Page 20 of Forbidden Confessions, Volume 2 (The Forbidden Volumes #1)

S hit. If the intruder wanted to scare her right before she went to bed, that would have done it.

My hunch? He meant it as a warning. Whoever he is, he’s threatening her with harm.

He’ll have to go through me first.

I strip the sheets from her bed. The bastard made himself cozy here, too, and I won’t have Vanessa sleeping on these linens.

After wrapping the ribbons of her pajamas and her knife inside her bedding, I tuck everything under one arm and make my way back to the kitchen. She doesn’t need to know what I found until morning.

When I get there, the kitchen faucet is running, and she’s holding a plate under the stream, staring off into space with a loopy smile. “Vanessa?”

Startled, she drops the plate into the soapy water, then sends me a guilty little grin. “Sorry. I was just…thinking.”

I’d love to know about what, but given the mischief in her smile, I can guess. Fuck if I’m not thinking it, too.

“Sorry to interrupt. Since your intruder was also a creeper, I yanked the sheets off your bed. Where’s your washer?”

She points to a little room off the side of the refrigerator. “But I’ll do that.”

“I don’t mind.” I head into the laundry room that looks like she converted half into a pantry. “Go get your shower.”

“Are you sure? I started the dishes. I can stay and finish them.” She takes the last swig of wine from her glass—her third—and settles the stem in the soapy water.

I set the bundle of laundry on top of the washer and pick up a bottle of aspirin, shaking out two tablets. “No, I’ll do it. Take these.”

When she puts them in her palm, I fill a glass with some water from the dispenser on the refrigerator door and hand it to her.

She swallows both dutifully. “Thanks.”

I nod. “Do you just want me to hang around while you shower? Or do you want me to stay the night?”

I’m really hoping she chooses the latter.

Practically speaking, if I’m close, it will be far easier to protect her.

If she tosses me out, I’ll be spending the night in my car down the street.

It will suck, but I’ve done it before. But I also know staying here will be hell.

Being in the same room with her all night long…

Not gonna lie. I’m worried that kind of temptation will make me fatally weak.

She sinks her teeth into her lower lip again. I really wish she’d stop doing that. It makes me too fucking aware of how pouty her mouth is and how badly I’d like to shove it full of my cock.

“I know you probably didn’t come here thinking you’d stay for more than a few minutes…but I’d love it if you hung around tonight. I only have the one bed, but I promise to stay on my side.”

Is she kidding? If it weren’t for her father’s threats, I’d violate her space—and every other part of her she’d let me—right now.

“Hey, it’s your bed. Sleep however you want.

If you’d feel more comfortable, I can pass the night in the chair in the corner.

” I pray she agrees. I’m far less likely to cave to desire if I’m not wrapped up in the sheets with her, feeling her all warm and soft while she smells of female and sweetness.

But Vanessa shakes her head…and she’s so tipsy she almost stumbles. As I steady her with an arm around her waist, she giggles. “Ooh! That last glass of wine just hit me. I’ve had too much.”

“After what went down tonight, you needed it.”

“Thank you for being so nice.”

That comment only proves she doesn’t know me at all. No one has ever called me nice. My high kill count explains why.

But I just smile. “You’re welcome.”

“I wish you were a little less nice, though.”

“Do you?”

She sighs. “I don’t know why you showed up tonight, but I was hoping…”

“What?” She’s clearly reluctant to finish her sentence.

“That you’d come here wanting to have sex with me. I would have said yes.”

My heart stops. I nearly choke. She’s serious. That explains all the glances she’s sneaked my way and the little blushes staining her cheeks, but… “I don’t think we should talk about this tonight.”

Or I’ll stop caring who her father is and that I work for him and fuck her anyway.

She wrinkles her nose. “But tomorrow I’ll be sober and totally embarrassed.”

I won’t let her. “Do you need help getting down the hall and into the shower?”

“Are you offering to shower with me?” She sends me a come-hither glance.

It’s damn hard to resist. “Not when you’re tipsy.”

“What about when I’m sober?” she asks hopefully.

