He shoved her head down as a car drove into the lot next to them, leaned over her, and tangled his fingers into her hair, painfully tight.
“Do not whine, and do not fuck with me.” His voice was soft with menace. “You would have been safer, more comfortable and less of a liability to me if you’d trusted me and gone to Stone Island. Remember the state you were in last night when I found you.”
That effectively cut off all protests. He waited for a cowed nod from her, got out and locked the doors as he headed off to check in.
She huddled against the fragrant leather of the seat, her insides churning with anger. Davy hadn’t calmed down in the least. His fury flared up to singe her every time she let down her guard.
Once inside their suite, he dumped the contents of a paper bag across the table. Crackers, smoked oysters, a small loaf of cheese, sausage, sardines, and a six pack of fruit juices in a box. “Breakfast.”
Margot was too wound up and jittery to get any food down, a problem which Davy did not share. He got to work as soon as he’d finished, opening the grimy plastic bag and removing the case, which proved to have a negative impression of a hand set in a plastic claylike substance inside. Then he extracted the ghastly rubber hand.
She knew it was fake, and it still made her shudder.
Davy peered at it. “Craig specialized in biometric security?”
She nodded. “Fingerprint technology, in particular.”
“He must’ve been developing techniques to beat his own machines,” he said. “And then he tried to double-cross whoever paid him to do it. This Marcus, maybe.”
Margaret pressed her hands to her eyes. “That idiot,” she whispered. “All this violence, just for money. How empty and stupid.”
“It usually is.” Davy slung a metal briefcase up onto the table and started rummaging through the contents.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
He pulled out something that looked like a button, and compared it to the one on his jacket. “I want to talk to the people at Craig’s old job. This is one of Seth’s recording devices. Digital, undetectable, voice-activated.” He pulled out a sewing kit, and ripped a button off his jacket. He threaded a needle and deftly sewed on the new button.
“I would never have thought you were the type that could sew,” she said. “You are a continual surprise.”
His mouth twitched. “I had three little brothers and no mom. If I wanted their clothes to stay on their bodies, I had to make it happen.”
He held the jacket up, inspected the result and tossed it aside, apparently satisfied. Then he pulled a laptop out of the case, hooking it up to the room phone and dialing up an Internet connection. “Who did Craig work most closely with at Krell?”
She thought about it for a moment. “You should start with Mike Wainwright,” she said. “He’s the CEO. And Bob Kraus, too, the head of marketing. Oh, wow. That’s Krell,” she said. “I designed that web site.”
He nodded, clicking through the pages. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed the number on the home page. “Yes, may I speak to Mr. Wainwright? My name is Michael Evan.” He listened for a moment. “How about Mr. Kraus…certainly. I’m a security consultant at BioGen Laboratories in Salt Lake City. We’re upgrading our security system, and I’ve been researching the best the market has to offer in terms of biometric technologies. Krell is on my short list. I just happen to be passing through town today, so I thought…yes, sure, I’ll wait.” He clicked slowly through web pages as he waited.
Memorizing everything he saw, no doubt.
It was strange, to see work she’d done a lifetime ago glowing brightly on the screen. A relic of a time when her world was so different. Safer, better behaved, more predictable.
Smaller, too. She looked at Davy. His face was faraway, lost in a trance of fierce concentration. His brush of dark blond hair stuck straight up in spikes when it was neglected. She loved every detail. The bruises purpling beneath his eyes just emphasized their brilliant color.
He fascinated her. Opened up the horizons of her world until they felt limitless. That feeling would have terrified her once. Not anymore.
“Yes? Excellent. That would be great.” Davy’s voice jerked her out of her reverie. He snapped the computer shut. “Yes, I can be there at two. The address…? OK. Thank you. I’ll see you then.”
He snapped the phone closed and turned to her, frowning. “I’m going to talk to Kraus. I don’t like leaving you alone. I’ll leave my gun.”
“No!” She winced. “Bad idea. Look what happened the last time I had a gun. Guns are nothing but trouble for me.”
