He stared at her, his eyes narrowed. “Sit.” She swallowed hard as he motioned to a chair. “Please,” he added as an afterthought.
Her knees were shaky, so she decided it probably wasn’t a bad idea if she sat. Keeping him in her sights, she scooted past him. The chair was old and rickety, but it was better than nothing. She gripped the arms tight and lowered herself onto the seat.
Adrian prowled closer. He leaned his hip on the corner of his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. He was imposing without even trying. Her father postured a lot, surrounding himself with security police who were loyal to him, bullying others. But Adrian didn’t need any trappings. This was a man who was confident in himself and his abilities. He didn’t need a full complement of men around him in order to be dangerous. He was that all on his own.
No wonder the General and the Ruling Council feared him.
“Manuel,” he reminded her.
Tears pricked her eyes as she remembered the valiant man who’d died at her father’s hands. “He was captured by the security police and brought to their headquarters to be interrogated.”
Charity noted a slight tightening in Adrian’s jaw, but other than that he showed no emotion whatsoever.
“Go on.”
She glanced down, unable to look at him or his penetrating gaze any longer. Her pants were dirty, her boots scuffed. She huddled tighter into her jacket, wishing it were warmer. She was so cold. But at least she was alive. That was more than poor Manual had.
“They...” She took a deep breath and plowed onward. “They tortured him. I managed to sneak in after the guards left. I thought he was dead.” She raised her eyes and stared at Adrian, willing him to understand. “There was nothing I could do to save him.”
He nodded. “I know.” Odd, but his gentle agreement somehow made her feel even worse.
“He said that the General knew where you were and would be attacking in three days. I guess that would be two days now.” She rubbed her forehead. So much had happened in such a short time.
She didn’t hear him move, but suddenly Adrian was crouched in front of her, his large hands covering hers. Her head jerked up at the first contact. Part of her wanted to pull away, another part of her longed for his warmth, yearned to burrow into his strong arms and forget her problems for a few minutes. Which was crazy considering she didn’t trust men and didn’t even know Adrian. He was a stranger, someone she was delivering a message to. Nothing more.
“Is that everything?”
She nodded. “I’m surprised he could say even that much.”
Adrian’s eyes grew colder. Charity sucked in a breath and shifted back in her chair, moving as far away from him as she could, which wasn’t far. She was trapped in this chair, with Adrian in front of her.
He raised his hand and touched the scar on her cheek. She could feel the heat climbing up her face and automatically covered the long, pale streak with her hand. He clasped her fingers in his and lowered them, re-exposing the mark.
“Who did this?”
She shook her head and ducked. She felt ashamed of her scar even though it wasn’t her fault. None of it was her fault.
“Who?”
She knew then that he wouldn’t let her go until she told him. She could hear it in the determined tone of his voice. He caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger, raising her face until their eyes met. His blue eyes, so cold a moment ago, held another emotion. She wasn’t quite sure what it was. Anger, but something else as well.
Knowing she had no choice, she blurted out the answer. “My husband.”
Adrian couldn’t control the blast of fury that nearly rocked him back on his heels. She belonged to another man. One who had hurt her. The urge to find her husband and kill him was almost overwhelming.
Charity belonged to him. Even as he had the thought, he tried to dismiss it but couldn’t. It didn’t seem to matter that he’d just met her, that she could well be trying to draw him into a trap. It seemed a little too convenient that she’d show up in the nick of time with a message from Manuel. Adrian’s body, his soul recognized her, wanted her in a way he’d never yearned for another. He was aroused by her and angry that someone had harmed her. A dangerous combination.
“Your husband?” He knew he hadn’t misheard, but he still wanted her denial.
She sighed and gave a small incline of her head. “I’ve been widowed almost a year now.”
Relief surged through him, making him light-headed. She was free to be with him. Not that the inconsequential matter of a husband would stop him, not when he was obviously an abusive bastard. And not when the connection between him and Charity was too strong and immediate to be denied.
“He hit you?”
Charity jerked her chin from his grip and glared at him. “I don’t see what that has to do with the message I’m trying to give you.”
Which gave him his answer. Her husband had abused her, probably in and out of bed. It would make his job harder, but certainly not impossible. He’d get Charity to trust him, to allow him to take her to bed and make love to her. Her screams wouldn’t be those of pain, but of pleasure.
His cock was pressed hard against the placket of his pants, his balls heavy and full. He was an Alpha, bred to be stronger, faster and smarter. But he was also a creature of instinct. And every cell in his body was screaming that Charity belonged to him.
The logical side of his brain told Adrian it was nothing more than pheromones and basic human biology that made him want her. She was a delectable female and he was a horny male. Simple. The instinctual part of him roared that Charity had been made for him, belonged to him in a way that defied explanation.
The leader in him, the man who had led the Resistance since he was a teenager, knew he couldn’t trust her, needed answers. Her mere presence here raised myriad questions, ones that couldn’t go unasked. There was too much at stake. Sighing, he stood and asked one of the questions that needed asking. “Why did you come to warn me?”
