UNTAMED DADDY

LAYLAH ROBERTS
Untamed Daddy
Laylah Roberts

© 2021, Laylah Roberts

Laylah.roberts@gmail.com
laylahroberts.com

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal
Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of
this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express
written permission from the author / publisher.

Cover Design by: Allycat’s Creations

Photographer: Wander Aguiar
Model: Jonny James
Editing: Celeste Jones
Created with Vellum
 CONTENTS

Books by Laylah Roberts

Let’s keep in touch!
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Epilogue
Her Daddy’s Jewel
Books by Laylah Roberts
Doms of Decadence
Just for You, Sir
Forever Yours, Sir
For the Love of Sir
Sinfully Yours, Sir
Make me, Sir
A Taste of Sir
To Save Sir
Sir’s Redemption
Reveal Me, Sir
Montana Daddies
Daddy Bear
Daddy’s Little Darling
Daddy’s Naughty Darling Novella
Daddy’s Sweet Girl
Daddy’s Lost Love
A Montana Daddies Christmas
Daring Daddy
Warrior Daddy
Daddy’s Angel
His Little Cowgirl Novella
Heal Me, Daddy
Daddy’s Little Bride Novella
Daddy in Cowboy Boots
A Little Christmas Cheer
Sheriff Daddy (Coming April)
MC Daddy
Motorcycle Daddy
Hero Daddy
Protector Daddy
 Untamed Daddy
Haven, Texas Series
Lila’s Loves
Laken’s Surrender
Saving Savannah
Molly’s Man
Saxon’s Soul
Mastered by Malone
How West was Won
Cole’s Mistake
Jardin’s Gamble
Harem of Daddies
Ruled by Her Daddies
Men of Orion
Worlds Apart
Cavan Gang
Rectify
Redemption
Redemption Valley
Audra’s Awakening
Old-Fashioned Series
An Old-Fashioned Man
Two Old-Fashioned Men
Her Old-Fashioned Husband
Her Old-Fashioned Boss
His Old-Fashioned Love
An Old-Fashioned Christmas
Bad Boys of Wildeside
Wilde
Sinclair
Luke
Let’s keep in touch!
Don’t miss a new release, sign up to my newsletter for sneak peeks, deleted
scenes and giveaways:
https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/p7l6g0
You can also join my Facebook readers group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/386830425069911/
1

Emme wondered if today was the day he was going to kill her.
Crash!
She jumped at the noise, letting out a small cry. She slammed her hand
over her mouth.
Don’t make a noise. Maybe he won’t find you.
Usually, he only visited a few times a year, and he’d been here last month
so she couldn’t understand why he was back so soon. As soon as Emme
heard his car pull up outside, she’d hidden in one of the spare bedroom
closets. She’d curled up in the back corner, pulling an old jacket down to put
over herself.
Please don’t find me. Please don’t find me.
Closing her eyes, she bit down on her lip so she wouldn’t make any noise.
She wished she had Starry and Bad Boy, but they were safely tucked under
her mattress. Drawing her legs up to her chest, she hid her face in her knees.
Dark, small spaces weren’t her friend, but if she buried her face, maybe she
could pretend she was somewhere else.
If she kept still and quiet, maybe he wouldn’t find her.
“Come here, you stupid, ugly bitch!”
Emme stuck her fingers in her ears. She knew it wouldn’t really drown
out his screams, but it at least muffled some of the noise.
Just stay quiet. Stay hidden. Maybe he’ll go away.
Such a dreamer, Emme.
“You fucking bitch!”
Why did he always get mad at her?
Smash!
Emme startled. Shit. He was getting closer. She shook, her breath coming
in fast pants. No one would help her, either. The staff all knew the
consequences of going against him.
Once, one of her tutors had tried to help her. She’d disappeared and never
returned. Emme had cried every night for a week before Suzie gave her a
pep-talk. Well, it was more of a scolding. Suzie could be a real bitch
sometimes.
Suzie was her friend. Her only friend. She was also made up. What kind
of weirdo had an imaginary friend at twenty-two?
Crash!
He was going to find her soon.
“Where are you, you dumb fucking bitch?” he roared. He sounded like he
was right in front of her.
Don’t move. Don’t breathe.
You have to breathe, you fool.
“Everything is a fucking mess. Get out here!” he roared.
Please leave me alone. Please go away.
The closet door suddenly swung open with a creak.
Then someone ripped away the jacket covering her face. And her worst
nightmare stood there, staring down at her.
“H-hello, Father.”

***

Reyes went through the information on the pen drive one more time. He
didn’t know what he was expecting to find. He’d gone over everything on
here a million times.
Senior’s life was imploding. The FBI had raided his son, Forrest’s houses
and businesses and Senior was now under the spotlight as well. Although he
had a lot of powerful friends, so it wouldn’t surprise Reyes if he managed to
keep his ass out of jail.
The door to his office opened and Duke walked in.
“Hey,” he greeted the VP of the Iron Shadows. Reyes didn’t really have
friends. Letting people get too close was never a good idea.
Unfortunately, keeping a distance from these guys wasn’t that easy.
Duke watched Reyes remove the pen drive then put it in the secret safe
he’d installed a few months ago.
“You’re obsessed,” Duke commented.
 Obsessed? Like hell he was.
“Don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” he snapped back.
Duke just huffed out a breath. “Right. So if I asked for that pen drive,
you’d just hand it over.”
Course he wouldn’t. Was Duke insane?
Duke snorted. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
“Senior needs to be taken down. He’s dirty as fuck.”
Duke nodded. “And he will be. The FBI is on his ass. Only reason he’s
not in jail is because he knows some powerful people.”
“Which means he could get off scot-free.”
Duke raised an eyebrow. “So you want to do what? Send that information
to the FBI?”
“Hell no.”
Reyes tapped his fingers on the top of his scarred wooden desk. It was
huge and old and battered. Suited him just fine.
“Then what?”
Reyes just stared at him. Duke straightened in his seat. “Nope. We’re not
going after him ourselves. We’ve had this fucking conversation before.”
“What conversation?” Ink strolled in, his hands in his front jean pockets.
His blond hair was slicked back, and he had a cocky grin on his face.
Razor walked in behind Ink. Large, dark-skinned, and pushing fifty, he
hid his demons behind a smile and some southern charm. Jason slipped in
and leaned against the wall. Quiet. The biggest and youngest of them all had
a darkness in him that few ever saw or knew about.
“Where’s Spike?” Reyes asked.
“He’s coming,” Ink said. “He’s having a chat with Millie. Apparently, he
told her to leave the gun at home. Millie didn’t listen.”
Reyes’ eyes widened. Millie could be . . . eccentric and slightly
unpredictable. She was a walking arsenal wrapped up in an innocent-looking
package. She dressed like a 1950s pin-up girl, and she’d be ever-so-polite as
she pulled out her pink gun and offered to blow off your family jewels.
“Don’t know why he’s so concerned,” Razor said. “It’s not like she’ll
have put bullets in it.”
“No, but he doesn’t want her accidentally pulling it out when she’s
searching for something in her bag and starting a panic,” Ink replied.
“What did we do for entertainment before the girls came around?” Razor
drawled.
 “Fucked if I know,” Ink stated. “But I can’t imagine life without them.”
“Betsy and Sunny are out in the bar?” Reyes asked.
Duke nodded, frowning slightly. “Jewel’s not there tonight though, so
let’s make this quick.”
Concern stirred. Last time he’d tried to talk to Jewel, she’d reassured him
that she was fine. That she just needed some time off. But he didn’t like it. It
felt like she was trying to cut herself off from them all.
Spike stepped into the room and shut the door behind him.
“Everything okay?” Reyes asked.
Spike just grunted out a reply.
“Millie upset that you confiscated her gun?” Ink asked.
Spike sat and crossed his arms over his chest, then glared at Ink.
“Somebody ain’t getting lucky tonight,” Ink sang.
“You wanna shut up before I rearrange that pretty boy face into
something that Betsy no longer recognizes,” Spike snarled.
“Doesn’t matter,” Ink told him. My woman isn’t only with me for this
pretty face, although it’s nice of you to notice, she also loves my rocking
body and my monster c—”
“Enough chatting,” Reyes interrupted. Nobody needed to hear about Ink’s
monster cock.
Ink sighed. “You ever take the time for some fun, Reyes? ‘Cause lately
you’ve been in a worse mood than usual. Hell, you’re making Spike here
look like a comedian.”
Spike scowled.
“Hard to have fun when things are going to shit around here.”
“That overdose the other week wasn’t your fault,” Razor told him
seriously.
“That girl got the drugs from somewhere,” Reyes snapped back. “And I
want to know if she got them from someone here.” So far, his investigations
had reached a dead-end. The girl hadn’t died, but she’d discharged herself
from the hospital before he could talk to her.
“Reyes doesn’t like the fact that we haven’t done anything about Senior,”
Duke said.
Reyes glared at him. Duke just shrugged.
Ink ran his hand over his face with a groan. “Not this again. I thought we
were letting things go. We dealt with the senator. We dealt with Forrest. The
old man is already in trouble. What more do we need to do? We’re just going
to get ourselves killed.”
Fuck it. Reyes knew he was right. But he still didn’t like it. There were
too many loose ends.
“Why don’t we see how things play out,” Razor suggested. “That asshole
ends up in jail, well, all good. He slips free, then we take action.”
And what if the bastard ran? However, Reyes nodded. “Fine, I’ll leave
Senior alone for the moment. But there are some other issues.”
“There always is,” Ink said.
Reyes ignored him. “Been hearing some mutterings lately. Seems some
of the guys aren’t happy with the way things are being run around here.”
Razor sighed. “Idiots. They think we should be heading down the path
Smiley was leading us.”
“Into drugs, prostitution, and guns,” Ink said with a frown.
“Think they’re going to try for a coup?” Reyes asked.
“Don’t know. Can’t figure out if it’s just a bunch of grumbling assholes
or if there is someone leading the pack,” Ink said.
“Someone will be leading it,” Reyes countered. “We just need to find out
who.”
It was usual to have some problems after you took power of a group like
he had. He’d come in, ousted Smiley, the last Prez, and started changing
things. He’d cleaned up the Iron Shadows. They were mostly on the up-and-
up now.
Pain thrummed in his temples, but he didn’t let it show.
Never show weakness.
There were too many loose ends, and he didn’t like it. Not only did he
have no idea who was heading this group of dissenters, but he still hadn’t
found the mole. He wasn’t even sure there had ever been a mole.
Jacob Reyes liked control. He liked to know exactly what was going on.
Being kept in the dark wasn’t an option.
“If you want me to knock a few heads together, slice up a few tongues,
you know I’m happy to help,” Razor said with a grin.
“You’re one scary motherfucker sometimes,” Duke told him.
Razor winked at him.
“Let me think about our next move.” He just had to figure out a way to do
that. “Anything else?”
They all shook their heads then started to file out.
Duke stopped at the door. “Coming for a drink?”
 Reyes shook his head. “Got stuff to do.”
“You know, maybe there wouldn’t be so many problems if the guys saw
you as one of them.” Duke left.
Fuck. He knew Duke was right. He should go out there. But he wasn’t
really one of them. He was on his own. Which was the way he liked it. Right?
2

A few hours later, Reyes pulled his bike into his garage.
He needed a damn drink. He walked up the outside stairs to his
apartment. Entering, he took off his leather jacket and poured himself a
scotch. He picked up the pack of cigarettes that sat on the top of the kitchen
counter and moved out onto his back patio.
After getting his finances into the black, he’d bought his own place.
Wasn’t much. One bedroom. One bathroom. Small living area. But it was his,
and it had a big enough garage for his bike and truck.
Grabbing a cigarette, he held it between his two fingers. He never lit
them. He’d given up years ago. Holding the cigarette without lighting it was a
reminder that he was in control. He took a sip of the scotch. A feeling of
calmness filled him as he stared out over the city. His phone rang, and he
frowned, staring down at the unknown number. The call ended. No message
on his voicemail. Probably a wrong number.
The phone started again and he put it on silent. When it rang the third
time, he answered.
“Stop fucking calling me.”
“About time you picked up. What were you doing? You weren’t finally
getting laid, were you? Oh, who am I kidding, you’re practically a goddamn
monk. More likely you were beating the bishop. Hope I didn’t stop you
halfway through. Not finishing can be bad for your health. Do you know that
masturbation can help prevent prostate cancer? Since I know you lack for
female companionship, I’m guessing you have to cuff the carrot twice as
much as everyone else. If you need to finish, go right ahead. Don’t mind me.
You can put me on speakerphone if you like. Blue balls are no joke.”
“Who is this?” Reyes snarled.
“Yep, I definitely interrupted you partway through pulling the pope.”
Reyes hung up on him. His phone rang. It would stop, then ring again. He
should just turn it off and go to bed. Then get Brody to track down this
number in the morning. But there was something that told him to pick up
again . . .
 “What the fuck do you want?” he snapped.
“You haven’t finished yet? How long does it take? Do you need some
good porn? What are you into? I’m thinking BDSM porn will be your thing,
huh?”
“Who. Are. You.”
“I’m insulted, don’t you recognize my voice?”
He stilled. His voice?
“Fox?” He straightened up. It couldn’t be anyone else, right?
“At your service, well, not really, since you’re not paying me. Now,
unfortunately, I don’t have time to wait any longer for you to finish burping
the worm. I need your help.”
“You need my help.” He decided to ignore all the references to him
masturbating. For now.
“Yep.”
“And you think I’m going to give you my help?”
“You owe me.” The Fox’s voice changed. The lightness turned to dark.
Warmth to cold. Reyes actually felt the cold fingers of death creeping out to
him. Not that he hadn’t felt them before, they were old friends. But never like
this.
Reyes couldn’t forget that the Fox was extremely dangerous.
“I owe you?”
“All of you owe me. I saved my sweet girl. Gave all of you alibis. Then I
rescued Betsy and took care of that tree issue for Ink.”
Tree issue. Not the first time he’d said that. Which they all took to mean
that the Fox had something to do with Forrest’s plane crashing and him
dying.
It was hard to deny that they owed him. Even though they hadn’t asked
for his help with any of that. Still, someone like the Fox wouldn’t forget a
debt owed.
“And you’re calling me rather than Duke or Ink?”
“Yep. You’re up, big guy. We both know they’re getting actual sex
tonight rather than—”
“What do you need?” he interrupted.
“Touchy. I can see those blue balls are really affecting your attitude.”
“Do you want my help?” Reyes snapped through the phone.
“Well, that is why I’m calling,” the Fox said matter-of-factly.
“Then you’re gonna have to stop talking about my balls.”
 “Odd rule to have. But fine.”
“What do you need?” Reyes asked.
“Oh, can’t tell you that until you get here. That’s one of my rules,” the
Fox said cheerfully. “Meet me at this address.” He rattled it off. “You have
forty minutes to get here. And bring your truck, not your motorbike. Also,
don’t tell anyone. Fox is over and out. Hmm, no, I don’t like that as a sign-
off. Will have to work on that one,” he muttered, then the phone went dead.
Fuck.
What was going on? What was the Fox getting him into? If that asshole
got him killed . . . well, he was going to fucking haunt the shit out of him.

***

Reyes drove up to what looked to be an abandoned barn. What the hell? Why
would the Fox ask him to meet him here?
And what did he want?
Too many unknowns were starting to piss him off. Did the Fox think he
could just call him up at any time and he’d be at his beck and call? He was
going to make it clear this was a one-off.
The passenger door opened before he could even turn off the engine. He
quickly reached for the gun he had hidden under his jacket.
“Relax, it’s me.”
“Fox?”
“You were expecting someone else?” the Fox asked, slipping into the
passenger seat and placing a backpack at his feet. His face was covered in a
black ski mask.
“Why am I here? What’s going on? Why call me?”
“So many questions. All will be revealed soon. Now, drive.” The Fox
pointed ahead of them, out into the dark road. They were in the countryside,
there were still houses here, but they tended to be spread far apart.
“I’m not your fucking servant.”
“No, but you are going to do what I say, aren’t you?” the Fox asked
coldly.
Reyes was no man’s puppet. But he was here for information. And he
didn’t like owing anyone. It didn’t sit well with him. If this carved off part of
their debt to this asshole, then he would do it.
Well, once he found out what it was. There were some lines even he
wouldn’t cross.
“Within reason.”
“Don’t worry, old chap,” he said in an impeccable British accent. Damn,
he was good. But then Reyes already knew that, didn’t he? “I’m not going to
ask you to do anything illegal. Wait, yes, I am. Let me rephrase that. It’s
perhaps considered illegal by some.”
“And by some, you mean law-abiding citizens?”
“Well, I suppose. However, you’re committing a small crime for a greater
good.”
“A greater good?” Reyes repeated.
“Yep. See, you should actually be thanking me for this opportunity.”
“I should? Why is that?” This guy was delusional.
“Because I’m going to give you the chance to be the white knight. That’s
what you like to do, don’t you? Rescue the helpless? Does it make you feel
better? Does it erase old guilt?”
Old guilt? What the hell? Reyes felt his temper stir and had to push it
down. He nearly ground his teeth into dust with how hard his jaw was
clenched. What did he know?
“I’m no one’s white knight. I’m the shadows, not the light.”
“Ahh, but without light, shadows don’t exist. Right? And I’m not a
shadow. I’m darkness. I’m death. You’d do well to remember that.”
Fuck. There it was again. The warning that he wasn’t dealing with
someone normal.
“What is it you want me to do?” Reyes demanded.
“It’s simple, really. I want you to rescue the girl. See? You get to go off
and be the good guy.”
“And what are you doing while I’m rescuing the girl?” What girl?
“Pull over into this side road,” the Fox told him. “We can’t drive any
further, it will alert the security.”
“What security?” Reyes snarled.
“If I knew you would have so many questions, I’d have asked someone
else to come along. Jason doesn’t seem to talk much. Yes, he probably would
have been a better choice.”
Reyes pulled onto the side road and parked, but left the truck running.
“You should turn off the lights, we’re trying to be stealth here. I prefer a
quieter approach rather than anything big and flashy. Although I have been
having fun with fire lately. I’m starting to wonder if I have pyromaniac
tendencies.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what is going on.”
“Yes. You are. Because you owe me. And you don’t want me calling
Jason in because you’re too much of a control freak.”
He thought that he’d rather deal with the Fox who made stupid jokes than
this too-perceptive side of him. “Have you been spying on me?”
“I don’t have time to spy on you. Not anymore. But do you really think
I’d let anyone around my sweet girl who I didn’t vet?”
“Your sweet girl? Meaning Sunny? You do know that she’s Duke’s, not
yours.”
“You think I couldn’t get rid of him if I wanted to? But she seems to love
him and I want her to be happy.”
“She’ll never be yours, Fox.” It was a risk telling him this. He seemed
more than a little delusional. Or was that an act too?
“Sunny is important to me, but she’s not my soulmate.”
Soulmate? He couldn’t seriously believe in soulmates? Christ. He had to
stop trying to figure out what was bullshit and what was real when it came to
the Fox. It was giving him a headache.
“Why is there security here and who am I rescuing?”
“I told you, a girl.”
“From who? I can’t just kidnap her.”
“It’s not kidnapping. You’re helping her.”
“Who is this girl?”
“Actually, we’re on a bit of a time crunch. You rescue the princess. I’ve
got something to do. Who knew you’d want to talk so much? Next thing
you’ll want to have a chat about your feelings. You’re worse than having a
wife.”
How had no one killed this asshole before?
Deep breaths. Patience.
The Fox opened the bag he’d brought with him, pulling out two pairs of
night-vision goggles and handing one pair to Reyes. “You armed?”
“Yep,” Reyes replied.
 “It loaded?”
Reyes sighed. Did he think he was a fucking amateur? “Yep.”
Maybe he should have just shot the bastard.
“Good.” He drew out another black ski mask, handing it to Reyes, along
with some gloves.
“Here, you might want a gag and rope. In case she won’t go quietly.”
Reyes gritted his teeth together. “I thought this was to rescue her, why
wouldn’t she go quietly?”
“Well, I suspect that some strange man turning up in the middle of the
night might be kind of upsetting to her. Hmm, maybe I should have brought a
sedative.”
“If she doesn’t want to leave, I’m not forcing her.”
The Fox sighed. “How annoying to have such morals. Let’s go.” The Fox
seemed to be all business as he set off through the trees. Reyes followed him.
The Fox didn’t make a noise. Reyes had to admit to being impressed. They
made their way to the edge of the trees. Beyond that was a huge concrete
fence.
“How do we get past that?” he asked.
“That is the fun part.”
Holy. Shit. He really hoped this fucker didn’t get him killed.

