Riding the Line (22 page)
Robyn dug her nails into his biceps as another climax threatened. ‘Do we have to talk about this now?’
He nodded, his attention flicking between her face and her sex. ‘That’s not how I feel at all, honey.’
She listened to the slick wet sound of her pleasure as he reached down and pulled her panties completely off her legs. ‘When you offered yourself to me like that, I almost came in my jeans.’ He bent to kiss her breast. ‘I wanted to make love to you more than I wanted to breathe.’
‘It didn’t sound like that to me.’
Robyn closed her eyes as his fingers joined the torment of his cock. He squeezed her clit until she looked at him.
‘If you were my woman, I’d take you like that all the time. No barriers between us, just my cock and your pussy full of my come. Full all the time because I wouldn’t let you out of bed much.’
‘Wow, you’re so macho.’
Robyn tried to laugh it off, but it was difficult when all she could think of was being in bed with Dakota 24/7, feeling him inside her, on top of her, coming with her . . .
‘You know you’d like it. Me all over you, in our bed, on the couch, in the shower . . .’
‘At the laundromat . . .’
He smiled. ‘See? You’re getting the idea.’ His gaze intensified. ‘Stay with me and we can have that together for as long as we both want it.’
Robyn licked her lips. ‘What exactly are you saying?’
His hips moved back and forth as if he couldn’t stop himself filling her. She watched him fight for control.
‘I want you to stay with me. I don’t want you to go back to that apartment and that fucking moron who scared you.’
‘I have to go back sometime. He has all my stuff and the apartment is mine.’
She shifted uneasily beneath him, aware of his cock pulsing deep inside her and the tension etched in his face. Why did he always start conversations at such unsuitable times? Even as the question occurred to her, the answer flashed through her brain. Because he was in control and she was distracted by the size of his cock and what he could do with it.
She gave him her best smile and slowly squeezed her internal muscles tight around his shaft. His expression changed and he arched his back.
‘Don’t do that, I’m going to come and you haven’t answered . . . Oh fuck, you did that deliberately, didn’t you?’
He started pumping into her, his hands hard on her hips, his mouth descending to capture her lips as he climaxed deep inside her. As he collapsed over her, his whole body shuddering as he spasmed and shook, Robyn allowed herself a quiet smile of triumph.
Chapter Sixteen
Robyn slipped through the side door of the hotel and ran to the taxi rank. Dakota thought she was heading up to their room to go to bed while he finished discussing business with his family, but she still didn’t have long to escape him. She gave the cab driver her home address and sat back with a sigh.
At least she could retrieve some of her clothes and credit cards before she had to return to the hotel and face Dakota’s wrath. She’d left the apartment so fast she’d forgotten everything and had to hitch-hike her way to New Mexico. God knows what would have happened if she hadn’t met Dakota. She would’ve had to call Damien eventually.
If she played it right, she might even be able to get in and out of the apartment without seeing Damien. He was probably out clubbing, schmoozing and doing smack anyway. God, she hoped he was. She’d already decided that if he was there she’d come right back. Even she wasn’t stupid enough to force a confrontation.
The cab pulled up outside the quaint converted 1950s beach-style house and Robyn got out. She loved the old-style charm of the apartment and its proximity to the beach. Parking was a bitch, but it was worth it. She waved at the cab driver. She’d asked the guy to wait for her and he’d agreed. There were no lights shining in the upstairs front windows. She hoped it meant Damien wasn’t home. She dug her keys out from the bottom of her purse and hesitantly approached the outside staircase that led up to her floor. If he’d changed the locks she was in deep shit.
To her surprise, her key worked and she carefully eased herself inside the hallway. Damien was either too cheap to install new locks or he wasn’t trying to stop her from coming back. Her smile was bitter. Hey, she was still a commodity to him, one he wanted to make money off. Why would he try to keep her out?
