02 Masked-New World

by Stalder, Janelle

  His mouth covered hers again, his tongue plunging into hers, mimicking his movements as he drove in and out, harder and faster. Her orgasm built in the pit of her stomach, spreading down her legs, curling her toes. Then it erupted, his movements dragging it out until Bridgette could only see stars in front of her eyes. With three more thrusts, Roman pulled out, groaning as he came on the tile floor.

  Bridgette tried to lower her legs, but Roman tightened his hold on her, keeping her between him and the wall. His head rested on her shoulder as he tried to catch his breath. Bridgette couldn’t believe he had held her that entire time. Her hands roamed over his thick arms, marvelling at just how strong he really was.

  His face lifted to look at hers, so much emotion there she could feel her own tighten in her throat.

  “I’m going to need you again,” he said, his voice husky and deep.

  Bridgette smiled, a small giggle bubbling up and out of her mouth. “Good,” she said, weaving her fingers into his hair, “because I’m going to need you again too.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Roman held out a towel for her, taking his time drying every inch of her body. She shivered, but he didn’t think it was from the cold if the desire in her eyes told him anything. He still couldn’t wrap his head around what just happened, not wanting to think about how wrong it was for him to share such intimacy with someone he’d betrayed long ago.

  Pushing those thoughts aside, he led her into her bedroom, picking her up and laying her down on the bed. She was stunningly beautiful. Every curve on her body was made for a man. He doubted she even realized how easily she could bring him to his knees. Would he ever get enough of her?

  Placing a knee on the bed, he grazed his hands leisurely up her legs, watching as her breathing became ragged again. Spreading her legs wide, he knelt between them, breathing in the scent that was uniquely Bridgette, and fast becoming addictive to his senses. Dropping kisses along her inner thigh, he made his way to the swollen bundle of nerves that had her crying out his name when he placed his mouth on it. Inserting a finger, then two, as he pulled and kissed her more intimate place, she unravelled only minutes later, her body sinking boneless into the mattress.

  Heavily hooded eyes watched him as he crawled up her body. Roman kissed her with all he had, letting her taste how delicious she was. Bridgette moaned into his mouth, her hands gripping his shoulders as he let all his weight crush her further into the bed. The hard length of him nestled between her legs, already eager to be sheathed inside the only heaven he’d known in years – or perhaps his entire life. He was beginning to think he’d never find the same peace he found with Bridgette.

  A knock at the door had them pulling apart with an identical groan of frustration. They smiled at one another.

  “Ludwig would like you to meet in his office,” someone called through the door.

  “He has impeccable timing, doesn’t he?” Roman whispered.

  “I’d say,” she replied, a note of annoyance in her voice that had him smiling wider. “I’ll be right there,” she called out louder for the soldier outside to hear.

  “I think I should request we be allowed to spend an entire day in bed,” Roman suggested.

  Bridgette laughed. “I think a week would be sufficient.”

  Roman gasped. “Insatiable,” he teased.

  Her fingers played gently with the hairs at his nape. “Only with you,” she replied.

  He nipped at her bottom lip, meaning to pull away after, but Bridgette had other plans, and soon turned it into another melting kiss that had his head spinning. The effect she had on him was astounding. She hooked one leg high up on his waist, opening her further to him.

  “We need to go,” he said against her mouth.

  “They can wait another five minutes.”

  Who was he to deny such a beautiful creature? He entered her slowly this time, knowing now how tightly she gripped him, giving her time to grow accustom. Then they moved together, their lips never breaking apart as they both found their climaxes, crying out in unison into each other’s mouths.

  Roman watched her as she dressed, a heavy weight laying on his chest. This should be just the beginning for them, but he knew it couldn’t last. Even though he wanted to keep her by his side more than anything, he couldn’t deviate from his plan to return her to Lottey. Bridgette needed to be as far away from the danger lurking around them at every turn as possible. Today proved that more than anything. He couldn’t even afford to bring her on a routine scouting mission without her life being put at risk. No matter what he did, he’d make it right by her and ensure her safety. It was the least he could do.