***

Emme couldn’t sleep.

Kind of hard to relax when she was wound so tight. Plus, she was curled
up behind a chair in her bedroom. Not a great hiding place, but it didn’t make
her feel claustrophobic like hiding in the closet did. And she didn’t feel safe
enough to get into bed. If he came for her again, she didn’t intend to be
asleep in bed.
She was lucky that he’d gotten called away before he could really harm
her.
You’d think after all these years that she wouldn’t care anymore. But he
was her father. He was meant to love her. Take care of her.
He wasn’t supposed to be the one who hurt her. Most of it was verbal
abuse. But that bruised and damaged her soul.
You are worthy. You are intelligent. You are capable of being loved.
She froze as she heard the telltale creaking sound of her bedroom door
being opened. Was he back?
But there was no shouting. No demands for her to show herself. Nothing
but silence.
She peered around the back of the chair. Who was that? There was no
light on in the room. All she could make out was the shape of him. Tall.
Broad. Her heart raced. Why was he here? Shit.
Was he one of the guards? Had he been sent in here to kill her?
But why be sneaky? It wasn’t like anyone would care.
The man moved so he was standing directly over her bed. Maybe he had
something else in mind. Her heart raced. She placed her hand over her chest,
certain she was about to have a heart attack.
“Fuck. I’m going to kill him for this,” the man muttered quietly. “I’m
really fucking sorry about this, sweetheart.”
So he was here to kill her. He sounded like he regretted having to do it.
So that was something, she guessed.
Still, she wasn’t going down without a fight.
Slipping out from behind the chair, she jumped up. “Die, asshole!”

Holy fuck!
Where had she sprung from?
The tiny sprite, dressed all in black, kicked him in the shin before landing
a punch to his stomach. Which definitely hurt her more than him. Her pained
cry made him feel guilty, for some idiotic reason.
Before she could hurt herself further, or land a kick somewhere it might
do some actual damage, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in
against him. Her back was to his chest, her legs kicking uselessly as he
widened his stance and drew her up off the floor.
“Easy, wildcat,” he told her in a low voice.
“Let go of me, you asswipe, dipshit, pig-butt-licking, slimy worm.”
Interesting insults.
“Quiet, girl. I’m not here to hurt you.”
Even he realized how ridiculous that sounded.
 She stilled. “Oh, right. Sorry. My bad. Please, feel free to carry on.”
He rolled his eyes at her sarcasm. “I’m here to help you.”
“Good job so far. You sneak into my room, then you hurt my hand and
now you’re holding me captive.”
“You hurt your own hand when you punched me. And I’m not holding
you captive. I’m stopping you from hitting or kicking me.”
“You’re just lucky I didn’t launch my crave maggie skills on you!”
Crave maggie?
He frowned, thinking that one through. “Do you mean Krav Maga?”
“Yeah, that’s what I said.”
No, it wasn’t.
“So if you’re here to rape me then you should know, I know Krav Maga.
Did I say it right that time?”
“You don’t know Krav Maga.”
“Do too.” She continued to wiggle in his grasp. He wondered why wasn’t
she screaming for help.
“If you know Krav Maga, wouldn’t you know how to say it?”
She was silent for a moment. Shit, he really shouldn’t be just standing
here having some ridiculous conversation about Krav Maga.
“I’m self-taught.”
“Right.”
“Do you know any martial arts?” she asked.
“No, but I have a gun and a bad attitude.”
“Huh. I suppose you win, then.”
He wasn’t aware they were having a competition. Also, this was a weird
conversation.
“Why aren’t you screaming?” He couldn’t help but ask.
“Do you want me to scream? I could try. Screaming never helps anyone
in horror films, though. Are you here to kill me and use my skin as a mask?”
“God, no.” What the fuck?
“Are you going to stab me to death with a kitchen knife?”
Shit. Is that what she thought? Well, who could blame her, asshole?
“Listen, girl. I’m not here to harm you.”
“Pretty sure that’s what someone who was going to set me free only to
stalk me through the house in some weird game of cat and mouse would say.”
“I’m not going to do any of those things. I’m here to help you.”
“Why?
 “I owe someone a favor,” he gritted out. Yep, should have gone with his
gut and just shot the Fox. “I’m going to get you out of here.”
“You’re kidnapping me?”
He winced. “I’m not kidnapping you.”
“That’s good. Getting kidnapped really isn’t fun.”
Who was this girl? None of this made any sense. What had the Fox
brought him into?
“I’m here to help you leave.” He didn’t know how much time he had. The
Fox had somehow managed to get them past the guards and dogs then inside
the house. He’d led him to this girl’s bedroom, pointed to the door with a
finger to his lips, then left.
Reyes was starting to wonder if this was a set-up. If the Fox was using
him as a scapegoat. Fuck, he was here to murder someone, wasn’t he?
Why had that only just occurred to him? Of course he was here to
assassinate someone. That was what he did.
And Reyes was now going to be a fucking accessory. Motherfucking
bastard. Yeah, he was no saint. He was no stranger to breaking the law. But
he’d never murdered someone. Or helped anyone else do it.
“Fuck it.” He set the girl gently down, then turned and headed towards
the door. He needed to get out of here before he was caught. Only, without
the Fox how did he get safely past all the security?
“Wait. Where are you going? Aren’t I coming as well?”
He froze. Shouldn’t she be happy that he was leaving? Instead, she
sounded sad. Defeated.
Unless . . .
Did she actually need help?
Christ. Why did he answer his phone tonight? If he left without her, he
would have gone through this for nothing. The Iron Shadows would still owe
the Fox a debt.
Spinning back, he strode to the girl. “Listen. I know this is weird, but I’m
not going to hurt you. I was told that you needed help. Do you want to stay
here?”
“No. I hate it here. But he’s not going to let me go.”
“Who?”
“My father.” There was a note of fear in her voice that he hated.
“I know you’re scared. A strange man sneaking into your room in the
dark doesn’t inspire trust or confidence, but I don’t hurt women. And I won’t
let anyone else hurt you while you’re with me.”
“Who are you?” she whispered.
Should he tell her? Fuck, he had to tell her something. “My name is
Reyes. You?”
“I’m Emme.”
“Well, Emme. Are you coming with me?”
There was a beat of silence. “Yes.”
He ran his gaze over her, she was wearing a dark hoodie and tights.
“Then quickly grab anything you need and some shoes. Don’t turn on any
lights. You have to be quick.”
“My father is going to be mad.” But as she moved to the closet. “He’ll try
to hurt you. To find me.”
“Not scared of your father.”
It was too dark to get a good look at her. She was short, though. Slight.
The scent of caramel and green apples hit him and his dick hardened.
What the hell? What was wrong with him?
Feeling ill, he moved back towards the door, opening it carefully and
peeking outside. No sign of anyone.
“I’m ready,” she whispered from behind him.
He spotted something down the hallway. Someone moved quickly
towards him, sticking mostly to the dark areas.
He gestured at Emme to get back.
A surge of protectiveness filled him. Women were his weakness. He’d
tried to harden himself, to make himself not care. But time and again, he
found himself ignoring his vow not to care about anyone. He’d let too many
people close, that was his problem. There were now cracks in his armor. He
needed to shore them up.
But not tonight, it seemed. The girl slid into the shadows. At least she
listened to him this time.
“Time to go.”
The whisper came from the shadows, but he recognized the Fox’s voice.
“What the fuck is going on? What have you been doing?”
“No time to talk. Time’s run out. Where’s the girl?” The Fox sounded
calm enough, but Reyes still got the feeling something was going on.
“I’m here,” she whispered. “I’m Emme. Who are you?”
Reyes noted that she kept herself partly behind him.
“Hello, Emme, I’m the Fox. Are you ready to leave?”
 Reyes stiffened as she grew closer to him. “Did he just call himself the
Fox?” she whispered to Reyes, leaning into him.
“Yep,” Reyes replied.
The Fox slid into the room. Reyes had to take a few steps back.
Instinctively, he reached out an arm, keeping Emme behind him. He didn’t
want the Fox getting near her.
“What are you doing?” Reyes asked.
“Someone else is on their way to the party,” the Fox replied, moving to
the window. He opened the drapes.
“Those are alarmed,” Emme said, trying to step around Reyes. “And
centrally locked. You’ll have to smash it.”
“Stay there,” Reyes demanded, grabbing hold of her arm.
“We need to go. No time to chat. Follow me.” The Fox raised a window.
It slid up easily. No lock. No alarm.
“Huh,” Emme said.
Then the Fox climbed through the window. Reyes kept his hand around
Emme’s wrist. He helped her out the window, then quickly drew up his night
vision goggles and followed, grabbing hold of her wrist again. There was no
moonlight tonight and she tripped twice as he moved swiftly away from the
house.
After she nearly fell a third time, he picked her up and slung her over his
shoulder. She grunted, but shockingly, didn’t make a noise. The backpack she
wore shifted on her shoulders. He hoped she’d closed it properly.
A whistle directed him over towards the Fox.
Questions burned in his mind. He had to fight hard to ignore the fact that
her ass was by his head. It wouldn’t take much to reach up and cup her butt,
squeeze it.
Fucking idiot. Thankfully, they reached the wall before he did something
stupid.
Reyes set Emme down on her feet. She swayed, and he steadied her.
“Here, let me take this.” The Fox whisked off her backpack, putting it on
his own back before he took a running start, then jumped and grabbed the top
of the wall. Reyes was still impressed, despite having seen him do that
already.
Emme gasped. “I can’t do that.”
Reyes snorted. Like he’d expect her to. The Fox balanced himself on the
top of the wall then looked around.
 “Lift her up,” the Fox ordered.
Reyes grabbed Emme around the waist.
“Hurry,” the Fox urged.
Reyes lifted her, and the Fox grabbed her, setting her on the wall beside
him.
“Stay there,” the Fox ordered her before disappearing over the other side.
Reyes pulled himself up the wall. Thank God he worked out every day.
“Are you coming or would you like to sit there like ducks waiting to be
shot down,” the Fox asked in a casual voice that indicated he could care less.
Reyes gritted his teeth so he wouldn’t snap and shoot the asshole.
“You need to swing your other leg over, I’ll hold you under the arms and
lower you down, okay?”
“Okay,” she said in a quiet voice.
Fuck. Why wasn’t she protesting? Shouldn’t she be hysterical? Or
complaining? Or something? Instead, she just did what he told her to.
Maybe she’s in shock.
Probably it. He lifted her down to the Fox, biting back a possessive growl
as the other man touched her. What the fuck was that? He didn’t even know
this girl. He had no reason to feel possessive over her.
He couldn’t wait until this crazy night was over and he was back home in
his apartment. Alone. Without an insane assassin or a weirdly compliant girl.
The Fox leaned into her and his jealousy grew. He jumped down.
“Are we leaving or what?” Turning, he moved through the trees towards
where they’d left his truck. Tonight was a complete clusterfuck.
3

Emme did her best to keep up with the two men. The strange one who
called himself a Fox had pulled out ahead of the grouchy man who smelled of
leather and lemon.
Of the two of them, it surprised her that he was the one she felt drawn to.
Safer with. Kind of weird when he seemed to have a bit of a personality
issue. Whenever he spoke, it came out as a growl or a command.
But then, she kind of liked being told exactly what to do. Because she had
no idea what she was doing. Had she really just snuck out of her father’s
house with two strangers? One of whom seemed to think he was a fox. The
other was snarly, sometimes protective, other times dismissive.
Yeah. Going off with them was possibly the stupidest idea ever. They
hadn’t even had to force her. She’d packed a bag, for God’s sake.
This was ridiculous. And yet, here she was, trudging after them in the
dark, tripping over exposed tree roots which she couldn’t even see, her breath
laboring because she couldn’t remember the last time, she’d eaten more than
a bite or two of food. Let alone got any exercise
“Jesus, what the hell are you doing back here? You’re going to get
yourself lost.”
Mr. Snarly was back. She was too tired to raise her head. She stopped,
heaving in breath after breath. The air felt different. So clean and crisp.
Almost too clean. It was like her lungs were having trouble taking it in. Not
to mention she was starting to feel overloaded by everything that had just
happened.
Had she really been rescued? Who were these guys? What about her
father?
Calm, Emme. You can’t do anything if you freak out.
“Girl, you need to get some exercise. And you make as much noise as a
herd of elephants.”
“Heard many herds of elephants, have you?” she snapped back. Instantly,
she stilled, ready for his retaliation.
She waited for him to hit her or at least snap back, instead he moved to
her side.
“Want me to carry you?”
Yes.
“No, I’m fine. Although this would be so much easier if I was an owl.”
“An owl?”
“They have excellent night vision. Plus, they can fly. You don’t have to
walk with me. ”
“You don’t know where you’re going.”
Well. That was a good point. Raising her head, she glanced around the
dark forest. Okay, she’d been in too much pain and shock to really think
about where she was.
In the forest.
At night.
It was cold. There were wild animals.
Something rattled in the bushes. She let out a cry and jumped towards
Reyes, wrapping her arms around his neck, her body shaking in fear.
“Jesus, girl,” he muttered grumpily. But his arm around her was gentle as
he held her against him.
“What’s taking so long?”
Emme looked up with a gasp to find the Fox leaning against a tree . . .
was he eating something? Her eyes had adjusted, but she still couldn’t see
what it was.
“What the fuck are you eating? And did you make that noise to scare
her?” Reyes snapped.
“What noise? I don’t make noise. I’m as nimble as a . . . well, a fox. And
it’s an apple. Want a bite?”
“No, I don’t want a bite. And where did you get an apple from?” Reyes
snapped.
“Stole it. What about you, Emme? You look like you could use the
energy. Want a bite?”
She shivered and shook her head. Had he really made that noise to scare
her? She didn’t see why, unless he got pleasure from seeing her fear. She
knew some people were like that. Her father was. Some of his men were.
“N-no thank you.”
“Such polite manners.”
She suddenly realized she was still in Reyes’ arms. She drew away,
embarrassed. Why did she feel so comfortable against him? Like they fit
together?
Foolish girl, Emme. He’s not some hero in a romance movie. He’s
grumpy and bossy. And he held you ever so sweetly because you were scared
of some rustling in the bushes.
She never watched romantic movies or comedies. She preferred real-life
documentaries and Animal Planet. Oh and watching thrillers. Give her a good
old psycho killer any day.
“Where are we going? My father will come looking for me.”
“How much do you know about what your father has been up to?” the
Fox asked.
She let out a caustic laugh. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing. You were
hoping to use me against my father? Sorry to tell you, but I’m the person who
is least likely to know anything. He doesn’t talk to me. I rarely see him.”
“What’s going on?” Reyes demanded. “What were you up to tonight?”
The other man didn’t reply.
“Fox!”
“Come on, we’re still not safe and I have other work to do.” The Fox set
off again. She wondered what he’d been doing. Probably best that she didn’t
know anything. She glanced over at Mr. Snarly. She could tell he was staring
at her, but she didn’t know what he was thinking.
“Is Fox really his name?”
“Course not,” Reyes replied. “Although he’s damn sneaky like one.”
“Guess that would mean you’re a bear then,” she muttered.
“What?”
Umm. Whoops. Probably she shouldn’t have said that out loud.
“I really don’t know anything,” she whispered. “If that’s why you took
me with you, then it was a wasted effort.”
He just grunted and took hold of her arm. His touch was light, but she
knew he wasn’t going to let her go. Of course, he did help balance her every
time she tripped up.
He moved ahead of her and crouched down. “Climb on.”
“What?”
“Climb on, at this pace we won’t be getting out of here until daylight.”
Emme awkwardly climbed on his back. She hadn’t had a piggyback ride
in . . . well, had she ever had one?
He bounced her up, so she was sitting more on his back. She tried to hold
herself up stiffly, to not lean on him too much, but exhaustion was pulling her
down. She barely had energy left to keep her eyes open.
But instead of moving, he just stood there. “Who is your father?”
Didn’t he know?
Maybe she should have thought first before blurting out the truth, but she
just didn’t have it in her to care anymore. Right now, she was sore, tired, and
she just wanted to sleep.
“Jonathan Robins, Senior.”
4

Motherfucking bastard.
Son of a bitch.
The Fox could have told him whose house they were breaking into.
He’d broken into Senior’s house.
So the Fox could do what? And why did he care about the girl? Emme
was Senior’s daughter? The senator’s sister? Forrest’s sister? She was
probably just as corrupt and dark as the rest of them. So why should he care
about her?
Except . . . there was a reason the Fox wanted her. To use her? Or to save
her?
Damned if he knew. But he was going to find out. And there was only
one person who could give him answers.
Finally, he reached his truck.
“Fox? Where are you?” he called out as he set the girl down. He pulled
off the night vision goggles and ski mask. Opening his truck, he threw them
inside. Then he spotted the backpack sitting by the tire. Shit. Where was he?
“Fox?”
Silence.
“That bastard.” With his hands on his hips, he strode around the truck,
staring out at the forest. “Fox, you better fucking show your face.”
Silence greeted him.
“Where are you, you asshole!”
Still nothing.
He continued to swear, and in a rare loss of control, he turned and kicked
the tire of his truck.
“Umm, I don’t think he’s here,” a small voice said when he finally ran
out of insults.
Reyes turned to the girl. Shit. The Fox had him so wound up that he
wasn’t thinking clearly. Sighing, he ran his hand over his face. “Damn it.
What the fuck am I going to do with you?”
Definitely should never have answered his phone.
 He stared down at his boots for a moment, trying to think through this
mess. The problem was the girl. She was a link between him and what had
happened tonight. She could mess his life up.
He had to get rid of her somehow.
Raising his head, he glanced over at her. Or where she should have been.
Because she was gone.
What. The. Fuck.
Where the hell did she go? He spun around, not seeing her anywhere. But
he heard some noises off to his left.
“Oh shit. Ouch.”
He shook his head as her voice reached him. Silently, he moved up
behind her.
“Going somewhere, wildcat?”
She screeched and jumped, turning and holding her hands up defensively.
“You scared me half to death!”
“What do you think you are doing? Where are you going?” he demanded.
“Away.” She lifted her chin defiantly.
“Away. Well, that’s a well-detailed, thought-out plan,” he said dryly,
trying to keep calm.
“There’s no reason to be mean,” she muttered.
She was right. And it wasn’t her he was angry with. Nope, all his anger
needed to be thrown at the person who was actually at fault here.
The Fox.
The girl wrapped her arms around herself, her head dropping as she stared
at her feet. She looked alone. Vulnerable. Frightened.
“You didn’t seem to want me around, so I thought I’d leave.”
He frowned. Why was she so damn self-sacrificing? She was feisty as
hell one moment, then a scared little kitten the next. He hated that she looked
so dejected.
With a sigh, he reached out and placed a finger under her chin, gently
tilting her face up. “Look, I know I’ve been a bit short-tempered, but it’s this
situation. I wasn’t expecting the Fox to take off and leave you with me.
Where were you going? Back to your father’s house?”
She shrugged.
Did she really know nothing about her father like she’d told the Fox?
Could he use her to get to Senior? Damn, this was a complication. But no
matter who she was, who her father was, he wouldn’t harm her to get to him.
 That wasn’t the way he worked.
“What are you going to do with me?” she asked quietly.
“I really don’t know. But we’ll figure something out. Get in the truck.”
She strode over to the truck and opened the door without a word.
Climbing into the driver’s side, the inside light in the cab came on and he
turned to her, sucking in a breath as he saw her face.
“Who the fuck hit you?”

