“What’s wrong?” she asked, placing a sympathetic hand on his leg.
Gavin shook his head, his eyes moistening.
She sighed. “Hey, we’re still friends and I want to help. Did you... have a fight with Amber?”
Gavin snickered, half-rolling his eyes, but he didn’t answer the question. Instead, he took her hand that was on his lap and gently rubbed it with his thumb before letting it go.
She narrowed her eyes, her gaze flicking again to his tie and tie pin, and realisation sank in. “So,” she said, watching his face intently. “Am I in danger again?”
Gavin’s head whipped towards her, his eyes widening for a second before he put on an unaffected look.
But too late—she could read him well.
“Please tell me what’s going on,” she said authoritatively.
“I can’t, Tash. It’s about a case I’m doing for a client, so please don’t ask me again.”
“Don’t you trust me?”
“Of course, I do. But...”
She raised her eyebrows at him.
Gavin exhaled heavily. “There are things I can’t tell you even if I trust you. You know that.”
She stared at him. His depressed look had been overtaken by an impassive, stubborn face. Oh, she’d so hit the nail on the head, and she was mad at him for putting the two of them through hell just so she could remain safe.
Well, okay, that was a noble gesture, and it was extremely sweet of him to want to protect her at all cost. But to have broken her heart again... and to live everyday not being able to express their true feelings for each other...
She stood up and nonchalantly fixed her robe. Reasoning with Gavin that they could find a way to keep her safe even if he told her everything wouldn’t work. Her kidnapping experience was probably still scaring him, even if she’d handled that like a pro. She’d need to tackle this in a different way.
“Well,” she said quietly, “if you don’t want to tell me, then fine. But I want you to know that I still love you. I don’t think I can ever stop loving you, because I’m not even over you from when you first broke up with me five years ago. So I’ve just decided that whether you like it or not, whether you return my feelings or not, I will show you every day, in any way that I can, in private or in public, how much I love you.”
Gavin’s eyes watered, his jaw dropping.
She sniffed, reacting from his response. “And I don’t care who knows,” she said, her voice breaking as tears started to fall. “I’ll follow you around like a lovesick puppy because I am that. And you won’t be able to stop me,” she declared, pointing a finger at him vigorously for good measure.
Gavin’s face broke into a resigned but happy smile. Then he stood up and reached for her. “Come here, baby.”
She sobbed as she willingly fell into his arms.
“I love you so much,” Gavin said fiercely, holding her tight as he kissed her hair. “But you can’t do what you just said. Not in public, anyway.”
She pulled back to look in his eyes. “Watch me,” she said with all the seriousness she could muster.
Gavin let out a long, loud sigh. “Okay. If I tell you, will you promise to do as I say?”
She nodded, sending him a triumphant smile.
Gavin shook his head before dipping his head for a passionate kiss. “You know exactly how to break my defences down, don’t you?” he murmured against her lips.
She cupped his face. “I appreciate you trying to shield me from people who could physically hurt me. But by doing that, you’re hurting me anyway, just in a different way.”
“I know. But I only ever intended to stay away from you temporarily. Granted, the first time took five years, but I’d rather you’re not mine and safe than mine and... dead.”
She frowned. “What do you mean the first time took five years?”
“Well, almost five and a half, then, if you want to be more accurate.”
“No. I meant that when you broke up with me five years ago, you didn’t really intend to reconcile down the track, did you?”
“Of course I did.”
“But Amber...”
Gavin smiled, caressing her cheeks. “I didn’t break up with you because of Amber. I broke up with you because of Biggs. When Amber disappeared, I was terrified for you. There was no way I was going cast a spotlight on you for Biggs to notice that it was you I loved.”
Tears pooled in her eyes again. “You truly loved me even back then?”
“Yes. And I’ve never stopped.”
She beamed at him, her vision blurry. “So what’s going on right now? Why did you have to break up with me again?”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Gavin led Natasha back to the sofa. He couldn’t believe how she’d been able to guess what he’d been hiding from her—and how easily she’d figured out a way to make him talk! But even though he was still scared for her safety, he wasn’t at all regretting his capitulation. His Tash still loved him, and his heart was singing and dancing around in his chest from her words.
He kissed her hair before he started. “Amber called me out of the blue. Actually, it was the day that you came to my office and gave me this tie. I was shocked, to say the least. Apparently, she escaped from Biggs’ hideout six months after she was kidnapped when the man who was guarding her got busy getting high on drugs. Instead of going home or going to the police, she decided to hide from everyone for fear that Biggs would find her again if she stayed in Sydney. So for the last five years, she’s been living in Broome. Then she saw the news that Biggs had been caught. She came back to Sydney and decided to call me first because she wasn’t sure if it was safe to fully come out of hiding.”
“My God,” Natasha murmured. “She’s been in Broome all that time?”
“Yup. I thought that was pretty smart since it’s on the opposite side of the country from Biggs’ territory. Anyway, we arranged to meet the next night at my apartment. When I came to work the next day, there was an anonymous letter waiting for me. It said that even though Biggs was in custody, I should still be afraid because his mission lives on. It also said that if they found Amber, she wouldn’t just be kidnapped like last time, she’d be killed straight away. My parents’ lives were also threatened if I ever went to the police with this news.”
