Retribution (26 page)

“Oh I
know
what I saw. He’s taken with
you. That man has no right, Kat! He’s an outsider. I’ve known you
since you were sixteen.”

“Oh my God. Let go of me.”
She tried to move and he slammed her back against the wall again.
She released a painful gasp. His face was still inches from
hers.

“You are going to fucking
listen to me! I’m sick of your condescending and your uppity
attitude towards me around that man. I’ve always been there for
you. I deserve your loyalty—“

She narrowed her gaze
furiously. “Loyalty? You deserve a bullet for the crimes you’ve
done.” She said viciously.

It must’ve been effective
because Ivan released her and looked a little shocked. She was sick
of paying for her father’s sins. This was just another man thinking
she owed him something. She’d been kidnapped, beaten and kept under
a roof of a man she hated, and now this man thought he had the
right to tell her what to do. She wouldn’t stand for it! The wine
she consumed that night probably gave her a little courage
also.

She pointed a finger at
him. “You! You are just as much as a filthy liar and murderer as he
is. I blame you for what happened to me too! And if you ever touch
me again, I’ll shoot you myself!” She turned abruptly, opened the
door, stepped through it, and slammed it behind her. She leaned
against it and desperately tried to catch her breath. She’d never
spoken like that to anyone. She was terrified, yet exhilarated at
the same time. She reached over and slid the lock on the door. She
was worried he’d recover and come busting in. To her relief she
heard his heavy footsteps down the hall.

Should she worry about what
he’d tell her father? No, if Ivan had something he would have
already taken it to him. She was sure of it. Whatever he saw wasn’t
proof enough. Now she understood what he was up to. He was trying
to get a reaction out of her over it, and it didn’t work. She could
thank Ryan for that. He always told her to use those feelings of
rage to keep her focused, and it worked. She was sure she was
convincing. She crossed her fingers.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Please say something,” she
said softly.

Ryan had returned to their
rooms twenty minutes after Ivan left and she told him what had
happened. He hadn’t said a word during or after she’d talked, and
she honestly couldn’t decipher his expression. It was the same one
he’d wear if he was reading a newspaper. He just lifted her arm to
examine the bruise on her wrist. His fingers traced it
gently.

“Ryan?” He met her eyes
and she clamped her jaw tight.
Oh, there
was definitely something there.
He was
enraged. “I’m okay.”

He raised her arm to his
mouth and placed a soft kiss on the inside of her wrist as his eyes
remained on hers. “I know you are.” His voice was
softe—concerned.

She smiled. The anger
wasn’t toward her.

He then pulled her into his
embrace and kissed the top of her head.

“You obviously aren’t angry
with me.”

“Uh-uh.”

“Um, penny for your
thoughts?”

“Nope.”

“That bad?”

“Yup.”

“Do
you
need a drink to calm down?” she
teased, trying to lighten the situation.

He moved her back from
him. “No, but I
do
know something that would help.” He took her mouth
aggressively stifling her gasp.

Her hands rapidly fumbled
at the buttons on his shirt, and the zipper got stuck on her gown,
so he just ripped it while pulling it down to bare her
breasts.

“That’s a two thousand
dollar dress,” she murmured against his mouth. There was laughter
in her tone.

“I’ll replace it,” he said
huskily, lifting her to him.

She groaned feeling her
bare breasts brush his naked torso. He was warmer than she was, and
for some reason the hair on his chest felt erotic on her skin. She
wrapped her arms around his neck and tangled her fingers in his
hair kissing him passionately.

He turned and walked past
the bed to the large chair in his room. She didn’t understand what
he was doing until he sat in it with her straddling him. He
gathered the material of her dress and pulled it up her bare
thighs. “Your skin is as silky as this material.”

She reached down and undid
his slacks, then lowering his zipper, followed by his underwear to
free him. All the while her mouth never left his.

He cupped her bottom and
lifted her onto his member, releasing a deep groan of satisfaction
as she enveloped him.

They certainly didn’t get
all their clothes off before he drove into her. His shirt was open
and hanging off him, and her dress was still on but around her
waist. He only managed to get his dress pants down to his
ankles.

She laughed softly at their
disheveled state before his mouth smothered the sound. He made love
to her possessively; hard and fast, and she knew then, that she
belonged to him.

An hour later, they were
still in the chair with her laying against him. Her head was tucked
under his chin. She could have stayed there forever because during
moments like this, it washed everything evil out of her
life.

“A penny for your
thoughts?”

His deep voice brought her
head up. “I was just thinking how you seem to take me away from all
of this destruction.”

His hands smoothed down her
back and over her bottom. “You realize that it actually goes both
ways. I’ve never known such peace until I’m with you.”

Her eyes searched his as
they started to water. That was the first deeply emotional thing he
admitted to.

“I love you
Kat.”

Now she was
crying.

“Shh.” He moved her head
down to his shoulder. “I’m not leaving you, and I’m not leaving
this place without you.”

She knew he wouldn’t say
such a thing unless he truly meant it. She also never knew what
true love was until that moment. “What if this goes
sour?”

“It won’t.”

She knew he was just saying
that to reassure her, but it still didn’t take that dreaded worry
away. What if she lost him too, just like her mother? The only
other person in the world to truly love her.

He shifted, and pulled her
back. “Time for bed. We’ll wake up sore sleeping like
this.”

They removed the rest of
their clothing and wrapped themselves around one another for a
peaceful sleep.

