Right now all she wanted was a hot shower, something to eat and a clean bed to fall into, and not necessarily in that order. The food could wait. As long as she got the shower and the bed she’d be a happy woman. Some of her sexual desire had dimmed, overcome by sheer exhaustion, which was just as well with Joshua acting so distant and withdrawn.
The motel was nothing special, but Alex guessed that’s what made it a good place to stop. It had nothing to distinguish it from the dozens like it that filled the city. It was a midrange establishment, not the type that charged by the hour, but certainly nothing like the posh hotels that dotted the prosperous downtown core.
She knew that most of the rooms were accessed from inside the main building while down one side there were several ground-floor rooms where the only point of entry was from the outside. There were also a few parking spaces to allow a patron to park their vehicle in front of their motel room door. Alex was willing to bet the room Joshua got for them would be one of the ones on the outside, probably close to the end, keeping them isolated from most of the other rooms and allowing them a quick getaway down the back alley if necessary.
Joshua’s pace quickened as they darted across the street. Traffic was slower here, but there were still vehicles on the road even at this time of night. The city never truly slept.
“Wait here.” Here was a shadowy corner just beside the entrance. She stood as still as possible, barely resisting the urge to shift her weight from one foot to the other. Her eyes were half-closed before she even realized it and she jerked herself awake. She forced herself to concentrate on her surroundings, watching for anyone who looked suspicious. Besides herself that is.
Joshua was back fairly quickly, keycard in hand. “This way.” She fell into step beside him again and mentally patted herself on the back as he led the way to the last door on the bottom floor.
“What’s so funny?”
She hadn’t realized that she had a smile on her face. She was more tired than she thought. “Nothing. It’s just that I knew this was the room you’d get for us.”
“You did, did you?” He inserted the card in the lock and pushed the door open.
The air was stale, but not musty, for which Alex gave thanks. “It’s the farthest away from the others and no one can access it from inside the motel. This is the only entry and we can also make a quick getaway from here if we need to and disappear in the alleyway behind all the buildings that line this street.”
Joshua entered the room, pulling the drapes closed over the window before flicking on the light switch. He ushered her inside, shutting and locking the door behind them. The room was not inspiring, but at least it appeared clean.
One large bed dominated the space. It had a faded brown chenille bedspread tossed across it and two lumpy-looking pillows in dull white pillowcases. A small round table sat in front of the window with two hard wooden chairs flanking it. The drapes were the same unfortunate color as the bedspread. The carpet was dark brown with flecks of other colors in it. Alex couldn’t really tell if some of the colors were meant to be there or if they were permanent stains.
There was no dresser, but an open closet exposed a bare rod for hanging clothing and two built-in drawers. It didn’t really matter, she supposed, as neither of them had any clothing with them. At least she had some money, thanks to her father.
Speaking of which. “How much do I owe you for my share of the room?”
Joshua, who’d just finished checking out the bathroom, glared at her. “I am not taking money from you.”
“Why not?”
“Why not?” His voice was incredulous.
Alex shrugged. “It only seems fair since we’re both sharing it.”
Ignoring her, he stalked back to the window, pulled the corner of the drape back and peered out into the night. “I’m going to get us something to eat. You like pizza?”
Obviously this conversation was over as far as he was concerned. She’d bring it up again later. “Yes, I like pizza. As long as it doesn’t have onions or anchovies or anything yucky.” She shuddered.
He twitched the drape back in place, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Got it. Nothing yucky.” The grin faded, his mouth once again becoming grim. “You should be safe while I’m gone. The pizza place is only a couple buildings down. I’ll be back quick as I can. In the meantime, keep your gun handy and shoot if anyone besides me comes to the door.”
He came toward her, wrapping his large hands over her shoulders. “I mean it, Alex. You shoot anyone who tries to get in here.”
“Okay.”
His dark brown eyes stared at her until he was satisfied with whatever he saw in her face. “Okay.” He gave her shoulders a squeeze before heading to the door. “Lock it behind me.”