His words filled the cab of the truck, making her flinch back against the door.
She instinctively raised an arm to cover her face.
“Shit. Christ. Look at me.” The anger had bled from his voice. She
lowered her arm to stare at him, taking in his gorgeous face.
Eyes so dark they appeared black stared back at her. His hair was flat
from the ski mask he’d been wearing. His face was masculine, hard. There
was nothing soft about him, from his firm jaw to the tight way he held
himself.
All man.
Way too much man for her. Not that she should be thinking about him
like that.
He’d snuck into her house. To supposedly rescue her. Only he seemed
pretty damn angry to be left with her. Which is why she’d tried to leave.
Sure, he was right. It wasn’t a well thought-out plan. But what else was she
supposed to do?
She licked her lips nervously. “Sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“I don’t know. You seem angry. When someone’s angry, you apologize.”
“Even if you have done nothing wrong?”
“Umm, yes?” She was trying to figure out what answer he wanted. But all
he did was frown harder. He started the truck, but kept the headlights off.
They just sat there, not moving. Should she ask him if he was okay?
Should she say sorry again? Maybe that would help.
“Sorry.”
He groaned. He sounded like he was in pain. “Don’t say sorry when you
haven’t got a reason to say sorry.”
She bit her lip on another sorry.
“Okay,” she managed to say. “Are you all right?”
“Wildcat, you’re sitting there with a swollen cheek. I don’t even know if
that’s the extent of your injuries. I threw you over my shoulder. I shoved you
up over a fence. You were made to walk through the dark forest. Then I
dropped you none-too-carefully when we made it here, and you’re asking me
if I’m all right?”
“I shouldn’t ask you?” she whispered.
“You should have told me you were in pain. Christ.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Because then I wouldn’t have been so rough with you. I could have hurt
you.”
He actually sounded upset by that. As though the idea of hurting her was
completely abhorrent to him.
“You weren’t rough, you didn’t do anything. He didn’t hurt me much this
time.”
“This time? Fuck. This time. Fuck.”
“You swear a lot,” she observed.
“Makes me feel better.”
“Huh, maybe I try it then. Fucking fuck-fuck.”
“Wildcat,” he warned.
Drat, seemed her idea to divert his attention from her injured cheek
wasn’t really working.
“I’m thinking I know the answer already, but who hurt you?” he asked in
a low voice.
“My father.”
“That motherfucking son of a bitch.”
That seemed to be his favorite insult.
“I’m going to kill that bastard,” he swore.
“The Fox?” she asked tentatively.
“Yeah, him too. But no, I mean your father.”
Oh. She really didn’t know what to say to that. How many times had she
imagined killing her father?
“Fucking Fox and his fucking stupid-ass fucking schemes. What the hell
was he after, anyway? Why would he want to break into his house and then
bring you with us?”
She had no idea. But then, that was nothing new. When did she know
anything?
Reyes turned out onto the main road. “We need to get off this road.” He
glanced at the GPS on the dashboard.
 She shifted around and took her backpack off, setting it on the floor.
Something beeped.
“Why don’t you have your seatbelt on?” he asked, making her jump.
“You’ve got to stop jumping when I talk, it’s giving me heartburn.”
“Sorry,” she said.
“What have I said about saying sorry?”
“Not to say it if I did nothing wrong. But I was the one that jumped.”
He sighed. “I need to figure out how to be more gentle with you.”
“You want to be gentle with me?” she whispered, amazed. He certainly
didn’t seem like a gentle man. Far from it. Yet, the fact that he wanted to try .
. . that was special.
“Yeah, wildcat. It seems like you could use some gentle.”
She had to blink back tears at his words. When had anyone been gentle
with her?
“You definitely deserve someone better than me taking care of you.”
What was he talking about? Sure, he could be grouchy, but he was also
protective.
“Now put your seatbelt on.”
“Oh. Okay.” There was his bossy side again.
“The minute you get in a vehicle that belt should be on, understand me?”
he told her.
“All right.”
“Why’d he do it?” he asked.
“The Fox? I don’t know, you were with him. He does seem to be a bit,
umm, eccentric. I’m not surprised he took off, though. Foxes are solitary
creatures.”
He sighed. “He’s not an actual fox. And eccentric isn’t the word, I’d use.
Maniac.” He turned off the road. “But what I meant was, your father. Why
did he hit you?”
“You mean there has to be a reason?”
There was silence, and she regretted her response. He was trying to be
gentle. The least she could do was give him an honest reply to his question.
Well, demand.
“Sometimes when he comes home, he ignores me. Those are the best
times. But other times, when he’s stressed and angry, then he yells and
shoves me around.”
“How often does this happen?”
 “Not that often,” she whispered.
“Not that often? Once is too often. Tell me, girl. How often?”
“I don’t know, a few times a year. Whenever he’d visit. And my name is
Emme.”
“Yeah. I know. How old are you?”
“I’m twenty-two.”
“A baby.”
“How old are you?” she surprised herself by asking.
“A lot older than you.” There was a long moment of silence then. “You’re
a lot younger than your brothers.”
“You knew my brothers?” she asked.
“By reputation.”
“Ahh.” She didn’t know what more to say about that. She didn’t know
much about her brothers. As he’d noted, they were much older. Her brothers
had rarely visited. “We weren’t close.”
“Did they know your father hit you?”
“I don’t know. I think so. Forrest, anyway. Jonathan rarely came to the
house.” Which was just as well, she’d never liked the way he stared at her.
Turns out, he’d been a complete creep. After he’d died, she’d forced herself
to watch the news and had discovered what a sick bastard he was.
She still felt ill over it. He’d kidnapped, raped and killed young girls.
Suddenly, her attention was stolen by the weird feeling creeping over her
bottom. What was that? It felt warm. She tensed. “Oh, no.”
“What is it? What’s wrong?” he demanded.
She can’t have. She would know if she’d done that. Wouldn’t she? Emme
reached between her legs. It didn’t feel damp.
“What are you doing?” he snapped.
“I thought I’d wet my pants,” she whispered, feeling completely
embarrassed. Why was she such a dork?
“What? You thought you’d peed yourself? Wouldn’t you know one way
or the other?”
“You’d think so,” she muttered.
He sighed. “Why would you think you’d pissed your pants?”
“Um, it just . . . it’s all hot and stuff. It feels weird. Why is my bottom
hot?”
He turned his head to stare at her briefly. She couldn’t make out his
features in the dark, but she got the feeling he was giving her a look like he
thought she was crazy.
Yeah. Well. She felt crazy.
“It’s the heated seats,” he told her. She could swear he was trying to hold
back a laugh.
“It’s not nice to laugh at me,” she told him, huffily.
“Not laughing at you. Just . . . never had anyone think they’d peed
themselves when they sat on heated seats.”
Maybe he’d just never met anyone who hadn’t sat on heated seats in a car
before.
“Why’d you stay? Why not leave?”
She was silent for a long moment. “You saw the security at the house?
The guards? The dogs?”
“He really was keeping you there?”
“Yes. I don’t know why. He hated me, that much was clear. I guess he
liked having someone to take out his frustrations on.”
“Fucking bastard. How long have you been there? In that house on your
own?”
“Well, I wasn’t on my own.”
“Girl,” he said in that raspy, warning voice.
“Since I was seven, I guess,” she whispered.
“What? What about school? Where were you before then?”
“I was always tutored for school. Honestly, the tutors weren’t that great. I
know how to read and write, but my math is atrocious. If I can’t do it using
my fingers, then there’s no use asking me.” It was a joke. Sort of.
But the tension in the truck didn’t lessen. So, she wouldn’t be getting a
job as a comedian then.
“And prior to that? Where were you?”
“I don’t remember,” she whispered.
“What? What do you mean, you don’t remember?” he demanded.
“I just don’t remember. I don’t remember anything before I was seven.”
When she was kidnapped. But she didn’t want to think about that right now.
“Shit. Why wouldn’t you have any memories before then?”
She shrugged. “I have no idea.”
5

“Where are we going?” she asked.

