The Devil's Daughter (Hidden Sins #1)(77)

He had no right to the surge of possessiveness he felt at the thought, just like he had no right to yell at her for taking unnecessary risks. She wasn’t his.

But maybe I want her to be.

“Promise me.” He pushed a finger into her, cursing at how good she felt there, at how beautiful she was with her head back in abandon, pleasure written over her face.

“Promise you what?” She didn’t open her eyes.

He opened his mouth, but what could he say? There were no guarantees, not in life and not in this. So Zach kissed her again, stroking her slowly, gauging her responses to see exactly what she liked. He needed her release, needed to feel in control of this little corner of their world, at least in this moment.

Eden pushed him away. He had a second to wonder if she was putting a stop to this—and if she wasn’t the smarter of the two of them—and then she hopped off the counter. “You’re wearing too many clothes.” She went for his belt buckle, divesting him of his pants in record time. “Condom.”

“Bedroom.”

“Go get it.”

He didn’t ask why she didn’t want to be in the bedroom, mostly because he could barely string two thoughts together with her standing in his kitchen, gloriously naked. Her tattoos snaked down to her elbows, melding together into a mural that only seemed to highlight her beauty, framing her breasts to perfection. He headed for the bedroom before he could throw caution to the wind and touch her again. It took a grand total of thirty seconds to grab a handful of condoms and come back.

She raised her eyebrows. “Someone’s optimistic.”

“Once won’t be enough, and you know it.” He grabbed her hand with his free one and towed her into the living room. The dogs were safely locked outside, and there was no one around to see now, any more than there had been last time. He wanted to watch her where the late-afternoon light would turn her golden skin even more so and to kiss her the way he intended to.

She straddled him, wasting no time in grabbing his cock and sinking onto his length. They cursed in the shared breath between them. She was so damn tight around him that he tried to slow her down, but Eden was having none of it. She raised herself up and sank down again. “Zach.”

“I’ve got you.” Maybe if he said it enough times, she’d understand that he meant it in more than orgasms. He wanted her in every way that mattered—or at least wanted a chance to really explore it without the damned case hanging over their heads.

He gripped her hips, guiding her strokes, watching her face as she lost herself in pleasure. She was softer like this, more woman and less federal agent. The woman he was hopelessly attracted to.

The woman who wouldn’t hesitate to put herself in the line of fire if it meant she could bring this killer down.

Zach gripped her chin. “Promise me, Eden. Promise me you won’t take any stupid risks.”

She held on to his shoulders, meeting his gaze as she took him deeper yet, sealing them as close as two people could be. Her nails pricked his skin, the light pain only making his pleasure sharper.

But she didn’t promise.

In the back of his mind, he’d known she wouldn’t. She kissed him, the soft gesture completely at odds with the harsh contact of his body into hers. “I’m not a liar, Zach.”

He reached between them and stroked her clit, needing to have at least this. He transferred his grip to the back of her neck, holding them sealed together as he drove her crazy with the little circles his thumb made.

“Yes, yes, yes.” She threw her head back, her body milking his as she came.

He couldn’t hold on. Zach flipped them, pounding into her, chasing his pleasure the same way he’d chased hers. He came, her name on his exhale, and collapsed to the side. But he didn’t release her. All too soon, she’d be off again, beyond his limited circle of protection.

He had to hold her close while he could.





CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE


Eden woke to the sound of her phone ringing. She stretched, smiling a little at how deliciously sore she was. Last night might have created more complications than it had solved, but it had been good. So damn good. She rolled over and dug through the pile of clothes Zach had dropped next to the bed for her still-ringing phone. She frowned at the unknown number, but gave a mental shrug and answered. “Eden Collins.”

“Eden?”

She shot straight upright. She knew that voice. “Rachel? Rachel, where are you?”

“Eden, I’m scared.” Rachel sobbed. “He’s hurt me . . . so much. He said it’s your fault.”

The buzzing in her ears got worse, but she managed to keep her voice even. “Rachel, tell me everything you can about your surroundings and who hurt you.”

“It’s so dark . . .”

“Rachel, focus.”

A pause, and then a click. For a second, she thought the call had ended, but then Rachel’s voice sounded again. “Eden?”

“I’m here.” She was clutching the phone so tightly, it was a wonder it didn’t break apart in her hands. She could sense Zach awake behind her, but she couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything but cling to the voice on the other end of the phone. “Honey, you need to focus.”

“Eden, I’m scared.” She sobbed. “He’s hurt me . . . so much. He said it’s your fault.”