Heroes Among Us: A Paranormal Romance Collection

by Ditter Kellen

  He lifted her onto the counter without effort. “Stay put.”

  Watching him go to a door on the opposite wall, Piper couldn’t help but check out his ass as he opened it, bent, and grabbed some items off a bottom shelf.

  She quickly looked away before he turned to face her.

  He laid the items down on the counter next to her and reached for her arm. “Did you get a good look at the men that were following you?”

  Piper shook her head. “No. They were in a black car with dark-tinted windows.”

  His jaw tightened. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “It’s okay,” she whispered, hating the shift in his mood. “It’s not your fault.”

  “It is my fault.” He finished cleaning her wound and covered it with a fresh bandage before backing up a step. “I’m the reason you’re being followed. I should have left you alone when I had the chance. But I can’t seem to stay away from you.”

  Piper carefully slid down from the counter. She took a step toward him, hesitating as a low growl rumbled deep in his throat.

  The muscle ticking along his jaw did little to calm her anxiety. But nothing prepared her for the dangerous light suddenly burning in his eyes.

  "I'm not afraid of you, Ethan."

  "You should be. I’m not good for you, Piper. I know that. My life is complicated. There are things you don’t know. Things I can’t tell you right now. Things I might never be able to tell you. Can you live with that?”

  Could she? She inched a step closer, her heart pounding with indecision. “I don’t know what I can or can’t live with, Ethan. I only know that I think about you constantly. I can smell you when I close my eyes. I feel your mouth on me in my dreams.”

  “Fuck,” he snarled, jerking her hard against him.

  His mouth closed over hers before she could fully gasp.

  Piper’s eyes slid shut. This was what she needed, what she craved every hour of every day.

  Ethan’s dominate nature was like a drug she couldn’t seem to get enough of.

  In all her life, Piper had always been independent, sure of herself, and strong. But with Ethan, she felt vulnerable and fragile. He made her feel alive and more of a woman than she’d ever felt before.

  Her entire body felt liquid and on fire.

  Ethan broke off the kiss, spun her around, and pressed her against the wall.

  Yanking her hair to the side, he sucked the skin of her neck into his mouth before sliding his teeth down to her shoulder.

  Piper’s palms flattened against the wall, her breath coming in short, uneven gasps.

  Ethan gripped the hem of her skirt and yanked it up her thighs.

  Oh God, Piper thought, her pussy growing wetter by the second. She’d never been so turned on in her life.

  He suddenly ripped the waistband of her panties and yanked them free of her body.

  Piper could hear the zipper descending on his jeans. He stepped forward, wrapped a hand in her hair, kicked her ankles apart with his booted foot, and thrust into her.

  Piper cried out with the sudden invasion, only to suck in another breath as he drove into her again.

  One hand slammed against the wall by her face, while the other circled around her hips to cup her pussy from the front.

  His fingers strummed her clit with every thrust of his cock.

  “Come for me, Piper.”

  Goose bumps peppered her flesh.

  His voice dropped another octave. “Feel me inside you, stroking you.” He thrust deeper. “Come on my cock, Piper. Mark me.” Another thrust that brought her to her toes. “You own me.”

  The erotic growl of his words, coupled with his ever-moving fingers and his continuous driving erection, pushed Piper over the edge.

  With her face pressed against the wall, her mouth open in silent ecstasy, Piper gave herself over to the powerful orgasm now racing its way up her spine.

  “Ethannnnn,” she cried, her knees buckling beneath her. If not for Ethan’s arms coming around her, she would have crumpled to the floor in a climatic, boneless heap.

  “Fuck!” he roared, crushing her against the front of his body. She could feel the hot jets of his semen coating her vaginal walls.

  He shuddered one last time before dropping his forehead against the wall next to her face. “I’m sorry, Piper. I seem to have no control when it comes to you.”

  “I like when you lose control. But this is twice now that we’ve had unprotected sex. If we’re going to continue this relationship, we need to start using condoms until my gynecologist appointment.”

