Chapter 13
Thirteen
J akob followed Ian Smith, Mix as he was known to everyone at TFH, up the massive steps. They had driven around for a few hours. Ian wanted to ensure that no one followed them to the estate. While they had state-of-the-art security, from the five cameras they’d passed on their way up the hill and the at least ten they’d passed after coming through the gate, Jakob knew this was one heavily protected home. With each security measure he spied on, he felt relieved and terrified. Relieved because she was so well-protected. Terrified that a man like Conner Dillon thought she needed this much protection.
The house was Asian in design, looking like something out of a movie, with two massive red doors.
“What’s taking her so long?” Ian muttered as he leaned on the doorbell again.
“Who is it?” A singsongy voice said.
“Emily, open up.”
“Say the password.”
He rolled his eyes. “Is Aaron around?”
“Fine. That’s not the password, by the way.” Then, three locks disengaged before the massive door opened. A tall, dark-haired woman stood on the other side. She had her hair up in a sloppy bun on top of her head. She smirked at both of them, but her crystal blue eyes were shrewd as she studied Jakob.
“Mix, what up?”
“Stop calling me that.”
“It’s your nickname.”
“It isn’t. It’s a stupid name you came up with, and I don’t like it.”
The woman gasped dramatically. “My feelings are hurt.”
He was barely paying attention to the byplay because Lani had just stepped into view.
His head had been filled with a discordant hum since he’d learned about her situation. Anger and fear had left his belly in a tight coil from the moment Conner Dillon had calmly told him someone had been trying to kill Lani. Now, she was here, and the spinning seemed to slow, and everything brightened.
She was…stunning. He didn’t think he would ever think any differently. The white and blue Hawaiian print dress was loose, showing some cleavage and only hinting at her curves. Her hair was loose around her shoulders.
“Jake.”
Just that one word, said in a breathy voice…and he was shoving the other two aside to get to her. He pulled her into his arms and slammed his mouth down on hers. She was here, safe, and nothing had happened to her.
The clearing of a throat brought him back from the brink. When Jacob lifted his head, they were both breathing heavily.
“Well, that was hot,” the other woman said.
“Em,” another male voice said. When he glanced over, he saw a man who looked vaguely familiar to Jakob. He had about two inches on Jakob and looked like he could pound Jakob into the ground. The other man reminded Jakob of his brother-in-law.
“It was. We can all admit it. Mix is just a spoilsport.”
“Get bent, Emily,” Ian said.
She laughed. “Come on, boys. We need to leave these two alone.” She glanced at Jakob and winked. “All kinds of soundproofing in this house.”
As she led the two men away, Jakob said, “That big guy looks familiar.”
“Mad Dog Daniels.”
He glanced down at Lani. “What?”
“Mad Dog Daniels. MMA fighter or he was. He’s also Emily’s brother.”
And, yeah, he saw it now. They had different coloring, but they had the same shade of eyes.
He took Lani’s hand. “Your room?”
She smiled and started off toward the right of the entrance. He glanced back at the door and realized it was closed and locked. He hadn’t even heard that happen. All that mattered was Lani.
By the time they reached her room, his entire body was buzzing. That happened around her all the time, but this was the first time seeing Lani since their night together. He knew how she would taste…how it sounded when she came.
He was happy he hadn’t embarrassed himself and was lucky to be wearing jeans. Sure, he might have the imprint of his zipper on his dick, but at least it was keeping him in check, well, at least a little bit. He knew they should discuss what she had been going through, but hearing it from Dillon sent his protective instincts racing in front of his sane thoughts. There was a primitive need to touch, taste, and make her understand. She was his. Always.
“I like that dress.”
She offered him a tremulous smile.
“You might want to take it off, though.”
Cocking her head to one side, she studied him. “Why?”
This woman. “Because in the next five seconds, I’m going to tear it off your body.”
He grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt, yanked it off, and threw it behind him.
Her tongue slipped out and wet her bottom lip as her gaze traveled down his body.
“Lani,” he ground out.
She made eye contact again, a quirk of her lips, and he was worried. Stepping forward, her hands went to the waistband of his jeans.
“You didn’t let me do everything I wanted last time.”
