Protected by a Hero

by Susan Stoker, Cristin Harber, Cora Seton, Lynn Raye Harris, Kaylea Cross, Katie Reus, Tessa Layne

  She was still panting at the invasion, at how full and stretched she felt. It hurt, but in a good way.

  He dipped his head and kissed her softly. “I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

  She put her hand on his cheek, then slid her fingers into his hair. “It’s a good kind of hurt. Now please make it better. I want to get to the good part.”

  He shifted his hips, moving gently, and the nerve endings in her entire body sat up and took notice. It was as if Nick were an electric storm, and she were a conduit for his energy. Her skin lit up with pings and sizzles in places she hadn’t realized could be so sensitive.

  Nick slid almost all the way out and then pushed deep inside her again. Victoria gasped his name as she clutched his shoulders, seeking an anchor in the storm. He didn’t give her any mercy after that, moving inside her faster and faster, his body demanding everything she could give in return.

  She lifted herself to him, opened herself, took him as deeply as he could go, her body melting and reshaping itself to accommodate his. The tension she’d felt earlier began to spin up again, coiling tighter and tighter inside her until she thought if she didn’t get some relief, she would scream.

  Victoria closed her eyes and arched upward, wanting more. She wanted to remember everything, experience everything, but she knew it wasn’t going to last. Her orgasm was a wave just out of reach, a wave that would annihilate her when it arrived.

  She wanted to come, but she also wanted to control her reaction.

  Except she knew there would be no control. When she shattered, she would lose herself in the bliss of the moment. Nick owned her body right now and he would accept nothing less.

  He drove into her with more force than before, their bodies slapping together, their sweat mingling. And it didn’t hurt anymore. It felt astonishingly wonderful.

  Why had she waited so long? Why?

  And then her heart whispered to her. He was why. Nick Brandon. The thought disconcerted her. She couldn’t let herself get emotional over this man. Emotion was vulnerability, and she had no room for vulnerability. Not out here. Not now.

  “Come for me, Victoria,” he rasped in her ear. “Let yourself go.”

  It was as if he’d given her the key, because her breath caught and her body flew over the edge as the tension inside her exploded in a single blinding flash. She heard herself cry out his name, her voice broken and breathless.

  She’d had orgasms before, but never like this. Never with a man inside her, driving her over the edge. It was different; it was a revelation. There was something about experiencing such a supremely intimate moment with another person that was both frightening and comforting.

  Victoria closed her eyes and gave herself up to the sensations vibrating through her. Nick followed her over the edge, shooting warm jets inside her. That was also a revelation, to know she could feel the moment when he came.

  He didn’t collapse on top of her but held himself up on his elbows. He was still inside her, still hard, and she pressed her forehead to his shoulder and concentrated on breathing.

  “Hey,” he said softly, and she looked up to find him watching her with a look of concern on his handsome face.

  She didn’t know why until he reached out and smoothed his fingers over her cheeks. Her skin was wet.

  “Did I hurt you?”

  She gulped, suddenly uncertain she could maintain her composure. Her emotions were a whirlwind and she wasn’t quite sure why. “No. I… I’m fine.”

  He pushed her hair from her face. “You don’t look fine.”

  “It’s just a bit overwhelming.”

  He gave her a smile. “Yeah, it can be.”

  “Is that a commentary on your awesomeness or just a general statement?”

  He snorted. “Whatever you want it to be.”

  His hips flexed, and she gasped, both at how sensitive she was and at how eager her body was for more. She dropped her gaze to his chest, unable to look at him for more than a few seconds. Her heart still pounded, and little aftershocks of nerves zipped through her body. Her brain raced with conflicting thoughts.

  What had she done? Why had she chosen a man who got beneath her skin to be the one to initiate her? Was it a mistake? How would she ever regain her balance? How would she ever look him in the eye again?

  He tipped her chin up and forced her to look at him, putting an end to that question. His hazel eyes searched hers. “Regrets?”

