Dark Deceptions

by Dee Davis

  “Hey,” he said, closing the distance between them, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. “You know I care about you, too.”

  She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. It wasn’t exactly a declaration of love, but surely it counted for something.

  “Annie, I know this is hard for you. But you’ve got to understand that it’s a lot for me to deal with, too. You’ve just told me I have a son.”

  “I don’t expect anything from you, Nash. I just wanted you to know, so that you could make your own choices about the kind of relationship you want with Adam.”

  “That sounds more simple than it is. God, everything is so fucked up.”

  “I know. And it’s all my fault.”

  “No, not entirely,” he said. “I sure as hell didn’t make it easy for you to tell me. And after everything I said in Vienna, I can see how you thought it would just be easier to go.”

  “Maybe we should have just had a little more faith in each other.”

  “Maybe so. But we can’t change the past. So it seems like a waste of time to sit here blaming each other. We were both at fault. We were young and arrogant.”

  “And so certain we were right,” she said, tears welling again.

  “See what I mean,” he sighed. “This isn’t doing us any good.”

  “So what do we do?” she asked, her voice catching in her throat. “Where do we go from here?”

  “I honestly don’t know, Annie.” He shook his head, smoothing the hair from her face. “But I promise you, we’ll figure it out together.”

  “I’m afraid,” she whispered, her hammering heart testament to the fact.

  “Not of me,” he said. “Never of me.”

  “No.” She shook her head, her gaze locked with his. “Never of you.”

  He slanted his mouth over hers, taking possession of her lips, the intensity of the kiss a physical embodiment of everything they’d lost—and everything they’d found. Framing her face with his hands, he pulled her closer, his mouth giving and taking, promising everything and asking for nothing.

  She closed her eyes and reveled in the fact that he was here—with her. And that at least for this moment, they were together. He deepened the kiss, their tongues tangling together, their bodies moving to a rhythm belonging to only the two of them.

  She pressed even closer, needing to feel his heart beating against hers. Wanting to feel the heat of his body. To erase the pain of the past eight years. To rediscover the magic she’d only ever shared with him. Before, when they’d come together in the rain, it had been out of a need so fierce there’d been no stopping it. But now, in this moment, there was something more. Something more than desire. Something soul deep—binding them together.

  Reverently, he pushed the silk robe off her shoulders, and it slid down her body, pooling at her feet. Cupping his hands beneath her breasts, he traced the line of her nipples with his thumbs, his skin rasping against hers, slivers of heat arcing through her.

  Then slowly he kissed her eyes, her nose, her neck. His warm tongue caressing the hollow of her throat and then moving to suck gently on each earlobe. Each stroke, each caress, a mark of possession, the heat from his lips sending shivers of need coursing through her.

  She reached for the hem of his T-shirt, pulling it over his head and tossing it to the floor. She kissed his chest, circling each nipple with the tip of her tongue, reveling in the feel of him—the taste of him. She trailed kisses along his shoulders, her fingers tracing the scars that covered his torso. Some remembered, some not.

  So many years gone.

  His eyes locked on hers, he stepped out of his jeans, leaving nothing between them but skin and heat. She gasped as he pulled her to him, fitting her body against his, the hard heat of his penis nestled into the juncture of her thighs. Then she slid down, her hands caressing him as she kissed the line of hair stretching down over the taut muscles of his abdomen.

  Then she enveloped his heat with her mouth, sucking gently as she moved her hands slowly up and down. His fingers twined tightly in her hair as she loved him. Sliding up and down, her tongue tasting and teasing. She felt a surge of pleasure as he responded to her ministrations. Growing harder—hotter.

  Impatient now, he pulled her up again, his mouth closing over hers, the intensity of his kiss raising the bar, moving their loving to the next level. Swinging her into his arms, lips still locked together, he carried her to the bed and laid her on the cool cotton sheets, their soft comfort the perfect foil for his heat and hardness.

