Deadly Silence (Blood Brothers #1)(43)

He kissed her hard on the lips and then moved down, his mouth finding her core. For a few seconds, the entire world disappeared. Her pulse slowed as he held her open and exposed. To him. Red wound beneath his bronze skin when he spread her with his thumbs. “You’re mine, Zara.” Hunger glittered in his eyes.

She couldn’t speak, but in that second, she wanted to be his. Completely.

With a low hum, he leaned down and licked her, sending sensual flames ripping through her abdomen. She clamped a hand on the back of his neck. “Ryker, stop playing,” she moaned.

He chuckled, and the vibrations nearly sent her over. “Man, you’re bossy.”

“Look who’s talking.”

“Fair enough.” Then he went at her. Tongue, fingers, even teeth—he worked her until she was a mumbling mass of needy nerves.

Sweat dotted her body. Her thighs trembled. She was ready to beg.

Then he twisted his fingers inside her and sucked her clit into his mouth.

She detonated with a sharp cry. The orgasm cut through her like a blade and was followed by a series of deep waves. Finally, she came down with a small whimper. He was amazing and so dangerous. If she didn’t check herself, she’d be climbing right into his world, where he called all the shots.

Maybe the mind-blowing orgasms would be worth it. Ryker had his own life, and it contained a bunch of secrets from what had to be a shady past. If he couldn’t trust her with his life, how the hell could she trust him? Of course, maybe they were both just starting to trust each other. If she showed him trust, which she had, maybe he’d do the same. “Why won’t you tell me about your past?” It was a question she’d never asked. Sure, she’d asked what his life had been like before they’d met, and he’d stonewalled her. At the time, she’d thought he just didn’t want to be close.

Maybe it was something else.

He pushed himself up, the lazy slumber in his eyes sharpening to an intense determination. “Why?”

“I want to know you,” she whispered, trying to sit up.

He planted a hand on her abdomen, effectively keeping her in place. Yet a warmth entered his eyes, and his cheek creased with what had to be pleasure. “My childhood sucked until I met Denver and Heath, and frankly, it sucked afterward as well. But then we were together, so it wasn’t so bad.”

She’d figured. “And?”

“The rest of it I need to clear with my brothers. I trust you, Zara, but it’s not only my story to tell.”

“All right.” Maybe they could have a shot together. Her body relaxed into him.

He stood, lifting her easily and making her feel beyond feminine. Even cherished. “Round two is in the bed.”





CHAPTER


15


Ryker yanked on worn jeans and a T-shirt, then padded quietly across the bedroom to yank on his boots. The rainy snow had ebbed, and moonlight filtered through the blinds to caress the woman in his bed. In sleep, she was soft. Delicately soft and so feminine he wanted to put her somewhere safe forever.

His chest ached, and he allowed determination to push his shoulders broader. While he couldn’t hide her away, he could stand between her and any threat. To do that, he needed her trust, and for once, he actually felt like he was getting it.

For now, he had a job to do. He locked the bedroom and then the outer door to the apartment. He wasn’t worried that anybody could get by both him and his brothers to get to her, but the locks added assurances.

He jogged down the flight of stairs to the offices. Long strides took him to Denver’s office, where Denver and Heath already waited. “Quick trip, huh? How was Utah earlier today?” he asked Heath, wanting to know before they started.

“Got some info but nothing concrete,” Heath said, making a get-to-it motion with his hand.

Ryker nodded. “Oh. Then what the hell are we doing here right now? Why the late-night text?” he asked, following the script they’d come up with earlier.

“I found Isobel Madison,” Denver said. “You’re not gonna believe where she is.”

“Where?” Heath asked, rolling his neck, his body one tense line as he played his part.

“Read this,” Denver said, making a production of shoving a stack of papers across the desk.

Ryker crumpled a paper and kept silent for several beats, his gaze on Denver as he pretended to read. “Shit.”

Heath joined in. “Yep. So what now?”

“Tomorrow we go and talk to her,” Ryker said, nosily pushing papers back toward Denver. “It’s quite the coincidence that she’s so close.”

Heath grunted. “I don’t believe in coincidences.”

“What about the kid?” Denver asked.

Ryker waited and then sighed. “Let’s find the woman and figure out who she is. Then I’ll know better how to deal with Greg. The kid is lost, and I’d like to help him if possible.”

Heath lifted an eyebrow.

Ryker shrugged. He would like to help Greg, so why not say so as the kid listened in? The lost look in the kid’s dangerous and way-too-old eyes had haunted him since their only meeting. “For now, I have to get some shut-eye. How about we meet at eight in the morning and head out?”

“Copy that.” Heath groaned as he shoved from the chair. “Has anybody ordered furniture for the apartments upstairs?”