Wicked and Dangerous (16 page)

He scrubbed his hands down his face, then dropped his arms to his sides and forced
himself to look her in the eye. “We’re not talking about my mother, Lily. And before
you think you can just loop back to your original topic, we’re sure as shit not talking
about my sex life.”

“Why?” she pressed softly, clearly not knowing when to quit. “Does it scare you to
know that I’m okay with what you like from women? Is that what bothers you about our
age difference? You think I won’t understand?”

Completely ignoring her questions, he bit his words out. “Did you or did you not come
to me claiming that Rado is trying to kill you?”

“It’s not a claim. It’s the truth.”

“Then maybe you should stop playing games you can’t finish and tell me what the fuck
happened.”

He could tell from the look in her eyes that his attitude was getting to her. “I’ve
already told you what happened.”

He slowly shook his head. “Not how you got away.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Nothing. Not really. Except that it was driving him out of his damn mind, wondering
what those bastards had done to her.

Her lashes lowered, concealing something in her eyes that she didn’t want him to see.
“I got away, Scott. That’s all that matters.”

Fuck it. He’d let her keep her silence. For the moment. “I’ll protect you,” he muttered,
crossing his arms back over his chest, “but I won’t take any of your shit, Lily. You’ll
have to follow my orders. Do you think you can do that?”

Her little chin went up again. “Why do you think I can’t?”

He gave a sarcastic snort. “I remember what you were like. Always defying every order
you were given.”

A low, tight laugh slipped from her lips. “That was a long time ago. I didn’t like
being treated like one of my dad’s soldiers and I acted out. It doesn’t mean I have
a death wish.”

“You could have fooled me.” She might have been innocent when it came to sex back
then, but she’d had more than enough backbone to defy her father in every other aspect
of her life. “You were reckless as hell.”

Her head tilted a bit to the side again. “What are you talking about?”

“That skydiving instructor you let take you up had shit for brains.”

For a few seconds, she just stared at him in confusion. Then realization slowly dawned,
her expression caught somewhere between fascination and shock. “Ohmygod. That was
you
? You’re the one who scared him off ever taking me up for another jump?”

He jerked his shoulder in a stiff roll. “All I did was talk to him.”

“And make him nearly piss his pants! He thought you were going to kill him.”

Choking back a satisfied laugh, he said, “That’s a little dramatic. I just told him
I would kick his ass if he ever came within twenty miles of you again.”

She placed her fingers over her lips, still looking dazed. “He apparently thought
that meant the same thing when coming from you.”

“Yeah, well, you know me better than that.”

“I thought I did. But then I also thought you weren’t coward enough to sneak off in
the dead of night without a word.”

Jesus, she just wouldn’t let up. “Don’t start, Lily. Leave the past in the past, where
it belongs.”

“So because I liked to skydive when I was younger, you think I’m . . . what? Reckless?
Stupid?”

“It wasn’t just the skydiving. It was the rock-climbing, the whitewater kayaking,
the fucking bungee jumping from bridges only an idiot would have jumped off of. You
treated every school break like a chance to finally find a way to kill yourself!”

Color burned beneath her pale skin. “So I liked to push my limits. What’s the big
deal? At least I wasn’t doing it with drugs and sex.”

A muscle started to pulse at the side of his jaw. “You were headed there.”

“That’s a lie and you know it,” she snapped. “But it’s good to know that you were
worried enough to stick around and make sure I was okay.”

“Topic, Lily. For once let’s try to stay on fucking topic.”

She was breathing too hard to say anything for a moment, those green eyes flashing
with anger. “Fine. Is there anyone local who can help us if we need it? Or are we
on our own?”

Pushing his hands in his pockets, he said, “There’s Ben. But I don’t know if that
would be a good idea.”

“Who’s Ben?”

“My boss.”

She studied his expression, no doubt seeing more than he wanted her to. But she simply
said, “Dad told me you were working down here as a deputy. So Ben’s the sheriff?”

“Yeah.”

“You trust him?”

“I trust him,” he replied, then immediately frowned. “But it’s going to be complicated,
seeing as how he’s . . .”

“He’s what?”

“In love.” He winced, feeling like a damn idiot. “He just got married and all that
shit.”

