Firestarter (15 page)

“You have a freaking Ferrari?” She gasped.

“Hey, I have invested well. And that,” he pointed to the low slung car “is an investment. It’s worth more now than when I bought it.”

“I’m not questioning your finances. I’m asking why the hell you didn’t tell me.” With her hands on her hips, she gaped at him.

“Would I have gotten in your pants earlier if I had?”

“Most definitely,” she laughed.

His growl rivaled her father’s, making her jump in the seat. She jerked on the handle, preparing to leap down. What she wasn’t prepared for was him reaching across, and pulling her out on his side.

“Hey.” She yelped at his antics.

He threw her over his shoulder in a firemen’s hold and swatted her ass, making her giggle.

She looked from side to side, trying to check out his home, but his hand never quit moving. He would smack her ass, massage the sting, and then move his fingers to her crease and rub up and down. Knowing he could feel her wetness through the thin material only made her hotter.

He continued his assault as he took her up some stairs, and down a short hallway.

When he flung her on top of the largest bed she’d ever seen, her world went topsy turvy. She bounced three times, tried to crab walk to the other side, and came to a stop from the pressure on her ankle.

“C’mere darling.” He tugged her to him.

She would have gone willingly, given the choice, but she enjoyed this playful side to him.

She stared at his heartbreakingly beautiful face, from his full sensual lips, his high cheekbones to the milk chocolate eyes, and she melted.

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He dropped to his knees at the side of the bed, pulled her shorts off with ease and pressed his face into her panty-covered pussy.

Her head flopped back on the bed, hands thrown above her shoulders. The throaty

moans she heard were surely not coming from her own mouth.

The rest of their clothes came off, and she couldn’t say who removed what, she just wanted to thank the deity that it was done.

“You’re welcome,” Keanu murmured.

Cammie ran her fingers down his hair. “Huh?”

“You said thank you, God,” he laughed. “I assumed it was me you were talking to.”

“Will you please shut up and get busy?” Cammie tugged the long silky strands of his

midnight black locks.

“I’m trying, but your grip on my hair won’t let me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She released her hold. “Please continue.”

His thumbs traced slow lazy circles against her inner thighs. She closed her eyes and

shuddered as he separated her flesh and licked her, sliding over nerve endings already swollen and ultra-sensitive.

He pressed his fingers into her channel. She placed her hand over his, unsure if she wanted to make him go deeper or replace it with something else. In the end he did both. Sliding up her body, he thrust into her.

She whimpered and strained against him.

“Easy,” he rumbled. “Easy.” He clenched his teeth together.

Keanu took his time and let her adjust to his size. His breathing was as harsh as hers, and his hands shook as he held himself immobile. Her body fought to accommodate every thick and pulsing inch of him.

She relaxed, and he started off slow with measured twists of his hips. She lifted her legs, wrapped them around his waist, and let him have all of her. He knew just how to move inside her, slow and easy, fast and furious. His thrusts came harder, faster, and she flew apart in an explosion of colors.

“Yes, yes, Cammie. Come all over me.”

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He flipped them, reversing their position so she was riding him. She rose up on her knees, placing her hands on his stomach, and lifted before sinking down fast, and then back up again, and again more slowly. He felt much larger in this position.

His hands massaged her breasts as he let her set the pace. The next orgasm crashed over her so unexpectedly, she yelled his name when she came. As if a switch had flipped, he surged up and gripped her hips, slamming up into her with such force her hands slipped off his stomach.

“Touch yourself. Make yourself come again.”

“I can’t.”

He released her hip and placed her fingers over her clit. With her lip between her teeth, she started moving her fingers.

The combined friction of his penetration, and the ministrations of her fingers, had light exploding behind her eyes. He grunted and started lifting harder and faster, meeting her pace with his own. She grabbed his arms for leverage, and then slid her hands up as she moved.

When she started clenching on his invading cock, he followed her, bathing her insides with his hot come. Like a bolt of electricity, she came again, screaming his name as her nails dug into his shoulders.