  Ethan stilled but didn’t comment. He gently pulled from her body and straightened her skirt. “I’ll take you to get some of your things in the morning. In the meantime, I want you sleeping in my bed.”

  Piper turned in time to watch him stroll from the bathroom. Was he pissed at her for not being on the pill?

  Suddenly anxious and more than a little nervous, Piper picked up her torn panties, tossed them in the trash, and set about cleaning herself up.

  No more unprotected sex. No matter how spontaneous.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Ethan poured himself a bourbon and stepped back onto the balcony off his living room. Piper wasn’t on birth control.

  For some reason, the thought didn’t scare him as it normally would.

  But if Piper were to become pregnant, he would have no choice but to tell her who and what he really was.

  He’d almost marked her. Ethan wasn’t sure how much longer he could stop himself from sinking his teeth into her flesh. Of course, marking her would most certainly make her a target for anyone seeking to hurt Ethan.

  “I’m sorry,” Piper announced, stepping out onto the balcony.

  Ethan glanced at her over his shoulder. “For?”

  “For my lack of contraceptives. I haven’t dated in a couple years, so I haven’t had a need for it. I—”

  “You didn’t seduce me, Piper. And I don’t recall asking you if you were on birth control.”

  She sidled up next to him. “You’re not worried at all about this?”

  “I’m more worried about you than anything. How is your arm? Did I hurt you?”

  Piper gave him a lopsided smile. “The only thing you hurt was my favorite thong.”

  Ethan found himself returning her grin. “I’ll buy you another pair.”

  “Deal.” Piper tucked some of her hair behind her ear, exposing her beautiful shoulder. “I have a meeting with Calibri’s next week to finalize everything. I’m going to go alone.”

  Ethan shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’ll go with you.”

  “No,” Piper argued. “I’m going alone. You can send someone to watch from a distance if you’d like, but this is something I need to do for me, and only me.”

  Although he didn’t like the thought of Piper going without him, Ethan understood. “Fair enough.”

  Piper yawned, her beautiful eyes weary. “It’s getting late.”

  Ethan took her by the hand. “Come on, let’s go to bed.”

  * * * *

  The next few weeks flew by with Ethan barely able to concentrate at work for worrying about Piper.

  He’d grown to love coming home in the evenings to find her in his penthouse, her hair twisted up on the back of her head and working furiously on a new design.

  Ethan found he could stand there and watch her for hours. Or at least until she ran him out.

  The nights were the best, crawling up into bed with her and sinking into her tight, hot body. The condoms were a pain in his ass, but Piper insisted they use them.

  His new secretary buzzed the phone on his desk.

  “Yes?” Ethan answered, pressing the button.

  “Billy is on his way up.”

  “Thank you, Linda.”

  Ethan adored his new temporary secretary so much he’d officially hired her after only two days. She had kind eyes, was very efficient, and never nosed in his business. Of course, it had
only been a couple weeks. But the little, gray-haired woman had quickly found herself in his good graces.

  “Oh, and Linda?”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Lunch is on me. Take the company credit card and enjoy yourself.”

  There was a brief pause. “Thank you so much, Mr. Seaborn. That’s very kind. Would you like me to bring you something back?”

  “That’s okay, Linda. I’m actually taking Billy to lunch. See you this afternoon.”

  Billy strolled into his office a minute later. “You about ready?”

  Ethan stood. “Does steak sound good to you?”

  “Does a frog have warts on his ass?”

  With a grin, Ethan rounded his desk. “I don’t know about frogs, but I bet Mack Steinberg does.”

  “No doubt.” Billy laughed, following Ethan to the door. “How’s Piper doing?”

  Ethan’s chest tightened at the mention of Piper’s name. She invoked a kind of emotion in him that bordered on insanity. “She’s doing good. Bored of sitting around the penthouse, I’m sure. But there’s nothing I can do about that yet.”

  “Hear anything else out of Foster?” Billy pressed the button on the elevator, waited for the doors to open, and stepped inside.