“Oh.” She shook her head. “Um, I’m failing to see the point. Why does his being in
love and married make this complicated?”

Taking a hand from his pocket, he shoved it back through his shaggy hair and grimaced.
“Because the guy’s walking around with fucking stars in his eyes 24/7 these days.
He’s going to take one look at you and start playing matchmaker.” Ben never had before,
but something in Ryder’s gut told him this time it would be different. There was too
much crackling tension in the air between him and Lily. The kind anyone could pick
up on and mistake for something sexual.

With wide eyes, she asked, “Does he do that often? For you?”

“I’m not answering that,” he muttered, shoving his hand back in his pocket.

“Why not?”

“Because my personal life is off-limits. And it’s none of your damn business.”

Her laughter was quiet as she tightened her arms over her chest. “I’d tell you what
a jerk you sound like, but I’m too tired.”

He studied her for a moment, taking in the dark circles under her eyes. Did she look
a little paler than when they’d first started talking? When she yawned, he moved to
her side. “Come on, you need sleep.”

“I know. Sorry,” she mumbled, turning back toward the table, where she’d left a sturdy
backpack sitting in one of the chairs. She’d carried it in with her when they’d come
inside, retrieving it from the shadows by the trellis.

“What’s in the bag?” he asked, telling himself he wasn’t disappointed that she’d been
able to get the pack on her shoulder without losing her grip on her top, which she
was still having to hold closed. But it was nothing but a big fat lie. He’d have probably
given up a year of his life just for the chance to set eyes on her tits again. They
might not be the biggest he’d ever seen, but they were definitely the most beautiful,
not to mention the sweetest. There wasn’t even a close second.

“Just a few things,” she said, answering his question. “I left most of my stuff back
at the motel I checked into this evening, before taking a taxi over here. Not that
there’s much. But I didn’t want to be caught without anything if they found me.”

“You’ve got clothes with you?”

“Yeah. I’ve got a clean pair of shorts and a shirt. My toothbrush. Hairbrush. A little
cash.”

He nodded, heading out of the kitchen, and she followed after him. “I’m sorry if I’ve
been bitchy tonight,” she said to his back. “I haven’t slept much the past few days,
and then that whole make-out session completely fried my brain. I can’t stand to be
left hanging.”

Ryder flinched, hating the idea of her having sexual experience. Not that he had any
claim on her. But he had no doubt that he’d go to his grave wanting to kill every
bastard who was ever lucky enough to lay his hands on her.

When he started down the hallway toward the back of the house instead of the entrance,
she said, “Uh, Scott? Aren’t you taking me back to my motel?”

He turned around to face her, his brows pulled together in another frown. “I thought
you wanted protection.”

“I do. I guess I just thought that you’d stay with me there. At the motel.”

Shaking his head again, he said, “You’re staying here.”

“Oh. Um, okay.”

He showed her to the guest bedroom that sat across the hall from his. It had a double
bed and its own bathroom, so at least he wouldn’t have to think about her getting
naked and wet in his shower. Careful to keep his eyes off her as she sat on the side
of the bed, he told her to get some sleep and that he’d be in to wake her up early.
Then he headed for the door.

“Scott. I—”

Ryder shut the door behind him without bothering to wait for what she wanted to say.
He was half-terrified she’d come after him, knowing damn well his control was too
shaky to withstand the temptation if she pushed him any more tonight. His stupid dick
was still rock hard, and he wanted nothing more than to bury it so deep inside her
she—

Fuck! I’ve got to stop thinking about it.

Since there wasn’t a chance in hell he could sleep when he was this jacked up, he
headed into his home office and sat down in front of his computer. Two hours later,
he’d already hacked his way into a few government systems and had looked into everything
they knew about Radovich and Lily’s father. It wasn’t much. The military was keeping
Heller’s death quiet until they had an answer about what had happened to him. They
hadn’t figured out yet that it was Rado—that the bastard was back from the dead—and
for the moment Ryder planned to leave it that way. He didn’t like the thought of how
they might try to use Lily if they learned the truth about what had happened. Not
that he wasn’t thinking along the same lines, but only if he could keep her protected.
The kind of brass who would kill for the chance to bag Yuri Radovich wouldn’t be so
concerned about her safety. But for the moment, as far as the military knew, she’d
died on that boat along with her father. Heller’s and the girlfriend’s bodies had
washed up on a Bahamian beach two days ago, but Lily’s was assumed to still be lost
at sea.

