Inside Danger (Outside The Ropes Book 2) (7 page)

“For shopping this week, and to pay you back for what you spent yesterday. The gym will cover the expense of dressing up for our functions.” He leaned forward, pressing the bills into my hand.

I swallowed hard and my hand shook as my fingers closed around the money. “Will I have to pay this back?”

His smile softened as he looked down at me. “No. This is our expense, not yours. Silas can fill you in tomorrow on the details, but needless to say, you’re worth the investment.”

He tapped on the box in his other hand as his eyes connected with mine. “My wife makes jewelry. Did you know that?”

I didn’t know anything about them, nor did I want to, but I couldn’t tell him that. I struggled just to shake my head no. It was hard to keep up a brave act in front of him. Even though he had never been mean, I knew everything wrong originated from him.

He sunk to his knees in front of me, and my heart lodged into my throat. He was tall enough that up on his knees he was eye level with me in the chair. He smiled at my stunned reaction and dropped his eyes to the box in his hand.

“This is one of her pieces, but it made me think of you. You should have it. Wear it.” He opened the box and extended it to me to see before pulling it back and taking it out himself.

The bracelet was a thick leather band with a gold chain woven though and pearls braided into the design. I still couldn’t find my voice, not that I had anything to say. My brain must have escaped and I sat stupefied.

He picked up my hand and buckled the bracelet on my wrist, murmuring, “It’s strong, but beautiful, like you.” He looked up at me with a new type of smile, one that cut into me like a sharp knife.

Rising to his feet, he tugged on my hand, encouraging me to stand. His fingers slid around my wrist as he admired the bracelet.

“Thank you.” I found my voice with my legs. I wanted out of the room and feared I didn’t hide my discomfort well.

“You can go now. Sleep well.” His lips slid into a grin, but he didn’t move as I walked out of the room.

I closed the door behind me, heart pounding and stomach crashing in waves. I needed to get to my room and process what had just happened. That man was the master at making me feel fear without saying anything. All he had done was give me a gift, from his wife, but it felt like more. A lot more. And I felt dirty, like I had done something wrong.

Speed walking down the hall, I turned the corner and bumped into someone.

Gage.

His hands grabbed my shoulders to steady me without even paying attention to who I was. When his face flashed with recognition, his hands dropped away at the same time.

My heart was still pounding, and seeing him only made the waves in my stomach crash with more force, especially when his eyes dropped over me. It was like he knew where to look, he zeroed in on my wrist and lifted my hand. His jaw clenched as his eyes flicked from my face to the bracelet and back again. He shook his head, dropped my hand, and stalked away.

I could have crumpled on the ground right then, the look in his eyes wounded me so. But I sucked it up and made my way to my room.

Curling under the covers of the bed, I closed my eyes against the chaos and tried to shut it all out with sleep.

I WASN’T ASLEEP FOR LONG BEFORE THE door opened, letting in muted light from the hallway. The brief outline of a shadow in the doorway was enough to let me know it was Gage.

Sitting up in bed, I paused as the door closed and shut out all light. Something pulled across the carpet. It took a moment for my eyes to readjust to the dark, he had a chair wedged under the doorknob.

Before I could slide off the bed, he was there, crawling over me, forcing me to lie back down. One hand wound into my hair, angling my head up as he dipped his down. His lips dragged across my cheek, to my ear.

“You’re mine.” His whispered voice was ruff with demand, matching his movement as he pulled me further up the bed and stretched out on me.

One hand squeezed my waist and his other hand tightened its hold in my hair. “Right?”

I hadn’t realized it was a question, but the pressure of it was suffocating, almost as bad as the smell of smoke and alcohol surrounding him, choking me.

“Why are you doing this?” Fear was beginning to beat out the other emotions he caused.

He pulled his head back, his chest rising and falling with his breathing. His eyes narrowed as he looked down on me. “Why? You know why.” His hand left my hair and slid down my left arm, to the bracelet. Pushing off of me, he pulled me up into sitting with him, fingers locked on my wrist. “This.” He held up my arm between us.

“It doesn’t mean anything.” I tried to pull away, but my muscles were rubbery.

