Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
“ T he steaks are almost ready,” Sawyer called out, as he flipped the steaks on the grill by the pool. Inside, Hollis was making a salad.
He watched her through the glass as she waved at him. She was standing at the kitchen island, and was quiet, edgy, and off-balance. She hadn’t been able to sit still while she’d been giving Jesse a rundown on the attack.
Sawyer felt a hard shot of anger. They didn’t know if the asshole who’d tried to kill her was still on the island, but Sawyer would find him.
He pulled out his cellphone and texted Jesse.
You get anything on this guy, you let me know straight away.
Jesse responded immediately.
You know I will, Sawyer. I’ve passed his description onto Maui PD.
But Sawyer heard what Jesse didn’t say. They didn’t have much to go on.
Thanks again for coming out.
Next, Sawyer made a call.
“Sawyer?” Vander’s deep voice answered. “Everything okay?”
“I need some help.”
“Whatever you need, you’ve got it.”
Vander owned one of the best security firms in the country. If anyone could help him, it was Vander. “I met someone. A woman.”
“Really? So you did listen to my advice.”
Sawyer turned his back to the sliding glass doors. “She’s not from here, it’s just a temporary thing.”
“Okay.”
“But she’s in danger. Someone attacked her at the beach today, and tried to drown her.”
Vander cursed. “Is she okay?”
“Yes, although she’s shaken.” As was Sawyer.
“I’m guessing this wasn’t random?”
“Not a chance.”
“What’s her name?”
Sawyer prodded the steaks again. “Hollis. Hollis Stanton.”
There was a long pause. “She has the same name as the actress?”
“No, she is the actress.”
Vander whistled. “When I told you to find a woman, you didn’t mess around.”
“She’s staying in a holiday house near mine. Vander, someone’s after her.”
“A stalker?”
“No. I need you to dig into a man called Michael Reuben.”
Another pause. “The wealthy Hollywood producer. I’ll get Ace on it.”
Sawyer told Vander what Hollis had overheard at Reuben’s house.
“Hell, it sounds like she stumbled onto something nasty,” Vander mused.
“I’m not letting her get hurt.” Sawyer turned, and let his gaze drift back to her through the glass.
“All right. Let me do some digging. I’ll call you when I’ve got something. Do you need backup?”
“Not yet, but I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks, Vander.”
“Always.”
After he slipped his cellphone back in his pocket, he put the steaks on a plate. He headed inside.
“I was going to cook for you tonight.” Hollis’s nose wrinkled. “My famous pepper steak stir fry. Instead, you worked all day, had to deal with my drama, and then had to cook the steaks.”
He set the plate on the island. “Hey.” He cupped her cheeks. “Getting attacked wasn’t your fault. And keeping you safe is no hardship.”
She swallowed. “You’re the real deal, aren’t you?”
He cocked a brow.
She pressed her hands to his chest. “A good guy.”
He stroked a thumb over her lip. “I’m not a saint.”
She smiled. “Oh, I know.” She nipped his thumb. “Come on, let’s eat before the steaks get cold.”
They sat at the table, with a moonlit view of the ocean beyond the pool. After a little while, Hollis relaxed, talking about the scripts she’d been reading, and which ones she’d liked. But after they’d cleaned up and washed the dishes, that edgy tension leaked back in again.
He could tell she was anxious and exhausted.
“Go and get ready for bed. I’ll lock up.”
“You’re staying?” She didn’t hide the hope in her voice.
“Of course, I’m staying.”
With a relieved nod, she disappeared into the bedroom.
Sawyer checked all the doors and windows. He scanned out back, taking in the shadows under the trees. Was someone out there? Watching her place?
Bring it. They’d have to go through him first to get to her.
Back in the bedroom, he found Hollis in a short, sexy nightgown, in a shade of blue-gray that suited her. His cock twitched.
Down boy . She was tired and vulnerable. Tonight was about taking care of her, and making sure she got some sleep.
He pulled off his shirt, and her gaze zeroed in on his chest.
“Get into bed, Hollis. You’re tired.”
He headed for the bathroom and brushed his teeth. Back in the bedroom, he set his SIG Sauer handgun down on the bedside table.
“I’m not sure I can sleep.” She was under the covers and propped up on the pillows.
“You’ll sleep.”
“You can’t just order me to sleep, Sawyer.”
He climbed in, and hauled her close, then pressed a kiss to her mouth. Then he lay back, pulled her face to his neck.
With a sigh, she relaxed against him. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Those quiet words arrowed into him, and hooked in deep. He’d avoided strong connections for a long time. Hell, it wasn’t that he’d avoided people, he just hadn’t been capable.
Old screams, the scent of fire. He closed his eyes, then opened them again. But with Hollis, it was so easy.
He stroked her hair. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.” Then he leaned over and grabbed the remote for the TV attached to the bedroom wall.
As he flicked through Archer’s streaming services, he finally found what he was looking for. The Wizard of Oz came on.
Hollis made a sound. “Sawyer…”
“Just relax, gorgeous.”
She snuggled deeper against him. “Watching movies is my escape. It always was. That’s why I love acting. I always hope I can give my fans the same escape. The same chance to just put their crappy day behind them.”
He kept stroking her hair, watching the light from the show flicker over her beautiful face. He wanted her to stop thinking about her crappy day.
He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but Dorothy was having her adventure along the yellow brick road. He looked down and realized that Hollis was asleep, her hand pressed against his chest.
I’ll keep you safe, gorgeous.
Sawyer came awake in an instant. Just like when he’d been in Ghost Ops.
He stilled, staring at the ceiling. His internal body clock told him it was one or two o’clock in the morning.
Hell, he’d fallen asleep and slept soundly for several hours. That hadn’t happened in…he couldn’t remember how long. Hollis was curled against his side, fast asleep and breathing softly.
