Healing Danger (Fortis Security Book 1)

by Maddie Wade

  “And yet you nearly sentenced me to the same fate, Lauren!”

  He was trying to stay calm but he felt all the helpless anger come rushing to the top.

  “I died a thousand times while you lay there dying in my arms.”

  “I didn’t know that you loved me, I thought perhaps you viewed me as a mistake.” Dane felt his anger drain from him. This was his fault for being such an asshole to her and pushing her away, if he’d told her how he felt, maybe she would’ve stayed safe. Climbing on the bed and gently wrapping his arms around her he held her for what seemed like an eternity.

  “Honey I’m so sorry. I pushed you away because I thought I would fail you and by doing so, I did fail you.” Lauren tried to speak “No, shush let me finish, I did fail you, but if you will let me I want to spend every minute of every day making it up to you. I love you so much Honey. You’re the bullet to my gun, the Marge to my Homer, the Gin to my tonic.”

  “Okay, okay stop I get it.” She laughed, but then stopped.

  “But really, you do?” She sounded so hesitant.

  “Yes I do, I want us to grow old together, and have lots of kids and grandkids.”

  “Is that a proposal?”

  “No, when I propose you’ll know it,” he said. “But if you ever pull a stunt like that again I will blister your sweet little ass.” He held her then as they talked about their hopes and dreams for the future. The nurse found them there asleep, with her head on his shoulder.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  It had been 10 days since Lauren had been released from hospital and Dane had all but moved into her flat. They’d decided to stay at her flat while she recovered, but would discuss other living arrangements in the future. She didn’t care where they lived as long as they were together.

  She’d been to his house once and had fallen completely in love with it. It was everything a family home should be, big spacious kitchen, large living room, four bedrooms and a massive secure garden. It even had a small guest lodge attached for when visitors came to stay.

  They had settled into a perfect routine and she looked forward to his key in the lock every night. She wasn’t unrealistic-she knew they would have disagreements, but she felt confident that nothing could tear them apart now. Dane had been wonderful telling and showing her everyday how much he loved her. Her confidence had returned and she felt for the first time in years that everything would be okay.

  She did however have one last hurdle to face and she had to persuade Dane to help her. She wasn’t sure how she was going to broach this subject with him, but she wanted to meet her father. She knew he had been moved to a top-secret facility after he’d been detained. Dane had been so attentive and gentle and patient, but she needed to move on with her life and she couldn’t do that until she’d faced Marcus Preedy.

  She’d put in a call to Andreo earlier and had had him deliver all of his favourite foods. She’d showered and dressed in a soft pink off the shoulder top that hung to her thighs and a soft Jersey pencil skirt in cream, she wanted sexy but comfortable, as her side was still tender.

  Lauren wasn’t used to being a femme fatal but she was going to try to and get round him using every feminine trick she could, she felt a little nervous, but kept reminding herself this was Dane-he loved her and would never reject her or laugh at her.

  She set the cutlery and linens on the coffee table in the living room and waited. A few minutes later, she heard his car outside. Hearing his key in the lock gave her the biggest thrill and made her tummy twitch all at the same time. He came straight over and gave her a toe-curling kiss.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey yourself, I missed you!” she said silkily.

  “I like this top.” He said stroking his fingers over her bare shoulder, making her all hot and tingly. He kissed her neck and bare shoulder before pulling himself away.

  “Sorry, I can’t seem to control myself around you.”

  “Don’t ever apologise for that, I love it. I asked Andreo to deliver us something for dinner, I thought maybe we could relax and just eat a nice meal.”

  “Sounds great, let me get a quick shower first.”

  ~~~

  She was up to something but he didn’t know what, but Lauren didn’t do subtle and she was definitely trying to butter him up for something. He didn’t mind, if fact he was just going to enjoy it and see what happened. Rushing through another cold shower, he hurried back to Lauren who was dishing up all his favourites from Andreo’s.

  They ate a beautiful meal of seafood linguine followed by Tiramisu, he could see she was nervous and although he was enjoying making her squirm, he felt kinda bad too.

  “Come here,” he said gently pulling her onto his lap. “Now are you gonna tell me what this is all about, and don’t lie-I can read you like a book and you’re up to something.”

  “Really, you knew and you let me suffer?” she pouted.

  “Well yeah,” he said, “it was just so much fun. So what’s up?”

  She looked at his handsome face with its five o’clock shadow and couldn’t believe how lucky she was to have this wonderful man in her life.

  “I want to see my Father,” she blurted out.

  He looked at her, considering everything she’d been through lately, he wanted to protect her, but knew that sometimes the best he would be able to do would be to stand by her side.

  “Okay, I’ll arrange it.”

  “Really, just like that you’ll do it?”

  “Yes, you need closure. But I want to be there, I don’t want this bastard upsetting you.”

  She moved over him to straddle his hips and leaned forward to kiss him.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said in a slightly strained voice.

  ~~~

  Lauren could feel the strain of him holding himself in check; he had been so restrained around her since she was hurt. But she didn’t want him to hold back, she needed to feel him moving inside her, showing her without words how he felt. She slowly started to grind her body into the hard bulge in his jeans and leaned up to feather light kisses along his jaw.

