Protecting What's Mine: A Security Romance Collection

by Apryl Baker

“It’s true. Who doesn’t like to watch movies where true love wins out?”

  Kade pulled her into his lap and nibbled at the base of her throat. Her smell, a combination of cinnamon and apples, was heady. He’d been hard since the night before but controlled himself. His woman needed rest more than a ravishing, but having her pressed against his erection was almost more than he could bear.

  “Didn’t you promise me a finger fucking?” Angel whispered into his ear, and he groaned.

  “You are not making resisting my urges easy.”

  “Why would you resist them?” She bit his ear, and he shuddered.

  “Your concussion…”

  “Isn’t going to kill me.”

  He groaned when her fingers found him. “Angel, now is not the time…” His breath hissed out when her fingers dug into his slacks, gripping him tight. “Fuck, that feels good.”

  “Now is the perfect time.” She bit his bottom lip. “If we sit here and just think about what’s going on right now, we’ll drive ourselves crazy. We need to distract each other.”

  Kade wanted to tell her no, but she was right. All the different scenarios had been running through his head as soon as he’d left the precinct. They would go insane if all they did was sit here and agonize over the what-ifs. He tried to stand, but she shook her head.

  “No. I want to smell the ocean, Kade.”

  He tensed. Any number of people could see them, including his brother. “Moye serdste…”

  “Hush.” She put a finger to his lips. “No more Mr. Prude today.”

  He hated when she called him that. Public sex wasn’t his thing, and this was as public as public could get. Anyone could see them if they looked up from the beach. Kade was so distracted, he didn’t notice she’d popped the button on his pants and unzipped them until her fingers wrapped around him.

  “We’re all about finger fucking today.” She grinned and pulled him free of his pants. The zipper bit into his balls, but it didn’t matter. The feel of her fingers stroking him more than made up for the discomfort.

  “I think I was…” He hissed when she tugged on his tip while rubbing her thumb across the head of it.

  “You were supposed to what?” Her lips made a path of wet kisses along his jaw. He usually tormented her like this. Leave it to his girl to reverse roles. Now he understood her frustration at the light touch. It was driving him insane.

  “Finger fuck you.”

  “We can get to that later tonight.” Her fingernails dug into the sensitive skin of his cock. He shuddered. “Right now, I want to play. So sit back, shut the fuck up, and enjoy the moment.”

  As uncomfortable as he was out in the open, he couldn’t bring himself to move. Her fingers were like magic, pulling pleasure and pain from him in equal parts. What he wanted was her lips wrapped around him, but she denied him. Damn finger fucking.

  Another long and loud groan escaped when she gripped his balls while she stroked her hand up and down the length of him. She teased them unmercifully, and he tried to buck up, but the way she was straddling him prevented it. He was trapped, unable to do anything but accept whatever she gave him.

  Torment, heaven, the need to come came and went over the next hour while she toyed with him. Whenever he came close to coming, she would slow down or remove her hand altogether. He didn’t know whether to worship at her feet or throw in her a jail cell for inhumane treatment. God, but he loved her even when he hated her.

  “Are you ready, baby?” Her sultry words sent a surge of blood through his cock, and he stiffened, his need to come overpowering every sensation he had.

  “Yes.” He barely managed to get the word out.

  She smiled and slid off his lap. His eyes widened when she winked at him right before she pulled him into her mouth. The warm wetness that sheathed him caused him to tremble. When she slid him in so deep he hit the back of her throat and went deeper, his hands clenched in her hair and held her in place for as long as she could stand it. She came up for air and smiled like the Cheshire Cat and swallowed him whole, this time using her lips and teeth to work him, her tongue coming to soothe any small hurt she inflicted.

  He stiffened, his balls going so tight, it was a miracle they didn’t implode. He felt the rush, and Angel never faltered. She took everything he gave her, swallowing around him, which only heightened his released. When he was left limp and twitching in her mouth, she let him slip free and crawled back up his body to lie against him, listening to the rapid beating of his heart.

  “That…”

  “Shh.” She pressed a finger to his lips. “I know.”

  “I love you, moye serdste.”

  She nuzzled her nose into his shirt. “I love you too. Now, let’s nap. I’m tired.”