Dutifully, she went to the door, locking it behind him. She moved to the window and peeked out from between the curtains, but couldn’t see him. He was already gone. The room seemed much larger and emptier without Joshua in it.
Restless energy filled her as she roamed around the room, checking it out. Turning back one corner of the sheets, she sighed with relief when she saw they were threadbare but clean. Leaving that, she headed toward the bathroom. It was small, with a shower stall, a sink and a toilet. All the comforts of home. Okay, not quite, but still it was better than nothing.
Alex suddenly felt sticky and uncomfortable. She really wanted a shower and what better time than when Joshua was gone. She wasn’t sure she’d be comfortable taking a shower with him in the other room. For some reason it seemed like a very intimate thing to do. She knew she should keep watch, but really, no one knew where they were. She’d take her weapons with her and lock the bathroom door. It was perfectly safe.
There were several large towels hanging over a rod tempting her. She yanked back the shower curtain and found a bar of soap still covered in its paper wrapper. She bit her lower lip, weighing being clean against Joshua’s anger with her when he got back and realized she’d made herself vulnerable while he was gone. There was no contest. No one knew where they were and the beckoning call of the shower was too great to ignore.
Going back into the main room, she removed her leather jacket and hung it on one of the three wire hangers that were soldered to the rod in the closet. She extracted her knives from her boots and the gun from the pocket of her jacket. Sitting on the side of the bed, she lay them beside her as she unlaced her short boots, sliding them off her feet. She wished she had clean clothes, but there was no help for it she supposed. Still, it would be better to be clean beneath them.
Grabbing her weapons, she went into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind her. Setting them on the edge of the sink, she began to strip off her clothing. Her sweatshirt came first. She held it up by two fingers, disgusted with the smell. She’d sweat a lot walking in the heat all day and at the club tonight, not to mention she’d been through a few filthy alleyways and hidden in a dirty abandoned building. Her bra followed and she hung it carefully over the doorknob. Unfastening her jeans, she shimmied out of them and her underwear. Yanking off her socks, she tossed them aside before turning on the taps.
She made quick work of unwrapping the soap as she waited for the water to heat. Once it was at a comfortable level, she stepped into the shower stall. Who knew how long the hot water would last?
The spray hit her body and she sighed with pleasure as she ducked her head beneath the water. What she really wanted was a long soak in her clawfoot bathtub at home. It was an antique she’d found in a consignment store. She’d refinished the chipped enamel and installed it with her father’s help. The tub was deep and she loved to slide into its depths when it was filled with bubbles and relax after a hard day’s work. It was one of the few luxuries she allowed herself.
Picking up the plain bar of white soap, she ran it over her arms and legs, but was unable to work up more than a few small bubbles. Her breasts ached and her core throbbed, but she ignored the discomfort. As tempting as it was to tou
ch her body, she refrained. That would give her temporary relief, but would make her hornier in the long run.
For some reason, when Joshua had touched her it had felt different, had quieted some of the hormones raging through her system. At least temporarily.
Sighing, she scrubbed the soap over her torso, gritting her teeth when she washed her breasts. Her nipples were tight and red, begging to be stroked. Washing between her legs was a special kind of torture. The folds of her sex were hot and slick before the water even touched them. She groaned as her inner muscles tightened. Swaying, she groped for the wall, steadying herself as the wave of longing passed over her.
Alex pushed away from the wall and finished washing. Her feet were red, with several raw patches at her ankles and on the sides. Her boots weren’t made for walking long distances like she had today, but there was nothing to be done about it.
She stepped out from under the spray long enough to rub the soap over her scalp. It took a while to get any kind of lather, but she persevered, rubbing her scalp vigorously. When she felt clean, she stepped beneath the quickly cooling spray, letting it wash all the soap from her hair and her body.