  Straddling her body, he cupped her breasts, then bent his head as his mouth closed over her breast. He bit lightly, his fingers moving rhythmically across the skin on her hips and stomach. She closed her eyes as the pressure increased, the sucking stronger, more insistent. His hand found her other nipple, massaging and pulling, the combined sensations sending her bucking against him.

  With a crooked smile, he slid lower, his mouth making a hot trail as it moved downward, kissing, licking, stroking until she thought she might cry out with sheer joy. Lower and lower he moved, lightly flicking his tongue. Teasing the soft skin of her inner thighs, his hands cupped now beneath her bottom, lifting her upward, opening her to him. And then he blew softly, the gentle kiss almost more than she could bear.

  Her hands closed around the rungs of the headboard as he lifted her higher still, his tongue plunging inside her, driving deep and pressing hard against her secret spot. In and out. Her breathing coming in gasps now, she pushed against him, fighting for her release. And then his mouth closed around her throbbing core, his lips and tongue moving faster and faster until she couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe.

  There was nothing but the incredible sensation of his mouth moving against her. Sucking her, harder and harder, each wave of sensation carrying her higher and higher until she thought surely she’d die. And then with one final pull, she felt herself splintering into a million shards of color and light.

  He shifted to cradle her spasming body as she came. She pressed closer, needing to feel his body hot against hers, as she continued to spiral out of control. Then, summoning her strength, she rolled to straddle him, her hair hanging like a curtain on either side of his face. She bent and kissed him, then lifted and in one smooth stroke impaled herself, the feeling of him deep inside her almost sending her over the edge again.

  They stayed for a moment, bodies joined, gazes locked, and then she bent to kiss him, gyrating slowly as she did so, feeling him harden against her heat. She teased him for a moment, and then, her passion fully aroused, she began to move. Sliding up and down, her slick heat building the sensual friction until it was almost too sweet to bear. Then with a growl, he flipped her underneath him, his big body covering hers. Possessive and loving, embodying everything she needed—everything she wanted.

  As he began to move again, his mouth found hers, his lips and tongue caressing her as she tightened herself around him, stroking and squeezing.

  He started to move in earnest, and she lifted her hips to meet his, the two of them establishing a rhythm as familiar to her as breathing. Still kissing, they moved together, in and out, in and out, each thrust taking him deeper—taking them higher, the years melting away as they moved together—until there was no past. No future. Only now.

  The two of them. Together. Their union a covenant. There were no more secrets. Only each other, and the glorious feeling of their bodies as they moved as one.

  Faster and faster they moved, the world spinning out of control, until the only thing left was the feel of his body inside hers and the sound of their hearts beating as one.

  Then slowly Annie drifted back to earth, safe for the moment in the warmth of Nash’s arms. There were no easy answers. She knew that much. And she knew, too, that tonight wasn’t a panacea for their problems, but at least the shadows of the past were finally gone, which meant that there was hope.

  And for now, that would simply have to be enough.

  Nash moved slowly through the layers
of sleep, his mind trying to hold on to the dream. He’d had it so many times, it had become a familiar companion. One that gave him great joy, only to leave him devastated once he realized it was nothing more than a figment of his imagination.

  He opened his eyes to the dark night, his heart quickening as he felt her body there, warm against him. This wasn’t a dream. It was real. And like all reality, it came with a price.

  One they’d both paid in full. But there was still so much between them. So many questions. So many things left unresolved. His mind rebelled at the thought. Annie always said he made things more complicated than they really were. Maybe she was right. Maybe now was the time for simple things.

  Loving each other. Loving their son.

  He thought of Adam—with Annie’s eyes and smile.

  His son. The words echoed in his brain, and he tried to sort through the resulting emotions. On the one hand, he was delighted, the feeling akin to receiving an unexpected gift. On the other hand, he was terrified that he wasn’t up to the task, that he’d somehow let them down. And then, in between somewhere, there was anger. Anger for all that he’d missed, for all that he’d thrown away.

