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Isabella was so damn innocent.
She also had no idea that in a short period of time, she’d become important to a man who had no business tearing apart her life.
A mistake had been made.
I’d tasted the forbidden.
Now I would never be able to let her go.
I gathered her into my arms, surprised when she opened her eyes briefly. While they weren’t focused, she placed her hand against my chest, murmuring words I couldn’t understand. As I carried her upstairs, she returned to a peaceful sleep.
I’d never allowed myself to get this close to a single woman. I’d known her all of twenty-four hours, yet I felt closer to her than I had almost anyone else in my life.
That had to stop one way or the other.
Keep telling yourself you can.
I eased her onto the bed, gently placing the covers over her naked body. She shifted almost immediately, smiling in her sleep. I stood over her for a few seconds then moved to the chair in the corner, sitting on the edge. My instinct continued to tell me that I didn’t know all the pieces of the puzzle. That prevented me from doing my job at one hundred percent. If I was allowed to handle the mission in any way necessary to protect the mark, then that could mean moving further off the grid.
The Russians had already proven to be a formidable enemy. This location was too remote, too easy to surround. I’d finalize the plans in the morning after talking with my buddy.
If he was still alive.
The former soldier was even more careless in his actions than Sleeping Beauty.
I pulled the Glock into my hand and leaned back, listening to the wind rustling through the trees, limbs tapping against the glass. Exhaustion was also my enemy, sleep deprivation allowing the demons a method of sliding past my defenses. I had to try to stay awake. Somehow. I thought about her antics, able to chuckle. She wasn’t just a handful, she was a lioness stuck in a small cage, determined to break free.
I kept my hand on my weapon, taking several deep breaths, thoughts and images rolling through my mind. Protection. That was all I needed to think about.
“Speak English, you fucking sons of bitches!” My voice was no longer recognizable, my throat bone dry. I tried to create spit in order to swallow, but there was nothing left inside. I glared at the small opening in the cage, the hole where they tossed scraps of food and dirty water on rare occasions. They also used the fucking space to torment me with spears and electric prods, laughing every time they heard me scream.
The two bastards continued talking, ignoring my insult. They couldn’t care less. I slunk into the darkness, the limited light allowing me to see the collection I’d built. In their desire to torture me, they’d been stupid enough to leave the pieces of wood I’d had the strength enough to yank from their hands.
It was almost time. Soon, I’d be able to claw my way out of this fucking hole and when I did, they would learn the true meaning of the word devil.
I threw my arms back as I lifted my head, issuing a deep roar. Let them think I was weak. By this time in a few days, they would all be dead.
* * *
Isabella
The sleeping giant.
I’d awakened to find him in the chair only a few feet from the bed, his hand still grasping his weapon. He seemed at peace, but I knew that with a single sound, he’d react as the soldier he’d been trained to become. Hard. Brutal. Cold.
Yet I’d seen the man inside, a brief glimpse that allowed me to catch a moment of his pain, anguish that had everything yet nothing to do with the scars on his body. I had placed my trust in him, at least most of it, and I’d felt freer than I had my entire life.
After dressing as quietly as possible, I’d padded downstairs, finding coffee. Now I stood staring out the front window, the frost from the night before glistening on the remaining leaves. It was certainly peaceful here, a reminder that tranquility did exist. I’d never been completely alone my entire life, or at least what I could remember. There was always someone waiting, watching.
But I’d never felt protected until now. I knew it was Cobra’s job, the sex only an emotional escape for both of us, but I sensed a deeper connection even after our brief time together. I was no fool. A man like him wasn’t capable of anything more than physical attraction and I certainly had nothing to offer at this point in my life, but it seemed that two fractured souls had found each other in a sea of disbelief and despair, the chemical tether providing the basis for the bond.
Maybe I was overthinking it, but he’d managed to give me strength. Willpower. I laughed softly as I headed up the stairs, two steaming cups of java in my hands. Maybe a little kindness would go a long way. I doubted he’d had anyone to take care of him for years. As I moved into the room, I was surprised to see he was still sleeping. Then the moment I stepped on a single board, the slight crack was enough to rouse the soldier.
He jerked up, his weapon immediately pointed in my direction, his breathing ragged.
Frozen, I smiled, lifting one of the cups. “I thought you’d like some coffee.”
His entire face tightened, his jaw clenching as he lowered the gun. “Be careful sneaking up on a sleeping bear, princess.”
