Secret Obsession (romantic suspense) (Red Stone Security Series Book 12) (11 page)

“Ivanov is coming by tomorrow. He’s personally picking up the recording from the offsite company the feeds go to. He’s…not happy with his security team.”

“Good.” Though they both knew shit like this happened, even with the best security. From what Ford had seen, however, Viktor Ivanov needed to get a new team at his club. “Is he here tonight?”

“Yeah. Or he was earlier. I think he actually met Raegan but he probably doesn’t know who she is.”

“Is her friend gone?”

Grant’s lips curved up. “Yeah. Can’t believe you were okay with her coming here tonight with that fucker.”

“She’s a grown woman.” He hadn’t liked it, but it wasn’t like he and Raegan were together. Not yet anyway. But that was coming. “You think he’s got anything to do with this?” For all Ford knew the guy didn’t like being stuck in the friend zone. Maybe it was too much for him.

“Nah. And we ran the guy hard too.”

Ford didn’t doubt it, but nodded as Raegan broke away from her cousins-in-law and made her way to him and Grant. She looked beautiful and utterly exhausted.

“Can we go?” she sighed, moving to him like a magnet, wrapping her arm around his waist like it was the most natural thing in the world.

His slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. He was glad she didn’t want to hide their…relationship. Or whatever they had. That had been a fear, lurking in his subconscious. That she wouldn’t want to let her cousins know about them. “If you’re ready, we can leave.”

“I’ll follow you guys to your truck,” Grant said, no room for argument in his voice.

Not that Ford planned to. He didn’t care if Grant came along. More security was always better. He just cared about getting her home. Keeping her safe.

* * *

He wiped his damp palms against his pants as he steered into his garage. Tonight had been stupid.

He
had been stupid.

What the hell had he been thinking?

He hadn’t, that was the problem.

He’d seen Raegan in that hot-as-fuck dress and lost his mind. It was her fault for setting him off. She hadn’t even noticed him. At work she always said hi and was friendly. Way more friendly than she needed to be. But tonight she’d looked right through him, as if she had no idea who he was.

She’d been out with that guy he’d seen her with in the past. The rich one. After she’d been off with some other asshole this afternoon. Making out with that one like a whore for everyone to see.

From her texts and phone calls he didn’t think she was fucking the one she’d been with tonight.

But he could be wrong.

God, he’d certainly been wrong tonight.

He was still shaking as he pressed the button to close his garage door. The trembles didn’t stop when he was inside his house.

Shudders racked him.

He’d been careless, could have been caught. That was not on his agenda. Not like so many losers who ‘wanted to get caught.’ Fuck that.

He’d wanted to frighten her, to wrap his hand around her throat, to show her that he was in charge. He’d been so stupid though. Tonight had been too risky. Getting caught wasn’t something he ever wanted. It was why he didn’t send her threatening messages, contact her. It would leave a way to be traced back to him. Instead, he just watched. Waiting for the right time. He did actually write her letters, he just never sent them. Once he had her in his possession, he’d let her read them then.

She was his secret obsession. He loved watching, but he was tired of women teasing him, tired of being invisible.

He ran a hand over his erection as he shut the mudroom door behind him. He shouldn’t even want her, but he couldn’t help it. She called to him.

He still wondered if he’d worked her up in his mind, made her out to be something she wasn’t. When he’d first met her he’d thought she was sweet, innocent. Now she seemed like every other woman. Just another whore.

He didn’t bother changing, just went straight into his workout room and slammed his fist against his punching bag.

The impact against his knuckles loosened some of the rage building inside him, let him focus and channel his energy.

He had to get back under control. After his slipup tonight, he had to be back in command. He’d likely see her next week, get his temporary fix. He’d only gone to the event tonight to see her. After reading her texts he’d known she’d be there. One look at her was all he’d wanted. When she’d separated herself from her date, the opportunity to scare her had been too much. If she hadn’t had her stupid phone—something he would have thought of if he’d been thinking clearly—he’d have been able to do more than scare her. He could have touched her, shown her that she was his.

He slammed his fist into the punching bag again and again, imagined pummeling the man she’d been with tonight. Or the other one from the beach. Both. It didn’t matter.

They were both obstacles.

Maybe… Maybe Raegan wanted him to fight for her, to show her that he could eliminate any competition. That he was the right man for her. Women liked that shit, when guys were all alpha.

His arms were sore and sweat was pouring down his face and neck by the time he forced himself to stop punching the bag.

He was finally back under control, his head clear. And he wouldn’t be making a mistake like tonight again. He was done waiting and writing letters he never sent. Next time he went after her, he was taking her. Simple as that.

Chapter 10

Raegan wanted to tell Ford that he didn’t need to check her condo, not since she’d had her security system armed. But it would have been a fruitless effort. He was totally geared up, the energy rolling off him a little intense.

He’d point-blank told her uncle that he’d be the one taking her home and looking after her. And nobody ever told Keith Caldwell anything.

She certainly hadn’t disagreed, even if she didn’t need someone to look after her. Not in her own home.

Tonight had scared the hell out of her but she felt safe in her home. And while she didn’t necessarily feel like an obligation to him, she also didn’t want this to be a defining thing in their potential relationship.

He was older than her and likely way more experienced. She liked that. But she also didn’t want him to feel like she needed taking care of. It made things feel too unequal between them.

While he did a full-scale sweep of her place, she headed to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of Tylenol. She took two with a glass of red wine instead of water because yeah, it was one of those nights.

“Ugh,” she muttered to herself, hating the whole situation.