  “Honey, what are you doing?” She almost laughed at the strained sound.

  “Nothing,” she replied, “just showing you how much I appreciate you.” She said with a grin. He placed both his hands on her hips to still her.

  “Yeah well, you’re gonna kill me.” She got up off his lap and crossed to the other side of the coffee table.

  “Well, if you’re not interested, I guess I could just take care of it myself,” she said this while, lowering the shoulder of her top more and bending forward so that he could see she was braless. She could see the fire in his eyes and his hands clenched on the arms of the chair. She lowered her hand and lifted the edge of her skirt, slowly lifting it to reveal the black lace boxers she wore, “But if you’re not interested I can sort this problem out myself.”

  Lauren ran her hands over her legs and hips as she said it. She turned round and sauntered towards the bedroom, putting extra sway in her hips, shimmying out of her skirt as she went. Before she made it half way across the living room, Dane was on her. She squealed with laughter as he grabbed her by the waist, careful to avoid her injury as he twisted her so that she straddled his waist.

  “Nobody takes care of this,” he said running his hands over her breasts and mons “except me, and do you know why?”

  “No why?” God was that her voice? She sounded breathy, like a virgin straight out of a Victorian romance novel.

  “Because you’re mine,” she shivered at the commanding tone of his voice. He lifted her with one arm so that he could remove her top and settled her on the bed. He then proceeded to show her just how much he revered her body.

  He blew on her achy breasts, then nipped at them and blew again causing them to bead tightly. Kissing his way down her body, he nipped at her hip and then with so much tenderness that she almost cried, kissed the scar left by the knife wound that almost killed he
r.

  ~~~

  Lifting her up so that he could remove her underwear and position his hands under the perfect globes of her ass, Dane settled himself so that he was kneeling between her thighs; he inhaled her heady scent and then rubbed his rough cheek against her soft thighs. He gently kissed her there and then using the flat of his tongue; he licked her before plunging his tongue inside her.

  ~~~

  She held onto the sheets to keep herself anchored as she raised her hips silently asking for more. As if reading her mind, he replaced his tongue with his fingers and slid them inside her as he sucked her clit into his mouth, hard. She bucked of the bed as her climax shuddered through her; he continued sucking but gentled his touch and eased her down.

  He crawled up her delicious body and she reached for him.

  “You’re over-dressed,” she said huskily. He got up and quickly stripped his jeans and shirt off. Lauren’s breath hitched when she realised he had been commando under his jeans. Crawling in beside her, he adjusted her so that she was lying atop him.

  “I don’t want to hurt you!” He said, with such love and passion in his eyes.

  “I’m fine.” She said and bent down to nip at his neck, she raked her nails over his nipples and he gave a full body shudder, she did it again and felt his hard cock twitch against her stomach.

  “Lauren.” he growled. She took pity on him and ran her fingertips down his pecs and over his ripped abs until she felt the soft leaking tip of his cock. She scooted down him so that she was sitting astride his thighs. She looked at his cock, it was beautiful with veins running up it. He was circumcised, and she loved the look and feel of it.

  She licked her lips and he groaned again. Leaning down, she licked the tip tasting the salt sweetness of him; it made her hungry for more so she gently took the head in her mouth and twirled her tongue around before sinking lower, with each pass she took more of him until she took him right to the back of her throat.

  She continued to suck and lick and then added her hand and squeezed and twisted in a corkscrew motion at the same time as relaxing her throat and taking him even deeper. She felt his hands tighten in her hair and his hips start to buck, as he tried to take control and she loved it, she was so turned on by his reaction she could feel her desire slick on her thighs.

  ~~~

  He was getting so close, but he wanted to come inside of her body not in her mouth, well not this time anyway. Pulling her off his now out-of-control cock, he pulled her farther up his body and positioned himself at her entrance.

  “This is gonna be quick,” he said. She lowered herself down onto his throbbing cock inch by delicious inch until she was fully seated. She stayed like that for a second until her body adjusted to him and then she started the slow rhythm that drove him mad.

  Dane could see she was tiring and flipped her over onto her back, so that he could do all the work. He tried to go slow, but his body just took over and soon he was pistoning into her like an animal. He could feel his climax start to build in his spine as her muscles started to contract around him, he reached between them and rubbed her clit, how he knew she liked and then she was bucking wildly underneath him, and his body exploded in the most powerful climax he had ever had. It left him spent and struggling to catch his breath.

  Collapsing beside her, he dragged her into his arms and held her so that their bodies were still connected. It was only when he felt his seed start to leak from her body that he realised they had done it again.

  “Honey, we didn’t use anything again.” She was silent for a moment and he wondered if he’d screwed up again.

  “Would it matter so much if I did get pregnant?” she said hesitantly. Dane went quiet and thought about what she had said, and the more he thought about it the more he liked the idea of her rounded with his baby. He sat up on one elbow and leaned down to look at her.

  “No, not to me it wouldn’t. I love you Lauren and would love for you to be pregnant with our child, the only problem is if we start this now, you’re gonna have to marry me!” As he said it, he reached over into the pocket of his jeans, which were carelessly thrown across the bottom of the bed and produced a small box. He slowly lifted the lid to reveal a beautiful platinum, sapphire and diamond trilogy engagement ring.

  “So, Honey, will you marry me and make me the happiest man alive?”

  Lauren looked at the wonderful man who had stolen her heart and with tears spilling down he cheeks, nodded.

  “Yes, yes I’ll marry you.” She kissed him as he placed the ring on her finger.

  “I did have this whole romantic picnic planned, but this just seemed right.”

  “It’s perfect, I love it.”

