The Veiled Cage (Lady Lawyer Series Romantic Suspense Novels Book 1) (35 page)

He slid inside of her and filled her to bursting. She arched, vibrating, as he slid into her, over and over, tantalizing her with the delicious friction of their union. He emptied himself into her and captured her mouth in a lingering kiss. He kissed her temple and watched her.

A tear escaped from her eye. Shocked, she shifted to swipe it away but he beat her to it, gently sweeping it with his thumb
.“
Wha
t’
s this
?
”

“
I have no idea. All I know is I ca
n’
t move. Yo
u’
ve electrified me.
I’
ll die a happy woman. If that was heaven,
I’
ll go back. All it was missing was donuts
.
”

“
You have a one-track mind
.
”

“
Two-track
.
”

He lowered his head to her hair, breathing in her scent.

“
Stay
,”
she heard herself say, and realized she did
n’
t want to retract the invite.

“
It would take superhuman strength to leave you.
I’
m only a man, Rubina
.
”

She ran her hand across his muscled back
.“
Yes, you certainly are
.”
She peered into his face
.“
Though that could be the face of a Grecian god
.
”

“
You need
n’
t talk me into bed. Yo
u’
ve already had your way with me
.
”

“
Maybe my aim is to do so again
.”
She laughed, and caught her breath as he drew her close and trailed kisses along her neck
.“
Milo
?
”

He lifted his head and grinned at her
.“
Yes,
Querida
?
”

“
What are we doing
?
”

“
W
e’
re having a romance
.
”

“
I was afraid yo
u’
d say that. Are you sure it ca
n’
t just be sex
?”
she asked hopefully.

“
Is that what you want? Casual sex between consenting adults? No strings, leaving me free to chase one of those heiresses yo
u’
re so fond of tossing me in with
?
”

“
Do you
?”
she asked, eyes narrowed.

“
She would wrinkle her surgically-shaped nose and swoon over me. Sh
e’
d be into the latest health food craze. That is, if she ate at all. She might subsist on smoothies and Botox
.
”

“
I could snap her like a twig. But if tha
t’
s what you want, be my guest
.
”

“
No, I do
n’
t want casual. I much prefer a sugar-aholic, spitfire lawyer. A natural beauty with a slightly crooked nose
.
”

She raised her hand to her face.

He moved it away
.“I’
m quite fond of it
.”
He demonstrated by kissing the tip of her nose, both cheeks, and then moved over her lips before pulling back
.“
And
I’
m not comfortable with this either, Rubina. If that makes you feel any better
.
”

“
Actually, it does. Not much, but a bit
.”
She paused before continuing
,“
There has
n’
t been anyone else
.
”

“
I
t’
s too late for that now. Yo
u’
ve already told me there have been others, and
I’
ve already envisioned bloodying them
.
”

“
No, I mean i
t’
s never been like this, for me, with anyone else
.”
She searched for the words, and dropped her hand to his chest, helpless
.“I’
m not good at this. This mushy stuff
.
”

“
Querida
, I would
n’
t want you any other way
.”
He gave her a feathery kiss
.“
Ther
e’
s been no one else for me. Not like this
.”
He held her close, delighted with her
.“
Let me show you
.
”

“
Again? You are a sex maniac
.
”

“
No, not that . . . not yet anyway
.”
He sprang to his feet, grabbed his pants from the floor and produced a scrap.

She took it gingerly and gasped
.“
Tha
t’s
—”

“
Yes, i
t’
s yours
.
”

“
You said yo
u’
d get rid of it
.”
She eyed him warily
.“
Are you a hoarder
?
”

“
No, I said
I’
d take care of it. It seems you started to matter to me before I realized it
.
”

“
I, I do
n’
t know . . . i
t’
s all so fast
.
”

“
You need
n’
t say a thing
.
”

She kept her eyes on his as she pulled him back to the bed.

Their bodies communicated what neither was ready to say.

✧

Later, when they lay tangled together in sleep, Tara returned to Ruby in her dreams.

“
You did
n’
t keep me safe. You wo
n’
t keep her safe
.
”

“
Who
?”
Ruby stepped forward.

“
Me
.”
Tar
a’
s hair lightened. Amber eyes turned hazel. Toffee skin paled to wraithlike white. Susan stared at Ruby, eyes pleading
.“
H
e’
s coming for me
.
”

“
Who
?”
Ruby turned to see tousled brown hair and a cocky grin.

“
Sh
e’
s mine
.”
He spread his lips in a snarling smile.

“
No, she never was, you bastard. Yo
u’
ll never be free again. Yo
u’
re going to rot in Mardova
.
”

As he shook his head, his hair thickened into a mane as black as the heart of darkness. Piercing blue turned to steel. He grew until he filled the room
.“I’
m too clever for that. Mardova or dead. And
I’
ll kill anyone that stands in my way. Sh
e’
s mine. Stand aside
.
”

“
No. I wo
n’
t let you have her
.
”

He lifted a kitchen knife and walked slowly toward her
.“
Your death will be slow and painful. Like the woma
n’
s
.
”

Ruby looked back toward the closet. In its place stood a twin bed. On it laid a woman with dark blonde hair and hazel, unseeing eyes.

“
Yo
u’
re too late
.
”

“
Susan! No
!
”

Ruby thrashed against strong arms.

“
Yo
u’
re safe. I
t’
s me, Emilio. I have you. Yo
u’
re safe
.
”

She pushed up on her elbow and leaned forward, filling her lungs as he stroked her back.

“
You can go back to sleep. I
t’
s early
.
”

“
No. Not while h
e’
s still out there
.
”

“
Nobody will hurt you.
I’
ll make sure of it
.
”

“
I believe you. But you ca
n’
t protect me from my own nightmares
.
”

“
If only I could,
Querida
.
”

She kissed him gently
.“
You can go back to sleep
.
”

“
No,
I’
ll make coffee
.”
He rose.

“
The coffeemaker can be touchy
.
”

“
Rubina, really
?
”

“
Sorry, I forgot for a minute. You sure do
n’
t look like an e-man
.”
She passed her gaze over him.

“
And
I’
m the sex maniac
?
”

She eased back and stared at the ceiling, willing herself to settle.

Emilio returned with steaming mugs.

“
Yo
u’
re drinking coffee now
?
”

“
Yes. Even I cannot make tea from thin air
.
”

“
Right. I guess I have
n’
t gotten around to stocking anything except necessities
.
”

“
Yes, sugar is crucial to on
e’
s survival
.”
He waited for her to gulp half her coffee before asking
,“
Where did a lawyer learn to fight like that? Even in sleep, yo
u’
re formidable. Do they teach martial arts in law school
?
”

“
No,
I’
ve been training since I was sixteen
.
”

“
Why
?
”

Ruby closed her eyes and considered how to navigate this new territory. Looking him in the eye, she began
,“
When I was sixteen, I had a crush on a boy at my school
.
”

“
What were you like at sixteen
?
”

“
Innocent, n
aï
ve. I wore frilly skirts and my hair long. I took everything I did seriousl
y—
student council, schoolwork, softball
.
”

“
Surprising. Yo
u’
re so cavalier toward your engagements now
.
”

She half smiled, at him and her younger self
.“
I thought I knew everything
.
”

“
Also far different than now
.
”

Ruby chucked a pillow at him
.“
Hey, do you want to hear my story or not
?
”

He propped himself on the pillow
.“
You have my undivided attention
.
”

“
And now that I do, I do
n’
t know how to continue
.
”