He had no clue. What was he going to do with her? He couldn’t take her
home with him. Yet, he couldn’t just leave her on the side of the road with
whatever was in her backpack. He didn’t know if she had any money. Any
ID. Any other family.
Obviously, she couldn’t go back to Senior. The bastard had hit her.
He was strumming his fingers against the steering wheel, thinking when a
loud rumble filled the cab.
“Oh. Sorry.” She placed her hand over her stomach.
It was nearly five in the morning. He hadn’t had any sleep. He’d just done
a B&E on Senior’s house. And he had Senior’s daughter in the cab of his
truck and no idea where he was taking her.
Could this night get any crazier?
His phone rang, and he glanced down at the number. Unknown.
“This is Reyes,” he answered, using the Bluetooth system. “You’re on
speaker.”
“Well, hello there, mate. How are you and the shelia doing?”
Fucking Fox.
“What kind of accent is that supposed to be?” he snapped.
“Australian. Like you didn’t know. My Australian accent is almost as
good as my New Zealand accent. And don’t say they sound the same. They
certainly don’t. Anyway, I don’t have time to chitchat. I’m working.”
“You called me,” Reyes snapped out. “What’s going on? Why’d you
disappear? Where am I supposed to take the girl?”
He heard her sharp intake of breath and immediately felt like an ass. It
wasn’t her fault that the Fox was a head case.
“You could have gotten us killed!”
“But I didn’t. Who knew you could be so sensitive? You need to learn to
look on the bright side.”
“And what’s the fucking bright side?”
“We’re all alive and well. No one caught us. And Emme is no longer
under the thumb of her asshole father.”
Emme took in a sharp breath.
“Fox,” Reyes snapped.
“What?” Fox asked.
That headache was thumping incessantly at his temples.
“What about when he comes looking for me?” Emme asked, sounding
scared.
Fuck. He hated that. Detested hearing her fear.
“You’ll be hidden away where he can’t get to you. After all, he has no
idea who took you.”
What did the Fox want with Emme? Whatever he wanted with her, Reyes
knew he couldn’t let him harm her.
“What am I supposed to do now?” she asked.
The lost note in her voice hit him in the gut. He tried to harden himself
against the feeling. He couldn’t let himself be affected by her. He didn’t let
people get too close. Or at least, he tried not to.
But with this girl, Christ. How long had he known her? Less than two
hours? And he had to keep fighting the urge to hold her tight, to reassure her
that everything would be okay. That no one would hurt her ever again
because he wouldn’t allow it.
“That’s easy,” the Fox told her. “You’re going to go home with Reyes
and let him take care of you.”
Of course that was what . . . wait.
“What?” he snapped. “She can’t come home with me!”
“Why not?”
“Because!” Right. That was a really good argument. But he didn’t want to
get into all his reasons while she was sitting right there. He already felt like
an asshole. “This is your problem, Fox. I don’t know what the fuck you
thought you were doing, but breaking into Senior’s house, and stealing his
daughter is not something I want to get involved in!”
“But you are involved, aren’t you?” the Fox replied in a low voice. “The
girl is with you. I can’t keep her safe, I’ve got leads I’m chasing down. So
she’s going home with you. You’re going to watch over her. After all, you do
owe me, don’t you?”
The phone call ended. Fuck! Reyes slammed the palm of one hand
against the steering wheel, groaning as Emme jumped and took in a sharp
breath.
 “You don’t have to take me home with you,” she whispered to him.
“What?”
“I’m not sure what’s going on, but it’s pretty obvious you didn’t sign up
for any of this. Just leave me in the next town. I’ll be fine.”
“You got any money?”
“Umm.”
“And before you think about lying, you should know that I hate lies. And
I won’t be happy if you try. Plus, I have a feeling you’re a shit liar.”
“Hey, I could be a great liar.”
“Uh-huh, crave maggie,” he reminded her.
“Good point.” She didn’t say anything else.
They hit the outskirts of the city and he looked around for a drive-
through. He saw a sign for a fast-food chain up ahead.
“Well, girl?”
“Well, what?”
“Have you got any money? Somewhere you can go? Anyone to help
you?”
“Why do you care? You don’t want me with you. The Fox doesn’t want
me with him. I suppose I could go back to my father.”
“You’re not going back there.” He glared over at her, then turned into the
drive-through. Thankfully, it had just opened for breakfast. “What do you
want to eat?”
“Nothing. Thank you.”
He sighed. What had he done in his life to deserve this sort of torture?
A lot. This is payback for all the shit you’ve done.
“You need to eat. Your stomach has been rumbling for the last fifteen
minutes.” And none too quietly either. “When was the last time you ate?”
“I don’t know.”
Maybe she didn’t know what to order or was embarrassed because she
didn’t have any money to pay for it. Whatever. She was going to eat, and that
was final. He ordered some breakfast sandwiches. “Coffee?”
She shook her head.
“Something else?” Getting her to tell him what she really wanted was
grating on his temper.
“Umm . . . I . . . hot chocolate? Please.”
He placed the order. After he’d paid and collected the food, he handed it
over to her. She just sat there, looking at him. Reyes sighed. “Will you take
the food? I can’t drive and hold it.” He took the drinks out of the tray and set
them in the holders.
“Oh, right. Umm, yes.”
Using the better light, he took a closer look at her. She had wild, curly
dark hair which she’d tried to tame back in a braid, but it seemed to have a
life of its own. Her eyes flicked around the truck, looking at everything but at
him. She was pale. Far too pale. Her face was thin. Her right cheek was an
angry red color and slightly swollen.
He couldn’t see any other injuries, but he was betting they were there,
under her oversized hoodie and tights. A tatty backpack sat between her legs
on the floor of his truck.
Thin, pale fingers reached out to grab the bag hesitantly. Was she scared
he was going to hurt her? She felt fragile. Like it wouldn’t take much for her
to jump from the truck and run off.
He tightened his hand around the steering wheel.
“Are you mad about something?” she asked.
“Nope,” he replied. He reached into the backseat and grabbed one of the
spare T-shirts he kept there. Setting it on his lap, he grabbed the cup of ice
he’d ordered and took off the lid, spilling the ice onto the shirt and then
twisting the excess material to turn it into a makeshift ice pack.
He handed it to her. “For your cheek.”
“Oh. Right. Thanks.”
She held it up to her eye with a wince.
The beep of a horn from behind them reminded him that he had stopped
in a drive-through. Emme jumped, the bag of food flying in the air. He
grabbed it before it could land back on her lap and go everywhere.
“Sorry. Oh God, sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry for,” he told her gruffly. “Hold it.”
He unwound his window then stuck his hand out, giving the asshole
behind him the bird. Sure, he’d be pissed if he was the one being held up. But
that didn’t mean that Reyes was feeling charitable towards the jerk who’d put
that scared look back on Emme’s face.
He started the truck, ignoring the yells he could hear coming from the car
behind him. Asswipe could get fucked. He pulled out onto the road, heading
towards his apartment.
Was he really going to take her to his home? It was a shithole in a crap
neighborhood.
 A hotel room. He’d take her to a hotel room. Settle her in and . . . what if
her father came looking for her? There was a reason he’d had her holed up in
that house behind a concrete wall with security guys and guard dogs.
And Reyes really wanted to know that reason.
He wanted to know why the Fox was interested in her. He hadn’t insisted
on taking her out of the goodness of his heart. The guy killed people for a
living. How much heart could he have?
He seems to care about Sunny. He’d saved her. Saved Betsy.
But Reyes still wasn’t sure there wasn’t some endgame. What the hell
that could be, he had no idea. But it couldn’t be a coincidence that the Fox
kept showing up. Right?
What was his obsession with the Robins family? He’d murdered both of
Senior’s sons. Now, he’d stolen their daughter.
Who Reyes had never heard of. How had no one known there was a
daughter? Shouldn’t Brody have found something about her?
There was something he was missing. And he didn’t like it.
And if he dropped her off at a hotel room, he’d likely never get the
answers he needed.
Fuck it. He wasn’t taking her to a hotel and he knew it. He wasn’t letting
this girl out of his sight. And not just because he wanted answers.
“What is this asshole doing?” He looked in the rearview mirror at the car
coming up hard on his bumper. His gaze narrowed as he realized it was the
same car that had been behind them at the drive-through.
She pulled the ice away from her eye and turned to look out the back
window.
“Put the ice back on your eye.”
She moved her head to look at him, and he had to hide a wince at how
harsh he’d sounded. Being soft and gentle didn’t come that easy to him, but
he needed to try harder.
That car was still riding his ass. Asshole wanted some of him, did he?
Well, Reyes was happy to oblige. He hadn’t been in control of anything
all night, and he was riding the edge of his temper.
He slammed on his brakes, and the jerk behind him bumped into him.
“What’s going on?” Emme squeaked.
Crap. He couldn’t get into anything with her here.
“Just some asshole trying to get into it with me.” He sped up again. The
dickhead had had his fun. He switched lanes, his turn was coming up. The
idiot in the sedan sped up and passed him.
“Was he the man behind us in the drive-through lane?” she asked.
Reyes raised his eyebrows. “Yep. Seems he’s a bit mad about having to
wait for a few extra minutes.”
“So he smashed his car into your back bumper? Seems extreme.”
“Road rage. Shit!”
The idiot pulled into the lane in front of him, cutting him off. He had to
swerve, driving up on the sidewalk in order to get out of the way. He placed
his arm over Emme, holding her in place before he brought his truck to a
stop.
“Emme, you okay?” Undoing his belt, he turned to her. He ran his hands
over her, searching for any injury.
“Umm. Yep. I t-think so.” She looked even more pale, if that was
possible.
“Motherfucking bastard. Are you hurt?” he demanded.
“N-no. I’m okay. Just a b-bit shaken. Oh God, he’s getting out of his
truck.”
“Stay here,” he ordered her.
“You’re getting out?” she asked.
“Yes, but I’ll be fine,” he soothed. The idiot was wearing a suit and had a
pudgy stomach. Didn’t mean he couldn’t be packing. But Reyes was willing
to bet that dick hadn’t realized he’d bitten off more than he could chew.
“Good. Go teach him a lesson.”
He glanced at her, eyebrow raised at her bloodthirsty tone.
“If it had been a busier time of day, we could have hit someone. He could
have caused some real damage. He deserves to be scared.”
He actually grinned as he got out of the cab of his truck. “Do not leave
the truck, understand me? You move and you’ll be in trouble.”
Her eyes widened, but he shut the door before she could question him.
Reyes turned to the asshole who was waving his hands and screaming.
“You fucking ignorant prick! What the hell did you think you were doing
back there! Not all of us can sit around at the . . .” he trailed off as Reyes
turned to him.
He knew he was intimidating. His muscular body, near-black eyes, and
all the tattoos. He cracked his knuckles. “You were saying?”
“Um . . . Um . . .”
Reyes took off his jacket, revealing the holster holding his gun. Legally, it
shouldn’t have been concealed since he didn’t have a permit. But in the grand
scheme of this clusterfuck of a night, that wasn’t something that was high on
his list to concern himself with.
“Now . . . now . . .”
“You ran into my truck.” He moved forward, watching as the guy in the
ill-fitting suit stumbled back a step. Sweat poured down his red face as he
stared around, no doubt trying to find someone to help him. But it was still
early. One car went by slowly, but no one stopped.
“I . . . I . . .”
“You swerved in front of us. My friend could have been hurt. She nearly
lost her food. My coffee spilled.” Not by much. But still. It was the principle
of the matter.
“I . . . I’m sorry. I. . . I’ll pay you back. I’ll get my checkbook . . .” the
man stumbled back to the car.
“Oh, so now you think I’m an idiot, huh?”
“No . . . no . . .” the asshole shook his head. “I d-don’t.”
“You must if you believe I’ll fall for that. Checkbook? Seriously?”
By now he had the sweaty little man pinned up against his gray, bland
sedan. “Here’s the thing, you could have caused an accident, you could have
caused someone to get hurt. And you scared my friend.” He nodded over at
the truck. The idiot turned his head to look and Reyes grabbed his chin
roughly, turning his face back. “Don’t look at her!”
Not that he could see anything considering the windows were tinted.
“S-sorry.”
“Now, did we really cause you that much of a delay back at the drive-
through that it was worth all this fuss? Huh? Nearly causing an accident?
Upsetting me.”
“N-no.” The man was trembling. If he pissed himself, Reyes was going to
get mad.
He smiled as he thought of Emme’s horror when she’d thought she’d wet
herself because her seat had been warm.
“What’s your name?”
“Wilbur.”
“Here’s the thing, Willy. I’m in a good mood, so I’m going to let you go
with a warning. Remember, there is always someone scarier than you out
there. So if you’re gonna be a dick, Willy, be prepared to face the devil’s
wrath. Got me?”
 “Y-yes.”
“Good.” He stepped away, keeping his eyes on Wilbur. Never paid to turn
your back on someone. Not even someone like Wilbur, who thought he was a
big man but was likely overcompensating for being underwhelming in certain
areas.
Climbing into the truck, he started it and watched as poor Willy scurried
into his car and drove off.
“I thought you would hit him.”
This girl just kept surprising him. Shouldn’t she be afraid of violence?
Especially after what she’d just been through.
“Did you want me to hit him?”
She seemed to think about that. “No. I guess not. He did seem like a bit of
a weasel, though.”
“Oh, he was a weasel, all right. Let’s just hope he doesn’t pull that on
someone again.”
“I don’t think he will. He looked scared enough to pee his pants.”
“He did, didn’t he?”
He pulled back out and turned the corner, heading towards his
neighborhood.
“You can eat,” he told her. He winced. It was probably cold by now.
“No, thank you.”
“Girl, eat.” He wasn’t used to people not jumping to do his bidding. Well,
Ink liked to butt heads with him, but that asshole couldn’t help it.
“I’m fine. Would . . . would you like me to get some for you?”
“I’ll eat once I’m home.”
“We’re close to your home?” she asked.
“Yep.”
“Oh.”
That was it. Oh? Didn’t she want to know something? Anything? He had
a thousand questions he wanted answers to. But he got the feeling she was
reaching her breaking point.
“I’ll pay you back,” she said quietly.
“For what?” Kidnapping her?
“The food. I don’t have any money right now. But I’ll keep track, I’ll pay
you back.”
“You’re not paying me back, girl.” Hell. She was killing him.
“I’m not a girl.”
 She looked all of sixteen in that huge hoodie. He frowned. Was it a guy’s
hoodie? It appeared old and worn. There was a hole in the elbow.
“Who’s hoodie is that?” For some bizarre reason, he hated that she was
wearing another man’s hoodie.
Calm down.
She glanced down at her body. “Oh, I’m not sure. I assumed it was one of
my brothers.”
“You wear your brothers’ clothes?” Okay, he really hated that she wore
something of theirs.
She shrugged. “It’s warm.”
“It’s threadbare. Didn’t your father let you buy any clothing?”
“Sometimes he’d bring me stuff. Not that often. Luckily, I haven’t grown
since I was fifteen.” She picked at her tights.
Was she kidding him? That motherfucking abusive bastard. He tightened
his hands around the steering wheel.
“We’ll get you some new clothes,” he told her.
“No, thank you.”
“Don’t go all polite on me.”
“You don’t want me to be polite?” she asked.
“I just want you to be honest.”
“Okay. I can be honest. I don’t want you to buy me new clothes. But
thanks for offering. That’s really kind of you.”
“I’m not kind.”
“Sure you are,” she told him. “You’ve been nothing but kind to me.”
He pulled into his neighborhood. Christ, he couldn’t believe he was
bringing her here. She was all sweetness and innocence, and he lived in one
of the worst parts of the city.
It’s just temporary.
With a sigh, he pulled into his garage.
“You’re injured, and I threw you over my shoulder and up over a fence.”
“I have a slightly bruised face, I’m not really injured,” she replied. “And
you didn’t know.”
“I told the Fox I didn’t want you to stay with me.”
“I don’t blame you. I’m a stranger. I’m likely more trouble than I’m
worth.”
Crap. “Just curse me out or something, will you? Complain. Tell me I’m
an asshole. Do something that tells me you know that nothing I have done to
you is right.”
“You saved me from him.”
“Right.” Only he might have just taken her from the frying pan into the
fire. Because he had no idea what the Fox wanted with her. “Come on, let’s
go up then we can eat and get some sleep. Later on, we’ll figure out what
we’re going to do.”
He grabbed the drinks and shoved them back into the carry tray before
getting out. He heard her climb out.
Walking around, he found her standing there, shivering. She had her
backpack over one shoulder. His T-shirt with melting ice in one hand and the
bag of food in the other. She looked lost. Alone. So damn fragile it made his
teeth hurt.
And she wouldn’t stop shivering. As he grew closer, he could even hear
her teeth chattering. Had she been that cold before when they were moving
through the woods? Damn it, he wasn’t sure. If there was one thing he was
starting to understand about her, it was that even if she was hurt or cold that
she wouldn’t say anything.
Obviously, she’d been taught that her needs weren’t important.
He didn’t like that. Not at all.
“Nice bike,” she said, nodding over at his hog.
“Thanks.”
“You belong to a club?”
“Ahh, yeah, I do. Iron Shadows. I’m the President.”
“I can see that. You’re kind of b-bossy,” she stuttered. “Don’t think y-
you’d take o-orders well.”
Shit.
“Here,” he said gruffly. He removed his jacket and handed it to her. It
was only because she was cold, not because he wanted her in his clothes.
Nope, not at all. Sure, his gun was no longer hidden, but they weren’t going
far.
“But you’ll be cold,” she protested.
He shot her a look of disbelief. “I’ll be fine. Put it on.”
She put down her stuff, then drew his jacket on. It dwarfed her.
He pulled the hood of her top up. It would keep her warmer and hide her
face. Not that anyone around here would look twice at bruises. But it paid to
be safe.
Then he reached for her backpack. She grabbed it, stepping back. “I got
it.”
“Was just going to carry it for you.”
She shook her head.
“Okay,” he said soothingly. She’d been so calm up until now that her
reaction was kind of a surprise. But maybe she’d been in shock and
everything was only now hitting her. That would explain a lot, actually.
“I’ll take the food then.”
She looked down at the bag of food, then nodded. He took the food and
the T-shirt, shaking it out so the last of the ice landed on the concrete floor.
“Come on.”
6

They moved up the stairs. The air was chilly, the sun just starting to rise. As
they walked along the landing, a couple of scantily clad women came out of
an apartment door. One stumbled and the other one grabbed her, holding onto
her arm.
They both giggled.
“Well, hello there, big guy,” one cooed at Reyes.
Okay, she didn’t like that. Especially the way the woman eyed him up
and down. As though he was candy and she was on a diet.
Reyes was hers.
Whoa. Calm down, Emme. Reyes is not yours. Still, she moved closer to
him. He moved everything to one hand and placed his free hand on the small
of her back. She swore she could feel the warmth of his touch against her
skin, even through the layers of clothing she wore.
She shivered.
He obviously misinterpreted the shiver because he leaned in to whisper in
her ear. “Don’t be scared. It’s okay, they’re harmless.”
She wasn’t so sure she’d use the word harmless to describe the two
women who were still eyeing him hungrily, but she nodded. She used the
guise of being scared to move closer to him, pressing against him.
Okay, so maybe it was a bit sneaky. She wasn’t scared of these women.
But she was cold and Reyes was warm. And he smelled good. And she just
liked his touch.
So yeah, a bit sneaky.
“Ditch the kid and come party with us,” the dark-haired one said.
Emme narrowed her gaze at the woman, whose boobs were about to fall
out of her top. All it would take was a bit of a bounce and there was going to
be a nip slip.
And she really didn’t want to see this woman’s nipples.
“Yeah, we’ll even do you a deal, sexy,” the one with purple hair
bargained.
“Two for one,” Nip Slip said in what she probably thought was a
seductive voice but ended with a hacking cough.
“Not interested, ladies.”
Purple hair looked down at her. “Go dump your little sister somewhere
and come back, we’ll wait for you.”
Reyes nudged her past them without another word. Emme bit her tongue.
Calm. Calm.
“Come on, handsome. You know you want it. We’ll help ease some of
that tension I can see you’re carrying. We’ll show you a real good time.” Nip
Slip reached out and grabbed hold of his arm, and that was it for Emme.
Nope. Not happening.
Emme stepped forward and grabbed the woman’s forearm. “I’m not his
sister. He isn’t interested in a good time with you. And do not touch without
permission.”
She waited for the other woman to retaliate. But she felt an arm gently
wrap around her middle, pulling her away.
“Not interested,” Reyes told them both firmly as he steered her towards a
big metal door. It didn’t look like any of the other doors they’d passed.
“You all right?” he asked.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You got a bit upset back there, with those two women.”
“Oh. Right. Umm, sorry.”
He sighed. “What have I said about saying sorry?”
Jeez, that was a hard habit to break. And she didn’t want to tell him why
she’d reacted the way she had.
That she didn’t like anyone touching him. Anyone but her.
She’d never felt like this about anyone before. And she’d just met him.
No wonder he was looking at her funny.
After a beat of silence where she didn’t say anything, he sighed.
“This door automatically locks,” he told her. “It’s industrial steel. No one
is getting through it without a blowtorch.”
“Okay,” she replied, wondering why he was telling her that.
“If you’re with me, no one will hurt you.”
Oh, he must have thought she was worried about her safety. She wasn’t.
She didn’t know why. It wasn’t like she actually knew Krav Maga. Although
she wouldn’t mind learning it. Maybe she’d be able to do that.
Now that she was free.
Hell. She was free. And she had nothing. He’d been right when he’d
guessed she had no money. In her backpack, she had a change of clothes,
some pj’s, a spare pair of sneakers, Starry and Bad Boy.
That was it.
She had no family to call up for help. No marketable skills. No job
references. That was what people wanted in order to hire you, right?
See, she didn’t even know! How the hell was she going to survive out
here on her own?
“Girl? Emme!”
She blinked, opening her eyes to see Reyes staring down at her in
concern. Shit. And now she’d just had a freak-out in front of possibly the
sexiest man she’d ever seen in her life.
A man who’d snuck into her bedroom and carried her through the woods.
A man who was kind of rough around the edges, yet when he’d seen she
was struggling, he’d given her a piggyback. And when her tummy rumbled
with hunger, he’d bought her food.
Too bad she couldn’t eat it.
“What?” she asked.
Best defense was a good offense, right? Well, maybe.
“You stopped moving. And your breathing got all quick. Are you all
right? Were you having a panic attack?”
She made a scoffing noise. “No. Why would I have a panic attack?
Everything is fine. Maybe you were having a panic attack. Are you all right?”
He opened his mouth to say something, then stared down at her for a long
moment before shaking his head. “You know what, maybe I’m not. I’ve been
up all night. I’ve committed a number of crimes. So yeah, perhaps I’m not all
right.”
Guilt filled her. This had been a hard night on him.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. Then she winced. Crap.
He glared at her. She had to bite her lip against another apology.
“Come on. Let’s go heat up this crappy food then we can both try to get
some sleep, yeah?”
She wouldn’t sleep. She was too wired. And it took a lot for her to get to
sleep. Mostly she just watched movies until she fell asleep. Sometimes she’d
watch golf. Yeah, golf was usually pretty good at getting her off to sleep.
That was boring as shit to watch.
Probably because she had no idea what was going on. Now, football she
could get behind. All those muscles. The tight pants that molded to those firm
butt cheeks.
Yep, football was a damn fine sport.
“Emme?”
“What is it?” She looked around, wondering why he was calling her.
“You zoned out again.”
“Sorry. Tired.”
“You can sleep soon.”
“Here? In your apartment?” she asked.
“Yep.”
“For how long?”
He looked down at her. “For however long you want to sleep, I guess.”
“No, I mean . . .” she licked her lips nervously. “How long can I stay with
you?”
“Oh.” He didn’t appear to know what to say to that.
Crap. Was that something she could ask? Was it rude? She wasn’t sure.
She wasn’t really adept at talking to men. To people in general.
“It’s okay,” she said hastily. “No reason for me to stick around, really. I
doubt anyone will be looking for me. Honestly, my father is probably
relieved that I’ve gone. I’ll just sleep for a few hours and then get out of your
hair.”
Damn, but it was mighty fine hair. Thick and lush. Was it really fair for a
man to have hair that good? He probably got up in the morning and looked
like that. While her hair was a giant frizz ball. If she didn’t comb and braid it
every night, she woke up in the morning looking like she’d been electrocuted
in the night.
“Girl, look at me.”
Nope.
“Look at me,” he demanded.
She shook her head.
“Emme, look at me.” His voice had softened. Damn him.
She sighed but looked up at him. She got the feeling he was stubborn
enough to have them standing here all day until she did what he wanted.
Ass.
Oh, like you really mean that.
“I know all this has to be scary. You’re handling it all remarkably well.
Need you to know that you’re safe here, okay? I won’t harm you. And you’ll
stay here until we can figure out what to do next, okay?”
 Okay. She guessed that was the best answer she was going to get. She
didn’t have anywhere to go. And leaving him made her feel panicky. Like she
wanted to cry. He brought something out in her. Something possessive and
weird.
He’s not yours, Emme.
He’s way out of your league.
And old. He’s probably so old he’s got wrinkles on his butt.
He unlocked the door and held it open for her. “Come on. I’ll give you
the grand tour.”
She discovered the grand tour took less than a minute. The whole
apartment was made up of four small rooms. A kitchen with eat-in dining. A
tiny living room with a huge TV and a saggy-looking sofa. A bedroom with a
surprisingly neatly made bed and a bathroom that only fit a shower, toilet,
and vanity. No bathtub.
Too bad. She liked baths.
Everything was clean. Neat. No clutter.
It didn’t even look like anyone lived here. How much time did he spend
here?
Reyes walked into the kitchen, and she followed. “Want me to heat your
food up?”
Emme was starting to feel a bit light-headed. Too much excitement, no
sleep.
“Uh, no, thanks. I’ll just have my hot chocolate.”
“You’ll eat.”
“I really can’t,” she protested as he handed her the hot chocolate, then
started to pull food out of the bag. She slid onto a stool at the small island. It
only had enough room for two stools, but instead of sitting next to her, he
stood on the other side. He unwrapped one breakfast sandwich and grabbed a
plate out, setting it down in front of her.
Immediately, she started to feel nauseous. She felt sweaty. Too hot. She
was salivating just from the smell. But she knew she’d vomit if she tried.
Nobody wanted a houseguest who vomited everywhere.
“Eat.”
“I can’t,” she said. “And if you try to make me, I’ll vomit.”
He narrowed his gaze at her. “Why is that? Do you have some sort of
allergy? I don’t have much food in here, but I can go grab you something
else. Or order in.”
 “I don’t have any allergies. I’m just not hungry.”
Reaching out, he gently grasped hold of her chin, tilting it up.
“No lying. Remember?”
She nodded. She stared down at the food, wishing she was normal.
Wishing she could just eat the likely cold and probably soggy sandwich. It
would probably taste delicious.
But. She. Couldn’t.
She gripped hold of the counter, her breath coming in sharp pants.
“Okay, Emme. Calm down. Fuck.” Reyes ran a hand down his face. “You
don’t have to eat the sandwich, all right?”
“I . . . I know this is weird, but . . .”
“What is it?”
There was no reason to think it had been tampered with. No, the real issue
here was him.
“If you wouldn’t mind . . . umm . . . well . . . you know what, it doesn’t
matter.”
He sighed, then leaned both hands on the counter, bending down until
they were eye level.
That wasn’t intimidating. Nope. Not at all.
“Ask for what you need.”
She nearly snorted. Like it was that easy. Asking for what she needed.
When was the last time she’d done that?
But he kept his gaze on hers. Steady. Unwavering. How did he make her
feel safe? It was confusing, weird, and kind of frightening.
She licked her lips. “Could I have a knife and fork? And could you not
watch me eat?”
His eyes widened and she knew she’d said too much. She flinched back
and tried to jump off her stool, but her feet got tangled. She fell to the floor,
letting out a cry of pain as her ass slammed against the floor.
“Shit, girl!” Reyes ran around the counter and stared down at her in
shock. Instead of reaching out for her as she’d thought he might, he crouched
in front of her. “Are you all right? Did you hurt yourself?”
“I-I’m okay.” She sniffled. She would not cry. She would not cry.
Of everything to happen to her today this was not the thing that was going
to send her over the edge.
It. Would. Not.
“Damn. What is going on?” he asked softly.
 “You don’t want to know,” she replied.
“Come on, let me help you up.” He stood and held out his hands. She
slipped her hands into his and let him pull her up. “I should take you to a
hospital to get checked over.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t hurt myself. Well, my butt is a bit sore. But
it will be okay.”
“Want me to rub it for you?” he offered.
They both froze. She gaped up at him. He stared down at her. Then he
backed away a few steps.
Damn it.
Too slow. You should have said yes.
“No idea why I said that.” He ran his fingers through his dark hair,
making it stand up on end. It was kind of sweet. Made him look more
approachable.
“Can you sit or are you too sore?” he asked her.
“I’m all right. My bottom has plenty of padding,” she joked.
He raised an eyebrow. “You’re a tiny little thing.”
She attempted to sit, wincing slightly as her tailbone rested against the
hard wooden surface of the stool.
“Got something that might help. Wait there,” he told her gruffly.
Well, she didn’t really have anywhere else to go. When he returned, he
was carrying a pillow. She blushed as he placed it on the stool.
“I feel like I was naughty and got my bottom spanked, so now I have to
sit on a pillow,” she said without thinking.
“If you’d gotten your butt spanked, you definitely wouldn’t be given a
pillow to sit on. Part of the punishment is sitting on a hot ass.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Umm. What?”
“You’ve never been spanked?”
“Not . . . not that I can remember.” Her father’s preferred method of
punishment was to scream at her and lock her in her room.
None of her nannies had spanked her either.
“No, I was always a good girl.”
“Find that hard to believe.”
How could he find that hard to believe? She was a little angel. She
wrinkled up her nose in disgruntlement.
“You pouting?”
“No.” Just maybe sulking slightly. “I bet you were spanked lots as a kid.”
 His face grew cold. What had she said? And could she turn back time?
“You’d be wrong. Although not because I was a good kid.” He picked up
his food and left the room.
She let out a shuddering breath. Okay, could she do this? Eat? She didn’t
like having her back to the door, so she walked around the other side of the
counter. She’d just stand. Her hands shook as she cut into the food. She ate a
bite. When it didn’t come back up, she managed to down half the sandwich
before her stomach told her that she was done.
When was the last time she’d eaten? Lunch yesterday? She hadn’t eaten
dinner because her father had turned up shortly before it was due to be
served, and then she’d felt too scared and upset to eat.
She wrapped up the sandwich and put it in the fridge, then she moved
over to grab the hot chocolate, sipping at it gratefully.
“You finished? Can I come back in?”
“Oh, umm, yes.” She bit back an apology as he strolled into the room. His
gaze moved over the empty plate.
“You ate?”
“Half of it. The rest is in the fridge. It was yum.”
He snorted. “It was barely edible.”
As she took another sip of her drink. Her eyes were drifting shut. She
yawned. Loudly.
“Oh. Sorry.”
“Come on. Bedtime, girl.”
She wished he’d stop calling her a girl. She was twenty-two, not two. She
huffed out a breath.
“Something wrong?” He raised an eyebrow at her.
“No.”
His gaze narrowed. “No lying.”
“I’m not lying.”
“No?”
“I just don’t want to tell you the truth,” she admitted.
He huffed out a breath. “And why is that?”
“Because you’re my host and I should always be polite to you.”
“So you were thinking impolite things about me in your head?”
“What? N-no,” she spluttered out.
He moved closer to her, then leaned down so their foreheads were nearly
touching. “Liar.” Drawing back, he tapped her nose with his finger. Like you
might do to a naughty child.
Grr.
Careful, Emme. Remember, you’re reliant on him. Behave.
Another yawn caught her by surprise. His face softened. “Come on. Let’s
get you tucked up into bed.” He started walking out of the room, towards his
bedroom.
“Are you coming to bed with me?” she asked.
He stilled and looked back at her. “What?”
She gave him a surprised look, wondering why he sounded so grouchy. “I
said, are you going to sleep with me?”
“No,” he snapped.
Then he strode into the bedroom. She stood there, staring after him. Well.
That was abrupt. Even for him.
“You going to stand there all day?” he called back.
Apparently not.
She stepped into the bedroom. Maybe he was cranky because he needed
sleep. Yep, that was likely it.
“You got something to wear in there?” He pointed to the backpack she
was carrying in one hand.
“Umm. Yes.”
“Need a toothbrush?”
“If you have one,” she said in a small voice.
“You can use the bathroom first,” he said gruffly. “Toothbrush is in the
right-hand drawer. Still in its packaging.
With a shaky nod, she moved to the side as he walked out of the room.
She had no idea what she’d done or said, but she’d obviously upset him.
That seemed to be her superpower. Pissing people off.
And wasn’t that just awesome?
7

