Riveted (Art of Eros #1) (25 page)

Mara shook and cried, knowing she needed to pull herself together. Mac stood hunched over her. She started to move toward him as he pulled her up by her arms, pushing her into the hallway. He went back in the room to grab the laptop.

So it takes gunshots to make kitten move toward me instead of away from me? God help me. She’ll be the death of me yet, but what a sweet death it will be.

“Are you all right? Are you hit?” Mac’s stern face expressed his all business side. His eyes did a quick scan of her body, searching for any blood. His only concern was Mara’s safety.

Mara squeaked, “I’m fine.” Her face drained of all color as shock took over.

Moments before, the storm came ashore, beating the land with sheets of rain. The rain pounded the roof as Mac half-dragged Mara through the maze of the stairwells and out into the storm to the waiting car. Sydney sat in the driver’s seat with the engine running. The blood streamed down from Mac’s left arm, but she knew on sight it was a superficial wound. Mara was tucked into the right side of his body as he opened the back door, pushing her across the seat and following her in.

“Go.” He hit the front seat with his hand.

The rain beat down on the car as soft whimpers came from Mara. They were all soaked to the bone as a chill hung in the air. Mara didn’t feel cold as she sunk into the warmth of Mac, clinging to the front of his shirt, afraid to let go. He wrapped her in his strong arms while stroking her head as though he were petting a kitten—
his
kitten.

“Shhhhh. You’re safe,
leannan
,” Mac whispered in her ear. He breathed hard and held Mara like a life raft. The adrenaline coursed through his veins, not from the physical exertion but the reality of having Mara back after almost losing her.

With those words, Mara gulped in some air and began sobbing uncontrollably into his shirt. Overwhelmed by the turn of events, she was unable to hold herself together. Mara couldn’t wait to see her sisters, who she never wanted to be without again. She imagined they had been to hell and back, worrying about her.

As they drove closer to the resort, Mara’s tears started to dissipate, gaining some control over her shaking body. She looked up at Mac, who smiled down on her with so many emotions in his eyes she didn’t know which one to choose. His eyes revealed pain, sorrow, happiness and passion all rolled into one. She would make this up to him. They didn’t need words. In those perfect green eyes, she saw what love looked like from an incredible man.

He continued to reassure her as his deep voice carried through his chest curling around her body. Mac’s eyes momentarily lost their light, afraid of the answer to his question. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?” She read between the lines. After the story of Brock’s abuse of Mara, he wanted to make sure she hadn’t relived any of the torture.

“No. He wanted his money, but I guess he’s not going to get that either.” Relief showed in his face and he smiled for the first time since she disappeared. She couldn’t take her eyes off him for fear he might disappear. She reached up to stroke his jaw and the scruffy two-day-old beard. There was nothing sexier. His soft beard reminded her of his heart. She rubbed her thumb back and forth, a smile forming on her lips. Mac let out a heavy sigh he had been holding in for the last two days. He brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed her palm, sending a jolt into her body, reminding her of their first connection. Apparently, lightning struck many times.

“By the way, I really don’t care for blondes, so I hope you don’t plan on keeping the wig.” His humor came back, bringing some levity to their life-or-death situation.

Mara gave him a huge smile as she whipped off the wig, letting it drop to the floor. Her hair tumbled out, falling to her shoulders. One of the first things she would do when she got back was scrub her mask off, forever.

Mac slid his fingers through her hair and quipped, “I always had a thing for Italian brunettes with big, blue eyes.” They laughed together, welcome relief to an insane forty-eight hours.

“I’m going to guess the Russians are here and prevented Brock from talking. Any thoughts?” His eyes never left Mara’s face. Sydney wasn’t sure who he was addressing.

“We’ll discuss it later.” Sydney didn’t want Mara to know anything more and she needed to hold Mac off for as long as possible.

“So you’re Sydney. It’s nice to meet you, and thank you for all your help.”

“How did you know?” Sydney scrutinized her through the rearview mirror with raised suspicion.

“Long story. I’ll explain later.”

Mac lowered his head to brush his lips lightly against her forehead, running his thumb along her cheek and jawline. He gave her that sly smile that made her insides sing. She laid her head on his shoulder for the rest of the ride.

As they neared the resort, the rain continued to drench the land. Mac led Mara out of the car as she faltered on her foot, falling into him.

“Mara, what’s wrong?” The rage set back in as Mac imagined Brock had physically harmed Mara.

“It’s my foot. It got cut on some glass. It’s still throbbing and bleeding.” She leaned into Mac’s body for support.

“I noticed you made very good use of that foot. I’m proud of you. You used your head,” Mac commended her as he held her closer. Mara loved how Mac was taller than her. He made her feel cocooned in his protection.

