“From age four Leven suffered a broken arm, broken ribs, infected wounds from being chained and severe acid burns.”
Bay sucked in a breath.
“When Leven was ten, his father strangled his mother to death. In front of Leven.”
“God.” She pressed a hand to her stomach. “I don’t want to hear any more.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Not all abused kids turn into sadistic maniacs.”
“I’m not defending him.” Sean watched the conflicted emotions on her face. “After his father went to prison, John Brown disappeared…six years later, Gabriel Leven emerged on the Chicago criminal scene.”
“Just stop.”
“Look, I wanted to tell you so you understand his obsession with Crowley. Leven abides by no one’s rules but his own.”
Bay lifted her chin. “Just tell me more about the book.”
“Leven paid a small fortune for it in a private sale. It’s like his Bible.” Sean remembered the way the guy talked about it. Quoted from it. Creepy. “Crowley claimed a being called Aiwass dictated the book to him in Egypt. It’s filled with cryptic text but Leven believes that Aiwass was a time thief.”
She sat up. “And the book contains information on thieves?”
“Yes.”
“We have to destroy it. Where does he keep it?” She’d forgotten about the grape caught between her fingers. “Locked in a vault somewhere?”
“Nope. It’s here in Colorado.” Sean pressed the fruit to her mouth. “In his mountain cabin.”
She chewed, her eyes shimmering. “Not even locked away?”
“Don’t get too excited. The cabin’s well-protected. And cabin doesn’t do the sprawling mansion any justice. Cameras, dogs, high-tech security system and guards. It won’t be easy to get in.” Sean helped himself to a cracker.
Her smile was blinding. “It will be if you can steal time.”
He smiled back and fingered her hair. “How could I have forgotten about that handy talent of yours?”
Her smile dissolved away. “I’m sure you’ll never forget what I can do.”
No. That ability had ruined his life, shattered his soul. His hand fell away. He wouldn’t ever forget.
She dropped her gaze, her body stiff. “You think I’m a monster.”
Way to go, Archer. “Bay, I don’t think—”
“Sometimes I do.”
Her whispered words cracked something inside him. “You’ve made me realize there are good and bad time thieves, just like there are good and bad people.”
“If I didn’t have this damn ability…curse…my family would be alive.”
“Hey.” He forced her chin up. “Their deaths are on Leven, no one else. Wishing you could be someone you’re not…it won’t change anything.”
There was a wealth of pain behind her eyes. He wanted to pull her close, hold the world away from her. He doubted she’d accept comfort from anyone.
Maybe distraction would work. “When did you first learn you could steal time?”
She settled back against the pillows. “Thirteen. Seems the ability doesn’t manifest until you hit puberty.” She gave a little laugh. “Like teenagers don’t have enough to deal with.”
“Must have been a shock.”
Another laugh. He was happy to see the line on her forehead melt away.
“Yeah, I was arguing with my mother when it first happened.” Bay shook her head. “Shock doesn’t come close to what I went through. I freaked out.”
“Understandable.”
“A mutated gene causes the ability.”
“Yeah, that’s what Leven said. You told your parents?”
“Eventually. After I stole time at Cindy Hilty’s birthday party. Cindy was a perky little blonde and she was flirting with Stevie Allen. I had a major crush on ol’ Stevie.” A fond smile flashed. “She still doesn’t know how she ended up spilling cola down her pretty party dress.”
“How’d your parents react?” Sean tried to imagine his parents dealing with such a confession. They were fourth generation farmers settled happily on their land in Wisconsin. They probably wouldn’t deal well with supernatural powers, but they’d come to see him in the hospital after he’d returned from Afghanistan. They’d wanted him to come home to recuperate.
Maybe he should have given them a chance to help him.
Bay shifted on the pillows. “They were great. After some initial disbelief, they dealt with it. They didn’t ignore it, instead they taught me not to take advantage of my skill.” She looked past Sean, lost in her memories. “Taught me responsibility.”