She collapsed on top of him. “You really should wear a warning label,” she panted.

“Damn, that was good.”

“Mmm,” Cammie murmured.

That was the last thing she said before sleep claimed her.

* * * *

Keanu lay listening to her deep, even breathing, contentment washing over him in waves.

She was his soul mate. It was time to let his bruised and ragged fingers slip off the edge of the cliff. But he could still do what he loved with Cammie by his side. She was enough excitement; he didn’t need to jump out of planes to feel the adrenalin rush anymore. Just looking at Cammie, the feelings coursing through him made him feel a high that not even the deadliest fires came close to matching.

The thought didn’t disturb him at all. Having Cammie in his life was more exciting than freefalling out of a plane. It never occurred to him to run, not even fleetingly.

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And then Cammie’s leg shifted higher, snuggling into his body even more. Still buried deep inside of heaven, he let his eyes drift shut.

It seemed like only a moment had passed when he felt a stirring in the air. With instincts honed in training, he carefully slipped out from under Cammie.

She had slipped his shirt over her head at some point, looking ten times better in it than he did. Keanu wished he could climb back in with her, but something had disturbed his sleep. On silent feet, he dragged his jeans on and slid out the patio door that led to the walk around balcony.

There, standing in the middle of his yard, were three men highlighted by the floodlights. He recognized one as the guy who had argued with Ted. Keanu spared a glance back at the darkened room and the bed where Cammie slept, one arm wrapped around his pillow.

He moved away from the doors. “Can I help you boys?” Keanu asked, taking the dominant

role.

“I got your boy right here.” One of the men grabbed his crotch.

Keanu ignored him, keeping his eye on the one who was in charge, who stood slightly

behind the other two.

“We know what you are, so why don’t you come down here so we can talk,” the one Keanu

presumed was the leader stated.

Deciding it was better than having three unknowns come into his home, Keanu inclined his head.

“Let me throw on some shoes. I’ll be right down.”

Keanu turned, walking back inside, he slid the door shut then locked it behind him. Every part of his house was fireproof, with bulletproof windows and a security system to rival a bank.

He made quick work of shoving his feet into boots and hit speed dial on his phone as he walked. His best friend Hal answered on the first ring.

“Hal, I have trouble. I need your help at my place.” He took the steps two at a time, keeping his voice low. “I have a woman who means more to me than life itself. If something happens to me, make sure she’s safe.”

“You know I will,” Hal said.

Keanu pocketed his phone after hearing Hal murmur he was on his way.

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Having a best friend who didn’t ask questions, and was supernatural himself, eased some of his fears. Knowing it would take Hal at least ten minutes to get there; Keanu hoped he could stall for time.

“So, here I am.” Keanu opened his arms wide. “What do you want?” he asked, stepping into the yard.

“We know that you killed Ted.”

“Straight and to the point, I like that, but that didn’t answer my question.” Keanu stood with his arms loosely at his sides.

“Ted was a drunk and a druggie, but he had talents we needed. Now you will fill his shoes.”

Shit.
Keanu wasn’t sure how much they knew. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb with us.”

“I still don’t know who you are, or why you think I will help you.”

“I’m Bob, this is Guy, and he’s Larry.” Bob pointed at each man. “You’ll help or we’ll expose your secret to the world.”

Keanu laughed. He just couldn’t help it. Here he’d thought Ted was the only dumbass. But now he had Larry, Moe, and Curly standing in front of him, threatening to blab a story to the world.

“You think I won’t, or that I can’t make you?” Bob raised his hand.

Keanu prepared to block a ball of fire, but the ground rose up under his feet. He landed with a thud on his back, only to have a blast of wind push him back to a standing position.

“Son of a bitch.” He staggered to keep his balance. “How did you find me?” Keanu tried to buy extra time.

“Just because Ted was a dumbass doesn’t mean we are. It was a simple matter of watching you, and the girl in there.” Bob nodded his head towards Keanu’s home behind him. “I knew once you thought it was safe, you’d take off with her. I just had no clue it’d be so easy.”

