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He strode out of the office and down the hall, past the room where he’d first slept with Gretchen. He paused at the door. In one short month, she’d turned his world upside down and changed everything he thought he knew about his life, his heart and his mind. How had he ever survived before her? And how would he ever go on without her? Giving himself over to her, tying his life to hers would be risky, but if she wasn’t a risk worth taking, he’d have been better off dying years ago.
He pushed forward, until he came out into the open area by the bar, then searched the room for Gretchen’s attackers. He found them in the back, their eyes glued to the stage with expressions of lewd cravings. They’d no doubt watched Gretchen dance, probably relived the way she’d felt as they’d touched her. Maybe they even planned to finish what they’d started. They wouldn’t get that chance; he’d see to it. Even if he hadn’t loved Gretchen, he would’ve punished these men for what they’d done. But not loving her had never been an option, so tonight the motherfuckers would be lucky to survive.
~ ~ ~
Gretchen passed through the heavy black curtains and looked up, surprised to see Finn stalking across the dance floor toward her. Her breath caught at the naked rage in his eyes. Rage that reminded her of the way he’d looked the day his mother had been killed. The day she’d realized she’d never love another man the way she had always loved him. That type of rage changed the course of people’s lives.
Finn stopped in front of her and took her face in his hands, pulling her to him. He pressed his lips to hers, then slid his tongue between her lips, deepening the kiss. She shuddered slightly before she surrendered. She put her hands on his wrists, clinging to him.
“You’re mine.” He pulled away slightly. “I try to protect you because you’re my soul, not some fucking toy. I’d die before I let something happen to you.”
Tears pushed at the corners of her eyes as she met his glare. Fury warred with warmth, compassion and possibly even love, for her.
“They should have believed me before.” He kissed her then pulled away.
“What? Wait.” Grabbing his sleeve, she turned him to face her. “What’re you doing?”
“Don’t ask me. That’s our deal, remember?”
She did, and she also remembered how she used to be able to squelch the fury in him. That wouldn’t be an option tonight. He needed action, not soothing.
“You don’t have to do anything.” She’d never forgive herself if he got in trouble protecting her.
He sneered. “Like hell I don’t. Those bastards knew what I would do when they dared touch my woman.”
She opened her mouth to protest, stopping cold when he turned his piercing glare on her.
“Youaremine.” He moved back to her and fisted a hand in her short wig. “And I’m yours, Gretch.”
He claimed her mouth with his, and her nipples tightened against the fabric of her dress before she wound her arms around his neck, holding him close.
“I’ll be back,” he promised.
He turned from her and signaled for Grant as he made his way through the bar toward the two men who’d held her at knifepoint and would’ve raped her if Neil hadn’t arrived.
As an agent she should feel that justice wasn’t being served, but as a victim, as someone who could still feel the cool blade of the knife against her throat, digging in enough to draw blood and the rough palms of the men scratching over her panties, she only hoped Finn made them suffer.
Chapter 12
When Finn returned to the club hours later, he’d changed clothes. Instead of the black suit he’d worn earlier, he now wore jeans and a black leather jacket. Gretchen’s body grew warm and her core clenched at the sight of him. As he drew closer, she could see a cut at the corner of his perfect mouth. The knuckles on the hand that reached for her were battered, and he tensed when he squeezed her hand in his.
She couldn’t explain why her panties were suddenly damp, whether caused by a primal pleasure because he’d protected her, or the simple fact he looked so damn sexy and dangerous. She knew she wanted him and tonight she’d have him.
“Are you ready?” He didn’t meet her gaze.
“Sure.” She let him lead her out of the club and to his car, waiting as he opened the door for her before she slid inside. Her dress rode up to expose the bare skin between her thigh-highs and short dress to the cool night air.
Silence pulsed in the air between them as he drove to his apartment reminding her of the first night he’d taken her there. The night she’d claimed to hate him, even while already in love with him.
By the time they entered his apartment, he still hadn’t spoken. She followed him inside and went to the fridge as he made his way to his bedroom. She took a moment to fill a glass with water, anything that might calm her nerves and squelch the desire inside her. The time to save herself from whatever pain might possibly await her for falling in love with Finn had passed. Whether he loved her or not, tonight she had to be honest with him about her own feelings. She finished the water and padded to his bedroom.
He stood at the window, staring out at nothing. “Don’t ask me about it.” He didn’t turn around. “I don’t feel like talking.”
“Good.” She pushed away from the doorway, where she had stopped to watch him, and went to him. “I didn’t come in here to talk.”
He turned, and in his eyes waged a war of emotions. Anger still churned there along with pain and a hint of desperation. “It’s probably best if I stay in the other room.”
He began to move away from her. She couldn’t let that happen. Finn needed to know he couldn’t hide from her. In order for a relationship between them to have a chance of survival, they had to do it together, even when things got ugly. She took hold of his belt. He stopped, his body alert and rigid.