She’d been lucky. “Bet they’d be proud of you.”
She brushed her hair back. “I don’t know about that. They told me never to tell anyone what I could do.” Her voice cracked. “But at fifteen, I wanted to impress a boy. Because of that, Leven found me.”
And she’d lost everything.
Sean pressed his hand over hers. “Leven’s fault, not yours. And I think your parents would be pleased to know you haven’t sold your ability to the highest bidder.”
“Maybe. There’ve been times that would have been easier.”
“Had to be tough for a teen on the run.”
She lifted a shoulder. “I survived doing whatever I could. Never stayed anywhere too long, took cash jobs.” A bitter smile. “I’m a hell of waitress.”
“I’ll bet.” She struck him as someone who’d work to be the best at whatever she did.
“Once I saved enough, I became a hell of a stock trader. Now I don’t have to work so much.”
Smart and resourceful. His type of woman.
“Enough questions about me,” she said. “What about Commander Sean Archer?”
He spread his hands wide. “What do you want to know?”
“Where are you from?”
“Wisconsin.”
“How’d you end up in the Navy?”
“Didn’t want to be a farmer. Fighting for my country sounded much more noble.”
She paused, toyed with the edge of a pillowcase. Then her green gaze hit him hard. “Will you tell me about your team?”
Sean was on his feet before he realized. He paced across the room, feeling as though the walls were closing in on him.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
He didn’t want to talk about them. It felt like ripping the scab off a poorly healed wound. He hadn’t talked about any of his friends since their funerals.
But how was it honoring them to ignore their memories, their sacrifice, just because it hurt him to say their names?
“McNeil was my best friend. He was the toughest son of a bitch I knew.” Sean clutched his watch.
“You miss him.”
“Every day. He had the driest sense of humor and the biggest sense of honor. Chris Butler was the youngest. Still had that idealist shine. We were working on ridding him of it.” Yep, it hurt. Remembering the times they’d laughed together, giving each other hell about women, work or life in general. “Rick Sanchez was a slow-talking Texan. He was a hell of a shot.” Sean closed his eyes, letting the words flow. “He was always talking about his wife Tessa and their three kids. He was a great dad. And Lucas “Lucky Last” Romano always brought up the rear. Was dependable as a Swiss watch although he liked everyone to believe he left things up to Lady Luck.”
But Lady Luck caught up with him in the end.
Sean continued talking, sharing stories about the guys, watching the smile on Bay’s face. He moved back to the bed and sat, his thigh brushing against her slim leg. Talking about the guys hurt like hell, but he was surprised to find it was a good hurt. It was good to remember them.
She leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry you lost them.”
He pressed his head against hers. “Me, too. I’ll make Leven pay for it.”
“We will. Starting with burning his precious manuscript.”
Sean nodded. “We’ll head up to the cabin tomorrow. Matt’ll loan us his truc
k. It’s about two hours from here. Best to go in at sunset so we can escape in the dark.” The familiar burn charged through Sean’s blood.
“We’ll do recon first. Find out how many guards, dogs, entrances and exits.” Her body tensed, preparing for battle. “Then I’ll steal time.”
“How long can you hold it?”
She shrugged. “It varies. Depends on how relaxed I am.” She gave a rueful smile. “And you can’t measure time while it’s stopped.”
His lips quirked in response. “I guess.”
Her gaze dropped to his mouth before jerking over his shoulder. “Do you know where he keeps the book?”
“Could be in two locations. Upstairs in his private office or on display in the great room downstairs. His guards told me he changes it depending on his mood.”
She tapped a hand against her thigh. “Once we get inside, we split up. I’ll check the office, you take downstairs.”
The idea of her being alone and unprotected didn’t sit well. “We should stick together.”
“Everything’ll be stopped. We get in and get out. Easy.”
Experience warned him missions were never easy. But she was good at looking after herself. “In and out.”
