Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Even as the limo drove down the road, Violet launched herself at Royal. She held him tightly and did not want to let go. “I told the cops that you saved me. I told them and the federal agent to let you go.” She’d told them over and over. “You aren’t the bad guy, I told them that. ”
His hands came up and curled around the wrists she’d locked behind his neck. Slowly, carefully, he pulled her hands down. She was sprawled on top of his lap. She should move. But she didn’t.
His gaze seemed so intense. His expression hard and unreadable.
“I didn’t tell them about the night at the winery.” He needed to understand that. “I promised you that I’d keep your secrets, and I will.”
His mouth took hers. Not soft. Hard with need and passion and a burning desire that had hunger and lust flooding through her. She’d barely held her control during all of those long hours at the station. And when Curran had quietly told her that Simone had died…
I was the one to shatter. Just like glass, she’d felt herself breaking apart on the inside. She’d wanted to save Simone. No matter what else might have happened between her and her friend, the last thing she’d wanted was for Simone to die.
Then Violet had been kept from Royal. Though she’d asked to see him again and again.
His mouth pulled from hers.
She wanted it back.
“They kept us separated,” he growled against her lips. “Because they thought one of us would break.”
Not one of them. Her. “They think I’m the weak link.”
“Sweetheart, you’re fucking steel beneath silk. Without you, I’m the one who is weak.” Royal kissed her again. A deep, drugging kiss. His hands still held her wrists, but she fought that grip because she needed to touch him.
Desperation and desire warred inside of her. Her body seemed to be ripping apart. Her heart raced. Her breath heaved, and her legs had fallen open so that she straddled him. The thick length of his dick pushed against her, and her hips arched and rocked hard against him.
Oblivion. That was what she wanted.
She wanted to stop seeing Simone’s bloody body when she closed her eyes.
And when her eyes were open.
She wanted to stop seeing the bastard in the night vision goggles as he ran toward her. And that knife…that big, sharp knife…
“Fuck me,” she whispered to Royal.
Right then. Right there.
She didn’t care if it was wrong. Everything was wrong around her. She needed to feel him and the pleasure he gave her. Her body was too tight and tense and everything was shattering around her. “Royal, fuck me. ” Make the pain stop. Take it all away. Please.
“Like you have to ask.” A savage growl against her mouth. He lifted her up. Just for a moment. She twisted onto the seat near him and kicked off the borrowed sweats, her underwear, and shoes. Still with the donated t-shirt covering her upper body, she climbed back on him.
Royal had shoved his garish orange pants down. When she straddled him again, she pushed eagerly toward the cock that shoved up against her.
“Baby, slow…”
“No.” No slow . She pushed down hard.
He sank in completely.
Her body fought him at first. One quick flash of pain as he stretched her.
“You weren’t ready… fuck.”
Her breath came faster. His hands were fierce clamps around her waist, preventing her from rising and arching against him. He held her prisoner, and she was acutely conscious of every thick inch of him within her.
Every thick, bare inch of him.
They both seemed to have that realization at once. Bare.
His head whipped up. He stared straight into her eyes. His nostrils flared. The gold in his gaze seemed to swallow the green and brown. His face went even more savage. “Tell me to stop.”
“Fuck me,” she said instead.
“ Violet…”
She squirmed against his hold, but he held her too tightly. “Fuck. Me.”
“Shouldn’t…” Royal gritted.
“Yes.” He most definitely should. She kissed him. Stroked her tongue against his. “I want you. This way. Any way.” Violet needed this. Him. Didn’t he understand? “Royal, don’t make me beg.”
“Never.”
And he was lifting her up. Pulling her down. Driving his heavy cock into her and making her moan and thrash against him. He kissed her and took her and the pounding of their bodies was wild and hard.
One of his strong hands remained locked on her hip. The other slid between them. Demanding, he stroked her clit. Pushed her straight to her orgasm even as his cock shoved ever deeper into her.
A wild cry broke from her but was swallowed by his mouth. The release blew through every cell in Violet’s body, and then she felt him coming. Powerful jets inside of her that just seemed to make her own release stretch and stretch as her core contracted greedily around him.