  It was strange to be asked such a thing when he was still buried inside her, when her body hadn’t quite pieced itself back together again.

  She swallowed. Her throat hurt. “I don’t know.”

  She felt him stiffen slightly, but then he sighed. “Believe it or not, I understand.”

  A tiny sliver of pain lanced into her. Because if he understood, he must be feeling some regret of his own. And that was a thought she couldn’t stand. It might be hypocritical, but it hurt. She pushed at his shoulders, but it was like trying to move a brick wall. He wouldn’t budge.

  “Get off,” she said as the hurt threatened to turn into a deluge.

  “You aren’t pushing me away, Victoria. Not like this.”

  Fresh tears trickled down her cheeks. Crying was an unbelievable breach of her usual control, but then nothing about tonight had been normal.

  He swore. She thought he would get up and stalk out of the room, but he took her hands in his and pushed them above her head. His mouth captured hers almost savagely. She had a brief moment of shock—and then her belly clenched and a hard wave of desire rolled through her.

  His body bore hers down into the mattress, his cock swelling inside her.

  “Do you still want me to go?” he demanded, his mouth at her ear.

  She heard herself moan—and then she wrapped her legs around his waist and he started to move. It was faster this time, more frantic. They moved as one, rocking the bed hard against the wall—and then she came, biting down on his shoulder as she did so. She was still coming when he stiffened and groaned his release.

  This time he rolled away when it was over. The cool air on her body was a shock after being beneath him for so long. She pushed onto her elbows and looked at him. He’d flung an arm over his face and his chest rose and fell more rapidly than before.

  “I shouldn’t have done that,” he said after a long moment.

  “Which part?” Because she had to know what he meant.

  He moved his arm and turned his head toward her. “Just now. You thought I regretted having sex with you. The only way I knew to prove differently was to do it again.”

  She lowered her gaze even as she felt her face flushing. Her damn coloring showed everything. “I did think that.”

  He reached out and tangled his fingers with hers. “The only thing I regret is that I was too weak to tell you no.”

  She didn’t know what to say to that. She wanted to curl against him and go to sleep, but she felt awkward and uncertain. When would she stop feeling this way?

  “I didn’t want you to tell me no. I think I made that clear.”

  He snorted softly. “Yeah, you did.”

  He reached for the nightstand, checked his phone and his gun. She thought he would get up and go now, but he didn’t. He lay back and then dragged her down and wrapped an arm around her. She put her head on his chest, her cheek against his warm skin. He smelled like soap and sex and she closed her eyes, sighing.

  “I have a feeling tomorrow’s going to bring news, one way or the other. For now, we’re safe, so let’s sleep while we can.”

  She wanted to stay right here with him—and yet she needed to stay in control of the job as much as possible. She pushed herself up. He let her go.

  “I know your guys are watching, but maybe one of us should stay on alert. I’ll take this shift.”

  He sighed. “It’s not necessary, Victoria.”

  “I think it is.”

  “You just have to argue with me, don’t you?”

  “I’m not arguing. I�
�m following procedure.”

  She knew it sounded hollow when she said it, but she had to wrest back some of the control of this operation—of herself—where she could.

  Nick turned onto his side and punched the pillow. “When you get tired of sitting up alone, come back to bed.”

  She fumbled for her clothes in the darkness, cursing herself the entire time she got dressed. Was she insane? She could have stayed right there, curled up in his warmth, but she’d had to be stubborn.

  And now she would pay the price, sitting in the dark until dawn and wishing like hell she could explore his body one more time.

  * * *

  Nick slept soundly, only waking when the sun sent a shaft of light streaming into the room. It fell across his face, warming him. For a moment, he was disoriented. But only for a moment. The night before came back to him with blinding clarity.

  Skin to skin, breaths mingling, bodies straining, soft limbs tangling with his own. He’d been so lost in her. So overwhelmed by the sweetness of her body. He’d thought he would wake up this morning and feel pleasantly sated.