She slipped a finger beneath the fabric of his pants and teased the head of his penis. Jesus.
“Tsk, tsk, not wearing any underwear.”
He opened his mouth to respond to her taunt, but she leaned forward and pressed a kiss against his chest. Easily, she undid the button, then the zipper on his jeans before stepping back. Her eyes were dark, her face flushed, and he wanted inside her as soon as possible.
“Na-ah-ah, Jake. I get to do things to you. Things I’ve been dreaming about for a while. Drop those pants.”
She lifted her chin and stared him down. She was magnificent. He didn’t hesitate. He did as she ordered.
The curving of her mouth sent another wave of need spiraling through him. Her tongue swiped out again. Without another word, she slipped out of her dress, tossing it behind her. She wasn’t wearing a bra. Fuck, she had the prettiest breasts he’d ever laid eyes on. All she wore was a minuscule pair of blue panties.
He reached out as she walked back to him, making her pause.
“No touching. You do that, and I can’t think. I want to do this.” She raised her gaze from his hand. “I need to do this.”
He would give her anything she ever needed, so if she needed to torture him, he would allow it. Jakob dropped his hands to his sides. With a look of approval, she walked back to him and then fell to her knees in front of him. Her bent head was erotic enough for him to come, but the moment she wrapped her hand around his cock, he groaned.
“Oh, fuck, yes, that feels good,” he muttered as she stroked him a few times. Then, he felt the flick of her tongue right before she took him fully into her mouth. Again and again, she took him into her mouth, deeper and deeper…and soon, he knew he would lose it if he didn’t pull back.
“No!” She complained, but Jakob was pulling her up.
“I would be more than happy to let you do that until I come, but I need to be inside of you this time.”
Her gaze ping-ponged back and forth, taking in his expression. She nodded as he bent his head to brush his mouth over hers. He walked her back to the mattress, then lifted her to toss her onto the bed. Her surprised gasp and laugh filled him with a sense of rightness. He wanted to spend the rest of his days making sure that she had more than enough reasons to laugh.
He grabbed hold of her panties. “These are sexy, but…” He ripped them off her body, tossed them behind him, and joined her on the bed.
Settling his arms on either side of her head, he looked down at her. The sweet smile she was giving him had his heart turning over. No one looking at that expression would assume she had done such dirty things with that mouth. Jakob wanted to tell her everything he felt but pulled back from that thought. So much was going on right now.
Leaning down, he acted as if he were close to kissing her mouth. At the last moment, he deviated to her neck. The squeal had his heart thumping hard against his chest. He kissed his way down her body, teasing her with his hands, mouth, tongue, and his teeth. He settled between her legs and wasted no time. Slipping his tongue between her pussy lips, he felt as if he were tasting heaven once more. She was sweet and salty and everything in between. And wet. She was so fucking wet.
By the time he pushed her up and over into an orgasm, his entire body was shaking with need. He crawled back up her body, dragging her hips up as he rose to his knees. He entered her in one hard thrust.
Her moan of pleasure filled the air around him just as Jakob realized he’d forgotten to put on a condom.
“Damnit.”
Her eyes flew open. “What?”
“I forgot a condom.”
“I’m on the pill, and I’m clean.”
He shuddered. “I promise I’m clean.”
“I want you like this inside of me.”
Those words were uttered with such hunger Jakob felt his control slipping. He knew there was one way he wanted her, and he pulled out of her before he lost all sense.
“Jake!”
He ignored her irritated shout to turn her over onto her stomach, pulling her up by her hips and entering her once again.
“Oh,” she gasped, then she moaned his name. A man couldn’t ask for more than that. Well, other than feeling her come on his dick.
He started to move, their flesh slapping, her moans…each time he thrust inside of her, her inner muscles clamped tighter and tighter. His fingers dug into her flesh as he increased his rhythm. He lost track of everything but the sound of her pleasure and the feel of her each time he drove inside.
“Baby, touch yourself. I can feel you need to come again.”
Before he had finished his sentence, she was already pressing against her clit in a fevered motion. In the next instant, she came, her moan so loud he was surprised that it didn’t shatter the glass. All those fabulous muscles rippled over his shaft.
