Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Bree looked through her lashes at the man sleeping in the chair across from her. He’d left a light on in the kitchen so she wouldn’t wake up in the middle of the night and wonder where she was.
As if that would happen.
Bree knew exactly where she was. In Jude Stark’s apartment. On his couch. And she’d never felt safer. At least in the last several months, that is.
Her life had been turned completely upside down, and she still wasn’t sure how it all happened.
One day she was at her job, having just broken up with her boyfriend, and the next she was kidnapped, hogtied, and informed that her ex had sold her—and that she now belonged to an organization that had every intention of selling her for sex.
It was unbelievable. And yet it had happened. To her.
She’d been extremely lucky that the man who’d kidnapped her had stopped to pick up a second woman that night, before taking her to his contact.
And even luckier that the second woman, Josie England, had a Navy SEAL boyfriend who wasn’t about to let his woman disappear into thin air, as so many people did year after year.
She’d had a terribly close call, and the fact that Smiley’s face was the first one she’d seen when he’d opened the kidnapper’s car door and found her…
It had a profound effect on Bree. Yes, some would say she only felt a connection with him because he’d saved her that night. And maybe it started off that way, but as she’d followed him and his friends around Riverton, Bree had gotten a pretty good insight into his character.
She’d been watching him for quite a while now.
He didn’t drive like an asshole, opened doors for people—men and women—tipped generously, if the smiles on the faces of anyone who served him were any indication.
And while it was true, most of the time he had a scowl on his face—was resting bitch face a thing for men?
—he’d been nothing but kind and accommodating to her.
She really had almost turned around and run when Kelli opened his door about a week ago. Bree had truly thought he’d gotten a girlfriend, and she’d somehow missed it. But it shouldn’t have been a surprise that he’d given up his apartment for his friends because they were in danger.
Bree had a feeling if she pointed out all the good things about Smiley, he’d simply scowl at her and say she was wrong, that he was an asshole.
Well, if he thought he was an asshole, so be it. She knew differently. And the fact that she was lying on his couch, warm, clean, and with a full belly, hammered that belief home.
His words before he fell asleep echoed in her brain.
If he finds you, I’ll come after you. I won’t stop until I’ve found you—and he’s got my bullet in his forehead.
One of her worst fears was that she’d disappear and no one would notice. Or care. She didn’t know why Smiley had developed an obsession with finding her after that night in Vegas, but she wasn’t upset about it.
Bree smiled as she stared up at the ceiling.
His promise was such a…Smiley thing to say.
He was very rough around the edges, saying a lot of things that most people would consider inappropriate, but knowing that he wouldn’t hesitate to inflict harm on the man who was hunting her felt good.
Comforting. Other people’s opinions on the matter be damned.
The truth was, she was at the end of her rope.
She put on a good front, but inside she was dying.
She had no idea how she’d ended up in this situation.
She’d been a good girlfriend…loving, supportive.
Then out of the blue, Carl had asked her to participate in a three-way, and she’d said no.
An unequivocal no. He was pissed, and he began to bug her about it almost daily.
Calling her a prude. Claiming it would make their sex life better.
Telling her that if she really loved him, she’d want him to be happy, and fulfilling his fantasy of sleeping with two women at the same time would do exactly that.
So Bree dumped him. Because she realized that she didn’t love him. She could never love a man who wanted to be intimate with someone else when he was with her, as if she wasn’t enough.
And that’s when her life had taken a sharp turn.
Carl hadn’t taken her rejection well and vowed that she’d regret it. And it was true—she did regret it. But not for the reasons he’d probably thought.
She regretted not dumping him much sooner.
He’d sold her. Like she was nothing. Property. A piece of trash.
And thanks to him, she was on the run, and nothing she did could shake the man who was after her. Bree figured he was probably pissed about losing not only her, but Josie as well. But if that was the case…why wasn’t he after the other woman? Why just her?
She was nobody. Mid-thirties, average height for a woman at five-five. Her reddish-brown hair and hazel eyes weren’t anything special. Neither was her body. She was utterly normal. She worked hard, liked puppies and kittens, went out of her way to be kind to people.