  Downstairs the clock chimed three, and his skin prickled, something alerting his senses. Beside him Annie stirred, then sat up, clearly roused by whatever he’d heard.

  “What is it?” she whispered as he reached for his gun.

  “Not sure. Probably nothing, but better to make sure. There’s another gun in the bedside table. You go check on Adam and I’ll check downstairs.”

  She nodded and slid the drawer out, her movements calculated and almost noiseless. Moving in tandem, they worked their way to the bedroom door, Annie covering him as he stepped out into the hallway. Everything was quiet.

  “Be careful,” she whispered as she headed toward Adam’s room.

  Moving on silent feet, Nash worked his way down the stairs, careful to avoid the creaking fifth step. Below him something or someone moved. Maybe in the kitchen. He moved quietly through the foyer, back to the wall, and with a silent count of three swung out into the kitchen, gun drawn.

  A shadow shifted near the back door, and he took aim.

  “Holy shit, Nash,” Tyler’s voice broke through the dark. “It’s just me.”

  “What the hell are you doing in my kitchen in the middle of the night?” he asked, lowering the gun and reaching over to turn on the light.

  “Your damned cell phone was off again. And I didn’t want to wake everyone in the house.”

  “So you decided on breaking and entering?”

  “No. I just got the key from one of the security detail.” She held up the key as proof. “Avery called me when he couldn’t get you. I should have known you’d be on red alert.”

  “Nash?” Annie said, appearing in the doorway wearing nothing but his shirt.

  “Everything’s fine. It was Tyler. Is Adam okay?”

  “Yeah, he’s still asleep. So what’s the deal?” She laid her gun down on the counter and pulled up onto a barstool, the shirt sliding up her thighs in the process. Nash swallowed, and Tyler smothered a smile, then sobered.

  “Hannah’s found Kim. Or at least she thinks she has. Avery wants to mobilize as quickly as possible. They’re waiting to brief you now.”

  “What about Adam?” Annie asked.

  “That’s another reason why I came in person. If it’s all right with you, I’ll take care of the squirt until you get back.”

  Annie looked to Nash for confirmation, and he felt a rush of surprising emotion. Gratitude, fear, and an intense urge to protect.

  “I swear I’ll guard him with my life.”

  “Of course you will,” Annie said, her smile warm. “We know that.”

  Nash glanced at Tyler to see if she’d noticed Annie’s choice of pronoun, torn between wanting his friend to know, and wanting to keep his private life just that.

  “Nash,” Annie said, laying her hand on his arm. “We need to talk to Adam. He needs to know what’s happening. And I think he deserves to know the whole truth before we go.”

  His body went cold, the idea of telling Adam sending every neuron in his body into overdrive. On the one hand he wanted his son to know, but, on the other, the idea terrified him more than facing an entire battalion of enemy combatants.

  “It’ll be fine,” Annie said, as always reading his mind.

  “I’ll hang out here, until you guys are ready,” Tyler said, pointedly ignoring the undercurrent. If she’d guessed the truth, she was keeping it to herself. “Maybe get some coffee going. The guys outside said that everything’s quiet, but you need to get moving. Avery’s expecting you ASAP.”

  “Right.” Nash nodded. “We’ll move quickly.”

  He and Annie walked into the foyer and started up the stairs. About halfway up, she stopped him.

  “Nash,” she said, her voice rough with emotion, “before we tell Adam, I need to know that you want him. That no matter what happens with the two of us, you’ll be there for him. You’ll be his father. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I can’t do it any other way.”

  He’d expected to be torn but he wasn’t. In that instant, he knew that he wanted his son in his life. More than he could have ever thought possible.

  “I want him, Annie,” Nash said. “And for the record, I want you, too.”

  “All right, then—” Annie’s smile reached out to him, like a living breathing thing, the warmth settling deep inside him, in a place he’d forgotten existed—until now. “Let’s go tell our son.”