She looked at him with those big brown eyes and it took all his discipline not to kiss her right there and then. She licked her lips. They were full and rosy and begging for long, hot kisses. “Because he asked me to. Because it was the right thing to do.”
“How did you get out of the city?” That was the one that bothered him the most. Security was tight, even more so than usual in the past six months since Tienan and Logan had escaped.
She frowned. “I’ll admit it was easier than I expected. I hid at one of the exits to the Gate. When a garbage detail pulled up, I jumped in the back of the truck. When it was out of sight of the Gate, I jumped out of the vehicle. After that, I made my way into the city and Mouse found me hiding in a doorway.”
Adrian shuddered to think what could have happened to her at any point in her escape. There were so many dangers in the outer city, not to mention the security patrols that tended to shoot first and ask questions later. There were criminals, bands of men who would slit your throat for the coat you were wearing or the boots on your feet. What they’d do to a pretty woman like Charity didn’t even bear thinking about.
The logical part of his brain told him that her escape had been too easy. With all the security, there was no way she should have made it outside. Yet, here she sat.
Was it a trap? Most certainly. Was she a willing part of it? That part was uncertain. He didn’t think so, but he couldn’t be sure.
What he did know was that he wanted her. And he’d have her. He’d simply keep her next to him at all times. That way she wouldn’t be able to betray him. With that decided, he moved on to the next part of his plan. Getting Charity into bed with him.
Leaning down, he took her hands and drew her up until she was standing in front of him. Her black coat was snuggled around her, hiding her shape. He grabbed the tab of the zipper and pulled it do
wn. The rasp seemed overly loud.
Her breathing got faster and he could see the quickening of her pulse as it fluttered. Unable to resist, he lowered his head and pressed his mouth against her throat. Her skin was soft and he caught the faintest scent of soap. It smelled like honey and hope.
“What—” She caught her breath and released a slight moan when he sucked on her skin, nibbling lightly. “What are you doing?”
He pulled back and slipped his hands under her coat and slid it down her arms. It hit the floor in a soft thud. “I’d have thought that was obvious, sweet Charity. I’m seducing you.”
Charity couldn’t catch her breath, couldn’t think, could barely speak. Adrian’s mouth was warm and gentle as it touched her neck. The light caresses sent shivers down her spine, heating her chilled skin and awakening her body.
Her nipples pebbled, drawing up tight. They felt swollen and achy in a way she’d never felt before. Between her legs, her pussy throbbed. Cream slipped from her channel, coating the folds of her labia.
This was arousal. It was exhilarating and exciting and terrifying. She’d often wondered what it might feel like to really want a man. He was seducing her without words, with only his actions.
This was wrong, wasn’t it?
“No, not wrong,” he whispered in her ear. Had she spoken aloud? She must have.
Except for her coat, she was completely dressed, yet she felt totally exposed. One of his large hands cupped the back of her neck, the other one rested against her damaged cheek. She sensed none of the urgency or impatience that Martin had always shown. Adrian dropped a kiss on her nose and another one on her forehead.
He was confusing her.
“Why?” She had to know.
“Because I want you.” It was as simple as that.
Charity tried to think, but it was becoming hard to form a comprehensive and logical thought with each passing second. Did she even want to think about it? Her life was tenuous at best now that she’d betrayed her father to the Resistance. And she wasn’t fool enough to believe her life outside the Gate would be any easier than life in the inner city. In most ways it would be harder.
But it would be hers.
She liked the feel of Adrian’s mouth on her skin as he moved steadily closer to her lips. Her core clenched in anticipation. Pleasure thrummed through her veins. Just once in her life, Charity wanted to know what it was truly like to make love with a man. Not the pain and degradation that had existed between her and her deceased husband.
“Don’t hurt me.” The words were out of her mouth before she could halt them.
Adrian froze for a moment and then slowly pulled back. She immediately missed the heat of his mouth against her skin. “This is all about pleasure. Never about pain.”
As she stared up into his pale blue eyes and his serious face, she realized that she believed him. More than that, she trusted him. It made no sense whatsoever, yet there was no denying it. “Okay.”
He smiled then and she stared at his face, stunned by the change. He was handsome before, but now he was devastating. Charity knew that this wasn’t for forever. This was for now. Tonight. But that no longer mattered.
She was cold and wanted to feel warm. She wanted to experience something good in the bleakness of her life. It would be a memory to sustain her in the hard days ahead.
Charity reached out and rubbed her thumb over his bottom lip. He caught it between his teeth, nipping lightly before drawing it into his mouth. His tongue lapped at her thumb, teasing the webbing at the base.
Heat flashed through her, making her skin tingle. She gasped as the pleasurable sensation seeped all the way to her bones. Adrian released her thumb and leaned toward her. Their mouths met. He moved his mouth over hers, licking her bottom lip. When her lips parted, his tongue made a quick foray inside, withdrawing almost immediately.
She felt bereft and went after it with her own. He tasted like dark spices and secrets. He was all male and, she wanted more. She went up on her toes, needing to get closer. Adrian slid one of his hands down her spine and cupped her ass.