“Fuck, yes, just like that.” With one more hard thrust, he lost himself to the pleasure.
She heard the birds first thing in the morning, like every morning. Lani stretched, then winced. She was definitely not accustomed to being that acrobatic during sex, but making love with Jakob had definitely worn her out. She’d lost count of the times they made love.
In fact, he had woken her up a little bit before dawn with his head between her legs.
Speaking of which, she opened her eyes and found herself alone. She frowned until she saw the message scribbled on a piece of paper on the pillow next to her.
Love,
I had to make a few calls and figured I should let you rest. Can’t be in the same bed with you and not want you. I’ll be downstairs.
She held the note to her chest. For the first time in a long time, she felt hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, she and Jake might have a fighting chance to be together.
But first things first. She needed a shower, and then she definitely needed to eat.
Jakob hung up the phone. He’d had a production meeting that he had asked to do by phone instead of by Zoom. He’d also texted with his brother to check on Jules. All was well. She had moved back to their house the day he returned to Oahu. With both Nic and their mother there, they promised to make sure she would rest.
There was a knock on the door before it opened. Emily smiled at him.
“Did you get your stuff done?”
He nodded.
“Good.”
Aaron, or Mad Dog, stepped up behind her.
“Em, what are you doing?”
“Shut your trap, Aaron.”
Her brother ignored her. “Aaron Daniels,” he said, holding out one massive paw. The man was built like a giant. Jakob took it to shake. “Most people call me Mad Dog.”
“They do not,” his sister said.
“Shut up.”
“Of course, I remember when you were fighting.”
“Here we go,” Emily said, disgust filling her voice. Both men ignored her.
“You work for Dillon now?”
He nodded. “Someone has to keep track of Sprout.”
“Ignore him. I’m sure you’re hungry. Aaron makes the most amazing pancakes. I texted Lani, and she said she was coming.”
Emily stepped back to let Jakob step out of the room.
“Excited about the new show,” Aaron said as he walked away.
“Thanks.”
“She’s going to be here any minute, so I want to tell you that if you hurt her, I will end you.”
He blinked.
Emily shook her head. “So prissy. I mean it. That idiot brother of hers is being an ass, and I need to know you will step up for her. I’ve only spent a week with her, but I get the feeling she doesn’t have a lot of people in her corner. You need to be one of those people, or you need to get bent.”
“I would have been here the moment all this happened if I hadn’t been with my sister.”
“Yes, and that earns you points with me. Good brothers are hard to come by. So, make sure you understand I can make you disappear. Now, look lively. Here comes the woman you love.”
He cut a look at her. She shrugged. “You have goo-goo eyes every time you look at her.”
“Hey, Jakob.”
He walked to her then, his steps sure and steady. He slipped his arm around her waist the moment he could and pulled her against him.
“You look better this morning,” he said, cupping her chin.
“Well, that’s always good to hear from a guy. You don’t look like shit.”
“No.” He rolled his eyes, then set his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry. You just looked a little fragile when I got here yesterday. You still are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
“Jakob, I need you not to lie to me. If this will work, I need you to be honest with me.”
That sounded promising.
“What do you think I’m lying about?”
“That I’m the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. You are always surrounded by beautiful women.”
“From the first time, I saw you in that turquoise bikini.”
“You were rude as hell to me.”
“You were underaged. And you were Ben’s little sister.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why would that matter?”
“Which one? The underage thing. Because I’m not a groomer. And second, I had promised not to touch you.”
She stepped away from him. “What the hell?”
“I had a reputation. And truthfully, I wouldn’t have had anything to do with you. You were underaged, and that was not me.”
“And since then? Is it because of my brother?”
He shrugged. “And you seemed to hate me. So, I steered clear.”
“I am annoyed.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No. I am annoyed with my brother. He dated a couple of my friends. Granted, it was after we hit eighteen, but I lost friends because he was such an ass. I’ll have a talk with him about that crap.”
She snorted.
“So, Emily isn’t your assistant.”
“Actually, she is. But she has a few extra abilities.”
“Like I can disappear, people,” Emily said from behind him. He jumped because he hadn’t heard her approach.
