Chapter 9
F allon
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s not nice to threaten your guest?” I threw back at him.
His expression was carnal. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s not nice to lie to your savior?”
I opened my mouth to throw out another retort but was interrupted.
A knock on the door was followed by one of the men who’d been in the club walking in.
The soldier’s face highlighted the damage I’d done. So did his hateful eyes. At least I could take pride in the fact I’d given him a black eye. “Sorry to interrupt you, boss, but Mr. Torres and Mr. Blanco arrived and are on their way to the warehouse.”
Navarro sighed heavily, barely glancing in the man’s direction. “I’ll be right there, Silvio, as soon as I finish my conversation with our mysterious guest.”
He kept his eyes pinned on me, never blinking and never allowing his attention to be drawn away even for a second.
“Yes, sir.”
Sir. The man was obviously powerful enough he demanded respect from everyone in his savage life.
Silvio left, closing the door behind him and Navarro leaned farther forward.
“You need to listen to me. We’re not finished with our conversation.
You’re holding something vital from me and you will need to tell me when I return.
I’m taking you to one of the bedrooms so you can get some rest. Do not attempt to leave this house or you will be punished. Do I make myself clear?”
His stare was dark, the anger brimming just below the surface.
“Crystal.”
He eyed me carefully before rising to his feet.
Appraising me as if my sudden appearance had disrupted his entire night.
“I’ll do what I can to help you, Fallon, but you’ll need to return the favor.
You’re protected here, but if you were to escape, the moment you set foot outside the protection of this house, you will have a target on your back.
More so than before. I suggest you get comfortable.
You’ll be my guest for an indefinite period.
Do not displease me. As you’ve already determined, I’m not a very nice man. ”
“Duly noted,” I shot back. There was fire and brimstone in his eyes, but I had no doubt he could see the same look in mine.
He nodded toward the door, waiting yet undoubtedly with his patience waning. What troubled me more than the fact I’d been basically kidnapped by the man was how he affected me. He was without a doubt the most devastatingly handsome man in the most dangerous of ways.
Were my memories correct or was I simply looking for someone to blame?
Or perhaps someone to grasp onto for reassurances.
I studied his face, trying to picture the young man I’d remembered. Suddenly, everything was fuzzy. My mind. My thoughts.
My emotions.
There was no choice but to play by his rules.
I rose to my feet, refusing to surrender to his desire to intimidate me.
I snagged my heels from the floor, holding them tightly against my chest. While he opened the door as if I was truly nothing more than a guest, the moment he placed his hand on my back, I involuntarily tensed.
He guided me through a series of elaborate hallways, each more garishly decorated than the one before to a set of stairs. Whatever situation he was being forced to deal with would at least allow me time to think, to perhaps plan another method of discovering the truth.
He carried himself with enough smug confidence that his allure continued to capture my imagination.
Navarro remained quiet, only the combination of our footsteps heard as he escorted me to the end of a hallway. Seeing a lock on the outside of the door caused an immediate tense reaction. I pressed against him, a subtle yet audible gasp slipping past my lips.
“Relax, Fallon. As long as you follow the rules, your stay inside the room will be short term.”
“Why, yes, sir.”
“I could get used to that.”
“Don’t. It won’t happen again.”
Then what? What did he plan on doing with me?
Once inside, I moved away from him quickly, dropping my heels and turning around. The room was sparse, a single bed and nightstand the only pieces of furniture. There were no pictures on the walls, no books or shelves, just a single lamp other than the harsh light on the ceiling.
“I love what you’ve done with the place.” The retort was automatic based on anxiety. With my nerves fried, fear swept alongside, my pulse racing.
His chuckle was more irritating than unnerving. “There’s a bathroom through that door. If I’m kept longer than anticipated, I’ll have someone check on you. Just remember, there are guards posted outside.”
In an action I’d likely come to regret later, I advanced rapidly, slapping my hand across his face. “What gives you the right to keep me here?”
Even with his eyes closed, I sensed his immediate rage.
After taking a single deep breath, he snapped his hand around my throat, pushing me with force against the wall.
The brutal thud was jarring and I immediately clawed his arm.
My breath was choked raggedly from my throat as he peered down at me with soulless, obsidian eyes.