Are you going to sleep with me?

Shit. His cock had gone rock hard at her words. What kind of a sicko was
he? She was young and naive. And here he was having fantasies of fucking
her in his bed.
He ought to be shot.
He’d done some bad things in the past. He’d run with a gang for years.
Turned his back on his best friend. He’d committed crimes without blinking
an eye.
But one thing he’d never done was hurt a woman or a child.
Going to bed with Emme Robins would only lead to issues. There was no
way she was prepared for him. His demands. His need for control. And he’d
want it all with her. He wasn’t into straight missionary, sweet sex. He liked it
raw. Dirty. Hard.
Part of him wanted to tie her up, spank her ass, then fuck it.
Another part of him wanted to coddle her. Protect her.
He groaned. What was wrong with him? It had been years since he’d felt
the urge to show his Daddy Dom side to anyone.
Haley had been the only woman he’d ever attempted to have a
relationship with. She’d been his sub, his Little. She’d known who he was,
he’d never lied to her about that.
But she’d thought she could fix him.
He should have known better. He didn’t deserve a happy ever after. Not
with all the shit he’d done. The life he’d led. Now Haley was happily married
with two kids.
And he would bet everything he owned that little miss Emme was too
pure for his beast. Too innocent for his savage.
He poured himself another scotch, grabbed his cigarettes and slipped out
onto the patio. He looked out over the lights of the city as he put the scotch
down on the flat handrail.
What the hell had happened tonight? Christ. What a mess. And now he
had some girl staying with him. A girl related to three men he detested. Three
men who were abusive and evil.
The door slid open behind him. He glanced back to see her standing there,
dressed in threadbare, short pajamas with rainbows decorating them.
Fucking rainbows.
Hell.
She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly.
His eyes dropped to her bare feet, and he frowned. It was struggling to
reach the fifties out here. He was toughened to the conditions and even he
had a jacket and boots on.
What was she doing walking out here with bare feet? In a pair of thin
pajamas?
He wrapped a hand around the handrail so he didn’t reach out and grab
her, throw her over his shoulder and smack her ass. He stared down at his
scarred hand.
She deserved hope, sunshine, rainbows. Not darkness and scars.
And that’s all he basically was anymore. Scars inside and out.
“You smoke?” she asked, stepping out onto the patio.
He couldn’t do this. This was his quiet time. He’d come out here to get
away from her. To calm himself down a bit. And he wasn’t talking about
calming his temper. He’d been hoping the chilly air would have the same
effect as a cold shower.
He didn’t like to share his space. How was he going to manage this until
the Fox got around to getting back in contact? He couldn’t. He needed to find
someone else to take her. Someone who would take care of her better than he
could.
“You should be in bed.”
“I don’t feel right, taking your bed. Thought I’d take the couch.”
He took another sip of scotch. He needed it.
“You’re not taking the couch.”
She shifted from foot to foot. He clenched his teeth. “You need to go
back inside before you get frostbite.”
“Is it possible to get frostbite when it’s not snowing?”
“You need sleep.”
She nodded towards his hand. “Can I try that?”
“Can you try what?” he asked.
She shivered, hugging herself tighter. Damn it. He couldn’t take this. If
she wasn’t going back inside . . . he drew off his jacket and wrapped it around
her shoulders.
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, I can’t take this. You’ll get cold.” She
tried to shrug it off, but he placed his hand on the shoulder.
“You leave this on or you go inside. Those are your two choices.”
She licked her lips. “But you. . .”
“I’m fine. I may be an asshole, but I can’t stand here and watch you catch
pneumonia.”
“I don’t think I’m going to catch pneumonia. I also don’t think you’re an
asshole.”
He snorted. “You just don’t know me well enough yet.”
Her too perceptive eyes stared at him knowingly. “Can I try it?”
“Try what?” he asked.
She licked her lips. He nearly groaned. Now he was imagining those lips
around his cock, sucking him into her mouth. This was not helping his
problem. At this rate, he wouldn’t need a cold shower, he’d need to go into
the mountains and dive in a snow pile.
“The cigarette. I’ve never tried one. Can I?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Why not?”
“Where are your socks?”
“I don’t have any. Why can’t I try one?”
“They’re not good for you.” Damn it, seemed the only way he was going
to get her to bed was to put her there himself.
Shit. Did he really just think that?
Not. Fucking. Yours.
He needed to keep reminding himself of that. Because even with those
rainbow pajamas on, he felt this insane pull towards her.
And he had no idea why. She was not his type.
“You’re smoking one.”
“No, I’m not. I’m holding one. I don’t smoke anymore. And besides, my
lungs are already ruined. You’re young with pure lungs. And I’m not going to
let you ruin them.”
Holy. Shit.
He sounded like a crotchety old man.
Maybe the Fox was right. Maybe he needed to get laid.
What was wrong with him? The Fox was right? The Fox couldn’t be
right. The Fox was a raging lunatic who took jobs murdering people.
 But he might need to get laid. That had to be why he wanted to lay this
sweet girl down, spread her legs and fuck them both into oblivion.
“They’re my lungs, though, so shouldn’t I get to decide whether I ruin
them or not?”
“Not on my watch.” He hustled her inside.
She turned to glare at him over her shoulder. “I’m not your
responsibility.”
“While you’re under my roof, you are.”
“You’re not my father.” She drew off his jacket and placed it on the sofa.
“No. I’m nothing like your father.”
“So you don’t get to dictate whether I smoke or not.” She stared up at him
like an angry little pixie.
He was in such trouble.
“My cigarettes. My house. My rules.”
She huffed out a breath. He swore that she was close to stomping her
foot.
He tapped her nose. “And no sulking.”
“Any other rules?”
“Yep, I don’t want you to leave the apartment without me. Don’t go
outside without proper footwear or clothes. And you know about the no lying
rule.”
“Those are sort of odd rules.”
“They’re my rules.”
“Huh. I was kind of expecting you to say something like don’t leave the
toilet seat down, clean up after yourself or no making calls to China.”
“Pretty sure I’m supposed to worry about the toilet seat. And were you
planning on making calls to China?”
“I don’t think so. I don’t know anyone in China.”
“Then I don’t think that needs to be a rule.”
“I’ll try to follow the rules. I’m going to be the best houseguest you ever
had.”
She wasn’t exactly a guest, but he didn’t say that.
“That won’t be hard. Never had one.”
“You haven’t?”
“Nope.”
“Huh. Maybe that’s why you’re so bad at it.”
“I’m bad at it?” he asked.
 Her face went red. “Umm, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
“Really?” He crossed his arms over his chest. “How did you mean it?”
“In a way that wasn’t so rude?” she said.
He just grunted. “Fine, I’m not good at having someone in my house.
Truth is, I’m old and stuck in my ways. I can be a cranky, moody bastard and
I’m sure you’re going to get pissed off with me at least twenty times a day.”
“Well, I’m starting to see why no one comes to stay with you.”
Brat.
“Why have cigarettes if you don’t smoke them?” she asked.
“I like to know that I don’t have to smoke them, even if they’re
available.”
She stared at him then the smokes then back up at him. Her gaze moved
to the nearly empty glass of scotch. Something he wouldn’t normally drink at
six-thirty in the morning. But it had been one hell of a night.
“Can I try a sip?”
He sighed. Christ. “No. You cannot have a sip.”
Emme pouted. “Why couldn’t I taste it?”
“You’re too young.”
Shit. Did he just say that? Really?
“I’m twenty-two.” She folded her arms across her chest, plumping up her
breasts. Wasn’t she wearing a bra?
Of course she’s not wearing a bra. She’s going to bed.
But damn it, did she not realize that she was drawing his eyes right to her
chest?
Think about something else.
“So?” he asked.
“I’m old enough to drink.”
“You ever had hard liquor before?” he asked her, knowing the answer
already.
She sighed. “No.”
“Then you don’t need to start now.”
“I’m old enough to go out and buy my own. I guess I’ll just wait until I
can get to a bar.”
Oh, the manipulative brat.
He strode towards her. Her eyes widened. Very gently, he reached out
and tilted up her chin. Shit, her skin was cold. “You trying to manipulate me
into getting your way?”
 She swallowed. Loudly. “I don’t know, is it working?”
“Nope.”
With a sigh, she dropped her eyes. Fuck. He knew he shouldn’t. It was a
bad idea giving in to her just because she pouted and gave him sad eyes.
At the same time, he didn’t want her just going to any old bar and buying
a drink. The trouble she could get into on her own. She was way too
appealing.
She’d be eaten alive.
“Fine, I’ll let you have one small taste. But only because I’d rather you
had a drink where I know you’re safe than wander into a bar full of assholes
and get yourself into a situation that you can’t control.”
He held it out to her. She looked from the glass to him, then back.
“Why do I feel like this is a trick?”
“Take a small sip.”
She reached out and took hold of it. He had to ignore the zing that went
through his body as her cool fingers hit his.
Jesus.
Her gaze held his as she brought the glass to her lips.
That should not be sexy. Not. At. All.
She took a sip then swallowed. Her eyes widened and she started to
choke. She would have dropped the glass if he hadn’t grabbed it.
Opening her mouth, she fanned her hand back and forth as though trying
to cool it down. Quickly, he grabbed her other hand and led her to the
kitchen. Pulling out a small bottle of milk, he went to get a glass, but she
snatched the bottle from him and started drinking it straight.
Amusement filled him. He’d bet that was something she would never do
under normal circumstances. But there she was, chugging that milk down like
it was beer at a kegger.
Eventually, she set the carton down and gave a small burp. Red filled her
cheeks. “Oh God, sorry. Excuse me. That was so embarrassing.” She placed
her hand over her eyes.
“With all we’ve been through tonight, hearing you burp is nothing.”
“I wasn’t embarrassed over the burp,” she cried. “I didn’t think you’d
heard the burp.” She dropped her hand away from her eyes. “You know it’s
really rude of you to mention the burp.”
“You’re placing too much importance on the burp.” Okay, now he was
calling it the burp.
 “I’m sorry I drank all your milk like that. That’s not something a good
houseguest should do.”
“I don’t give a shit about the milk. Guessing you didn’t like the scotch.”
It was hard not to be amused by her. And he was rarely amused by
anything.
“I think scotch is the worst invention ever. Who even likes that stuff? It
burns. It’s like drinking fire. Why would anyone drink fire?”
Damn. She was so cute.
She yawned. A wide yawn that practically put her tonsils on display.
“Bedtime for you.”
She opened her mouth to argue. The brat.
“And before you can say anything, you’re taking the bed.”
“But I’m so much shorter than you. I’ll fit on the sofa better. And it’s
your bed. I’d feel bad for taking your bed.”
“Well, stop. Because you’re sleeping in the bed. Now come on.”
He herded her into the bedroom. “Sit. You need some socks.”
“I don’t need socks,” she complained as she sat on the side of the bed. He
crouched and picked up one of her feet. He winced at how cold they felt.
Fuck, he should have grabbed her socks straight away.
“Your feet are freezing.” Standing, he snatched up a pair of socks from a
drawer. Before he even realized what he was doing, he was crouched in front
of her, sliding them onto her icebox feet.
He pointed at the bed. “Sleep.”
Then he got the hell out of there. But not before he heard her mutter
something about Mr. Snarly Pants.
Definitely a brat.
8

He woke up, needing a piss.

