It sounds like he’s on his cell phone but he’s coming toward me. Not wanting to risk another run in, I quickly step into the closest room and press myself against the wall just inside the door. What the hell is going on with me lately? I’ve gone from a boring workaholic to someone who snoops in her boss’s office and hides in dark rooms on deserted office floors. I’ve become completely obsessed with a practical stranger and yet he’s given me more orgasms in a week than I’ve had in the last year combined.
Just the thought of Rowan makes me wish he were here. He makes me feel safe when we’re together and that’s a feeling I’d love to be experiencing right now.
Neil’s getting closer. He’s too distracted talking on his phone to notice where I am.
“Intercept her before she leaves the building,” I overhear him say. Holy shit, I guess I was wrong…he must suspect me.
“It doesn’t matter. Just hold her until I arrive and can give you further instructions”
He has passed the room that I’m hiding in and his voice continues to fade away. Sliding down the wall and sitting on the floor, I wrap my arms around my legs and try to think of what to do next.
I desperately want to call Rowan, but he can’t just show up here. If he came to get me and Neil saw us together, his suspicions would most certainly be confirmed. I can’t get to my car because security will stop me before I have a chance to leave the parking garage.
Damn it. Why did I have to be so ambitious?
It’s risky to stay here much longer. When I don’t show up at my car soon, they’ll come back and search this floor for me first. My best shot is to sneak my way out of the building, avoiding the security guards at the main doors and parking garage. If I can get out of the building I’ll find a bus to take me home or call Rowan at that point to pick me up. If he still wants anything to do with me, that is. Who knows, he might be pissed that I left and just did what I wanted to do, even after we had negotiated. That isn’t what you do when you’re in a relationship with someone. I make a mental promise to be better if I can just get out of this okay.
The elevator dings and I’m forced to move. This is the best chance I’ll have at getting off this floor without being seen. I slip out of the room and practically run down the hallway. I’m moving in the direction that I heard the elevator ding. Hopefully the stairwell will be close to the elevators.
“Thank God,” I say to myself when I push open the door next to the elevators and find the stairwell. Practically walking on tiptoes, I begin my descent to the ground floor. Thankfully I’m so focused on getting out of here that hysteria hasn’t set in…yet.
I pause when I get to the first floor. There are security guards on this floor and at the parking garage. They’re most likely stationed right at the doors on this floor, however, but they’re in a security booth in the parking garage.
I decide to take my chances in the parking garage. The last set of stairs is here and gone and then I’m standing at the door. I’m terrified to push it open but I don’t have many options available to me at this point. As quietly as possible, I slowly push open the door and peek through.
I’m straining to listen for any signs of Neil or his guards but I don’t hear a thing aside from the sound of a car starting and driving through the ramp. Luckily I know the layout of the ramp really well. I close my eyes so I can picture where the thick cement poles are or where there are cement walls separating the rows of cars. My plan is to make a dash for one of these obstacles to hide behind until I can get a better look around.
Counting to three, I slip through the small opening in the door and crouch down behind the closest pole. From here I plan on sneaking through the cars until I can find a spot to slip out of the garage without being noticed.
So far, so good.
Peaking around the pole, the row of cars isn’t too far away from me. It should only take a few steps and I’ll be safely hidden again.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath to summon some more of my courage. Counting to three worked last time, I’m going to stick with it. In my head, I start the countdown. I’ve just hit three and am about to go for the row of cars when I hear a noise behind me. Arms grab me around the waist and a hand covers my mouth. I don’t even have time to scream.
Chapter 11
“Shhhh, it’s me, Stella,” Rowan says into my ear. “Nice and quiet now.”
My body relaxes into his. As soon as he loosens his arms I whip around, throw my arms around him and bury my face in his neck.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” I whisper. “They’re not going to let me leave…they must know what I did.”
“It’s okay. I’ll get you out of here.” He takes my hand and together we crouch down and run behind the closest car.
“Where’s your car? Is it in the garage?” He has saved me in more ways than one if he actually parked his car in the lot. If we can remain hidden we might just pull this off.
“Yeah. Follow me and stay low.” He starts moving further into the parking garage. We’re using the parked cars to keep us hidden and I’m trying to be conscientious of the security cameras as we move down the aisle. When we reach the end of the row, I grab his shirt to stop him for moving.
He narrows his eyes at me and mouths “what” to find out what’s going on.
I signal up and to the back. He follows my finger and spots the security camera in the corner of the main row. He motions for me to head back the way we came. Once we’ve backtracked far enough, we crawl over the low cement median that separates the rows of cars. From here we can move quickly in between the cars all the way to the back of the ramp.
Sticking close to the wall, we’re able to walk in the camera’s blind spot to avoid being seen. There’s still no sign of security guards but I don’t think our luck is going to hold out for much longer. I’m looking all around when I spot his car parked just a few spots away from us. We’re treading water right now and that car is our life raft. It’s hard to decide if seeing his car tonight is giving me even more excitement than when I would see it parked outside of my apartment all of those nights. I’d say it’s a toss up.