  “Come on, sweetheart, let’s go to bed.”

  “No. I want to nap here. I want to breathe in the ocean. It’s been so long.”

  “I don’t know if it’s safe.” He looked across to the beach. They were on the sixteenth floor. He’d told Nik not to reserve the top floor, as that would be where they’d look first, guessing Nik would foot the bill. It seemed less likely they’d look in the middle of the thirty-five-floor hotel.

  “No one can see us. Hell, Conner couldn’t see us if he walked out right now. The balcony rails are too high.” She leaned up and kissed him. “Please, Kade?”

  He could never deny her anything, and she was probably right. No one could see them if they were lying down. He’d been paranoid about being watched while he was given the most erotic blow job of his life, but truthfully, no one could see them. He understood that looking around. Angel probably realized it before he did and didn’t say a word to get him riled up. Damn minx.

  “Fine. Go to sleep, moye serdste.”

  He pulled her close and let himself drift off to the sounds of Miami.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Angel yawned. Her back was sore. Had she fallen asleep in the office chair again? She kept telling Kade they needed to invest in better chairs. Instead of office chairs, she’d been checking out the ones YouTubers used. They sat in front of their computers far longer than the average person. She was betting they had great office chairs.

  “Trying to run from me?”

  Angel went still at the sound of the voice. The events of the last few days rushed her all at once, and fear overwhelmed her. Had they found her?

  “No, I just wanted to step out and make a phone call.”

  Wait, that was Jeremy’s voice. Conner. The other voice belonged to Conner. She let out a long sigh of relief then froze again. Should she say something to let them know she was here? Her inner goddess threatened to beat her black and blue if she did.

  “Really?” Conner’s voice came closer. “Then where’s your phone?”

  “I…” Jeremy cleared his throat. “I was just taking a minute, that’s all.”

  Angel sat up a little higher, just enough to be able to see them. If she stayed still, they shouldn’t notice her.

  “Do I make you nervous?” Conner stalked closer, his prey only inches from him.

  “Did you never learn about personal space?” Jeremy retreated to the railing, but it didn’t deter Conner. He just followed him.

  “Not when it comes to what I want.” Sex oozed out of his voice. Shit, he had a better voice than either Kade or Nik. It was enough to make anyone, man or woman, wet. If she wasn’t in love with Kade, it might even have affected her more than it already did. She loved her husband, but damn, Conner had a voice made for sex.

  “I don’t want you.” Angel covered her mouth to stop the gasp that tried to escape.

  Conner’s laugh slid over Jeremy, and Angel watched his reaction closely. The man visibly shuddered. Go, Conner.

  “Look.” Jeremy took a deep breath. “I’m not gay, okay? I’m straight as they come.”

  “I get that.” Conner leaned back, his rock-hard abs on display. “It’s hard to come to terms with wanting a man when you’ve never thought of men that way before.
”

  “What? No!” Jeremy stuttered. “I…will you stop that?” He turned his back on Conner and his very obvious display of his physique. “I’m not coming to terms with anything. I like women.”

  Conner took the opportunity to stand behind Jeremy, so close there was barely a centimeter between them. “That’s okay too. I’ll just go see if Allison wants to play.”

  Jeremy stood, coming against Conner’s chest in the process. Conner slid an arm around him, holding him in place. “Stay away from Ally.”

  “Why?” Angel couldn’t quite see, but she’d guess his mouth was against Jeremy’s ear. “She likes me. I like her. It’s a mutual attraction she isn’t denying.”

  “Leave her alone.” Jeremy’s voice was dark, angry.

  “Oh, I see.” Conner pulled Jeremy closer to him. “You like her.”

  “Yes, so stay the fuck away from her.”

  “Hmmm.” Conner’s head dipped closer to Jeremy’s. They were almost the same height, Conner maybe an inch or so taller than Jeremy. “Why don’t we enjoy her together, then?”

  “What? No.”

  “I think you’d enjoy it.” Conner’s hand slid back and forth against Jeremy’s abdomen. “You don’t want to admit you like me, but you can do whatever you want when we’re together with Allison.”