  They walked to the top of the stairs, and Nash waited while Annie pulled on some sweats, and then together, they walked into Adam’s room.

  “What’s going on?” Adam asked, his hair tousled from sleep, his eyes still groggy. “Is it morning?”

  “No, buddy,” Nash said. “It’s the middle of the night. And your mom and I hated to wake you but we have something we need to tell you.”

  “And it couldn’t wait until morning?” he asked, tilting his head in a perplexed way that reminded him of Annie.

  “No, baby,” Annie said, sitting on the side of the bed, motioning for Nash to do the same.

  “Is this about the bad guys?” Adam asked, his little face clouding. “Are they here?”

  Nash shook his head. “No way. You’re safe here. But your mom and I are going to have to leave.”

  “What about me?” Adam asked, his voice trembling.

  “Tyler’s here,” Annie said. “And I bet she’ll play computer games with you if you ask her to.”

  “Now?” he asked, his expression changing to incredulous. “In the middle of the night?”

  “Yup,” Nash said. “It’ll be like a special tournament.”

  “So when you get back,” Adam asked, “are we going to stay here with Nash?” The last sentence landed somewhere between a question and a statement, his little face filled with both hope and trepidation as he waited for her answer.

  Nash shot a look at Annie, not sure where exactly they stood. They hadn’t had the chance to fully discuss their relationship or the future. Everything was still too new. Too fragile.

  “Would you like that?” Annie asked, her voice deep with emotion.

  “Totally,” Adam said. “Nash is cool.” He looked from his mother to Nash and then back again. “I’m glad you’re friends again.”

  “Me, too,” Annie said, reaching out to squeeze Adam’s hand. “But it isn’t permanent. Just until all this is over and we can sort things out.”

  Nash’s heart constricted at the thought of either of them leaving. But Annie was right, there was no point in making promises that might not be kept. It was enough for now that she knew he wanted them in his life and that she wanted Adam to know the truth.

  “Well, I think we should stay.”

  “Well,” Nash said, his eyes shooting up to meet hers, looking for some kind of guidance, “I’d like for you to stay, too, so that we can get to know each other better. But first your mom and I
need to take care of the guy with the games.”

  “Is that where you’re going?” Adam asked, raising his chin to counter the quaver in his voice. “To stop him?”

  “Yeah.” Annie nodded. “And before we go, Nash and I wanted to tell you something.” Annie met Nash’s gaze, his own trepidation reflected in her eyes.

  “What is it?” Adam asked, his brows drawing together in a puzzled frown.

  “You know how you thought your father was dead?” Nash said, his tone matching Adam’s solemnity. “Well, it turns out it might not be true.”

  “Really?” Adam asked, his eyes widening as he turned to Annie for confirmation.

  “It’s true, baby,” she said, smiling even as tears shimmered against her lashes. “Your dad is alive. He just didn’t know he was your dad.”

  “How could he not know?”

  “It’s really long and complicated. But the important thing is that he loves you.” Annie lifted her gaze to meet Nash’s. “And he wants to be a part of your life. That is, if you’re interested.”

  “Of course I’m interested,” Adam harrumphed. “Everybody wants a father.”

  “Even if it’s me?” Nash asked, feeling as if he were walking barefoot across a minefield.

  “You?” Adam asked, his eyes, if possible, growing even wider.

  “Me,” Nash said, heart in his throat.

  “For real? Wow. I mean, you really are a hero, just like Mom said. I always figured she was making it up.”

  “So you’re not disappointed?” Nash asked, holding his breath, surprised at how much he cared about the answer.

  “It’s really true?” Adam asked, his face a mixture of excitement and worry. “He’s really my dad?”

  Annie nodded with a soft smile.

  “This is so cool,” he said, eyes shining. “Now I’ve got someone to do stuff with.”

  “You’ve always had your mom,” Nash said.

  “It’s not the same,” he said, with the simplicity only a child can achieve. “She doesn’t like to do guy stuff. Now you can teach me all kinds of things, like football and fishing.”