Mac’s blood-soaked shirt caught Mara’s attention. “My God, what happened to your arm?” Mara reached out to touch him but stopped short.

“It looks worse than it is, love. I’m not fragile. It’s just a flesh wound, but this scar will have your name on it.” He winked at her, like this was any other day on the job.

Did he call me ‘love’? We need to have a serious discussion once I get my head on straight
.

Utter exhaustion set in as Mara made her way to her sisters, who waited anxiously in the suite. As she came through the door, Leigha and Raquelle flung themselves at her in a vise-grip hug. They cried and slumped to the floor in one huge heap. Mac and Sydney stood off to the side, watching the reunion with their own thoughts of belonging.

“I gotta roll. We’ll debrief tomorrow. It’s been a long day, and I need to eat and sleep.” For Sydney, this was another day at the office, and certainly not the worst of them.

“Hey, I’m sorry I accused you of taking the shot. I should have known better, but things weren’t adding up in the moment.” Mac’s sincere apology showed he was man enough to know when he was wrong. He also knew Sydney always had his back.

“I probably would have thought the same thing under the circumstances. No worries, mate. Hey, swing by my room so I can stitch you up.” She gave him a tight smile as she turned to leave. But not before she caught Leigha’s eye, giving her an unspoken thank-you and a flirty smile.

Mara was finally released from her sisters’ grip and picked herself up off the floor. She turned to Mac, wiping her eyes.

“Thank you. I was a dead woman if you hadn’t come searching for me. I owe you my life.” She reached up to give him a hug and languished in the smell of him as her arms wound tightly around his neck. This man did things to her as she pressed into his hard body under soaked clothes. His arms encircled her in a bear hug. The electricity was still there, stronger than ever.

Mac bent down to bury his face in her damp locks, whispering in her ear so only she could hear. “I’ll be back tonight,
leannan
, and we’ll talk then. I’m coming to collect.” She looked up in time to see his cheeky grin and the glint in his eye. His look made her shiver with anticipation.

She smiled back at him and whispered, “I’m not sure talking is the only thing I want to do with you, repo man.”

With another stress-relieving sigh, he held her beautiful face in his hands. “I’m so glad I found you. You have no idea.” He stared at her, knowing her soul held the answers. When he kissed her it was a different kiss than any before, a kiss of possession, passion, forgiveness and love all rolled into one. The kiss that said ‘you belong to me and only me.’

Her eyes fluttered open and she became breathless. He had already shown her how much she meant to him by almost taking a bullet for her. She would need to clear the air and show him how much he meant to her. Besides, actions always spoke louder than words.

“I’ll see you later then.” She whispered after being left boneless by her rescuer.

Chapter 23

As night fell, the three sisters began to share their stories of desperation and near heartbreak, constantly touching each other to make sure they were real. As Raquelle ordered many bottles of wine with the food order, Leigha and Mara gave each other a knowing look that this might be the only way they would muddle through the rawness of their emotions. They agreed it shouldn’t have taken a kidnapping to realize how much they meant to each other, exposing the invisible silk web that binds sisters.

“I have never been so lost and full of heartbreak in my life as when I walked in your bedroom. But I could feel you had been there even before I saw the room in disarray. I guess you never lose that connection to your sister.” Raquelle was near tears again as her mind revisited the scene that took place only a few short hours before.

“Leigha was her stoic self until Mac told us you might be here at the resort. It was only then that I saw a slight crack in the veneer.” Raquelle grabbed Leigha’s hand to let her know she was always there for her, seeing through her tough exterior.

Mara shared the events of her kidnapping and her revelations about the real Brock. Leigha acted surprised, but Raquelle just sighed. “That rat bastard. I knew there was more to him than met the eye, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. I always felt uneasy around him and never trusted him.”

Even though most of his comments were nasty and he was clearly the Satan’s son, Mara realized she had some work to do in the ‘people awareness’ department.

“All I kept thinking about was how close we’ve become on this trip. Sharing my story of Brock’s abuse was a pivotal moment for me. You accepted it all without judgment. You have no idea what that meant to me. It was a relief. God knows I’ve been judged by Papa enough to last me a lifetime. You helped give me the strength I needed to tell Mac. When I shared it with him, I didn’t know what to expect and if he walked away from me, I would’ve been okay. But he didn’t. He was angry but loving, understanding and kind. When we were together, he made sure I was okay with what we were doing every step of the way. I couldn’t stop thinking about him and how if I ever made it back, I would fix things with him.” Mara choked on a sob while speaking from a place deep in her heart.

“I think we need a rule of full disclosure when it comes to one another. We need to share everything so we always have each other’s backs. Deal?” Raquelle glanced between Leigha and Mara. Mara nodded in agreement but Leigha looked down. When she finally met their gaze, a storm brewed in her bright, hazel eyes.

