by Alice Ward
Eli reached out to open the door. “I’m going out there and demand to know what’s going on. You’ll stay in here with the door locked until I come back to get you. You’re not to come out, no matter what you hear.”
I grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “No way. You can’t do that. Think about it. They might have knives or guns or both. And you have nothing.”
He flexed his muscular arm. “I have these. And I’m not afraid to use them.”
I tried not to roll my eyes but failed. “Would you just stop? Listen to me. My father was a SEAL, and he taught me a lot about things. We should put on an act. Pretend we’re clueless. We’re both awake, and whatever their plan was, it involved us being asleep.”
“Yeah.” He took a seat on the end of the bed, and I sat down too. “Okay, so we let them know we’re awake. But then what? And just because your dad was a badass doesn’t mean you’re in charge. I can see that look you’re getting in your eyes. You think you can take over, but I won’t let you. Whatever we do will be something I think is right.”
“You arrogant son of a—” He took my chin in his hand and moved his lips close to mine, stopping me from finishing my rant.
“Listen to me, Kendra. Keeping you safe is my number one mission.” My heart leapt and thumped in my chest with his words. I didn’t want to be the damsel in distress, but Eli wanted to be my hero. It was a romantic gesture, and if we weren’t in so much trouble, I’d find it sweet. “If you come up with an idea where I take care of these guys, that’s great. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that I’ll step back and hand the reins to you. Not this time, baby. Your life might be at stake. I’m not about to risk that.”
He was thinking only of me, and that was a mistake. “So is yours, Eli. Do you think I want you to risk your life to save me?”
His jaw went stiff and rigid as he took a stern tone. “I don’t care what you want. I want to make sure you’re safe.”
He eyed me carefully as if trying to size up just how far I’d go. I’d go very far to make sure he wasn’t hurt trying to save me. “There are five muscular men out there.”
“I’m strong, and I spar with my normal bodyguard almost daily. I can handle things. And maybe there’s nothing to handle at all. Maybe we’re all wrong about this. There may not be a fight at all.” He pushed me back on the bed, and my eyes got big as I put my hands against his chest to hold him back as his body moved over mine.
“Eli!”
“You need to be quiet and do as I tell you.” He brushed my hair back as he ran his eyes over my face. “I care about you, Kendra. I really do. I know what you think of me. If I have to spend the rest of my life proving to you that I can be what you want, what you need, then I’ll do it.”
I was speechless, but only for a moment. “You can’t be something you’re not, Eli. The wolf who lives in you has been there a long time. He’s not about to give up and leave you alone. I like you. I wish I could believe you. But I can’t. Please don’t take it personally.”
“Don’t take it personally?” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Really? That’s completely personal, Kendra. Do you really believe that people never change? That they never grow? Because you’re wrong. People change all the time. They meet people who bring more out in them than has ever been brought to the surface before. That’s what you’ve done for me. You brought out a person I didn’t know was inside of me. And that wolf you’re talking about, he’s lying at my feet, ready to become a lapdog.”
His blue eyes were shining as he looked into mine. It was hard not to give up. If we’d been in no danger at that moment, I think I might’ve given in to him. He sounded sincere. He looked like he was serious. And God knew my body wanted to know what it was like to have his hands all over me and his cock deep inside.
But we were in danger. It wasn’t the time or the place to be doing things like that, and I was thankful for the distraction. “Eli, perhaps we could talk about this some other time. We do have the whole ‘death hanging over our heads’ thing going on right now. It might be making you say things you don’t really mean.”
“I’m serious as all fuck. I’ve had these feelings for a while now.” A smile moved over his face, and I thought he might actually be telling the truth.
My heart was begging me to tell him everything I’d been feeling too. But my brain screamed that it was only the situation causing him to say these things, and they wouldn’t be true once this was over.
If it was ever over.
Maybe I’d be dead soon. Or maybe he would. Perhaps he did need to know how I felt.
I ran my hands over his face as I fell into the emotion that came with thinking about losing him. If he was killed, and I was left, I’d have a giant hole where he’d been. “Eli, you seem to have burrowed into my heart.”
A smile played on his lips. “You make that sound a little uncomfortable.”
“It is. I’ve never had a man be so persistent. And I’ve never been so captivated by one either. I’d be lying if I said you don’t affect me at all. You make my heart pound when you walk into a room. You make my lips tingle when I think about the night we kissed. You make me happy sometimes just thinking about you.”
“And you care if I get hurt or not. That’s something too, don’t you think?” His lips grazed my collarbone. “You’re safe with me, Kendra Baxter. You’ve always been safe with me, and you always will be.”
“It’s kind of funny how we’re telling each other this, and there’s a good chance we’ll be fighting for our lives very soon. If there’s another side, and we end up in it, maybe we could hang out.”
A scowl took over the gentle expression he’d been wearing. “I don’t want you to even joke about that. I’m not about to let anything happen to you. When we get off this plane in Scotland, you and I are going to check into a hotel and show each other how we truly feel.”
I smiled and closed my eyes as I wished that could really happen. “You get me off this plane safely, and I might just toss you onto the tarmac and take you, Eli Reed. Now, let’s stop this and start figuring out how to take over this little situation we’ve found ourselves in.”