  Jeremy was quiet for a long minute. Angel listened, afraid to move. The sexual tension in the air was so thick, it would have needed something sharper than a knife to cut it.

  “Ally’s a good girl.” Jeremy sounded a little out of breath. “She’d never do something like that.”

  “Good girls can do very bad things, Agent Bradford. Very bad things. Think about it. I’m going to fuck her with or without you. If you want to join us, all you have to do is tell me. I can enjoy you, you can enjoy me, and we can both enjoy her. It’s up to you. But someone is getting fucked tonight.”

  Angel watched, fascinated, as Conner pulled Jeremy’s face to his and kissed him. It wasn’t soft or delicate. It was hard and passionate, full of fire and the promise of so much more. When he released Jeremy and strode back inside, Jeremy caught the railing to keep from stumbling.

  Fuck, there was no way she’d be able to resist that if she were single. Now she understood Conner’s appeal. The man was a walking, talking sex machine. Sex oozed out of him. Jeremy was a fool to turn that down, straight or not.

  She kept perfectly still until Jeremy went back inside. Why was he in Conner’s room to begin with? She got up and went inside her own suite. The lights were on in the front room, but Kade was nowhere to be found. He might have gone next door to meet with everyone while she slept. That made more sense than Jeremy showing up unannounced on Conner’s doorstep.

  She did her business in the bathroom and checked her phone for messages. Nothing. You would think Kade would at least text her or leave a message. He knew how anxious she was about news of Matthew. Pulling off her shirt, which had dried cum on it, she fished around in her overnight bag and pulled on one of Kade’s old t-shirts. It was huge, but comfortable.

  A knock sounded on her door. Maybe Jasper heard her moving around and had orders to bring her next door when she woke. That had better be the case, at least, or Kade was going to get an earful.

  She opened the door, and indeed, Jasper stood there, but he didn’t look happy. A young blonde girl wearing the hotel staff uniform was behind him, a pleasant smile on her face. Angel frowned. She took a better look and saw the girl had a gun pressed into Jasper’s back. Shit.

  “Please, Mrs. Kincaid, if we could come in?” Her question was way too perky. Cheerleader perky. “I really don’t want to have to shoot him.”

  That got Angel moving. She stepped aside and allowed them to come into the hotel room. Jasper’s gun was tucked into the waistband of the girl’s skirt. Angel knew he carried a spare tucked away under his pants leg, right above his ankle. It was small but would get the job done.

  “Mr. Rivera sent me to invite you to meet your son.” The girl’s name badge read Mandy. It was probably her real name. Angel was betting she worked here and had informed the man who had her son she was here.

  The whistle of wind caught her and Jasper both off guard. It wasn’t until Jasper went down that she understood Mandy had shot him in the back. She went to move toward him, but Mandy stopped her. She tossed duct tape in her direction.

  “Please cover his mouth and tape his hands and feet together.”

  Angel’s gaze flickered between the tape in her hands to Jasper and back to Mandy.

  “Hurry up. If you want to meet Mateo, we must go soon. The car won’t wait forever. I will be forced to shoot you if you don’t agree to come. I don’t want to have to do that.”

  Angel got down on her knees. “I’m so sorry, Jasper.”

  He grunted, his eyes zeroing in on his pant leg where the gun lay hidden. Angel nodded and tore off a piece of the duct tape and placed it over his mouth. She made quick work of his hands and moved to his feet, blocking Mandy’s view as she collected the small gun and slipped it down her bra with one hand while winding the tape around his feet with the other. It wasn’t comfortable, but she managed to get it settled before she stood, grateful she’d changed into the monstrously large shirt.

  “Now, I’m going to put the gun away while we walk out into the hall and get on the elevator. I have men waiting at the elevator, so if you think about overpowering me, they will shoot you dead.”

  True to her word, men waited at the elevator. Dark haired men who looked like they meant business. She wasted no time in getting into the elevator, afraid Kade or one of the others would come out. She had no doubt they’d murder any one of them. Hell, Angel didn’t know if they meant her harm or not, but she was putting her faith in God that they really would take her to her son. If only to be able to taunt Kade they had his wife and his son. She was banking on Rivera’s need to torture his nemesis more than anything else. He was a sick bastard. This way, if he wanted to torture someone, she’d make sure it was her and not her baby boy.