Mara reached over and covered Leigha’s hand with her own. “What’s wrong?” She spoke softly, hoping Leigha would share the turmoil so clearly written on her face.

“It’s nothing. I don’t know. Maybe there’s something. Things aren’t right with Tom. Something’s missing, and I can’t put my finger on it. It’s been nagging me for a while. I guess time will tell.” She peered up at her sisters dismissively, who had concern drawn across their faces. Raquelle knew full well that was only part of the story, but she didn’t push her to continue. They had shared enough for one evening.

They talked for a while longer until Mara suggested they go to bed. The events of the last couple of days plus the wine had equaled pure exhaustion for her. She sent Mac a text telling him she was headed to bed. He wrote back that he would be there shortly and not to wait up for him. Oh, yeah, and he had a key, followed by a wink. Mara smiled at his freshness even in a text.

“Since I have the king-size bed, I suggest we all have a sleepover in my room. I definitely don’t want to sleep alone tonight. Speaking of sleeping alone, what are you going to do about Mac? That man was beside himself trying to find you. He never gave up, even when things seemed bleak.” Mara and Leigha had grown accustomed to Raquelle’s ADD-type conversations.

She already knew what her sisters revealed about Mac. She could almost feel his intensity during the search. “I think I’m going to cross that bridge with Mac later tonight, so I’ll be sleeping in my own bed. I can’t even think straight anymore.” Her body had succumbed to the intense events of the day, sagging under the weight of it.

She went to the bathroom to wash off the mask she would never wear again. Splashing her face with water, she watched as the light-colored makeup started to slide off her face, revealing her bronzed complexion underneath. For the first time in a long time, Mara really examined herself in the mirror. She liked what reflected back at her, from her big, grey-blue eyes to her clear, olive skin and full lips.

A sigh of contentment came over her as the stress of the day left her body. Mara slipped into a lace camisole and cuddled under the cold sheets. She hoped Mac didn’t take too long because she needed to be near him, craving the energy his body always seemed to gift her. But the minute her head hit the pillow, she was out like a light.

~

Mac quietly came into the dark room filtered with the cool light of the full moon. He chuckled to himself that things always seemed to go sideways on the night of a full moon, aware that things could have ended much differently. To say McFadden wasn’t pleased to hear the news of Brock’s death was an understatement. Truth be told, Mac couldn’t be happier. It meant one less person in the world who could hurt Mara. He wanted nothing more than to keep her safe from everything and everyone.

He stood over her, captivated by the iridescent light that blanketed the love of his life. He would have fought to the bitter end for her. Her face wiped clean without any trace of that hideous makeup, the mask that hid her true beauty. Long, dark lashes fanned across the tops of her cheeks. Her lips were full, rose-colored and kissable. He reached down to move a wave of rich, dark brown hair that lay on her cheek. She looked angelic, even after the hell she had endured with Brock.

Keeping his eyes on Mara, he stripped down, leaving his clothes in a heap. There didn’t need to be anything between them. Skin on skin, breath to breath, heart to heart. He pulled the sheets back to see her body covered in lace and her gorgeous legs tucked up close to her. His body responded immediately as he got hard. It took everything he had not to wake her and take her right then. Her eyes fluttered open and she peeked up at him as her lips turned into a soft smile.

“You came. I missed you.” Mara’s eyes lazily roamed his body from head to toe. She would never grow bored of taking him in. This time, no soft blush stained her cheeks. She knew what she wanted from him. Only this time, she would wait.

“I will always come for you. I missed you, too.” The words ‘I miss you’ held so much more meaning.

“Can you just hold me tonight and we’ll talk tomorrow? I promise.”

“It’s going to be hard to just hold you, but I’ll give it a try.” He gave an exaggerated sigh as if the hardship might be too much.

Mara smiled and rolled over. Mac spooned in behind her, laying his arm around her waist as Mara gave him a contented hum.

“MacGregor?”

“Yes, Marabella.”

“I don’t need Eros. I need you.”

Her words hit his chest as he let out a small gasp. He was her Eros, just not the dragon variety. He would protect her forever.

Sleep took over as their breathing fell into a rhythm.

Mac woke up the next morning, his body rejoicing at the first full night’s sleep he’d had in two days. Being wrapped up with her all night felt like home. If he had his way, it would always be this way.

He glanced over to Mara who was fast asleep and climbed out of bed to head for the shower. Possibly a cold one to hold him back from ravaging her. He wanted her to know, without a doubt, that she belonged to him.

~

Mara woke up cold, missing her lover’s heat. Stretching like a cat to get out all the kinks, she could hear the sound of running water. What she needed was in the bathroom, as her body and mind were well rested and ready. Her heart was content and the thought of Mac in the shower made her body hum with desire. She wanted to give in to her new hunger, braving to have him inside her again.