He tightened his grip and tugged me to him as he hooked his other arm around my waist. His lips were back at my ear. “You know that’s not true.”

Did I? I had been trying to convince myself that it meant nothing, but his words sunk that hope, drowning it. My merry go round of emotions hit sadness and I leaned into him for support, the only person who could help take away the pain, even just for a moment.

“Answer me,” he pleaded, letting go of my wrist as he pulled me into his chest, both arms wrapped around me.

“How can I? In this room, yes, I’m yours. But—”

He pushed me away from him, hands on my shoulders. “Whose are you the rest of the time?”

I jerked free of his grip and sprung off the bed, standing, anger strengthening my body and words. “Nobody’s. I’m my own person. And I take it back. Even in here, I don’t belong to anyone, not even you. You selfish prick.”

In a flash, he was standing and I took a step back. He snatched my wrist to keep me from retreating further.

“Good.” His voice was filled with so much relief it stilled me. “Good. As long as you’re not his or anyone else’s.” His fingers fumbled with the buckle to the bracelet until it gave and slide off my skin. He threw it into the darkness of the room. “That doesn’t belong on you.”

His warm hands cupped my face as he pressed his lips to mine, heat building between us as our kiss deepened. He walked me back to the bed, never parting from me. Our movements were broken and slow as we moved to lying. He was flush against me, hands caressing the skin on my back and sides.

He didn’t pull away when he spoke, “You’re wrong. I’m not selfish.” Continuing his path down my neck, his lips moved against my skin as he went on, “I’d do anything for you. Anything.” He looked up at me, eyes hard and serious. “And you are mine.”

My stomach dipped as his words started a heat wave crashing into my core.

He slid further down me, lifting my shirt. “Your body is mine.” His fingers dragged lightly over the skin on my stomach, leaving a trail of heat. “Your kisses are mine.” His lips followed the path of his fingers, sparking electric shocks through me.

Lifting my shirt farther up, he slid his fingers under my bra and I sucked in sharply. My defenses returned and I tried to push his hands away. Away from the scars.

He grabbed my hands and rose up over me, shaking his head. “No, Regan. All of you is mine, including your scars. Just like I’m yours. All of me, even the darkest parts. It’s all yours.”

A reckless need took over, his words hitting something in me, something primal and passionate. And I crashed my lips into his, silencing him as I moved my tongue against his.

He undid my bra and I let it fall free as he pulled my shirt over my head.

It was exhausting keeping everything in, so for this moment I let it out and I let him in. And for the moment, we were each other’s and I submitted to him as he submitted to me.

But it was only for the moment. We both knew in the morning it wouldn’t be true. In the morning I would have to find that bracelet and put it back on. But for now, we lived in the moment, infinite and strong because we were together.

We were tangled in each other’s arms, still sweaty and weak from our lovemaking, because that’s the only way it could be described. We had made love, from the moment we connected, every movement, every touch, every kiss had built this blanket of love that surrounded us and shielded us. I was still encased in it as his fingertips glided up and down my arm.

But the feeling was lifting as the sun rose, casting a pale, ominous light into the room.

“What did you do tonight?” I asked, not moving my head from his chest.

His fingers dropped away and he shifted under me, angling his head to look towards me. “Hm?”

“Tonight, when you came in I could smell the alcohol on you. Who were you with? What did you do?” His natural fresh musk was all I could smell now, but it had been undeniable when he first entered. And I was a fool for not asking sooner.

“I was with Rusnak.” His voice took on an edge and I tightened my arms around him, struggling between not wanting to know but needing to hear it.

“They talk so much shit. All the time. I know they do it to try to catch me, to get a rise out of me. They haven’t acted on any of it so I’ve been able to play it cool, but seeing his bracelet on you—I know what he’s doing.”

His rant confused me. “What is he doing?”

“He’s reminding me who’s in charge, who has control.” His hands tightened on me. “But as long as their focus is still on me, it’ll be all right.”

I pulled back from him, resting on my forearms so I could meet his eyes. “What are you talking about? You’re not making sense.”

