Heated Pursuit (Alpha Security #1)(40)

Rafe casually draped an arm along the back of his chair. “Unless Junior’s actions start impeding on my business, personal or otherwise, it’s of no concern to me. The first time it’s attempted will be the last.”

“A man who doesn’t accept challenge is weak,” Marco growled.

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t accept challenge.” Rafe hardened his gaze on the other man. “But it would be the last time that person would be capable of voluntary physical movement.”

Diego focused his demand on his nephew and pointed toward the door. “Undo what you have already set in motion. And for your sake, nephew, I hope no damage has been done. Or I will not hesitate to feed you to the circling sharks at the DEA. You risk what is not yours.”

Marco stood, throwing a severe scowl in Fuentes’s direction before muttering a soft, “We’ll see,” and slamming the door closed.

*



Penny fought against the return of last night’s dinner as shock curled her stomach into knots. She clutched the counter and willed the shake out of her hands. Even an ounce of Rafe’s cool stoicism would be good right about now. He hadn’t so much as batted an eye at Marco’s appearance. He’d been calm and level-headed, not a sign of unease anywhere on his face.

Damn it. She really needed to learn how to summon his nerves of steel, especially when the chill in the air told her Marco had entered the kitchen.

“Aren’t you missing the meeting?” she asked. Unwilling to let him linger at her back, she turned.

“I think I’d be missing more by staying.” Marco’s gaze flashed down to her breasts. “How do you like my uncle’s home?”

“Honestly, I’d much prefer a beach. All these trees make tanning impossible.”

“Our view here is quite limited to the wilds of the jungle, but the treetops serve our purposes well. Besides, the sun is much too harsh for the delicate skin of a woman such as yourself. We wouldn’t want anything to mar this perfect flesh.”

Smirking, Marco bracketed his hands on either side of her hips. In a matter of seconds, she became trapped between the edge of the counter and his body. Shivers of revulsion scoured their way along her nerve endings as the back of his hand brushed across the dip of her collarbone. He leaned forward, his breath scraping across her cheek. Rancid bile rose to her throat as he pushed the evidence of his arousal against her belly.

“Maybe you should worry about your own skin, Se?or Fuentes,” she warned. “My Rafael is a very jealous man. I can’t promise you that it would be the only thing at risk.”

“A jealous man is an insecure man. And I don’t scare easily, mi bonita. You shouldn’t bother yourself with someone who would prefer to busy himself with business rather than the pleasure of your company.”

“And you’re that type of man?” she asked dryly.

“I’m a man of many surprises.” Marco’s hands slipped back to her hips, the bite of his fingers making her wince. “And I would love to show you all of them—starting with the way a man takes care of his woman. Properly.”

“Remove your hands. Now.” Rafe stood in the doorway, his gaze fixed on Marco like a missile targeting its drop. His hands clenched and unclenched at his side. Face hard, and eyes harder, this wasn’t Rafael the businessman. This was Rafael the commando, the highly skilled soldier with the ability to make grown men pee their pants. “I wasn’t kidding earlier about losing voluntary movement, Junior. If I have to move your hands for you, you’ll regret it.”

The younger Fuentes smiled as he turned unashamedly in Rafe’s direction. The second he dropped his arms, Penny skirted past and let Rafe tuck her at his back.

“I’m okay,” she muttered.

“Well, I’m not,” he returned softly before focusing his attention back on Marco. “You don’t like that I’m here, and I don’t really give a flying f*ck. But while I’m working with your uncle, you damn well better keep your hands to yourself or you’ll have to learn how to jack off with stumps.”

Marco stepped forward until he was only inches away from Rafe’s face. “You. Cannot. Threaten. Me!”

“I didn’t threaten. I promised. And once I make a promise, I keep it no matter the cost. Learn your place before I show you one you’re not likely to enjoy.”

Marco ran a predatory glance over Penny’s body. “You can hardly fault a man for enjoying the artwork when you thrust him in front of a masterpiece. I wonder if she f*cks as good as she looks. Perhaps you’d care to share, Rafael?”

Penny grabbed Rafe’s arm just as he was about to lunge. “No. It’s not worth it.”

Marco chuckled, turning from the room. Before he left, he flashed Penny a brazen wink that nearly had her releasing her hold on Rafe and telling him to go to town. “I look forward to our next meeting, mi bonita. Perhaps I’ll be able to show you I’m a man of my word as well.”

Tension poured through the kitchen even in Marco’s absence. Penny let out a trembling breath. “Would it be terribly unprofessional of me to wish I could break his nose a second time?”

She slipped in front of Rafe, who’d gone eerily still. His jaw flexed wildly with the hint of barely controlled anger.

“Hey. It’s okay.” She soothingly stroked the hard lines of his jaw and mouth, and when that didn’t work, she stood on tiptoe and covered his face in feather-soft kisses. “Tone down the caveman. I’m okay. See?” She unclenched his fists and brought them to her cheeks. “You need to breathe and focus, because I’m pretty sure we’ve gone over how much I need you right now.”