Sitting, he groaned as his back twitched. This sofa was shit. He moved his
legs to the side and nearly stepped right on her.
What was she doing sleeping on the floor? Running a hand over his face,
he sighed. Then, standing carefully, he moved to her other side before
crouching. He hesitated a moment as he saw what she was clutching. In one
hand she had an old baby blanket that was covered in shooting stars. In her
other hand was a strange-looking toy that had a soft furry body and big ears
but a hard face. It wasn’t like anything he’d seen before.
Something shifted inside him, softened. He reached out a hand, brushing
a finger down her cheek. Smooth. Sweet. Precious.
Then she shifted and he snatched his hand back. What was he doing?
“What’s going on?” she asked sleepily as he lifted her up.
“Woke up to find you sleeping on the floor.”
“Oh. Yeah.”
He laid her down on the bed and pulled the covers up over her. “You’re
supposed to sleep in the bed.” Bad enough he was uncomfortable as fuck on
the sofa. She didn’t need to be on the hard floor.
“I woke up in a strange place and I got scared,” she admitted in a small
voice he’d never heard her use before.
If anything, she had an overabundance of courage. He was pretty certain
that it was because she had no self-preservation skills.
“Stay here,” he told her. “Got to use the bathroom.”
“That’s nice,” she muttered sleepily.
He shook his head, then moved into the bathroom. After he was finished,
he turned away from the sink and opened the door.
And nearly jumped in shock to find her standing right there. She was
practically swaying on her feet, her eyes closed, her hair falling over her face.
“You need to pee?” Little one.
Fuck, thank God he hadn’t said that last part out loud.
She nodded. Her eyes didn’t open. He wasn’t her Daddy. He was just
keeping her safe until the Fox came to get her.
What if he never comes to get her?
What if he wants to use her? Put her at risk?
Yeah. He wasn’t letting that happen.
“Come on then, before you have an accident,” he grumbled, pretending
an annoyance he didn’t feel.
Taking care of her came far too easily.
He stepped out of the way and she stumbled in, nearly walking straight
into the bathroom counter.
“Whoa. You actually need to open your eyes if you want to see.”
Grabbing hold of her hand, he steered her to the toilet.
Then he let go.
And she stood there. Swaying. She yawned. Swayed some more.
Shit. Why was she just standing there? Didn’t she need to pee? Should he
just leave? Maybe that’s what she was waiting for. Women were weird about
pissing in front of other people. Except when they were out. Then they
seemed to like to have a friend to pee with.
He’d never gotten it.
“Toilet’s there, girl,” he commanded in a rough voice.
And yep, she just stood there. For fuck’s sake. He was the leader of an
MC club. He was an ex-criminal. He was a foster child. He owned a bar.
He’d faced off against scum and come out on top.
And this girl had him acting nervous and unsure.
He turned her around, pushed the toilet seat down. There, that was as far
as he was taking things. He couldn’t order her to pee, after all.
“There you are. All set for you.”
He nearly rolled his eyes at himself. Turning, he stormed from the room.
He’d done enough. She’d been peeing on her own for years now. She didn’t
need him.
She was an adult.
He moved through the bedroom and out into the living room. He
wouldn’t go back to sleep now. Deciding to get dressed, he headed back into
the bedroom to get some clothes.
When he walked in, the bed was empty. Shrugging, he stepped over to his
drawers and grabbed a T-shirt and sweatpants. Pulling them on, he sighed.
What was she doing in there?
All right, there could be reasons she was taking a while, but he knew he
couldn’t relax until he checked on her. Moving to the bathroom door, he
realized he’d left it cracked open.
He knocked lightly. “You okay, girl?”
No answer.
Not your problem. Not your business.
With a sigh, he pushed the door open to find her nearly standing in the
same position. Except she was slumped to the side, resting against the wall,
her mouth open as she snored slightly.
How could she sleep so deeply? Was that even possible? Moving over to
her, he grabbed her by the shoulders. She stopped snoring, snorted, then
started again.
How could that be so cute? It shouldn’t be cute at all.
“Wake up.” He shook her gently. Nothing. Another snort, and that was it.
“Girl.” Another shake. Still nothing.
Fine. Seemed like he was carrying her back to bed. This was becoming a
bit of a habit. He lifted her into his arms, trying to ignore how good she felt in
his arms.
“Need to pee,” she muttered.
“You’ve been in the bathroom for ten minutes.”
“Pee.”
Patience.
He set her back down on her feet. “All right, but actually pee this time,
okay? I don’t want to come back to find you leaning against the wall,
sleeping.”
She sniffled.
Don’t ask. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re mad at me.” Her voice sounded young, almost childish.
“I’m not mad at you.”
“You sound mad at me.”
“I’m not mad at you, baby.” Shit, why did he call her that? “You’re
dreaming.”
“I am?” she asked.
“Uh-huh. This isn’t real. You’re sleeping.” He rolled his eyes at himself.
“Oh.”
She seemed to calm. Thank God. But she was still just standing there.
This was not his life. Why him? As soon as possible, he would pass her
off to someone else because he was not equipped to take care of this naïve,
brave, crazy, beautiful girl.
“Why are you mad at me in my dream?”
“Don’t know, girl. It’s your dream.”
“Huh, if it’s my dream, I would think you’d like me. And you’d call me
something nice. Like honeypie or sugar plum.”
“Do I look like the type of guy that has ever called someone honeypie or
sugar plum?”
“It’s my dream.”
“And in your dream, you need to pee. So pull down your panties, sit
down and go. Okay?”
She sighed. “Fine. Dunno why I need to pee in my dream.”
“Not sure either. It’s your dream. Now pee.”
Relief filled him as she started pulling down her pajama bottoms. Then he
realized he was standing there, watching her about to pull her panties down.
And he got the hell out of there.
It would be just his luck, she’d wake up fully and he’d be standing there
like some sort of perv. He waited for her in the bedroom. He didn’t trust her
to walk around on her own. Less than a minute later, she stumbled out. Her
eyes were barely open.
“Reyes,” she grunted.
“You’re awake then?” he asked.
“Am I walking? Talking?”
“Barely,” he acknowledged, kind of amused at this grouchy side of her.
She grunted. Hmm. Obviously not a morning person. Well, a midday
person. And it seemed she might take more than a bit of time to wake up.
“You ever sleepwalk?” he asked her as she moved to the closest side of
the bed. Which wasn’t the side that she’d been sleeping on. She attempted to
get up on the bed.
And failed.
Then she tried again. And failed.
“Something wrong?” he asked, leaning back against the wall.
“Yeah,” she snapped. “It’s called being vertically challenged.”
“You might need to build up some muscle.”
“You might need to take a flying leap off a bridge.”
His eyebrows rose. Okay. “Got some attitude there.”
With a groan she slumped forward so the top half of her body was laying
on the mattress. He couldn’t help but note how easy it would be to smack that
ass of hers in that position.
And what a nice ass it was. Her pajamas were so short that he got a small
glimpse of ass cheek.
Damn. It was tempting to step over there and see if he could spank some
of that attitude out of her. Nope, he couldn’t do that. Because the more he
touched her, the more he wanted to keep touching her. She moved her head to
the side and blinked at him through one emerald-colored eye.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
“What was that?” he asked, cupping his ear. He couldn’t think of the last
time he’d found someone this funny.
“I said I’m sorry. I can be a bit grouchy when I first wake up. And I
haven’t been sleeping well lately, so I’m extra tired at the moment.”
“Apology accepted. You going back to bed or getting up?”
“I suppose I should get up. That would be the polite thing to do. Seeing as
I’m a houseguest.”
“Let you in on a secret.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “What?”
He walked over to her. “Don’t give a fuck about being polite. Now,
you’ve got bags under your eyes and you can’t even stay upright for more
than a few minutes. So it’s back to bed for you.” He picked her up and placed
her down on the bed.
She rolled over to where she’d been sleeping before.
Jesus.
He grabbed a wayward foot to stick it back under the covers, hissing at
how chilly it was.
“Where’re your socks?”
“Can’t sleep in socks,” she mumbled, already drifting off again. Her eyes
were closed, her breathing deepening.
“Well, don’t walk around again without any on,” he ordered, tucking her
in.
Jesus. His life.
9

Reyes had just walked back inside his tiny living room when his phone
rang. He snatched it up, hoping to see an unknown number.
Duke.
Damn it.
“Yeah?” he answered.
“You seen the news, man?” Duke asked sharply.
Reyes raised his eyebrows. “No. Why?”
“Turn it on. Now.”
Grabbing the remote, he switched on the eighty-inch TV. “Jonathan
Robins Senior died tonight. Police are not confirming what happened, but
there was a large fire at one of his homes in Montana. Mr. Robins’ son,
Senator Jonathan Robins, Junior was found. . .”
Reyes turned off the sound, not needing to hear anymore.
“I saw it.”
“What do you think happened?” Duke demanded. “This can’t be random,
right? People like Senior don’t die in fucking house fires.”
“I can’t believe this.”
“What do you mean?” Duke demanded. “What do you know?”
He paced back and forward. Paranoia filled him. What was going on?
There was no fire. What happened? How did Senior die? In a fire?
Or did the Fox kill him?
Reyes looked towards the bedroom door. How did he explain to Emme
that her father was dead? Sure, he was an asshole who abused her. But he was
still her father.
Would she believe him when he said he had nothing to do with it?
And hell, why did her opinion matter so much?
“Can you come over to my apartment?” he asked Duke.
“What? Now?”
“Yeah.”
There was a beat of silence. “Yeah, okay.”
“Good. Thanks.”
 “Reyes, you in some kind of trouble?”
“Dunno. Maybe.” He didn’t want to say anything over the phone.
Paranoid? Maybe. But he wasn’t going down for anything that the fucking
Fox might have done.
“Okay. I’ll be there soon.”
“Actually, can you bring Sunny with you?”
Another beat of silence.
“You want me to bring Sunny to your place?”
Reyes closed his eyes. Patience. Control. “Yep.”
“To that neighborhood? I don’t even like leaving my truck out on the
street ‘cause I don’t know if it’ll be there when I get back and you want me to
bring my woman?”
Patience. Control.
“You saying you’d let someone hurt Sunny while you were with her?”
“Course I fucking wouldn’t,” Duke snapped. “But that neighborhood is
shit. She could step on a dirty needle and end up with some horrible disease.”
“So now you’re bringing her here in bare feet?”
There was some mumbling. “Fine. We’re coming.”

***

Twenty minutes later, he opened the door to a grumpy Duke and a wide-eyed
Sunny. Duke had her under his arm, tucked tightly against him. As though he
thought someone would try to steal her away, right under his nose.
Reyes closed the door behind them, sliding on the two deadbolts. Duke
glared at the locks on the steel door, then at Reyes. He wasn’t happy. Reyes
got it. This neighborhood was fucking shit. And if it wasn’t important, he’d
never ask Duke to bring Sunny here.
But he thought he just might need her.
“Hi Reyes,” Sunny sung. Her cheer and sweetness shone out of her like a
light. Especially in comparison with Duke’s dark glower.
Reyes nodded at her. “Thanks for coming.”
 “This better be fu-flipping good,” Duke snarled at him. He was trying
hard to cut down on his swearing around Sunny. He wasn’t always that
successful. “And you owe me big for bringing Sunny to this crappy part of
town.”
“He doesn’t mean any of that,” Sunny told Reyes.
“I meant all of that,” Duke replied crabbily.
“I’m glad you invited me. I’ve been dying to see your place.” Sunny
looked around, unable to hide the way her eyes flared as she took in his bare,
run-down apartment. “It’s really nice.”
Duke just snorted. “Nice? Little rebel, there’s no reason to lie. It’s crappy
in here.”
“Duke,” Sunny scolded. “No need to be rude.”
“What’s going on?” Duke demanded. “What do you know about Senior’s
death?”
“I—”
“Why did you want us here? Particularly Sunny?”
“Because I—”
“You better not have plans to involve her in anything to do with the—”
“Duke, shut the fuck up, man.”
“Language,” Duke snarled.
Sunny just sighed and shook her head. “I’ve told you before, I don’t know
why you’re so worried about your language. I hear worse from Jewel than I
ever do from you or the guys.”
Something passed over her face as she said Jewel’s name. Sadness?
Worry? He should call her.
“Duke, will you just sit down and let me talk,” Reyes snapped.
“Fine.” Duke led Sunny to the sofa and sat with her tucked in against
him. Reyes paced back and forth without saying anything. “Reyes, man.
What’s going on?”
He turned to find both of them staring at him worriedly. “Last night I got
a phone call.”
“From?” Duke asked.
“The Fox.”
Sunny sucked in a breath. “The Fox called you? Why?”
“He was calling in a favor owed.”
“A favor?” Sunny asked. “What favor do you owe him?”
“We owe him two,” Duke answered her. “Actually, maybe three. For
saving you from Horse and Rory.”
“For giving us alibis,” Reyes added.
“And for saving Betsy,” Duke added.
“And killing Forrest,” Sunny said.
“So four,” Reyes said. “It doesn’t sit well with me, owing him.”
“Tell me about it.” Duke rubbed his chest. “Gives me fu-flipping
indigestion.”
“I’m sure the Fox doesn’t think that we owe him anything,” Sunny
reassured them. “He didn’t do any of that with the intention of us having to
pay him back.”
“I always repay a debt owed,” Reyes told her seriously.
Duke nodded. “And he’s the one who called Reyes. So what did he
want?”
“Told me to meet with him. I went to where he told me to and he jumped
in my truck and told me to drive. We parked up about a mile away from this
house, then walked the rest of the way. He knew the weaknesses in security.
And the only way he could know that was with inside help or he’s been
observing the place for a while.”
“Then what happened?” Sunny asked.
Duke’s gaze had narrowed. He knew where this was going. But he didn’t
know all of it.
“He told me he needed to find something and while he was doing that, I
had to rescue a girl.”
“A girl? Who?” Duke asked.
“Robin’s daughter. We broke into Jonathan Robins Senior’s house last
night. Fox went off to do whatever he was there for, and I snuck into this
girl’s room. And. Well. I took her.”
“You . . . you what?” Sunny gaped at him.
“You kidnapped Senior’s daughter?” Duke asked sharply. “Are you fu-
flipping kidding me? Why would Fox want to kidnap her? And how come
we’ve never heard of the daughter?”
Reyes watched as comprehension filled Duke’s face. “Is he trying to use
her in some way? But it can’t be to get back at Senior because he’s dead. So
what is his endgame? And why?”
“Wait,” Sunny interrupted him. “Where is she?”
“Yeah. Well. That’s my other issue.” His gaze went to the door leading to
his bedroom.
 Duke sucked in a breath. “Here? The girl is here?”
“He left her with me.”
“What do you mean, he left her with you?” Sunny asked. “Where did he
go? What are you supposed to do with her?”
Reyes ran his hand over his face. “I don’t fucking know. He disappeared
before we got back to my truck. As I was driving away, he called me and told
me to keep her safe. And that he’d be in touch.”
“That was it?” Duke asked incredulously.
“Yep. The fucker.”
“Language.” Duke glared at him. “What are you going to do then?”
“Yeah, well, that’s where you come in. She can’t stay here with me. I
can’t leave her alone here, and I can’t take her places with me. She can’t sit at
Reaper’s all night.”
“You want her to come home with us?” Duke asked. “Did you remember
that Sav is there?”
Reyes frowned. “Damn it. No, I forgot.”
“Maybe Spike and Millie would be the best idea,” Duke offered.
“Yeah. Maybe,” Reyes replied. He leaned against the wall, running his
hand over his face. “I should have known the Fox was going in to take
someone out, but I never could have guessed that guy would be Senior.”
“Wait, you think the Fox killed Senior?” Sunny whispered, looking pale.
“But the news reports make it sound like he was killed in the fire.”
“The Fox could have backtracked after he got us out and set the fire,”
Reyes said grimly.
“So you had no clue that you were breaking into Senior’s home?” Duke
asked.
“No. I didn’t find out until Emme told me.”
Duke nodded with a frown. “On the news, there was—”
The door to the bedroom opened, interrupting Duke. Emme padded out,
rubbing her eyes, her curls a huge mess around her head. His eyes dropped
over her.
“Socks,” he said.
“What?”
“Put on socks when you’re walking around here. Your feet are like
icicles.”
“Socks! He barks at me. Socks! Like I’m a dog,” she muttered as she
turned around and walked back into the bedroom.
 Duke and Sunny gaped at him.
“What?” he asked, trying to stifle his grouchiness for Sunny’s sake. “Her
feet are cold.”
“This okay, your highness?” Emme muttered as she stepped back into the
room, still wearing her thin pajamas and his thick socks, which had gone all
slouchy so they bagged around her feet.
He raised his eyes from her feet up her legs. Her naked legs.
“Pants,” he commanded.
She put her hands on her hips, gazing at him from still-sleepy eyes. The
material stretched across her breasts, highlighting her stiff nipples. “Really?
Pants?” She moved forward. “Why are you barking orders at me . . .” she
stilled, freezing as she saw Duke and Sunny sitting there. “Oh, my God! You
have visitors!”
He crossed his arms over his chest, ready for her apology.
Instead, she turned to glare at him. “Why didn’t you tell me you had
visitors instead of just snapping at me about socks? Who cares about socks? I
don’t even have a bra on!”
Whirling around, she stomped off. He gaped at her as she strode back into
the bedroom and slammed the door.
“Sooo,” Duke said slowly. “That’s Emme, huh?”
Sunny was glancing from him to the door, then back to him again.
“Maybe I should go talk to her.”
Duke tightened his hold around Sunny. “Not alone.”
Reyes scowled at Duke. “She’s not dangerous.”
“You’ve known her less than twenty-four hours. And she’s a Robins.
How do you know this isn’t all a set-up?”
He didn’t. But his gut said she was genuine.
“I don’t. But if what she told me is true, then she’s a victim too. And we
don’t hold the innocent guilty by association. If she is a victim, then she’s
suffered more at her father’s hands than anyone else.”
Duke’s face tightened. “He hit her? That how she got that puffy cheek?”
“Yeah. She says most of the abuse was verbal. But that he slapped her
around sometimes. He kept her prisoner there. Never let her leave.”
“Could explain why we never heard of her,” Duke said slowly. “Although
I thought Brody would have found some record of her.”
Reyes stared at the door, wondering why she didn’t reappear. Was she too
mad? Or too scared? Seems she vacillated between the two. Timid and eager
to please. Sweet. Then sometimes she became this wildcat. Grouchy and
temperamental. He wondered who the real Emme was.
Maybe she was both.
“Reyes? Reyes?”
He suddenly realized that Duke was talking to him.
“Yeah? What?”
“You want me to contact Ink and Brody. Get Brody looking into her?”
“Yeah. Make the call. I’ll be back in a minute.”
He walked into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. He wasn’t
sure what he was expecting. But it wasn’t Emme sitting on the other side of
the bed, with her back to him . . . talking to herself?
Worry filled him. Was there something going on with her? Maybe she’d
had a hit on the head? Or was it something else?
“I know,” she whispered. “But I haven’t been out of the house in years.
I’m not used to other people, Suzy.” There was a space of time before she
spoke again. Was she hearing this Suzy speak back to her? “I made a
complete dork of myself. I can’t believe I was walking around in nothing but
pajamas.” More silence. “I know I did it in front of Reyes. I don’t know why
I didn’t care that he saw my saggy boobs swinging around. Maybe because I
was half-asleep.”
Saggy boobs? Oh no, he didn’t like that.
Scowling, he went to step forward when she started talking again.
“Reyes is going to think I’m a maniac. Those two people out there most
definitely do. How come I can’t be normal?”
More silence. A sniffle.
Shit. She hadn’t cried when he’d stolen her from her home. When he’d
brought her to this shitty neighborhood and crap apartment. She had next to
no clothes. No money. Was in a strange place and she hadn’t broken.
Reaching behind him, he opened the door and shut it more loudly.
Emme jumped and turned. He was glad to see that she wasn’t crying.
Tears weren’t his thing. Any sort of emotion that wasn’t anger or hatred
wasn’t something he was all that familiar with.
She was clutching her toy and blanket. Had she been talking to them?
Was she a Little? He knew he couldn’t make that assumption based on that.
Maybe she’d been talking to that strange-looking toy. Perhaps its name was
Suzy.
“I . . . I . . . fuck,” she muttered as she seemed to realize she had her toy
and blanket clutched to her breasts. She threw them away on the floor. Then
looked aghast at them. As though she couldn’t believe she’d thrown them.
“Shit.” She looked from him to them then back to him then back to them.
Poor thing was going to give herself whiplash if she kept that up.
“Pick them up,” he said gruffly.
“What?”
“You want to pick them up. I can tell. Do it.”
She groaned and dropped her face so she was staring down at the floor.
But then she quickly snatched up the toys and placed them gently on the bed.
“Sorry, Starry and Bad Boy,” she whispered.
Not Suzy? There went that explanation.
Her gaze remained down, and he frowned with a sigh. He didn’t like the
shame he could see in every line of her body. She shouldn’t feel ashamed of
her needs and desires.
“Wildcat?”
“Yeah?
“Look at me.”
He waited patiently for a minute. All right, more like he waited
impatiently for ten seconds.
“Girl,” he warned.
She sighed and raised her gaze to his. Then she folded her arms across her
chest, plumping up her breasts again. He tried hard not to look, though. He
didn’t want to make her more uncomfortable.
“I haven’t gotten dressed yet,” she said timidly.
Fuck. He didn’t like this at all.
“I’m really sorry about the way I behaved out there. I . . . umm . . . I only
have what I wore yesterday. But it will be fine,” she added hastily. “Can I use
the shower? Please?”
What was this? She was talking to him like . . . like she was worried if
she didn’t placate him that he would hurt her.
That’s likely what her father did, he realized. Made her grovel like this
out of fear.
“I’m really sorry,” she blurted out. “In case you haven’t figured it out,
I’m a complete weirdo. I’m not normal. I don’t even know what normal is. I
sleep with a soft toy and baby blanket. I try to be positive, but sometimes
things just get to me. I don’t find it easy to go to sleep, so when I wake up,
I’m like a zombie for at least an hour and grouchy as hell. Bad Boy and
Starry are all I have. My father has neglected and ignored me all my life
except when he liked to scream at me and blame me for everything.”
“Emme,” he said in a quiet voice. He took a step towards her. She took a
step back and his stomach dropped.
Shit. He made certain to keep his hands at his side. Tried to make himself
look as harmless as possible.
Not easy in his case. He knew he looked like a nightmare wrapped in
tattoos.
But he wanted her to know that he wasn’t her nightmare.
That was the last thing he wanted to be.
“Not going to hurt you, wildcat. I’m not him. I promise, I’d never harm
you.”
She straightened her shoulders. “I know that. If I thought you were, I
wouldn’t be here.”
There was his brave girl. She was more than a bit crazy, but not in a
negative way. There were layers to her that likely she didn’t fully know or
understand.
“You’re not weird or a freak. Who cares if you have a baby blanket and a
stuffed toy? You did what you had to in order to get through. That makes you
brave. A survivor.”
She stared at him for a long moment, then let out a deep breath. “Do your
friends think I’m really rude? Have they left?”
“Nobody thinks you’re rude.”
“Yeah. Right.”
“You think I haven’t said or done worse things? Nothing you said out
there is inexcusable.”
“Really?” she whispered.
“Really,” he reassured her. She looked so lost. And she was staring up at
him as though he’d hung the stars and the moon.
“I can’t believe I just blurted all that shit out.” She groaned and smacked
her forehead with the palm of her hand. “What a fruit loop.” Smack! Smack!
“Stop hitting yourself.”
“Just trying to give myself some brain cells. Idiot. Weirdo.”
“Enough,” he commanded, grabbing her wrist gently and lowering it. “No
more calling yourself a fruit loop, weirdo, or freak, understand?”
“Why not? It’s true.”
“It’s not true. You’re not any of those things, and the next time I hear you
say anything like that . . .”
He would spank her. Shit.
“What? You’ll what?” she asked, looking completely confused.
“This is another rule.”
“Really? Calling myself a weirdo, freak, or fruit loop is a house rule?”
“It’s an Emme rule. And it extends to calling yourself any sort of
derogatory name.” Her mouth opened but before she could ask one of the
million questions he could see in her eyes, he spoke again.
“You don’t need to ask to use the shower. But make it quick. There’s
something I need to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“Shower first. Get dressed, then come out.”
“Are your friends still here?”
He gave a nod.
“Maybe I should go apologize before they leave.”
“They’ll still be here when you come out,” he told her. “Shower. Now.”
He turned at the doorway. “Oh, and wildcat?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t forget to put on socks.”
10