“I’ll teach you to use—”
“You will do no such thing,” she said hastily. “Keep it. I promise, I’ll lay low. I’ll be so good. I won’t move a muscle.”
“I’m going to call Seth and Sean to come down,” he said. “Once they get here, there’s going to be somebody with you at all times.”
“Gee, thanks,” she murmured. “That’s sweet of you.”
His brows drew together. “No, it isn’t. I just don’t want to come back and find you filleted. That would seriously bum me out.”
Margot’s stomach rolled at the image his words invoked. They both needed to get off this uncomfortable line of thought, and the quickest, surest way to change the subject was always near to hand.
“May I use that sewing kit to fix my slip?” she asked.
“Be my guest,” he said.
She threaded the needle from the spool of black thread, then pulled her slip off over her head. She was naked, but for her high-tops.
“Oh, Christ,” he muttered. “Margot. Don’t.”
She gave him an innocent, fluttering-lashes glance as she struggled to undo the knots she’d made in the straps. “Something wrong?”
“I’m in the wrong mind-set for this. If you want me to fuck you, say so. Don’t play games.”
“What manners,” she said. “You do know how to sweet-talk a girl.”
“I keep telling you, I’m not sweet. Particularly not today.”
“That’s for sure,” she said. “You’re in a foul, horrendous mood, and you’re not making the slightest effort to control your behavior. So why should I control mine?” She finally worked the knots loose, and carefully sewed the frayed strap back onto the stretchy fabric.
Davy got up and jerked the drapes closed with a violent tug that threatened to snap the curtain rod right off the wall. “This exhibitionist routine of yours is starting to seriously bug me.”
She knotted the thread and snapped it with her teeth. “Just what doesn’t bug you about me, Davy? You started the no-panties trend in my life. If I’m turning into an exhibitionist nymphomaniac, it’s your fault. And it’s time you got over your mad, because I am sick of it.”
He sat back down. “You got some strategy in mind for that?”
A beam of sun that made its way through the slit in the drapes fell across his face, lighting up his eyes. He was so gorgeous, it made her breath squeeze in her lungs. “I’m open to suggestion,” she said. “Go ahead, Davy. Inspire me.”
He leaned back in the chair, lacing his fingers together behind his head so that his golden, muscular torso rippled and flexed. His body was so long and beautiful stretched out like that, his erection pressing against his jeans. “I love the way you suck my cock,” he said.
His cool, taunting eyes challenged her.
He knew exactly what made her angry, what scared her, what excited her, and how to mix them up. She resisted being dominated, but couldn’t seem to stop goading him into doing exactly that. It turned them both on, the constant push and pull.
The only problem was the anger that simmered in his eyes.
Davy unbuckled his belt, his gaze locked onto hers. He undid the buttons, and slid them down over his hips. His erection sprang out, flushed and heavy. He stroked it slowly, dragging his big fist up and down the thick shaft. “Suck me, Margot,” he said. “Go on, make all this crazy, overwroug
ht bullshit worth my time.”
“You’re trying to make me mad,” she told him.
“Sure. You love when I push you into the danger zone. The farther I push, the wilder you get. It’s hard to stop.”
Margot sank onto her knees. “I’ve been in the danger zone ever since I met you.” She pried his hands away and stroked him, delighting in his velvet soft skin sliding over the solid heat of his erection. “I’m getting used to the danger zone. It’s starting to feel like home.” She licked him, savoring the salty taste. “I’ve felt that way ever since you made me fall in love with you.”
He stiffened. His hands clenched into fists on the arms of the chair. “What?”
“I said, ever since you made me fall in love—”
“I heard that part.”
She swirled her tongue around him. “Good,” she murmured. “A little reality in our fun and games is a good thing.”
He pushed her head away. “Are you punishing me?”