His mouth broke from hers.
Her heart drummed. Her head dipped forward.
His lips feathered over her forehead.
Then…down her cheeks.
Because she was crying. She hadn’t even realized the tears were trailing down her cheeks, not until she felt Royal kissing them away.
“Did I hurt you?” Gruff. “I’m sorry. I never meant?—”
“You didn’t.” The release had sent all of her emotions crashing into her. The feelings she’d tried to keep in check? Ha. There was no check. Pain and grief and fear battled within her. “I wanted to be strong like you. I wanted to hunt him. But I was so scared.”
His head lifted. “It’s because of me.”
“It’s because of me. ” He was still in her. Getting bigger by the second. “I wanted to be able to stop him. I wanted to make the fear I felt end, but when I was in that garage, I was absolutely terrified.”
“Violet…”
“And I didn’t save her.” She didn’t want to keep seeing Simone’s bloody image. “Make it stop,” she pleaded.
“Baby?”
“Can you make the pain stop? And the fear? Just make it go away. Tell me it’s over.” Her hands dropped to his waist. She pushed her body up. Sank back down on him. “Make it go away.” Because it had gone away. In that blinding moment of release, she’d known only him.
She wanted that reckless release again. Pleasure swept away everything else, and in the moment of climax, she could be absolutely mindless. No fear. No sadness. No pain.
Nothing but Royal.
Them.
Nothing but…
“The damn car is slowing down,” he growled. Both of his hands had returned to her waist. “We’re at my place, sweetheart, and in a few minutes, Kai is going to be opening the back door. I’m not really in the mood to give him a show.” His eyes still glittered at her. “For future reference, I’m the only one who ever gets a show from you.”
Reality washed over her in a hard, cold wave.
What am I doing?
She’d jumped on him. In the back of a limo. With his friend driving in the front. With no protection. Simone’s body was in the morgue. Micah had been taken away by the cops in an ambulance.
She and Royal had spent so many hours at the police station.
And as soon as they were alone. She was…they were…
She scrambled off him.
He winced.
Violet grabbed for her clothes. Put the borrowed gear on as quickly as she could even as she was far, far too aware of the wetness between her thighs. “We shouldn’t…I shouldn’t…” Her eyes squeezed shut. “What is wrong with me?”
“ Nothing.” Savage.
Her eyes flew open.
He’d already adjusted his clothes.
“Not a damn thing is wrong with you. Don’t sit there and feel guilty for taking pleasure.”
She was. Feeling guilty for having an orgasm that shook her bones in the back of a limo while Simone was cold on a slab.
“You’re alive. I’m alive. You needed to be reminded of that. Sex is basic. It’s primal. With you, it’s fucking life affirming. And I’ve told you before, but I’m telling you again. Nothing about you is wrong. ”
The limo had stopped.
She shoved back her hair.
“Reporters are here,” he muttered as he peered out the tinted window. “Swarming around my house. You don’t have to talk to them. I’ll get you inside, and we’ll shut out the rest of the world.”
But that pack of reporters told her it wasn’t going to be so easy to shut things out.
The screen that separated them from the front of the limo lowered with a whir of sound. “You two ready for this?” Kai—the driver—asked.
Good thing he hadn’t rolled that screen down about three minutes ago. Heat stained her cheeks as Violet realized he probably knew exactly what they’d been doing.
“I can take you someplace else,” he offered. “Say the word, Royal.”
Royal peered through the window once more. “I think my low profile has been shot to hell and back.” A reckless smile curved his lips. “So much for hunting in the shadows.”
“Royal?” Violet said his name softly.
He reached for her hand. “No one else will touch you.”
She wasn’t afraid of the reporters. She was afraid of the man in the mask. Micah. All along, it was him?
It made sense, though. A twisted sense. He would have been able to stay late at the theater on the night of her abduction. He would have known her routine.
He would have also been able to get Simone to leave and go just about anywhere with him. Because Simone would have trusted him. Right up until the moment he plunged his knife into her.
“Ready?” Royal asked.
