Assassin Territory [Assassins Book 1] (12 page)

Christy gazed at him, digesting his words, his passion. She reached up a slender hand and ran it down his rough cheek. The stubble on his face had grown in to a point that made it still harsh.

“Will you teach me to live for the moment?” Christy asked. She gazed into his eyes. She wanted him again, but she wondered if she would be able to overcome the hurt at another separation. Perhaps with his help…

* * * *

“I’ll teach you whatever you want to learn.”

Once again, Lando sensed the invitation. With renewed passion, he captured her lips. With a deep hunger, his hands roamed her body, wanting to feel all of her at once. His mouth seized a dusty rose-colored nipple and he suckled, tugging with enthusiasm. His fingers delved with hunger into her heat, searching her warmth, claiming her as his.

Christy whimpered under him and Lando looked into her skittish eyes. She seemed alarmed and fearful as he grew rougher. He wanted her in a different way this time, he wanted more of her and he would have more. She offered and he explained he lived for the moment. This time he wanted wild abandon.

“Are you afraid?”

“I want you. You seem to want to consume me,” she replied, and he sensed her panic. “No one has ever been as passionate as you.”

“I
am
the big bad wolf. I want to consume you. I want to own every inch of you. I want you to forget any man you’ve ever been with. I want to possess you, every inch is mine. I will possess you,” Lando declared, his raging desire burned deep.

“No cruelty?” she whispered.

“I would
never
rape you. I would
never
hurt what’s mine. You
will
be mine.”

Christy quivered at his intensity. She was warned and though it was brief, her gaze flickered with acceptance. He captured her lips, taking her breath away. His tongue explored her mouth, claiming, owning, while his hand settled onto a firm round breast, gripping it. Warm wet kisses over her throat led to her shoulders.

“Lando?”

His lips trailed down her hungry for her, burning a searing path, while Christy’s breath caught and held. His passion became more than consuming, it was overwhelming.

“I’ve shown you enough mercy. You offered. I’m accepting your offer,” Lando told her, rising with intimidation over her helpless form.

His body restrained as much of his power as possible while his body enveloped hers. He plunged his throbbing cock in her heat and she cried out. His cock was doing the taking, not one ounce of his flesh punished her bruised body. His size once again a shock by her expression, his exuberance overtook him while he could hear her attempts to breathe but managed only to gasp for air. He removed himself and plunged again. Christy clasped at his broad shoulders and he could feel her nails raking against his heated flesh. Good God, she felt so small beneath him. He wanted her to feel helpless. With one hand he caught her wrists, pulling them high over her head, while his other grasped onto a thigh, dragging her hips higher. His tanned huge fingers were ominous against the paleness of her satin skin.

Sensations swarmed within him. He knew she wanted him yet she was afraid of him, of his lovemaking. He was intense, demanding. He wanted only for her to remember he lived for the moment. For him tomorrow might never come. He wanted her to realize tomorrow might not come for her either.

“Feel Christy, just feel, don’t think.”

He wasn’t purposely trying to frighten her, just make her aware. He wanted her to lose herself in wild abandon and enter into his world; he would keep her safe from harm if she trusted him.

He could tell the moment he succeeded. Christy began to move beneath him, trying to keep up with his exhausting, frantic pace until they developed a rhythm. She met each of his demanding thrusts until he knew her mind filled with thoughts of him, only him.

“Say my name, Christy,” he demanded, his words harsh and gritty.

She cried out his name again and again, her body shaking with intense spasms. Lando wrapped his body around her in possessive want, claiming her as his, satisfying his needs as well as hers. His hand released her wrists and gripped a double handful of her hair, holding her in place as his huge body drove within her, needing release. He howled his victory and plunged one last time. Her scream of release filled his ears. His body heaved as he gasped in great breaths of air. As his heart calmed, he grinned with satisfaction. He
had
made her his. Christy lay motionless beneath him.

“Christy?” Lando asked, feeling a moment of concern.

