Chapter 19 #2
“Are you injured from your fall?” He pulled away long enough to check my knees, brushing the tough pads of his fingers from one to the other. When he swiped his finger through another few tears that I’d dared to allow fall, I didn’t push him away because I couldn’t.
“I’m fine. Just cold.”
“Cold. Of course. You’re wet.” He slipped his tearstained finger into his mouth and I sucked in my breath. Everything he did was so sexy. “Let me get a towel.”
“Can you get one for Bella too? Please?”
He grinned, his face lighting up. “Of course. Do not move. I mean it.”
With the same finger, he pressed the tip against my nose as if daring me to challenge him.
I wanted to.
What did it say about me that I could continue being playful when I felt dead inside?
As he backed away, I could see his mind spinning with questions.
I likely had the same ones. Somehow, I’d fallen into a trap.
When he walked from the room, my mind shifted to what Jasmine had said about seeing Jeffrey in a club.
Was that possible? Had he somehow orchestrated me being here with Vissarian?
I’d heard what the German had said to him, although almost nothing made any sense. What I did gather was that Vissarian was as confused as I remained.
He appeared seconds later, cocking his head when he noticed I was still in the same place. He tossed me a towel before crouching down and wiping Bella.
I could tell he was talking to her, whispering something he didn’t want me to hear. With the clothes plastered to his body, he was truly sexier than ever.
Even if wearing a tie on the island was out of place.
Wiping my face, I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off his interaction with Bella. He had a tender side, but I’d already witnessed the man Jasmine had described. Capable of extreme violence, but I found it impossible to believe what she’d told me.
The single story I’d found hadn’t concurred. There was more to what had happened.
When he rose to his feet, he tossed the towel over the back of a barstool and grabbed the already open bottle of wine and two glasses.
“Drink this, Fallon. Then you will answer my questions.”
I took the glass from him, not bothering to try to avoid our fingers colliding together.
The taste of the wine was as delicious as the night before, but I couldn’t seem to stop shivering.
“Who are you, Vissarian? Why do you think we’re in danger?
And don’t lie to me. I will know. Is it about the special person you lost so long ago? ”
He took the towel from my hand, crushing as much of the material in his hand as possible, wiping my shoulder and arm as if I hadn’t gotten all the drips.
“Maybe, but I think somehow you became mixed up in a situation I can’t control.
Which means we need to leave this island tonight.
That’s the only way I’ll be able to adequately protect you. ”
“With an army that works for you, dozens of weapons?”
“If that’s what it takes. Yes.”
“I have my life, Vissarian. I’m not just going to stop everything. This isn’t some crazy fairytale.” Another rumble of thunder alongside the rain pelting against the glass was a reminder of how dangerous the storm had become.
“No, it is not. You can have your life back when I discover what is going on and why you’ve been dropped into the middle of it. And only when you’re safe. We’re going to get our things and leave.” His voice was dark, alluding to the danger he seemed intent on protecting me from.
“I’m not going anywhere without Bella.” He was so close I was intoxicated by his scent, the ache in my pussy entirely inappropriate, but uncontrollable.
A slight smirk on his face matched the strange look in his eyes. “I didn’t think you would.”
He had me swallowing the lump in my throat and even my nipples were aching.
No other man had ever made me feel as if I could toss everything else aside.
The hunger was becoming too much to handle with any rationality.
I tugged at his shirt, licking more drops of water falling from my hair onto my lips.
The next rumble of thunder caused the house to shake and Bella to bark. “Even if the tower would allow me to fly, I don’t think it’s safe to do so. Not with the short runway. We can leave when it’s over. Maybe in the morning.”
His deep breath was followed by him glancing from one window to another. “Damn it.”
“You really are worried. You don’t think it’s safe to remain here. Do you? Is this about Ludolf or something else?”
“I don’t trust Ludolf, but I don’t think his intentions are malicious. The men need something from me and my family, but I don’t like being considered a sitting duck. If we need to stay, then you’re not leaving my side.”
“Where would I go? What happened at the meeting? What were you two talking about?”
“A business proposition that meant something entirely else. However, it was made clear that my family and perhaps yours have enemies.”
I wanted to laugh. “You have no idea.”
