Hidden Prey (Lawmen) (27 page)

She eased up from the floor, pressing her lips to his flat belly and skimming them over his ripped abs. She smoothed her palms beneath his shirt and over his muscular chest as she rose and placed her lips on his collarbone. She avoided touching the other shoulder, where he’d been shot.

For a second, the memories of last night washed over her and threatened to tear her away from the moment. But she held on to her composure, determined not to let the horrible men ruin her time with Landon. Right now was for the two of them.

He bunched his fist in her hair and buried his nose in it, and she heard his audible inhale as he breathed in the scent. “You smell so damned good.” He nuzzled her. “All of you.”

She sighed as he slid his lips over her cheek and his mouth claimed hers. He seemed to know exactly what she wanted and what ways she loved to be kissed. He sucked her tongue into his mouth and kissed her hard.

He raised his head. “I want to take off this damned thing.” He reached for the fastening on his sling. “I don’t need it.”

She braced her palms on his chest, her breathing ragged. “Are you sure?”

“Damned sure.”

He needed her help removing the sling and she tossed it onto the rocking chair when it was off. She had to unbutton his shirt for him and she took her time, slowly undoing each button while her fingers skimmed along his hot skin. She could tell by the slight tremors in his body that he was having a hard time restraining himself. When the last button was taken care of, she gently pushed the shirt over his shoulders and helped him slide it off.

She ran her fingers lightly along his shoulder, staying away from the injured area. The dressing was still clean and the wound hadn’t been bleeding—at least not enough to show through the dressing.

“I want to taste you again.” His words came out in a deep rumble that sent a thrill through her. He moved his body close to hers, his cock bumping against her belly, his chest rubbing her nipples. He ran his fingers down her side to her hip and back up again.

“I need you inside me.” She moved her mouth to his and whispered against his lips. “I
need
you. Lie on the bed.”

Still watching her, he sat on the bed and then lay back, resting his head on a pillow. His hunger for her was like flame in his eyes.

She trailed her fingers up from the base of his cock to the head and back again. “Where are your condoms?”

He stroked her hip as she teased his cock. “In the nightstand drawer.”

She smiled and moved closer to the nightstand before pulling out the drawer. A new box of condoms was tucked in the back. She opened it and took out a foil packet, and dropped the box into the drawer before closing it.

Her fingers trembled a little as she tore the foil open and pulled out the condom. She eased onto the bed and straddled his legs.

“Come on, honey.” His expression was dark, intense. “I want you to ride me. I want you to fuck me good and hard.”

The way he said it was so hot, so erotic, that she almost dropped the condom. With her eyes focused on him, she grasped his thick cock and put the condom over the head before slowly rolling it over his erection. He groaned as she pushed it all the way down to the base.

When she raised her head, she smiled at him. “
Now
I’m going to fuck you.”

She moved up his body until she straddled his waist, then rose and grasped his erection and placed it at the entrance to her core. With her gaze focused on him, she lowered herself onto his cock.

Her eyes widened and her lips parted as he filled her, stretched her. She was struck again by how amazing it felt having this man who fit so perfectly inside her. No one else had ever satisfied her the way he did.

She threw back her head and thrust her breasts out as she began riding his cock as he thrust up to meet her. She closed her eyes as he cupped one breast with his big hand, the heat of his touch adding to the fire inside her. He pinched her nipple hard and she gasped, her eyes opening in surprise. The pain was brief but electric, a current shooting to her belly and her clit.

“That’s it, honey.” He urged her on as he reached for her other breast. “Fuck. Me. Hard.”

Her breaths came faster as she rode him. His cock easily reached her G-spot, rubbing against it and drawing her closer to orgasm. Everything in her body felt tight, buzzing with electricity.

“Look at me.” His words were terse and when her gaze met his, his jaw tightened, and by the expression in his eyes, he was fighting to keep from climaxing. “I want you to come with me.”

“Yes.” Her words came out in a whimper as his eyes held hers. “Yes, please.”

She rode a few more hard thrusts when he commanded her, “Come now, Tori. Come
now
.”

Her orgasm exploded through her, throwing her into a world that seemed to spin uncontrollably. She could barely process the moment as her core clamped down on his cock, pulsing around him.

He shouted his release and his cock throbbed inside her as he drove in and out a few more times before his entire body seemed to relax completely.

She wasn’t sure her mind would ever stop spinning. When it finally did, she let his cock slip out of her and she slid onto his right arm, resting her head on his good shoulder. Her breathing came harder and faster than ever, her heart pounding in her ears.

Perspiration slicked his skin and hers, and the smell of sex permeated the room. His breathing was as hard as hers.

For a long moment they rested together, sated and relaxed. When her breathing finally slowed, and her heart no longer pounded like a drum, she tipped her head up and smiled at him. He kissed her softly and she snuggled against his side.

Gradually she slipped into a deep sleep, feeling safe with Landon, like nothing could ever happen to her again.

An early morning thunderstorm darkened the sky, and the desert monsoon rain pounded down on the rooftop, a constant thrum. Distant thunder followed lighting flashes.

Landon realized something that caused him to pause in picking up a breakfast dish. He hadn’t had any nightmares about Stacy since he’d met Tori.

What did that mean? He put the last of the dishes into the dishwasher. He also hadn’t had the desire to drink. He wasn’t an alcoholic—he didn’t miss it when he wasn’t drinking and didn’t crave it. But he had used it to self-medicate after Stacy had died.

He realized then, too, that the leg that had been shattered in the motorcycle accident hadn’t been bothering him for some time now. He wondered if the pain had been part of what he hadn’t been able to let go of.

