Monroe, Marla - The Edge of Night [The Protectors 3](Siren Publishing Classic)

by Marla Monroe

  “Tyler and the twins are only here because of you.”

  “They are here to help. They didn’t have to come.” He kissed her neck and then drew in her earlobe to try to distract her.

  She was quiet for a long time, and Morgan thought at first she’d fallen asleep. Then she turned in his arms and looked up at him. Her eyes were the bluest of blue, and he looked deep into them for some sign of what she was thinking. Then he realized that she was searching his eyes, maybe to see if he was telling her the truth about wanting to be there. Whatever she saw, it settled her, and she smiled and turned around to watch TV again.

  Tyler walked back out and climbed back onto the bed again and resumed watching TV. Amanda wiggled free of Morgan’s hold and disappeared into the bathroom.

  “She thinks that she’s gotten you into something you didn’t want to be a part of,” Morgan told Tyler.

  Tyler’s brow furrowed. “If I didn’t want to help, I wouldn’t be here,” he said.

  “That’s what I told her.”

  “So are you doubting me now?”

  “Nope. Just thought you should know that she’s worried you’re only here because of me.”

  “That may have been why at first, but not now. Now I’m here because she deserves her freedom. She’ll never be free as long as Guy is looking for her.”

  Morgan nodded and looked over at the bathroom door. He didn’t know if she would have that luxury anytime soon. If Dodge came through, then maybe she could. If he couldn’t come up with anything…well, he’d help her disappear. Maybe, he’d disappear with her.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The twins were back in thirty-five minutes and divided the pizzas up between them. Amanda ate three pieces and declared herself stuffed. She loved the pizza and hoped there would be some left over for breakfast, but didn’t dare mention it, or someone would do without to make sure that happened.

  She watched Morgan eat. He managed to cram five pieces down, and she couldn’t figure out where he put it. He was lean, with washboard abs and a narrow waist. She just shook her head and laughed.

  “What?”

  “How can you eat so much and look like you do? I eat three pieces and will gain five pounds overnight,” Amanda complained.

  “No, you won’t. The baby ends up with most of it,” Morgan said.

  “I rest my case.” She got up and washed her hands.

  “Hey, guys,” Jethro said.

  “Yeah,” Morgan answered.

  “We’re going to close the door so we don’t wake you up in the morning, but it’s not going to be locked. Yell, and we’ll hear you,” Jethro said before closing the door.

  Amanda climbed into bed on her side. She still had her clothes on and had been wondering how to get undressed and into bed with everyone still in the room. Now she could take a shower and wear one of Morgan’s T-shirts to bed. Tyler had already seen every part of her, so if she flashed a little thigh, it wouldn’t be too bad, she decided. Still, she hesitated.

  Morgan must have figured out she was ready for bed. He smiled and stood up.

  “Tyler, we’re going to take a shower. Be back in a little while.”

  Tyler just nodded and continued watching some action thriller on the TV. Amanda hadn’t been able to get into it. She climbed back off the bed and followed Morgan into the bathroom. She remembered the T-shirt and grabbed his pack, bringing it in with them.

  “What do you need with my pack?” he asked.

  “I want to sleep in one of your T-shirts.”

  “Baby, you don’t have to wear anything to bed. Tyler has already seen you.” He smiled.

  “Yeah, but Jethro and Justin haven’t, and I don’t want them to.”

  “Okay. You can wear one of my T-shirts.” He began undressing her.

  Amanda helped him by stepping out of her jeans once she had her boots off. She took her time with her blouse, choosing to watch Morgan peel off his jeans and T-shirt. She enjoyed watching the way his muscles played across his abdomen. She knew it would feel tight if she was to lay her hand across it, and she nearly did.

  “Hurry it up, Amanda. Water’s going to get cold before you get naked.”

  “Sorry, just thinking.”

  She finished unbuttoning her blouse and pulled it off. Morgan flicked the clasp holding her bra in place and peeled the cups back, then down off her shoulders. He bent over and licked her nipple before sucking it into his mouth.

