Hot Pursuit (26 page)

Dear God! The lowlife thug thrived on her pathetic, pleading behavior.

Angel smacked at her tears, tucking her purse under her arm, and straightened, facing the mean creature destroying her life. “What you’re doing is against the law,” she hissed at him.

It was as if he didn’t hear her.

“You’re doing this to yourself, Miss Matisse.” Brutus was cold and terrifying when he crossed his arms and stood next to the locksmith, who already had her door handle and lock off of her door and was replacing it with a new one.

Angel caught a glimpse of the locksmith’s face under his ball cap and realized with horror that she had gone to high school with him. Her vision was impaired by more tears threatening to fall as she glimpsed curious onlookers watching the scene take place. Angel turned her head, looking down the street at people she’d known all her life. They quickly diverted their attention and went on their way when she managed to focus on them. Even Petey, farther down the street, darted into his parent’s store when he noticed that she’d spotted him.

Her town would turn against her, all of them fearing they might be next if they acknowledged Angel at all. Cortez owned this town. Everyone lived in horror that he might look their way if they did anything to displease him.

The fucking asshole had stolen her bookstore, her home, and her community. Angel was suddenly an outcast, all because she wouldn’t tell the devil straight out of hell where his daughter was hiding, hiding for her life. Now Angel was no better off than Zoey. No, Angel was worse. Zoey didn’t want her life in Zounds. Angel couldn’t imagine a life anywhere else.

At the moment, though, she didn’t know which way to turn. Suddenly she did want Wolf. She wanted him to tell her his work was done. She wanted Cortez to return to hell and rot there. The sooner the better.

Chapter Twelve

“What the hell were you doing?” Zoey demanded as they drove back to the cabin.

Ben understood why Wolf had taken care of his Escalade. It was one hell of a nice SUV, pricey, too. But it pissed Ben off that he hadn’t known exactly where the shooting had taken place. Wolf had given Ben directions, initially to come get him, but Ben couldn’t leave Zoey alone and couldn’t go to Wolf on his bike. He was positive that Micah had shot Wolf’s tires out. Few men could have aimed so accurately, and Wolf had confirmed only two shots had been fired. Wolf’s SUV hadn’t been hit, just the tires. There was a slight chance that Cortez’s henchmen might have known Wolf’s SUV was disabled. People lived back in those woods. And people talked. If Cortez had learned Wolf was stuck on the side of the road, he might have guessed Ben would go to assist. Zoey couldn’t be left alone.

So he endured her curiosity and questions. “I was looking for whoever might have done that to Wolf’s Escalade.”

“You really think that the shooter might be lingering around still? It’s been hours since he shot at Wolf.”

Ben looked at Zoey when he parked next to the cabin. The side of her face was blending shades of green and blue, but all swelling had subsided. In spite of her bruises, Zoey was captivatingly beautiful. Her straight black hair was down, which he guessed she did to try to hide her face. It streamed over her shoulders and down her back, so shiny black and looking smoother than silk. Her eyes were dark, large, and filled with concern and curiosity.

“No,” he said easily, hoping to assure her that he hadn’t placed her in danger. He couldn’t tell her that he knew the shooter, knew beyond any doubt that Micah would never fire at Ben or at Zoey. “The shooter wasn’t out there. But there are things to look for, things that could help identify who he might have been.”

“Or she,” Zoey prompted. “Men always assume a bad guy is a man. Women can do terrible things, too.”

“Or she,” Ben agreed easily, getting out of the car and coming around to Zoey when she got out on the passenger side. “The ordeal is over. Wolf is waiting on his SUV to be done. There is nothing more for you or me to worry about.”

“How do you know what to look for out in the woods?”

Zoey entered the cabin in front of him. Her jeans were tight around her small ankles, and he could see the spike black heels of her new boots. Ben loved how her jeans hugged her legs and curved so damn perfectly around that delicious, sweet rear end of hers.

