Page 257 of Under Her Skin

Theo was at her side in two long strides, scooping her up into his arms and laying her on the desk. He freed his already ramrod hard cock as she wriggled out of her panties and reached for him. He hitched her legs around his waist and thrust into her hard as she gasped. She was already so wet for him that they moved together easily and he held her hands above her head as he fucked her, urged on her cries of pleasure. It was a quick, hard fuck and soon they were coming, and laughing and kissing, dressing quickly as they heard other people moving around in the hallway outside. Theo kissed her deeply then disappeared to his ownoffice.

Jess sat at her desk, catching her breath, grinning to herself. She opened her laptop and logged onto her email system, glancing through the subject lines to see if anything was urgent. She might have missed it if she hadn’t accidently clicked on the spam email above it. She deleted the spam and the next email showed up automatically. Her heartfroze.

You look so beautiful when he’s fucking you. Make the most of the time you have left,Jessica.

I’m coming foryou.

They were back.Jules grinned to himself as he watched the footage taken from their bedroom. He wasn’t disappointed, they screwed each other long into the night – not that he paid any attention to Theo Storm. All his attention was on Jessica as she fucked and was fucked, her beautiful, golden body all fluid limbs and soft curves. The camera he had installed was high definition and he enjoyed the fact he could still the see the vivid scars on her belly, the marks of his weapon. I did that. He closed his eyes, reliving the feeling of tearing through that tenderflesh.

It was the way they were with each other after they’d made love that got him. Angered him. They were tender, intimate, fun-loving, best friends. Julien Gachet hadn’t had any friends to share that kind of closeness with - certainly not women. To him, they were just something to fuck. But not Jessica. He found himself enraged by the obvious closeness, the trust between Jessica and Theo Storm. Why couldn’t that have beenhim?

Because you raped and terrorized her. All that mattered to you waspossession.

He shook himself. Jessica was his, despite what he could see was between her and Storm. She would die by his, Jules’ hand, and soon. She would never become Mrs. Storm, he wasdetermined.

He shut off the video and sat back in his chair. Going incognito was frustrating; he wanted Jessica to feel that fear of him every day, be cowed and cornered by him. To live in terror. Happiness ruined. He smiled to himself. He would have a little fun. Jules Gachet may not be a good businessman but he did know aboutcomputers.

Time to let Jessica know he was still waiting, still watching. Let he know he was still coming to killher.

Amelia Storm lookedover her glasses at her future daughter-in-law and frowned. Jess was quiet, staring blankly at the menu of the seafood place Amelia had chosen for lunch. Amelia could tell she was zoned out, her dark eyes sad and tired. The waiter arrived to take their order and Amelia put her hand over Jess’ and the younger woman started then smiledruefully.

‘Sorry, I’m Ms. Space-cakes today.’ Jess shifted in her chair and blinked. ‘I’ll just have a club sandwich, I think,please.’

Amelia ordered the same and the waiter, casting an admitting glance in Jess’s direction,disappeared.

‘What’s up, Jessie?’ Amelia kept her tone light, knowing that if something was worrying Jess, then it probably had to do with her asshole of a step-brother. Jess sighed and rubbed hereyes.

‘Jules. He’s been sending me messages. Threats. Nothing I haven’t heard before but, stupidly, I was beginning to think he’d made his escape and was staying away. God, I’m sostupid.’

Her whole body slumped. Amelia studied her. ‘Have you toldTheo?’

Jess nodded. ‘We have no secrets, not anymore. He’s mad, of course, but Jules used an untraceable I.P. address to send the emailsso…’

Amelia sipped her water. ‘Have you ever talked about the night you were stabbed? To anyone? Theo, or apsychologist?’

Jess shook her head. ‘No. I thought it would be better not to. I don’t want Theo to see me like that, broken and dying. I mean, I know he found me but I want him to focus on the fact I survived. And no, I’m afraid I’ve gone for the head-in-the-sand method ofcoping.’

Amelia nodded. ‘Understandable but I wonder, if you talked about it, if you named it, it would become less of a terror for you. You could talk to me, you knowthat.’

Jess chewed on her lip. ‘Possibly. But would I say? Jules stabbed me, it was painful and terrifying and I thought I was dead. He was brutal, merciless. All I could do was lay there and take it, I was so concussed from the mirror hitting me. He used a piece of the mirror to stab me, I assume, because he knew it would be more painful…. see, that,’ she broke off and pointed at Amelia’s face, which had paled and turned green so sickened was she, ‘That right there is why I don’t talk about it, Amelia. It just horrible and sickening and it won’t ever leave me. It might even happen again andI…’

‘Stop. Stop.’ Amelia held her hands up. ‘It will not happen again, Jessie. I won’t permit it. Nor Theo nor any of us. You are loved, you are protected.’ She cut her eyes at the huge bodyguard sitting a few chairs away. ‘If he steps foot on the island, or even in Seattle, we willknow.’

The waiter brought their food then and they thanked him, the strain in both of their voices obviously. They ate in silence for a time then Jess put her sandwichdown.

‘I’m sorry, Amelia, I shouldn’t have told you all ofthat.’

‘I think you needed to. I think you’ve been keeping it all in for too long to protect the rest of us. You are my daughter, Jess, and I love you. Let me carry some of theweight.’

Jess had tears in her eyes and she dashed them away impatiently. ‘I love you too. And I’d love to change the subject now. What’s happening withyou?’

Amelia smiled. ‘I think I’m seeingsomeone.’

Jess gaped at her. ‘What? You kept that quiet. Who isit?’

Amelia grinned her wicked smile. ‘He’s a younger man. Yes, I’m a cougar or whatever they callit.’

Jess looked impressed, grinning at her friend. ‘Haveyou…’