Her Hollywood Hitman: A Dark Romantic Suspense (10 page)

At that moment, I could barely resist her. And what she said next made it even harder.

Gabriella

“Red,” I said, keeping my eyes closed. “ Come to bed with me.” The need in my body was desperate, horrible. But there was a greater need taking me over. The fear was gone now, replaced by incredible exhaustion.

“I can’t do that, Gabi.” I felt the weight of him as he sat down next to me. I could even
smell
him, the signature of his cologne clean and fresh. “I took advantage of you last time you were here.”

“You don’t want me,” I said, opening my eyes and looking into the clear blue of his.
 

Didn’t he want me? Hadn’t he wanted me when I was here before? Or was I just a diversion?
 
The weight of wanting him hit me again.
What if this wasn’t right? What if this man was just using me?

He chuckled and smoothed his hair. “No, I do. I told you I wanted to fuck you until you couldn’t stand properly.” I cracked a smile. His eyes were clear, earnest.

“Hmmm, I think you said you wanted to fuck me until my legs were shaking. Or something like that. When are you going to deliver?” I bit my lip and looked up at him.

“Probably when you stop getting yourself into so much trouble. When I can show you how you… how you really make me feel.”

“Hey! You’re the troublesome one. You’re supposed to take me away from all of this.” I punched him lightly on the arm, barely able to sit up. He sighed and loosened his tie, pulling it off and hanging it over the post of the bed. Did the man ever step out of a suit? It was like he was born in the damn thing. A shockwave of pure need ran through me, but for now, I knew that the exhaustion would win.

“Sleeping will help with that right now. As for me… you don’t want me. Besides, if I touch you, if I have you, I’ll never be able to let you go.” His words rolled out all at once. I tried sitting up, but the dizziness made me drop down again. Those assholes had really clocked me good.
 

“That doesn’t sound bad, Red.” I reached for him, taking his hand in mine. My fingertips traced the latticework of lines on his hand. The scars and calluses told me of a history that I didn’t understand. That I might not ever fully know. Still, my body warmed to his touch, no matter how dangerous it was. As dangerous as it was for us to be together, it was what I wanted. Even if I was just an entertainment, even if his words weren’t real, he was the first man I’d ever wanted like this. And oh, how I
needed
him. More than anything. More than common sense should even allow.

“Gabi, you need to sleep. I need to dress that wound. And we also need to figure out what the fuck is going on. Everything in good time.” He squeezed my hand back, and a wave of heat washed through my body. I felt myself fading, but it didn’t stop me from wanting. I had desired Red from the moment I saw him. For now, I could rely on my fantasies of him. I shifted in the bed, settling down into his sheets. I felt his fingers slip from between mine.
 

“You’ll be here in the morning? I won’t scare you away?”

 
He chuckled, and the sound reassured me. He would be there, and he would take care of me. He threw a shirt and a pair of boxers to me.

“You’re the sexiest woman I’ve seen in years. But if you’re going to sleep here, put some damn clothes on or I won’t be able to control myself,” he said. There was desire hidden in his voice, raw and husky.
 

I smiled. “I’m too tired,” I sighed. But I sat up, the towel falling away. He cleared his throat and looked away, then pulled one of his white t-shirts over my head and helped me slip on a pair of his boxer briefs. And here we were again. I was already stealing his clothes for my own use. Well, through no fault of my own.
 

I felt something cool touch my head where the men had hit me. The coolness was soothing at first, but the sharp pain from the gash cut through my body.

“Fuck, be careful, Red.”
 

“It’s just some water. And we’ve got to get some Bactine on this bastard. And some ointment.” I gritted my teeth as he wiped around the outside of the wound and sprayed it with the disinfectant. Finally, I felt gauze and a bandage on my skin. The wound quieted to a dull throb, and I let out a long sigh.
 

“Don’t call my dad just yet. We need to stay here.” I fell back onto the bed and buried my face in the pillow. I was starting to drift down into the depths of the sleep that my body craved.
 

“Yeah,” he muttered. “I won’t be calling that asshole any time soon.”

