Protected by a Hero

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

  The standing man raised his hands in the air, leaving his weapon still tucked away. “Man, I don’t want any trouble.”

  “Good. Neither do I. Angel,” he called out. “Get in the car.” With his free hand he reached into his pants pocket and pressed his keyfob, unlocking the doors. Then he stepped over the still wheezing man, pressed the weapon to the standing man’s chest as he took the guy’s revolver. He’d get rid of these, but he wasn’t leaving them behind.

  “Back up, over there. Keep your hands in the air.” As Vadim motioned to another row of parked cars on the opposite side of the street he heard the passenger door open then close. Keeping his gaze on the man walking backwards, he reached over and opened his door then slid behind the wheel. Without having to insert the key, he pressed the engine button and quickly reversed before tearing out of the complex. In the rearview mirror the standing man raced to his friend’s side but he wasn’t even paying attention to Vadim’s exit. Good. Meant he wasn’t concerned with his license plate. Not that it would do him any good if he tried to track him down with it.

  “What the hell was that?” Angel asked as Vadim put the weapons in the back seat.

  He glanced over at her. “They had weapons and weren’t afraid to use them. The guy I punched showed me his gun immediately, telling me he had no problem escalating into violence very quickly.”

  She blinked at him, wide-eyed and not full of fear exactly, but she looked wary. He turned away, not wanting to see fear or anything akin to it in her expression. Ever. And especially not directed at him.

  “You didn’t just punch him. You massacred him and made it look as if you’d barely done anything. That was insanely awesome. I’ve never seen anyone move so fast. You were like…a ninja. Where did you learn all that?” The awe in her voice surprised him.

  He shot her another glance before pulling out onto the main road. She didn’t seem wary now, just maybe a little overwhelmed. “The Marines.”

  “Well, you’re officially a badass. No wonder—” She abruptly cut herself off before shifting uncomfortably against the plush leather seat.

  “No wonder what?”

  “Nothing. Thanks for what you did. I didn’t realize that guy, well both of them, had freaking guns.” She turned around in her seat to look at them, then looked forward again. “That was crazy,” she muttered, almost to herself.

  Vadim knew he should let go of whatever she’d been about to say, but he couldn’t. “What did you stop yourself from saying before?” he asked as he pulled up to a stoplight.

  She bit her bottom lip. “I don’t want to hurt your feelings.”

  “Say it.”

  “I was just going to say no wonder some of the girls—and guys—at the restaurant are a little afraid of you.” Her teeth pressed into her bottom lip even harder as she watched him, clearly concerned for his feelings. Which wasn’t exactly surprising. She was always looking out for anyone, not just him. It still touched him that she cared.

  Half-smiling, he turned back to the road. “I already know they’re afraid of me.” Frowning, he looked at her again as another thought occurred to him. Even though their wariness annoyed him, he didn’t truly give a shit what anyone thought of him—but Angel’s opinion mattered. “Does this change how you feel about me?”

  “Uh, yeah. Now that I know what a badass you are I’m never going to piss you off,” she said laughingly, the sound pure music rolling over him.

  The tension that had started to build inside him immediately dissipated. As long as she didn’t look at him differently, he was fine.

  * * *

  Glancing at his GPS, he frowned as he steered his rental car into the apartment complex. He was following the information his private investigator had given him, but this didn’t seem like the type of place where Angel would be living. Still…he looked over at the thick manila file he had on Angel, ready to scan his notes again, but decided against it.

  He had all the information memorized and this was definitely the correct address. The woman had proven more resourceful than he’d given her credit for when she’d run from him. She didn’t have a bank account in her name, didn’t use any credit cards and as far as his investigator could find, she wasn’t using her social security number for work anywhere. She also hadn’t been in contact with any of her friends since she’d gone on the run. Had even deleted all her social media accounts.

  It was as if she’d literally vanished into thin air. But he knew that wasn’t the case and his very expensive investigator finally had a lead on her place of residence.