I swallow. “We’ll talk then.”

“That’s a no, isn’t it?” Her shoulders slump and she rolls her eyes at herself. “I should have known. I’m the ordinary girl who smiles at guests from behind the front desk and hands them their room keys. And you’re…”

“I’m what?”

“Hot. Of course you’re not interested. Of course you’re friend-zoning me. Tell me to shut up.”

I don’t. Instead, I pull her against my body, wrap my hands in her hair, and tug until she’s looking right into my eyes. “You want the truth, little girl?”

Her blue eyes go wide. “Please.”

Fuck. She even begs pretty. “The first time I walked into the hotel and saw you, all I could do was stare. Now? I think of you. I want you. I dream of you. I masturbate to thoughts of you. I would love to kiss you. I ache to spread you out on this kitchen counter and make you scream my name. And I would kill to fuck you.”

She gasps. Her eyes dilate. Her pulse beats wildly at her neck. Her nipples harden.

“And I would ruin you. I’d mark every inch of your skin so every man would know you belong to me.”

“But—”

“I would.” I pull harder on her hair and lean into her face, so close I can smell the wine on her breath. It makes me crazy because I know how fucking sweet she would be. God, I wish like hell her goodness could purify me and make me worthy, but nothing can. “I would destroy you. Don’t let me.”

Then I let her go and watch her scurry from the room before disappearing into the master. I want to chase her…but I don’t. If I put my hands on her again now, I’ll stop caring about everything except getting inside her and making her mine.

When I reach the washing machine, I take deep, angry breaths. Motherfucking son of a bitch . Of all the women in the world to fall for, why did it have to be the daughter of one of Uncle Sam’s most deadly covert spies? And why won’t he even consider me worthy enough to date his daughter?

I scoff because I know why. This business is dirty, and I’ve done things for God and country that would horrify most, especially someone with a soft, sweet heart like Vanessa.

With a defeated huff, I extract her ruined pajamas from the heap and trash them.

I throw the knife in the sink, not giving a shit that it clatters loudly in the little room.

It matches my frustration. I feel even better when I shove the sheets in the washer, toss in a pod, then slam the door.

The thought of some bastard even thinking about touching Vanessa, lying in her bed—where I want to be—and feeling pleasure to thoughts of her, makes me want to hunt him down and put a bullet in his brain.

At the moment, I can only start the cycle with a grunt.

What the fuck am I going to do with myself now?

I’m in uncharted territory. I need advice.

After yanking the phone from my pocket, I scroll through my contacts. All of my brothers’ names are lined up alphabetically. Mom thought it was darling that we all had names that begin with an R, and Dad, God rest him, loved her so much he indulged her.

Calling my oldest brother, Ransom, is a bad idea.

Something happened to him. Not the shit with his baby mama, Lydia, that went down when he was in high school.

We all know that messed with him. But recently, like the past two months.

Whoever she is? She fucked him up. And now… he’s more deadly than ever.

I don’t dare reach out to Ridge right now. He’s deep undercover. But that fits. Not only is my younger brother buckets full of crazy, he’s the wildest of the bunch. My résumé is hardly sparkling, but Ridge’s is soaked in blood. How he’s not dead yet, I have no idea.

That only leaves Rand—but that’s a good thing. He fell for pop princess Sophie Larsen and they got married a couple months back. They’re already expecting a baby. And they’re perfect for each other. Best of all, he might have the answer to my dilemma.

I hit the contact, and he answers right away. “Hey, Rush. What’s going on?”

“You good?”

“I’m great. You?”

His voice sounds smoky, and I hear Sophie softly whisper something in the background. My guess? They’ve been enjoying married life this evening—and for them, the night isn’t over.

Lucky bastard.

“I’m hoping you’ll forgive me if I ax the small talk. I need help.”

I hear sounds that suggest he’s kissing his wife, and it’s a long moment before he answers. “Sure. Tell me what’s up.”

After glancing down the hall to make sure Vanessa isn’t coming my way, I sigh. “I’m in deep with my boss’s daughter. If I touch her, he’ll kill me, and I don’t mean that figuratively.”