He rubbed his hand over his head with a frustrated sigh. “You’ve been playing the game well. You even have Demetri saying you’re all right and coming from him, that’s big. So I don’t think they’ll actually try anything. I don’t think they’ll hurt you. Not when they still want me to fight for them.”

My blood turned icy, spreading through my veins. “Have they threatened too? All they tell me is that I’m here until Damien is taken care of because he is the threat.”

“Baby, I hope that’s true.” He dropped his hand onto my head and his eyes followed the path of his palm down my hair. “He will be taken care of soon enough, but I only have one more night of staying here before the drop off. I’m going to do what I can to get you out of here when I leave.”

Tomorrow, or tonight rather now that the golden glow of morning light filled the room, he would be done his business here.

“Wasn’t this supposed to get you close to Damien? What are you planning?”

He shook his head and leaned in to kiss my forehead, pausing with his lips on my skin as he inhaled. “He should be finished after tonight, too.”

Everything became tight, my lungs, my throat, my stomach, but I forced the words out. “No. Leave it to them to take care of. I don’t want you—”

Suddenly he sat upright and dropped his feet to the floor. “I’m taking care of it.” He stood up, jerking on his clothes as he gathered them from the floor. “You just worry about yourself and keep low. Stay close to Demetri and try to stay the hell away from Rusnak or Nick.”

Fully dressed, he turned to look at me and paused, softening. “Please. I need you to listen.” He sat back on the bed and I moved to his side, pulling the sheets with me to keep covered. “Don’t do anything, don’t take any chances today. Tomorrow, things should be different tomorrow.”

I nodded, hoping I could listen. But very little had been in my control since I got here.

He pressed his lips against mine, lightly, briefly, and then walked out of the room.

I slid into the passenger seat of Demetri’s car and exhaustion pulled at my muscles, a combination of lack of sleep, my time with Gage, and the effort I had just used in the gym.

“Now that’s done. What to do today? And don’t say movie or TV.” Demetri scowled beneath his glasses.

I gave him a wry smile. He was a mystery to me, but knowing that Gage thought he was the least of the evils to be around helped.

“How about coffee somewhere and then the shooting range again?” My hand vibrated with the memory and finger itched to pull a trigger again.

He smiled and nodded as he pulled out into traffic.

“Oy,” Demetri hollered, keeping me from raising my gun. “Your phone is ringing again.” He raised it up, showing me.

I spun towards him and reached for it. I hadn’t seen my phone since he took it on Friday, three days ago.

“It’s the prison, it’s called before.”

I shot him a stern look as I clicked the answer button. How was I supposed to know when he had my phone?

An operator notified me that a prisoner, James Baker, wanted to speak with me. I agreed to wait while they put him through. My feet stuck in the ground the instant his voice came through.

“Regan? Shit you’re hard to get a hold of.”

Demetri was watching me, not even pretending to give me space for this conversation.

“I didn’t have my phone. What are you doing in jail?”

“I told you the cops were all over my apartment. They found a bunch of stuff, violated my probation so I got locked up. But listen, that’s not why I called. You need to call Miguel, he has some news you need to hear. About Nan.”

“Um,” I swallowed, clearing my airway. “All right. What’s his number?”

Miguel didn’t want to talk on the phone, so we made arrangements to meet at the library later. Demetri approved the location and set himself at a table to watch over our conversation.

I met Miguel in between two rows of reference books.

He tugged at his dark hair, making it stand up in a wild wave. “I talked with James and I know what he wants with Damien. Hell, I don’t blame him. It’s awful what happened to Nan.”

I crossed my arms, keeping a lock on the sadness that Nan’s name provoked.

“But Damien says it wasn’t him.” Miguel’s eyes widened as he whispered these words that stung me.

I shook my head, unbelieving. “You talked to him? And you believe him?” I seethed. Who cares what Damien says, of course he would deny it. Wouldn’t he?

Miguel stepped back, hands up. “He came to me, I wouldn’t have looked for that psycho. But he told me to tell James that he didn’t do it. He said he was giving James this one chance to call off whoever he has after him, out of respect for his sister. But, if it’s not called off, Damien will strike back.”