The government thought she was dead, but Rado knew that she was alive. Which meant
one thing and one thing only.

The bastard was hunting for her.

THREE

THINKING THAT SHE’D JUST HEARD SOMEONE SAY HER NAME,
Lily rolled over in the comfortable double bed and choked back a moan. Mmm, talk about
waking up to a beautiful piece of eye candy. Ryder was sprawled back in the brown
leather chair that sat in the far corner of the room, dressed in jeans and a gray
T-shirt. He looked tired, but beautiful. The dark smudges under his eyes only added
to the I’m-a-serious-badass image he projected so well. Of course, in Ryder’s case
it wasn’t an image. He really
was
a serious badass.

“Did you sleep at all?” she asked him.

His dark eyes bored into hers. “I caught a few hours.” His voice was low and morning-rough.
If she had the choice, she knew she could be happy waking up to that voice every morning
for the rest of her life. Too bad she had a better chance of winning the lottery.

“What were you doing all night?”

He scratched at the black stubble shadowing the hard line of his jaw. “I spent some
time online.”

Sitting up, she braced her back against the headboard. She’d slept in a thin tank
top, and kept the sheet tucked up under her arms, covering her nipples. They’d gone
hard the instant she’d set eyes on Ryder, but it wasn’t like she wanted to hide from
him. She wanted him. God, she wanted him. She just needed to wake up a bit more before
she could throw off the nerves fluttering in her belly and put it all out there, nipples
and all. “Were you looking into Rado?”

When he nodded, she asked, “What’s your plan?”

She could have sworn he was fighting back a grin. “What makes you think I have a plan?”

She rolled her eyes. “I know you, Scott. I spent too many years of my life studying
you. I know what your game face looks like.”

Leaning forward in the chair, he braced his elbows on his parted knees, the position
doing incredible things to his muscular arms and broad shoulders. “I think we let
him know where you are, then sit and wait for him to fall into our lap.”

Her jaw dropped so far she thought she probably looked like a landed trout. “Wait
a minute. You
want
him to come to Moss Beach?”

His gaze was steady and direct, and deadly as hell. “We can waste weeks trying to
track the bastard down so that I can make sure his ass is dealt with once and for
all, or a few days waiting for him to make his move.”

A few days. The more dangerous but faster option. And from the look on his face, it
was obvious that he’d chosen it because he couldn’t wait to get rid of her. She shouldn’t
have been surprised. He’d made no secret of the fact that he wasn’t happy about being
stuck with her. Oh, he might not have come right out and said it. But his facial expressions
and body language had been easy to read. He didn’t want her there.

Knotting the sheet in her hands, she worked to keep her voice calm as she said, “I
came here looking for protection. Can’t we just . . . I don’t know. Alert the right
people and let them go after Rado, while I stay here with you?”

He shook his head. “We both know how hard the son of a bitch is to kill, Lily. And
until he’s dead, you’ll never be safe.”

“And when he gets here? What then?”

“Then I kill him.”

He said it so simply, as if he were talking about taking out the trash or grabbing
some fast food.

“And his men? What are you going to do about the assholes he has working for him?”
she pressed, knowing damn well that any chance she had of turning the fantasy that’d
been playing in the back of her mind into a reality was getting slim. And it was such
a good one, too. A raw, delicious fantasy where she and Scott Ryder lost themselves
in each other before Rado found her and killed her. She didn’t want to die, damn it—but
if she had to go, she at least wanted as much time with Ryder as she could get before
it happened. At the first sign of the terrorist, she planned to leave town, drawing
the danger away from him. Just not until she’d gotten what she’d come for. But Ryder
wanted Rado there
now
, leaving her no time at all.

Answering her question, he said, “If they try to hurt you, they die. But Rado’s interest
in you is personal. I’m guessing he’s looking for some kind of payback against your
father for sending the old unit after him. Once he’s dead, his men will move on to
greener pastures.”