  Ethan entered beside him. “Not a word. Which worries me even more.”

  “You think he’s planning something?”

  “I don’t know,” Ethan admitted, hating the insecurity in his voice. “But I wouldn’t doubt it.”

  Billy made an impatient sound in the back of his throat. “How much longer before we take him out?”

  “Soon,” Ethan drawled, stepping out of the elevator on the bottom floor. “Very soon.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  The elevator door slid open, and Rhonda stepped into the foyer of Ethan’s penthouse, her eyes huge in her face. “I’ll have you know that I was molested by two burly-looking characters in the lobby.” Her mouth dropped open. “Oh my God, Piper, this is breathtaking.”

  Piper hurried forward and wrapped Rhonda in a hug. “I have missed you so much.”

  “I know. The longest three weeks of my life. How much longer will you be staying here? And who’s the muscle hovering in the lobby?”

  Releasing her friend, Piper took a step back. “I honestly don’t know. We haven’t talked about me going home yet. I think Ethan likes me being here. And the two giants in the lobby are my protection.”

  “Wow. You weren’t kidding about the dangers, were you?”

  “Unfortunately not. It may be nothing, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Besides, Ethan has assured me that’s it’s only for a short time.”

  “But do you like being here?” Rhonda pressed, her gaze scanning her surroundings.

  Piper sighed wistfully. “I really do, Rhonda. Ethan is larger than life. I can’t stand being away from him even for a day, and yet that scares the shit out of me.”

  “It would me too,” Rhonda admitted. “The heart is a danger all on its own. Speaking of danger. Any more black car sightings?”

  Waving Rhonda toward the giant living room, Piper shook her head. “No, but I’ve only been outside these walls one time, and that was to sign the contract with Calibri’s. Even Mr. Whiskers is getting cabin fever.”

  “Then let’s go have lunch. You can take your bodyguards along if you want. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

  Piper considered Rhonda’s words. “Okay, but let me text Ethan and let him know where we’ll be. He’ll worry otherwise.”

  “Piper Hollister,” Rhonda scolded, an exasperated look on her face. “I never thought I’d see the day when you would have to get permission to do anything.”

  That stung. “I’m not getting permission. I’m merely letting him know where I’ll be so he won’t worry. There are reasons behind his concerns, you realize.”

  Rhonda sighed. “I’m sorry. You’re right. Well, text him and let’s get going.”

  Piper snagged her cell from the coffee table and sent Ethan a message. Going to Sally’s Diner to have lunch with Rhonda. Taking guards with me. Text you on my way home. xoxo

  Depositing the cell into her skirt pocket, Piper picked up her purse and waved Rhonda toward the foyer.

  Once on the elevator, Piper pressed the button for the ground floor and met Rhonda’s gaze in the tinted mirror. “Damn, it’s good to see you.”

  Rhonda grinned. “It’s good to see you too. This relationship stuff really suits you. Your face is positively glowing.”

  The elevator came to a stop, the doors sliding open with a ding. Piper made a beeline for the two burly figures standing along the lobby wall.

  They both straightened upon her approach.

  “Miss Hollister,” the one on the right greeted as she stopped in front of them.

  Piper sent them both a warm smile. “Rhonda and I are going to Sally’s for lunch.”

  “Is Mr. Seaborn aware of this?” the same guy questioned.

  That got Piper’s ire up. She quickly swallowed it back and gave him another patient smile. “I sent him a text. Now, I am going to have lunch. Are you coming or not?”

  He nodded stiffly.

  “Great. We’ll take my car.” Piper spun on her heel and marched toward the exit doors before he had time to argue.

  * * * *

  The two sullen-looking guards sat at a table in the diner behind Piper and Rhonda. Neither of the men spoke, nor did they eat.

  Piper ordered the roast beef special with a side salad, while Rhonda stuck with her usual burger and fries.

  The waitress returned ten minutes later with their food, setting it on the table in front of them. “Enjoy.”