  She moaned. The feel of his tongue circling it as he gently sucked sent shivers down her spine. When he pulled away, she nearly followed him. Instead of stopping there, he took the other nipple into his mouth and subjected it to the same treatment. This time when he pulled away, he looked deep into her eyes and, grabbing her hand, helped her step into the shower.

  He handed her a washcloth and the soap. His eyes never left hers as she soaped up the cloth and began to bathe. He watched her the entire time with one hand stroking his engorged cock and the other holding him up against the side of the shower.

  Amanda made her movements slow and seductive, paying special attention to her breasts, then moving slowly down her abdomen to bathe her pussy. It wept with need, and she swirled her fingers around in the dewy juice before turning around and bathing her back.

  “Here, give me the cloth. You can’t reach everywhere.” His voice had lowered an octave, strumming something deep inside her.

  She handed over the cloth and braced herself with both hands against the cool tiles in the back of the shower. Morgan started at the top of her shoulder blades and made tight circles as he moved down her back. He placed one hand on her back and pushed, letting her know he wanted her to bend over. She inched her hands down the back of the stall until her back lay perfectly flat for him.

  The roughness of the cloth rasped over the cheeks of her ass as he bathed them with it. When her ran it down her crack to pause at her sensitive back hole, she groaned at the raspy feel of it there. He circled it, then pressed lightly against it before helping her stand again. He pulled her back into his arms. His mouth sucked in her earlobe, teasing it with his tongue before he moved around her and carefully edged her back into the spray of the shower to rinse off.

  The warmth of the water relaxed her despite the war her hormones were waging against her good sense. Fire burned in her belly even as little shivers of pleasure played out against her skin. She wanted him. She wanted him so much right then she almost made a play for him—almost.

  “I’ll get out and let you finish your shower,” she said.

  “I don’t think so.” He grabbed her wrist and pulled her up against him again.

  His mouth came down on hers in a fierce move to capture her. Not just her mouth, but her entire being, it felt like. He plundered and prodded and cajoled until she wrapped her arms around him and ran her fingers through his hair. Digging at his scalp, she dug at his hair as he ate her from the inside out.

  Morgan’s tongue licked and teased and slid along hers. Then it was his teeth nipping at her lower lip. He laved it with his tongue before sucking it into his mouth to tease. The feel of those teeth nipping a long line from her mouth, along her jaw, to her neck sent chills chasing down her spine to her pussy. He sucked her earlobe into his mouth and nipped it before soothing it with a lick of his tongue.

  His hands held her ass, forcing her pelvis tight against his groin. She could feel his hard cock pressed between them, pulsing at her belly. She moved against him. He hissed out a breath and squeezed her ass cheeks, spreading them impossibly wide.

  “Wrap your legs around me when I pick you up.”

  She whimpered when he picked her up and ground the stalk of his dick against her clit. She wrapped her legs around him, and he leaned her back against the cool tile. It did little to cool off the heat within her body.

  Morgan reached between them and guided his stiff cock to her dripping wet cunt. He pushed and slid inside of her almost all the way. Another thrust, and he seated himself balls deep. She groaned at the g
lorious feel of him stretching her vagina to its limits. Had she not been as wet, it would have stung to be so full. It wouldn’t have mattered, his cock took her over the edge.

  He adjusted her in his hands and began to slowly pump in and out of her. He varied the strokes, some deep, others shallow, until she wanted to scream for him to just fuck her. It didn’t matter that it built her orgasm so much higher—she wanted it now. God, did she want it now. She wiggled, trying to force him to move faster, earning a slap on her ass.

  “Be still before we both land on our asses.” He laughed.

  “Move. Harder. Faster. I don’t care how—just move!”

  He nipped her chin and began to tunnel in and out of her over and over until she felt the quick, hot sliver of her orgasm spiraling upward from her toes.

  “Yes, yes, yes,” she chanted as it grew ever closer.