“What’s wrong?” Ford was suddenly there in her small kitchen, his expression worried.

Half smiling, she shook her head. “Nothing. Just annoyed in general.” Even thinking that the person who’d tried to attack her tonight was the same one from last night was beyond scary. She always thought stalkers left creepy messages and made heavy breathing phone calls. If someone had been harassing her, she’d have gone to the police. And her cousins. It was like this insanity had come out of the blue.

“Do you want to rest?” Ford looked unsure what to do as he stood there. As if he wished he had a specific target to fight.

“No. Look, thank you for driving me home and for coming to the event when Grant called you. That was so sweet. But don’t feel like you need to stay or anything. Or to take care of me.” She wanted that out there, wanted him to understand she didn’t want to be—

“Oh, I’m staying.”

She blinked at his matter-of-fact tone. “Excuse me?”

“On the couch, but I’m staying. Or I’ll walk you up to Porter and Lizzy’s place. You’re not going to be alone tonight.”

His bossy tone rankled her. Setting her wine glass down, she pushed away from the counter and stalked toward him. “I’m grateful for what you’ve done, but you don’t get to tell me what to do.”

“Pretty sure I just did,” he answered, his gaze dropping to her mouth.

She was torn between being offended and turned on. Raegan didn’t like men to tell her what to do. She didn’t like
anyone
to tell her what to do. ‘A problem with authority,’ her mother had always said.

But heat pooled between her thighs at that take-charge tone of Ford’s. She certainly wasn’t going to tell him that—it would just encourage him. She placed a hand on his chest. “Ford—”

He covered her hand with his bigger, callused one and lifted it. Taking her completely by surprise, he skated his lips over her knuckles. As he did, he let out a shuddering breath. “When I got that call I was terrified for you.”

Immediately she softened, stepping even closer to him. He was such a solid presence. “I’m okay.”

“I’m still staying over.” Once again his tone was all domineering.

“You can’t do that,” she muttered.

“Do what?” He stepped closer, moving until he had her back against the counter and there was nowhere for her to go.

Even as his bossiness annoyed her, she wanted to arch into him, to rub up against him like a feline in heat. Everything about the man was sexy, and this need he seemed to have to take charge was insanely hot even if it was maddening. Clearly she should have her head examined. This type of behavior had never turned her on before. Once a guy tried to tell her what to do, she was out the door. Now, however… “Drive me crazy being all caveman.”

“I think you like it.” There was a hint of a question in his statement. His green eyes seemed darker tonight, as he looked down at her with blatant heat and hunger.

“You would think that.” Even if it was true she wasn’t going to tell him.

“If I slid my hand up your dress and cupped that pretty pussy, would I find you wet?” His voice was raspy, unsteady and there was no mistaking he was turned on, given his thick erection pressing against her.

Her mouth fell open at his words. She’d never had a man talk to her like that. The rawness, the dirtiness of the words got her even wetter. She swallowed hard. “Why don’t you find out?”

He blinked once, as if she’d surprised him, but just as quickly, he moved into action. One hand slid behind her, gripped the counter tight as he leaned into her.

The only sound was their breathing, and that seemed over-pronounced as his other hand reached between them and slowly began pushing her cocktail dress up. The rustling of her dress seemed just as loud as their breathing. She was surprised she could hear anything anyway with her heart beating in her ears.

Nerves danced in her belly when his fingers grazed her inner thighs, barely touching her. Another rush of heat pooled between her legs at the teasing.

He had her pinned in place with his gaze when he slid her panties to the side, stroked a finger through her slick folds.

“This for me, baby?” he murmured, his eyes still trained on her mouth.

Her nipples tightened at the feel of him touching her so intimately. “Yes,” she whispered, loving how he called her baby or sweetheart. Oh, how she wanted him to push inside her. Her inner walls clenched, needing to be filled, but he just slowly stroked against her folds, barely penetrating her.

She rolled her hips against his hand and he shuddered. “You’re killing my good intentions.”

She clutched onto his shoulders, needing him for support. “What intentions?” she rasped out.

“You need rest,” he murmured, even as he slid a finger over her clit, gently massaging.

No, what she needed was more of this. But she couldn’t find her voice when he increased the pressure.

She started to close her eyes when his lips covered hers. Unlike their kiss at the beach, this one was slow, sensual, as if he didn’t mind taking his time. The pacing was just as easy as his gentle strokes against her clit.

She had no idea what Ford wanted, or whether this was just casual for him.

He nipped her bottom lip. “I want to taste you.” His words came out guttural.

She moaned into his mouth, pretty much the only response she was capable of when he was touching her so intimately. But he was already tasting her—
Oh.
It took a few seconds for her brain to catch up to his meaning. She felt her cheeks flush as he grasped the edge of her panties and tugged them down.

Gravity did its job and when they reached her ankles she stepped out of them.

“I want to taste your come, to feel you climaxing against my mouth.” He lifted her onto the counter and she couldn’t find any words as he kneeled between her legs.

The sight of his dark head between her spread thighs under the bright light of her kitchen was one of the most erotic things she’d ever seen.

He looked even bigger like that, his shoulders broader than she’d realized. And talk about exposed. She’d never felt so vulnerable and turned on before.

It was clear that Ford had a lot of experience and liked talking dirty. She’d never been a big talker during sex and wondered if he wanted that. She wasn’t going to start now because she figured anything she said would sound stupid.

He didn’t seem to mind her quietness though. Not when he inhaled deeply before burying his face between her legs.

And that’s when she lost the ability to talk or really think about anything other than the pleasure he was giving her.