Page 26

CHAPTER 26

Z ach

The expression on Sara’s face was full of desire, but she was fighting her feelings. I couldn’t say I blamed her in the least.

“I should hate you. Or at minimum, I shouldn’t trust you or anything you say.” She took several steps further inside, mindful of the stilettos she’d never worn. The tall heels accentuated her long legs exquisitely.

“That much I can completely understand. I wouldn’t trust me either. However, I sense you do. Would you like a drink, a glass of merlot? Or would you prefer coffee given the time?” Suddenly, thoughts of the game simply didn’t matter any longer. I enjoyed spending time with her, including in the diner.

My cock was so hard it was painful.

Yet anger lurked in the background.

A smirk on her face was her only answer. But she walked even closer, taking her time doing so. “After the night I’ve had, wine. I don’t think time has any real relevance in your world.”

I opened a fresh bottle, a vintage I’d selected for her from my private stock. She watched me intently as she’d done about every other action I’d taken. “No, it does not.”

“What about the game?”

“I don’t know at this point.” I would wait until I heard back from Christopher before making a single recommendation to my brothers.

“That’s a shame. Did the winner actually receive fancy cars and expensive homes? A job on the executive floor?”

Her questions further embroiled my senses, igniting a fire that would likely never be doused. “The winner of the game is a subjective choice, but it wasn’t officially started. At this point, I don’t think it will be a good idea to go forward with it.”

Sara was thoughtful, still struggling with everything I’d told her as I walked closer, handing her the drink. I had good reason to believe she might toss the wine in my face.

But she didn’t.

She grasped the wine with gusto, purposely allowing our fingers to touch. When they did, she offered a smile, lifting her gaze and locking eyes with me. The simple rub of her finger across mine was a powerful aphrodisiac and she knew exactly what she was doing.

“Be careful, my sweet kitten. I can read your mind.”

Her laugh lit up the room, my cock throbbing in response. She had that kind of effect on me. “That’s where you’re wrong.”

“We need to talk.”

She’d never lost her verve, her lust for the game or for life. She’d created her own set of rules, ignoring those long since bronzed as part of the Obsidian legacy. No one had presented such a delicious challenge before.

“About my life. My past.” She looked away, thinking about whether she could trust me with everything that had occurred in her past. I wanted her to tell me, not the other way around.

“I have enemies just like you suggested. The entire company does. We’ve had other companies go to great lengths to keep us from succeeding including by use of embezzlement and threats to a vice president and the person in charge of production and design to betray us. They were dangerous people even though they hid behind a veil of corporate rules and wealth. Is it possible someone learned of my interest in you and decided to use you against me? Yes, but I honestly believe what you’ve experienced is personal and the rumors regarding the Obsidian Society were used to make you more vulnerable. People can stoop to very ruthless methods to get what they want.”

“You included.”

She could easily make me laugh. “Me included. However, if you do trust me on any level, you know I’m no longer playing the game.”

After taking a sip of wine, I heard her stomach growling from where I stood. She wrinkled her nose as she looked up at me. “You wouldn’t happen to have something to eat in that kitchen of yours. Would you?”

Why was her innocence the one thing that could easily keep me from turning completely into my darkness? “I think I can whip something up. Why don’t we go in and find out?”

Sara

“This is incredible. I didn’t know you could cook.” I was shocked that he’d whipped up a seafood pasta, using mostly fresh ingredients. He’d even had pasta he’d admitted to making stored in his freezer. The dichotomy of the man was even more charming. It was also disarming.

He took another bite before pushing his plate away. He’d been like the man in the diner, our conversation about anything and everything but the game. He also had yet to grill me about my past, allowing me to come to terms with whether I trusted him enough.

“It’s a passion of mine, although cooking for one can be both technically difficult and tedious. That’s why I often go out to eat.”

“Alone.”

“I enjoy being alone.”

“Do you really?”

He tossed his napkin on the table and sat back, reaching for his wine. “Even though I lived with several different families, I always felt very much alone and learned to enjoy it.”

“I’m so sorry you grew up in foster families.”

“Sometimes I am too. However, I also learned to rely on myself. I think you did that when you were forced to raise your brother.” His eyes were imploring.

I looked away, staring into the darkened night. Soon it would be dawn, but what I’d told him had been true. Time meant nothing in his world. “It was hard. I can’t lie. Kyle was so angry after our parents died. I was certain the kid would end up in prison. Somehow, he turned out okay. He’ll graduate from college in a couple months. I can’t believe he’s turned out to be a responsible—well, for the most part—young man.” I laughed, but admitting anything about my family was tough for me to do.

“All because of your love. Love can see a family through so many things.” There was sadness in his eyes, something I would never have expected.

“Something you don’t know about. I can tell. I don’t know your story and I’m certain there are rumors flying about who and what you are, but I don’t care. You’ve shown me your true side and you’re a good man. Whether you like to think so or not.”

“Don’t look too deep or you won’t like what you see. I did what I had to so I could survive and there are some not so nice people out there claiming to care about children who are thrown away.”

“I’m so sorry. That’s what I worried about with Kyle. I was fearful he’d be put into the system. I was so young and inexperienced, but I pushed hard so I could become his guardian.”

“How did your parents die?”

“My guess is that you already know more about me and what happened than perhaps even I do. Right?”

Zach didn’t deny anything, but he leaned forward. “It’s your story to tell.”

