Protecting Her

by Ella Goode

  “Thank you.” I feel his cock press against me as he chuckles.

  “No, kitten, thank you.” I try to slip my hand between us, wanting to give him the same pleasure, but he grabs it, shifting to pull me half over his body, my head resting on his chest.

  “I want to make you feel good too.” I kiss his chest.

  “I promise I feel fucking good. Eating your pussy got me off, and if you touch my cock I’ll be inside of you in seconds.” I smile.

  “That doesn’t sound so bad.”

  “You’re killing me, kitten. Go to sleep.” I close my eyes, thinking there is no way I could sleep after that. I was wrong. I’m out within a couple of minutes. I hope he gets this all worked out tomorrow. He gave me a taste of what we would have together.

  Now I’m even more greedy for him than I was before. I want it all. Sooner rather than later.

  Chapter 14

  Gabe

  I have her taste on my tongue, and I will lie, steal, and murder anyone who tries to take that away from me.

  “Sounds like you had a little adventure today.” Cord’s voice travels down the sat line.

  “Everything’s being taken care of. How’s your client?”

  He’s quiet so long I think he’s hung up on me. “Cord?”

  “Yeah, she’s fine. it’s a different world these rock stars live in, that’s for sure.”

  There’s an odd note, one that I sort of recognize. “Not having feelings for your client, are you?”

  He coughs. “'Course not.”

  “Right.” But I don’t press because who am I to talk? “Anyway, my guy is not talking, so we’re checking the money trail of the known assailants. Unsurprising most of them are wanted by Interpol, so we have access to some of their alternate identities. We should find something soon. In the meantime, we’ve moved Cat to a new safe location while the safe house is being repaired.” It’s going to take some time to get the safe house back in action. Replacing bullet proof windows and steel walls isn’t something that can be done by local handymen.

  “Keep me posted on your progress,” Cord asks.

  “Will do.”

  After hanging up, I check in on Sandy. “Any movement on your front?”

  “No. The tango is keeping mum. He must be getting paid well. Green, and a lot of it, is the only thing that can seal a mouth that tight.”

  “We’re tracking but haven’t found anything yet,” I tell Sandy in frustration. “Keep working on the perp unless you think you’re wasting your time, then I’d just leave him in the basement with some MREs until the money trail is uncovered.”

  “We’ll work on him a little while longer. I haven’t exhausted all my bag of tricks,” Sandy replies.

  A bell rings inside the lab. I look up to see Cat’s head peeking out. “Just wanted to give you an alert that my assistant is coming up. Don’t shoot her.”

  I give Cat a thumbs-up. “No shooting the assistant,” I confirm. “Gotta go, Sandy. We’ve got someone incoming and I want to make sure no one is following her.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll call you if anything changes.”

  I spin the laptop around and key up video of the lab’s entrance. “Laura, everything good inside?” I call.

  “Roger. We’re good. It’s fucking cold though.”

  “The lab has to be kept at the optimum temperature of 68 degrees,” says Cat for the third time today. “I have a lab coat.”

  “It would get in the way of my gun.”

  “I...do you really need a weapon inside of my lab?”

  “How else am I going to protect you?”

  “It’s just me, though.”

  “Your assistant is coming,” Laura points out.

  “Yeah, well, that’s my point. No one is in this lab who is going to hurt me.”

  As the two bicker, a young woman appears in the video frame. She waves her key card in front of the security pad and then leans forward for the optical reader. The facial recognition software captures her image and matches it against the database. It’s the assistant. I buzz her in.

  “Hi?” She quirks an eyebrow. “Are you supposed to be here? This is for authorized personnel only.”

  I like that she’s careful.

  Cat saves me from explaining by appearing in the doorway. “It’s okay, Carrie,” she says. “He’s with me.”

  “Oh? Did Nathan okay this?”

  “Yeah,” I answer. “Nathan okayed this.” I jerk my head to the door. “There’s been some incidents and I’m here to make sure there aren’t any more.”

  “Ohhhhh.” The assistant’s face brightens. “You’re the bodyguard.” She turns to Cat. “He’s hot!”