***

The next morning she awoke
with him lying on his side, with his head propped up on his arm,
staring at her.

She rubbed the sleep from
her eyes. “How long have you been doing that?”

“Long enough to appreciate
your beauty.”

She blushed and hit him
playfully. “That’s so embarrassing. I know I’m a mess.”

He smiled. “You looked
thoroughly ravished, and trust me, it’s appealing.” He lifted his
hand and used two fingers to move hair off her face. “You’re cheeks
are flushed and your eyes are vibrant.”

His hair was mussed up and
he had thick stubble on his chin and jaw. “You should talk. You’re
drop dead gorgeous. Even when just waking up. Is there any time you
aren’t attractive?”

He chuckled. Then it
faltered to a smile. “I need you to do something for
me.”

“Anything.” Her tone meant
absolutely
anything.

His smile
widened.

“All right. What do you
desire?” she teased rolling to her back and splaying her
arms.

“I’d love to, but
later.”

She pouted.

He flipped her lip with a
finger. She had a beautiful mouth, and enticing as it was at that
moment, he had another agenda. “I need you to pack a small bag of
essential clothing and toiletries.”

She sat up abruptly knowing
immediately that he was excluding her from the plan. “What?
Why?”

“I need you out of here
before tonight. The shit is going to hit the fan and I can’t lose
you in it.”

“What is happening
tonight?”

He never said
anything.

“It’s what you told my
father, isn’t it? You set him up?”

“Not exactly, and I’m not
telling you a damn thing because you’d get yourself into the thick
of it.”

She breathed deeply and
stared at him. “We are in this together. You agreed.”

He sat up and cupped her
face meeting her eyes. “I’m serious Kat. Jackson is going to take
you someplace safe. I’ll contact you as soon as I can.”

“And how are you going to
explain my absence to my father? You know he keeps close tabs on
me. Ivan knows everything I’ve done outside of this bedroom, and
suspecting things going on inside. He’s dangerous.”

“They’re all dangerous, and
that’s why I can’t have you hurt. I’ll figure something out with
your father.”

“He’ll know something’s
wrong as soon as he sees you and not me.”

“You’re not leaving until
after supper. He’s got something going down tonight and I’ve given
him an edge on finding the leak in his organization. I’ve decided
I’m going—”

“What? And get yourself
killed?” She pulled back from him. “Oh hell no!”

“Listen—”

She scrambled out of his
bed and shook her head. Then, without a word picked up her shambled
dress, shoes, and underwear, and stomped into her room slamming the
door.

“Ah hell.” Ryan stared at
the closed door. He expected resistance but this was a little more
than what he’d bargained for. He got out of bed and pulled on his
pajama pants, walked over to the adjoining door and tried the
knob.

It was locked.

He pressed his lips into a
thin line and shook his head. Well, he shouldn’t have expected
anything less from her. He knocked softly.

No answer.

“Kat, I can’t do this
without you. I need you to go with Jack. I can’t leave you alone in
this house in case something goes horribly wrong.”

“You and Jack can go to
hell,” came the muffled answer. Something hard hit the door. She’d
thrown something at it.

He took a deep breath for
patience. This was no longer amusing. Well, he could break down the
door and turn her over his knee, but that would be a waste of
effort with her. She was stubborn and it would be like wrestling
with barbed wire. Instead, he’d wait her out.

He had a shower, and
dressed. He took his time about it too. Then he sat in a chair and
waited. All the while he had visions of strangling her or kissing
her. She had to be the most frustrating woman he’d ever
met.

It was another hour before
the door opened. She stood there in a long white skirt with yellow
flowers printed on it, a white sleeveless button up v-neck shirt,
and her hair in a ponytail. She stood there with one hand on her
hip looking absolutely stunning.

“Are you done pouting?” he
asked politely.

She lifted her chin and
walked by him. “I’m hungry. I want breakfast, and I don’t want to
eat here.” She opened the door to his room. When he didn’t move she
turned back to him. “Are you coming?”

He took his time standing,
adjusted his suit jacket and followed her.

They took his jeep, found a
quiet restaurant on South Miami Beach and she ate in silence
completely ignoring him.

Ryan fully intended on
making her listen, but he had to her work through her anger first.
If he knew her as well as he thought he did, she’d put up one hell
of a fight if he insisted on her compliance at that moment. He’d
wait for her to start talking.

That didn’t happen until
she was done her meal and spent another half an hour staring at the
waves washing the beach. Over that time, he could physically see
the anger drain out of her expression. What replaced it was,
fear.

“I’m scared,” she said
softly.

“I know.”

She faced him. “I meant,
I’m scared of losing you.”

“I know what you
meant.”

She nodded and took a drink
from her glass of water. “I can’t go Ryan, please don’t ask me to.
I have this horrible feeling in my gut that it would be the last
time I see you.”

He reached across the table
and squeezed her hand. “That’s not going to happen. I have—measures
in place.” She opened her mouth to say something and he held up his
hand. “No, I won’t tell you. Don’t ask. The less you know the
better.”

She clamped her jaw shut
and looked away again. “That doesn’t do anything for my nerves.
Where were you expecting Jack going to take me?”

“I have a lakefront cabin
in Northern Ontario.”

Her eyes widened.
“Canada?”

He nodded. “It’s
untraceable back to me. It’s safe there.”

“Oh no, that’s too far
Ryan. I won’t go.”