  Just when she didn’t think it would ever happen, Morgan reached between them and pressed a finger tightly against her clit in a pulsing rhythm, flinging her headfirst into a maelstrom of light and heat.

  “Oh God, oh God, oh God.”

  “Fuck, you’re squeezing the cum out of me. It feels fucking amazing.” Morgan held still inside her, then rested his forehead against hers as they both gasped for breath.

  “Let me down. I need to stand up,” Amanda said.

  Morgan gently released her, only to have to grab her again as she nearly sank to the floor of the tub.

  “I don’t think you have your land legs yet,” he teased.

  She slapped him on the ass and then giggled. It had been a long time since she had felt this relaxed. It felt good. Then the worry of Guy and what she still had to face came crashing down on her again.

  “Hey, what’s with the sad face all of a sudden?” Morgan asked.

  “I remembered that I still have Guy to worry about.”

  “Baby, don’t worry. We’ll take care of you and make sure you don’t have to worry about him. Dodge thinks he has something, but is still working on it. Give him a little time.”

  “You’re all putting your lives on hold trying to help me. I can’t do anything to help you.”

  “Just be you and take care of you and the baby. That’s your only job,” Morgan assured her. He ruffled her hair and leaned in to kiss her on the nose. “Now, let’s get out of here and dry off before we both end up looking like raisins.”

  Amanda sighed and climbed out of the tub. They toweled off, then dressed. She pulled on a pair of panties and one of Morgan’s T-shirts. It covered her to midthigh, which was as long as she would get. It would have to do.

  On opening the door, Amanda noticed the room to be empty. She turned and looked at Morgan. “Where is Tyler?”

  “Not sure. Get back in the bathroom and stay there till I come get you. He may have stepped next door to talk about something.”

  “Be careful, Morgan,” she said as he closed the door behind her.

  She flicked the lock and sat on the toilet, wrapping her arms around herself for comfort. The idea of something happening to Morgan, or any of the men, took her breath.

  * * * *

  Morgan walked over to the connecting door and knocked. It didn’t take long for Jethro to answer the door.

  “Do you know where Tyler is?”

  “Yeah, he heard someone outside the window. Said when he looked out, there were two guys checking out all the cars. He decided to go check around and see what they were up to. Justin went with him.”

  “Shit, I’d hoped they wouldn’t find us here. Someone is bound to be following us and reporting back to them,” Morgan said.

  “If they are, they aren’t giving them much information. They should know what room you’re in just by the bikes. I don’t think they told him all the facts. They might not even know she’s with someone,” Jethro suggested.

  “If there is someone following us, then they have to be in a car or truck. We would have noticed any other bikes on the road. Why would someone play games like this?” Morgan asked.

  “I don’t know unless they plan to grab her after these guys do all the hard work.”

  “Just what we need, three groups of people after her,” Morgan said with a growl.

  “Guy’s goons, The Skulls, and some unnamed person playing games. Makes for an interesting case,” Jethro said.

  “I’m going back next door to let Amanda out of the bathroom. I had her lock herself in there until I found out what was going on.”

  “I’ll come over with you. Two in the room is safer than just one.”

  Morgan knocked on the bathroom door. “It’s okay to come out, Amanda.”

  He heard the locks click on the door. Then she opened it a crack.

  “Where’s Tyler?” she asked as she peeked through the slit in the door.

  “Come on out, and I’ll tell you all about it.”

  She frowned, but opened the door, then quickly jumped behind Morgan when she saw Jethro. Morgan bit his upper lip to keep from smiling. She was so cute when she was embarrassed.

  “Come on. Let’s get you settled in bed.” Morgan led her to the bed and pulled back the covers.

  She slid in and immediately pulled them up to her chin. She avoided looking toward Jethro, but centered her attention on Morgan. He found that he liked being the center of her attention.

  “Tyler thought he heard someone outside messing around the cars and bikes. He and Justin went out to look around some. They’ll be back in a little while,” Morgan assured her.

