Fueled by Lust: Maxim (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Celeste Prater

  Pulled through a gaping hole in the fence, Skylar’s blood rocketed through her veins when she stumbled into the bowels of the ominous building and discovered five additional men standing inside. They all wore the same black military-style clothing. What in the hell was going on? Were they mercenaries? Shit! Maxim needs to know there’s more. Try as she might, she was unable to get the door to settle in her mind.

  Glancing around, she attempted to take in her surroundings. Thick, steel beams held the roof in place, and windows lining the entire top section were either completely busted out or sported spidery cracks. Stacks of crates and pallets lay scattered about the large bay. It smelled dank, as if a large pool of water had formed somewhere in a dark corner and was growing new life forms.

  Skylar felt pressure to her upper arm as the scar guy pulled her to the left and pushed through a door with “Pressing” written in block letters on the grimy wood. The well-lit room wasn’t as exposed to the elements and didn’t smell as bad. All of the upper windows were still intact and relatively clean. She spotted an exit door on either end, but a pile of boxes blocked the closest one to her right.

  Large rolls of paper hanging on long, steel arms lined up along one side of the lengthy room, and metal desks still contained whatever tools the workers needed to manage their jobs. It appeared as if they would show up any minute from their breaks and resume where they’d left off. The thick layer of dust covering the desks was the only reminder that they were long gone.

  The skin tingling screech of a chair dragging across the floor rang in her ears, and she grunted when the man shoved her onto the hard seat. Bending down, he slipped another zip tie around each ankle and cinched them to the chair leg. Without ceremony, he ripped the tape away from her mouth, her scream of pain muffled by the gag. The asshole didn’t even bother removing the wadded cloth. She was surprised when he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. After a few failed attempts, she was able to push the rag out with her tongue. Immediately, she closed her eyes and tried to contact Maxim. He answered in seconds.

  Ah, thank the gods! I couldn’t see any dust clouds, so I had to stop at a gas station and ask if anyone knew about Third Tier. I’m almost there. Where are you?

  They pulled me into the largest building. I’m in the pressroom on the far side of the main bay. The guy tied my ankles to the chair and left me here alone. I counted five more inside, so be careful, Maxim.

  I’m looking for an alternate route in. If I come down this back road, they’ll see the dust cloud. Once I get an idea of where everyone’s at, I’ll come in and get you, baby. Don’t worry about the count, sweetness. Just try to mist for me again.

  Okay. Here goes. Skylar relaxed her shoulders and bent over to look at her feet. Concentrating, she was able to get her left foot to tingle. It went away as soon as she heard muffled words on the other side of the door. She was surprised that she was still able to sense Maxim. Crap, I hear them coming.

  Keep trying baby, I’ll be there in just a—

  Maxim’s door slammed shut as soon as Cerano Tullius stepped into the room. Two of his guards slipped inside and took rigid stances on either side of the doorframe. She didn’t know whether to be relieved it wasn’t some unknown military organization after her or just her boss. Either way, she was still screwed. Skylar took a deep breath and tried to keep from screaming at the asshole that had turned her life upside down.

  “What’s this about, Mr. Tullius? You’re scaring me.”

  He took his time studying the room, as if she didn’t exist. Just like the day she’d met him at the interview, he was dressed in an impeccable business suit. This one was a deep blue with tiny pinstripes. Even his tie was impressive. Everything about him shouted wealth and privilege. Skylar finally got her breathing under control and studied her latest problem.

  Short, black hair slicked pleasingly back from his face, and she had to admit that he was an exceptionally handsome man. But, there was something unsettling about his eyes. They were a beautiful caramel brown, yet the way they would lazily study her face, or travel across her body sent chills up her spine, and not the good ones. He finally turned and looked right at her. One eyebrow rose.

  “Good try, Skylar. You know full well what’s happening. You have something of mine, and I want it back.”

  “What are you talking about?” She pursed her lips when both brows rose and he placed a hand to his chest in mock concern.