“We’ll run for the car, then once we’re inside, crawl in the back and hide on the floor.” He nods at me to make sure I understand the plan. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
“Okay,” I say quietly. Then Rowan is moving and without even thinking about it, I’m following him. The lights flash on his car to signal that he’s unlocked the doors and then we’re both inside, shutting the doors and locking us in.
Rowan already has the key in the ignition while I crawl into the backseat and do my best to make myself small and invisible.
“Security has no reason to stop you. They’ll be looking for my car…so just drive, okay?”
“Don’t you worry about a thing, baby.” The car’s already moving. Trying to lie motionless in the backseat goes against every urge in my body to run as fast as I can to get away from the threat pursuing us. I’m trying to focus on my breathing because otherwise I’ll think about what will happen if we’re caught.
It feels like an eternity before we hit a bump, signaling that we’ve pulled out of the garage. A weight is lifted from my chest as I picture the road in my head, followed by the picture of the building fading away in the distance as we drive further and further away.
“We did it?”
“We did it,” he says. “Stay there until I make sure we aren’t being followed.”
“Where are we going?”
He doesn’t answer right away. I sense his hesitation and already know the answer before he says it. “Connor’s place.”
Silence falls over the car again but asking me to stay quiet and lie perfectly still is too much to expect of anyone in this situation. Adrenaline is pulsing through my body. I might be better off if I got out and ran along side the car. Or maybe we could stop the car altogether and Rowan could fuck all of my cares away.
Imagining us together takes me back to last
night and how I left him after we had sex. There’s no doubt I feel like an asshole but I didn’t see any other option at the time. Now, of course, if I could go back in time I would have stayed the fuck home.
“I’m sorry I left, Rowan. My boss called in the night, left a list of things I had to prepare for a presentation this morning, and I knew it wouldn’t go over well if I didn’t show up.” He doesn’t respond right away. Hopefully he’s thinking about forgiving me while I tell him my really good explanation for doing what I did. “If I could go back and do it over again, I wouldn’t have left.”
“Because of what happened tonight or because you didn’t want to leave me?” he asks.
I guess to me both reasons are applicable but I can tell it means something to him. “I wasn’t leaving you, Rowan. I just knew you wouldn’t let me go if I waited until the morning.” I’ve made the decision at this point that I’ve been hiding on this hard floor long enough. Pulling myself up I climb over the armrest and sit in the passenger seat next to him.
I can’t handle him being upset with me right now so I scoot myself over and sit as close to him as I can, resting my head on his shoulder and wrapping my arm around his waist. I breathe in the scent of him, a combination of his clean skin and cologne that he wears.
After everything that I have felt tonight, I need to be close to him. I want to feel him inside of me, taking me, loving me, protecting me from the evils of his world. This world that is mine now too and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I let my lips brush across his skin, kissing him softly. My hand slides up his body, exploring the hard crevices of muscle across his pecs up to his shoulders. Running my hand through his hair I kiss every inch of skin along his neck and face that I can reach.
His heart is pounding under my hand when it trails back down his body and unbuttons his jeans. I’m not being rational right now but I need him and I’m going to have him.
As soon as my hand slides down and grips his cock, the car makes a quick right turn and Rowan parks the car off the road in a deserted lot. I’m already dripping wet as I pump his cock and make him ready for me.
“In the back.” His voice sounds strained and I’m relieved that he’s not going to push me away. I crawl in the back and he’s right behind me.
“We need to be fast,” I tell him while I pull my pants down. I’m only able to get one leg out before he grabs me and pulls me down on the backseat. “Fuck me hard, Rowan.”
His cock is so hard. Pre-cum is dripping down his head but before he slams into me, he dips his finger in my pussy, coating himself with my arousal. He uses it to make himself slick and then he does just what I need. He slams his cock into me, filling me completely.
He doesn’t give me any time to adjust to his thickness, just pulls out and slams himself back in. I’m so high on all of the emotions that have been coursing through my body tonight, fear, relief, excitement, that I almost come with his first few thrusts.
We’re crammed together in the backseat in such a way that his body is rubbing against my throbbing clit every time he rocks against my body. And because we’re in a car in the middle of nowhere, I’m moaning and yelling as loudly as I want to.
“You feel so good.” Rowan growls his words, his emotions taking over. “This pussy was made for me.”
I throw my leg up on the back of the seat to try to open myself even wider for him. My hands are above my head, gripping the door as hard as I can to keep myself from banging back with my head.
“Please make me come, I need it so bad.” I’m begging him, almost close to tears I need it so badly.
Grabbing my hips, he holds onto me tightly as he thrusts into me again. Only this time, instead of pulling out, he stays inside of me as deep as he can and rocks against me, rubbing against my swollen clit until the orgasm I’m chasing explodes inside of me. I’d scream if I could but it’s so strong it takes my breath away.
He grunts and moans above me and I know he’s coming too. His thick cock is pulsing inside of me while my pussy contracts and holds him deep.
