by Robin Perini
Mitch’s lips lowered to her shoulder and he tasted her. “Mmm…you are so sweet, so sexy.”
His leg pushed between hers, and Emily’s body trembled. She’d never felt this kind of raw sensuality before. She wanted to shove him to the ground and take him, but she melted as he rocked against her, and an ache built deep inside her belly.
He pulled her closer, and her knees went to jelly. She clung to him. She wanted to be whole again, to be filled by a man who didn’t keep secrets, who didn’t hide from her.
She held him tight and rubbed her breasts against his chest. Her nipples beaded in response, begging for his caress. “Touch me.” She leaned back, exposing her aching nipples to his gaze. “Kiss me.”
He didn’t deny them.
Still holding his body against hers, his hand traveled from her hip, past her waist and to cup her breast, kneading the soft flesh, teasing her.
Mitch grinned and kissed her cheek. “There?” His lips stroked her temple. “Or here?” Then he tested the corner of her mouth. “Or maybe here?”
Her mouth parted, and she tilted her lips to his, capturing him, her tongue tasting his, her hands holding his head to hers. A low rumble echoed in his chest. She couldn’t get enough of him.
She grabbed his hands and took them to her breasts. “Here.”
He lifted his head, and his smile vanished. He lowered his lips to her breast.
Her body soared as he wove his magic. She shivered and sighed against him. He lifted his head. “I want you.”
She nodded, but she didn’t stop touching him. She backed toward the bedrooms, and he followed, his arms still around her, his body pressing against her, then pulling away in rhythm with each step he took.
By the time the back of Emily’s knees touched the bed, she could barely stand. She fell onto the mattress and tugged him to her.
Unwilling to wait, she opened her legs in greeting. Mitch looked down on her and groaned. “Protection?”
She flushed and shook her head, biting her lip in pure frustration. She wanted him. Now.
“This is my brother’s house.” He kissed her hard and rose from the bed and smiled at the view of her sprawled and waiting for him.
She knew her breathing was quick, her pulse pounding, her body ready for him.
“Stay right where you are. Don’t move.”
Her body hummed with anticipation, hungry for a touch, for release. What if he didn’t find protection? There were ways to relieve the ache in their bodies, but she wanted him with her. She wanted him to be a part of her.
He walked through the door holding a large box.
“You expect we’ll need all those?” she asked with a seductive smile.
“A man can dream.” He stopped just inside the doorway and stared at her. “You are my dream.” Placing the box of condoms on the bedside table, he took a packet and stretched out beside her. “Help me,” he said, his voice shaking slightly.
Her hands trembling, she touched him, and he surged in her hand before covering her with his body. He stared into her eyes as his hips flexed. She accepted him, and her body thrummed with joy as he filled her.
She let out a long sigh, and he smiled. He lowered his head to her throat and kissed her neck. Her scar.
She tensed under him as his mouth explored the ridge of skin at her throat that had so changed her life.
He raised his head. “You’re beautiful.”
“Don’t kiss me there.”
“You survived the attack.” He moved his hips, and her world clouded over. “That makes you even more beautiful. I’ll keep saying it until you believe it.”
He drove into her again and again. The past melted away, and all she could feel was Mitch and his body as he worshipped her. He drove her higher and higher. His breathing grew ragged until finally she shuddered in completion.
When awareness returned, he was draped over her.
“Amazing,” he whispered and kissed her throat once more.
Her hand reached to cover her scar, but he held it back. “Don’t hide from me. You don’t need to.”
Tears burned behind her eyes at the intense satisfaction in his. She hadn’t thought she’d ever feel this way again. Good. At peace. If only for a moment.
Her phone ringing stopped Mitch’s caress from her throat toward her breasts.
“I don’t want to move,” she said.
“I’ll get it.” Mitch kissed the curve of her breast and rose, hurrying to find the phone tucked in her jacket pocket. “Blocked number,” he said. “Sales call?”