“Any chance Leven’ll be at the cabin?”
“Slim. He doesn’t visit it often and only on weekends. His…business dealings keep him busy during the week.”
“Crime takes effort.” She stood and started pacing. “After I burn the damn book, I’ll send him the ashes.”
Bay the woman was slipping away and Bay the survivor was back. “It’s late. We should get some sleep.”
She lifted a shoulder. “You go to bed. I’ll go and watch some TV or something.”
He eyed the stiff set of her shoulders and wondered how many other nights she’d spent stewing over an upcoming attack. “Something wrong?”
“I’m fine.”
“Universal phrase of a woman with something on her mind.”
“My thoughts, my mind.”
Oh, no. It was too late now for her to push him away. Screw that.
***
Bay’s shoulders were rock hard and her mind raced. She never slept before executing a plan.
“Hey.” Sean laid a hand on her shoulder. “You’re rigid.”
She wanted to lean into him, absorb some of his warmth and borrow some of his formidable strength.
Instead she shrugged his hand away. “A little wound up, that’s all.”
He snaked an arm around her waist. “Bay. You aren’t alone this time.”
As she was dragged up against him, her back to hard chest, edginess morphed into anger. “Look, despite what happened earlier, we don’t know each other. So let me go.”
His warm breath fanned over the side of her neck. “We do know each other.” He nipped at the shell of her ear. “You might want to hide from that and push me away, but I don’t think that’s what you really want.” Another nip. “Is it?”
She sucked in a breath. Her entire body trembled. “You have no idea what I want.”
“Really?” His hand opened against her belly. He slipped his palm under her shirt. “I think you ignore what you want, all in your quest to punish Leven.”
She tried a scoffing laugh, but it sounded hollow. “Revenge is what I want.”
“Does it keep you company at night?” Sean squeezed her tighter, flush against unyielding muscle. “Does it hold you close?”
Her throat tightened. He felt so good. So solid and sexy. His fingers brushed her skin, toying with the loose waist of her borrowed shorts.
“Does it share breakfast with you? Kiss you? Smile at you?” He spun her, one hand gripping her chin. Gray eyes bored into her. “Does it love you?”
“I don’t know anything about love.” She stared into his chest. “I lost that ability a long time ago.”
He pressed his face to her hair and breathed in. She closed her eyes and yearned.
“We’re in this together.” His lips moved over her temple.
Her hands gripped his sides. “I don’t know how to do ‘together.’”
“Let me show you.” He slid his arms around her. “Lean on me. Just a little.”
She was so tense. The drive for retribution was familiar, like an addiction she couldn’t ever give up. He was the unknown—something wonderful she was too afraid to reach out and take.
Sean traced the seam of her mouth with his tongue before sweeping inside. She told herself to pull away but instead she leaned into him. He picked her up and laid her on the bed. His hands skimmed under her shirt.
“I wish it was my shirt touching your skin, not Matt’s,” he murmured.
As he cupped her breasts, she arched into his touch. Words wouldn’t form.
“I love looking at you.” He pushed the shirt up and with her help, pulled it over her head.
She managed a strangled moan.
“And touching you.” He cupped her shoulder, kneaded. “Turn over.”
She studied his tough face then rolled over. His hands skimmed her spine. Down, back up again.
A tender kiss on her back. “How’s the shoulder?”
It took her a second. “Feels much better.”
He shed his shirt and straddled her hips. He went to work on her neck, kneading her tight muscles. Bay swallowed a moan. He moved over her shoulder blades, exquisitely careful on her sore one.
“Skin like cream.” Tracing each knob of her spine, he worked lower.
Her muscles started to relax. His fingers brushed the top curves of her buttocks. He worked the tightness there.
“Relax,” he murmured.
“Easy to say…”
“You’re just out of practice.”
She laughed. The sound muffled by the bed cover. “Not much time to relax when you’re running for your life.”
His hands stilled. “I’m sorry for what Leven’s done to you. Sorry that he made me a part of it.”
