Steel Rush (In the Shadows#5) (16 page)

“I promised to cover for a buddy’s shift a while back before...things changed.” He shakes his head and smiles. “Jake is coming to help Dad support Gregory instead. Don’t worry, he’ll behave. I think Dad must’ve threatened to cut him out of the will or something, because he has gone back to his normal smart-assy, big-brother self with me.”

Ben says a couple more things, but all I can hear is
Jake is coming
reverberating in my head over and over again. Except in my head it’s not an innocuous comment. It’s a foreboding one.

I don’t like the idea of attending this event alone, but the thought of Jake being there makes me instantly nauseous. I don’t care what kind of assurances Ben gives me. The need to rub my tingling wrists is almost overwhelming. I bite the inside of my cheek to try to regain my inner calm.

While stressing about Jake, I must’ve agreed to the gun range, because Ben’s smile suddenly widens to a pleased grin. Lifting our clasped hands, he presses a warm kiss to the heel of my palm. “We’ll have a blast. I bet you’ll get the swing of it quickly.”

A few minutes later, Marco turns into the front gates of the Carver estate. The sleet/snow mixture might’ve tapered off, but the vehicle slips as we try to pull up the long drive.

“Stop the car,” Calder commands, and I’m surprised that Marco instantly complies.

When Calder gets out of the vehicle and walks around the other side, I assume he’s going to tell Marco to slide over so he can drive. Instead, he opens my car door and puts his hand out. “Let’s go, Miss Carver.”

“Are you nuts?” Ben’s fingers tighten around mine. “She’s
not
walking up that long driveway.”

Calder’s laser gaze remains on mine as he answers Ben. “The car isn’t making it up there.”

“It’s fine, Ben,” I say and pull my hand from Ben’s at the same time I place my other hand in Calder’s. Before I can step onto the drive, he lifts me into his arms once more. Ben starts to open his car door, but Calder’s no-nonsense comment dismisses Ben in a rough rumble as he cradles me close. “There’s no need to call a service. Marco will take you home. Good night, Hemming.”

Calder shuts the car door when Ben starts to argue, cutting off his words. Nodding to Marco to do as he says, he steps into the crunchy grass on the side of the drive and waits for Marco to back out before he starts walking.

My stomach winds tighter and tighter as he carries me up the drive. Now that we’re alone, I expect him to say something, but the fact that he doesn’t speak at all has far more impact on my psyche. It’s too dark for me to see his face, and too cold for me to do anything other than cuddle close to him for warmth, but I know he’s angry.

I don’t argue as he walks into the house and carries me all the way upstairs. Thankfully it’s really late; no one is around to witness Celeste’s guard carting her up the stairs as if she were too drunk to walk on her own.

When Calder sets me in front of my door and glances down at me, the low light in the hallway highlights the muscles bunching in his jaw. He’s not just angry. He’s furious.

“Calder...” That’s all I get out before he turns away. I watch him until he enters his room and closes the door quietly behind him, then I walk into Celeste’s room and lean against the closed door, biting my lower lip. The Celeste situation aside, so much is left unsaid between us. Calder and I both have enough baggage that it’s a miracle we were able to get past it to have the one night we did together.

Is that all it’ll ever be? One night?
As I kick off the heels and slide out of the dress, the thought makes me feel physically ill, but I don’t know how to fix it right now. While I mull the rising tension, I quickly slip out of the bra and find a fitted T-shirt to sleep in. My biggest worry is that if this Celeste thing drags on, it may be too late for us to mend the damage. But Calder is so angry I doubt he’ll listen to me right now.

Unless…what I have to say has nothing to do with Celeste, Ben, or this frustrating limbo situation we’re in. I grab my phone from my purse, intending to send him a text with Brent’s information, but the phone dies just as I start to type the text.

“Just great,” I mumble. I can’t let this go all night. I have to try to mend the growing chasm between us the best way I can for now.

Grabbing a soft white robe from the back of the bathroom door, I put it on and slip out of my room.

M
y stomach knotting, I shake out my hands, then knock quietly.

A second passes and then another. I start to turn away when I hear a light thump, then another.

Frowning, I reach for the knob. I step inside just as Calder lands from a spinning back kick. He moves so fast, then next thing I know he’s turning with a gun pointed right at me, an intense look on his face.

I gasp at the same time he lowers his weapon and yanks the ear buds out of his ears. “What the fuck, Cass,” he says in a low tone. “You can’t sneak up on me like that.”

I quickly shut the door as he sets his gun down and unstraps his phone from his arm.

He unplugs the headphones from his phone and tense music briefly fills the room before he turns it down. I stare at his bare chest and gray lounge pants, guilt riding me. Of course he has to keep training so he’s ready when the MMA match is rescheduled. He’s only here because of me.

The light sheen of sweat coating his hard chest makes the Celtic tribal tattoo running across his muscular left shoulder and along his chiseled abs stand out against his skin. I don’t get to admire his physique long before he turns to me with a stoic expression.

As he faces me full on, his green gaze still sharp with anger, I’m temporarily speechless. Seeking common ground, my gaze is drawn to the Latin word Solus along his rib cage. He told me it meant ‘alone,’ but he never explained why he had it tattooed on his body.

