My Every Breath

by Brittney Sahin

  “Thank you.” I scan the faces of the men who helped bring Carlos to justice tonight. “Everyone.” Emotion starts to catch in my throat, and I reach out for Connor’s forearm. “Kiss your daughter for me.”

  “Will do.” He climbs out of sight, and I wait until the trucks are gone before turning in the direction of the hotel.

  My dad and Cade trail behind me. And it’s so damn weird.

  It’s one of those moments when you can’t decide if you’re actually asleep or dreaming inside of a dream.

  It can’t be real, can it?

  Silence swallows the air, suffocating even the sounds of our heavy footsteps as we head to the hotel.

  Once inside, the fluorescent lighting has me blinking a few times, as black spots appear before my eyes.

  My arms go tense at my sides when we begin to rise in the elevator. It’s as if we’re all stuffed inside a coffin together. The space is too small.

  I can smell everything, too. Cade’s sexy, natural scent, plus blood, and maybe something that smells like gasoline. I need to get out so I can suck in a breath of fresh air. The two of them consume all of the oxygen.

  I drag my attention up the mirrored doors to Cade’s face.

  My lips twitch and flatten as his eyes drop to my mouth.

  The last time we were together, he was deep inside of me, and now—now what happens? Where do we go from here?

  The doors part and I barely make it halfway down the hall when I see Mya darting in my direction. “Oh, thank God. Connor called and said you were good, but when he told me he left you alone with these guys—” She cuts herself off and flings her arms around my neck.

  “I’m okay, but if you squeeze any harder, I might not be.”

  “Oh, shit. Sorry.” A nervous laugh falls from her lips as she drops her hold on me. “Hi, Cade.”

  He scratches at the back of his head as if this situation is making him uncomfortable. Well, yeah, me too.

  “We should get inside,” he says instead of a greeting.

  Mya nods, but she doesn’t take her eyes off my dad. She sneers as he moves past her and goes into our room.

  This can’t be happening right now.

  Once inside, Cade goes over to the small sink next to the mini fridge and starts to scrub at his hands, as if washing away the fact he shot a man tonight.

  I stand by the door. Part of me wants to escape.

  My dad removes a gun from the back of his pants and rests it on his lap once he’s seated on the couch.

  “Um. No.” Mya marches in front of him and holds a hand out. She’s fearless, and I admire the hell out of her. “No guns in here.”

  “I’m not going to shoot anyone, but it’s not so comfortable sitting on the thing.” A slow smile rolls over his lips so fast I wonder if I imagined it.

  I take quick breaths as I absorb the scene.

  My dad. Cade. Mya. Me.

  No one is being tortured or killed.

  Progress?

  “You should have never gone after Carlos like that,” Dad scolds me.

  I take a few steps farther into the room, still unsure of what might happen.

  Cade tosses a towel into the sink and faces me. “Your dad’s here to help.”

  His words have my knees buckling, disbelief pulling at me like the strings from a puppeteer who can’t decide on the choreography.

  “No. That’s not true. Don’t believe him.” I cross my arms, a coldness spreading through my limbs and settling in the pit of my stomach.

  “I wouldn’t be here with him if it weren’t the case,” Cade says.

  It’s like someone went into my head and vandalized it. It’s all fucked up in there.

  I don’t know what, or whom, to believe right now.

  When I still don’t speak, Cade diverts his attention to Mya and my dad. “We need to be alone.” He’s not offering them a choice, but there’s no way my dad—

  “I’ll get a room.” My dad’s back on his feet, tucking the gun away before I have time to be shocked.

  “Uh, Gia? You okay with this?” Mya stands before me and squeezes my shoulders.

  I stare at Cade now, transfixed by his blue eyes. “Yeah.”

  “You sure?” she presses. “I can stay.”

  “No, you can’t.” There’s an icy edge to his voice, and it has Mya stepping back. The woman can face down drug lords, but Cade is able to knock the wind from anyone’s sails.