Emily took the phone and pressed the screen. “Hello?”
“Mrs....Mrs. Wentworth?” The whispering voice was urgent…and scared.
Emily’s hand gripped the phone tight while Mitch’s hand squeezed her shoulder. “Who is this?”
“It doesn’t matter. But I wanted you to know. Your son is alive.”
Chapter Nine
Emily’s face went milk-white. She dropped the phone, and fear slammed through Mitch. He picked up the instrument and wrapped his free arm around her waist. “Who is this? What do you want?”
Emily grabbed the phone from him, her fingers digging into his skin. “Please. Tell me where he is. I’ll do anything.”
The desperation in her voice twisted his heart. Only one person on earth would evoke that kind of response in Emily: Joshua.
Mitch pressed his cheek against hers so he could hear the call.
“Who was that? Who’s with you?” The woman’s voice trembled to a barely audible whisper.
“A…a friend,” Emily said, her voice shaking.
A shuddering breath escaped through the phone; then the slamming of a door sounded. “They’re back. I’ll call later. You get your son if I get enough money to escape them.”
“I’ll pay you anything!”
The phone went quiet, and Emily stared at it.
“She’s gone.” Emily tilted her head and met Mitch’s gaze. “She said Joshua is alive. He’s alive.”
Mitch wrapped her close as she shivered uncontrollably against him. “Emily—”
“I know what you’re thinking.” She clutched at him even harder. “That it’s probably a hoax. But no one’s ever called before. With everything happening to us, I have to take the call seriously. We’ve got to find out who she is.”
He kissed her forehead. “Do you still have the tracer the cops put on your phone?”
Emily moaned, sagged back into the bed and covered her eyes. “They stopped it after six months.”
Mitch gently removed her arm from her eyes. He took her hands in his. “We can find the number.”
“I don’t want the cops to know,” she said. “I don’t trust any of them.”
Mitch couldn’t stop the tension from entering his jaw. “Except me. And I have an alternative.”
He grabbed his phone off the nightstand and dialed his dad’s number.
“Mitch? You okay?” Paul Bradford’s voice was deep with worry.
“Until Noah gets a look at his SUV,” Mitch said drily. “Dad, I need your help. A blocked number traced. No cops. Can you do it?”
“Of course, but it’ll take a bit of time if I don’t go through the usual channels.”
“It’s more important to stay under the radar,” Mitch said then rattled off Emily’s cell number. “When can I have it?”
“Tomorrow?”
“Try to make it sooner. We may have a lead on Emily’s son. If not, I want to nail the person who called.”
The color drained from Emily’s face, and Mitch ended the call before hugging her to him. “I’m sorry, but she could be playing you.”
Emily shook her head. “I don’t think so. She asked for money, but she really sounded afraid. I believe her.”
Mitch leaned back against the pillows and folded her in his arms, tucking her under his chin. “We’ll assume she’s trying to get out of a bad situation. For now. I’ll let Dad do whatever electronic voodoo he’s been perfecting. Until t
hen, we wait.”
As he cradled her in his arms, Emily rested her head against his chest. He listened to her breathing and lay still, amazed this woman had wrapped herself around his heart. He wanted to tell her the truth, longed to wash the lies from between them. But she was proud and strong. Those things he loved about her made him afraid for her.
“I’m so glad you’re the real deal, Mitch Bradford,” she said, snuggling closer.
No, he could never tell her.
EMILY FELT WARM AND safe and protected, and he held her tightly, her back pressed against a strong chest. She wriggled against him, a pleasant soreness shifting through her legs and obvious desire pressing against her backside. He wanted her, even after they’d turned to each other twice more during the night. She felt better than she had in…forever.
Then she remembered.
She stiffened, her mind whirling. How could she feel this way when her son waited for her out there somewhere?
“Easy does it.” Mitch’s husky voice rumbled in her ear. “You’re okay.”