  Slowly cruising by the apartment building that was supposed to be hers, he was surprised by the level of activity this late at night. The place was older, set up almost like a motel with visibility of the front doors from the parking lot. An older man stepped out of the apartment next to hers carrying a bucket in one hand and a folded up plastic sheet in the other. He set the supplies next to a paint can before returning inside the apartment, but he left the door open. On the other end of the upstairs balcony three teenagers were smoking cigarettes and talking.

  Since there was a parking spot open, he slid into the space. They didn’t appear to be marked for guests or residents, but he wouldn’t be staying long anyway.

  Taking a gamble that the man with the plastic sheet was in maintenance, he pulled a few bills from the center console and shoved them in his jacket pocket as he exited the vehicle. Instead of his normal suit he was wearing jeans, a plain T-shirt, a nondescript windbreaker and a ball cap. Nothing to make him memorable. It was one of the reasons he’d rented a standard four-door car with no bells and whistles. Just a plain, domestic car that wouldn’t stand out anywhere.

  Scanning his surroundings as he made his way up the stairs, he breathed a sigh of relief when the older man exited the apartment again, this time locking the door behind him. He didn’t want to wait around to talk to this guy, didn’t like being in this neighborhood.

  He smiled as he approached the older man. “Hi, you got a second?”

  The man just watched him, his body tensing.

  So he hung back a few feet, not wanting to crowd the maintenance guy. “I’m just looking for someone.” He pointed to the apartment door behind him, the one that should be Angel’s. “My friend’s sister has gone missing and we’re just trying to find her.” He had a picture of her, but didn’t pull it out yet. “She’s got red hair, dark green eyes, about this tall, really cute looking in that girl-next-door way.” He held up a hand to measure her height and kept his smile friendly. When the guy didn’t respond, he reached into his pocket, figuring he wanted money.

  Everyone did. It was how the world worked. You could buy any damn thing you wanted with the right amount of cash.

  He froze when the man spoke, his words harsh and guttural. In another language. He watched the older man who started talking to him in rapid-fire…was that Russian?

  When the man took a breath, he said, “I don’t understand.”

  Shrugging, the man shoved the plastic sheet into the bucket, then picked it and the paint can up before striding past him, muttering under his breath in the same language.

  He stood there for a moment, debating his options. He could just knock on her door and surprise the hell out of her. It wouldn’t be hard to take her off guard. Just punch her in the face and barrel his way into her apartment. If she even lived here. But that left open too many variables.

  When he realized the teenagers had stopped talking and were watching him curiously, he turned and headed back to his car. That was exactly the variable he didn’t want to deal with. Witnesses.

  He’d been patient for two years, he could wait another night before he started scoping out her place. First he’d figure out if Angel even lived here. Then he’d learn her schedule, terrorize her like she deserved, then destroy her. He was going to make her regret the day she’d ever betrayed and humiliated him.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Angel couldn’t believe how gorgeous Vadim’s home
was. Huge, in the desert with no neighbors for miles, it was all glass, stone and high ceilings with exposed beams. It was an architectural masterpiece as far as she was concerned. That aside, it was a little cold, with very few personal pictures. Although she had seen photographs on a small table behind his couch of him wearing some kind of military fatigues with his arm wrapped around another man’s shoulders. They were both sort-of smiling. But nothing full-on because Vadim just didn’t do that. Apparently not even for pictures.

  She knew he’d been in the Marines for twelve years before coming to work for Wyatt. But he’d always been so cryptic about what he’d done while in the Marines and why he’d left. The man was such a mystery. A very sexy one she wanted to figure out. Even if she knew she’d get hurt since she’d be leaving Vegas eventually, something she hated thinking about.

  Constantly moving was wearing on her in ways she hadn’t counted on. She missed all her friends from back home, friends she hadn’t talked to in two freaking years because the moment she reached out to any of them, they could become a target. Or it would give him a way to find her.