  “Don’t we need to move? They’ve found us, haven’t they?”

  “I don’t know, baby. We’ll have to wait and see what they found out when they get back. It could be nothing more than someone out for a walk or even someone just looking for a car to steal. Happens.” Morgan reached out and smoothed a stray lock of hair near her eye.

  Jethro positioned himself at the side of the window, peeking around the drapes occasionally. Morgan was glad he’d called them in. They knew more about subterfuge than he ever had. They still worked for the government on occasion.

  “Here they come now. They’re coming in the other room. I’ll be right back.” Jethro disappeared into the other room.

  Morgan heard the other door open, then close, a few seconds later. There were muffled voices, and then the three men walked back into the room.

  “What did you find out?” Morgan asked. He reached out and clasped Amanda’s hand when he noticed she was shaking.

  “Well, we definitely have someone snooping around, but they don’t know what they are looking for,” Justin told them.

  “Yeah, two men checked every car and truck and bike in the place. Hotel clerk said they asked about a redheaded woman, about twenty-eight, with bright blue eyes. Didn’t mention anyone else with her. The clerk told him she hadn’t seen anyone that looked like that and the only women they had there were with husbands. Since she hasn’t seen Amanda, she was telling the truth,” Tyler said.

  “Okay, we move again tomorrow,” Jethro said. “We’ll hang back behind you and watch for cars or trucks that seem to be following. Let’s map out our route so we know where you will stop for the night in case we get separated.”

  “Sounds like a good plan to me,” Morgan agreed.

  Jethro walked back to the other room and came back with a map. They spread it out on the little desk and plotted out the roads they would take and the little town outside Oklahoma they would stop in for the night. Convinced that it was the best they could do, he called it a night and said they should get some sleep. They needed to be up and out of the hotel by eight the next morning.

  The twins nodded and said good night again before closing their side of the connecting doors. Tyler headed to the bathroom for a shower, and Morgan peeled off his jeans to climb into the bed with Amanda. He could tell by the way she lay staring up at the ceiling that she was spooked. He didn’t blame her. She had a shitload of people after her and all for one purpose, to turn her over to Guy.

  “Amanda, honey,
come here.” He pulled her against him until her head rested on his shoulder. Her hand snaked over to wrap around his waist.

  “I’m scared, Morgan. I thought I could do this, you know, outrun him, but he’s not giving up.”

  “He has a lot to lose. Until we have something we can hold over him, he stands to lose not only the bid for mayor, but also the fiancée he tried to compare you to. He just doesn’t know that he abandoned the wrong woman. You’re ten times more important than any socialite bitch with a cold heart and an even colder bed.”

  “You’re just saying that. I’m not elegant or thin like she is. She’s poised and sophisticated. I can never be that way.” Amanda sighed.

  He could hear the tears in her voice. “Amanda, why would you want to? Do you want Guy to want you back?” He stilled, waiting for her answer.

  “God no. I never want to see that bastard again,” she said vehemently.

  “Then don’t belittle yourself for not measuring up to the woman he’s engaged to. You’re worth far more than she ever could be.”

  “I’ll try not to. I’ve been a no-one all my life. Always on the outside, in the drab middle. I thought when he showed interest in me that maybe I really could be someone. I’d belong somewhere and be important to them. How could I have been so stupid and not seen it? I mean, I knew he was seen with other women by the newspaper, but I just saw them as people he knew and traveled around with for his campaign. I was so naive.”

  “You were young and vulnerable. You’re not to blame. He is for taking advantage of you. You were vulnerable, and he used that to string you along. If you hadn’t gotten pregnant, he would have tried to set you up as his mistress, and by then, you might have been so needy that you would have settled for that.”

  “God, I’d like to think I wouldn’t have stooped that low, but maybe you’re right.” She swallowed and shook her head.

  “Stop thinking about it and go to sleep, baby. We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow. You need your rest.” Morgan squeezed her and settled her more firmly against his side.