  Cat blushes. “Yeah, I know. Anyway, come inside and look at these results. You’re not going to believe what I found.”

  The assistant grabs a lab coat and hurries into the inner sanctum. “Another breakthrough? You must be really close.”

  “We are. I think we really are.” Cat’s excitement makes me smile. At least something’s going well. There’s a tingle in my gut, though, telling me to be extra careful. I turn back to the laptop to doublecheck the entrance. I like being out here as the first line of defense. I’m bigger and a more accurate shot. Plus I can take a beating. The entrance is empty.

  I chamber a bullet anyway. There’s a scraping sound and then a crash followed by a hard thud. I spin around to face the noise. It’s coming from the interior lab. I rush the door and fling it open.

  Carrie has Cat by the neck. Specifically, she has a scalpel held to my woman’s carotid. “Put the gun down or she’s joining your friend.”

  I don’t waver. “You need Cat to finish the serum.”

  Carrie laughs. “Not anymore. I can read the formula as well as anyone. Cat’s research is mostly done. We don’t need anyone anymore.”

  “We?”

  I feel a prickle run along my neck. The security beeps, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Nathan step inside. “We,” he confirms. His gun comes up. I don’t hesitate or ask questions. I fire one shot between Carrie’s eyes and spin around, ignoring Cat’s scream of surprise. Nathan’s bullet hits me in the shoulder, but I had already anticipated it. I shoot him twice in quick succession, advancing with every shot. His body jerks back once, twice. I empty three more bullets into his chest, neck, and head. He drops to the floor. I shoot him once more in the heart before racing back to Cat, who is kneeling over Laura. Blood drips down the side of her face. I grab the lab coat that Carrie never put on and wipe away the blood. “You hurt, baby?”

  She shakes her head. “No, but Carrie cut Laura’s throat.”

  I push Cat aside and apply pressure to the wound. Laura’s losing a shit ton of blood. I press harder. “Call the ambulance.”

  “Is she going to be okay?”

  “Yeah.” I hope so.

  Laura makes it. The other two are carried out in body bags, leaving Cat and me behind. Cat goes through Nathan’s phone to find out the truth.

  “Nathan was going to claim that the serum was ineffective and then sell it to a terrorist organization, pocketing all the money personally instead of having the company benefit,” she explains after reviewing a bunch of emails on Nathan’s device.

  “Shit, wouldn’t he have made a bundle if the company developed the serum?”

  “He’s just the CEO. He has a salary and some stock, so he would’ve only got a portion. This way he gets the whole pie.”

  “Which he was going to share with his lover, Carrie?”

  “Yeah.” Cat drops the phone onto the desk in disgust. “I never suspected her,” she cries.

  “Neither did I.” I feel like a piece of shit. I should’ve known. I almost lost Cat because I didn’t figure it out sooner. I heave a heavy sigh of regret. You’re not supposed to get involved with your clients. It clouds your judgment and places them in greater danger. I knew this but disregarded it and almost paid for my neglect with Cat’s life. I want her, but I don’t deserve her. Not one bit.r />
  Chapter 15

  Catriona

  “Thank you for taking me to see Laura.”

  Gabe gives me a firm nod, not saying anything. He’s been unusually quiet since everything went down at the lab. I was so happy to see Laura was okay.

  The cut hadn’t been deep. It had missed her carotid artery, which was a blessing. She seemed more worried about me than herself when I showed up at the hospital. She was apologizing to me and asking if I was okay, which is crazy since she was the one that got hurt.

  I glance back to Gabe, who is stoic once again. I swallow the lump in my throat. I thought we had already passed this. But since we left the lab something had changed. There were no more small touches or sweet words from him. He was drifting away from me, and it hurt to know that he could turn it on and off whenever he wanted to.

  “So it’s safe to go home?” Of course it is. Why else would he be taking me there? A small part of me hoped he’d be his pushy self and demand I go home with him. I want to see where he lived.

  “Key.” He holds his hand out, not answering my question. It was a stupid one that I already knew the answer to.