Red

I watched her as she lay sleeping. She knew we were in danger. She knew why all of it had happened. And she knew she was a pawn in a horrible game that her father was playing.
 

How must it feel, to be betrayed by the only person you have?

I had the thought that she might be turning to me to deal with some of that pain. And good God, if she tried again, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop myself. I’d bury myself inside of her and get lost forever.

But did she know what I was? Did she know who I was, what I’d done? There was no right way to tell her. I couldn’t. If she found out, she’d never want anything to do with me. Who would? I certainly wouldn’t.
 

The girl slept, unaware of what I was planning. The moon hung in the sky, and the day had taken its toll on me as well. I sat down in the armchair by the balcony, desperate for a cigarette. But instead, I just watched Gabi. I was aware again of just how delicate she was, of how vulnerable she was because of her father’s evil bullshit. And because of mine.
 

I wanted her in my life. But I knew I’d do the right thing. I’d have to. She was going to Berkeley again next week, and now was as good a time as any to pay the dues that I owed. I could face up to what I’d done, put Art away for good. There was nothing tying me to life here in Los Angeles. I’d been running too long.

 
And if Art was this close to spilling the beans or farming me out to other shithead criminals in the city, I needed to pay for what I’d done. And he did too. I needed him out of Gabi’s life. Art probably thought I’d stay quiet, let the whole attack pass over. But he was wrong. If it was best for Gabi, I’d liquidate as much as I could from my bank account and get it all to Gabi’s account before turning myself in.
 

Right before I turn you in, Art. You sick, nasty asshole. Using your daughter as a pawn to get to me… How original.

A pawn
.
Is that what Gabi was?
 

I shuddered and yawned. The ever-burning light of the city spilled into the room, illuminating the deep brown of Gabi’s hair. It fell in a thick tangle over my pillow. Shades of her mother, Rose. Gabi’s beauty had nothing to do with Art. And really, maybe it had nothing to do with Rose either. It was all her own, and there was a light that shone in her. Something too deep and too real to be explained in any conventional terms.
 

“Beautiful girl,” I said, watching as her chest rose and fell. “Why would you want me?”

And if I needed to go to the clink to protect that, well, I would. If I needed to put my life and my livelihood on the line, I would. I was a criminal, anyway. And shit, there wasn’t much in the world that could hurt me, despite whatever Art had up his sleeve. I looked out at the city. Even at the peak of midnight, it was too hazy to see the stars. For now I could sleep, and when I woke up, Gabi would still be here. And if she was here, I could protect her.

I woke up hours later to a dark room. My head was heavy and my mouth dry. The sleep I’d gotten sitting in the armchair wasn’t good. But I couldn’t have gotten in bed next to Gabi. That wouldn’t have been right. I would have wanted her too much, and she would have turned to me… I knew it.

I let my eyes adjust to the dim light, and I looked over to the bed.
 

Nothing. There was nothing
. She was gone. I leapt up, coming to consciousness all at once.
 

“Gabi!” I yelled. “Gabi, where the fuck are you?” I cried out. Adrenaline rushed through my body, my hair standing on end.
 

Who had gotten to her now? Shit. She’d been taken again. Taken while I slept. I grabbed the pistol that I kept on my person, taking the safety off and shifting around the apartment. “Alright you motherfucker, come out and give me the girl.” There was a noise like static, almost like a radio or television left on too long. Behind it, I heard Gabi’s voice, muffled by the sound.

“In here,” the voice said again. I laughed out loud and wiped the film of sweat away from my forehead. It was the sink. She was in the bathroom. I breathed out a sigh of relief and put the gun down.
The fucking gun
. I unbuttoned the top button of my shirt, my heart rate coming down bit by bit. The sound of the sink stopped, and I listened as she dried her hands. I heard her stumble slightly, nearly falling to the floor. I should have run in to catch her, but I didn’t. She needed to feel strong—without me.

“Why aren’t you in here, catching me and telling me what to do?” Her voice came out mocking, even through the barrier of the wall. I sighed and sat back down.
 