“Those are exactly the details I need to learn, Fallon. Let’s start with why the words Ludolf said to you bothered you so much.”
I opened my mouth and all that came out was another racking sob. I was such a fucking mess.
“Don’t cry, Fallon.” He lifted my chin, shaking his head as he did. “As I told you and I mean it, I will not hurt you. At least not intentionally.”
Very carefully I placed the wine on the counter, rubbing my hand against his wet shirt. “I’m not worried about you hurting me.”
“Then who? Who hit you? Who were you running from when you accepted this job? Talk to me. Confide in me.” He leaned in just as I lifted my head.
Now our lips collided and I brushed mine across his as I fisted my hand around his shirt. The feel of having him so close was undeniable. I was locked in a prison in my mind, yet he’d helped me escape reality and God help me, I wanted him.
I needed to feel his hard, hot body pressed against mine.
I needed to forget if only for a little while longer.
“I’m so cold.” My whisper was hoarse. I darted my tongue across the seam of his mouth, savoring the closeness and the rich, intense scent of his aftershave.
“You are?” he breathed, his voice barely more audible than mine.
“Uh-huh.” I opened and closed my lips, managing to scoot a little closer to him.
“Then I guess we need to get you warm.”
“Yes, we do. I think…” I laughed nervously. “I know that you’re the only one who can do that.” What I’d just said was crazy. Fucking insane. Even he seemed surprised, but the hint of shock was quickly replaced with the same look of longing that I couldn’t understand yet had no chance of avoiding.
“Be careful what you ask for.”
“Maybe I’m not asking.”
He placed his wine on the counter without looking, laughing softly when he almost tossed the glass to the floor.
But his attention wasn’t shifted away from me.
With his chest rising and falling, he captured my mouth.
The light stubble covering his jaw immediately scraped against my face, tingling every inch of my body.
Shuddering, I twisted my hand around his shirt, trying to drag him even closer as he thrust his tongue inside. He was so masculine, so protective, and as strange as it might seem to the little voice inside my head, I felt safe in his arms. No one could get to us here. No one could hurt us.
I wrapped my legs around his waist and he tugged me closer to the edge, the kiss becoming a rough moment of raw passion. Even though I remained chilled, still shaking all over, so much of the way I was feeling was directly because of the heat that we shared.
The intense need that refused to go away.
Every sound he made was so guttural, the deep growls escaping just like my ragged moans. I was lightheaded, uncertain what the hell I was doing, but at this moment, the worry and fear didn’t matter.
They were shoved aside.
Desire prevailing.
He gathered me into his arms, never breaking the intimate moment. As he explored my mouth, he took long strides from the kitchen toward the bathroom. The solid thud of his shoes matched the rapid beating of my heart.
Only when he was inside the bathroom did he break the kiss. We were both breathless and the way his eyes penetrated mine was something I would never forget.
“Bella. Come closer.”
The corners of his mouth upturned when I called her. Very slowly, he lowered me to the floor. Now those same penetrating eyes that had mesmerized me before were darker, full of hunger. He was right. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
When he removed his weapon, I should feel the same sense of fear as before, but the truth was that I’d never felt so safe. He gingerly placed the weapon on the back of the counter.
“How many men have you killed?” I had no idea why I’d asked the question.
“Enough.”
I ripped at his jacket, yanking it over his shoulders, but he pitched it aside, both of us laughing as soon as he did.
When I kicked off my waterlogged shoes, the hard thump as they landed against the wall brought another round of laughter.
Woof. Woof.
We both tipped our heads and I think he was the most surprised when Bella curled up on his jacket. Her little eyes had closed, perfectly content. Why couldn’t I feel the same?
When we looked at each other again, there was a strange moment shared between us where nothing needed to be said. As if this was entirely, perfectly normal.
Then we began to rip off each other’s clothes. I yanked at his tie, laughing when I couldn’t get it off fast enough. He unbuttoned his shirt at the sleeves while I quickly unfastened the front.
Frustrated, he yanked it off from the back of his neck, taking the time to jerk the tie free. I could tell by the look in his eyes he had something filthy in mind.
He ripped at my shirt, literally tearing the material before managing to get it over my head. The rest was a complete blur as hunger destroyed everything else. Every rational thought. Every concern. We were nothing but animals.
In heat.
In need.