  I pull the keys out, dropping them in his hand. All I want to do is pull him into bed and fall asleep while he holds me. I haven’t even processed everything that happened yet, and I don’t want to. The only thing I want is to feel safe in his arms and deal with everything else later.

  He opens the door, turning off my alarm. I follow him in, flipping on the light. He keeps moving through my place, looking everywhere. Always the protector.

  “You’re clear.”

  “If there is no threat it should be clear right?”

  “It’s a habit to check.” He runs his hand through his short hair. He looks exhausted. He needs sleep too.

  “Are you hungry?” I ask. He shakes his head no. “Then let's go to bed.” I take a step toward him, and I swear I see him tense up. I remind myself that he too has been through a lot today.

  He is blaming everything that happened to Laura and me on himself. Which is crazy. Those two would have gotten to me eventually. They were people I trusted and who were in my inner circle. I never even suspected them. I thought they were not only my colleagues but my friends.

  I push those thoughts aside, not willing to let myself think about their betrayal. My guard had been down around them. I was lucky Gabe had been there with me already. His stalking me and wanting to be close to me worked out in our favor.

  “It’s been a crazy day, and I need you to hold me.” I think he needs me to hold him too. He clears the space before dropping a kiss on my mouth, making me feel ten times better already.

  I grab his hand, leading him back toward my bedroom. I’m a little disappointed that I have a queen sized bed. I loved using him as my bed last night. It was the best night of sleep I’ve had in a very long time. He is the only one that can do that to me. When it’s only the two of us, my mind stops racing and all I focus on is him.

  I pull off my clothes, not shy about my body with him. The way he always looks at me lets me know he likes what he sees. When he’s looking at me at least. Today his eyes haven’t lingered on me for long.

  I grab my oversized college T-shirt and slip it on. I wear it most nights. The crimson colored Harvard written across the chest is fading away at this point.

  When I turn back to Gabe, he’s got his shirt off along with his shoes. Was he really going to leave tonight? I interrupted him before he could tell me that he wasn’t. I need him tonight, and more than anything I need to know what’s going on with him. I’m new to this whole dating and relationship thing.

  I pull the blankets back, slipping into bed. He goes around the other side as I flip the light off. I feel the bed dip down as he gets in. I hold my breath, wondering if he’s going to touch me.

  When his big arm wraps around me, pulling me into his chest, I’m once again filled with relief. I snuggle in closer to him, breathing him in as I try and find sleep. I shift my legs, starting to get restless.

  Before I know what’s happening, Gabe is on me. His mouth brings me to orgasm not once or twice but three times. He devours me like he can’t get enough. The last thing I remember is my eyes feeling heavy and letting sleep take me.

  When I jerk awake, I sit up, instantly knowing he’s not here. The smell of him still lingers on my sheets.

  It was a goodbye. I realize. That’s why he’d been so relentless between my thighs. He knew it would be the last time. I pull myself from the bed, needing to shower. I can smell him all over it, and it only makes me ache more for him. When I’m done, I strip the bed, shoving everything into the washer.

  I will myself not to cry. Is this what love is? It hurts. Why do people do this to themselves? Why did he leave me? I look at myself in the mirror. My hair is still damp from the shower. I know I can be odd at times. I tend to miss some social cues. I thought he saw past that. I’d actually kind of hoped he found it endearing.

  I don’t know how long I stand there, but it suddenly hits me. I rush to my bedroom, getting dressed quickly before grabbing my bag and heading out the door.

  When I make it to my lab, I’m happy to see it’s been cleaned up. I waste no time getting what I need. This is going to be a bittersweet day.

  I’ve lost love, but I found the serum. It’s going to save so many lives. Too bad it can’t heal a broken heart.

  Chapter 16

  Gabe

  “What did you think of the show?” Cord asks.

  Laura and I flew out here at Cord’s suggestion. It was the hottest ticket in the country, and we did just finish with a big job. Laura’s neck wound is healing quick, and this is supposed to be some deserved R&R. I’ve been drinking. Not sure about Laura. I throw back my whiskey without replying. I was physically present at the concert, but I don’t really have much memory of it. There were lights, dancers, and lots of noise, but my mind is still with Cat, and nothing else much matters.