  ~~~

  Lauren could feel nerves knotting her stomach as they approached the derelict buildings on an industrial sized compound, ten miles outside the city. It had only taken Dane a day to arrange the visit with her Father.

  They’d blindfolded her for the drive over, as per the instructions from the covert agency now holding her father. They had let her remove it as they entered the compound. Zack had put in a call to some of his contacts to get her this meeting.

  She wasn’t sure what to expect from Marcus, her mother had been terrified of him but she knew that at one time her mother had loved this man! Surely, he couldn’t be all-bad. Drew was a wonderful man, despite him. Confusion mixed with fear and curiosity and a small sliver of hope was giving her a headache. Beside her Dane was like a growly papa bear, he held tight to her hand offering support.

  She knew he was worried about this meeting and if it might upset her, but she was made of strong stuff and if the last few months had taught her anything, it was that nothing people can do should surprise you. Lauren squeezed his hand and offered a smile of reassurance for him that she was okay.

  Pulling up outside the furthest building, they got out and she looked around. This might look derelict and abandoned, but there were cameras following your every move and the razor wire around the perimeter fence, proved it was anything but what it seemed at first glance.

  With the butterflies from her stomach now making an appearance in her throat, she took some deep breaths as she followed Zack into the building. She had forgiven him for his rude behaviour in the Hospital and actually found she quite liked him. Which surprised her. He was physically intimidating, cold, and aloof. But when you got past that hard exterior, he was in fact the exact opposite. He was loyal and kind and had been very thoughtful towards her.

  Three large men in black fatigues met them, as they approached the door. They had large automatic weapons over their shoulders and she could see knives sheathed in cases on their legs. The first man stepped forward to shake hands with Dane and Zack; he was obviously in charge here.

  He exuded the kind of raw power and careful control that Zack did, but more than that, it was the way he silently took charge, and the other two looked to him for his reactions. He turned to Lauren next, who was still tightly clutching Dane’s hand.

  “Miss Cassidy, I’m Jack Granger.” He held out his hand for her to shake. He had a strong grip that she appreciated. Most men gave a limp handshake when greeting a woman and she hated it.

  “Thank you for arranging this.” He nodded and turned indicating they should follow him, the other two men fell in behind them making her slightly twitchy. As if noticing her uneasiness, Dane rubbed her knuckles with his thumb.

  “It’s okay, they’re the good guys, honey.” It calmed her to know that he was relaxed, well, as relaxed as he and Zack ever got. They walked down a long corridor with white walls and artificial lighting before coming to a door with a keypad and a retina scanner. Stepping up to the scanner, Granger allowed the machine to scan his eye before keying the keypad. The door swished open and he ushered them in.

  In front of them was another set of double doors with armed men on either side. What was this place? She hadn’t asked Dane about it because she assumed it was some sort of government facility, but now she wasn’t so
sure.

  “What is this place?” she asked Granger.

  “This is our holding and interrogation facility.”

  “So you’re the government?” He smirked then and gave a little chuckle.

  “Not exactly, Miss Cassidy” She processed his non-answer as she followed them past the armed men. Granger showed them into a viewing room with seats and monitors and bulletproof one-way glass.

  “I’ll bring your father into this room so that you can see him first, then Dane will let me know when you’re ready and I will escort you in to speak to him.”

  She nodded at him, god, that’s all she seemed to do these days, nod like an numpty.

  “Does he know I’m coming?” she asked him then, feeling the nerves tighten her stomach.

  “No the prisoner doesn’t know anything.” He walked back out leaving them alone.

  “Do you want me to come on with you?” Dane asked, while gently brushing his hands up and down her arms, it was warm outside but down in this underground whatever it was, she was chilled and goose bumps had broken out on her skin.

  “No I need to do this on my own, but thank you.” She leaned up to kiss him.

  “Okay, but if he upsets you, I’m pulling you out.” Just then, the door to the interrogation room opened and one of Granger’s men led a tall wiry man with greying blonde hair into the room.

  They made him sit and then cuffed his wrists and ankles to bolts on the table and floor. He faced the glass and Lauren got her first good look at the man who had fathered her. She definitely had his colouring, but she had her mother’s eyes and nose, even her face shape and build. Her father had a long thin face, which was clean-shaven, and his hair was combed neatly to the side although it was definitely thinning. His eyes were the same colour as hers although his were cold and calculating and held no warmth or kindness.

  “Okay I’m ready!” She said, straightening her shoulders and taking a deep breath. Dane knocked on the door and Granger opened it.

  “Ready?” He asked, in a calm voice.