  “Oh, then by all means, please forgive me. I’ll just cut you loose and we’ll have a quick laugh while you go on about your business.”

  She swallowed hard when he frowned and moved closer. He spoke in a condescending manner, as if she was an unruly child.

  “Quit playing games with me. I’m not in the mood. Where’s the jewel?”

  “What jewel?”

  The stinging slap was totally unexpected. He leaned in closer, to the point where she could smell his expensive cologne. It was more pleasant than his ominous voice or the tight grip he had on her hair.

  “You have seriously underestimated me, Skylar. I won’t hesitate in convincing you to admit your part in this.” He released her hair, rose to his full height, and straightened his pristine jacket.

  Skylar felt her anger surface. He was right. It was time to stop playing.

  “How did you find me?” She watched one side of his mouth lift into a smug smile before he started slowly pacing the room again.

  “Every time you used your phone, you made it that much easier. I reported your credit card stolen to try to keep you in town, but you took off anyway. You’re very resourceful, I have to give you that much. I thought we’d lost track of you, but just like a typical woman, you just couldn’t resist using the lingerie store card. Which reminds me, where’s your lover?”

  “I haven’t got a clue. I was expecting breakfast and you snatched me. For all I know, he’s calling me all kinds of horrible names for ditching him.”

  “Does he know about the jewel?”

  Skylar snorted. “Are you kidding me? I barely knew him. I needed a ride, and he was the best-looking one.”

  “Why did he purposefully run when you spotted my men in the mall if he didn’t know about it?”

  “He thinks I have an ex following me. He’s protective that way.”

  “Where’s the jewel?”

  “Where’s my suitcase? I know you took it.”

  He swiveled around and glared at her. “You want me to make sure your other cheek matches? Just keep playing games with me.”

  “Hidden in a safe spot. Tell me, why did you have to kill Dr. Martin? I’m sure you could’ve convinced him to turn it over if you’d taken the time. He respected you. I could tell by the way he defended you when he was following your orders.” She was surprised when his eyes actually appeared saddened before he spoke.

  “I didn’t want that to happen. I liked Nathan. I understand that he tried to run and tripped over his shoes. You know how he was. It was an accident.”

  Cerano’s eyes morphed back into righteous indignation within seconds. Perhaps it was his way of masking his obvious guilt. Skylar prayed it ate at his gut for a lifetime. She was happy for his continued rant as she concentrated and tried to convince her hands to mist.

  “He brought it on himself. That artifact belongs to me, and he knew it. He saw the documents. My men said he wouldn’t turn it over unless I agreed to log it with the Rome and American teams. Do you have any idea the ramifications if I had? They would have insisted it be included in their museum pieces. That was unacceptable. Can you believe his audacity? He tried to barter with a painting he discovered. My men couldn’t even find that to make up for the mess he’d caused.”

  Shifting in her chair to alleviate the burn in her shoulder from the strap digging into her skin, Skylar realized her mistake the second Cerano’s eyes zeroed in on her purse. She cringed when he yanked it off her shoulder. As soon as it caught on her elbow, he turned and gestured for one of the men to come forward. O
ne flick of his blade and the bag swung away.

  Cerano bobbed the heavy purse up and down and raised his brows. One peek inside and a brilliant smile lit his face. Glancing up, he shook his head and chuckled.

  “Safe place? Really?”

  Chapter 24

  Skylar’s brain scrambled to find something to keep Tullius focused on the jewel once he lifted it out and dropped the bag to the floor. She’d suddenly become completely unnecessary to him, and the goon with the knife was entirely too close for comfort.

  “Can you answer something for me, Cerano? How did you know about the artifact? It’s been stuck in an ancient wall for centuries. What documents did you find?” She watched him puff up. Good, I’m going to get a story. She started concentrating on her hands again.