  Lord, why was she even thinking about that right now? Shaking her head, she quickly undressed, stripping out of her standard work uniform of a fitted black button-down shirt, black slacks and black heels. She thought the heels were stupid for waitresses to wear, but it was part of the image, even if they did kill her feet. She was allowed to wear a black skirt, but she never did.

  Setting her clothes on the shiny marble countertop of the luxurious guest bathroom, she made her way to the huge stone enclosure of the clearly custom-made shower. It was done all in stone—or maybe tile that looked like sandstone—but there were little sparkly pieces of glass intermixed throughout that made the whole space seem to shimmer.

  The shower itself was heaven, the powerful jets massaging her shoulders and back in a way she hadn’t realized she’d needed. And Vadim had given her new shower gel, shampoo and conditioner. Really expensive stuff too. Not that she was surprised after seeing this house and knowing him for five months. Whatever he did for his billionaire boss, he was very well compensated.

  As she turned to face the jets, the water cascading over her breasts, stomach and legs, she tried not to remember how incredibly hot it had been to watch Vadim disarm those two men. She hadn’t even realized something like that would turn her on but apparently she was a freak because it had. Way too much.

  He hadn’t talked much on the way over to his place, which was fine with her. She’d been so caught up in her own thoughts. Namely about him. And what it would feel like to have those very capable hands sliding all over her body, cupping her mound…She shuddered as she slid a finger over her clit, barely brushing over it with her middle finger.

  But she pulled back, stopping herself because it felt wrong. Even though she knew it absolutely wasn’t. But she felt weird fantasizing about a man who was her friend, a man whose house she was currently staying at. Even if she’d thought about him before while stroking herself, she was in his house now.

  Turning the water a few degrees cooler, she quickly finished washing. After blow drying most of the dampness out of her hair, she pulled the green thong out of her bag and put it on. She couldn’t believe she’d actually shown it to Vadim. Afterward she’d felt ridiculous and hadn’t been able to meet his gaze. She slid on a warm pair of black fleece pajama pants then slipped on the thick robe Vadim had left for her and cinched it tightly around her waist. It was too big and too long and incredibly comfortable. But it was so soft and thick she didn’t bother with a top.

  And it smelled like him a little. Something she shouldn’t care about. Oh, but she did. Way too much. Shaking those thoughts free once again, she set out to find him.

  The layout of the house was simple. The three bedrooms were on the east side and the central living room linked the kitchen, dining room and library—he had a library!—on the other side. There were a couple other shut doors that she wondered about, but figured one was probably his office.

  She found Vadim in the oversized kitchen at the sink with his back to her—shirtless. Sure the house was warm enough, but did he have to walk around without a shirt? All she could see was his broad, muscular back, but he’d turn around soon enough and she’d get to see what she’d been fantasizing about for months.

  “How was your shower?” Vadim asked without turning around.

  She nearly jumped, impressed that he’d even heard her, but she stepped farther into the room, the tile surprisingly warm beneath her feet. “Wonderful, thanks. I can’t remember the last time I had a shower that amazing. The water pressure…” She trailed off as he turned, her gaze traveling down the length of his lean, muscular, perfectly cut body.

  A computer geek who was ripped. Though that word seemed too weak to describe him as she hungrily devoured every dip and ridge of the muscles along his eight pack. It dipped into a V below the waistband of those loose cotton pants and all she could do was stare for a moment, imagining what was underneath there. He also had a few scars that surprised her. They were long, jagged and clearly old given the white hue of them against his lightly tanned skin.

  At the sound of Vadim clearing his throat, she snapped her gaze to his guiltily. That was when she realized he had a mug in his hand. He held it out to her. “I made you hot tea. Earl Grey.”

  Her favorite. “You made me tea?” she asked, sounding surprisingly accusing. Why did this insanely attractive man—her friend, she reminded herself for the tenth time that night—have to be so damn thoughtful? So sexy?

  He faltered and she wanted to kick herself. “I thought you liked it.”