Natasha bolted upright on the seat, shocked.
Gavin tucked her in his arms as he continued. “I couldn’t tell Amber about the note until she came to my apartment that night because she didn’t leave me a contact number. She said she preferred to do the calling. When I told her about it, she said she wanted to go back to Broome straight away. But we can’t have that. Her witness testimony will be very important to make sure Biggs gets a long sentence, hopefully life. I told her that the police will give her protection twenty-four seven. But she was panicking, almost hysterical, actually. She said that there was nowhere in Sydney that she’d feel safe from Biggs and his men. And she wouldn’t go to her family as she was scared she’d put them in danger. So I offered for her to stay with me for a couple of nights until we could figure out what to do next. That didn’t alleviate her fear at first. She was terrified about me telling the police about the new threat because the letter said not to, and she said she didn’t want to be responsible if anything happened to my parents. So I agreed to hold off talking to Peter about it until I received a second note with further instructions that was mentioned in the first letter.”
Natasha nodded, gazing at him with concern, not jealousy.
Oh, God, how he loved her. He held her tighter. “The next day, I had another anonymous note waiting for me. It named you specifically.”
“Because I was your girlfriend,” Natasha said softly.
“Yes. They said that in keeping with Biggs’ wishes, I must break up with you, suffer like Biggs has been suffering from not being with his wife, or your blood will be on my hands. It reiterated that I shouldn’t tell the police about the letters because then they’d start targeting cops firs
t, starting with my best buddy Carter. That shocked me. Even Biggs didn’t know that Carter’s a cop. That hammered to me that these people have to be taken as seriously as I’ve taken Biggs, if not more so.”
Natasha shuddered. “So Carter doesn’t know anything about this?”
“No. Amber and I—and now you—are the only people who know about these threats. When I get better information that will lead us to the bastards, I’ll consider telling the police. For now, what I have on this will just lead them to dead ends.”
“So you’re working all this out on your own?”
“For the time being,” he murmured, kissing her temple.
“What else do they want you to do?”
“Apart from being an unhappy single guy with a zipped mouth, they want me to wait for further instructions.”
“To do what, I wonder?”
“That’s the billion-dollar question,” he said with a sigh.
Natasha wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t be. They haven’t done anything to me for five long years except make my life miserable. It’s you, Carter and my parents—and Amber—who are in danger, not me.”
She sighed. “Since I know what’s at stake, I’ll do everything I can to help you stay an unhappy single guy with a zipped mouth.”
“To help me pretend to be an unhappy single guy with a zipped mouth.”
“I stand corrected,” she said with chuckle.
“It’ll be hard,” he murmured against her hair. “I can get away with being the lovesick puppy because I’m the one who’s supposed to be heartbroken. But it’s important that you don’t walk around showing you’re not over me, okay?”
“Piece of cake,” she said with a teasing grin. “You know I’m a good actress. I even fooled Biggs.”
“You did. But I still don’t want to go through that again.”
Natasha cuddled close. “We’re gonna have to be careful tomorrow in front of the guys.”
That reminded him of something. “You’re not in the same room as Jarryd, are you?”
“No,” Natasha said with a huff. “I’m sharing with Marilyn, and Jarryd’s interested in her, not me.”
“Oh, really? Remind me to wring your brother’s neck when this is over,” he grumbled. “He let me think you and Jarryd had started dating.”
Natasha placed her palm on his cheek. “I’m sorry. How about I make it up to you?”
He grinned. “It’s not your fault, but I’m more than happy for you to make it up on his behalf.”
Natasha smiled sultrily, straddling him, before fitting her mouth with his.
He moaned, kissing her back with fervour. All despair and exhaustion he’d felt before she came down the stairs had evaporated, replaced by elation and hunger that was instant and all-consuming. He palmed her butt, pulling her closer so her crotch sat on his hardening dick. “I missed you so much,” he whispered.
“Show me how much,” she responded, grinding her hips against his lap.
“Babe,” he groaned, rising from the couch with Natasha wrapped around him. He took her to his bedroom and shut the door silently. “We have to be really quiet,” he whispered, putting her down to strip off her robe and pyjamas.
“Did you hear anyone earlier?” Natasha asked, working on his belt.
“Yes. From all the rooms. I think they were trying to out-moan each other.”
She chuckled. “It’s a shame we can’t join the competition.”
“Not yet,” he said, sighing as Natasha pushed down his trousers. He kicked them off his legs.
“I want you to leave this on.” Natasha turned up his collar so she could divest him of his shirt without taking off his tie.
“You didn’t bring your pink lingerie, did you?”
She raised her brows. “I never thought I’d be sleeping with you tonight.”
He smiled. “Neither did I, babe.”
“Why did you wear this tie and tie pin when you didn’t have any intention of telling me anything?”
He caressed her face. “I couldn’t stand the thought of you and Jarryd together. I was thinking that if I wore these, they would remind you of how you felt for me and, well, hold off with the moving on thing.”