  “This isn’t just any jewel, my dear. It’s my family legacy. An ancestor placed it there and entrusted the information to his children. They were to ensure that it remained in its resting place forever by passing the knowledge to their own. That was his first mistake. Today, that ancient scribbling looks like a fairytale to the younger generation. I bought it from a cousin that couldn’t hold his liquor or control his gambling addiction. One look at it, and I knew I’d found my out.”

  “Out? What does that mean?” The fingers on her left hand began to vibrate to such an extent she fought to keep the look of shock from her face. Skylar gasped when the zip tie slipped from her wrist. She inwardly cursed when she heard it hit the floor and prayed the goon wouldn’t look behind her.

  “From under my brother’s shadow, that’s what. I know that my father’s going to hand the companies over to that sniveling, ass-kissing, bastard. No matter what I did to show my father that I could handle his fortune, he pushed me aside just like he did when we were young. When I break up this jewel and sell it on the market, I’ll have enough to buy my brother’s share of the stock and take the company right out of his hands. He’ll never see it coming until I walk in his office and tell him to clean out his desk.”

  Skylar felt her stomach flip when he turned to look at her.

  “So, the only thing left now is to figure out what to do with you.”

  Skylar squealed when the sound of gunfire and shouts rang out in the bay area. Maxim. She tried to mind connect with him, but her emotions were all over the place. It was hopeless.

  Cerano stared at her for a few beats and then waited for his men to cover the door. They kept in tight formation to block him from whatever was wreaking havoc on the other side of the wall. More shouts came and they looked back to Cerano. He nodded, and they ran out to greet the intruder. Tullius hugged the jewel close to his chest and flattened himself against the wall, eyes riveted on the door.

  Demanding her hands to become solid again, Skylar reached forward and tugged on the ties at her ankles. They wouldn’t budge. Glancing around, she couldn’t see anything that would help. Holding on to the edges of her seat, she hopped the chair backward until she felt she was close enough to the wall. Praying she didn’t crack her head open, she tipped backward until her shoulders connected. Wiggling her feet and pushing down as hard as she could, she finally slipped the ties off the end of the chair legs.

  The hair stood up along the back of her neck when her eyes locked with Tullius. He looked torn between coming after her or staying safe. She wasn’t waiting around for his decision. Leaping up, Skylar ran as fast as she could toward the unblocked exit at the far end of the room, begging for it to be unlocked and something beside a dead end behind it. Her stomach sank when she heard Tullius shout and the handle wouldn’t budge.

  Whirling around, she grabbed a chair and swung it against the interior window next to it. The sound of shattering glass and a bullet pinging above her head gave her enough strength to leap up on the chair seat and dive through the open window frame. She grunted and rolled a few times before she slammed up against a piece of dusty equipment. Gasping for breath, she pulled her aching body from the floor and scurried into the darkness of the room. The sound of footsteps crunching over the broken glass had her reaching out and trying desperately to navigate the equipment that loomed like shadowy monsters at every turn. Unrepentant objects gouged at her arms, snagged her shirt, and tripped her at every opportunity. She shuddered when Tullius called out for her.

  “Skylar, you’re not going to make it out of here. My men are all over the place. Whoever stumbled in here isn’t going to help you. Listen. The gunfire has stopped. You’re on your own. Stop running and we can work something out. I just need to know if you told anyone else. I promise that I won’t kill you. Let’s talk.”

  Squashing the need to snort at the ridiculous ploy, or even to imagine that Maxim lay dead somewhere, Skylar held her breath and kept her steady pace. Eventually her eyesight adjusted. Blinking, she dared a moment of jubilation when she spotted light at the far end of the cavernous room. There was just one problem. Nothing but open space lay between her and the only way out. Twenty yards from freedom, and it might as well have been a thousand. She had no idea if Tullius had the gun, or if one of his guards had returned and fired at her.

  Bending at the waist, Skylar clamped her trembling hands to her knees and managed a few deep breaths. She gave up trying to find Maxim’s black door in her mind. Hell, she couldn’t even picture the damn doorknob. Trying to mist was a joke. Figuring she didn’t have anything to lose, she looked up and glared at the rectangle of brilliant sunlight beckoning her to get moving. From the sound of Cerano’s shuffling feet and intermittent curses, he’d be upon her in moments.

