“If I ask you to wait out here, will you?” Marco asked. He took one look at her expression and sighed. “Never mind.”
Kat stuck her key in the door, but despite her brave words and guise, her hands shook. When she left Leo, she’d sworn she’d never again come home to her apartment in fear of what danger awaited inside.
That reminder caused anger to surge within her and she gripped onto it. Being pissed was preferable to being scared.
She swung the door open and Marco entered first, gun drawn. She blinked at the sight of it, not having realized he even had one. He looked like he wasn’t afraid to use it, but then again, he had just been in a war zone. She stuck her hand into her purse, gripping her own gun and hoping like hell she wouldn’t be forced to shoot anyone in her apartment. Again. Her neighbors would start a petition for her eviction.
Marco moved silently into the living room, scanning the area. He ducked into the bedroom, emerging moments later.
“It’s clear.”
Well that was one good thing about having a small apartment—not many places to hide.
Kat collapsed on the coach, grateful her home had not been violated. But how had they found out where she lived? Since she’d moved back, she’d taken painstaking care to stay off the radar. She’d succeeded in staying off Leo’s radar, but he was a low-level criminal. The stakes had been raised and she was out of her league. Since these men were X’s rivals, they could have limitless resources. She’d been foolish to think they couldn’t find her.
She realized she still had the letter clutched in her hands. Looking down at it, though, she had her answer.
“My mail,” she whispered.
“What?”
“On the way to the funeral, I stopped to get my mail,” she explained. “I left it in my car.”
But it hadn’t been there just now. She normally didn’t take her mail into the car with her, so she’d forgotten all about it. Those men probably had the resources to find her, but she’d made it easy. They hadn’t even had to break into the glove box, which was locked and contained her registration, another thing she hadn’t considered until now.
“Was it anything important?” Marco asked.
She shook her head. “Junk mail.” She should have dumped it straight into the trash bin, instead of holding onto it with the intent of recycling it later.
She exhaled and looked down at the letter. Marco sat beside her as she opened it.
She quickly skimmed through it, then looked up at Marco. “They want X. He owes them money.”
“Is it signed?”
“Just with an R. What is it with these people using letters?” First X and now this R person.
“They’re using you as leverage,” Marco said grimly.
“But I don’t even know X,” Kat protested. “He didn’t even know I existed until yesterday.”
Was it only yesterday that she’d started the day by laying Gram to rest? Except she hadn’t really gotten to do that. The funeral was anything but peaceful. Tears filled her eyes. She was sure Gram had been buried as scheduled and she hadn’t been there to say her final good-byes.
“Bastards,” she muttered, turning her face away so Marco wouldn’t see her cry. She’d known Gram’s death would hit her at some point, but she’d hoped to be alone when it did. It appeared the autopilot mode she’d been working on was finally shutting down.
She choked out a sob, not able to hold it in. She felt Marco’s hand on her shoulder and leaned toward it, seeking comfort. It was all too much. She’d hit her breaking point.
Marco must have seen that as an invitation because he wrapped his arms around her, cradling her body against his chest.
She curled into his chest and the power of him made her feel safe enough to let down her walls.
Tears came hard and fast and Kat had trouble breathing from the intensity of it. It was like all the woes in her life had caught up to her, hitting her all at once.
She cried for her brother. She cried for her shitty childhood. She cried for the disaster that had been her time in Florida. But most of all she cried for Gram, that sweet woman who’d left her life way too soon. It was a cruel twist of fate that Alzheimer’s began eating at her mind almost as soon as they’d found each other.
And if Kat had learned nothing else in her life, it was that fate was a bitch, continually slapping her down when she was at her weakest.
Except now. Though she’d wanted to be alone when she broke, fate had given her this man who comforted her. A man who constantly gave and asked for nothing in return. A man she desired.
She clung to him, tilting her face toward his, wanting more than just the comfort of his arms. She wanted him to help her forget, if only for a little while.
She wanted all of him.
His gaze raked across her face as he breathed deeply. She met his gaze, willing him to understand what she needed. His eyes darkened with intensity and a need of his own.
She snaked her hand around his neck and pulled his mouth down to meet hers. That was all it took. With a groan, he plundered her mouth, tasting, giving, soothing her. Every stroke of his tongue against hers brought her one step closer to being okay again.
Her fingers found the bottom of his shirt and she yanked it up, pulling it over his head. The second it took to do that was too long, and they came back together as if they’d been starved for one another in that brief second.
She straddled him, grinding against the hard length she could feel through his jeans. His hands gripped her ass, encouraging the movement.
She stripped off her shirt and he wasted no time indulging in her flesh that was now his for the taking. His teeth nipped at her nipples through her bra and she arched her back, throwing her head back at the glorious sensation it sent coursing through her body.
Heat gathered in her core, dampening her panties as she ground even harder against him.
With a growl, Marco flipped her onto her back on the couch in one swift move. As he hovered over her, she pulled at the button on his jeans. He ran a hand down her body, caressing her breast and acquainting himself with her curves.
