Run To Me (Lazarus Rising #4)(27)

“That’s it, Willow, hell, yes.” He released her right hand. His hand snaked between their bodies. Found her clit. Touched her just right. Exactly in the way she needed. In the way that made her scream with pleasure.

And he was with her. He surged deep inside of her and growled her name as he came. Pleasure exploded through her, and he kissed her. The climax swept over her whole body, through her, and Willow never wanted the moment to end. She wanted to hold Jay close. To keep this moment forever.

Never, ever forget it.

As she’d forgotten everything else.

***

He’d loved her once. Treated her like a fucking princess. Put her on a pedestal. Spread the world at her feet. Then…

Willow had been gone. Lost to him. A moment in time that he couldn’t take back. Rage had torn through him. The pain had been the worst he’d ever felt. He’d thought he could carry on, could go on, but Willow had haunted him.

A dead woman, his ghost to always carry.

Only Willow isn’t dead. He’d searched for her, for so long. But it had been as if she’d disappeared. Willow had always been good at disappearing. He hadn’t given up, though. He’d never give up on his Willow.

Then he’d seen her. With that prick of a billionaire asshole Jay Maverick. His Willow. Alive. Laughing. Dancing in a ballroom. She’d looked right at him, and she’d stared at him as if she didn’t even know who he was.

Maverick thought he could take her. That he could lure Willow to him with his money and his fame. But what Maverick didn’t get—the guy was going to crash and burn. The bullet he’d fired had missed its mark, and for a moment, he’d felt terror claw through him when he’d seen Willow fall.

Not again.

But she was okay. Alive. She’d even headed to a club with fucking Maverick. His bodyguard? Is that how they’d gotten together? Like the news stories said? He doubted that story. But Willow had always been deceptively dangerous. Such a beautiful face, to hide a devious killer. Willow had such deadly skills. Those skills had drawn him to her in the beginning. Willow looked like the best sin in the world, and she could attack a man as easily as she could kiss him.

Was it any wonder he’d fallen for her?

She’d said that she loved him. Once.

Then why did you leave, Willow?

She wouldn’t leave again. And she wouldn’t stare at him as if she had no clue who he was. He’d mattered to her before. He’d matter to her again. When Maverick’s dead body was at her feet, she’d understand.

Willow had always belonged to him. She would always belong to him.

He wasn’t going to let her go again.

He stared at the house, studying it through his night vision binoculars. Not a house, not really. A freaking mansion. Who needed a place that big?

Guards were at the front gate. Like they were supposed to be a challenge. No, he was more worried about the security system. Maverick might be a dick, but the guy knew his systems. He’d designed plenty of high-tech shit for Uncle Sam over the years. Hell, he’d even used Maverick’s tech on a few missions that wouldn’t be found in any books.

Maybe that was the key. Maybe he shouldn’t try to sneak inside of Maverick’s place. Maybe he should just get an invitation to go inside. He could walk right up to the bastard. Smile. And kill him.

Yeah, that sounded like a fabulous plan to him.

Willow, I have missed you.





Chapter Seven


“You shouldn’t be here,” Willow said the words quickly, even as she took a step back. Shadows surrounded her, a thick darkness, but she knew she wasn’t alone.

He’s here. He found me. Hadn’t he once said he’d always find her?

“You left…where did you go, Willow?” His voice was low, a rough rasp in the darkness.

She shook her head. He shouldn’t have found her. She’d been promised that he wouldn’t find her. “Leave me alone.”

“Never.” A low, tender whisper. “You belong to me. I belong to you…”

She didn’t belong to anyone but herself.

“He can’t protect you.” A slight edge of anger slid into the words. “He can’t keep you from me.”

“I don’t need protecting.” She took a step back, her feet sliding over the thread-bare carpet. Her hands were loose at her sides, her body tense. “And we’re done. Do you understand? We are—”

He surged toward her, a fast burst of fury and strength. “We’re done when I say we are.”

***

“Stop!” Willow cried out as she jerked upright. Her heart thundered in her chest, and a light sheen of sweat covered her body.

“Willow?” Jay’s voice. Light flooded on beside her, and she realized he’d just turned on a lamp. The light pushed back the darkness.

He was waiting in the dark. He uses the dark to his advantage. Always has.

She sucked in a deep breath.

“Baby?” Jay was beside her in the bed. His chest was bare, his hair tousled even more than normal, and the covers pooled near his waist. “What’s wrong?”

“I—” She floundered. Stared at him. Then her gaze whipped around the room, almost as if she were searching for a threat. She could practically feel the threat, but no one was there. You left…where did you go, Willow? She grabbed the covers and pulled them up to her chest. “I think I had a bad dream.”