Earth Bound (28 page)

Ilya shrugged. “If I knew, I would have told you. When I heard you were headed this way, I wanted to come along for obvious reasons.”

“Levi?” Jonas prompted.

Levi shook his head. “We have a warning system on the property and when someone shows up, we all check it out. I had no idea you were coming.”

Max nodded. “Airiana's work could be considered dangerous, and we wanted to make certain everyone living on the farm would be safe. When the system goes off, we all come running. You probably know more than we do.”

“I see.” Jonas didn't sound convinced. “Lexi called me late last night and asked me to come out this morning. She said a threat had been made and recorded on the farm line?” He made it a question.

Gavriil nodded slowly. “Yes. I answered one of the calls, thinking to take an order, and the man on the other end threatened some dire consequences if we all continued to harbor Jezebel.” Gavriil stretched his legs in front of him in a casual pose as if the entire matter was inconsequential.

Jonas raised his eyebrow. “Did Lexi know this person or why they would be threatening one of the women on the farm?”

Gavriil heard Lexi come out of the bedroom and stop abruptly. She definitely had overheard Jonas's question. She didn't move. He rose immediately. “Excuse me. I'll go find her. Levi, you know your way around a kitchen, would you mind making coffee? And tea for Lexi? The dog had her puppies last night so we were up very late. I didn't have time to make any this morning.”

Levi pushed himself up, using the wide arms of the chair. “Sure. I can make a decent cup of coffee.”

Gavriil nodded his head briefly and walked from the room, keeping each stride measured and deliberate, although everything in him urged him to run to her. He found her exactly where he thought she'd be—on the floor. Her fist was jammed in her mouth, although she was struggling to breathe.

He reached down and lifted her into his arms, ignoring the sudden flash of pain from his injured biceps. Cradling her against his chest, he went on down the hall to the back of the house, far from the others. He couldn't use the kitchen door because he'd sent his brother there. The only other exit was through the atrium. He yanked the door open and took her into the wild jungle of plants.

Lexi drew in deep shuddering breaths, clinging to him.

He looked down into her face. She was embarrassed, but still having trouble getting her pounding heart and labored breathing under control.

“If you aren't careful, woman,” he said sternly, “you're going to completely blow the image I've worked so hard on.” He was very aware of the tiny birds flitting from branch to branch as he moved through the leaves and flowers to the door leading outside to the wraparound porch.

A small laugh escaped Lexi and she buried her face against his shoulder. Her body relaxed a little bit more, curling into him. He stepped out into the open air. The fog touched their faces and wrapped them in a silvery cloak.

“Just take a deep breath and look around you. I'm always amazed when I see the plants and the flowers, the crops growing the way they do here. Even the trees are healthy and seem happy.” He sank down into a large chair facing the forest, settling her into his lap.

Lexi lifted her head obediently and looked around her. Almost at once he noticed a difference in her breathing. His thumb moved over her inner wrist, stroking her pounding pulse with little soothing caresses.

“I can handle the sheriff for you, if you need me to, Lexi, but I don't think you do. I think you can walk into your own living room and tell him about these men—and women—who are a threat to you. Levi, Thomas and Max are here along with Ilya. You're family to them. They will protect you with their lives. And then there's me. We aren't going to talk about what I am or what I'd do to keep you safe.”

She pressed her hand to the side of his jaw, looking at him with her forest green eyes, always so loving when she looked at him. “I'm not afraid of them. It's just memories. They're so terrible and I get caught up in them, like I'm still there, still that child trapped and beaten. I've got this amazing place, my wonderful sisters and you. I'm not beaten down, but it feels the same when I go there in my mind.”

“I can understand that. I rarely allow myself to think of those earlier years of brutal training when there was no hope and no way out.” He smoothed his hand down her long sweep of hair. “We're here now and we're dealing with everything together,” he reminded her. “Even the memories.”