He dropped his gaze to her hands, which were still knotted in the top sheet, holding
it tight to her chest. Her grip was so strong she figured her knuckles were probably
turning white, but she couldn’t relax her hold. When he lifted those dark eyes back
to hers, she said, “I shouldn’t have come here. I knew you were tough, that you could
handle yourself, but I didn’t think you’d want a showdown. You could get hurt.” She
darted her eyes to his scar, then quickly looked away. “You’ve already been hurt enough
by this man. I don’t want you in danger.”

“We’re not going to hide, Lily. I’m going to finish the job I started three years
ago. I want that bastard in the ground.” He paused for a second, studying her expression
with those piercing eyes, before saying, “And don’t even think about running.”

She blinked. “What?”

“You heard me. If you think you can read me, then remember that I can read you even
better.” He paused again, his intense, heavy-lidded gaze making her feel as if he
really could see right inside her, picking his way through her thoughts. With a slow
shake of his head, he quietly said, “I don’t know what plan you had in coming here,
but it obviously wasn’t this. You knew you’d be safe here, that I’d protect you if
the shit hit the fan, but for some reason, you never planned on me going face-to-face
with Rado.”

“No. I—”

“Don’t waste our time with lies.” His expression was definitely veering toward a scowl.
“Just know that if you try to run, you’ll have both of us chasing you down—me
and
Radovich. And you won’t like what happens if I find you first.”

Her breath caught in her chest at the blatant warning in those low, husky words, but
she knew she wasn’t in any real danger from him. He wouldn’t physically harm her—not
like Rado would. No, Ryder was promising a different kind of punishment. One that
made her heart pound and her pulse race, while she went warm and wet in places that
were eagerly anticipating his possession. It was almost funny, the way he thought
he was making some kind of threat, when she was more than willing to take whatever
he wanted to dish out.

“If we do this,” he added, “then we do it
my
way.”

“Yeah, I know.” The time for being shy was definitely over. Taking a deep breath,
Lily deliberately let go of the sheet, watching his gaze drop as the white cotton
slipped down to her waist. Her nipples pulled even tighter beneath the weight of his
stare. “You’re into control and all that, right?”

That muscle started to pulse in his jaw again. “I’m not talking about sex.”

“I know
you
weren’t.”

His nostrils flared as he roughly exhaled. “Focus, Lily.”

“Or what?”

Something hot and hard started to burn in that dark gaze as he slowly brought it back
to her face. “You’ll listen to me or I’ll cuff your sweet little ass to that bed.”

Refusing to back down, she drawled, “You can cuff it anyway, Deputy. I’ve always wanted
to try a little bondage.”

Ryder was on her before he’d even realized he was moving. One second he was sitting
in the chair across the room, and in the next he had her trapped beneath him in the
center of the mattress, his hands manacling her delicate wrists. His eyes narrowed
as he stared down at her triumphant expression. “You’re pushing me, Little Lily.”

She gazed up at him with wide eyes, her face flushed with excitement. “I’m not little,
Scott. And if it’ll get you pushing
into
me, then good. I’ll just keep pushing. What do I have to lose?”

He shoved a knee between her legs, forcing them apart, and pressed against the crotch
of her panties, letting her feel just how thick and hard he was. “You feel that?”
he growled, his lungs heaving. “You still want me inside you?”

Instead of scaring her off, the look in her eyes got hotter . . .
softer
, as if she saw right inside him and liked what she saw. What the hell? It was like
she understood his screwed up emotions even better than he did. “God, yes,” she whispered.
“I want it more than anything.”

He made his tone as snide as possible. “You really think you can take it, baby girl?”

Her laugh was low and sweet, giving him chills. “Maybe the question is whether or
not you can keep up with me. I mean, I’m younger, which means I’ve got more stamina.
And I’m sure as hell not afraid of your dick, Scott—no matter how big it is.”

He shook his head and glared. “You shouldn’t talk like that.”

“Why not?”

“For one, you’re too damn young. And your fucking life is in danger. You need to stay
focused and stop trying to get me in your pants.”

She laughed a little harder, hugging his hips with her slender thighs. “Seriously,
Scott. Do you even hear yourself? I’m twenty-five years old. And if my life’s in danger,
then shouldn’t I be enjoying every moment of it while I still have the time?”