The scent of stale coffee, unwashed sheets and alcohol wafted over her and she grimaced. What had happened to the maid service? Had Damien got rid of that too? She stepped into the combined kitchen and living space. Yeah, he’d trashed her place, treated it like an overflowing ashtray. A sick feeling grew in her gut, swiftly followed by a wave of anger.
She would get him out of her life if it was the last thing she ever did. Her flight to New Mexico and her association with Dakota had made her stronger and she was so not prepared to put up with his shit any longer. Damien could find somewhere else to live and a new client. God, it felt good to come to that decision, even if the way ahead was still unclear.
She picked up one of the knives from the carving block on the countertop and headed for the master bedroom. Nothing stirred in the darkness and nothing leapt out at her. Feeling foolish for grabbing the knife, she advanced into the bedroom and opened the small closet. Her breath hissed out when she saw that most of her clothes were still there. Without pausing to sort them out, she collected an armload of hangers and laid them on the unmade bed.
At the back of the closet, behind her stacked shoeboxes, was a small safe, the door still firmly shut. Robyn knelt down and opened it, muttered a thank you when she saw all her personal and financial information right where she’d left it. She bundled up the documents and shoved them into the back pockets of her jeans which were concealed by her long jacket. Let Damien think she’d come back for her clothes and nothing else.
She shut the door, rearranged the shoeboxes to conceal the safe and turned to go, her arms full of clothes. When she reached the front door she abruptly stopped as it was pushed open. Damien stood there, a tall thin vaguely familiar red-headed woman on his arm.
‘Damien, how nice to see you.’
Robyn pushed past him until she was at the top of the stairs. His hand shot out and he caught her arm, his bald head and over-whitened teeth gleamed in the harsh fluorescent lighting.
‘Where do you think you’re going, baby doll? I’ve been worried about you.’
‘Yeah, right.’ Robyn rolled her eyes toward the other woman and yanked her arm out of his grasp. ‘I’m just here for my clothes and to let you know you need to leave my apartment within a week.’
He smiled, his eyes two hard black pebbles behind his glasses. ‘I’m not leaving, babe. You owe me.’
‘I owe you nothing. Our relationship is over and, just so you’re clear, I mean both our professional and our personal relationships.’
‘Fuck that. I own you, bitch.’
She faced him head on. ‘No one owns me. You’ll be hearing from my lawyers.’
His laughter made her stomach churn. ‘Like you have the money or the clout in this town to get a good lawyer? Screw that.’
She backed away until her foot hit the top step. ‘I’ll do whatever I have to do to get out of this relationship. Trust me on that.’
He pushed the other woman to one side and advanced on Robyn. ‘Try it and I’ll expose every secret you have. Everyone will know who you’ve fucked, the drugs you’ve snorted and what happened to your dear sweet sister Leda.’
Robyn juggled the hangers and tried to keep her balance. It was difficult when she was shaking so hard. ‘You can say what you want about me, Damien, but leave Leda out of it.’
She went down another step and he leant over her, his handsome face contorted with rage, his thick breath heavy in her face.
‘How are you going to afford her medical bills if you’re ruined? How are you going to do that, bitch?’
She opened her mouth to reply but he shoved her hard in the chest. There was nowhere to go but down and her hands were full of hangers. Desperately Robyn tried to protect her head as she tumbled down the stairs. She ended up in an untidy heap at the bottom, her clothes spread around her like flowers. Above her, Damien laughed and the door slammed.
The taxi driver’s concerned face appeared above her. She was amazed he’d even gotten out of the car.
‘Are you OK, ma’am? Do you want me to call the police?’
‘No thanks, I’m fine, really. I just lost my footing.’
He held out his hand and helped her to her feet. There was no sign of Damien or his companion. Her head swam. Stars and black dots circled in front of her eyes. Of course, she’d managed to bang her head despite her best efforts. Even bending to pick up her stuffhurt. Eventually she got everything together and staggered into the back of the cab.