She stroked her foot where it was beginning to heal again and padded carefully across the floor. As she stood at the glass door of the shower, she shed her lace camisole as it slid to the floor, boldly wearing nothing but her newfound self-confidence. She smiled, remembering the last time she fantasized about him in the shower and what she wanted him to do to her. The reality of him was so much better than her imagination.

Wishes do come true after all.

Mac’s arms stretched over his head as he braced against the wall. The rain-shower water streamed down his back, curving over his very fine ass. Playing in the background was Ciara’s song “Body Party,” its sexy beat filling the space. The song had always been one of Mara’s favorites, but she never related to it until that moment.

She quietly opened the shower door, and Mac smiled as he heard her enter the large marble stall/soon-to-be playroom. He didn’t miss the subtle shift in energy she always brought with her. Gone was the shy woman he met only days before. His woman had transformed into a bold colored dragonfly, emerging from her cocoon.

She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind as she laid her head on his back, her nipples hardening as her breasts pressed against him. Her hands started to roam over his tight six-pack. She followed the ridges of his abs down to his already-hard cock and he let out a groan.

“God, what you do to me, woman.” His eyes closed as she continued to stroke him up and down, tightening her hands and squeezing with the right amount of pressure. He took in a sharp breath and grabbed her wrist as he turned to face her.

He pulled her to him as their bodies came into full contact from head to toe, his cock pushed into her belly. She ran her fingers up and down his back, never losing eye contact. Her talented hands lovingly recorded every inch of his scarred body. His imperfections were what she loved about him.

Mac leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers. At that angle, the water sluiced his back, protecting her from the spray. They stood there, touching and stroking one another in a moment of utter tenderness and intimacy. Mac leaned back, cupping her face in his hands as he admired Mara’s naked beauty.

“Listen to me,
leannan
. You have my heart and soul. I was so scared I had lost you forever. It was the most scared I’ve ever been, and I’ve been in a lot of tight, life-threatening situations. Nothing took my breath away like being separated from you, not knowing if I would ever be with you again. I don’t know if I would have survived that. It would have changed me forever.”

Mara’s eyes began to brim with tears. His words wrapped around her heart like a vine, holding it tight. His actions spoke volumes, but his words took her to a place of unquestioned love she never imagined.

“I’m so sorry I doubted you before I left. I know why you didn’t tell me about your job right away. I was in a very different place than where I am now. I kept feeling your pull on me. You were always with me in my head. My mind kept going over everything, but it’s my heart that had the louder voice. It knows you and recognizes you. I misjudged you and the entire situation. But I know for sure I don’t want to be without you.” She was all-in when it came to this man. Her eyes were wide open this time.

“I don’t think I will last long, but I need to be inside you. It feels like it’s been forever.” Mac started to lose himself. They had come full circle and were where they needed to be.

His lips crashed down on her, spearing, possessing, and owning her as his tongue invaded every part of her mouth. She wanted to take control, though, and began sucking on his tongue. Mac let out a low moan, showing his appreciation for her effort. She broke the kiss, rising up on tiptoe, peppered his jaw with soft nips leading up to his ear. With her hand on his heart, she smiled as its fast rhythm pulsed under her hand.

Continuing down his neck, she bit where it met his shoulder as he groaned his satisfaction. Her tongue journeyed down to his nipple where she licked and sucked. Her hands grabbed his tight ass, pulling his cock between her breasts. He couldn’t keep his eyes off the woman in total control of his body. The assault continued as she licked her way down the channel of his abs to his waiting rock-hard cock. Her tongue did one swirl around its proud crown before Mac grabbed her upper arms and pulled her up.

“You make me lose my self-control,
leannan
,” Mac growled looking at her lust-filled eyes.

“Oh, I’m just getting started in showing my appreciation, my wild Scotsman.” She gave him the sly grin he always gave her.

Turnabout is fair play
.

She turned deadly serious when she asked the only question she needed an answer to. “I want to give you all of me. But can you take the good with the damaged?” Mara’s eyes turned dark and she held her breath, wondering if he would give her the answer she wanted.

“Aren’t we all damaged or marred in some way? Can you take all of me, the good, the bad and the ugly? We can work at it together because we’re both worth it and love is what binds us.” The questions hung in the air between them with only the sound of falling water filling the void.

“Yes. Always.”

The word “forever” fell from his lips in a whisper, making his intentions clear.

Her steel encasement fell away, shattering as if it had been doused with liquid nitrogen. None of the pieces could ever be put back together. Mac did that for her. He revealed her essence to her, the true her, and she was stronger than she ever thought possible. Wasn’t that what real love did—made you stronger, not weaker; lighter, not heavier; happy, not sad. She would never get her fill of this man. She would only continue to grow with him.