He kissed my nose. “You’ve given me even more incentive now that I get you in the end. I do get you in the end, don’t I?”
Was I really about to make it official?
No breath moved in my lungs as I stared at the gorgeous man hovering over me. “Let’s get our asses safe before we make any commitments to each other. I don’t want either of us to be hurt.”
His hands moved to my hair, pulling my head back until I had no choice but to continue the eye contact. “I’m telling you now, I’ve spent an entire month mooning over you. What I feel didn’t just spring up with this situation. I can see that you’re afraid I’ll get what I want and toss you to the side. That won’t happen.”
I wanted to believe him. I wanted that more than anything. “I promise to give you a chance if we make it out of this thing. But we’ll have lots to talk about once that happens. If it does. I have rules I’ve set for myself, and if you’re not cool with them, then I’d be wasting your time.”
“You’re talking about marriage. I know you are.” He huffed and dropped his hands to my shoulders.
I cursed my morals and closed my eyes. “I am.” I’d stood by my convictions for too long to have a change of heart just because a gorgeous man I had a deep attraction and affection for wanted me. We’d need to be in love and married if he wanted more.
Eli stiffened as voices grew closer on the other side of the door. Before Eli could tell me not to, I shouted. “Who’s there?”
Eli glared at me and gestured for me to get into the closet. I just shook my head at him.
“The steward. Are you okay in there? You’ve both been in there for a while. I’m just making sure you guys are fine.”
Eli and I both rolled our eyes. I bit my lower lip as I thought about what to say next, then it came to me. “We’re fine. We’re having sex. It’d be great
if you left us alone.”
The smile that curled Eli’s lips was devastating. He pulled me into his arms and kissed me as he groaned like a beast. “Yeah, beat it, dude.”
We looked at each other as we heard the men walk away. They knew we were awake and that meant they had to reevaluate their next step, perhaps thwarting their plans significantly.
Maybe going up against Eli Reed while he was wide awake was something they thought would be stupid. I thought it would be. The man was a machine.
With his arms around me, our bodies flush, I felt safe and secure. “The kiss was a bit much, don’t you think?”
“I had to make it sound convincing.” He frowned. “Now, what should we do?”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Eli
As much as I wanted to hold Kendra forever, we had shit to do.
It was becoming clear to me that this was a ransom scheme. While that meant they’d need to keep me alive for such a thing, they’d almost certainly kill Kendra. They didn’t need her, and she’d only get in the way, but I wasn’t about to tell her what I suspected.
Being born wealthy, I was taught things early on. There were always bodyguards around. I was introduced to them as soon as I could talk. I was told to do whatever they directed me to. I was to trust them at all times.
Being kidnapped was a constant threat. One never knew who was plotting to make money on the child of wealthy parents. And if kidnappers got hold of a kid, most were never seen again.
I’d never been without a bodyguard. The agency we’d used for years hadn’t had a single incident with any of their guards. It made me wonder what happened to Scott, and how far they’d gone to make sure he was “sick.” Fuck. I hoped they hadn’t killed him, and I couldn’t help but wonder who else at the agency, if anyone, was involved.
My trip to Scotland must have accelerated a time when I’d be most vulnerable. I’d put myself and Kendra in danger just because I wanted to get laid. My head had been too wrapped up in the woman beside me. In most cases, I’d have made a few more calls to make sure everything was on the up and up.
I’d made mistake after mistake, and it was time to pay the piper. I’d been raised to look over my shoulder at all times. Ask dozens of questions when my safety was at risk. Hell, it was one of the reasons I worked out so much. I wanted to be able to defend myself if I was ever taken.
But here I was, outnumbered, and I had to protect a woman too. A woman I cared about more than I’d ever cared about anyone. Add in that I’d have to fly the plane and land safely if I was able to overtake my enemies, and the weight on my shoulders was nearly unbearable.
There was no doubt in my mind that our lives were at stake. The last thing I heard before the galley door closed was one of the men saying, “Have fun while you can, you prick.”
“They’re going to figure out another way to get to us. We have to hurry up and come up with something.”
Her eyes lit up. “I can go out and bar the doors—”
“No. Next idea.” I looked around the room for anything I could use as a weapon as she tapped her chin and thought up something else.
She snapped her fingers. “I can run out into the cabin, screaming that you’ve had a heart attack. When they rush in to see what’s happened, you’ll be ready to attack from the front and I’ll come in from behind. Together, we’ll take out all three of them. The pilot and copilot will probably stay put in the cockpit, and we can take them later.” She tapped her lips with her finger. “But what about flying the plane?”
“Okay, first, I can fly the plane. I don’t have a license, but I’m close and have had a great deal of practice. Second, you’re not coming in from behind to help me deal with anyone. So, keep thinking.”
Her hands planted on her hips while her toe tapped at a furious speed. “I can handle at least one of them. My father had us training in hand to hand combat when we were just little girls.”
“Yeah, and you trained against other little girls. These are men, baby.”