“Stop telling people that, Em.”
“Why? It’s true.”
Then Emily took two fingers and pointed at her eyes and then at him.
In the next instant, her expression cleared. “Breakfast is ready. Come on.”
He glanced at Lani, and she smiled at him. It was the kind of smile that showed her dimples and had her dark gaze sparkling.
“Did she just threaten me?” he asked.
Lani nodded. “I made sure to tell Mad to make pancakes. I know you love them, and he has a fantastic recipe.”
Jealousy hit him so hard that he almost growled in response. He wasn’t a man who got jealous about his lovers. But the idea that Mad Dog had made her breakfast didn’t sit well.
Her eyes widened. “Did you just growl?”
“No.” Yes. “Maybe.”
“Come on. Let’s eat so we can tell you everything.”
She took his hand, threading her fingers through his, and something in his chest moved. It was like his whole world settled whenever she touched him. Things seemed calmer.
They sat around the table, going over things once again.
“So, when I couldn’t reach you, I ran.”
“To Conner Dillon.”
He spat out the other man’s name. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“Hollywood’s jealous,” Emily said in a stage whisper.
His expression turned even darker.
“He isn’t. That would be stupid.”
“Everything’s stupid when feelings are involved,” Emily said. She turned to look at Jakob. “There’s no reason. That man is insanely in love with his wife. Other women don’t exist on that level for him. He sees them as friends and coworkers. That’s it. I need to clean up the dishes and give you a few moments alone with Hollywood.”
Emily gathered the plates and headed out of the dining room. Lani rolled her eyes and looked at Jakob. “Sorry about that.”
“She was right.”
“What?”
He rose out of his chair and took her hand, pulling her up. Stepping closer, he cupped her face with both hands. “I was jealous. I am jealous. Thinking that you ran to any man other than me irritates me.”
“There is no need.”
“I’m sorry, Lani.”
“For what?”
“I should have waited until you returned. I should have been there when you came in scared.”
The last week had been horrible, not knowing who was after her and thinking that someone wanted her dead. Tears filled her eyes.
“Please don’t cry. It kills me to see you like this.”
“I hate being a coward.”
“Who the fuck called you a coward?”
“No one. Me. I don’t like running.”
“You didn’t run. You took time out to regroup. I take it they have a lead on the person?”
She shook her head. “Everyone we suspected has alibis for at least one of the incidents.”
He used his thumbs to wipe away her tears, then bent his head to brush his mouth over hers. Just like every other time he kissed her, heat exploded within her, racing through her blood, making her want him. She would never understand how she could go from normal to a raging inferno, but it only happened with Jakob.
Slanting his mouth over hers, he deepened the kiss as he slipped his hands down her body, skimming his fingers against the side of her breasts before slipping them around her waist to her back. He pressed her against him, and there was no denying the long, thick length of him pressed against her. It had been a long two weeks, and she needed this, needed him in a way she had never needed another person.
Lani was close to suggesting they either lock the door to the dining room or head to her room when she heard Emily clearing her throat.
“Psst, guys, sorry, but I have to break this up.”
With a growl, Jakob tore his mouth away from Lani.
“Go away.”
Emily smiled. “Wow. That was sexy, but I can’t. The big bossman is on his way up the drive and will want to talk to both of you.”
Jakob sighed and looked at her. He settled his forehead against hers. “To be continued?”
“Definitely.”
“Ah, you two are so cute.”
“ Emily. ”
“Don’t worry, love.”
Somewhere in the distance, she heard the murmur of male voices. In the next instant, Conner appeared with Aaron.
“Good, you’re both here. We have a problem.”
Jakob stepped aside, but he slipped his arm around Lani’s waist and anchored her against him. Whatever Conner had to say, they would deal with it together. Lani wanted to cry again because…well, having someone in her corner was amazing. She had Emily and the entire Dillon Security team, but having Jakob beside her was different.
She realized that Jakob and Conner knew each other in some way. Of course, they did. Dillon Security was the best security company on the islands, and being a Wulf meant they’d probably used them.
Then his words sunk in.
“What’s wrong?”
“It seems your sister-in-law has disappeared.”