  Maybe not mine, though. I know his heart.

  “If you need me, I’ll be in the suite across the hall where Connor was staying.” Mya releases an unsteady breath.

  My jaw goes slack as my dad leaves, and a tingling in my chest spreads like fire into my arms and fingertips.

  When it’s only us, Cade hides one hand in his cargo pants pocket and looks down at the carpet. Yeah, the khaki fatigues aren’t a look I ever thought I’d see on a man like him.

  Cade, a rugged hero?

  The man can’t help it—he’s always sexy. And even in a moment like this, I’m still inexplicably drawn to him. My thighs squeeze tight as a burn throbs between my legs. How is that possible after a night like this?

  The adrenaline, I suppose.

  I don’t cross the room and go to him, though. I can’t get my stubborn self to move, and so I stay rooted halfway between the door and the living area, standing eight or so feet away from him.

  “You ran.” He doesn’t look up, but the tone of his voice is hard and unforgiving.

  “I know, but—”

  “You left.”

  I fumble for the right words as knots of unease wedge in my throat.

  He lifts his hand from his pocket, and he’s holding something.

  My card.

  I take an immediate step forward. Just one. I’m not ready to move more than that yet.

  “That was for your protection. I didn’t want anything happening to you.” I fight back the pull of emotions that are luring me into a sudden sob.

  He flicks the card, and it flits around, drifting from side to side, until it lands on the floor.

  “You shouldn’t have left me.” He levels me with his gaze, and my insides tremble, the need to run to him overpowering. All of my senses are in overdrive, and all I want is to be in his arms.

  “I’m sorry.” I shake my head, my mouth pinching tight.

  “Don’t do it again.” The words rumble from deep in his throat, and then I do it.

  I go to him.

  I throw myself against him, frantic with the need to be near him. I plant kisses all over his neck before he seizes my face, forcing us to be nose to nose.

  “I missed you,” I cry.

  His irises become a darker blue, almost a charcoal gray, and his breathing grows heavier. The want and need are there, but it’s more than lust. Whatever it is, I feel it, too.

  He doesn’t say anything back, so I press my lips to his.

  His tongue twines with mine, and he deepens the kiss before walking backward, still maintaining his grip on my face.

  We stumble into the adjoining bedroom, and then he releases me to lock our door. “We still need to talk.” He rushes out the words, but I don’t want a voice of reason right now. I want to lose control.

  Carlos is in cuffs.

  Connor will find my mom.

  And right now, Cade is with me. He came for me, even if he shouldn’t have, even if I wanted to keep him safe. He still came.

  “Later.” I rip my blouse over my head and toss it to the floor, going for my bra clasp without hesitation.

  “Are you sure we shouldn’t talk first?” His hands are fisted at his sides, but he keeps his composure. Always in control.

  “No talking.”

  But there’s a grim twist to his mouth and a pensive look on his face that has me wondering whether this is a good idea. I press the heel of my hand to my chest, trying to steady my heart so I can hear my thoughts clearly.

  But he grabs me and gently tosses me over and onto the bed.

&
nbsp; I rush to get my pants off as his drop to the floor.

  “I can’t wait,” he grinds out and positions himself on top of me.

  “Then take me.” I buck my hips up, more than ready for him.

  I’ll always be ready for him.

  He kisses me again, a rough, almost bruising connection of his mouth to mine.

  But it’s when he lifts his head and finds my eyes that my heart stutters. The head of his cock presses against my opening, but he doesn’t move.

  His eyes close. “I need to hear you say it.”

  I grip his biceps and rock my hips up, needing him to fill me. “What?”

  “That you’ll never run again.”

  Ohh. “I’ll never run.”

  “We face problems together from now on. You got it?” He opens his eyes, and the color has warmed again. He’s back.

  “I promise.” He nearly kisses my words as they fall from my mouth, and then he buries himself deep and hard inside of me. I growl out some sort of strange cry.