Violet didn’t speak. She was lost staring at the crowd.
“Can’t get closer,” Kai said. “The reporters are blocking the drive. Dick move, one that they’re doing deliberately.”
“Yeah, I figured that,” Royal said. “Thanks for the lift, Kai.”
“You know I’m coming in with you. I’ll be watching your back. I’ll leave the car out here. Not like anyone would dare tow it. And, fair warning? Beau is already inside.”
“Yeah. Saw his car.” Royal’s thumb stroked over Violet’s knuckles. “My brother has a key.”
Brother. She hadn’t even called her brothers. Everything had been so crazy, and she knew that Dawson must have seen the stories on the news. With Parker being deployed, he probably hadn’t heard about the attack last night.
But Dawson would be a different story, and he would be freaking out.
Where is my phone? She didn’t even have her phone. Had she left it at the police station? If Dawson had tried to call her, he would have just gotten voicemail. She’d have to contact him as soon as she got inside.
And they were going to head inside. Kai had already raised the screen back up and was coming around to open the limo door. But Royal didn’t move. He just stared at her and waited.
Oh, right. He’d asked if she was ready. She had to give some kind of agreement. Her head inclined toward him.
He leaned forward, and Royal’s mouth pressed lightly to hers. “Focus on me. Not them.”
She was going to focus on putting one foot in front of the other.
The back door opened.
The questions roared at them. Just as before, Royal wrapped his arms around her. He tucked her against his body as they hurried through the crowd.
“Back up!” The bellow came from Kai as he trailed them. “And you guys know the drill—you don’t step foot on private property, so stay off?—”
He said something else, but she didn’t hear the words because a man had just rushed toward her.
“Violet!” he yelled her name even as he grabbed for her. Hard. One of his hands closed around her arm and he pulled her?—
Royal drove his fist into the guy’s face. A fast hit that sent the other man crashing to the ground.
“You don’t touch her!” Royal thundered.
And…
The cameras got everything. The reporters greedily recorded the scene.
The man on the ground groaned. He lifted his head and rubbed his jaw. “Violet?” Dawson croaked.
Yep, her brother Dawson. In that frantic flash—with all of the other bodies around them—she hadn’t gotten a look at his face when he grabbed her.
“Violet, what the hell?” Dawson demanded. He pushed to his feet and took a step toward her.
Then he was blocked by the wall that was Royal.
“Royal!” She curled her hand around his shoulder. “That’s my brother!”
“Yeah, I know who the hell he is.”
He knew? Had he known before or after he’d slugged Dawson?
“Let him come in the house,” she said. Her gaze darted around to the reporters. Madness. Chaos. “We can talk there.”
“Violet! Violet!” A woman shoved close. “Is it true that you were having an affair with Micah Wright?”
“What?” Her head whipped toward the reporter. “No, absolutely not!”
“Violet is involved with me,” Royal said flatly. “No one else.” Then his arm was curling around her again. “House,” he breathed into her ear. “Now.”
“Did you attack Micah Wright in a jealous rage?” The shouted question came from another reporter.
What was this? She’d explained everything to them all last night! “Royal saved me. He stopped a killer from slicing me apart.” She glared at the reporters. “Get your story straight.”
Then she and Royal were on Royal’s property.
The reporters stayed back, she’d give them that much. Royal ushered her into the house. His arm remained around her as they went straight to the den.
As promised by Kai, Beau was waiting. Sprawled on the couch, he raised one brow. “Well, well, seems you have attracted quite the crowd.” A whistle. “Love the orange, Royal. Definitely your color.”
Royal grunted. He dropped his hold on Violet and darted his gaze over her. “You okay?”
She nodded.
“Liar,” he breathed.
Yes.
“ Violet!” Dawson rushed into the den, with Kai right behind him. “What the hell is happening?” He beelined toward her with blood dripping from his lower lip and with his hands outstretched. He swiped out at her in a fast grab.
And Royal’s hand flew out to curl right around Dawson’s throat. Two steps, and Royal had her brother pinned against the nearest wall.