  They got off on the third floor and took the stairs down to the kitchens, where they went out a back exit. A dark SUV waited for them. Angel was hustled inside with Mandy and the two men who had been waiting at the elevators.

  “See, that was easy. If you do as you’re told, things won’t be difficult for you.” Mandy smiled sweetly and sent off a text. “I’m sure you’re happy to finally get to meet your little boy.”

  Angel made no move to continue the conversation. She wanted to punch the perky cheerleader girl in the face and then bash it into the glass. The girl only shrugged when Angel didn’t speak and buried her nose in her phone. The sound of Candy Crush emitted from it. Of course she’d be playing Candy Crush. It was just the type of game she imagined perky cheerleaders played.

  They drove in silence for an hour, and then pulled off onto a dirt road, where a Lincoln Town Car waited.

  “Here is where we part ways.” Mandy smiled her perky cheerleader smile. “Good luck to you.”

  The door opened, and the taller of the two guards gestured for her to get out. She did so with trepidation. Mandy waved at her, and she turned her back, cringing when the loud crack of the gunshot sounded. She should have guessed Mandy wouldn’t be spared. The cartel left no witnesses behind they couldn’t trust.

  Her “escort” opened the door, and she got inside, her attention focused on the man sitting beside her. Tomás Rivera. He smiled, the coldness chilling her soul. She knew who he was. Everyone had known his reputation even before he took over the cartel. He had no conscience, no empathy. He killed for the sheer pleasure of it.

  Tomás was not handsome or even remotely cute. He was an ugly son of a bitch whose facial features only added to his reputation of being the most vicious man any cartel had ever known.

  “Señora Kincaid.” His voice was mild, but she detected a bite to it. He was trying for pleasant but couldn’t quite pull it off. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you.”

 
“Mr. Rivera, I’m sorry I can’t say the same of you.”

  He chuckled. “Finally, someone who isn’t afraid to speak her mind.”

  “Why not?” Angel kept her shaking on the inside. “I’m guessing your plan is to send pieces of me to my husband. Nothing I do or say will change that, so I will speak my mind.”

  “Touché, my beauty.” He rubbed his chin. “Mateo has your eyes.”

  “Is he…well?” She didn’t want to say whole for fear he’d tell her he’d already begun to butcher the child.

  “Of course. Mateo is very fond of his Uncle Tomás. Why would I harm the child?”

  “To get back at Kade.” She kept her words very matter-of-fact. “He killed your brother, so why wouldn’t you kill his son?”

  “I did take his son from him, that is true.” Tomás shifted so he could better look at Angel. “The plan was to wait until the boy had been fully initiated into the organization as one of our trusted enforcers before we brought Kade’s attention to him, but you forced our hand.”

  “I forced your hand?”

  “Sí, my beauty. You saw him. There is no denying he’s his father’s son. And I was right, wasn’t I? Kade looked into the boy and discovered who he was. The warrant to test his DNA was proof of that. I was surprised by that little ambush. I assumed your husband would try to take the boy on his own, not enlist the police force to do it.”

  “Too many questions if he did it that way.” Angel settled herself against the car seat, preparing herself for anything this man might do to her, including rape. She’d lived through that once, and she could do it again for Matthew if she had to.

  “He always was a smart man, your husband.” Tomás’s Mexican accent wasn’t nearly as thick as it should have been. He’d been stateside too long and had picked up the Americans’ distinct lack of an accent so many had.

  “Where is my son?” Angel couldn’t stand it one second longer. She needed to know where he was. The question had been on the tip of her tongue the moment she’d seen who waited for her in the car.

  “He’s perfectly safe, I assure you. He’s been given the best of care and is a healthy little boy. We all feared he wouldn’t survive those first few weeks, but I think he gets his stubbornness from you. He held on and fought for his life. You wouldn’t even know how sick he was when he was born. I am sorry you weren’t there for him. I did debate collecting you as well. Children do need their mothers, but you had already left Miami. I took it as a sign and let you go. He’s none the worse for wear, growing up without a mother’s touch.”