With a sigh, she faced the one man she could count on. She laid her hand against his cheek, his rough stubble scratching her palm. His hair was mussed, but his eyes were clear and concerned.
He drew a knuckle down her jaw. “What are you thinking?”
“That today could be the day I find Joshua.”
Mitch sighed. “It might not pan out. I don’t want you disappointed if she doesn’t call back.”
“I need the hope today. Last night was amazing. I’m glad I found you, but I want my son.” Emily rested her head against his chest, taking comfort in the solid beating of his heart. “I was close to giving up,” she said softly. “I never admitted it, never let myself say it out loud, but I was tired. Bone weary from all the disappointments. Then you rescued me.” She rested her chin on her hands and stared up at him. “You gave me back the possibility. I needed someone in my corner. Someone who won’t ever give up. Not until we’ve found him. You’re that man.”
His discomfort made her smile, and she kissed his chest. “Don’t be embarrassed. I love that you don’t back down or hide or avoid. You face challenges head-on. You’re the only person in my life who’s ever really fought for me.”
A loud buzzing sounded from the bedside table, and Mitch sat up and flipped the alarm off. His awkward posture told her more than he’d ever admit aloud.
“I said too much,” she said with a smile.
He looked over his shoulder, his expression sober. “I don’t want to disappoint you,” he said. “And I will.”
She hugged his waist, laying her cheek against his back. “I don’t believe that.”
“You will.”
He rose from the bed and slipped on his jeans. She took in his powerful shoulders, recognizing that once again he wanted to protect her. From hope, from being disappointed.
He was a good man, but he couldn’t stop her feelings. Not about him, not about the phone call. This was the first news she’d ever received. There hadn’t been a reward posted. She hadn’t been in the papers or on television recently. She’d considered raising public awareness with an anniversary push to search for Joshua, but the Wentworths’ latest accusations had squashed that opportunity. If she became more of a media target, Joshua would get lost in rumor and innuendo.
Mitch turned to her, his expression grave. “I have to go to the wine-storage unit.”
“Take me with you.”
He shook his head, and she gripped his arm. “I know you want to keep me safe, but we’re not going to be out in the open. Besides, I can help you. I spent time with Perry. Maybe I’ll recognize something.”
He hesitated, then lightly kissed her cheek. “Bring your phone. If that woman calls again, put it on speaker. I want to hear exactly what she says.” He drew her into his arms and tapped her on the backside as he kissed her lips. “Now go get dressed.”
They pulled out of Noah’s driveway in the truck a half hour later.
“At least it’s not too far off the highway,” Mitch said. “We should be there right as it opens. Gotta give Perry credit. Who would think of looking in a wine-storage facility? He was a whisky guy.”
Emily studied the phone and checked again for a signal. “Why hasn’t she called again?”
Mitch patted her leg. “Even if she doesn’t, Perry was onto something. He died for what’s in that locker. It’ll give us a lead.”
She nodded and stared out the window as they drove along the highway. Mitch, silent, threaded his fingers through hers. She glanced down, and warmth flowed through her veins. He was there for her, and for the first time in such a very long time, she felt like Joshua had a real chance. Her desperation and depression had given way to determination. This time, she would find Joshua. With Mitch at her side, she could do anything.
The drive seemed endless. When Mitch pulled across the street from the parking lot five minutes before the business opened its doors, Emily’s heart skipped a beat.
He twisted in the soft leather seats. “Keep the phone with you. Stay here while I check things out. We weren’t followed, but I want to be sure you’re protected.”
“No one else has this information,” she said.
“If there’s one receipt, there could be more. I just want to be careful.”
Mitch exited the vehicle, scanned the area and walked across the street. She could see the tension in his back, the awareness in his body. Like a mountain lion on the prowl. Without pause, he chose a path near a stand of trees. Momentarily, he stood strangely still, as if feeling for danger.