“Royal!” Beau shot off the couch.
Violet lunged for Royal. She curled her hand around his arm. “What are you doing? That is my brother!”
“Violet!” Her name emerged from Dawson as a croak. “Help!”
Royal glared at him. “You’re the sonofabitch who locked Violet in a closet when she was a kid. Did you apologize for that shit? Did you tell her you were sorry?”
Her mouth dropped open. Then snapped closed.
Her brother’s eyes bulged.
“And don’t be so damn grabby with her,” Royal fired off.
“Uh, Royal, let him go,” Beau ordered.
He didn’t.
“Royal, let my brother go,” she whispered.
He immediately let Dawson go. “She needs an apology.” His head turned toward her. His eyes blazed.
All of the moisture had dried from her mouth.
“Bro.” Beau shook his head. “We need to talk. Alone. ”
Dawson rubbed his hand over his neck. “Are you crazy?” he half-yelled. “Seriously psycho? You don’t just attack someone. Jesus! Violet, let’s get the hell out of here!” And Dawson reached for her again.
A growl rumbled from Royal.
Dawson’s eyes turned into saucers.
Beau immediately hauled Royal away from Dawson. “We’re just gonna take a minute,” Beau announced to the group. “Gonna have a quick talk. You guys, uh, why don’t you get something from the kitchen? I’m sure you’re all hungry.”
Royal’s head turned toward Violet. “Do not leave this house.”
“Uh, yeah, Violet.” Dawson sidled toward her. “We need to leave this house. As fast as humanly possible.” He grimaced. “That’s the guy who has been protecting you? The one you said was so good? Screw that shit. He is crazy. Certifiable. Let’s get away from him, now.”
From the corner of her eye, she realized that Kai had moved to position his body so that in order to leave the den and go back toward the front door, they’d have to go through him.
Not that she intended to leave. Quite the opposite. “I’m not leaving.”
Royal nodded. And he let Beau pull him toward the study that waited on the right.
“Why the hell not?” Dawson demanded.
She sighed. “Because I’m exactly where I want to be.”
Beau slammed the study door and immediately took up a position in front of it. With his hands on his hips, he glowered at Royal. “Have you lost your ever-loving mind? You just wrapped your hand around her brother’s throat and pinned him to the wall. In front of the woman! And I’d bet odds you’re responsible for his busted lip, too!”
Royal paced in front of his desk. Back and forth. Fast, angry movements.
“I don’t see Violet slugging me!” Beau continued. “Not like she tries to attack me every time our paths cross. So why in the hell would you go at him?”
“He locked her in a closet when she was a kid.” Royal raked a hand down his face. “She freaking hates the dark and tight spaces now. Asshole still hasn’t said sorry. He will,” Royal swore.
“What. The. Hell?”
Royal’s head whipped toward Beau.
“Where is your control? You’re attacking her family? In front of her?”
“He locked her in a closet,” Royal gritted out.
Beau took a step toward him. “This isn’t you. You’re in control. You always have?—”
“ I’m not.” That was the problem. “I’m not in control. Not now. Not with her.” His hand dropped to his side where it fisted. “Do you know I was the one who wanted to use her? I wanted to make sure the killer was at that damn location. I went with her to meet Simone even though I knew it was a trap.” He sucked in a breath. “Violet crawled under this stupid garage door. It lowered behind her. She was in there with him. Glass separated us. Damn glass. I could see her. I could see him. I could see the knife he had.” And I could see me losing everything that mattered. “I had to bust my way in to her.”
“That would explain all the scratches I see on your hands.” Another gliding step from Beau. “You got to her. She’s okay, bro.”
“He came at her with his knife.” The image would not get out of his head. “She saved herself. I didn’t do it. I was behind the glass.”
“Royal…”
He lifted his hand to ward off his brother. Because there was more that had to be said. “Curran stopped me from putting a bullet in Micah Wright’s brain.”
Beau swore.
“Now he’s telling me that he doesn’t think Micah was the killer. That I was about to shoot the wrong guy.” His hand dropped. Then immediately fisted again. “Micah has a stab wound. Violet stabbed her attacker. Micah was at the scene. Micah was fucking Simone.”