  Cord rolls his eyes and turns to Laura. He wants praise for his woman. That’s his kink. Laura obliges. “She was great. Loved the show.” She gives me a not-so-light shove in the shoulder. “Don’t mind this one. He’s moping.”

  “Because of the girl?”

  “Yeah, but he doesn’t deserve her, so she’s better off,” Laura replies cheerfully.

  “The hell she is,” I growl.

  “Oh, the beast speaks.” Laura laughs. “Thought your vocal cords disappeared along with your balls.”

  “You best be watching your mouth, woman,” I warn. If Laura was a man, I would’ve answered her with my fist and not some words.

  “Why? It’s not like you’re going to do anything.”

  I slam my glass on the counter. Veins pop out at my neck. “If I was a second slower, she would’ve died and so would’ve you.”

  “But I didn’t and neither did she. Shouldn’t you be celebrating that?”

  “I am.” I grab the bottle from the coffee table and fill my snifter up to the rim.

  “You look real happy,” Cord mocks.

  “I’m smiling inside,” I lie. How long until his rock star comes out of her dressing room? We’ve been waiting for at least—I check my watch and grunt in dismay—only twenty minutes have passed since we sat down backstage. Seems like it’s been hours. Time passes so slowly these days. A minute feels like a day, and these past few days a lifetime—a terrible, empty lifetime. My future without Cat stretches out in front of me like the desert. I raise my glass to my lips and down half of it. The alcohol is not doing a good job of numbing the pain.

  “The stupid thing is that you could be there with her, but instead of going to bed with Cat, you’re making love to a bottle,” Laura points out.

  I drop my hand to my side, not realizing I still have a grip on the neck of the booze.

  “I agree with Laura,” Cord says. “In the end, you saved her, and that’s what’s important.” The door opens and the rock star peeks her head in.

  “Ready, Cord?”<
br />
  The hardened man I work with, fought beside, and drank with melts like chocolate under the sun. He beams up at the woman. “Yeah.”

  The dude virtually floats out, forgetting Laura and me. It’s weird, but damn if my gut isn’t filled with jealousy.

  “Just saying,” Laura chirps, “that could be you.”

  She leaves, too, and it’s just me and the bottle and glitter on the floor. I rub the heel of my boot against a pile of it because the shine feels like it’s mocking me. Everything around this concert is full of happiness, from the echoes of the shouts to the smiles on everyone’s faces to the stupid fucking glitter on the floor.

  I’m the only one drowning my sorrows in a bottle of liquor like some sorry-ass loser. Walking away was the coward’s path. I’ve never gone down without a fight before, so why this time did I convince myself that retreat was the best option? Fuck that. Fuck that to hell. If Cat doesn’t want me because she thinks I’m bad for her, then I just have to do everything in my power to convince her that I can change and be the person she needs.

  I get to my feet, text Cord that I’m taking the company plane, and am out the door before he replies. I make good use of the sat phone, ordering everything from food to flowers to jewelry and by the time I land, it’s all there in the trunk of the SUV. Hydro hands me the keys.

  “I’ve been watching over her like you asked, and everything’s been good,” he declares.

  That doesn’t brighten my day. It’s not like I want her to be miserable, but knowing she’s happy without me is fucking depressing. “Great,” I mutter.

  “No men,” he adds, thinking that’s what I want to hear. And I do, but it’s not enough. Some guys might be real saints and hope that the ones they love carry on in good spirits without them. Me? If I die, I want Cat to mourn me forever. Lie on my grave, weep for me, and wait for me because I’ll be back.

  Man, I’m a selfish prick. I slam the pedal down and speed toward her apartment. Another crew meets me there to help me carry everything up. I give them a tip and then face the door, surrounded by a dozen boxes. It looks like I’m moving in. I guess I am, though. The minute she opens the door, I’m not leaving until I have my ring on her finger and a baby in the oven. I mean, the latter one can be negotiated, but the first one is a necessity. I pound a fist against the door, lift my chin, and stare down the peephole. I dare you to turn me away, I think. The door opens, and instead of my sweet Cat, there’s a fucking man. My eyes turn red and my fist comes up.