As he straightened and closed the dishwasher, he glanced at Tori who was wiping down the breakfast bar with a damp sponge. She wore a blue T-shirt and jeans, along with the athletic shoes that George Fallon had picked up at Walmart.

He closed the dishwasher and watched her for a moment. She was so damned beautiful. Not just her looks, but also her spirit, personality, intelligence, and more. Much more.

After all she’d been through, how would she feel about what he had to tell her?

Out of nowhere came the words of the old woman wearing the mantilla at the church.
“You will die if you tell her the truth. If you don’t tell her,
she
will die.”

Hair at his nape seemed to stand on end. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. He didn’t believe in omens or predictions, or whatever the hell that bullshit was, but he’d intended to tell her the truth regardless.

Tori rinsed out the sponge, put it away, and looked at him. “Is something wrong?” She frowned. “I don’t know if I can handle any more bad news.”

He moved toward her and enveloped her in a one-armed hug before kissing her on the top of the head. When she put it that way, maybe he should hold off.

She drew away, tilting her head to meet his gaze. “What was the hug for?”

“You are stronger than you think.” He trailed his finger along her cheekbone. “In a matter of days, you have handled more than most people go through in a lifetime.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m up for more of the bad news variety.” She looked fragile in that moment, and he’d never seen her look like she might shatter. He could understand why, he just hadn’t seen that in her before. “If it’s not going to kill me and it doesn’t involve my family, I don’t want to know. At least not now.”

He ran his finger along her cheekbone and down the curve of her neck. Her words mingled with the old lady’s.

“If it’s not going to kill me…”

“If you don’t tell her,
she
will die.”

Damn.

No, he didn’t believe in crap like that. Hell, even if he did believe in them, how did he know the old lady been talking about the fact that he’d killed Tori’s brother?

If there was any chance of the old woman’s prediction coming true, he needed to tell Tori, and he needed to do it now.

“Tori.” He captured her attention and she looked at him.

“You have something bad to tell me, don’t you.” She just looked at him as she said it as a statement. “And you’re going to tell me anyway.”

He nodded. “I have to. It’s something I should have told you long before we…before we went to bed together.”

She frowned. “How bad is it?”

He looked away then back to her. “Your brother was a dealer for the Jimenez Cartel.”

She looked like she was holding her breath, her eyes widening.

Landon gripped his good hand into a fist then relaxed it again. “And as you said, a DHS agent killed him during a raid.”

She didn’t say anything, as if she knew what was coming.

“He shot at us and we returned fire.” Landon studied her brown eyes that were widening. “Ballistics came back that it was my bullet that killed your brother.”

Tori put her hand over her mouth, as if she was holding back a cry or a scream. He reached out to touch her arm but she backed away. She lowered her hand and shook her head. “No.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “I don’t want you to touch me. I need—” her breath caught. “Oh, God.”

She buried her face in her hands and her shoulders trembled with her sobs.

Landon reached out and grasped her shoulder, but before he could say anything, she straightened and shook him off. She distanced herself from his touch and headed into the living room. He followed her.

She went still. “I hear something over the storm.” She hurried to the front window and peeked through the blinds. “Someone’s driving up the road in an SUV.” She looked over her shoulder at him, a slight edge of panic in her voice. “What if it’s the cartel?”

Landon frowned as he moved toward her. “No way anyone could know that we’re here.” He squinted, peering through the blinds. Even in his surprise, he relaxed. “It’s Dylan.” Landon gave Tori a look meant to reassure her.

“I met Dylan at the DHS office.” Her chest rose and fell as she took a deep breath. Then she looked a little flushed. “And he walked in on us that night…”

“Yes, he certainly did.” Landon strode to the front door, opened it, and stepped onto the porch as Dylan parked in front of the house. He climbed out into the rain and approached Landon, the man’s expression both relieved and pissed off.

“What the hell did you mean by disappearing like that?” Dylan strode up the stairs to the porch where Landon waited for him. Rainwater dripped from his Stetson and his clothing was drenched from the downpour. “We thought you’d been blown to hell. Your family did, too.” He glanced at the front door to see Tori peering outside. “And we thought the witness was dead.”

“I didn’t know who the hell to trust.” Landon shook his head, his frustration tensing his muscles.

Dylan’s scowl turned into a frown. “You’re telling me that you didn’t trust me?”

“I didn’t want to use my damn phone.” Landon moved the hand of his right arm to the nape of his neck. “I wanted everyone to think we’d died in that blast.” He rubbed his neck, trying to ease the ache.

“How did the bastards find the second safe house?” Dylan asked. “Was it an inside job?”

Landon shook his head. “I took Tori’s phone after she took out the battery, and both were with me. After the explosion, I found a special tracker in the phone that worked independently of the phone and battery.”

“Holy shit.” Dylan’s jaw dropped. “How did they get it on her phone?”

“We think her boyfriend put it there.” Landon shook his head. “They likely got the information when they tortured him.”

Dylan’s mouth tightened into a thin line. “Damn.”

Landon lowered his hand from his nape. “I would have bought a burner phone to use to call you, but I was out cold when our help went to the store for us.”

Dylan looked at Landon’s left arm. It wasn’t in a sling today but he was favoring it, the bandages peeking from beneath his T-shirt sleeve. “What happened to your arm?”

“One of the sonsofbitches shot me in the shoulder.” Landon grimaced. “It’s slowing me down.”

“Well, that’s fucked up. The last thing you need. ” Dylan quieted. “We confirmed by dental records that O’Donnell and Danson died in the explosion.”

Landon pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. He’d been sure they had been killed, but the confirmation made his chest hurt and his blood boil even hotter.