She shored up her courage.

Deep breath in. Out. You can do this.
Opening the door, she stepped out into the living room. Voices were
coming from the tiny kitchen. The scent of something sweet and sugary hit
her. She walked through into the kitchen to find the three of them gathered
around an open box of something on the counter.
Reyes was facing her. The other two had their backs to her, which gave
her another moment to gather her courage.
He ran his eyes over her. Then he gave her a small nod. Approval? Her
insides heated. It felt like she’d searched for approval her entire life.
Getting it from him felt momentous.
“You good, wildcat?”
She nodded as the two people turned. The man who had dark hair and
tanned skin stared at her. The look on his face seemed to say he wasn’t
impressed. Her shoulders threatened to curve in.
Then Reyes was beside her. Not touching her, but lending her support
anyway.
He leaned in and his scent nearly sent a thrill of pleasure along her skin.
“Chin up,” was all he said to her in a soft whisper he knew no one else
would hear. “Emme, meet Duke and Sunny.”
Duke nodded, his eyes still guarded. Sunny was far more welcoming. She
wore a pink, oversized sweater that fell almost to her knees. Her black tights
had rhinestones going down the side of them and she wore a pair of pink,
glittery cowboy boots. She appeared sweet and happy. She smiled big. “Hi,
Emme. Nice to meet you.” Sunny went to take a step forward, but Duke held
her back.
What was he afraid of? That she’d give his woman cooties? She jumped
in shock as Reyes growled.
She turned to give him a look, but he was scowling at Duke. Then, to her
shock, Sunny turned to glare up at Duke as well.
“Duke, you’re being an ass.”
 The big man turned his head to stare down at the petite woman whose
dark-blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail. “Excuse me?”
“Ass. You’re being one.” Sunny turned back to Emme and stepped
forward. This time, Duke let her go. But his gaze never left Sunny. It would
be cute. If it wasn’t for the fact that he seemed to think that Emme was going
to hurt Sunny or corrupt her. Dirty her by association.
Then she found herself enveloped in a soft hug. She was so shocked that
she froze, just standing there.
When was the last time she’d been hugged? Hell, being carried by Reyes
last night was the first time anyone other than her father had touched her in
probably years. She could vaguely remember her nannies touching her when
she was younger. But it had been a long time since she’d felt anything like
this.
What did she do? Did she hug her back? Did she pat her back? She tried
to turn her head to give Reyes a look, needing his help.
To her shock, he seemed almost amused?
That asshole.
She frowned at him.
And he winked at her. Jerk.
“Sorry,” Sunny said, pulling back and looking slightly awkward.
Oh no, now she’d made her feel bad for hugging her. Because she was so
crap at this normal stuff. But she didn’t want Sunny to think she didn’t like
the hug. Okay, she hadn’t had time to relax into it. But maybe given time she
would.
Panicking, and uncertain about what to do, she reached out and grabbed
her, pulling her close. Sunny let out a deep breath. Duke actually took a step
forward, his hand out as though to pull Sunny back.
“Nice to meet you, Sunny,” she said. “Thanks for the hug.”
“Umm, wildcat?” Reyes said.
“Yep.”
“You might want to let her go now. Duke is getting a bit jealous. And
Sunny might like to breathe at some stage.”
“Oh. Oh! I’m so sorry.”
She took two steps back, feeling completely chagrined. She couldn’t even
hug properly. Way to pretend that you know exactly what you’re doing,
Emme.
“Easy, wildcat. I was teasing you,” Reyes said to her. “Sunny could
breathe fine.”
She glanced over at Sunny, who was staring at Reyes in amazement.
“Teasing? You were teasing . . .” Sunny looked to Duke, clearly confused.
“Just go with it, little rebel,” Duke rumbled.
Reyes shook his head and moved over to the box of donuts.
“Umm, sorry if I hugged a bit hard,” Emme said to Sunny shyly. “I’m not
very used to being hugged or touched.”
“Your father wasn’t much of a hugger, huh?” Duke asked.
“No.” Her gaze flicked to him. “Did you know my father?”
“By reputation, I guess you could say.” Duke gave her an assessing look.
“I didn’t see much of my father growing up. Or ever. And that was the
way I preferred it.”
Duke gave her a nod, but something in his face softened slightly. She
eased out a breath. She felt like she was on the stage being judged in some
beauty pageant.
Reyes cleared his throat. She glanced over at him. “I’ve got something
else to talk to you about and you haven’t eaten yet.”
Right. Eating. Awesome.
Never her favorite thing in the world.
“I’m sorry about earlier,” she added hastily. “I can be a bit grouchy when
I first wake up.”
Duke’s lips actually twitched. “We could tell.”
Oh no. Her shoulders slumped.
“He’s teasing you,” Reyes told her.
More teasing. She felt like she’d woken up in a whole new world. Duke
winked at her.
“It’s okay, I’m grouchy sometimes when I wake up too,” Sunny told her.
Emme gave Sunny a small smile. She seemed so nice.
“Come. Eat,” Sunny urged.
Emme shook her head. She knew there was no way she’d be able to eat
with Duke and Sunny here. Last night she’d struggled with just Reyes.
“I’m not hungry. Thank you.”
And of course, like she was stuck in some movie, her stomach chose
exactly that moment to gurgle.
Sunny bit her lip to hide a grin. Duke didn’t bother hiding his smile.
Reyes just gave her a long-suffering look.
“Emme. Come here.” He pointed at the floor next to him.
 Oh, no. He didn’t just do that. She slammed her hands down on her hips.
“I am not a dog.”
“Come here.”
“No.”
Duke whistled long and low.
“What?” Reyes snapped at him.
“You ever heard that word before?” Duke asked Reyes.
What did he mean?
Reyes just scowled. “Give us five minutes.”
“Hmm, I’m not sure. Maybe we should stay and make sure that Emme is
okay,” Duke replied.
“Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
Sunny moved closer to her. “Nobody tells Reyes no.”
“Well, why not? Maybe if he heard it more often, he wouldn’t be so
arrogant and bossy. Did you not hear him call me like a dog?”
Sunny sucked in a breath and Duke grasped hold of her hand and tugged
her away. “We’ll get coffee. Be back in ten.”
“Good luck,” Sunny told her.
They were out the door before she could even say goodbye.
“That seemed a bit odd,” she muttered. She looked back to Reyes to see if
he thought it was odd, but he was staring at her, his arms crossed over his
chest.
That brought her eyes to his impressive biceps. Could she just say yum?
Shoulders were usually her thing on a man. Shoulders and hands. But his
biceps . . . hell.
“You told me no,” he rumbled.
“You were talking to me like I was a dog.”
“You need to learn to obey me, Emme.”
“I do? Don’t tell me that’s a house rule. Do all your houseguests have to
obey you?”
He sighed. “I told you, I don’t have houseguests. You’re it. And you do
have to obey me.”
“Why?”
“Because it might be important for your safety.”
“My safety is at risk?”
He frowned. “I don’t know. But if it ever is, then you have to learn to
obey me.”
 She rubbed her forehead. “Okay, I’m confused. My safety isn’t at risk. I
mean, maybe my father is going to look for me. Although I’m still not sure
why I was kidnapped . . . “
“Neither am I.”
“Is the Fox a threat? But he said to keep me safe. And there’s no risk to
me right now. So why do I have to obey when you tell me to heel?”
“I didn’t tell you to heel.”
“Basically,” she told him. “Emme. Here.”
“Why do you sound like a bulldog with a cold? You coming down with
something?”
“You know that I was doing an impression of you.”
“That was a terrible impression of me.”
“It was not. I did a great job. I’m thinking of a career in acting.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I’ve watched plenty of television, I reckon I’d be good at it too.”
“So long as you don’t have to do impressions,” he told her.
The nerve of him.
He leaned his hands on the counter, giving her a dark stare. “Emme,
focus.”
She wasn’t focused? He was the one who kept going off on a tangent.
“Are you listening to me?” he asked her.
“Yes, I’m listening.”
“When I give an order, I need you to obey. Immediately. Because you
never know when an order that I give you might mean life or death.”
“You don’t think that seems overly dramatic?”
“No. I don’t. And considering what happened to you last night, I don’t
think that you should see it as overly dramatic either.”
She sighed. “Should I really have to obey my captor? Shouldn’t I be
trying to escape you?”
“I’m not your captor.”
“So I can leave when I want?” She gave him a knowing look.
“No.”
“So maybe I’ve just changed one jail for another, huh?”

Shit. How had this conversation unraveled so far?

“You’re not in jail.”
“I haven’t got any freedom, though, have I? And even if I did, I likely
wouldn’t survive because I have zero survival skills. I’ve never even held a
job. I mean, if there was a career where you just had to watch TV, then I
would be gold, but for anything else, I’m freaking useless.” She turned away,
as though to walk out of the room.
Yeah, like he was going to let her leave after that.
Stepping forward, he gently grasped hold of her arm, turning her. Then he
forced himself to let her go. Touching her was becoming far too addictive.
And that wasn’t something he could let happen. Because she was an
addiction that he couldn’t afford.
“You’re not in jail, wildcat,” he told her gently. “This is just temporary.
We need to find out what’s going on. With you, your father, the Fox. But this
isn’t forever. You’re going to get a chance to live, I promise.”
“But how?”
“With help. You might not realize this, but now that Sunny has met you
she won’t turn her back on you ever. That little girl has a heart bigger than
anyone I know. But until we have everything figured out, I need you to listen
to me, got it?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I didn’t want anything to eat.”
“You weren’t hungry? Or it was something to do with your food issues?”
She sighed. “I have problems eating in front of others.”
“Got it. You still gotta eat, though. Understand?”
“Food just doesn’t hold any appeal. I eat because I have to, that’s all.”
“Yeah? So I’m guessing you don’t want a donut then?” he asked.
“I’ve never had a donut,” she admitted.
He froze. “Never?”
“No.”
“Fuck me.” Okay, he didn’t mean to mutter those exact words. But yeah.
Fuck him. “Come pick your choice then, wildcat.”
“I don’t know what to pick. Can you help?” she asked nervously.
“Try a couple. We’ll cut them.”
She bit her lip. “Isn’t that a waste?”
He didn’t give a shit. If that’s what she wanted, that’s what she’d get.
Seemed like she’d never been able to ask for what she wanted.
He cut up several donuts and placed them on a plate, not even
commenting as he handed her a knife and fork to eat them with. At a knock
on the door, she stiffened.
Reyes walked around the counter. “Eat. I’ll take them into the living
room. And then, wildcat, unfortunately we’ve got to talk.”
11

The tension in the room was thick.