  “I can’t send the two of you anywhere,” Ludwig complained the second they entered his office. “How do two people manage to constantly find themselves in life and death situations?”

  “A rather unique ability, it would seem,” Roman replied, sitting down in a chair. He wanted to reach out and grab Bridgette, pulling her onto his lap, but he knew he couldn’t. In front of Ludwig they’d have to act the same as before.

  “I’m sorry,” Bridgette said, taking the seat next to him. “It was my fault.”

  Ludwig froze, eyes wide as he stared at her. “Did you just apologize to me?”

  Bridgette shifted nervously in her seat.

  “I feel like I should have this documented,” Ludwig said jokingly. “Dinah, the infamous Weapon X, finally apologizes for her behaviour. Hell hast frozen over it would appear.”

  “Very funny,” Roman said dryly.

  “Well, it was my fault,” Bridgette defended, her shoulders relaxing at Ludwig’s playfulness. “I stepped on the bloody mine without seeing it.”

  “I should hope you hadn’t stepped on it on purpose, sweetheart, otherwise I’d have serious concerns about you,” Ludwig replied. He sat down in his chair, his smile slipping. “Are you alright then?”

  Bridgette nodded. “We’re fine. Minor cuts is all.”

  Ludwig shook his head, rubbing a tired hand down his face. “I’m seriously considering putting the two of you on lock down until we find those wankers. I can’t afford to keep having my best two men put in danger.”

  Roman sat up, pleased at this new idea.

  “Of course, I can’t,” he continued, deflating Roman’s hope. “We mustn’t allow them to think they’re attacks are affecting us. We are stronger than them. Let those rebels throw their best at us, but we will still come out the victors.”

  “Hopefully,” Roman muttered. “We can’t always be so lucky.”

  He knew how much Ludwig hated pessimism, but it was the truth. Odds were they wouldn’t keep sneaking by unscathed like they had. Their luck was bound to run out.

  “Sal is having a field day with all this,” Ludwig said, ignoring his comment just as Roman knew he would. “He seems to think I have complete lack of control over the city. It’s bloody well pissing me off. I wish he’d go back home already.”

  Roman chuckled. “We haven’t even seen his presentation.”

  “Screw his presentation,” Ludwig snapped. “I don’t need him to show me how his newest gadgets work. We can figure that out on our own. The only reason he’s here is to look over my shoulder. He has his eye on this city, I just know it.”

  Roman sat forward, hands clasped loosely between his legs. “You honestly think that?”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised. Such friends are thy enemies, and all that.”

  “Sal would most definitely fit the role of a knave,” Bridgette said softly.

  Ludwig grinned at her. “That he would. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. A motto my father taught me all my life. I don’t trust Sal as far as I could throw him, but he serves his purpose. For now, let us focus on zeroing in on these rebels and removing the threat once and for all.”

  “And how do you propose we do that?” Roman asked. “Considering all our previous plans haven’t exactly panned out as we’d hoped.”

  “We lure them to us this time
,” Ludwig said, leaning back in his chair. “I’m sick of chasing them around like a cat chases a mouse. It’s time we set up a trap for those little bottom feeders.”

  “And the cheese, if you will?” said Roman.

  Ludwig looked at Bridgette and Roman already knew what he was thinking before he said it. “Our dearest Dinah, of course. We have what Douglas clearly wants, so let us dangle it in front of him and see if he bites. This time, though, we’ll be ready and waiting.”

  Ludwig received a call, dismissing them with a wave of his hand. They’d gone to Roman’s room so he could change out of his clothes, though presently all he was doing was pacing from one wall to another. Bridgette sat on his bed, watching him.

  “What are you so worked up about?” she asked.

  Roman stopped, looking at her with such a horrified look she almost wanted to laugh. “Are you kidding me? He wants to use you as some sort of bait!”