  “Thank you. And I do, a lot.” Oh my god, she sounded like an imbecile. Her gaze kept straying back to the beauty of his body and she felt like the biggest asshole. Vadim was her friend, she couldn’t ogle him like…like…She blinked again as her brain short-circuited and somehow found the strength to meet his gaze while reaching for the cup. There was no hiding the flush on her face now. Absolutely no way. She couldn’t stop staring at his body and now he knew what a pervert she was.

  “Is there something wrong with the water pressure at your place?” he asked as he handed her the simple brown mug with light tendrils of steam rolling off the top.

  “What…oh, no, it’s fine. But your guest bathroom shower is amazing.” It was definitely spa quality and she’d loved the different showerhead options. One directly above and one on the wall. But she didn’t want to stand around talking about his freaking shower. Because it made her think about being naked and how she’d almost stroked herself to orgasm not long ago.

  He started to respond when a light scratching at his kitchen door made them both look. Vadim smiled. “That would be Charlie.”

  Angel put the mug down on the long rectangular island top as Vadim opened the door. A moment later, his German Shepherd trotted in. As he shut the door behind her, the dog stopped in her tracks, watching Angel carefully for all of one second. Then she bounded over to Angel, before whining softly and falling to the floor where she rolled onto her back, revealing her belly.

  Vadim snorted. “She’s shameless.”

  Grinning, Angel bent down and rubbed Charlie’s belly. “She can be as shameless as she wants. I wish you brought her to the hotel more often.” She paused in rubbing as she looked up at Vadim. “So what’s the deal with her schedule? I don’t work tomorrow.” Even though she still needed to call Sierra and apologize. Again. “So should I take her for walks or do you have a schedule you like to keep her to? I know you like to take her to the park sometimes.” She’d met Vadim and Charlie at a park near the casino on multiple occasions. Vadim would try to get Charlie to exercise but she mainly flopped on her belly and soaked up the sun.

  Vadim snorted again and motioned to the pantry door. He opened it and pointed inside. “You don’t have to worry about the park. There’s plenty of room around here. She’s spoiled and does whatever she wants all day long. She prefers to stay inside and she’s g
ot a doggy door I leave open when I’m at work. However, I lock it at night. She goes outside when she has to. All you have to do is fill up her bowl of food in the morning and then again in the afternoon. She eats when she’s hungry. Her water is set for the next couple days, but check on it. And she’ll try to convince you that she’s allowed to have as many treats as she wants.” He pointed to a bag filled with green bones. “She’s not, but…I indulge her sometimes.”

  Angel grinned at Vadim. “You’re such a softie,” she murmured.

  To her surprise his ears flushed red. “Yeah well, don’t tell anyone. As far as sleeping, she usually sleeps on her bed, which is in my room. But she might want to stay close to you at night. She likes human contact. If you’re comfortable with that, you can bring her bed in with you and she’ll push it wherever she wants to sleep.”

  “Okay. Sounds good. Oh, what about furniture? Is she allowed on it?” Angel didn’t think so because all of his stuff was leather and in pristine condition, but she wanted to make sure.

  “She has a beanbag in the living room that’s hers,” he said as he pulled one of the green bones from the plastic baggie.

  Angel turned from the pantry doorway to find Charlie sitting there patiently and quietly. Dang, the dog was as stealthy as her master. She hadn’t even heard Charlie move. The second Vadim gave her the bone, she ran off, this time making plenty of noise as she bounded from the room.

  Vadim chuckled lightly. “She hides her treats under her beanbag.” He cleared his throat almost nervously as he stepped out and shut the door. “You’ve got my cell number and I’ll leave the name and number of my hotel on the kitchen counter when I leave in the morning. I’ve got a taxi service coming to get me at the crack of dawn, so I’ll leave my keys on the counter too. Use my car for work or whatever you need. It’s yours while I’m gone. And the refrigerator is stocked and you’re welcome to everything in it.”