  Picking up her fork, Piper speared a piece of roast beef and popped it in her mouth. Her stomach turned over.

  Piper dropped her fork and moved as quickly as possible to the ladies’ room. She rushed into a stall, dropped onto her knees, and heaved up her breakfast.

  “Jesus, Piper, are you all right?” Rhonda stepped into the stall behind her and lifted her hair out of her face.

  Piper could only shake her head as another round of violent spasms rocked her stomach.

  Rhonda began to rub Piper’s back in soothing motions, murmuring inconsequential words that made little sense.

  Long moments later, Piper raised her head. “Grab me a couple of wet paper towels, please.”

  Hurrying from the stall, Rhonda yanked down a handful of paper towels, wet them, and brought them back. “Here you go.”

  Piper wiped her face and mouth before pushing to her feet. She flushed the toilet and turned to face her friend. “I must have caught a bug.”

  “Not that fast,” Rhonda argued, leading Piper over to the sink. “They usually take a day to bring someone to their knees like that.”

  Piper took a shuddering breath. “I haven’t been feeling too good for the last couple of days. I thought it had passed, but I guess not.”

  Rhonda pressed the back of her hand to Piper’s forehead. “You’re not fevered.” Her hand fell away. “When was your last period?”

  The floor moved under Piper’s feet. She gripped the sink to stay upright. “With everything that’s been going on, I haven’t thought about it.”

  Piper began to count back in her head to the last time she’d had a menstrual flow and met Rhonda’s worried gaze. “Oh, God, I’m late.”

  “Just calm down,” Rhonda soothed, turning on the water so Piper could wash her face and hands. “It may be nothing. We’ll run by the drug store, grab a test, and check. Once we know for sure, then we can figure out what to do from there.”

  With a weak nod, Piper set about washing her face. Her hands trembled from nerves or the lack of food in her stomach. She couldn’t be sure.

  Taking a deep breath, Piper switched off the water and strode back into the diner.

  “We have to go,” Piper informed the guards while dropping a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “I need to pick up some womanly things from the drug store.”
/>   Both men appeared uncomfortable by her announcement. They jumped up and scampered to the car.

  No one spoke on the drive to the drug store. The two guards followed her inside, but conveniently hung back near the door. And for that, Piper was grateful.

  She picked up two pregnancy tests, Rhonda shadowing her every move.

  Piper wasn’t sure who was more nervous, her or her best friend.

  “Where are you going to take it?” Rhonda whispered, her eyes the size of golf balls. “If you go back to the penthouse, Ethan might be there.”

  Piper considered that for a second. “You’re right. We’ll go to my place. It’s only a couple blocks from here.”

  Everyone climbed back into the car before Piper announced, “We’re making a quick stop at my house on the way home. I’m sure you understand the need for urgency.”

  Glancing in the mirror at the two men in the back seat, Piper was satisfied they wouldn’t argue. Both men were blushing to the roots of their hair.

  A couple minutes later, Piper pulled up along the curb, grabbed her brown paper bag, and got out. She stuck her head back inside. “I’ll leave the car running so you won’t get too hot. We’ll be right back.”

  One of the men got out behind her. “Let me check the house before you go inside.”

  More than a little impatient, Piper stepped aside and waited until he cleared the house before entering.

  Rhonda followed tight on her heels. “Are you scared?”

  “A little,” Piper snapped, hurrying up the stairs to her bathroom.

  Laying the bag on the sink, she turned to face her oldest and dearest friend. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. Yes, I’m a little nervous.”

  Rhonda grabbed one of the boxes from the bag, ripped it open, and handed Piper the test stick. “Sit down and pee on it.”

  Piper accepted the test with a shaky hand, did her business, and laid the stick on the counter to wait the required five minutes.

  Time seemed to tick by in slow motion as Piper paced the small bathroom, wringing her hands.

  “Would you stop?” Rhonda exclaimed, moving toward the test stick. “It’s time. Do you want to look at it, or should I?”