“The long and short of it was that my father was forced into working for some very bad people. When he learned what they were capable of, my mother convinced him to go to the police. They offered being placed into the witness protection program in exchange for his testimony. At first, my father refused, but something happened. I don’t know what. He changed his mind. At that point, we were suddenly removed from our lives and sent to live in another state going by another name.”

“How terrible for younger kids.”

“For a little while it was okay. I made friends and graduated high school. I was accepted into college and everything was normal. Until it wasn’t. I was home on a school break and my parents were killed outside our house. Their car was riddled with bullets before it exploded. While I tried to shield Kyle, he saw the whole thing. Anyway, we were removed again, placed into a safehouse. I knew quickly that I’d need to adapt to becoming his guardian. A new city. A new life. And everything has been tough, but calm and safe.”

“Until recently.”

“Maybe. I just don’t know. I guess I thought the entire thing was all about the game.”

“Part of it was. However, I kept a watchful eye and yes, learned about your past. Let me ask you a question. Do you have anything you kept that was your father’s? A box or a computer? A notebook? Anything?”

“I have a couple boxes, but the Marshals went through everything. What are you thinking?”

“That there could be something they believe your father kept.”

“Incriminating information.” I’d thought about that once, but hadn’t wanted to revisit my past.

“Yes.”

“Is Kyle in danger?”

He shook his head. “I doubt it at this point. However, I’ll make a couple calls and have him surrounded by security if you like.”

“Yes. No. Maybe. I don’t know.” I laughed nervously. This wasn’t something I was used to being involved in.

“Why don’t you call him in the morning. I have someone who can be very discreet. However, if he hasn’t been contacted or threatened, I think they’re concentrating on you at this point.”

“They,” I whispered. “Whoever they are.”

“Think about it. You would have access to your father’s things.”

“I guess it’s possible.”

“At some point, you need to find out. I can help you.”

“Why? Why would you risk your life to help me?”

“Because I care about you.” He made the statement without hesitation.

“You do?” I found myself leaning forward.

He nodded. “You’ve brought light into my world. Even if I would still love to hunt you down.”

“If you do consider the game again, I would like to be considered as a contestant. I can assure you I’m qualified.”

I adored his laugh. It seemed odd to be sitting in the middle of his kitchen eating gourmet food while some crazy criminal was after me. Surreal, but in his world, the norm.

“I’ll consider it. I have one question. Do you remember the name of the bad people you mentioned?”

“No. Honestly, I think I blocked out everything that happened. Plus, as soon as Dad agreed to help the Feds, everything was hush-hush.”

“Okay,” he said, and I could tell he wasn’t going to let this die. Maybe I didn’t want him to. I was scared. I hated to admit it, but that was the truth. Something told me he might be the only human being alive capable of helping me.

Of protecting me.

“What about dessert? Ice cream?”

“I think I have something better.” He rose to his feet, taking the plates with him, even taking the time to rinse and place them in the dishwasher. There was something so sexy about seeing a man cleaning up a kitchen.

I almost giggled as if this was the best date in the world. How insane.

He wiped his hands on a kitchen towel before opening a cabinet. “Close your eyes.”

“What if I don’t?”

“I think you know what will happen.”

While I did, I was so tempted to peek. When I heard a crinkle and something was placed in front of me, I held my breath.

“You can look.”

I opened one eye first and gasped from surprise. “Snickers bars? Are you kidding me? How did you… know?” I couldn’t help myself, ripping into one and taking a big bite as I thought about how he’d found out. “You searched my house, including the back of my cabinets. You were the one to pay off the hospital bill. You also made certain I got a raise. Didn’t you?”

“Guilty as charged. However, that won’t happen any longer.” He reached over, grabbing my hand and pulling the candy bar toward him. When he took a bite, I was mesmerized by how much he savored the flavor. Like he hadn’t been allowed to have candy as a child.

How disgusting.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” I whispered.

“What if I can keep them?”

“Don’t make me like you, Zach.”

His grin lightened up his face. “I’ll try not to. You should try and get some sleep.”

“I’d prefer another glass of wine, but first, what now?” I placed my hand on his and the crackle of electricity was exactly as it had been before.

“The game we were playing is over. For now. I am going hunting.”

“For wild game?”

“Something like that. I suggest you not ask questions you don’t want answers to.”

“But I do want to know. I’m a big girl, Zach. I’ve handled a lot of shit in my life. You asked me to trust you so I’m asking the same of you. Trust me. I know you’ve done bad things. I can only imagine the horrors you went through as a child and I only had a taste of the system.” I wasn’t certain imploring him to tell me anything was going to work.

He had a look on his face that I’d seen before. It was a combination of cool anger and determination. “Then I’ll be truthful with you, at least as much as I can be. I am going hunting for the person or persons involved in this. When I find what I’m looking for, the individual responsible for placing your life in danger will pay a significant price. I will do what it takes to protect you.”

There was something strangely attractive about his determination to keep me safe. I knew in my heart he would stop at nothing to track down whatever monster was lurking in the shadows.

I’d thought he was the monster, capable of anything. Maybe he was, but I knew in my gut he was my monster.

A man who would die to protect me.

I wasn’t entirely certain how I felt about that, but at that moment, I felt closer to him than I had to any other man in my life. It felt good. It felt right.

Desire trickled through me. That was wrong, but everything about the sensations was all that I’d wanted for as long as I could remember. Love. Comfort. A family.

Everything Zach had wanted and hadn’t received. For a few seconds, I allowed thoughts of him to enter into my heart.

While it scared me to death, I also felt very much alive.