She lay back in his arms, nuzzling his chest with her face. “You're always so good at making me feel like I'm not alone. I appreciate you sharing your own experiences with me. Very few men would do that.”

“We're in this together. Our way, remember?”

She nodded. “I'm okay now. I can face this. I knew it might come back on me some day, and I'm glad it did with you and your brothers here rather than just me trying to keep my sisters safe. And now we've got the children.”

He noticed the way all of the women and even his brothers considered the children as if they were a part of every household. He was beginning to understand the infrastructure of the farm and the way they were all connected to make their family work.

“We've got to go back inside. I don't trust that Drago won't come through the door and eat the sheriff while we're gone, especially if he gets it in his head to wander around looking for you. I think they all have the impression I've locked you up somewhere or worse, murdered you, buried your body in the forest and taken over your house.”

“Gee. I wonder how they could possibly have gotten that idea.” She laughed softly and shook her head. “You really were having fun in there playing the part of the big bad wolf, weren't you?”

“What do you mean, ‘playing the part'? I
am
the big bad wolf and they all know it. You're the only one who doesn't.”

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, looking into his eyes. “You're a wolf, all right, but you're mine and I think you're amazing.” She leaned in and kissed him.

Her lips brushed over his. Once. Twice. His heart stuttered. Her tongue teased the seam of his mouth so that he opened to her. His belly somersaulted. It was the first time she'd voluntarily initiated any contact between them that might be considered sensual—and it was sensual. Her mouth was a hot paradise impossible not to get lost in. Fire raced over him, spread through his veins in a rush toward his groin.

His fist bunched in the silk of her hair, anchoring her to him, his mouth insistent, possessive, taking command of hers. She didn't pull away in spite of the sudden surge of aggression on his part. If anything, she melted into him, kissing him back, pouring herself into him, giving herself to him.

Her reaction was so unexpected, so shocking to him, the gift of trust she suddenly gave to him. Love for her flooded his heart and mind, burst through his soul until he felt
nearly overwhelmed with emotion. He was in unfamiliar territory with Lexi, but he wanted her trust more than anything else.

The world around him receded until there was only the woman in his arms, pouring her love into him like some secret crystal stream only she knew how to create. She wiped out every ugly memory of every depravity he'd witnessed over so many brutal years. She was innocence and everything good he had never thought to know and she was his, right there, giving herself to him.

He kissed her over and over, reveling in the fact that she responded with eagerness. His mouth was hard and demanding, and she kissed him just as thoroughly as he kissed her. She didn't hold back any part of herself, but melted into his skin and bones, hot and wild, every bit on the edge of control as he was.

He had to be the one to stop, to make certain neither of them pushed too far. The wildfire was already pushing to the very edges of control, spreading through both of them like a storm. He heard the roar of thunder in his ears, felt the burn along every nerve ending, a sizzling hot need that rushed from every part of his body to center in his groin.

“Lexi.” He breathed her name. “You have no idea what you mean to me.” Or what she did to him—and he didn't want her to know—not yet.

Her gaze drifted over his face, and for the first time he saw a hint of possession there, and that look only fed the fire in his body. She was beginning to stake her own claim on him whether she realized it or not. He hadn't known until that moment how important it was to him. He'd never seen that look in a woman's eyes before. From a predatory temptress—yes—but not out of love.

“Are you even going to acknowledge that you know me when we go back inside?” Lexi asked, a mischievous light gleaming in her eyes.

“That's a good question,” he replied, deliberately thoughtful.

She leaned forward and unexpectedly bit him on the earlobe. The small sting traveled like an arrow straight to his cock. She was dangerous now, a sensuous woman who had no idea how tempting she was. She was being playful, and all he could do was try to tamp down his sexual response.

“Ow.” He massaged his ear. “Fine, I suppose I can give you a nod or something, but don't expect kisses. That's out.”

She raised her eyebrow. “Really? None? Not even a stolen one?”