“You’re fine taking care of yourself, Gabi.” I heard a rich peal of laughter from the other side of the door. I thought of her, soaping her tits in the shower before, the curves of her body rich and inviting. My cock stiffened even at the thought of it. I sank back in one of my chairs, wondering if she knew just what she did to me. She was a confident woman but she was
young
. And I was sure she had no idea. She couldn’t know what she was to me… a fresh rain after a drought, a long sleep after exhaustion. And in such a short time.

The door to the bathroom opened, and I pulled my phone out of my pocket, looking at it idly. I didn’t know what the sight of her might do to me. I knew we should stay apart, that I should resist. Maybe it would have been fine a few days ago to let myself fall for this girl… but not now. I couldn’t let it happen. It was irresponsible to put her in such danger.
 

I looked up to see Gabi’s body, resplendently naked.
 

“I’m all clean now, Red,” she purred, pulling a bobby pin out of her hair and putting it down on the table beside her. Her curls fell free, and she brushed them out with her fingers. “And fed. And I’ve slept. You’re all out of excuses.” Her breasts were full and round, her hips a smooth natural curve. The clothes I had given her were at the door in a pile. That flawless, glowing skin… those raw, rich eyes. Splendid. Splendidly gorgeous. The only imperfection was the bandage on the side of her head, artfully hidden beneath her curls. My cock twitched again, the desire coming like a hot jolt through my body.
 

“Gabi…” I was struck dumb. All of my postulating didn’t matter with this woman standing in front of me. I would have her, and I’d take what I needed.

Gabriella

In a way, I wanted this as soon as I saw Red. The coldness in his eyes, the scars on his face. All of it told a story, a story of danger and intrigue. And I guess, just like my mother, it’s what I was attracted to. No matter. I knew what he was, even if I didn’t know what he had done. And that meant he was off limits for me. Not just because of my father but because of the woman I wanted to become.
 

If I was being honest, that made me want him more. I was already slick from the dreams I’d had of Red, from being in his bed, smelling his clothes on me. I knew his body, but only a very little. I didn’t know what dark desires lay hidden beneath the surface. But here I was, drawn to him, and I meant to find out what was hidden beneath his stony surface.
 

“Gabi,” he said, his voice a hoarse whisper. “You don’t know what you’re doing. Men like me... we break women like you.” I paused, need coursing through my body.
 

“Break me,” I said, stepping closer to him. His body was tense, coiled like a snake ready to strike. He was holding himself back, but he didn’t need to. “Break me, I said. Did you hear me?” My voice was needy, desperate. I walked to him and touched his hair lightly, marveling at the mix of red and gold between my fingers.

“Gabi, back away. I can’t control myself with you. I can’t promise I’ll be gentle.”

“Don’t be gentle.” His let forth a groan, as deep and resonant as the growl of an animal. He drew his hands to my ass, squeezing it so hard that I knew he would leave marks. The pain made me gasp, and a strange wave of fear hit me. I knew I was tempting him, pushing him to his limit, just as I had done before. He stood, taking me in his arms and crushing his lips against mine, his tongue hot and searching. He pushed me against the overstuffed chair, forcing me down. I sighed as the fabric of his rumpled suit brushed against my body, sending an agonizing wave of longing and pleasure through me.
 

“Damn you, Red,” I moaned as he moved a hand to my breast, cupping it gently and rolling my nipple between his thumb and forefinger. I groaned, and he bent down, silencing me with a kiss.
 

“What do you want, Gabi?” He ran his lips over my cheek and down to my neck, sending chills throughout my body and wetness directly to my sex.
 

“I... I want everything,” I moaned. The whole of it. His body, taking pleasure in mine. Red lifted me in his arms, walking back across his penthouse to the bedroom. He threw me down on the soft bed again, growling. I yelped, and he pinned my arms. Pain and pleasure intertwined in my body.

He pulled me to the edge of the bed and let his hands roam over my body, kneading, searching, squeezing. Fire ran through me, fire like I’d never felt before. I cried out as he spread my legs, pressing me open. The agony of all the desire I’d held in my body, deep and full of flame, built all at once, making my mind go blank. Red growled and bit the flesh of my thigh, adding a jolt of agony to the flame that already inhabited every part of my being.