I gazed down at his tattooed hand and arm, the dark swirls capturing my rapt attention. They were an indication the man was a killer.
His hold remained strong and unyielding and for a few seconds, we were caught in a silent dance of predator and prey.
“That wasn’t very nice of you, Fallon. I’ve chosen to make you a protected guest, yet you defy me every step of the way. I don’t appreciate being attacked in my place of residence.”
“Then let me go.”
A slow and knowing smirk crossed his face. He was well aware he had full control over me.
He took labored breaths as he dropped his head by another few inches. “That’s not going to happen. The sooner you accept what I’ve told you, the happier you’ll be with your stay.”
His heated breath skated across my skin and instead of repulsion, a tickling sense of desire emblazed my skin once again. “You mean my incarceration.”
“Semantics.” His lips mere centimeters away, I realized I’d involuntarily arched my back, my fisted hand now curled around his shirt. The few seconds that passed were awash in uncertainty.
Until he kissed me. Unlike the surprise of before, I knew what to expect, the warmth of his lips turning into a wave of electric current. I found myself clinging to him, hating every moment of my sheer intoxication with the man as he pressed his tongue past my lips.
With my blood hammering in my veins, I dared not move, dared not give him any indication how intense my cravings were.
He swept his tongue back and forth as he shifted his hand to cup my face.
The sudden change was imbued with a tenderness I hadn’t expected.
He brushed his thumb back and forth as he devoured my mouth.
I was shocked not only by the connection and arousal, but by the sudden urge I sensed we both felt.
Every inch of skin tingled while he explored my mouth, demanding I yield to him as expected. My nipples were taut, the intense fire in my core unwavering, yet I refused to give into a man who was definitely a killer if not a deranged kidnapper.
With every ounce of strength I had left, I jammed my palms against him, breaking the connection. Before he had a chance to react, I issued a hard kick. He spiraled backward, slamming into the nightstand. Uncertain what the hell I was doing, I raced from the room without looking back.
With my mind in a blind haze, my brain threatening to short circuit, I lunged for the stairs.
Yet I wasn’t quick enough. My arm was jerked violently, my body lifted from the floor and back into his arms.
Where I’d thought his gaze was penetrating before, the previous look held no comparison to his steely eyes now, so dark and menacing I was caught in a shadowed abyss. As his lips curled into amusement, my heart continued stuttering in my chest.
“One very bad girl.” His look turned impassive, even chastising and with a deep exhale, he hoisted me over his shoulder effortlessly.
Taking long strides, he returned to the bedroom within seconds, tossing me on the bed with enough force the headboard slammed against the wall.
The deep sound of his growl ignited an entirely different level of fire within me.
I threw myself at him, able to connect my fist to his jaw before he could react.
His grunt was riddled with discomfort and surprise, but he wasn’t deterred by my actions. Once again, he pitched me down, this time crushing his full weight against me.
I struggled in his hold, twisting my body to try to gain any leverage possible. There was none. The man was too strong, too controlling. His eyes bore into mine with a combination of lust and fury.
My breathing labored as I continued writhing in his firm hold, I realized how aroused he was. His cock was throbbing as it was pressed against my stomach. His expression was stern as he ripped one arm over my head then the other, easily wrapping one hand around both wrists.
“You need to learn, mi hermoso pájaro enjaulado , that there is nowhere you can run, nowhere you’ll be able to hide where I won’t find you.”
His beautiful, caged bird? “Fuck you.” No sooner were the words out of my mouth than I knew spouting them off was a mistake.
My dress was bunched against my upper thighs. Still wearing the dangerous smirk, he rolled his free hand down my side, taking deep breaths until he reached the softness of my skin.
“Is that what you’d like, my sweet Fallon? For me to fuck you?”
“Never.” The single word was said with no conviction. We both knew it and I could tell his intentions by the shattering twinkle in his eyes.
He shifted his weight and rolled his hand under my dress. With his fingers wrapped around the thin lacy elastic, he snapped his hand. The sound sent ice slithering up my spine as my stomach clenched.
Not from fear or even anger, but from the raw anticipation and excitement the man offered in his shadows. With his dark eyes flicking across my face, he lifted his hips and unfastened his belt.