He blinked, hearing her question and raising his gaze in time when she turned and looked at him. Ben wanted her. He wanted Zoey so damn bad. It was hard fighting the argument in his head that leaving her alone was best. For Christ sake, he’d just come out of a bad relationship and sure as hell didn’t need to be starting another. Not to mention, Zoey wasn’t in a place in her life where she would want a man anyway. She had more issues to sort out than most when it came to her father. So in spite of how she was nothing like Stacy, so incredibly sensual, and stared at him continually with lustful curiosity, he should keep his hands to himself.

The moment after he had that thought he stroked the side of her face that wasn’t bruised, his hand caressing her soft skin before his brain reminded him of what he’d just told himself.

“It’s just things I’ve learned over the years,” he said offhandedly. “And some I’ve learned from TV.” None of that was a lie. But stopping where he’d thought Wolf’s tires had been shot hadn’t brought him any closer to Micah.

Zoey nodded, smiling when he touched her as her long black lashes fluttered over her pretty eyes. “I guess you’re a good man to have around,” she said softly.

“I hope so.”

He honestly wasn’t sure whether she stepped forward or he moved closer to her. But she was looking up at him, her black hair so straight and smooth down her back. Her sweater was sleeveless and cut with a V down her front. A glimpse of cleavage grabbed his attention, her breasts round swells and revealing just enough to stir his dick to life.

“I think you might be.” Zoey touched him. Her small hands rested on his chest long enough to send his heart racing before she reached higher and brushed her fingers against his jawbone. “Can you focus on the side of my face that isn’t bruised and pretend I’m not damaged?”

“Damn woman,” he growled, his arguments a mere moment ago dissipating as all resolve in his brain suddenly commanded that he take her. “Zoey.” His voice was gravelly. “You aren’t damaged. It’s not your fault what happened to you.”

“I’m glad you see it that way.” She wasn’t tall enough to claim his mouth.

“I see a beautiful woman, intelligent and with a craving for freedom, to see all life can offer her. I see that you want to embrace that freedom and explore it without being held back by anyone.”

“You’ve got good eyesight.” Her grin was intoxicating. Perfectly straight white teeth contrasted against her dark, rose lips, which were moist and full against her smooth caramel skin. “I’m ready to explore it.”

Both hands were on his shoulders now. Her breasts pressed against his chest. Ben cupped her ass, lifting her as he lowered his face to hers. “I don’t want to take any of that from you,” he growled, his need for her so great he could barely speak.

“You would take away my freedom?”

“No!” he immediately stressed. “God, no.”

“I didn’t think so,” she purred so deliciously that her voice, her body, her sensual nature and cravings became too much.

Ben tried to be gentle. In spite of Zoey making it quite clear what she wanted, there were facts that couldn’t be ignored. Facts he shouldn’t ignore.

He tasted her soft, full lips, sensed the moment she opened for him, and was unable to hold back any longer. There had never been anything sweeter, any woman more erotic. Ben wrapped his arms around Zoey, crushing her against him, and devoured her mouth.

Her soft moans fueled his desire. Ben lifted her and headed toward the bedroom. His dick was hard and swollen, making it an effort. Thankfully, it was a short distance in the small cabin from the living room to the only bedroom.

The moment he placed Zoey on the bed she scrambled to pull off her boots and socks. Her long hair tumbled around her, fanning her body when she yanked her sweater off her body with one fluid sweep. She reached for her jeans, unbuttoning and unzipping and pushing them down her thighs.

Ben managed to take off his T-shirt. That was too much. He didn’t want to miss any movement Zoey made.

“Slow down,” he told her, taking her wrist in his hand, which instantly stopped her other hand.

Zoey looked at him, her eyes wide and glazed with an alluring mist of unadulterated carnal lust unlike any he’d seen in a woman before. Strands of her hair fell over part of her face. The rest of her long, straight hair flowed down her bare shoulders. Hair parted from the swell of her right breast and ended in evenly cut strands, partially hiding her flat, firm stomach. With her jeans undone but not pushed down her legs, he was able to watch the rise and fall of her tummy, proof how quickly her breath came.

Ben ached to run his tongue along the edge of that lace bra. He wanted to press his face between those luscious swells, feel her breasts press against his face with the rise and fall from her breathing. He imagined running his hand between the concave dip between her hipbones. Just thinking about feeling, instead of seeing, how quickly her breath came as she wanted him damn near engorged his cock.