She made a little moue with her lips, and instantly he had the urge to kiss her all over again. “You really are dangerous, woman.” He caught her upper arms in a hard grip and shoved her backward. “Get off my lap.”

She gave a little shocked cry and grabbed him with both hands, clutching his shoulders to keep from falling. He laughed and dragged her closer.

“Stop playing with fire,
solnyshko moya
, we've got company and we're neglecting them. Right now I can guarantee you, the lot of them are trying to find excuses to go through the house and make certain you're still alive.”

“Your brothers won't think that.” She slipped off his lap to stand close to him, between his thighs, her hands on his shoulders. “Don't worry so much about your big bad reputation. If someone ever sees the truth about you, I promise to protect you.” She brushed a kiss along his forehead. “You're a good man, Gavriil Prakenskii, and I'm crazy about you.”

She wasn't near enough crazy about him, but he intended to see to it that she had every reason to become more so with each passing day. She moved him like no other person had ever done in his life. He had never spent five minutes alone with another human being unless it was absolutely necessary. He couldn't get enough of spending time in her company—just one more sign that he was that far gone.

“Come on,” he said abruptly, too overloaded from emotion and needing to shut down for a few minutes. “We've got work to do.”

She flashed him a smile but took his outstretched hand and tugged as if she was really helping him up. He found her fingers threaded with his and wasn't certain how to gracefully take his hand back before he was anywhere near his brothers.

They slipped back through the atrium into the main part of the house. As they started down the hall, he felt the slightest tremor go through her body. Glancing down, he could only see the top of her head. Her hair spilled around her face and her lashes veiled her eyes.

“Lexi, seriously, you don't have to do this,” he murmured softly.

She let go of his hand. “Of course I do. And so do you. You don't like it any more than I do, you're just better at knowing how to keep your feelings a secret.”

“It's an art form.” She was absolutely correct in her assessment. He was either slipping up or she was so connected and in tune with him that she was becoming adept at reading him. “Go ahead of me. I'll be right behind you.”

Lexi would take the attention away from him if she went first. His brothers and the sheriff would be assessing her health and state of mind instead of watching him look at her. It would give him the moments needed to slip back into his much more familiar role.

Jonas Harrington stood up the moment Lexi entered the room. Gavriil's brothers followed suit. Lexi looked a little startled at the sign of respect and she glanced nervously back at Gavriil. He suppressed a groan, but kept his features expressionless, even when he reached out and skimmed a finger down her back to steady her.

Levi, Thomas and Max were all watching him, not Lexi. He should have known. He gave them his stone face, but kept his hand in the small of Lexi's back to remind her they were in this together.

“Lexi, it's good to see you,” Jonas said. “Hannah sends her regards and said to stop by to meet our baby if you get the chance. She wanted to come but Libby wanted her resting. It was a bit of a tough birth.”

Gavriil respected the man more and more, although he was leery of him. He gave something personal to Lexi to put her at ease. His smile was genuine and he kept his voice pitched low and sincere. He would be hell on wheels in an interrogation room.

Lexi didn't take a step back, but she leaned into Gavriil's palm even as she extended her hand to the sheriff. “Thank you for coming.”

“I brought you a cup of tea, Lexi,” Levi said, closing in on one side of her.

Thomas stepped close as well, so that when Lexi shook Jonas's hand she was surrounded on three sides by the Prakenskii brothers.

“We might as well be comfortable,” Gavriil said. “Lexi, why don't you sit down over there.” He swept his hand toward the chair he preferred she sit in.
Take the yellow striped one, Lexi. I have a complete view of the entire room as well as the window from the one beside it.

Lexi nodded, took the steaming tea mug with a nod of thanks toward Levi, and immediately sank into the chair Gavriil had indicated. “Congratulations on the birth of your daughter, Jonas. You and Hannah must be so happy.”

“She's beautiful,” Jonas said. “Although she sleeps most of the time. I hold her anyway.” He flashed an engaging grin.