  Arms pumping and boots slapping heavily on the pavement, Skylar heard the breath hissing between her clenched teeth as she waited for the sound of gunfire. The closer she came to the door, the more her hope soared. He may be running after her, but at least bullets weren’t flying around her head. The bastard was fast, though. Either those were fingers of dread scraping down her back, or he was about to bring her to a screeching halt.

  Careening out of the door, Skylar immediately curved to the left. She remembered seeing three squat buildings on the other side of the razor wire. If she could make it to the break in the fence, she might lose him. Her lungs screamed for air, and she hoped she had enough juice left to outrun him.

  “Skylar, stop! Don’t make me hurt you.”

  Skylar squealed when she finally heard the sound she’d dreaded. No match for the bullet tearing through it, brick shards peppered across her shoulder. She squeezed her eyes shut as tiny pebbles skipped across her cheeks. Her muscles tightened in expectation of the bullet that would end her life. Rounding the far corner of the building, she wasn’t prepared for the thick arm hooking her waist and dragging her into a tight embrace.

  Skylar looked up in time to see Maxim’s big fist crashing into Cerano’s jaw just as he appeared around the edge. Gently, Maxim pushed her to the side and lunged at the confused man staggering backward while trying to remain on his feet. He fell to one knee, and she watched in horror as he lifted his arm, the gun still clasped within in his hand, but Maxim was faster.

  She watched in dazed wonder as Maxim twisted in the air and slipped a hand under Cerano’s bicep. His other one landed on the extended forearm and shoved downward. Skylar heard the sickening crunch as the bone snapped. The weapon fell from Tullius’s fingers as his screams of agony filled the air. One more twist of his big body and Maxim’s muscled arm wrapped around his neck. His bicep hardened and flexed as he quickly choked the life from the man that had tried to kill her.

  Shoving the limp body to the side, Maxim rested back on his calves, took a few deep breaths, and looked up, gray eyes locking to hers.

  “I’m sorry you had to see that, baby.”

  Skylar shook her head and blinked a few times before she could find her voice.

  “It didn’t bother me one damn bit. That fucker was going to kill me.” She figured he’d taken out the rest of the crew. That man was a total badass—and all hers. She ran over to him and hugged his face to her chest.

&nbs
p; Maxim’s arms wrapped around her waist and brought her closer. His muscles relaxed, and she placed gentle kisses against his hair. For several quiet moments, they just held each other and let their breathing settle. He finally set her back and rose. She watched as he fought to stay calm while his fingers traced gently across her cheeks. She was positive the marks from the tape and the stinging slaps remained.

  Skylar patted him on the arm. “I’m okay. It’s over.”

  He blew out a huff of breath and nodded.

  She followed him back to the side of the building and watched as he bent over and picked something up from the ground. When he turned, she saw it was her purse.

  “I went to the printing room and found this. The jewel was on a table. After I saw the broken window, I figured you’d finally gotten out of your binds. Once I got a look of the area you had to go through, I decided I should come around the other side.”

  Skylar smiled and accepted the bag from his outstretched hand. “I’m glad you did. I had hell trying to get through that mess.” She lifted the purse and grimaced.

  “Look what the asshat did to my purse. This was my favorite one, too. I should go back over there and kick him in the nuts just for that alone.” Maxim’s bark of laughter surprised her and she glanced up. He had a big grin on his face.

  “Ah, gods, you crack me up. I’ll get you a new one. Come on.” Grabbing her hand, he led her to the gap in the fence.

  Glancing back inside the building, Skylar could see bodies scattered across the bay. Several were outside the fence. They were all dead. He hadn’t been full of shit when he’d promised to kill her enemies. She yanked on his hand.

  “Wait. What are we going to do about all of this?”

  He shrugged. “Nothing. It’s going to look like they were up to no good and got what they deserved. It’s the truth.”