  He thrusts in and out, filling me more and more with each and every movement.

  And this man . . . God, this man could go all night. His strength and stamina—I’m no match for him. I orgasm too fast, my body totally spent.

  “Flip around and grab the headboard,” he commands even though my legs are jelly. But he’s still hard as a rock.

  I do as I’m told.

  He moves in and out, slowly at first.

  He squeezes my flesh, twists my nipple, and I gasp as my thighs clench again, every time we connect.

  My body quivers and my knuckles start to hurt from holding on to the headboard so tight, but I can’t let go. He’s driving into me with everything he has now, and I’m getting so lightheaded from the desire sweeping through me yet again, that if I even loosen my grip, I might pass out.

  He bites into my shoulder, and I press my ass back against him, knowing I’m hitting that sexy V above his cock.

  “Fuuuck.” He releases, his warmth filling me, and I lose control again.

  We’re both breathing wildly.

  He rolls me over a minute later, and I’m wet and sticky and covered in his come. My hand plops across my chest.

  He looks at me, and our noses almost touch. “You wanna grab a shower with me?”

  “You do kind of smell.” I half-smile.

  “Well, I haven’t had a chance to really clean up since your father kind of doused the car in gasoline.”

  My mouth falls open. “Explain.”

  “I told you we had stuff to talk about.”

  “Well, him almost killing you is important information that you should have led with.” I bite the inside of my cheek, hating that this is all my fault. “I’m sorry.”

  “Hey, some people get to bond with their girlfriend’s father over drinks, but your dad—”

  “You did not just use the words bond and father in the same sentence!”

  He grins. “I wouldn’t go quite so far as to say we bonded, but there was something we discovered we’re both very passionate about.” He sits upright and ropes a hand around the back of his neck. “You.”

  “You still have a lot of explaining to do.” I get off the bed and start for the bathroom, assuming he’ll follow. He does have a weakness for my ass.

  There’s a sting on my flesh a moment later, and I shriek and turn around. “Did you just slap me?”

  His teeth sink into his bottom lip as he lowers his attention down my body. “I couldn’t resist.”

  “I’ll pay you back for that.” I start to pivot around, then halt halfway. “Wait. Did you say girlfriend earlier?”

  He grabs me and pulls me against him, my back to his chest, his length already springing back up, hard and ready.

  “Like you said, we have a lot to talk about.”

  * * *

  “Jesus Christ.” Cade sits upright and rubs his eyes.

  “Who is it?” I call out, forgetting where I am. The banging on the door is incessant and obnoxious, and I’m tired as hell.

  “It’s your father.”

  My world spins. Everything starts to go black again. The color drifts from my sight and darkness swarms all around me.

  My dad.

  He’s here.

  But . . .

  “He’s going to know we had sex.” I tuck the sheet beneath my chin in a panic. “He’ll kill you.”

  Cade reaches for my cheek and palms it. “Sweetie, I’m pretty sure he figured it out back in Havana, and he didn’t kill me.”

  “He didn’t kill you. Right.” I release a ragged breath. “Okay.”

  “But you should probably get dressed, so we don’t tempt him into shooting me in the leg. He’s still a father and all.”

  “Hurry,” Mya hollers.

  She’s with my dad? Seriously?

  “We don’t have much time to prepare. Rory’s on his way,” Mya adds.

  Holy shit. “How?” I scramble out of bed.

  Cade pulls on his pants so casually I want to scream.

  “What?” He shrugs.

  “Didn’t you hear her? Rory’s coming.”

  Cade smiles. “Yeah, I know.”

  I drop my shirt over my head but don’t put on my jeans. I’m too astonished to do anything until answers come my way. “How do you know?”

  “Your dad and I came up with a plan. Jessica helped out, too.”

  My spine straightens. My body goes stiff. “You’re serious right now, aren’t you?”

  “Would I joke about something like that?” He raises a brow.

  Indecision pulls at me. This doesn’t feel right. “My dad must be tricking us. I don’t believe he’s on our side.”