She pressed her cheek to the bed. Trust Sean to feel guilty. “Not your fault.”
He leaned forward and pressed his lips to the nape of her neck. He kissed along her shoulder, nipping with his teeth.
Before she knew what was happening, he reared back and turned her over. His hands shaped her breasts as he tasted one peak, teasing the nipple to hardness. He kissed the lower slope, then moved to the other, lavishing it with the same slow attention.
“Sean.” Bay moved restlessly beneath him.
“No.” The muscles in his neck strained. “No rushing this time.”
As he moved down her body, trailing his lips over her, her hands gripped the blanket. Her legs shifted and when he dipped his tongue in her navel, her hands slid into his hair. Tugged hard. “I need you.”
He looked up. His eyes burned hot. For her alone.
In seconds, he’d shucked his borrowed jeans, yanked off her too-large shorts and covered her body with his. Gripping her thighs, he pushed her legs up and out. Then, with his gaze glued to hers, he pushed inside her.
He moved slowly. Inch by tortuous inch. Bay’s nails dug into his firm shoulders and she couldn’t think of anything but him. Her eyelids fluttered closed.
“No, don’t close your eyes.”
The intimacy of staring deeply at each other while he filled her was a sensation she’d never shared with anyone before. Sex was quick, pleasurable. It wasn’t this intense, soul-stealing experience.
She’d never felt so connected to someone before.
Sean was fully lodged inside her, long and thick, filling her up. Her lips parted. As he began to move, a slow, tantalizing slide, she sank her teeth into her bottom lip.
The delicious friction had desire twisting in her belly. She wanted to race to the finish, to find the intense pleasure of a hard orgasm. But he didn’t go fast. His muscles shuddered as he reined in the urge to rush.
“Sean.” Her nails scraped over his shoulders. “Please…”
He leaned down and nipped her lips. “Please what?”
She sunk her nails deeper. “Move. Now.”
He did. Increasing the rhythm, driving them both closer to that jagged edge. Then he slowed again.
Bay wanted to scream. He repeated the pleasurable torture—fast, then slow, fast, then slow—until she was mindless, lost in her pleasure.
Soon his teasing drove him beyond his own control. He lost the battle and pounded into her.
“Say my name,” he growled.
She struggled to focus. “What?”
“Say my name. I want to hear you say my name as you come.”
He was like some primal deity, demanding, commanding. A god the foolish mortal would never forget, whose loving she’d dream of until the end of days.
Her body tensed, muscles turning rigid. She threw her head back as she plummeted and screamed his name.
Lost in the intensity, she heard Sean groan his own release, spilling himself inside her.
When Bay could finally sort out her thoughts, she was lying against the warmth of his body. He curled around her, holding her as close as he could. Like he’d never let her go.
She squeezed her eyes closed. She wanted to imagine he’d never leave her. That she could always lean on him, wake beside him. That when the brutal reality of life got to be too much, he’d be there to catch her when she stumbled.
Breathing in his scent, she imagined her little beach fantasy. That house by the white sand, the pleasant lap of the waves. For the first time in her life, she wasn’t alone in her fantasy. Sean was there, his strong, scarred body emerging from the surf. A wide smile just for her and the shadows gone from his eyes. Inside, she felt at peace with her own demons.
She blinked and the dream evaporated. The wrench in her gut was painful.
It wasn’t ever going to happen. Sean Archer was just a man passing through her life. A damaged man whose mission coincided with hers. For now.
Eventually they’d part ways. He’d heal from his grief and loss, find some All-American girl to settle down with and have two-point-four kids.
Bay would never heal. She’d never be whole.
Her family’s death had broken something inside her. The years of dedication to revenge had infected her, rotting her from the inside out.
She was no good for anyone, least of all this tough, loyal man who needed someone happy and uncomplicated to help him heal.
Time Thief (The Anomaly Trilogy) Page 6