She closed her eyes as the cab started up and they moved into the flow of traffic. She glanced at her watch and was amazed at how short a time had passed. All she could hope for was that Dakota was still talking to his brothers and hadn’t missed her at all. God help her if he had. She was in no position to defend herself now.
‘Dakota, sit down, you’re creating a draught.’
Dakota scowled at Jay who sat at his ease in one of the comfortable chairs by the fire.
‘I know what she’s up to. She’s gone back to her apartment to get her stuff.’
Jay raised an eyebrow. ‘And what’s wrong with that? Girls need their stuff.’
Dakota stopped pacing. ‘Because the prick that hurt her still lives there and I don’t want her anywhere near the bastard.’
‘Robyn doesn’t strike me as the kind of woman who needs defending, bro.’
‘You don’t know her like I do. That ballsy exterior’s a front.’
‘Really.’
Dakota flung himself into the chair opposite Jay. ‘Yeah, really.’ His hand curled into a fist. ‘If that guy lays a finger on her . . .’
‘We’ll go and lay a few more fingers on him, OK?’
Dakota gave him a reluctant smile. ‘Thanks. Robyn doesn’t really have anyone to look out for her.’
‘Except you.’ Jay whistled. ‘Man, you’ve got it bad, haven’t you?’
‘Got what?’
‘The love bug.’
Dakota hunched a shoulder. ‘Fuck off, bro.’
‘You’re welcome.’
Dakota went still as he heard a passkey in the hotel door and then leapt to his feet. He strode across the room, grabbed the handle and yanked it open. Robyn fell into his arms in a froth of jumbled clothing and hangers.
‘Oh hell. I was hoping you’d gone to bed.’
‘I bet you were.’
She sighed. ‘I know you’re going to get mad at me, so come on, get it over with.’
He thrust his hands into the pile of clothing, pulled the whole lot from her grasp and threw it to the floor. ‘You went back to your apartment.’
Robyn leant against the wall, her arms wrapped around her waist, her posture all defense and cocky aggression. ‘Nope, I went midnight shopping. Will you shut up now?’
‘The hell I will.’ Dakota realized he was shouting but he couldn’t stop himself. ‘You are so fucking stupid! Why didn’t you let me come with you? You could’ve gotten hurt.’
Jay touched his shoulder. ‘Shut up, bro, she
is
hurt, now get out of my way.’
is
hurt, now get out of my way.’
Dakota struggled to breathe when he registered the line of blood streaking Robyn’s clenched hand. He guessed she was holding herself upright with the sheer force of her considerable will. A cold unfamiliar rage flooded through him, choking all his senses until he wanted to scream and break something. He started for the door.
‘I’m going to fucking kill him.’
Jay blocked his way. ‘How about we take care of Robyn first, find out what happened and then kill him?’
Dakota returned his gaze to Robyn, saw the pain in her eyes and forced himself to calm down. ‘OK.’
Jay guided Robyn into a chair and knelt in front of her, blocking Dakota’s view. Robyn closed her eyes, her face a pale oval against the darkness of her hair.
Jay put his hand under Robyn’s chin and stared into her eyes. ‘She looks a little dazed. Did you hit your head, Robyn?’
‘Yeah.’
Jay nodded. ‘Anywhere else it hurts?’
‘My elbow and my side.’
With a shock, Dakota realized he couldn’t bear to see Jay’s hands on her, impersonal as they were. He nudged his brother’s shoulder. ‘Let me help her.’
Jay looked exasperated. ‘I’m doing just fine. If you take over you’ll start shouting at her again, so sit down and shut up.’ He returned his attention to Robyn. ‘What happened? Did someone hurt you?’
Dakota grunted. ‘Of course he fucking did. What did she expect going over there by herself?’
‘Dakota, shut the fuck up!’
For the first time in his life he understood how his mother could simultaneously hug him and want to kill him when he’d done something dangerous or stupid as a kid. He wanted to take Robyn to bed and never let her out of his sight. He wanted to put her over his knee and spank her until she promised never to do anything so stupid ever again.
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