier, and her thighs were burning. She knew she was slowing Ren down.
He reached out and grabbed her arm. “You okay?”
She lifted her chin. “Yes.”
Shouts echoed in the distance, and they both looked back. Down the hill, she saw beams of flashlights shining around.
“Dammit,” Ren said. “They must have found the guy I took down. Come on. We need to move faster.”
She gripped his hand and followed him. She wasn’t sure she had any faster in her.
They kept jogging, twisting through the trees. When she looked back, her body tightened. God, the lights were getting closer.
“Ren, they’re coming this way.”
“They must be tracking us. They must have someone who can read our trail.” His tone was as hard as steel. “Come on, we need to hide.” He turned sharp left, and moved down a steep slope.
She skidded behind him.
At the bottom was a fallen tree. In the murky light, she saw that the bulk of the large log was covered in moss, and ferns surrounded it.
Then Ren cursed under his breath. “Careful.” He grabbed her shoulders. “Don’t move that way. There’s the mouth of a cave there, and it looks like it’s deep.”
“It’s probably an old lava tube,” she said. “Parts of the Hawaiian Islands are riddled with them. The lava in active volcanoes forms natural conduits. When the lava tube empties, it leaves behind a cave.”
He pulled her down behind the log. “Stay here.”
She tucked in close to the log. “Where are you going?”
“I need to hide our tracks so these bastards can’t find us.” He disappeared into the shadows.
With him gone, her fear intensified. Halle pulled her legs to her chest.
Thankfully, it was only moments before he was back. He sat down beside her.
But before she could relax, she heard voices. There were definitely speaking in an Asian dialect, and getting closer.
Go past. She willed them in her head. Please, go past.
The voices drifted away. She looked at Ren. There was more light now, and she knew it wouldn’t be much longer before the sun rose.
It would make it harder for them to hide, or slip away unnoticed.
Ren held a finger to his lips.
With a nod, she leaned into him.
It would be fine. Ren was with her. They’d get to the authorities, and then this nightmare would be over.
Finally, Ren rose cautiously. Halle stood and dusted off her butt.
An attacker dropped from a tree.
She gasped and pressed a hand to her mouth. She stumbled backward.
The man slammed into Ren, and they grappled. They shoved at each other, trading several punches.
Ren staggered back and fell against the log. The attacker drew a knife from his belt, the blade glinting in the early morning light.
No. Her heart lodged in her throat.
He swiped at Ren. Ren dodged, and caught the man’s arm. He then rammed his knee into the man’s stomach. They whirled, and the man moved fast, like a striking snake. He slashed at Ren again.
She heard Ren grunt. God, was he hit? Her pulse spiked.
Then Ren grabbed the man, and slammed him back against the fallen log. He pinned the attacker in place, then rammed his head forward, headbutting the man.
The attacker slumped, looking dazed. Ren landed a punch directly to his face.
But suddenly, the man rolled sideways. He spun to his feet, leaped into the air, and landed a kick to Ren’s jaw. She watched his head snap back.
A choked cry escaped her. She had to help him.
She moved her hand around the ground and her fingers closed over a large stick.
The attacker and Ren were struggling and straining against each other. The attacker kicked again, knocking Ren off his feet. He fell to the ground, and the man reared above him, lifting the knife.
Halle ran forward and swung the stick like a bat. She cracked the man in the face.
He flew backward, and landed flat on his back in some plants. He didn’t get up.
“Is he dead?” She wasn’t sure if she was happy or horrified.
Ren rose and checked the man. “Out cold.” He quickly pulled the laces off the man’s boots, then tied his hands and ankles. Next, he yanked off the man’s mask, and fashioned a makeshift gag. “We need to go a different way. Now.”
She nodded. They started down another path, moving through the dense trees. She slapped ferns and large leaves out of her way. The sky was growing paler, and she could see more now. She noted several cave openings as they carefully passed by them.
God, one wrong step, and they could have tumbled inside the lava tubes.
The ground got steeper. Her shoes slipped. “Ren.” Suddenly, she lost her balance, arms windmilling. Then she tumbled down the slope.
She crashed through some bushes and heard Ren curse. She tumbled over and over again. Something stabbed into her side and then something hard slapped against her thigh.
Finally, she rolled to a stop, flopping onto her belly. Ow. Wincing, she lay there panting, sprawled on the ground.
Ren skidded to a stop beside her. “Halle, are you all right?”
He helped her up.
“I’m fine.” Her clothes were smeared with dirt and leaves. “Sorry, I wasn’t watching—” She stepped back.
“Halle, no.”
She realized there was nothing under her foot.
“Ren!” She grabbed at him.
He lunged forward, but his weight overbalanced her. It tumbled them both into the cave opening neither of them had noticed.
Suddenly, they were falling. Ren wrapped his arms around her, and a scream caught in her throat.
A second later, they hit the ground.
Pain was like a sharp slap to the face.
Beside her, Ren groaned. Pain throbbed through Halle’s chest, and she grimaced. She was winded, struggling to breathe. She rolled toward him.
“Ren?” she croaked.
“I’m…okay.” He coughed.
Halle lay on the floor of the cave and looked up. A faint light glowed high overhead from where they’d fallen.
Oh, hell.
They were stuck at the bottom of a lava tube cave.