His nose nuzzled at her bruised cheek. No response. She remained still, silent. He blew a soft breath in her ear, hoping to elicit a response. Lando lifted higher to gaze into her serene face. Engulfed in his wild passion, he had forgotten her bruised ribs as emotion took over. He forgot her fear of what transpired earlier in the day. He forgot how tiny and frail she was compared to him.

“Christy?” he again questioned growing worried. His hand clasped her chin, shaking it with care.

“Please, Lando. I know you have shown me enough mercy, but you wore me out. Let me sleep,” Christy implored on a quiet breath. Her body sated, she looked beyond exhausted. She rolled beneath him, tugging on his arm, enticing him to cuddle with her.

Sighing with relief, Lando pulled her to his side. He would have to be gentler with her in the future or she might be too afraid to let him touch her again. That would be a shame; they would undoubtedly be out here for a while. She wasn’t like the women he was used to; he could have hurt her. Lando didn’t want to hurt or frighten her. He could also hear the voice inside his head voicing its anger at his roughness. Lando cringed, suddenly embarrassed.

The big bad wolf? Please!

Christy watched with apprehension as Lando slung her duffel bag to his shoulder. She wanted to stay in the first safe shelter she had really known since Chad, yet Lando insisted they must keep moving while the weather held. They couldn’t possibly survive in the wilderness throughout the winter in such a tiny cave with no provisions. This far north the snow would cover the cave, leaving them trapped and unable to forage for food. Christy understood his reasoning but was loath to give up the security and protection the small cave offered.

“How do we even know if we’re headed in the right direction?” Christy mused.

“Mac’s watch has a compass on it,” Lando explained. “Between that and the starlight, I’ve been able to stay on a basic route. It’s just a matter of locating the North Star and the Big Dipper.”

“Very impressive for a city boy.”

Lando tossed her a calculating look. “Some people can be very helpful while looking down the barrel of a silencer.” Christy’s eyes widened, feeling unnerved.

Lando began walking, but she could hear his soft chuckle. She guessed he sensed her indecision. Christy looked longingly back at the warm cave, missing the safety it offered, then turned and followed Lando.

They trudged on for hours at a steady pace, following the stream down river. Many of the large trees were coniferous, their branches bulky, which made seeing past the next tree or large pile of rocks difficult.

Christy was fearful as they rounded each bend. She was apprehensive of running into another Kodiak. She climbed over one fairly large mound of dead leaves, moss, and small broken limbs, yanking at clothing the foliage determined to make its own. She scrambled after Lando, who moved with ease, his longer legs a definite boon, until Christy’s stumbling began to increase. To her credit, she never lagged or complained; she refused to. She was abused and battered but she wanted to take some of her emotions back, which proved hard. Each time she stumbled, she heard Chad’s hateful words about how useless she was and with determination she put one foot in front of the other and tuned him out. Over time, she reluctantly admitted she wasn’t useless, just injured. Christy was completely exhausted before long, afraid she’d soon be unable to continue.

Lando stopped by the stream and dropped the duffel bag. Christy slumped on a large rock. After Lando had a quick fire going, he moved off to the stream to fish.

“You stay where I can see you,” Lando warned sternly before he left.

At one time, Christy would have been concerned at the fierce look he leveled on her. She came to the conclusion it was just his way. She supposed she should have been annoyed; after all, she wasn’t a child of three. Yet, she sensed his concern. It was dangerous out here. She couldn’t rebuff his want to protect her. It was a nice change from what she knew Chad would have done or said.

Though Christy originally promised to obey Lando, it wasn’t the only reason she preferred to do as he commanded. Christy felt certain something was trailing after them in the brush. The hair on the back of her neck seemed to stay in a raised position. She followed closely after Lando on their trek, not letting his comforting, big form get more than a few feet away.

The day warmed and the sun shone down through the trees, making sparkles alight on the water. An eagle soared overhead. The stream bubbled making her marvel it was talking, and a fish jumped. Christy sat complacently, warming her hands at the fire. Lando had removed his outer jacket, having become sweaty during their walk, and it lay a foot away from her. Picking it up, she studied it, noticing a small tear. It had been Sam’s jacket, and she remembered when Sam tore it on the branch of a tree while they were out taking pictures. She’d offered to fix it for him, but hadn’t gotten the chance.