  Instead, a hot, hard hunger swept through him. His cock swelled, remembering. He wanted her again, and just as badly as he had last night.

  He turned his head, intent on waking her and indulging this need, but Victoria wasn’t there. She’d stayed away all night.

  He bolted upright, uncaring that he was naked, and grabbed his phone. Though it was late morning, there were no messages, no missed calls.

  He tracked toward the open door.

  He could hear Victoria’s voice. He stopped in the doorway and watched her. Her back was to him, her red hair flowing over her shoulders and almost to her waist. She was wearing the same clothes she’d worn last night. He remembered peeling those clothes off her, tasting and touching her before burying himself inside her.

  He wanted to do it again. And again. His dick ached with the need to do so. He could go over, nibble the skin on her neck, strip her slowly before spreading her out for his pleasure…

  She raked a hand through her hair, but she didn’t turn.

  “Everything’s fine, Ian. It’d be better if you’d give me the target. … No, I’m not having fun. … I don’t give a fuck about Nick Brandon! He’s just a guy I once knew. … Yes, fine. … Roger.”

  She dropped the phone to her side but still didn’t turn. Nick walked out into the living room, naked as fuck, and she turned when she heard the movement. Her eyes widened. And then she reddened and turned her head as if she were embarrassed.

  What a fucking turn-on. She was hot and sassy, bolder than hell—and still virginally embarrassed.

  “Don’t give a fuck, huh?” he said, his pride stinging just a little bit more than he would like. “I’m afraid you had me fooled last night, sugar.”

  “You were listening to my call?”

  “It’s a small apartment. Couldn’t help but hear it.” He walked over to the fridge and opened it. Taking out a bottle of water, he twisted the cap off and took a long swallow.

  “Maybe you should put some clothes on.”

  He leaned against the bar and grinned. His dick stood up like a flagpole. “Why? You saw it all last night. Licked quite a bit of it too, if I remember right. Would have sworn you gave a fuck then.”

  “It’s none of Ian’s business, all right? I don’t want him knowing… uh…”

  “That we’ve fucked? Yeah, probably not a good idea. He might get jealous over that one.”

  The thought of her and Ian Black definitely made him feel a twinge of something that pissed him off.

  She sucked in a breath. “He’s not getting jealous. Why would he? But he might just think there was something more to the story about how you came to be in the right place at the right time if he knew we were, uh, having sex.”

  “Do you have any idea how red you get when you try to say what we did together? Yet you asked me if I was going to fuck you or talk all night. How did you manage that?”

  She lifted her chin. “It was dark.” She waved a hand and then turned away. “Jesus, can you just put some clothes on?”

  He sauntered toward her, stopping when he could feel the heat of her reaching out and burning him up. His hands itched to grab her, to turn her toward him and make her his again.

  But there were other considerations, and he was decent enough to remember them.

  “I’ll put on some clothes, but only because last night was your first time. But tell me you aren’t sore, even a little bit, and I’ll have you naked in about ten seconds.”

  Her throat moved as she swallowed. “It’s not too bad, but yeah, I’m sore.”

  “Figured that, unfortunately. I think we got a bit carried away. Or I did.”

  She met his gaze again. Her cheeks were so delightfully red. He loved that about her.

  “I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”

  He grinned. “Guess I should get dressed. We have work to do.”

  “Yes.”

  He went back into the bedroom and dragged on his pants and T-shirt. When he returned, Victoria was standing with binoculars and looking across to the consulate. The guns were in position on the floor below the window. All they needed was to know who they were here for and why, and they’d be in business. He prayed it wasn’t something he couldn’t do, like let a Freedom Force terrorist walk when he had one in the scope.

  Then again, that’s why he wasn’t the one taking the shot. He cast a glance at Victoria, wondering again how she could so easily take orders from Ian Black. The man was dirty through and through.

  But Nick knew why she did—or why she said she did. Emily.