What had woken him?
He carefully slid from the bed and grabbed his SIG. The metal was cool against his fingers. Silently, he moved through the house. He knew how to move without being seen or heard.
He scanned the living area. Nothing. Just shadows dancing in the darkness.
There. A darker, bigger shadow at the sliding doors. He tensed.
Sticking to the wall, he moved closer. He couldn’t make out any details, because it was too dark.
Again . Definite movement by the pool.
Sawyer reached out and flicked on the outside light.
The dark shape of a man raced for the trees, moving fast. He disappeared.
Fuck . More than anything, Sawyer wanted to go out there and give chase. Run the fucker down and stop him. But he couldn’t leave Hollis alone and unprotected.
He left the lights on and circled through the house, checking the locks on the doors and windows.
Finally, he slipped back into bed, keeping his gun in easy reach. Hollis made a sleepy sound and rolled into his body, then relaxed.
“No one’s going to hurt you.” He slid his hand to her hip.
Then he stared at the ceiling. He wouldn’t sleep. He’d make sure their visitor didn’t return.
Hollis snuggled into the pillow, drowsily wondering if she needed to get up and go to work. What movie was she filming at the moment?
The pillow shifted, and she realized it was actually a firm arm.
Oh .
Her eyes blinked open. Sunlight was coming in through the gap in the curtains. And Sawyer Lane was in her bed.
Now that was a sight she could easily wake up to every day.
“Morning.” His voice was a deep rumble. “Did you sleep all right?”
“I slept really well, considering.” She smiled. “The best sleep I’ve had in a while.”
“Good.”
“You?”
“I don’t usually need a lot of sleep, but I got a solid few hours.”
Something in his voice made her cock her head. He sounded slightly surprised.
“I’m glad.” Then her full bladder demanded attention. “I’ll be back.” She slipped out of the bed and hurried to the bathroom.
When she came back, her mouth was minty fresh. Sawyer was sitting up in the bed, his chest on display.
She really liked his chest.
In the clear light of day, her gaze drifted to a circular scar on his shoulder—it had to be from a bullet. It made her wonder about everything he’d been through.
“I’m glad you stayed, even if the night was quiet.”
His jaw tightened and he swung his legs off the bed.
Her stomach did a nasty swoop. “It was quiet, right?”
“We had a nocturnal visitor. Don’t worry. I scared him off.”
God . Someone had come here. To her house. A mix of fear, anger, and despair hit her like a bucket of cold water to the face.
She stumbled back a step. “I should leave. Go…somewhere.”
“Fuck, no.” He reached for her hand and pulled her onto the bed. She rested on her knees beside him.
“You go, he might find you again. And you’d be unprotected. You stay here, where I can protect you.”
“This isn’t your problem, Sawyer.”
He cupped her jaw. “It is now.”
“Sawyer…”
“I called an old military friend last night. He runs a security company in San Francisco. He’s going to look into Reuben.”
A rush of more emotions filled her. “You believe me? That this has something to do with him?”
“Yeah. I do.”
It made her feel that she wasn’t so alone.
“My friend will also see if anyone connected to Reuben is on the island. And I’ll be here with you.”
“Thank you.”
“I don’t want any thanks.”
“I’m tired of being confused and afraid.” She gripped his hand tighter. It was big, solid. “I’m not letting Reuben, or any of his goons, push me around.”
Sawyer gave her a half smile. “Good.”
Suddenly, she needed him. She wanted something good right now. She wanted to drown out the fear and helplessness with something else.
Something she chose, that she controlled.
She walked closer on her knees, then straddled him. Heat pumped off him. “I’m not letting anyone push me around. I want to make my own decisions. Do what I want.”
His hands gripped her hips. “And what do you want, gorgeous?”
“You.”
She kissed him. It was aggressive and filled with need. She bit his lip.
His hands slid around to cup her ass, squeezed. “Take whatever you need, Hollis.”
Her heartbeat picked up. She kissed him again, undulating on the hard cock growing beneath her.
He pushed down one strap of her nightgown and bared her breast. He made a hungry sound and pulled her closer. His mouth closed over her nipple, tugging hard.
“ Sawyer .” She speared her hands into his hair. “I can’t wait any longer. I need you inside me.”
“You’re the boss. You’re in charge here. You want my cock, take it.”
A spurt of giddy pleasure filled her.
She shifted back and looked at the fabric of his boxer shorts stretched over his cock. She pushed the fabric out of the way and freed him. She took his solid cock in both hands and stroked.
He groaned. She was wet, aching between her legs.
“Look at you. Gorgeous red hair, sexy nightgown, desire in your eyes. Fucking perfect.”
She ran a thumb over the swollen head of his cock and found it slick with pre-come. His deep groan sent a thrill through her. She couldn’t wait any longer.
“I need you, Sawyer.” Hollis rose up, positioned him, and then sank down. With one firm thrust of her hips, she took him deep. Her moan mixed with his curse.
His fingers bunched in her nightgown. “Look at you taking me.” His gaze was locked between her thighs.
“Sawyer…” She started to ride him.
“That what you needed? My cock?”
“ Yes .” The pleasure was building fast. She picked up speed, riding him hard.
“That’s my cock filling you.” His fingers bit into her ass.
A part of her hoped he left some bruises, that he marked her.
Then his mouth was on hers, driving the desire higher. She felt him nudge a hand between her thighs, and then his thumb was on her clit. She gripped his shoulders and met his fierce gaze.
“Fucking perfect,” he growled again.
On the next thrust, Hollis’s orgasm ripped through her. She threw her head back and cried out his name.
His low growl followed as he found his own release. “ Fuck. Hollis .”