“Don’t say that,” he snapped, gripping her shoulders and shaking her. “Nothing’s going
to happen to you.”

“You don’t know that,” Lily said softly, staring up at him. “I have every faith you
can keep yourself alive—so long as you don’t do something reckless—or I wouldn’t have
come here. But we both know the odds aren’t in my favor. Not if he’s decided I need
to die.”

And that right there was why she’d run to him. Because she refused to leave this world
before she’d done everything she could to get her fill of this beautiful, somehow
damaged, thoroughly exasperating man.

“You really think I’ll let him touch you?” His face was right above hers now, his
breath warm against her lips.

“
If
I stay, I won’t blame you if you fail. We both know what he’s like. You’re my best
shot, but a girl’s gotta be realistic, right?”

His dark eyes glittered. “Damn it, Lily. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.
Tell me you understand that.”

“I’d rather tell you what I want to do to you,” she shot back, knowing she was pushing
him. But she couldn’t stop. It was like the need inside of her had taken control of
her mouth. “Or I could tell you about all the things I’m hoping you’ll do to me.”

“Is that really what this is all about? You came to me because you want to get fucked
one last time before he finds you? Is that it? Was I the closest guy you could get
to that you know?”

“No! I came here because I want
you
. Just you.” Her voice shook with emotion. “I always have.”

“You don’t know what the hell you want,” he argued, forcing the words through his
clenched teeth. “You’re acting like a spoiled little brat.”

“Why? Because I’m not afraid to admit what I want? Does it freak you out that badly?
Are you afraid I’m going to ruin you with my dirty mind?”

“I swear to God, Lily.” Frustration thickened his words. “I’ve had enough of your
smart-ass mouth.”

“Then put something in it and shut me up,” she flung back at him. “Come on, Scott.
Quit wasting time!”

He didn’t say anything more. He used actions instead of words. But there was no mistaking
his meaning. One second Lily was trapped under him, and in the next he had her flipped
to her front, braced on her knees, with her elbows on the bed and her ass in the air
as he knelt beside her, holding her in place. When he ripped her panties down, pulling
them to mid-thigh, she panted, “What are you doing?”

“Spanking your ass,” he growled, quickly bringing one of his big hands down in a loud
smack against her right cheek. Lily shrieked, startled and outraged by the pain, and
more than a little confused by the pleasure that followed immediately on its heels.
Did she like this? Did she want more? He didn’t wait to ask. Within seconds he’d rained
four more slaps across her bottom, alternating sides and making the sensitive skin
burn, her body shivering as she tried to make sense of the strange sensations rushing
through her.

Then he stopped, his breathing jagged and rough as he held still beside her, the heat
of his body keeping her warm in the cool, air-conditioned air. He shuddered, making
a low sound in his throat. The hand he’d used to spank her curved around her stinging
flesh, gripping her in a hard, possessive hold, while the other pressed between her
shoulders, keeping her in the provocative position. She panted harder, wondering what
came next, when he dropped his forehead to her lower back.

“Scott? Wh-what are you doing?”

“I . . .
Fuck!
Shut up and let me think.”

“Are you okay?” she whispered, which was odd. She was the one who’d just had her ass
spanked. If anything, he should be asking
her
that question. But she could feel the brutal emotion gripping him, making his hard,
powerful body shake.

“No,” he finally admitted. “I’m not okay. I’m really fucking far from okay.”

The hoarse, guttural sound of his voice made her melt, and she was keenly aware of
the slick warmth of her juices slipping down her inner thighs. She was wet and empty
and aching inside. What was he waiting for?

“Are you going to touch me?”

When he didn’t respond, she arched her back a little deeper, swaying her bottom a
bit, too desperate to care that she was practically begging for him. “Please, Scott.
Do it.”

His fingers tightened on her ass, and for a moment there was nothing but the heavy,
breath-filled silence that surrounded them, pressing down on them, thick with secrets
and things she didn’t understand. Her lungs locked as his hand slowly started to slide
lower. But his touch and weight were suddenly gone before he reached the drenched
folds of her sex. There was a sharp, visceral growl, followed by the sound of one
of his massive fists slamming into the wall behind the bed. She rolled over, crouching
in the middle of the sheets, unable to believe he was walking out on her.