  Bridgette shrugged. “I’ve been a pawn in this game for a while now. I’m just going to be playing on a new square.”

  He practically choked at her answer. “Damn it, Bridgette, take this seriously. We can’t let Ludwig offer you up. Who knows what your father is capable of doing?”

  Bridgette got off the bed and walked over to him, draping her arms around his neck. It was becoming harder and harder to be in the same room as him, and not touch him in some way. He visibly relaxed a fraction, his hands resting loosely on her hips.

  “I’m going to go out on a limb here and go so far as to say my father isn’t going to hurt me.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because he clearly wants me back, for whatever reason. I doubt I’ll do him much good dead. So,” she continued, rubbing the back of his neck, “should he somehow actually get me, even though there will be plenty of New World soldiers there watching, I don’t think I’ll be in any immediate danger.” She dropped a kiss to the dip of his collarbone. He sucked in a quick breath making her smile against the warmth of his skin. “With all your soldiers ready to intervene should he actually show up, how bad could it possibly get?”

  “You do realize, just by saying that, it’s going to end up being a complete mess, right?”

  She laughed. “You’re such a negative Nancy. Whatever Ludwig plans, I’m sure he’ll make sure I’m not going to get hurt in the process. You’re forgetting how much he cares for my sister’s well-being.”

  “Yes, well, I care for your well-being, which means I don’t like you anywhere near your psychotic father,” he said.

  Something warm and fuzzy spread through her chest at the open concern she read in his eyes. He wasn’t just saying the words, he actually meant them. Bridgette could see hints of a deeper emotion that immediately had her palms sweating. What were they doing, the two of them? How could they actually think this would work, considering they live such drastically different lives? Could she walk away after all this? That was the most worrisome question of them all. She was pretty sure she already knew the answer to it.

  “We can still try to find your sister and get you away from all this,” Roman said, breaking into her thoughts.

  Bridgette tried to school her face so her disappointment that he still wanted her gone wouldn’t show. She must not have done a good job of it though, because his expression instantly fell to one of regret. He cupped one side of her face, his thumb smoothing over her bottom lip in a ghost of a touch.

  “Bridgette, we both know this is no place for you. No matter what happens between us, you still need to leave.”

  “I know,” she said through the emotion in her throat.

  Roman gently kissed her on her forehead. “It will kill me, you know that don’t you?”

  She met his eyes, searching for something that would tell her he was telling her the truth. But what did she really know? How was she to judge whether or not his feelings ran deeper than just the physical? Bridgette’s did, she knew that, but as to how Roman really felt?

  He leaned down so their eyes were level. “Trust in what I’m saying, Bridgette. It will ruin me. Walking away from you will be the hardest thing I’ve ever done. All I want to do is keep you here with me so I can make sure you’re safe, but this is exactly the place where you’re at risk the most. We need to get you out before anything else happens.”

  Bridgette tried to smile, but didn’t think it worked out too well. Roman pulled her into his chest, resting his chin on the top of her head and she breathed in his scent, letting her eyes fall closed.

  “Will we see each other after I leave?” she asked softly.

  “We’ll try,” he answered. She could hear the false hope in his voice, and it made her want to burst out into tears, but she kept herself together.

  “Have you heard anything about where they might be?” she said.

  “No,” he replied, sighing. “Lottey is apparently quite good at keeping herself hidden.”

  Bridgette snorted. “Don’t I know it,” she said.

  Roman gave her a quick squeeze. “We’ll find them. We’ll figure this all out, Bridgette. I promise.”

  Except they didn’t get a chance to by the time Ludwig called them back to his office and explained the next steps of his plan. Things were moving quicker than either of them wanted them to. It looked like Bridgette would be the lure they wanted her to be, unless, by some miracle, they found Charlotte and McKay before then. At the rate they were going, Bridgette highly doubted it.