“Look at me.” Rowan’s gravelly voice brings me back to my senses. I open my eyes and look up at him. How strange that such a short time ago this man was a stranger to me. And now when I look up into his face, my heart flips in my chest. When he’s inside of me like this, I’m whole. Whenever he’s near, I feel safe.
He stretches his body over mine and claims my mouth, taking my breath away. I wrap my arms around his body and give him everything I can in my kiss.
“You know just what I need,” I say when he pulls away. He kisses me once more, as if to say he understands.
“There’s more where that came from, but right now…I think we should go.”
Of course he’s right. I’m lying here in a fantasy world, enjoying my most recent orgasm when really we have pressing concerns that we need to address as soon as we get to Connor’s place. I haven’t even asked if he talked to his brother or if they’ve decided what to do. Hopefully something. I can’t hide out forever.
We’re very awkwardly trying to pull our pants back up in this tiny amount of space. Rowan crawls over and starts the car. I crawl over next and put my seat belt on.
“I feel much better.” Rowan meets my eyes and we both smile. I’m not use to seeing him with a smile. My finger is reaching to trace his lips when the interior of the car is suddenly full of light. Our euphoria quickly dissipates as we turn around to see multiple cars behind us, all shining their headlights in the car.
Unless we go over the curb and knock down the old chain-link fence in front of us, there’s no getting out of this parking lot.
We’re trapped.
Chapter 12
“So much for stress relief.” Neither of us has turned around, we both know what’s behind us. He’s right though, the euphoria I was feeling just moments ago has quickly faded.
“I was just about to comment on how lucky your car has been for us.” I try to laugh but my smile is pasted on, my nerves won’t let me joke around at a time like this. My stomach is rolling thinking about what’s going to happen to us now. I should regret my naive, impulsive decisions that have brought me to this moment. I should have known better than to think there really wouldn’t be any consequences for getting involved with a man who has obvious ties to the mob.
But even now, sitting in the car with him, not knowing whether or not we’ll be alive in the very near future…I still don’t regret it.
“I’m sorry I got you involved in all of this.” I’m alarmed at how quiet he is. Is he distracted thinking about what our next move will be? Or has he given up, knowing we’re outnumbered?
I don’t know where my strength comes from but when I turn to look at him I need him to understand that I’m all in, with him. “I’ve never felt more alive in all of my life. And I wouldn’t go back and do anything different if it meant I couldn’t have you.”
He looks at me with his vibrant green eyes, alive with renewed energy and passion. When he pulls me in and kisses me I know my words have resonated with him. Somehow knowing that even now it has all been worth it, sheds a new light on the situation.
“I’ll get out and distract them, you stay low and run toward that building,” he says after our kiss.
“No, I’m not leaving you here. Especially when this is all my fault.” I’m shaking my head vehemently, refusing to even consider that option.
“They’re not going to hurt me. It wouldn’t be good for business if they offed their business partner’s brother.”
It makes sense but I still don’t want to split up. I know we don’t have much longer before they’re at the car doors forcing us out. Suddenly it occurs to me that I have no idea if Rowan met with his brother and filled him in on Neil’s shady business practices or not. If he did, it doesn’t matter that I know…because Connor knows too. So either way Neil is screwed.
“Did you talk to your brother today? Does he know what’s going on?”
“Yes, of course.
”
“Well, can you call him and let him know that we’re in a bit of a shitstorm right now? I mean, what was he planning on doing? This seems like a good time for him to get involved.”
And just like that, our time is up. One of Neil’s security guards taps the glass on the driver side window and barks at us to get out of the car. I jump when I look out my window and there’s a guy standing out there as well. So much for sneaking away. He tries the door handle but thankfully it’s locked.
“Climb over the seat, get out of the car behind me and don’t let go of my hand. Got it?” He wants confirmation that I’m going to follow our plan this time before he opens the door. Apparently he’s picked up on the fact that I tend to have a stubborn streak in me.
“Got it,” I say. “You don’t happen to have a gun in your car, do you?”
“No, I don’t like guns.”
“Okay, fair enough.” He opens the door and waits for the security guard to step back before he gets out of the car. He holds his hand out for me and waits until I take it. Together we walk away from the car toward Neil’s guys standing in front of their cars.
“We only want the girl,” one of the guys says after a minute.
“No,” Rowan says. I admire how confident and badass he sounds. He’s standing in front of me, like a boss, daring these guys to fuck with us. I start to shake from the cold, obnoxiously, and my teeth are chattering loudly. Very slowly, Rowan holds up his hands and slowly unzips his jacket. “I’m just giving her my coat. No need for anyone to get trigger-happy.”
He slips it off his shoulders and down his arms and then hands it to me. All the while he’s staring straight ahead, just watching. He has a much better intuition for what’s happening than I do.
I slip into his coat and am instantly thankful for the warmth. I’m still shaking but not as obviously. Stepping close behind him, I wrap my arm around his waist from behind. He takes my other hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
Kiss Me I'm Irish: A St. Patrick's Day Novella Page 6