“You are so goddamn beautiful,” he rasped out.
His words took her breath away because in that moment she believed them.
She fumbled with the button on her own pants, the task confusing her fingers until he took over, stripping off her pants and panties in one fell swoop.
He put his hands under her hips and leaned down to lick her.
Her muscles tensed as the unexpected pleasure shot through her and she forced herself to relax, opening her legs wider for him. He suckled her clit, causing her to cry out and dig her nails into his shoulders.
Then he turned his attention lower, his tongue tasting and plunging inside her. Her body writhed against him and she squeezed her eyes shut, finally allowing herself to lose control, crying out as she broke.
She panted as aftershocks coursed through her and her body shuddered. Marco shimmied up beside her so he could hold her. She clung to him.
He stroked her hair, kissing her all over her face.
She felt worshiped.
Cupping his face with her hands, she brought his mouth to hers, tasting herself on his lips. It aroused her in a way she hadn’t expected and tension began to build in her body again. She ran her fingertips along his back, gaining satisfaction when goose bumps formed on his skin. He buried his face in her neck and she wrapped her legs around him.
His pants and boxers hung off his hips and she pushed them the rest of the way down, gasping with pleasure as his hardness pressed against her opening.
His body stilled for a split second, but she gripped his ass, holding him in place. She tilted her hips up, inviting his entrance. He pushed inside her and she bit his shoulder as she was utterly and gloriously filled completely.
He moved inside her, long and deep strokes, her wetness making them both slick. She locked her ankles around his waist and he gripped her hips, tilting her so that she
opened up even more for him.
The shift made his next stroke go even deeper, and she cried out his name, holding onto him for fear she would lose herself.
He shifted once again and now his body rubbed against her clit every time he moved. The tension in her body skyrocketed and seconds later, her legs squeezed around him as her muscles quivered, taking her to the edge.
Finally she fell again, crying out his name and holding him against her.
With two more thrusts, Marco groaned, burying his face in her hair while his body achieved its release.
Chapter 15
Marco breathed in Kat’s scent—sweet and alluring with a touch of honeysuckle. Probably the shower gel he’d seen in her shower this morning. Though how he could remember such a trivial fact at the moment, he had no clue.
With Kat’s naked body under his, he was surprised he could form any coherent thoughts. Her body was exquisite—soft curves and smooth skin. And he hadn’t even seen all of it. She was still wearing her bra.
Beneath him, she was breathing just as hard as he was. As her breaths grew lighter, he was tempted to rev her up again. He’d like nothing more than to keep her out of breath all evening and into the night.
The loud incongruous sound of laughter out in the common foyer made him pause.
As the fog cleared from his brain, Marco’s thoughts drastically shifted.
Oh shit. What have I done?
Kat was supposed to be off-limits. He was supposed to be watching out for her, not taking advantage of her in her vulnerable state.
And oh fucking shit.
He pushed himself up, hovering over her. “I didn’t use a condom.”
She blinked, as if it were taking a few moments for his words to register. “It’s okay,” she said. “I’m on the pill.”
Thank Christ.
He sat up and the fog cleared completely. “We shouldn’t be here.”
He stood, looking for his clothes. Kat still lay on the couch, her legs slightly spread and it was all he could do not to ogle her. To taste her sweetness once more. To say to hell with it all and claim her body over and over again until they were both sated and exhausted.
He’d had no right to ravage her like he had—and on her damn couch for fuck’s sake. Couldn’t he have at least had some class and taken her to the bedroom? Since he’d met her, he’d imagined being with Kat, but not like this. Fuck. She deserved so much more than this.
But he couldn’t dwell on that now. His primary mission was to keep her safe and the men from the cemetery knew where Kat lived. They could be back at any moment or even be watching the building right now.
“Okay,” Kat said slowly, sitting up and reaching for her panties. Marco couldn’t help but watch as she pulled them up her legs—those strong sexy legs that had just been wrapped around him.
He turned away, loathing himself. His actions were inexcusable. But he’d have to worry about that later. Right now, he needed to get her out of here, to get her somewhere safe.
He grabbed his bag and stuffed his things inside it. “Pack a bag,” he said over his shoulder. “Be quick.”
Behind him, she was quiet for a few moments, not moving. Then she went into the bedroom and slammed the door.
Aw, hell. Maybe if he’d tried he could’ve screwed that up more.
Maybe, but probably not.
* * *
Kat shoved some clothes into a suitcase, not paying attention to what she grabbed. It wasn’t until it was halfway full that she remembered the damn zipper was broken. She was going to try to fix it but hadn’t gotten around to it yet.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
And she wasn’t talking about the suitcase.
She’d thrown herself at Marco and now he could barely look at her.
Tears filled her eyes as she searched in the closet for another bag. She’d done more crying in the past week than she had in the last year.
Suck it up. There isn’t time for this shit.
Marco was right about one thing—they needed to get the hell out of here. If those men came back and found her, it would be totally her fault.
Because she was too busy making a fool of herself.