Natasha curved her arms around his neck, pressing her naked body against his. “You did mess with my head earlier tonight. That’s why I couldn’t sleep.”
He lifted her and laid her on the bed. “Give me a few minutes and you’ll get your orgasm-induced sleep.”
Natasha started giggling, so he covered her mouth with his. “Quiet,” he murmured.
“Oops,” she whispered. “Don’t be too... good, then.”
“I’ll try,” he said with a grin, then proceeded to kiss her neck.
He explored her body with his hands and mouth, eager to give her pleasure. But more than that, he wanted to have his fill of her, to kiss every plane and curve and corner of her body to last him till the next time they could make love again.
He cupped her breasts, pushing them closer together, and laved her nipples one at a time, teasing her peaks with the tip of his tongue.
Natasha panted, her back arching to him as she rubbed her legs with his.
He travelled down all the way to her feet, leaving a trail of hot kisses along her smooth skin. Then he went back up, this time kissing along her inner legs and thighs, until he reached the apex between her legs. He glanced at her face, smiling as he found her watching him with her lids half-closed.
“Quiet,” he breathed, before he dipped his head and flicked his tongue repeatedly on her clit.
Natasha whispered his name, her hips undulating.
Ah, he missed this—missed her taste, her smell, her lusty response. He gave her more, and elicited more of what he wanted. When he closed his mouth on her nub, sucking gently, Natasha gasped out loud.
“Not yet,” she said, getting up to a kneeling position.
He grinned, rising so they were nose to nose. “Don’t you want your orgasm yet, honey?”
She shook her head and grasped his erection. “I want to play with your body too.” She licked his lips and ran soft fingers along his length.
He let out a low moan.
“Quiet,” she said, before kissing him with blazing passion, tugging his cock firmly.
He panted, devouring her lips avidly as he absorbed the pleasure she evoked. He was still enjoying their kiss when she broke it abruptly to crouch down. She took his erection and licked the head, before sucking on it while she played with his balls.
“Oh fuck... Tash...”
She smiled at him with her eyes, and he melted from the love he saw in them, mixed with playfulness and desire.
“I love you,” he whispered, his hips flexing from intense pleasure.
“I love you too, hon—”
He took that opportunity to push her back on the bed and lie on top of her.
“Hey,” she said with soft laughter. “Didn’t you like what I was doing?”
“Ha ha. What a funny question. Much as I love your mouth, I’m dying to have my dick elsewhere in your body.”
“Hm. Where is that, I wonder?”
He grinned, placing his hand between her legs to tease her some more. God, she was soaking.
“That’s not your dick,” she said with a pant.
He chuckled, nuzzling her neck as he inserted another finger in her.
“Oh... yes... Gavin...”
“Yes, my love?”
“You said you want your dick in my pussy. I want it now too.”
Argh. “Here, baby,” he grunted as he guided his erection to her wet entrance. Then he pushed in, stifling his moan. Slowly, gently, so as not to make the bed squeak, he thrust into her.
He kissed her lips, her cheeks, her brows—anywhere he could—as he went in and out of her over and over, revelling in the feelings only Natasha could arouse with such incredible intensity.
“
Oh, God, so good,” Natasha panted, her face a picture of ecstasy.
“Fuck,” he groaned, starting to lose control.
“Shh.”
“I know,” he whispered back, gritting his teeth as he drove into her just a tad harder, just a little faster. She was his heaven—always had been and always would be. Without her he was a man who outwardly excelled in his career, but felt empty inside. She was the heart of his everything, the other pea in his pod, his reason for living.
“Gavin,” Natasha gasped, clutching his shoulder as her legs tensed.
He quickly captured her mouth, covering the soft sounds of release that she couldn’t hold back, just as his body jerked and erupted inside her in sheer ecstasy.
*
“I better go back to my room,” Natasha said sleepily.
He sighed. “Yes, you better, before we both fall asleep.”
Natasha gave him a peck on the lips, then got out of bed and put her clothes back on.
“I love you, babe,” he said softly before she left the room.
“I love you too,” she said, blowing him a kiss.
He closed his eyes when the door closed, missing her already. When they’d be able to meet again as lovers, he didn’t know. But one thing he was sure of—no matter how much he yearned for her, her safety was still his number one priority.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Natasha woke up and stretched, smiling as the mild stiffness in her body reminded her of her early-morning activity in Gavin’s room. She glanced at Marilyn’s bed and found it empty.
What was the time? It felt late judging from the light filtering through the curtains. She got out of bed and grabbed her watch from the table near the window.
Ten forty! Shit!
She hurried to the bathroom she and Marilyn shared with Jarryd and quickly took a shower and brushed her teeth. Damn it. She was supposed to help Erin and Lexie prepare breakfast for everyone this morning. Had everyone eaten already?
She went down the stairs and found the house empty, but she heard voices coming from the backyard. She headed there and saw Cassie, Jade and Marilyn lounging on the outdoor seats, bathed in sunshine.
The Unforgettable Ex (Captured by Love Book 5) (Volume 5) Page 16