“Why doesn’t Curran think Micah is the perp? Walk me through this. I’m playing catch-up since I’ve missed most of the game.”
“Because Curran says Simone called Micah, too. That she made arrangements for him to come out to that godforsaken station and get her. And because Micah doesn’t have marks from a taser on him.”
Beau’s brows rose.
“Violet tased her attacker,” Royal explained.
“Tased and stabbed? I’m impressed. Seems she’s as blood-thirsty as you are.”
Royal bounded toward him.
“Whoa! Whoa!” Now Beau put his hands in the air with his palms facing Royal. “Easy, slugger. I’m not the enemy here.”
“She’s not like me. She’s a million times better, and I should never have touched her.” He stared down at his hands. Both had fisted. “But I can’t seem to stop myself. I don’t have control with her.” A dangerous admission. He forced his gaze to rise and meet Beau’s. “I don’t have control.”
And wasn’t that what they had both always feared? That Royal would lose his control, and all of the darkness he kept chained inside would break free. “Curran is working both sides. Freaking in bed with a Fed named Teresa Duncan.”
“I warned you about getting too close with cops.” Beau shook his head. “People change, man. He’s not the boy from years ago.”
No, he was a detective out for blood. “Curran knows about Will Kelly.”
Beau’s expression hardened. “Just what, exactly, does he know?”
“He thinks I put a bullet in Will’s brain.” And he would not be wrong.
Beau glanced over his shoulder toward the closed study door, then back at Royal. “He had a fourteen-year-old runaway in that garage.”
Yes. And Beau had been the one to get her out of there. She’d been blindfolded. Terrified.
“He was going to shoot me in the back,” Beau rasped. “You stopped him. You saved my life.”
“I ended his, and I didn’t hesitate.”
“He would have killed me. Me and the girl. You fired first. That’s all. You fired first. ”
“I fired. That’s what matters.” His hands were still fisted. “You watched me so closely after that because you were worried I’d do it again. That I wouldn’t just tie up the predators.”
“Royal…”
“I would have fired that gun at Micah even with Curran yelling at me to stop.” A stark truth. “But she screamed.”
Beau blinked.
“Violet called for me. She wanted me to help her.” He swallowed. “She’d found her friend in the trunk of the car. Simone had stab wounds all over her body. Violet wanted me to help, but I knew there wasn’t anything I could do. The woman was dead even as her pulse kept struggling to beat.”
“Shit.”
“And all I could think was…if I hadn’t taken Violet out of the trunk that night, it could have been her. If I hadn’t broken through the glass of the service station in time…” He had cuts all over his fisted hands and up his forearms. “It could have been her. I was the one who put her in danger by allowing her to go out and meet Simone. I could have stopped her.”
“Oh, yeah? How?”
“Handcuffed her to my bed, if necessary.”
“Really?” Beau shook his head. “You just went after her brother for leaving her in a closet. I’m supposed to buy that you’d handcuff her and walk away? Try bullshitting someone else. She blinks those golden eyes and you do whatever she wants. And if that whatever includes taking her to hunt a killer? Well, I guess we both know what you already did. ”
“Fuck you.”
“Fuck yourself.” Beau didn’t miss a beat. “You’re out of control because you’re scared. I’ll mark the date on my calendar because this shit doesn’t happen often. It’s like a special holiday. The mighty Royal has fallen. Turns out, he’s just a mere mortal like the rest of us.”
“Is this supposed to be helping me? Are you helping right now?”
“Yeah, I am helping you.” Beau rocked forward onto the balls of his feet. “I’m telling you what you are too blind to see.”
“And just what would that be?” Royal fired right back. “Enlighten me. Share the big news.”
“Fine. You are in love with this woman. Absolutely insanely in love with her.”
Royal backed up a step. “You take that shit back.”
“Because it’s a lie?” Beau sent him a reckless smile. “Say it. Tell me that you don’t love her. Tell me that I’m wrong.”
Royal opened his mouth.
And Violet opened the door.