“Just telling you the truth,” she said. “Don’t worry, I don’t have any pathetic fantasies about my love melting your icy cold heart or anything like that. All I’m saying is, if you didn’t want me to fall in love with you, you shouldn’t have seduced me. You shouldn’t try to save me like an avenging angel. You shouldn’t tantalize me like you do.”
He passed his hand through his rumpled hair, and yanked his jeans up, tucking his hard, flushed erection back inside them as best he could. “I don’t know how to give you what you want,” he muttered.
It was all there, blazing out of his tormented eyes, shimmering hot and vital and real in the air between them. Everything she could ever need or want, whole and complete. Her wildest dreams. But he was so damn stubborn, he couldn’t give in to it.
She touched his face. “Yes, you do. Why are you so set on protecting me? Why did you sneak into my house? Why did you follow me when I ran off? Why won’t you admit you feel something for me?”
He shook his head.
“You don’t have to keep such a tight lid on yourself,” she said. “If you could just let yourself go—”
“What the fuck do you know about letting go?”
She lost her balance and tumbled back onto the carpet, she was so startled. “Davy?” she faltered. “I—”
“When you let go, things get broken.” His voice was like a whip cracking. “Shit blows up. People you care about get hurt. People can die. I have spent my entire life making sure that does not happen.”
“Oh, Davy,” she murmured. “I didn’t mean—”
“My dad went crazy, did you know that? Completely whacked by the time I was fourteen. I raised three brothers on my own while protecting them from him. I have never had the luxury of letting go.”
She shook her head frantically. “I didn’t mean—”
“And now, when we’re both murder suspects and you’ve got a maniac assassin stalking you, you decide that this is the opportune moment to dismantle my entire fucking personality structure?”
“Davy—”
“No. I will not rip myself into pieces to suit your whim, Margot.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t want to rip you into pieces. Never mind. I just love you. I can’t help it.”
“Shut up. I don’t want to hear it.” He got up, stalked across the room to look out the window, his back to her. He sank down into the kitchen chair, and hunched over, hiding his face in his hands.
She stood there, in an agony of doubt. He might hate her for touching him when he felt like that.
Hell with it. She couldn’t tiptoe around the man forever.
She walked over to him, and draped herself over his broad back. She clasped her arms around his heaving chest, pressed her face to the velvety curve between his chest and shoulder. He could shake her off if he wanted to, but she damn well wasn’t going to make it easy for him.
He didn’t shake her off. After a few minutes, she felt like she’d melted right into his body.
He finally lifted his head. “You can relax,” he said dully. “I’m not going to lose it.”
She kissed his neck. “I am relaxed. And it wouldn’t be the end of the world if you did.”
“Let’s not discuss that, OK? It’s a dead end topic.”
“Whatever.” She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, savoring the raw force of this feeling that vibrated inside her. Like the low, sweet hum of some deep musical instrument, throbbing with delicate pathos.
Davy twisted his head around, and rubbed his face against hers. Their lips met, and the fire flared up, hot and sudden. He grabbed her hand and pulled it down, pressing it against his bulging crotch.
But it was a gesture of silent pleading, not macho arrogance. She stepped around in front of him and sank to her knees again, craving the raw, hot male taste of him. Making love to him was the sweetest, most exquisitely perfect thing that would ever happen to her. Something to set in the scales against the bad stuff that had come before, the bad stuff that might possibly come later. Nothing would take it from her.
He pulled her to her feet before she could take him in her mouth, and slapped open the door that led to the connecting bedroom.
She landed, bouncing, on the bed in the dim room. Davy bent to unlace his boots, never taking his eyes off her. He’d drawn all the curtains when they arrived, but a narrow beam of sunlight sliced through the divide. Dust motes thrown up by landing on the bed glittered and danced in it wildly.
He climbed on top of her, pushing her legs wide. Last night’s thoughtless insanity blazed through her mind. They still didn’t have any condoms. She couldn’t possibly compound her idiocy.