  If HOT found Emily for her, then she wouldn’t have to take orders from Black ever again. She could go back to the States and start a new life. A life that didn’t involve Qu’rim, Ian Black… or him.

  That thought sent a sharp feeling slicing into him, though he wasn’t sure what it was or why. She was just a woman he’d had sex with—a hot, amazing woman—and not anyone he needed in his life. Though he’d like to keep her for a while and have a lot of sex with her, no doubt.

  He was thinking about when he might possibly be able to get her beneath him again when Victoria’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it tiredly—and then she made a little sound of shock as she swiped the screen and pressed it to her ear.

  “Emily! My God, where have you been?”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Victoria’s hands shook and her heart had shot into the danger zone the second she’d looked at her phone and seen Emily’s name. For months, Emily’s phone had simply rang and rang whenever she dialed the number, but now she was taking a call and praying it was really Emily on the other end.

  The silence dragged on for long moments, but then there was a voice, very quiet and still.

  “Victoria?”

  “Yes, Em, it’s me! Where are you, sweetie? Where have you been? I’ve been so worried!”

  “I’m fine. I just… I wanted to talk to you. It’s been so long, and I’ve been scared. Zaran…”

  Victoria’s heart thumped. She glanced at Nick. He looked stony-faced. So different from the sensually teasing man who’d stood there a few seconds ago. “What about Zaran, Em?”

  “He’s… different these days.” Her voice broke off in a sudden sob. “I want to leave, Victoria. But I can’t get away. He took my phone, but I found it this morning, and I had to call you.”

  “Where are you?”

  “I don’t know. We’ve been traveling. We reached a city, but I don’t know where it is.” Emily sniffled. “I just want to go home. I want to go back to New Orleans and start again.”

  Victoria gripped the phone tightly. “We’re going to do that, baby. I swear we are. I’m going to get you away from him.”

  “I don’t know how you can.” Her voice sank to a whisper. “He hates you, Victoria. He keeps telling me he’ll kill you if I don’t stay with him. So I stay—but I want to go.”

  Victoria closed
her eyes. She felt a tear slide down her cheek. Nick’s arms snaked around her from behind. He held her close, his solid body pressed against hers, and she felt his strength seep into her. It was just what she needed right now. She always handled everything alone, but it was nice to have someone hold her. Be there for her.

  “Don’t worry about me, Em. Just walk away whenever you can. He won’t hurt me.”

  “You don’t know him. He’ll kill you if I leave. And then he’ll kill me.”

  Victoria’s throat ached. “Not if I kill him first. Just hang on, Emily. I’m going to find you, I swear.”

  “I wish you could, but—Shit, I have to go!”

  The line went dead and Victoria’s blood turned to ice. “Emily? Emily!”

  She knew her sister was gone, but the adrenaline rush made her furious and jumpy. Her eyes blurred with tears—there was no holding them back now. They welled and spilled over, and she turned in Nick’s arms to bury her head against his chest. All the tears and frustration she’d felt for so long came rushing out. She fisted her hands in Nick’s T-shirt and cried while he rubbed her back and didn’t say anything.

  She didn’t know how long they stood like that before she lifted her head and gazed up into his eyes. His brows were drawn low, and his expression was thunderous. It made her heart catch and then speed up again.

  “I’m sorry, Victoria.”

  She pushed herself away from him and swiped beneath her eyes. Fresh embarrassment set in, heating her skin and making her wish she could go hide in the other room for a few hours. But hiding from Nick was impossible. She’d learned that last night.

  “It’s okay. She’s alive, and that’s a good thing.” She pulled in a deep breath and let it out again in a rush. She had to get her equilibrium back. “We have to find her, Nick. She’s in danger—and your colonel promised he’d get her out of here.”

  He looked torn, and her belly began to ache. Nothing had changed after last night. She’d known it was the truth, but to see it so blatantly after all they’d done together in the darkness of the night—after all they’d shared—made her feel more alone than ever.