He searched the area, leaving no corner unexplored, even going so far as to place his hands on the hood of the cars in the parking lot. His every move filled Emily with confidence. He was wonderful.
He disappeared behind the building and a few minutes later came around the other side. In no time he rounded the truck and opened the door for Emily.
“Looks secure. No movement inside, but the owners could be in the office. The engines were cold.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s ten.”
She stuffed the phone in her pocket, and they walked to the front door. He tugged on the metal handle.
It didn’t budge.
“Locked?”
He rang the bell and waited another thirty seconds.
Still no response. Mitch peered through the window.
“I don’t see anyone,” he said.
A shudder of apprehension skittered up Emily’s neck. She clasped Mitch’s hand. His jaw throbbed, his entire body tense.
“Should we try another door?” she asked quietly.
Mitch banged on the glass. “I’m not leaving without checking this place out.” He drew his weapon. “Stay behind me.”
When he rounded the back corner, the pristine lot looked safe enough. Mitch walked up to a steel door. He tugged. It didn’t budge. He didn’t like the feel. Every instinct in his body thrummed with anticipation. His training told him to call for backup, but who could he trust? If the evidence was inside, how could he be certain it wouldn’t disappear, and, with it, Emily’s chance to find Joshua? Mitch never thought he’d come to a point where he’d completely turn his back on procedure. He’d live with the consequences.
If he found Joshua, it would be easy.
Mitch lifted a roll-up delivery door and let out a curse. Boxes were strewn everywhere. Wine bottles were broken. A bloody boot lay between two crates.
Emily gasped and followed Mitch as he walked toward the foot. A man lay on the concrete, his eyes wide open, a bullet hole in his chest.
“Stay close,” Mitch whispered and knelt down. “He’s cool to the touch. Been here awhile.”
He rose and methodically searched the loading room, keeping constant watch on the entrances. Once he’d secured the area, he paused in front of a closed door leading into the main building. He turned to Emily. “Stay barricaded in here until I call for you. If you hear anything, anything at all, don’t wait. Run. Take the truck and call 911.”
“What about you?”
“This is my job, Emily. I can take care of myself, but Joshua won’t have anyone if something happens to you. Understand me?”
She hesitated. “Mitch…”
He took her by the shoulders and forced her to meet his gaze. “Just promise me.”
Emily bit her lip and nodded. He gave her a quick wink, slowly opened the door, slipped through and pulled it softly shut. A purring filtered through the quiet from his right. He scanned the room, and a cat’s eyes glowed from beneath a table. The tabby was curled up against a woman’s body, her face, arms and throat cut, a broken wine bottle at her side.
He rested his fingers against her carotid, but she had no pulse. A search of the rest of the building came up empty, and he hurried back to Emily, who stood poised in the door with a broken wine bottle for a weapon.
He wrapped his hand around hers and took the jagged glass from her. “Always the fighter.” He led her into the shop. “Come this way.”
He escorted her past the woman’s body, but she paused, her hand covering her mouth, her expression shocked and saddened. “That poor woman.”
“These guys don’t leave witnesses alive.”
“How’d they know about this place?”
“Perry’s face was pretty bruised when we got there. They may have beat it out of him.”
“Did they take his evidence?”
“We’re about to find out.” Mitch stood in front of wine-storage locker eighty-five. The gate hung at an angle. The lock had been forced open. “They ransacked the place.”
Every bottle in the wine cabinet had been broken. The shelving torn apart.
Emily dropped to her knees. “It’s gone. They destroyed everything.”
Mitch knelt beside her and hugged her close. “Yes, they did.” He turned her to him. “Which may mean they didn’t find what they were looking for.”
“But—”
“The woman’s throat was cut with a broken bottle,” he said. “Maybe they wanted information.”
Her hand clutched at her throat.
“Might be the same people who attacked you, though they weren’t very tidy.”
“If they didn’t find the evidence, where is it?” Emily asked. “Another compartment?”