And yet, here she was.
Turning her head, Bree looked back over at Smiley.
His mouth was slightly open as he breathed deeply in his sleep.
His hair was flat on one side, where he’d been sleeping on it, and his facial hair looked a little too long to be a five o’clock shadow, too short to be an actual beard.
His brows were furrowed even in his sleep, which gave off angry vibes.
She should be afraid of this man. She didn’t really know him, after all.
But she wasn’t. She felt safe. Which was crazy, because she wasn’t really safe anywhere.
Not until whoever wanted to add her to their stable of women had given up or was dead.
So maybe it was just that being with Smiley gave her the illusion of safety.
She’d felt it all those months ago, when she’d first met him, and she felt it again now.
It was the reason she was here. In Riverton. On his couch.
She recalled his words from earlier.
There is something between us.
He wasn’t wrong. There was definitely something between them. It was confusing and kind of scary, considering she didn’t know him. Not really. But she knew she couldn’t leave Riverton before figuring out exactly what it was that drew them together.
It was dumb. And she was weak. She was bringing danger to his doorstep, yet she couldn’t bring herself to leave.
Sighing, she turned onto her side.
That small sound made Smiley open his eyes. “You good?” he asked sleepily.
“Yeah,” she whispered.
“You uncomfortable? You could move to my bed.”
Lust shot through Bree so fast, it made her suddenly uneasy. Thinking about being in this man’s bed came with visions of sharing it with him, both of them naked and having wild, crazy sex. He wouldn’t be an easy lover. He’d be demanding and forceful. And she’d love every second.
“I’m fine here,” she croaked.
He made some sort of noise in the back of his throat that she took as acceptance.
“Why aren’t you sleeping?” he asked.
“I just…habit,” Bree explained quietly. “When I slept in my car, I was constantly on alert. Every light I saw, I thought it might be him coming to get me. Every noise was him breaking into my vehicle. It’s hard to trust that I’m safe. He’s out there. Waiting. Watching.”
Smiley sat up, and Bree realized she shouldn’t have said anything.
Should’ve just made up some lame excuse and let him go back to sleep.
It was still a couple hours until the time he normally left for the base, but Smiley looked wide awake now, and she hated that she’d disrupted his rest. He didn’t get enough as it was.
“I hope he does show up,” he said in a low, menacing tone.
It should’ve freaked her out; instead, it ramped up her arousal. This man…he was intense. And apparently she was a sucker for a bad boy. For a dangerous man.
No, that wasn’t true. She normally didn’t go for assholes. Or men who made her nervous. Smiley was both, and yet she knew down to her core that he wouldn’t hurt her.
“Anyone who contributes to the assault and exploitation of women—hell, of humans in general—is the lowest of the low. The scum of the earth. We’re all on the same rock trying to live our lives, and no one has the right to use or abuse someone else for their personal gain.
Whether that be money or to sate their lust. And rape is the worst offense a man or woman can commit in my eyes.
I want the guy who’s after you to find you.
So I can rip off his head and shit down his throat. ”
Bree couldn’t help it. She chuckled.
“You think that’s funny?” Smiley asked, scowling.
“No. Yes. I don’t know! I mean, I’ve heard that quote in a few movies, but never heard anyone say it in real life.”
“I’m being serious,” he insisted.
Bree sobered. “I know. Thank you.”
“Shit. I can’t believe we’re having this conversation,” he bitched under his breath.
That made Bree struggle to hold back another chuckle.
“And she’s laughing,” Smiley said with a roll of his eyes.
But Bree could tell that he wasn’t upset.
In fact, if she was reading him right, it seemed as if he was…
pleased? She had no idea what he was so happy about, but after spending so much time with Carl and rarely being able to please him, making Smiley happy, even in the middle of the night when they should be sleeping, felt amazing.
“Can you tell me what the plan is? I mean, to try to fix this mess I’ve found myself in?” Bree asked in a small voice. She needed to know. Was the kind of person who didn’t do well with surprises.