The overwhelming urge to smash the smug-looking bastard nearly overcame his common

sense. Keanu knew they thought they needed him for something, so he decided to play along.

“What do you want from me?” In the blink of an eye, Keanu found himself on his back again, with air pressing him into the solid packed earth, which was really pissing him off.

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Okay, so they had earth, wind, and water, he presumed, similar to the band. Fire always beat the other elements, but having to explain three more deaths was the thing that kept his power in check.

He needed to get them talking, find out what their plans were, and hope Hal made it in time.

“Tell me what you plan to do with our combined efforts?” The crushing pressure eased from his chest, allowing him to get to his feet once again.

As they described the takeover of his hometown and how they planned to use Cammie’s

family, Keanu saw red. Flames leapt from the tips of his fingers.

“Over my dead fucking body.” Keanu shook his head.

“I had hoped you would see sense, but whatever.” Bob shrugged like he didn’t care either way.

“Hey guys, can anyone join the party? Or is it by invite only?” Hal asked from behind the men.

The trio of idiots spun around, bumping into each other to face the newcomer. Keanu didn’t waste time. He shot a flame out of his fingers, aimed at their feet. The man Keanu had decided to call Windy tried to blow the flame out while the other he’d named Earth dug into the ground, and the last man he thought of as Water tried to flood the area. He shook his head at their antics. All the while, Hal acted like a human wrecking ball and knocked all three men off their feet. His friend’s berserker yell echoed across the property, waking the dead, Keanu was sure. With three well-placed punches, their opponents were knocked unconscious, and he called the flames back to him.

“Nice work, Hal. Remind me not to play football with your big ass.”

“There will be no playing with my ass, big or small. I like you and all, but not that much.”

Hal’s boyish grin flashed across his features

The two men worked as a team, securing first Bob, and then the other two, with rope Keanu had retrieved. Hal seemed to take great pleasure in hogtieing all three with their hands behind their backs, and then around their ankles. Keanu was sure they wouldn’t be running off anytime soon.

“All right, spill.” Hal clapped Keanu on the back, sending him stumbling a few feet. “Dang boy, you’re getting soft.” Hal smirked.

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“Fuck off.” Keanu waited for the questions to come. He saw the emotions swirling in the other man’s eyes.

“So they were like you, huh?”

“They were elementals of different natures.” He scrubbed his palms down his face.

“Crap. I was supposed to get in contact with you later today about an assignment. Jake was hurt and we need your expertise. I hate like hell having to ask you. I’ll talk to Brax, see what we can do.”

The sound of sirens brought their conversations to a halt.

Hal ambled off to meet the police, while Keanu checked on the three men lying unconscious in the grass. He looked up to see Cammie at the railing, looking ethereal in his white T-shirt. She smiled down at him with a look of love so fierce his heart skipped a beat or two. Raising his hand, he waved and returned her smile.

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Chapter Nine

Cammie covered her mouth with her hand. Damn, he looked hot. She wasn’t the least bit

scared by his abilities, but admitted, to herself at least, she was a little intimidated.

Smoothing back her hair with one palm, she turned from the incredible view of a shirtless Keanu, threw on a pair of shorts and followed the sounds coming from outside.

Keanu turned at her approach. Their eyes met, held. She saw a fierce gleam in his gaze, a look she wondered if only she could see. It was a look she wanted more of, but was forced to ignore in front of so many official looking men. She hated being on the victim side of things again. It made her think of the fire at her home and how helpless she’d been.

Three men she recognized from her town looked to be trussed up. Cammie swept a quick

glance around the gathering crowd, astonished to see a man who made Keanu look small

looming over the trio. He tensed, a nearly imperceptible tightening of his body she wouldn’t have noticed, had she not been watching him so closely. Anger seemed to roll off the blonde man in waves, but no one else seemed to notice anything off about his body language. He turned, stunning blue eyes pinning her with a questioning look. With a shrug, she walked up to Keanu.

He held his hand out, offering her the support she needed.