A low moan broke from her throat as he pressed her toward him. The hard, thick length of his erection dug into her belly. He was seriously aroused, but still he didn’t press her. Adrian was letting her set the pace.
That knowledge knocked down her normal reserve in a way that nothing else ever could. If he’d pressured her or tried to use his superior strength against her, she would have been able to resist him. But she didn’t want to fight Adrian or this wonderful feeling thrumming through her entire body. She wanted more.
Charity clasped his face between her hands. His jaw was covered in a light stubble, which rasped her skin. The difference between them, male to female, was very apparent. Instead of frightening her, it aroused her. It made her very aware of her femininity.
Adrian’s hand roamed over her butt, cupping and shaping it, before slipping beneath the hem of her shirt. His fingers were warm against the small of her back. Her mind registered the caress, but she was so enthralled by his kisses, she ignored the small warning that sounded in the back of her mind.
His tongue was in her mouth now. Teasing. Tasting. Learning her. She could easily spend the rest of the night kissing him. Nothing in her life had ever felt this good, this incredibly right.
The hand on her back crept higher, sliding around to the side and finally the front. She froze as the edge of his hand brushed against the bottom curve of her breast. He broke their kiss. “Let me see you. I won’t touch you unless you want me to.”
His words sent a wave of heat coursing through her. He stood there, his hand not even an inch from his goal and still he waited. She could walk away or she could take a chance. She was tired of being afraid. She knew not all men were mean and nasty like her husband and father. This was her chance to experience something different. Something she sensed could be very special. She nodded.
Adrian reached for the hem of her shirt and tugged it up. “Raise your hands.” She did as he instructed and two seconds later, she was naked from the waist up, except for her bra. The thin fabric still covered her, but only for a scant moment. Before she could even think to object, Adrian had opened the clasp and was lowering the garment down her arms. It fell to her feet.
“Beautiful.” He stared at her exposed breasts. Her nipples tightened, both from the cold and his heated perusal. “May I?” His hands hovered just above her chest.
Did she want this? Yes, she did. She gave a jerky nod. He didn’t grab for her as she’d expected. Instead, he surprised her once again. His thumbs traced the outline of her nipples. Round and round, he went.
“So soft,” he rumbled, continuing to stroke the velvety skin.
It was getting harder for her to breathe. Her chest ached. Her entire body throbbed with need. Licking her lips, she stared at him. He seemed intent on her breasts but he continued to touch them with only his thumbs. It was pleasurable at first, but soon became torture. She wanted his hands on her flesh, holding her, caressing her.
Reaching up with shaky hands, she wrapped her fingers around his wrists, pushing his hands toward her until his palms were covering her breasts. “Yesss,” she hissed out in a breath. That was what she needed. The heat from his palms sank into her skin.
Adrian cupped her breasts, massaging them. It was exquisite. He kissed her neck. A soft, lingering kiss that made goose bumps race down her arms. She liked that.
He continued lower, trailing kisses over her collarbone and the tops of her breasts. His breath was moist and warm against her skin as he closed his lips over one puckered nipple and drew it into his mouth.
A long, low wail escaped her. This was incredible. She arched against him, needing more. Her pussy pulsed and wept, aching with pent-up desire. As though he knew what she wanted, Adrian slid one hand between her thighs, cupping he
r mound through her pants.
Oh God! Tension built inside her, flooding her with heat and with something else. Something she needed but couldn’t quite grasp. She gripped Adrian’s shoulders for support. The fabric of his shirt frustrated her. She wanted to feel his skin.
She tugged at the offending garment. Adrian released her and she almost cried at the loss. He whipped his shirt over his head and flung it aside. Taking her hands in his, he placed them on his chest. “Touch me,” he commanded.
And she did. Thick muscles rippled beneath her hands as she stroked his smooth skin. A light sprinkling of hair spread between his nipples before arrowing down toward his waistband in a thin line. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to one flat, brown nipple. He groaned and cupped her head in his hand, urging her to do more.
Emboldened, she lapped at the small nub. But she touched him as well. His massive biceps, his wide shoulders, his sculpted abs. And he touched her too, mirroring her actions. It was exciting. But it quickly wasn’t enough.
Charity wanted more, wanted to feel hard, male flesh inside her. The fear was still there, but the need was greater. She could be dead tomorrow. They all could be.
This might be the only chance she’d ever have to discover what sex, really great sex, was all about. She’d be a fool not to take a chance. After all, that’s why she’d escaped the inner city and come here—to leave her old life, her old self, behind. She didn’t want to be afraid anymore.
When Adrian’s hands went to the button on her pants, she didn’t stop him. Instead, she reached for the opening of his. Adrian groaned and then gave a muffled laugh. Cool air hit her butt as he tugged her clothing away. He went down on one knee in front of her and quickly unlaced her boots. He removed them one at a time. His hands shoved her pants and underwear around her ankles and then off. She was naked.
He kissed the inside of her thigh. “Lean back against the desk.” The command was low and gruff.
A shiver raced over her skin but there was no turning back, for either of them. She glanced over her shoulder, surprised to see she was right next to the desk. Leaning back, she propped her naked butt on the edge.
Alpha’s Revenge Page 3