Eager to keep her hands occupied, Christy rifled through the duffel bag and came across her camera case. She fingered it lovingly for a brief moment, wondering if she would ever again take another picture. She allowed herself a brief moment of sadness before opening the case and removing her small sewing kit. She finished her last stitch when Lando returned.

The fish he’d caught was gutted, and he proceeded to set it up over the fire. Christy looked at the fish, tummy rumbling. She quickly got over her squeamishness that sometimes Lando never bothered to scale it, while also leaving the head and tail attached.

“Very nice,” Lando commented on her work as he once more donned his jacket.

“Thank you. I had a very nice nanny who taught me to sew,” Christy commented, a touch primly. She remembered the sweet little puppets they made for a puppet show. Her mother had been proud of her painstaking work. Though on reflecting back, she realized the nanny had been more out of prestige than need. It was her father who insisted they have one. Her mother wanted to keep Christy close to her side.

Lando snorted, and Christy was bumped from her fond memory; she scowled at the amused-condescending look on his face.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You’re a prissy little pampered, fluffy kitten aren’t you? Did she serve tea and crumpets to you and your mountain of dollies and cuddly stuffed animals?” Lando teased, his gaze alight with amusement.

“So what if she did,” she said, bristling with annoyance. She could feel a slow blush creep over her face.

Christy jumped, startled, as Lando suddenly roared with laughter. It was the first time she ever heard him laugh. She watched with wide-eyed amazement as he continued to howl, tears rolling down his eyes. His laughter faltered as his arms flailed and, losing his balance, he fell backwards off the log he’d been sitting on.

“Well now, that was rather rude,” Christy said. She leaned back, shaking her head, watching him lay motionless for a moment, feet straight up, arms above his head resting on the forest floor.

Lando struggled, making an awkward attempt to right himself, then sat up still laughing, swiping at his eyes.

“I thought it was rather funny,” he said, mimicking her haughty tone.

“Just because I had tea parties with a nanny isn’t something that should send you into hysterics,” Christy answered. Impishly, she crossed her arms over her chest.

“You and I, sweetheart, are worlds apart,” Lando informed her. He was smiling with open amusement at her discomposure.

“More like galaxies,” she rebuffed haughtily. Lando stopped smiling, his gaze began to narrow.

“You think you’re better than me because you have money,” Lando said, his tone tight.

“I don’t think I’m better, just different,” she replied, now wary.

“Would you be surprised to learn I have money? In fact, I have a great deal of money,” Lando informed her.

She could sense his anger was growing. Feeling apprehensive, though resigned, Christy muttered, “Blood money. You got rich off the suffering of others.”

“Yes, I did. How many people do you think get rich off the suffering of others? A great many more do it legally. How many helpless people take their lives when everything is taken legally? How many innocents snap because of the pain another has caused them? Harassing phone calls people want to hide from, demanding money they don’t have or they wouldn’t be in the predicament they’re in. Vicious, mean people, who don’t know you. All they want is the almighty dollar, a fast buck.
Legal fucking bullies
. At least I have the guts to do it face to face. Not through litigation, and the people I have faced are anything but innocent or in need of a break, or a small amount of compassion.”

“The man who taught you about the stars, did you kill him?”

Lando checked on the fish, remaining quiet. Christy knew he was a killer. He’d never denied it. But she was struggling to understand why anyone would choose such a vicious profession, or did the profession choose him? She sensed his hesitation when he began to speak.

“I can’t begin to describe to you about the people I know. Men who haven’t a shred of decency, an ounce of compassion or mercy. Cruel, evil men. Men with relentless, steely determination, who could move mountains if they so desired, instead would kill a helpless, frightened woman and her three-week-old baby girl,” Lando’s words trailed off, his mouth moved as though he tasted bitterness.

“Is that what happened? Did you know them, were they close to you?” Christy asked, wide-eyed. She wondered at what kind of tragedy would make him cause the wrath of such soulless, brutal men on purpose.