Her face hardened into a steel mask. “Do you honestly think my father didn’t eventually have us training with him and some of his Navy buddies? We all were able to take full grown men down by the time we graduated from high school.” She opened the closet and pulled out her bag. Taking out a set of stilettos, she tossed them onto the bed. “Those can put out an eye, if necessary.”
“Good thinking.” I picked one of the red heels up and turned it in my hand, jabbing it into the air. “Go for the eyes or temples, the throat is good too. I have a razor in my bag.” I grabbed my suitcase out of the closet, pulling the five-bladed razor from the toiletry bag. Kendra looked over my shoulder and pulled out the box of condoms that was in it as well.
“Wow, Eli. An entire box. You had some big plans, didn’t you?” She smiled as she tossed the box onto the bed.
“Maybe.” I winked. “Still do. Now, what else can we use as weapons?”
She nodded at the razor in my hand. “That’s useless unless you plan on giving them a close shave before you do any real damage.”
I’d planned to open the razor to take out the blade but wielding such a small weapon wouldn’t be productive. Dropping the thing on the bed, I realized she was right. “Well, what else would work?”
“Let’s look around. I can use all kinds of things as weapons.”
“Sure, find them, but let me do the dirty work.” I winked, trying to lighten the mood. “Let me do what I do best, be your hero.”
She huffed, and I found it hard not to smile at the sound. “How have you been my hero, exactly?”
I headed into the bathroom and started looking through the drawers and cabinets there. “I took you on as my intern, saving you from the old horn dogs at the company.” I tossed a glass ashtray onto the bed. “That’s heavy. I can hold it in my fist to give my punches more impact.”
“You think I couldn’t have stood up to the old farts? I stood up to you, didn’t I? And I found you highly attractive. I could’ve dealt with them. That was no heroic deed.”
I tossed a toothbrush on the bed, wishing I had time to whittle the handle into a shiv. “How about the way I got that man out of your apartment. He could’ve molested you, and you never even thanked me for that.”
She was on the floor, looking under the bed for something useful. “Because it wasn’t necessary. He wouldn’t have touched me. Even if he hadn’t been engaged. I’m capable of taking care of myself in that department. I’m sorry you saw those as things a hero might do.”
I bobbed my eyebrows at her, wanting to keep her talking. “I didn’t force you to have sex with me that night you led me on.”
“Oh, so that makes you a hero? Just because you took no for an answer, that makes you a decent human being.”
“You know what I’m saying, and if we’re counting good deeds, I laid off the sexual come ons and kept things strictly business. If you only knew how hard that was, I’d be wearing a red cape for sure.”
She pulled the pillowcases off, ripping them down the seams to make longer pieces of material that could be useful to choke someone. Or be used as bandages if things didn’t go our way.
“Yes, you did do that. I should say thank you for doing what you were supposed to do in the first place.” She rolled her eyes. “What a hero.”
“Sarcasm is ugly on you, Kendra.”
She flipped me off. “Would you care for a Midol and a Shirley Temple for your hurt feelings?”
“Harsh.” I smacked her ass as she bent over to investigate the lamp.
“Hey!” Her head snapped up as she shot me a glare and ran a hand over her ass. “That stung.”
“Did it now?” I winked and blew her a kiss.
Pink stained her cheeks as she moved on to a different subject. “Do you know any immobilizing holds?” She spread her feet apart and looked as if she was about to lunge at me.
I held out a hand. “Don’t even think about it. I don’t want to accidentally hurt—”
She
moved like a cat, and I found her at my back, her fingers twisting a place between my neck and shoulders. Before I could blink, I was on my knees. I couldn’t even speak I was so surprised.
“What were you saying about hurting me,” she whispered in my ear before she let me go.
Acting like I was trying to shake off her attack, I picked her up, turned her around and had her face down on the bed with her hands behind her back. “I know a thing or two myself. Try to get up.”
She wiggled and groaned, admitting defeat. “You got me.”
For the sake of our captors, I groaned too. “Yeah, baby,” I cried for their benefit. “That’s what I like.”
She sighed, but played along, giving a long sexual wail that nearly curled my toes. In spite of our situation, my cock twitched. Please let us out of this mess so she can make that sound when I’m inside her.
I let her up and backed away, watching her closely. But not closely enough. Her leg swept around, knocking my feet out from under me and I was on the floor before I knew it. She had me face down, my hands behind my back, and she’d somehow cocked one of my damn legs at an odd angle and was sitting on it, pinning me to the floor. “Kendra, baby, you’re fantastic,” I shouted, then whispered, “Would you stop fucking around?”
Her breath warmed my ear. “Do you believe that I can take a man down?”
When I didn’t answer, she pulled on my leg, nearly causing me to yelp. I turned the sound into a moan instead. “I believe you.”
She went to get up, but I turned quickly, pulling her down on top of me, enjoying the smart-aleck smirk evaporating from her face. “You were only able to do that because I didn’t want to react and hurt you.”
As she fell on top of me, her face was frozen in shock, the grin gone and the wind almost knocked out of her. “You jerk!”
“Play your part.”
Her lip curled into a snarl, but she moaned, “That’s right, Eli. More. Harder. Yes. Yes. Yeeees.” She winked and whispered, “Learned that on When Harry Met Sally.”