Knowing she shouldn’t linger, she turned off both taps and grabbed one of the towels. She dried her body before wrapping it around herself and tucking the end over her breasts. Seeing no help for it, she reluctantly tugged her socks back on, being careful not to hit the sore spots. They might be dirty, but they were better than walking barefoot on the carpet.
She debated washing her underwear, but decided against it. If they had to make a run for it in the dead of night she wanted her underwear. Stupid as it sounded, she felt more vulnerable without them. Grabbing her panties, she tugged them on. She scooped up the rest of her clothing in one hand, her weapons in the other, and opened the bathroom door.
The steam followed her into the bedroom. She was still tired, but at least she felt better.
A metallic sound reached her ears just as she noticed the handle of the outside door begin to turn. Someone was at the door.
Dropping her clothing and the knives, she gripped the gun in both hands, aiming straight for the door. Her heart pounded, but her hands were steady as she faced the latest threat.
The lock clicked and the door began to move inward. Alex’s finger tightened on the trigger. The door opened wider. Alex bit her bottom lip and waited. She’d only get one good shot.
A flat, square box came into her line of vision before the man did. Joshua looked as stunned as she was sure she must, freezing just inside the door. “Alex?”
She shuddered, lowering the gun. He shoved the door closed with his foot as he set a bag and the pizza box on the table. Calmly, he locked the door. How dare he be nonchalant about this. “I could have shot you!”
Joshua shrugged, his massive shoulders moving slowly up and down. “I knocked and called out. I just assumed you’d heard me.”
“I was in the bathroom.”
“So I see.” He narrowed his eyes as he scanned her bare shoulders, his gaze dipping down between her breasts where the towel was anchored. His gaze continued downward over her torso and across her bare legs, all the way to her sock-clad feet. She was perfectly covered, but somehow his stare left her feeling as if she were naked before him. She felt slightly breathless and achy. Her panties were getting damper by the second and it had nothing to do with the moisture left over by her shower.
“I was perfectly all right.” Even to her own ears, her voice sounded breathy, almost flirty. She cleared her throat. “I had the gun next to me the whole time.”
“Nothing to be done about it now.” He turned away and opened the bag. Perversely, the fact that he wasn’t outwardly annoyed with her made her angry. She felt as if she’d let him down in some way. She’d much rather deal with his anger than have him disappointed with her.
“Look, I wasn’t stupid about it. I took precautions.” Great, now she sounded like a belligerent child when what she wanted to sound like was the mature, sensible woman she was.
“I would have preferred you’d waited, Alex. Or if I’d known you wanted a shower that badly, I could have gotten our food afterwards. I just don’t like the idea of you being that vulnerable is all.”
She heard it then. That note in his voice that told her he was berating himself for not anticipating what she would do. He figured he should have known even before she did what she was going to do. It annoyed her. “I told you earlier this evening that you weren’t God.”
“So you did.” Pulling something out of the bag, he tossed it to her. She caught it reflexively in her free hand, curious as to what it was. It was definitely some form of clothing. She laid the Glock on the bed and shook out the fabric. It was a white T-shirt with “Gino’s Authentic Italian Pizza” written in blazing red across the front. “I thought you might want something clean to wear.”
“Thank you.” She clutched it to her chest. Once again, he’d done something incredibly sensitive. It hadn’t even occurred to her he would think to get something like this for her.
He shrugged. “It’s nothing. You should put it on and come eat before the pizza gets cold.” He was watching her with an unreadable expression in his eyes. “I promise I didn’t get anything yucky.”
She smiled at him, feeling as if he’d given her the world instead of just a T-shirt and pizza. It was the fact he’d thought of the shirt in the first place and tailored the pizza to suit her tastes that moved her. “Okay. I’ll be right back.”
Hurrying to the bathroom, she slammed the door behind her.
The second the door closed, Joshua let out a pent-up breath. His temples were pounding. Slamming his fist through the wall while he howled sounded like a good way to release some of his fury, but he did neither. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t realized she’d take a shower as soon as he was gone. If he hadn’t been so concerned with getting some food for her, if he’d only thought the situation through, he’d have guessed she’d want to get clean after everything she’d been through today.
