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I heard the growl coming from Zorro’s throat. “I’m okay, baby. Go back to sleep.” His tail thumped for a few seconds before he eased back onto his bed and within seconds, he was snoring.
As my eyes became accustomed to the darkness, I clutched at the covers and scanned the room. The nightmare had seemed far too real. Blade was centric, his tortured body… Refusing to remember the gory details, I took several deep breaths. Why would I dream something so horrible? The scars. That had to be the reason why. The scent permeating the air wasn’t filtered with blood, only the scent of sex. I bit my lower lip to keep from groaning until I realized that Blade was no longer in the bed. Shifting, I allow a brief whimper, feeling the effects of the spanking. The belt. I closed my eyes briefly, remembering the dazzling pain darting through every portion of my body. Jesus. Why did everything seem so cold?
Because he’s not lying next to you.
No, he wasn’t, and I didn’t see that happening. Ever. Why did I want him? Why did I crave what I couldn’t have, what I shouldn’t taste?
After my ridiculous try at asking anything about his personal life, he hadn’t muttered another word, but at least he’d remained with me until I’d fallen asleep with my head on his chest. I knew one thing for certain. He’d closed and locked the door on discussing anything personal, even after our intimate moments. And even now, I longed to feel the rough touch of his fingers stroking my back, my bruised ass. Damn it. He’d allowed me in for the briefest of time, but I’d seen enough to know how much pain he was in.
A bad man. He’d issued the words as if he was proud of being able to say them, but I sensed he’d been taught he was nothing more than that. Shuddering, I brushed my hands through my hair before easing out of bed and finding another robe. The house was quiet. Even with Zorro’s heavy breathing, everything remained ominous to me. Blade had intended on putting the fear of God into me and it had worked.
The knife was gone, and the items that had been knocked to the floor were back on the dresser as if the amazing event hadn’t occurred. As if he’d never been here, but I knew he wouldn’t leave me alone in the darkness. I didn’t need to search the house. I knew exactly where he was. I moved to one of the front windows, carefully peering outside. There would be no sleep for him this time. He sat on the edge of his seat, peering into the darkness. Watching.
Waiting.
And he would kill any intruder.
CHAPTER8
Blade
You belong to me.
The words burned in the back of my mind. I’d actually said them, and it wasn’t all about the heat of passion. Fuck. Fuck.Fuck.There was no excuse for my behavior. Brash. Without thinking. All I’d done the remainder of the night was think about my careless actions, and not just the evening before.
Even now, I wanted nothing more than to go back inside and take her over and over again. She was my drug and damn if I wasn’t already addicted. No. It couldn’t happen again. I was going to find a way to get the hell out of here. Touching the side of my face and feeling the rough edges, I hissed, furious with myself for shutting her out. Crystal’s gentle touch should have broken through. But what was I supposed to say, how could I explain to her what I’d been forced to endure? She didn’t deserve to hear the shit storm of my life. No one did.
I stood staring out at the tangled mess of her front yard. The place was a far cry from the glass and steel I’d just left. Oddly enough, I’d realized she and I weren’t all that much different. We were both hiding.
From ourselves. From our pasts.
I sensed she’d endured more pain than I ever had, but there was nothing I could offer to either soothe or help ease her pain. If she ever found out my true identity, she’d run far away. As she should. I was no good for her, or anyone else for that matter.
The early morning fog had given way to streaks of sunlight cresting over the horizon. I could almost gather a whiff of the ocean, even though Crystal’s scent covered every inch of my body. I was no longer on edge, at least to the level I’d been the night before. She’d be safe for the time being until the little fuckers regrouped. The one thing I knew about the types of assholes who’d jumped me was that they were fueled by alcohol. The only way they could get their dick up, at least in my opinion. They’d taken a significant chance threatening her in such a public location. Then again, they certainly weren’t trained made men. They were kids in a gang, pretending to be men.
