Page 23

CHAPTER 23

TRUST UNDER SEIGE

Nadira

“ Y ou. I remember you.” I press Julian’s hand against my chest where my heart beats. “I recall feeling drawn to you. On that first day we met, your sadness touched my heart. It was so like my pain that I felt less alone when you were close.”

Julian cups my face with his free hand, his eyes searching mine. His lashes flutter, but can’t hide the glimmer of tears that spill onto his cheeks. “You remember me,” he whispers brokenly.

“Yeah, I do.” I move to straddle him in his seat and kiss him, uncaring that Alastair can hear everything we say and need only glance in the rearview mirror to watch us, or that there’s an unconscious body in the back.

Uppermost in my mind is a desperation to be closer to Julian. To reestablish the connection we used to share and strengthen the one we’re building. After escaping another threat to my life, I am more grateful than ever for his presence.

I sink into Julian, devouring his lips and moans, unabashed by my vocal responses to him. Desire, like nothing I’ve experienced, slams into me. Although I could wait until we get home, I’m not willing to be separated from him for another second. I need to merge our bodies and souls in an act that reflects our unity. I rise and through awkward movements, pull down my pants, slipping off one shoe to free my leg and permitting me to straddle him again.

“My queen?” Julian asks in a low voice, his attention going to the back of Alastair’s head.

“Eyes on me,” I whisper into his ear. “And don’t make a sound.” I lean back for his response.

He nods, and I caress his cheek. He turns his face to kiss my palm.

With absolute adoration shining in his eyes, I unbuckle his belt to free his dick from his pants and stroke him until he fully hardens. I rise and slowly impale myself on his length, relishing the slow glide as he stretches me.

When my ass connects with his thighs, I take a few moments to soak in the sensation of having him inside me again. Julian grasps my waist, steadying me and providing me with extra stability. I comb my fingers through his hair and ask him in a voice only he can hear, “Would you like to wear my mark?”

He inhales and he takes a few seconds to answer me with a nod, but his assent is all I need.

I pull his head back, exposing his neck to lick the muscle bobbing with his every swallow.

Julian’s heavy breathing and slight trembling betray the control he exerts over himself.

I clench my pussy and suck his exposed skin, causing him to quiver every time. The world narrows to the two of us. His scent surrounds me; intoxicates me.

When his shirt hinders me from creating more signs of my claim, I debate whether to rip the offending item to get to the prize underneath. I decide against destroying his clothes, opting to unbutton the shirt to expose the rigid muscles underneath.

Little by little, I leave a roadmap of marks, over his pecs, nipples, heart, and down his throat; anywhere I can reach. The next time he looks at himself in the mirror, he’ll remember he carries a piece of me wherever he goes. When I’m satisfied, I lean back to admire my artwork.

Julian’s eyes are at half-mast and the muscles in his jaw contract, speaking to the strain he’s under to keep from uttering a sound.

“You are so beautiful wearing my mark.” I brush his hair away from his face and stroke him, paying close attention to his hardened nipples.

A tiny whimper escapes him, but he cuts the sound short with deep breaths.

His struggle might be because of the combined sensation of my pussy working his dick while toying with his sensitive nubs. His fingers clench my side, probably leaving a few marks for me to admire later.

“You’re doing so good,” I moan into his ear while gliding along his shaft, filling my body and rubbing my clit against his stomach.

Julian buries his face in my neck and releases my waist to grab my ass, steadying me without my needing to ask. His lips flutter against my skin, the slight exhalation of breath tickling me.

When I realize what he’s doing, tears prick my eyes and I suppress the sob crawling up my throat. Because I told him not to make a sound, Julian silently professes his love to me. I don’t know why this takes me by surprise. He’s shown me time and again by his actions that he’s in love with me. Yet the silent words, uttered in secrecy, are a direct hit to my heart.

I can’t hold the emotions inside me any longer. I whisper, “I love you, too.”

Julian shudders and clutches me closer to his body, climaxing in silence. He spurts cum inside me, setting me off. I wrap my arms around his neck, riding out my orgasm and milking his dick of everything he has to give. As often as we’ve had sex, this joining in these stolen moments is the most beautiful yet.

I pull Julian’s head from my neck and cradle his face in my hands. “Are you okay?” When he eyes me, I allow him to speak.

“Did you mean what you said?”

I stare into eyes that glimmer with the same unshed tears that are in mine. “I wouldn’t lie to you. Not about this.”

“Then I’m better than okay.”