Instead, Alex had left herself open and vulnerable while he’d been gone.
Pushing open the door and facing a determined Alex aiming a 9mm at his chest was an experience he wasn’t likely to forget. She’d been willing to face down whoever was at the door with only a skimpy towel wrapped around her.
He didn’t think she had any idea just how much the towel enticed more than it hid. She might have been covered, but the thin towel had clung to her curves, outlining her waist and the flare of her hips. It had taken all his discipline not to rip the towel from her body, toss her on the bed, mount her from behind and fuck her until they both yelled with pleasure.
Digging the palms of his hands into his eyes, he pressed hard. His cock was throbbing like a damn toothache with no relief in sight. He sank down on the bed and yanked his cell phone out of his back pocket. It was a disposable one he’d dump once he was home. All of them used disposable phones, changing numbers frequently. Bounty hunters might not trust authorities, but they did love their electronic toys and he knew they’d have hackers who could get into phone records with no problem at all.
He punched in a number and waited. It was picked up on the first ring. “What?”
Joshua grinned even as he growled into the receiver. “Your day couldn’t have been as bad as mine so shut up and listen.”
The man on the other end snorted. “I saw just how hard your day was, little brother. I saw you talking with the woman in an alleyway this morning. If you’re smart, you’ll claim that woman you’ve been running all over town with. Fuck her so long and hard, she’ll never want any other wolf but you.” He paused. “It’s what I’d do if I were in your position.”
“You’re not in my position.” The thought of his brother fucking Alex brought a red haze to his eyes. “It wouldn’t be fair to Alex.”
“And you’re all about honor, are you not, my brother?”
Joshua swiped a hand down his face, suddenly feeling very tired. “Is
aiah.” He didn’t quite know how to answer his brother. It was a touchy spot between them that Isaiah had felt no sense of duty toward the pack, refusing to take his father’s place as Striker after his death. It had fallen to Joshua, the next in line, instead. He loved his brother fiercely, but he didn’t always understand him. He turned back to the business at hand. “The car was compromised.”
“Shit. I pulled Simon off it as soon as I knew you were headed that way. I figured it would be more productive for us to hunt rogue wolves instead.”
“It was hunters.”
Isaiah swore long and loud. “Son of a bitch!”
“I got a vehicle from Damek.” He gave his brother the location, hating to do even that over the phone, but knowing it was necessary.
“I know where it is. We won’t be far behind you.” He sensed his brother’s momentary hesitation. “Joshua. Don’t allow honor to deprive you of what is yours. Do not be afraid to reach out and take something for yourself.”
“Isaiah,” he began, not quite certain what he was going to say. But it didn’t matter. His brother grunted and broke the connection. Joshua snapped his phone shut.
“Who was that?” Alex was standing in the open door of the bathroom watching him. She looked adorable in the shirt, which skimmed the tops of her thighs. He stared hard. If he wasn’t mistaken, she wasn’t wearing a bra.
“No one.” He shoved the phone in his back pocket as he stood.
She raised one eyebrow and glared at him.
He sighed. It would be easier if she was a submissive female, but then he probably wouldn’t be attracted to her at all. Shaking his head, he resigned himself to the inevitable. He held out one of the chairs. “Come and eat and I’ll tell you.”
Chapter Ten
Alex tugged at the hem of the shirt as she walked to the table. Thankfully, Joshua didn’t seem to be paying her any attention as he was occupied digging drinks and napkins out of the bag. Now that she had something clean to wear, she’d decided to take the chance and washed her bra and panties, hanging them over the rod in the bathroom to dry. The thought of having clean underwear in the morning was heavenly. The only problem was that the shirt wasn’t quite as long as she’d have liked. It just covered her behind. Barely.
Alexandra’s Legacy Page 11