“Wow. Okay. Give me a second, honey.”

“Sure,” I hear Sophie murmur, then the sheets rustle.

Normally, I’d tease my brother about constantly fucking his wife, but good for him. And I don’t have time now.

“So…if you take her to bed, you’ll get fired?” Rand asks.

“That’s a given. But I don’t care. And that’s not my problem.”

“So he’ll kill you. Are you capable of beating him?”

I have to think about that. “Physically, yeah. But he has twenty years on me in this dirty fucking business. He has tricks I’ve never thought of, and he’s got the kind of patience it takes to wait until, one day, years later, he whacks me in a dark alley with a knife in my gut.”

“Damn. How Vanessa this girl are you?”

“Hopelessly. What did you do, bro? At some point, you knew getting seriously involved with Sophie would lead to an epically public reveal that would destroy your privacy forever. It wasn’t a gun to your head, like my situation, but it was still a shit show that changed everything.

How did you…” I’m not even sure what words I need to finish that question.

“Decide she was worth it, despite everything? You come to that point, man. Vanessa means enough to you or she doesn’t. I’m sure her father just wants what’s best for her, to make sure she’s treated well and is always taken care of.”

“He’s never said, but I’d worship her.”

“You would.”

“I’m dying to. But the job…”

“You might have to rethink that.”

“Done. If it means having Vanessa, I’ll find something else.”

“So you’ll have to convince her father.”

It’s not that simple. “Rand, he knows what I’m capable of. He’s seen me in action. Hell, he’s taught me most of what I know. I doubt he’ll ever think I’m good enough for her.”

“You don’t know that.”

“He’s warned me away before. More than once.”

“All you can do is plead your case, stand your ground, and be willing to put a ring on her finger.”

I would, but… “I don’t know if she’s ready.”

“Why not?”

I sigh. “She’s only twenty-one.”

“So? It’s not like you’re an old man.”

“But I’m older by more than a couple of years.”

“So what? How does she feel about you?”

“She’s interested.” But does she feel more than sexual curiosity?

“Well, if you’re secretly dating, I’d hope so.”

“We’re not. My job has been to protect her…and I fell. I wasn’t kidding when I said I haven’t touched her.”

“Shit.” Rand lets out a deep breath. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. Same deal, bro. She’s either worth the risk or she’s not. And only you can decide.”

I don’t have to think; I already know. “She is.”

Rand laughs. “That’s the funny thing in this family. Once we know, we know. And we commit fast. Look at Mom and Dad. Hell, look at me.”

And maybe, if I play this right, I’ll follow in their footsteps. “Yeah.”

“If you’re sure, then don’t waste your time with me; go talk to her. Tell her how you feel. Convince her you’re the one for her. Then sit her dad down, lay out your cards. Be prepared for anything. And let the chips fall.”

He’s right. “Thanks. I gotta go.”

“I want to meet this girl.”

If I can—somehow—convince her to spend her life with me? “You got it.”

Smiling, I hang up and jog down the hall to Vanessa. She’s worth whatever I have to go through. Yeah, her dad will come after me, but I’ll handle Douglas. Not sure how yet, but I will.

Just as soon as Vanessa and I have talked. And I’ve made love to her.

God, I fucking need her.

And once I have her, I’ll never let go. She’ll be mine in every single way.

But when I round the corner into her bedroom so I can get started on all that, I find her lying in the bed she remade, all curled up with her comforter, one slender shoulder bisected by a thin white strap peeking out.

She’s fast asleep.

I let out a frustrated sigh. Looks like I’ll be waiting until tomorrow.

Fuck.

Pausing in her doorway, I watch her chest rise and fall. Tomorrow, everything changes. Tomorrow, I stop pretending I’m not dying to claim her.

For tonight, I mess with the alarm on her little cottage until I’m able to set it, then undress down to my boxers, climb into bed behind her, and pull her soft warmth against my body. This is way closer to her than I dared to think I’d be tonight.

She fits against me perfectly, like she was made for me. Mine to protect. Mine to claim.

Mine.