“Glad to hear it.” Alastair’s voice startles me into scrambling off Julian and fixing my clothes. “Now if you two are done, I doubt your passenger will remain unconscious for much longer.”

“Thank you for the update,” Julian says drily while zipping his pants.

We share a glance and a laugh bursts out of me. Chuckling, he opens the door and exits.

In the back of the SUV, our hostage moans, showing signs the sedative Julian used is wearing off.

I survey our surroundings. Lit sconces spread a halo of light around a stone structure in the middle of a wooded area. From the looks of the building, it’s well-maintained and is probably as old as Julian’s mansion. Beside me, Julian pulls the man over his shoulder and follows Alastair inside.

Unlike the mansion with its welcoming interior, this place displays the tools used primarily by hunters to skin and butcher their kill. We breathe white puffs of air into the chilled room. Julian chains the man’s hands and loops the iron over an S-shaped hook attached to a lift. Alastair presses a button and we watch the man’s body rise until his feet dangle in the air.

“Do you know him?” I ask Julian.

With the bright lights inside the building, we have a clear view of the man’s face. Alastair disappears through a side door, but I’m more interested in the two men in the room with me.

“Yes, he was one of the older kids I met after changing facilities. From what I remember, his assigned name is Night Stalker.”

“I’m flattered the Reaper knows my name.” Night Stalker’s head lolls, but his sinister grin hides untold secrets. “With all the operatives going missing, the organization suspected someone was helping her.”

“Why are you after me?”

Night Stalker turns to me and eyes me before saying, “The hell if I know. Asking questions could put me on the wrong end of the organization. For all I know, that’s why you keep inching your way up on our top target list.”

“You’re awfully forthcoming.” Julian narrows his eyes at our hostage.

“Because I don’t know shit. Nothing I say will help you. Once you’ve killed me, she’ll still be in hiding, running for the rest of her life. You on the other hand, no one knows about you yet, but they will. You can’t pretend forever.”

“How did you know where to find me?”

Night Stalker laughs. “Look to the people closest to you. Maybe someone in your organization wants you dead, too. Hell, maybe I’m wrong about Reaper. Am I?” He taunts Julian, who becomes stonier with every accusation Night Stalker levels at him. “Maybe he’s working both sides. He gets your trust, only to betray you. You should know never to trust anyone.”

“Thank you,” I say.

Surprised, he asks, “What are you thanking me for?”

“For saving me time. I’d much rather spend the rest of the night wrapped in Julian’s arms than torturing you for answers I won’t get.” I aim my gun at his head and shoot.

“Nadira?”

I turn to Julian’s doubt-filled eyes. “Come on, we have work to do. I assume you have a method for disposing of his body.”

“I do, but what…”

“I believe he’s finding it difficult to accept that you didn’t believe the utter nonsense this sack of human excrement was spewing about him.” Alastair reappears wearing an apron and holding a body bag. He lowers Night Stalker’s body, removes him from the hook, and unchains him.

“Is that true,” I ask Julian. “You think I’d believe him?”

Julian shrugs but he doesn’t shy away from looking me in the eye. “He only repeated what you once said to me.”

“That was before…” For loss of words, I circle the air with my hand.

“Before…”

“I believe she means before professing her love for you while doing the nasty in the back seat.”

“Alastair,” I glare at Julian’s butler, but he ignores me while digging out the bullets I put into Night Stalker’s knees.

“Is that true?” Julian parrots my question from earlier.

“No.”

Julian’s shoulders slump in defeat and Alastair spins around to glower at me.

“I’ve trusted you since I read the letters you wrote to me. Everything you’ve done since then has reinforced my belief in you. I know you won’t betray me.”

Julian pulls me into his arms and I lean into the sweetest kiss he’s ever given me.

“Although I’m fitter than most men my age, I would appreciate a little assistance,” Alastair says while zipping Night Stalker into the body bag.

Julian and I leap to help him.

As we bury the latest casualty in the war against Julian’s organization under enough wood chips, sawdust, and grass to decompose his body within a month, Julian breaks the tension by saying, “I told you after more murderventures together you would agree we’re a couple.”

I shake my head at him, unable to fight the grin breaking across my face. “You got me.”

“Do I?”

“Yeah, and there’s no out for you now.”

“I never needed one.” He takes my hand and the three of us walk back to the car.

On the ride to the mansion, which I discover is on the same property as the building we left, I can’t help but wonder if there is any truth to Night Stalker’s claim about a traitor within my circle.