Diego would call these kinds of morons ‘gavones’ or total embarrassments to the organization. I’d never heard of the Desperados, but I assumed they were typical of the ones I’d experienced in Miami. Retaliation was the rule of the game. They waged wars for the sake of doing so and to gain more turf. I’d ask around in my own manner, finding out what I could about them. I had a feeling few people would talk, especially to a stranger. Chuckling, I twirled the knife, watching the way the sun shimmered over the jagged edge. I had certain methods I could use, and I would if necessary. Everything I’d said to her had been truthful but overdramatized, the spin meant to keep her from going off half-cocked. I smiled at the thought. She was indeed a handful.
Hissing, I shoved the blade back into the sheath, this time attaching it to my waist, and leaned against the front railing. I’d been a damn fool to fuck her for several reasons, including taking my eyes off the perimeter of her house. My weakness could have cost her life. If severalgavoneshad come for her, I wouldn’t have had the element of surprise.
What the hell was I going to do now? I sure as shit hadn’t intended on staying more than a day in the location, two at best. The damn Harley. I knew my way around an engine, no matter whether cars, trucks, or motorcycles, but with limited tools, there was little I could do at this point. And the mechanic the dude at the motel had suggested? All bets were off about whether he knew what the hell he was doing. Parts needed to be ordered. Fucking fantastic.
I took a glance over my shoulder. The blinds were still closed and even the dog hadn’t barked. Hairs stood up on the back of my neck. I’d walked the entire property no less than three times after leaving her… bed. The last time just minutes before, taking my damn sweet time about it too. I snapped my fist against the railing and stormed toward the door, anger furrowing inside. The sight of her intimate attire drew my attention. Stopping short, I leaned down and balled the material into my fist, bringing the softness to my nose and inhaling. Stars floated in front of my eyes, bringing another round of longing. I hissed and ignored the sensations, regrouping in order to keep her safe.
There was zero sound as I walked inside. Nothing. I hadn’t owned a dog since I was a kid, but no matter their size or breed, they reacted when someone came into their world and usually with a bark. There was no sign of either in the kitchen, but the fucking back door was open, the screen door unlatched. What. The. Fuck. I craned my neck until I was able to look past the open door and into the yard. There were no signs of tampering of any kind. Keeping quiet, I closed and locked the door, refusing to allow easy access.
Still, a sickening feeling remained in the pit of my stomach.
Taking long strides, I smashed my way into the bedroom, my eyes sweeping the empty bed and the sleeping dog. Zorro raised his head, whining. Even his tail wasn’t thumping. Shit. Was the dog terrified? The bathroom door was partially cracked. Moving cautiously, my hand on the knife, I pushed open the door and waited before stepping inside. There was no blood trail, no sign of struggle. Scanning the room, I yanked the shower curtain.
“No!” Crystal yelped, one hand immediately covering herself, the other thrust out, prepared to fight her attacker. Gasping for air, her eyes remained open wide. “What are you doing?” She cowered in the corner, her eyes never leaving my holster.
I allowed my gaze to travel all the way down her naked form, searching for any sign of injury, prepared for a fight. My mouth watered seeing the way water trickled down the length of her beautiful body, licking against her brightly painted toes. The dim lighting hadn’t done her enough justice. She was the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes on. Hunger swelled from deep within, fighting the torturous man. There would be no victory today. Not in this regard.
Backing down, I turned slightly, reaching for a towel. Why the hell was my damn hand shaking? While I’d been inside her sweet pussy only hours before, this was far too intimate, as if invading her space. Zorro crowded into the area, whimpering for attention, his entire body wiggling. “I was concerned about your safety. The back door was open. You can’t leave any doors unlocked at any time. I thought I was very clear.”
“Oh, you were clear as mud,” she hissed, her tone bordering on nasty. “I’m fine, Blade. I told you before. I can take care of myself and have for years. As far as the damn back door, I stepped out on the deck looking for you. Okay? Stupid, huh? You obviously don’t want me in your life.” She yanked the towel from my hand, shaking as she tried to position the material around her body. “I thought you’d gone. I just… Oh, it fucking doesn’t matter.”
Nodding, I released my near-death grip on the knife and rubbed the top of the dog’s head, scouring through my mind for the right words, as if there were any. She couldn’t be in my life. Not now. Not ever. “I was checking the perimeter. I had to make certain there wasn’t any signs of the assholes before I left.” The same electricity we’d shared soared, but an uneasiness was also rearing its ugly head. Why was this so damn uncomfortable?