She jerked up onto her elbows. “Hey. Davy. We don’t have—”
“Shh.” He shoved her back down, covering her with his big, hot naked body, and all that came out of her mouth was a shaky moan as he entered her—and low sobs, at each slow, heavy sliding stroke.
“Davy,” she said, breathless. “This is insane. You have to stop.”
“I don’t want to,” he said. “You make me crazy. You melt my brain.” He stroked her cheekbone with his thumb. The wild fey glow in his eyes almost frightened her. “Do you want a baby from me?”
Her mouth flapped, open and closed. “What?” she squeaked.
He kissed her lazily as he pulsed his hips in a slow, sensual grind against hers. “You heard me.”
“I…I…”
“It’s a yes or no question.” He cupped her bottom in his hands, lifting her higher to meet his thrusts.
“That’s not true.” She tried to control her shaking throat. “It’s not a yes or no question. It’s a have-you-lost-your-freaking-mind question.”
“Oh. Well, the answer to that is definitely yes,” he said. “I have now officially lost my mind. I’m completely out of control. I thought that was what you wanted. Well? Here I am, babe. Happy now?”
“Don’t you dare twist what I say against me! That’s mean!”
He cradled her bottom tenderly, angling her closer towards him so that he pressed deeply against her most sensitive points. “You told me if I lost it, that it wouldn’t be the end of the world,” he murmured, kissing her jaw. “I’ve lost it, Margot. Is the world ending?”
Her arms circled him, clinging to his neck. “Yes.”
There was no stopping them. She was too far gone. There was nothing she loved better than going to that wild place with him, writhing and yelling as he churned her into a frenzy of emotion, of sensation. They exploded together, crying out in unison.
Only after many long, panting minutes did it unfurl again in her mind. What she had allowed to happen. Again.
He was still inside her, enjoying the last residual clutches of her orgasm milking him. They were glued together, sticky and wet with his semen. Her eyes fluttered open. He gazed straight back.
He knew exactly what he’d done. It had been deliberate.
She licked her dry lips. “Why did you do that?”
“Because I wante
d to.” His gaze was unblinking.
“That’s not a good enough reason.”
He shrugged. “It’s the only one I’ve got.” He pulled away, got up and disappeared into the connecting bathroom without looking at her.
Again. Unreal. That sadistic bastard. She stared at the closed door, her fury building while the shower hissed.
She was on her feet and ready for him the minute the door opened. “Goddamnit, Davy. Stop doing this to me. Stop it right now.”
“Doing what?” He toweled off his hair, his face impassive.
“You say these crazy, manipulative things, and get me all worked up, and then bam, you shut me out! I can’t stand it anymore!”
“Yeah?” His eyes narrowed to slits. “And what do you call what you did yesterday? Deciding I was your stalker, stealing the car?”
She swallowed back a hot lump of tears. “You are such a prick,” she whispered. “You want to punish me now? After what you just did?”
He let the towel dangle from his hand. “I don’t do it on purpose,” he said, in a hesitant voice. He fished his jeans off the floor and pulled them on. “It just happens. It’s like an automatic door. It opens and shuts whenever the fuck it wants, and I don’t have the remote.”
It wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but at least he was telling her the truth. She could feel it.
“I have to go to this interview now,” he said, in a tight, measured voice. He sat down on the edge of the bed, began to tug on his boots. “It’s work time. I need to be cool. Concentrated. Now is not the time for all this crazy emotional stuff.”
“It’s not crazy stuff! It’s basic stuff! Davy, I just want you to—”
“Let me finish,” he said. “I can’t open up on command, and say and feel whatever it is that you want me to say and feel—”
“Then you’d better buy some goddamn condoms!”
He nodded. “Fair enough.”
She covered her shaking face with her hands. After a moment, she felt his hand against her hair, stroking her. “I promise I’ll come back, though.” His voice was delicately cautious. “You can bounce me around and scream and yell and make all the unreasonable emotional demands you want. I don’t know what I’ll do, or how I’ll cope, but I’ll be here. I won’t disappear on you.”
Out of Control Page 32