But damn if her body didn’t feel good, like it was glowing inside.
She grabbed the last of her toiletries and zipped up the bag. Taking a deep breath, she opened the bedroom door. Marco was waiting by the front door with his bag at his feet. He avoided her gaze.
“Ready?” His tone was no-nonsense and very businesslike, like by screwing her he’d checked one item off his to-do list and was on to the next—getting the weepy woman to safety.
But she could play that game, too. If he wanted to be cold and impersonal, he could bring it. She nodded and he opened the door for her to exit. As she passed him, she stopped. “Wait. The letter.”
“I got it.”
Of course he did.
“Let me check things out before you go charging out there,” he said.
It made perfect sense. She needed to check her attitude before she did something stupid that would put both of them in danger. She closed her eyes for a moment and pushed her bitterness and disappointment aside.
He peered out into the lot for a few moments, then motioned her forward. “Be quick,” he said.
She obeyed his command and in less than a minute they were cruising down the road.
She stared stonily out the window, but she could feel his eyes on her. So now he decided to look at her when he could be paying attention to the damn road.
“Kat, I—”
“Just stop right there.” She could tell by his tone he was about to apologize or some other such nonsense. She wasn’t having any of it. “Let’s not do this, okay? I think we have more important things to worry about.”
He glanced over at her and his expression clearly said he didn’t want to drop it, but he sighed and turned his attention back to the road. She wished she were anywhere but in this car with Marco. They both smelled of sex and in this small space, it was overwhelming.
But like it or not, she was stuck with him. So she’d proceed like nothing happened.
“Can I have the letter?” she asked.
“It’s in my bag in the backseat.”
She unbuckled her seat belt and leaned into the back to retrieve it.
“It says X owes them money, but they’ll take his life in lieu of payment.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah. He really must have pissed them off.” She was quiet for a moment. “But I don’t know what this has to do with me. Do they want me to deliver a message or something? Because they’re out of luck. I never see the man.”
Marco’s mouth set into a hard line. “I don’t think it’s as innocent as that.”
Kat stared out the window as they traveled down the familiar streets leading to Ryan’s place. She hadn’t told Marco to go there, but he somehow knew she would need to go to her brother. That knowledge make her resolve to ignore what just happened falter.
Despite everything, she’d thought they had a connection. She never would have come on to him like that otherwise. His indifference now cut her like a knife—like the stupid one that had been lodged in her front door.
Only this knife in her back—and her heart—wouldn’t be as easy to remove.
* * *
Despite the cold, the tension in the car made Marco sweat. He’d royally fucked up, not only in sleeping with Kat, but with how he’d dealt with the aftermath.
Damn, he hadn’t wanted this. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Kat and it appeared he’d done exactly that.
Today at Adamo, he was beginning to think he could have a life here. But that was a joke.
He parked in front of Ryan’s apartment and silently they got out of the car, meeting in front of it.
Marco couldn’t go on like this. “Kat—”
“No,” she said fiercely. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
She strode toward Ryan’s apartment, leavin
g him behind.
“Fuck,” he muttered, staring after her. He waited until she’d reached the door before turning away.
His phone rang and he thought about ignoring it, but it was just as well. This would give Kat a few minutes alone with her brother.
“Yeah?” he said into his phone, harsher than he’d meant to.
“Marco.” Tony’s tone was both urgent and tired. Combined with the fact that his brother hadn’t given him shit over how he answered the phone, Marco knew the news wasn’t good.
He rubbed his brow. “What is it?”
“Veronica was arrested down in Miami.”
“Shit.”
On one hand, Veronica had most likely killed her husband, so she deserved to be caught and put on trial. On the other hand, Marco knew this had to destroy Ginny. She’d been instrumental in bringing Veronica’s wrongdoing to light and from what he got from Tony, it plagued her.
Marco didn’t give two shits about Veronica, but he felt for Ginny.
“Yeah.” Tony sighed. “Ginny wants to go down there, so we’re catching a six A.M. flight. It’s not a good time for me to leave, but I can’t let her go alone.”
“Of course not.”
“Can you take my place at Adamo for a few days? Just continue to help Ingrid and the employees can see an Adamo present. A lot of them have lost faith in the company and my absence isn’t going to help.”
“You don’t even have to ask,” Marco said. “You know I’ll be there.”
Except given his MIA status for the last four years, Tony probably didn’t know that. Granted, Marco had been on active duty, so it’s not like he could have been physically present, but he’d cut himself off, not communicating with the family for months at a time. He could have been there in some ways, but he’d chosen not to.
That changed now. He never wanted his brother to doubt whether or not he had his back again.
“Thanks,” Tony said. “I owe you.”
“No, you don’t. Just take care of Ginny.”
Chapter 16
Kat stood in the open doorway, her hand still gripping the doorknob.
The living room had been trashed. Furniture was slashed and the TV had been thrown to the floor. But what chilled her blood was the sight of Ryan lying on the ground with a gag in his mouth and a gun to his head. His wheelchair was on its side next to him.
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