  He stalks toward me and grabs hold of my hands. “Look at me.”

  I swallow and nod.

  “Good. Now focus on what I’m saying.” He leans even closer, so our mouths are almost touching, and then he does it. He presses a soft and slow kiss to my lips. When he lifts his head, there’s a smile in his eyes.

  “What was that for?”

  “To calm you down.”

  “Oh.” Maybe it worked. I’m not quite as tight. “Okay. I’m focused now.”

  “I trust that your father is on our side. I know it sounds crazy.”

  “Because it is,” I snap, the tension springing back in place. He doesn’t know the man. My father is a liar.

  “Gia.” His large hands tighten around mine, and I take a deep breath. “I left New York to protect you. I followed you here, even when you tried to push me away. I think it should be clear at this point I have your best interest at heart. So, when I tell you that your father’s objectives align with ours, you need to believe me.”

  I wrangle my hands free and spin away.

  “Guys!” Mya’s voice cries through the door.

  “Give us one goddamn minute,” Cade shouts, effectively silencing her.

  I cup my mouth and his hands find my shoulders and gently grip them. “Your father has been lying to you, but it was because he thought he was protecting you.”

  “And you believe him?” I whip around, and his arms go to his sides.

  “I’m pretty good at reading people.”

  “Oh, yeah? Read me.” I circle an index finger around in front of me. “What does my face say to you right now?”

  He huffs a frustrated breath and turns away.

  “Tell me.” I grab his bicep, trying to get sight of his eyes again, angry that he’d believe a murderer over me.

  “No.”

  “Tell me,” I say, my voice cracking.

  He looks over his shoulder at me with a hard expression. “You’re scared. That’s what I see. You’re so scared you can’t even see straight.” He shirks his arm free of my grasp, grabs his T-shirt off the floor, and slowly rolls it down over his hard abdomen.

  “Yeah, I’m scared my dad is going to ship me back to that prison of a life in New York.” I grit my teeth together.

  “No. You’re afraid you’ve been lying to
yourself for the last ten years.”

  “About what?” My head jerks back like I was smacked. I don’t understand. But when his eyes land on my angel wings tattoo, the heaviness in my stomach turns to lead.

  “Wait,” I whisper the word as he grabs hold of the doorknob.

  “You need to hear the truth.” He swings the door open, and I blink a few times, realizing I’m still without pants.

  Once fully dressed, I go into the living room. My father is next to the TV stand, and he extends a coffee my way.

  “I’m good.” I roll my eyes and look to where Mya’s sitting on the couch next to Cade. He’s got a coffee in his hands, too, and I can’t help but wonder if my dad laced it with poison.

  “What the hell is going on?” I lean against the wall by the bedroom door and cross my arms.

  Dad looks down at his watch. “Rory is on his way from the airport.”

  “What?” My head’s pounding, the pain growing in my temples. “And I assume you’re the one who told him where we are?”

  “Of course.” My dad sets aside the coffee I turned down and takes a sip of his own.

  How is everyone so damn casual right now?

  “Rory wouldn’t have come himself if I didn’t tell him I needed him here.”

  “And why would we want Rory here? Why have him come unless you’re planning on bringing me back to that hell?” I shove off the wall and stare at him in disbelief.

  “It’s the only way to ensure you never have to go back. Well”—Dad looks over at Cade and then back at me—“unless you want to, of course.”

  New York with Cade?

  How is that possible?

  “I’m two seconds away from running out this door.” I stand before my father as if we’re in a showdown, but he doesn’t look angry. He looks tired. Sad, even.

  Cade doesn’t have to say anything, because when I look over at him, I can see it in his eyes. No more running.

  I hiss, but say, “I’m listening.” I don’t have to believe him, but for Cade’s sake, I’ll give my father a chance.

  “Mya, let’s give them a minute alone.” Cade rises and motions for her to follow.

  “No. Don’t go,” I plead.