“Cass?”

My brain finally engages as the intense song playing on his phone registers. Linkin Park’s “One Step Closer.” He’s definitely in a mood. I clear my throat, but my voice sounds strained when I speak. “I tried to text you a number but my phone died. I thought you’d like to have it now so maybe Elijah could start working on it for you.”

“Who’s number?”

“Brent’s. I memorized it from Beth’s phone.”

Other than a spark of interest in his eyes, Calder doesn’t let anything show as he gestures toward the desk. “There’s a pen and paper.”

I’m surprised he doesn’t ask anything else, but instead walks away to lower himself to the floor near the end of his bed. I watch him effortlessly do ten push-ups before I glance away.

Taking the hint he’s not in the mood to talk, I jot down Brent’s number. Just as I reach for the door handle to leave, Calder’s cold voice sends a chill of apprehension through my body. “You don’t have anything else to say?”

I slowly turn, and he’s standing near the bed, muscular arms crossed over his chest, his expression dark and brooding.

When I don’t answer right away, he snaps. “
Ben
.”

Trying to ease the tightness in my shoulders, I spread my hands and exhale. “What am I supposed to do? Ben thinks I’m Celeste, and Gregory and Phillip insisted that no one else know the truth. Maybe they’re worried Ben and Jake won’t be able to keep Celeste’s disappearance to themselves. I don’t know.” When Calder’s expression turns darker, I sigh and lower my hands back to my side. “He’s being attentive, not overly aggressive, Calder. It’s not the best situation, but holding my hand is pretty innocent and tame.”

At the same time the song comes to its crashing one-word ending, Calder strides forward aggressively. The intense look on his face has me instinctively backing up, but the moment my shoulder blades touch the door, he stops. Resting his hand on the solid wood above me, he steps into my personal space. “Do you think standing close like this is innocent?”

His masculine scent of sweat mixed with faint hints of his aftershave tease my senses, elevating my pulse. I refuse to look at his sculpted body. He’s far too enticing. My fingers itch to slide along his hard pectorals and trace the tattoo down his arm. My heart is beating so hard it’s a wonder he can’t hear it. I curl my fingers by my side and swallow as I lift my chin and hold his gaze. “I’ll admit it’s personal, but Ben hasn’t touched me inappropriately.”

Calder’s jaw flexes but instead of responding, he reaches out with his left hand and lightly runs the pads of his fingers over my thumb and along my index finger. When Exile’s ballad ”I Want to Kiss You All Over” starts playing on his phone, my hand instinctively reacts to the song’s slow seductive lyrics and Calder’s light touch. Calder’s love of old songs makes him even more attractive and I turn my palm toward him, needing to feel more of his touch. His breathing halts just before he touches the tips of his fingers to mine.

The electricity is instantaneous the moment our skin connects. My breath hitches and I tingle everywhere, but especially where he’s touching me. “What about now?” he demands ruthlessly.

I’m afraid to look into his eyes and see judgment there, so I drop my gaze to our hands. Big mistake. At that moment, he slides the tips of his fingers between mine and then slowly glides them upward. My skin prickles when the base of our fingers lock together. “Perfect fit,” he murmurs and folds his thumb around mine, pulling my hand close to his.

Desire slams into my stomach and my mind is filled with memories of the first sensual moment our bodies physically connected the other night. His simulation with our hands is masterfully brutal, hitting me in the most intimate way possible. “Does this feel tame, angel?” he asks, his voice dropping to a husky timbre.

Only Calder could turn hand holding into a carnal act. I refuse to look at him or acknowledge what he’s doing. Ben has never touched me like this…certainly not with the kind of heat that would melt an icecap. Calder’s barely touching me, but the connection and the angry passion in his tone is so provocative, I have to hold myself still to keep from melting against him.

Lowering his hand from the door, he brushes the tips of his fingers along the base of my spine. His touch is barely there, but the warmth from his hand feels as if my terry robe is made of tissue. I swallow the gasp of surprise when sudden heat radiates from my head to my toes.

“What? No answer?” He leans close, his warm breath caressing my ear just before he presses a feather light kiss to my cheekbone. “How about now, Raven mine?”

I’m soaking up every sensation and the want in his voice, but I do my best to hold any audible responses inside. I don’t want him to know how much this is affecting me. I feel like I’m vibrating with suppressed lust. God, this is hard, but knowing he’s doing this just to prove a point is the only thing keeping me from giving into his seduction.

Calder slides his thumb along the heel of my hand, then down to the center of my palm. Moving his mouth close to my jawline, he presses his finger deep into my skin, hitting all the right sensual points.

Without conscious thought, I angle my chin, giving him better access. Accepting the fantasy, I hold my breath and wait for him to clamp down along my jawline.

To claim me all over again.

Instead of the bite I expect, Calder tugs me against his chest, his other hand sliding down the curve of my back to pull me forward until I’m thoroughly tucked against him. Pressing his erection intimately against me, he slowly turns us to the seductive song. With the warmth of his body seeping into me, I can’t keep myself completely detached. I melt into his hard frame and fall into the rhythm of his movements as if we’ve always danced like this.