“Our first time,” he began, drowning in her stormy gaze. “It should be slower. I want to watch you, adore every inch of you. Zoey, I—” He broke off, not knowing how to put in words why it mattered so much that he remember every minute of their lovemaking. He wasn’t sure he knew why, just that it seemed very important.

“Yes. What?” she whispered, raising her free hand and combing his hair from his face. “However you want to do this. I got a bit excited.”

“I’m more than a bit excited.” He grinned at her and leaned his head against her hand before she could pull it away.

“Me, too.” Zoey’s blush was a beautiful shimmering rose that spread over her pretty skin, dimming the bruises on the side of her face.

Ben crawled over her, pulling her wrist from her jeans as he did. It was best both of them left their jeans on for at least a bit longer. Saying he was excited was an understatement. Zoey’s willingness and her excitement to have sex with him damn near brought him to the breaking point before they’d even reached the bedroom.

They sunk into the middle of the soft mattress he swore must have been stuffed with down. Not that he cared a bit how comfortable the bed might be to sleep in. He loved how Zoey relaxed into it as she stretched out on her back. Ben lowered himself slowly on top of her until their bodies pressed against each other.

“You are so beautiful,” he praised, letting go of her hand and leaving it over her head. He pressed his hands into the mattress on either side of her as he kissed her soft lips. “More beautiful than any other lady I’ve ever known.”

“With my bruised face,” she began.

He hushed her with a deeper kiss, entering her mouth and teasing her tongue with his. Ben loved how she responded to him. Zoey wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down closer. She bent her knees and rubbed her bare feet up his jeans. Ben swore he felt the heat from her pussy through her jeans and absorbing into his. It was a good thing his eyes were closed or she might see how her actions caused his eyes to roll back in his head. He groaned his pleasure. Zoey’s purr had to be the strongest aphrodisiac he’d ever experienced.

“This will be the last time there will ever be bruises anywhere on your body,” he promised, lowering his mouth to her neck.

“I might be a klutz and fall.” She giggled and dug her fingernails across his scalp.

“Then I’ll catch you.”

Ben heard his words and in the back of his mind understood the meaning he was suggesting. He was speaking about long term, about having a relationship with Zoey. There hadn’t been thought behind his words when he uttered them. When he spoke them, though, he meant them. He wanted Zoey in his life. He wanted to know her better.

If that was to happen, very soon he needed to share with her who he was, what he did for a living, although he couldn’t share with her why he was really here. Would she accept there were things he couldn’t tell her? At least he hadn’t lied to her about anything so far. He prayed he could continue evading the complete truth, at least until he found Micah. Then … would she consider returning to L.A. with him?

Zoey wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to catch her breath again. So this was what it was like to have a man adore her body. Arching her rear end off the bed, she fought not to push Ben’s face down her body. The ache between her legs was so strong she wanted to scream.

“God, Ben, please,” she urged, wanting more yet loving everything he was doing to her body right now.

His promises to protect her were as wonderful as his skills were. Zoey squirmed when he did a dance with his tongue around her belly button. Her insides were on fire. The swelling between her legs spread like a deadly fever throughout her insides. She was going to explode. No matter what she did, how she moved, or where he kissed and touched her, waves from need and desire continued to swell.

When Ben rose off of her and reached between them for her jeans, Zoey thought the aching would stop. It didn’t. A frantic urgency filled her. She reached between them also and began shoving her jeans down her thighs.

“Let me,” he grumbled, his voice a deep baritone, raspier than it had ever sounded before.

“Just hurry,” she complained, unable to keep her hands from helping push her jeans down her legs.

Ben chuckled and Zoey wondered what was so funny.

“I don’t think you understand.” She frowned up at him. Then she squealed. The moment her jeans were tossed to the side, Ben yanked her panties off of her and spread her legs far apart. “What are you doing?” she cried out.

Ben’s gaze darkened when he nestled his body between her thighs, sliding most of his large frame off the end of the bed so that his mouth was inches from the source of her heat.

“I want to taste you,” he said, and his breath against her damp, tight curls was the worst torture he’d administered to her body yet. “Let me make you come.”