  The next couple of days were going to be the longest of her life. She just hoped her father didn’t rise to Ludwig’s bait, because even though she had no love for her paternal figure, she didn’t want to be the one responsible for his death either. It looked like only time would tell.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Charlotte paced the room for what felt like the hundredth time. She could feel Pete’s eyes on her movements as he sat on the couch she’d just recently vacated. The Archers were out doing whatever it was they did on the streets. Phoenix had made it clear that none of them were to leave the house. It was too risky, and apparently they stuck out like sore thumbs. It seemed the residents of the western ghetto were well acquainted with each and every person living there, so they’d recognize that Charlotte and the boys were new. Phoenix seemed to have a lot of faith in her people that they wouldn’t alert the soldiers, but she still didn’t want to take a chance.

  That left them staying in the house – doing nothing. Charlotte hated doing nothing. She had too much pent up energy to simply sit inside a house all day. Michael would tell her to relax as he’d sip his tea and read a book, but Charlotte couldn’t manage to do the same. She’d picked up a book Missy had left out for her, but her eyes simply skimmed the pages, not really reading a single word. Pacing seemed to be the better option.

  “I’m getting tired just watching her,” Seamus muttered.

  “I like to count how many times she bites her nails,” Garrett said.

  “I count how many times she looks at the front door,” Tyler added. “She’s at eighteen this round.”

  “Leave her alone,” Pete said, throwing a pillow at his youngest brother.

  “If there was enough room in the place, I’d be pacing right along with her,” Trent said, a similar sense of frustration as hers in his voice. At least someone understood, thought Charlotte.

  “Why don’t we play cards?” Michael suggested, putting his latest read down.

  “You cheat at cards, old man,” Garrett pointed out.

  “So do you,” he replied.

  “That’s because you’re the one who taught me how to play.”

  Michael laughed, picking his book back up. “Fine,” he said, stretching out his legs in front of him, ankles crossed, “I was just trying to suggest something to take our minds off everything. But, if you’d rather sit here and stare at the walls all afternoon, so be it.”

  “Beats having you steal our money, da,” Pete said, lying back on the couch.

  Charlotte hadn’t stopped her pacing thr
oughout this entire exchange, but she froze the second the front door opened. The five girls walked in, all seemingly talking at once. Their loud voices were a striking contrast to the heavy silence that had surrounded them all morning. Missy suddenly appeared at the kitchen doorway. Charlotte wondered where the quiet girl hid all day.

  “Honeys, we’re home!” Sam called out. “Miss us?” She flopped down on the end of the couch Pete was lying on, her eyes glued to him. Charlotte would have been mad if she didn’t know that Pete had absolutely no interest in the girl.

  “Not really,” Pete murmured.

  Phoenix stood in the middle of the room, her eyes bright with excitement. She was a petite girl, but her personality was larger than all of theirs put together. It was probably why Trent couldn’t stand her, Charlotte thought. Where Trent was quiet and reserved, Phoenix was loud and in your face. She rather liked the girl.

  “Who’s ready for a party?” she said, smiling big.

  “Is it a tea party?” Seamus asked.

  “I knew girls still played that, even when they got older,” Garrett said.

  “We’re not doing each other’s hair,” Pete said.

  Charlotte caught Lake’s eye and they both rolled their eyes.

  “Are you about finished?” Phoenix said, her hands planted on her hips now.

  “You’ve completely ruined the delivery of her announcement,” Lake said dryly.

  “What a shame,” Trent said with a fake frown.

  Phoenix sent him a death glare, before turning to look at the room.

  “What’s this about a party then?” Michael asked.

  “Not really the time for parties, don’t you think?” Charlotte added.

  “There’s always time for parties, X,” Phoenix chided. “However, this isn’t one of my notorious parties.”

  “Notorious with who, exactly? The law enforcement?” Trent said.

  “Phoenix only thinks they’re notorious because she can hardly remember them the next day,” Vi said with a laugh.

  “Not helping,” Phoenix said. “Anyway, if I may continue without being further interrupted, what I was going to tell you was that I’ve just heard news of a masked celebration being thrown by none other than Ludwig Tennebris himself.”