Reyes was leaning against the wall across from where she sat on one
corner of the cracked leather sofa. Duke and Sunny sat at the other end.
She was feeling a bit sick after gorging on donuts. But donuts . . .
seriously, how had she lived her whole life without them? They were nirvana.
Fried dough. With icing. And sprinkles.
Total. Dream.
Now, though, she was wishing she’d stopped at one.
Something was going on and she had no idea what. She picked up the hot
chocolate that Duke and Sunny had gotten her. She took a sip, hastily
swallowing it with a small cry.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Reyes demanded, striding over.
“Hot! Hot!” She opened her mouth, fanning it.
As though that would help.
“Shit, girl. Didn’t you think to test it first?” Reyes quickly strode into the
kitchen.
He returned with a small bottle of milk. Which she gulped down.
“How am I supposed to test it without drinking it?” she asked on a gasp.
“No more taking sips from hot drinks unless they’ve been tested first.” He
stuck a finger in her face. She was tempted to bite it. She refrained. Just.
Was he for real? Seemed by that expression on his face that he was. Good
Lord.
Duke cleared his throat and Reyes glanced over at him. The expression on
Reyes’ face changed to something even more intense. Which was saying
something, since he was pretty much always intense.
“Maybe we shouldn’t be here for this,” Sunny muttered. She had her
hands clenched together.
Reyes glanced over at the woman, his gaze softening.
“If you don’t want to be here for this part, you don’t have to stay, Sunny,”
he said to her.
What part? What the hell was going on?
 Sunny met her gaze, sympathy shining in her eyes. “No, I’ll stay. Emme
might need me.”
“Why would I need you?” Emme asked. “What’s going on?”
He cleared his throat. “Emme, your father is dead.”
“Shi-oot, man, that was a bit brutal, even for you,” Duke muttered.
“My father is dead?” She blinked. Dead? “H-how?”
“Not sure,” Reyes told her.
Nausea bubbled in her stomach. She tried desperately to push it down.
Nope. Not working. Getting up, she rushed into the bathroom. And slammed
to her knees in front of the toilet, leaning over it to throw up.
A warm body came up behind her, wrapping his hand around her hair and
drawing it back as she vomited.
Shame. Waste of a good donut.
“Easy, little girl. Easy. You’re okay.”
When she finished throwing up, he helped her stand. She leaned against
the wall as he put some toothpaste on her toothbrush. There was something
surreal about watching this big, tattooed man doing something so ordinary.
For her.
Was this really her life right now?
He was dead. Holy. Shit.
Reyes handed her toothbrush to her. She took it, her hand shaking.
“You need help?” he asked gruffly.
“No. Nope. I’m fine. You can leave.”
He snorted. “My bathroom, wildcat. I’ll just wait here. Make sure you’re
not going to keel over and hit your head.”
She rolled her eyes at him, but secretly she kind of liked his
protectiveness. Except when he went too far.
Case in point . . . no drinking hot chocolate without it being tested first.
Like she hadn’t been drinking hot drinks for most of her life.
She brushed her teeth.
“You good?” he asked.
“Yes. I’m all right.”
As she moved towards the door, he stepped back. As though he couldn’t
stand to touch her. A touch of hurt flashed through her, but she breathed
through it. It wasn’t like they knew each other.
She walked back into the living room and sat on the sofa with a plop.
“Here you go,” Sunny said kindly, handing her a glass of water.
 Emme gave her a nod of thanks. “I can’t believe he’s dead. That can’t be
right. Evil doesn’t die without a sacrifice and a full moon.”
They all stared at her.
“Too crazy?” She laughed weakly. Yeah, her coping mechanisms for shit
might be really out of whack with normal people.
“What did I tell you about calling yourself crazy?” Reyes glowered at her
as he leaned against the wall opposite the sofa.
“Yeah, but that was a weird house rule. Plus, I have no idea what the
consequences are for breaking the rules. What do I have to do? Clean the
toilet? I can do that.”
“You’re not ready for the consequences,” Reyes told her.
Duke cleared his throat. “We’ve kind of gone off on a tangent. Maybe we
should get back on track.”
“That seems to happen often,” Reyes commented.
She narrowed her gaze. “I feel like you’re implying that it’s my fault.”
“Emme,” Sunny said gently. “Are you okay? I mean, I gather that you
didn’t have the best relationship with him, but he was still your dad.”
Emme stared back at the woman. Was she all right? She tried to sort
through all her feelings and all she felt was . . . relieved.
“I should feel sad?” She didn’t mean it to come out as a question exactly.
“Well, you just need to feel how you feel,” Sunny said. “I’ve never been
close to my parents. Although they were more neglectful than abusive.”
“Neglect is abuse, little rebel.” Duke placed his arm over her shoulders.
“Right. But even though we’re not close, they’re still my parents. We
understand if you’re upset because he’s dead. You don’t have to hide the way
you feel.”
Reyes just watched her.
Okay. No hiding how she really felt.
“All right. Then all I really feel is relieved. For so long he’s been the
boogeyman under the bed. I was forever on edge, waiting for when he’d
come home. And now he’s dead. So yeah, I guess I feel relieved. Does that
make me a bad person?”
“Nope,” Reyes told her firmly. “It doesn’t.”
“Are you sure? Because I think there might be something wrong with me.
I didn’t feel sad when Jonathan died or Forrest, and now I feel relieved that
my father is dead. I think that means there’s something wrong with me.”
“There’s nothing wrong with you,” Reyes told her.
 “Do you know I never got to meet my nephews? Jonathan’s sons? I don’t
even know them.”
“Not once?” Duke asked.
She shook her head. “No, ever since I was . . .” she trailed off. Probably
best not to speak about that time.
“Since you were what?” Reyes asked.
“My father has kept me in that house since I was around seven.”
“Did something happen then that made him keep you locked away?”
Duke asked.
She shrugged. She knew exactly what it was, but she didn’t want to tell
them.
“Did you ever ask him to leave or try to leave?” Duke asked her.
“Yes. Often.” She didn’t want to talk about that either.
Reyes grunted. “There was a lot of security. Guards, dogs, big fence,
cameras. I’m surprised we managed to get in as easily as we did.”
“How did he die?” she asked. “How did you find out?”
“It’s on the news,” Reyes told her.
“It is?”
“Your father has been in the news a lot lately,” Duke said. “You didn’t
know that?”
She licked her lips. “I don’t watch the news. It makes me really sad. Then
I spend days moping around. So I just stick to watching animal shows,
movies, and reality TV.”
“He’d been in trouble with the feds,” Reyes told her. “The FBI had been
investigating your father’s businesses. He and Forrest were involved in
several illegal things.”
“Really?” She thought it over. “I guess it’s not unbelievable. I had seen
Forrest maybe five times in the last ten years. Jonathan, even less. I didn’t
have access to a phone, so it wasn’t like I could call my brothers. Or like they
wanted to hear from me. So I don’t know anything about their businesses. I
heard about what Jonathan did. To be honest, he always gave me a creepy
feeling.”
“He did?” Reyes asked sharply. “He ever touch you?”
“No. No, never. Like I said, I hardly saw him. It was just the way he
looked at me.” She’d never told anyone. By then, she knew better than to
speak ill of her father or brothers.
“I seem to have lost a lot of family members lately.” She frowned.
Jonathan had been murdered. They’d never discovered who did it. Forrest
died in a plane crash. Where had he been heading? Her father had been in
trouble too.
“Why didn’t he run?” she asked.
“Likely thought he could get away with it,” Duke guessed. “He knew a
lot of powerful people. Had a lot of money.”
“Wonder what happens to his estate now,” Reyes said.
“It won’t come to me. He hated me.”
“Do you have any other family?” Sunny asked her. “Anyone we should
contact for you?”
“Just Jonathan’s sons. And like I said, I never met them or their mom. I
don’t even know where she is.”
“I’d have to double-check, but I think she moved back home to New
York,” Duke told her.
“I’m not even sure she knew I existed. I don’t think she’d want anything
to do with me. How did he die?” She tensed as she waited for one of them to
reply.
“There was a fire,” Duke told her. “Apparently the whole house burned
down.”
“Oh, my God. I wonder if everyone else is all right.”
“The report on the news said that there were other casualties. But you
could probably find out what’s going on, being his daughter,” Duke told her.
Reyes shook his head. “If we do that then we open another can of worms.
The cops will know where she is.”
“Does that matter?” Sunny asked. “Her father is dead. So are her brothers.
There’s no one to hide her from now, right?”
“But they’ll want to know where I was, right? What I was doing? Why I
left?” She glanced over at Reyes.
“And Reyes basically kidnapped you, so he’ll get into trouble if you
recount how you left,” Duke said caustically.
“I didn’t kidnap her,” Reyes said grouchily.
“He didn’t,” she found herself agreeing with him. To her shock. And his,
if his raised brow was any indication.
“Can’t believe you went along with the Fox,” Duke added, ignoring them.
“Do you know how much trouble you’ll be in if she tells the cops that you
took her? That you went to Senior’s house with an assassin? They’re going to
think you knew he would kill him.” Duke’s voice was a loud snap at the end.
 “The Fox killed him?” she asked. “I thought you said there was a fire.”
“We don’t know how he died,” Sunny said, giving Duke a sharp look.
“You don’t know that the Fox killed him.”
“Little rebel, the Fox is an assassin. He went to Senior’s house last night.
Now he’s dead.”
“You know why I went with the Fox,” Reyes said to Duke.
“The risk to you wasn’t worth it,” Duke argued back.
“I can take care of myself.”
“People rely on you, Reyes. You need to be more careful. With your . . .”
Duke looked over at Emme, then to Sunny. Then he sighed. “Just wished
you’d called me.”
“And what would you have done?” Reyes asked.
“Gone with you.”
“Right. Then you’d be in this position.”
“I’m really not going to say anything,” Emme told them, kind of irritated
that no one was listening to her. “I won’t tell the cops about you or the Fox. I
promise.”
Reyes sighed and ran his tattooed hand over his face. He looked tired.
“Is that why the Fox wanted you to keep her with you?” Sunny asked
cautiously.
“To make sure I wouldn’t talk?” She felt ill. “What would happen if I did
talk? Would he kill me?”
“Nobody is killing you,” Reyes snapped.
“How do you know? He’s an assassin for hire, right? Maybe that’s what
he’d do if I talked. Maybe he still plans on doing that. I’m not ready to die.
I’m young. I’m free. I haven’t traveled, haven’t dated. I only got to taste three
donuts. I can’t die now.”
“You’re not dying,” Reyes snarled. “Quit talking about it.”
“You don’t need to get so grouchy with me.”
“Look, none of us know what the Fox is thinking,” Duke said. “The only
way to find out is to ask him. If he’ll give us a straight fuc-flipping answer.”
“I can try,” Sunny offered. “I’ll try calling him and see what’s going on.”
“Do you have any idea of who your mom was, Emme?” Duke asked.
“My mom?”
“I know Forrest and Jonathan had different mothers. Just wondered if you
knew anything about her? Is she still alive? What about her family?”
That was a thought. Except she had no clue.
 “My father said she died, but that was all he would say. He’d get angry if
I asked for more information. I have a vague recollection of her. But it’s more
of her scent and her smile. The happy feeling I had when she was holding me.
I can’t remember what she looked like, though. And I’ve never seen any
photos or anything of her.”
Duke frowned. “We’ll see if we can discover who she was. She’ll be
listed on your birth certificate.”
She felt a surge of excitement. Would they be able to find her mother’s
family? But then, what if they didn’t want her? And what if she got her hopes
up and they couldn’t find them? Or there was no one? Best to keep her
expectations low.
Damn, it was hard though.
“Excuse me a moment, I need the bathroom.”
What she really needed was a moment to process everything. She slipped
into the bathroom and pushed the toilet seat cover down, then sat, leaning her
head in her hands. Her elbows dug into her thighs.
Her father was dead.
Her brothers were dead.
She was completely on her own. That was both exhilarating and scary as
hell.
Deep breath in. Out.
He was dead. Not coming back.
Deep breath in. Out.
It was what she’d always wanted. It seemed weird now to find that it had
come true.
Deep breath in. Out.
What were her options now? She couldn’t stay here indefinitely. And
there was no danger anymore. Not with her father gone.
Free. You’re free.
Unless there was some reason the Fox wanted her. If he’d killed her
father, then why would he bother having Reyes take her? It didn’t make
sense.
None of this made much sense. And they were right, they wouldn’t have
answers without speaking to the Fox.
This was just too bizarre.
And suddenly, she didn’t want to be alone anymore. Getting up off the
toilet, she splashed some water on her face and stared at herself in the mirror.
 She looked tired. Her face was too thin. There were dark smudges under
her eyes.
With a sigh, she dropped her head forward and closed her eyes. She
straightened up and walked back through the bedroom, giving Starry and Bad
Boy a hug. At least she had them. She was safe.
She opened the bedroom door, freezing as she heard her name.
“Emme would like Millie,” Duke said. “And they have more space for
her than we do. With the security system, she’d be safe.”
What? Who was Millie? Space for her? Was Duke wanting her to go stay
with this Millie?
“Spike won’t like it,” Reyes grunted.
“Spike doesn’t like most things,” Duke countered. “He’ll be okay with it.
And we don’t know that she’s in any danger. With her father dead, and the
fact no one seems to know about her, well, maybe she doesn’t need our
protection anyway.”
“What are you saying? That I should just kick her out? With nowhere to
go. No money.”
“Of course not. I’m not heartless. But Senior is dead. This is it. They’re
all gone. No more Robins around to cause issues. Except for her.”
Her stomach knotted.
“We’ll try to find out if she has any family,” Duke added. “Best-case
scenario, we find her some family and they want to take her in. Worst case,
well, we give her some money. Help her find a place to live and a job.”
“That’s going to take time,” Reyes grumbled.
So he’d rather she left right away.
“She’s probably better off with Spike and Millie. Or Betsy and Ink,”
Duke added. “We’d take her if Sav wasn’t staying in the spare room.”
She waited for Reyes to protest. To tell Duke that he wanted her to stay
here. But he didn’t say anything. Gently closing the door, she leaned against
it, unable to listen anymore. She didn’t want to hear Reyes say how he didn’t
want her. To agree with Duke that she was better off somewhere else.
It hurt too much.
Unwanted. Unloved.
Moving through the bedroom, she grabbed her backpack and packed up
her pajamas, Starry and Bad Boy. She hadn’t removed anything else from her
bag. So she was all set. Putting it on her back, she pulled in a breath. She had
no idea what she was going to do. Probably go to the police and tell them
who she was.
She had no ID, though. No money. How would she prove who she was?
No idea. But she wasn’t going to stay where she was unwanted. She’d
had enough of that in her life. She wasn’t going to be a burden anymore.
She opened the door. Everyone stopped talking as she walked through the
room to the front door.
“Wildcat, where do you think you are going?”
She turned at the door and kept her gaze on Reyes’ chin. If she did that,
then she wouldn’t cry.
She hoped.
“Thank you very much for your hospitality. Have a nice day.”
There. That was nice and polite. Right?
No reply came back. Kind of rude. She thought he might say something.
But perhaps this was better. She wasn’t sure she could hold it together if he
said something mean. Or told her it was about time.
She turned to grab hold of the door handle. And pulled. Nothing. Drat.
She tugged again. Huh. Was it locked? Or maybe you had to push it? She
couldn’t remember how it had opened last night. She pushed it.
It didn’t budge.
Then she stiffened as a large body moved up behind her. Heat infused
her. Leather and a hint of lemon. A shiver ran through her body. One of
desire. Of need.
“What do you think you are doing?” a raspy voice whispered in her ear.
Oh, hell. Was he trying to kill her? Really? Why did his breath against
her skin feel so naughty? So dirty?
She had no freaking clue.
Emme cleared her throat. Opened her mouth to talk. Nothing came out.
Words. Speak. Now. Emme.
Flipping hell. She’d lost the knowledge of how to speak! What kind of
effect was he having on her?
“I’m trying to open this stupid door,” she blurted out.
Yes! She’d managed to say words. Woo-hoo. Good for her. They were
kind of the wrong words, but she was just pleased not to be the idiot who
couldn’t speak.
“Why are you trying to open the door?”
If he’d just move away from her, then she might actually be able to think.
“Um. What?”
 “Are you having problems with your hearing?”
“Could you give me a little space?” she asked in a strangled voice.
“Why would you need space?”
“So I can think! You’re crowding me.”
“See, I don’t think you need time to think. I think you’ve had too much
time to think all your life. That’s what you’ve been doing. Thinking and
watching TV.”
That wasn’t all she’d done. She also played with her imaginary friend.
Leaning forward, she thumped her forehead against the door. Then she
flinched. Ouch. That hurt.
“Fuck, girl. Don’t do that.” He placed his hand over her forehead before
she could thump it down against the door again. “What have I told you about
your brain cells?”
Well, since she was pretty sure that she had none left, it hardly mattered.
“Reyes,” she said on a low groan.
“Where do you think you are going?” he asked.
She sucked in a breath.
“Reyes, maybe give her some room, man,” Duke said, to her surprise. She
didn’t think he would be coming to her rescue.
“No,” he snapped back. “She’s going to explain what the fuck she thinks
she is doing.”
“Language,” Duke said in a long-suffering voice.
“Emme, answer me. Now.”
“I’m leaving,” she managed to say.
“And where are you going?”
“I’m going . . . well, I’m . . . I don’t know where I’m going. But I’m
leaving, and I’ll figure it out. Because I’m an adult and I don’t need anyone
to look after me or to be passed around like I’m the kid that no one wants.”
He sighed. A long, drawn-out sigh. “You know that eavesdropping is
naughty, right?”
She gulped. That voice. That rough, raspy voice was killing her.
Finally, he drew back and then grabbed her around the waist, turning her.
Then she was suddenly up over his shoulder.
She let out a small screech as he carried her back towards the bedroom.
“Reyes, put me down.”
“No.” He slapped his hand down on her ass as she wriggled around. “Stay
still.”
 “Did you just smack my butt?”
“Sure did.”
“Reyes!” she protested.
“Be back in a second,” he said to Duke.
“No problem,” Duke replied dryly. “Not like we have a business to run or
anything.”
Reyes paused. “Right. You go. I’ll be in touch. We might need a meeting
at the bar later tonight.”
“We need to call the Fox,” Duke said. “Much as I hate doing that. We
need answers.”
“We’ll do it later,” Reyes replied.
She wished she could see what was going on. The only view she had was
of Reyes’ butt. It was a damn fine butt, though. Tight. Really firm looking.
She wondered what it felt like.
He let out a strange, squawking sort of noise as she reached out and
squeezed his ass.
Oh. Whoops.
She hadn’t actually meant to do that.
But wow. It felt nice.
“Did you just squeeze my ass?” he snapped.
“Well, if you’re going to put it right in front of my face then what do you
expect me to do? Oh, I could have smacked it.” She slammed her palm down
on it. “Ouch. Christ. What is your butt made of? Concrete?”
“Do not hit me.”
“I didn’t hit you. I smacked your ass. Those are two entirely different
things.”
“I’m glad you know that,” he practically purred.
Huh? Why did he sound so pleased about that?
“All right, we’ll leave you two to it. Come on, Sunny,” Duke said,
sounding amused.
“Bye, Emme,” Sunny called out. “If you need me, ask Reyes for my
number. It was sooo nice to meet you. I’m sure we’ll see you real soon.”
She wasn’t so sure that she’d see Sunny ever again since she intended to
leave. As soon as Reyes put her down. And she figured out how to work that
damn door.
But politeness dictated that she reply, she guessed. “Goodbye, Sunny.
Nice to meet you.”
 The door closed and then Reyes was carrying her into the bedroom. He
set her down on the bed.
“Take off the backpack,” he demanded.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “No.”
He leaned in, his face mere inches from hers. She would not be
intimidated. She. Would. Not.
“I don’t like to hear the word no.”
“Well, you’re just going to have to get used to it, aren’t you?” she
countered.
“No. I’m not. Take off the backpack.”
She gave him a small smile. “No.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Remember how you said you didn’t know what
the consequences were if you broke the rules?”
Unease filled her, but she tried to keep it from showing on her face.
“Yes?”
“Tell me no again. Try to walk out that door again. And you’ll get those
consequences, little girl. You’ll end up over my lap, getting your butt
spanked.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You . . . you wouldn’t!”
12

Damn, it was satisfying to tell her exactly what would happen if she broke
the rules. He’d been worried that he might scare her.
Then she’d smacked his ass.
And her fate was fucking sealed.
She sucked in a breath, looking shocked.
“Try me.”
“But I don’t understand,” she wailed. “I thought you would be glad if I
left! Then you wouldn’t have to pawn me off on your friends. I wouldn’t be
such a burden.”
“Who said you were a burden?” he snapped.
“My father.”
“Do not compare me to him. I am nothing like him.”
Her emerald-colored eyes widened, and he thought he’d scared her, but
then she nodded. “Fair enough.”
Okay, he’d been geared up for an argument, but she took the wind out of
his sails.
“I overheard you all saying that I should go stay with someone called
Millie and Spike. If I wasn’t in danger, I didn’t need to stay with anyone,
anyway. Oh, but you’d generously give me some cash before you send me on
my way.”
“Heard all that, did you?” he drawled.
Fuck.
“Yes. I heard all that. So you can’t turn around and tell me that you want
me here.”
He sighed. Hell. “Look, wildcat. I don’t want to bullshit you. I figure
you’ve had that enough. But I do think it would be a good idea for you to stay
with someone else.”
Something vulnerable filled her face. That fire was extinguished.
And he hated that.
“Is it because I’ve been such a bad houseguest?”
“You haven’t been a bad houseguest.” Jesus.
 “Then why are you getting rid of me?”
Okay, she was officially killing him. “I’m not getting rid of you.”
“You just said you want me to go stay with someone else. Which makes
no sense since you stopped me from leaving just now.” She frowned.
“I stopped you from leaving because you have no idea what you’re doing.
Your feelings were hurt because you were eavesdropping, which is going to
be another rule by the way, and then jumped to conclusions.”
Her gaze narrowed. “Are you saying you’re not trying to get rid of me?”
“Nobody wants to get rid of you.” Least of all him. If anything, he wanted
her to stay with him too much.
“Duke sounded like he wanted to. He sounded all too eager to give me
some cash and send me on my way.”
“What Duke thinks isn’t important right now. He has an interesting
relationship with the Fox. The Fox has a bit of an obsession with Sunny.
Duke doesn’t like that. So he’s always suspicious of the Fox’s motivations
when it comes to anything.”
“But I don’t know the Fox. I don’t know what he’s up to.”
“I know that. Duke does too.”
“You should just let me leave. I’ll be okay.”
“No,” he said firmly. “You won’t. And I’m sure that you’d be better off
staying with someone else. I’m a guy who lives alone in the worst area in
town. I spend most of my time in a rough bar, sometimes well into the night.
Spike and Millie live in a nice house with good security. They can both be
home all day.”
She frowned but nodded. “Fine. If you think it’s best.”
He narrowed his gaze. He didn’t believe her capitulation for a moment.
“And you’ll be on your best behavior while you’re with them? No trying to
escape.”
She gasped. “I’m always well behaved. I’m a model houseguest.”
He shook his head. “You might be cute and sweet. But there’s also a brat
lurking underneath.”
“There is not! You take that back, Reyes . . . Reyes.”
“Reyes Reyes?”
“I don’t know your first name.”
Christ, they barely knew each other. So why did it feel like he’d known
her forever? “It’s Jacob, but no one ever calls me that.” He studied her.
“What’s your full name?”
 “Oh, it’s actually Emmerson May. But I like Emme better.”
He glanced at his watch and grimaced. “I’ve got to get to the bar.”
“Bar?”
“I own Reaper’s bar. Most of the clients are Iron Shadows members or
other bikers from clubs we affiliate with. I like to be there every night in case
there are any issues.” He studied her. “It’s not the sort of place I should take
you, though.”
And he couldn’t just dump her on Millie and Spike, then immediately
leave. He’d need to settle her in first.
God, what was wrong with him?
“I’ve never been to a bar. It sounds exciting.” She was bouncing up and
down.
“It’s not exciting.”
“Can I try mixing drinks?” she asked.
“No.”
“Can I dance?”
“No.”
She pouted. “Can I try a cocktail?”
“Reaper’s ain’t the sort of place that has cocktails.”
“Oh.” She chewed her lip. “Is it dangerous?”
“Not for you, since you’ll be with me.”
He stood. He needed to get away from her delicious scent. How could she
still smell like caramel and apples when she’d showered? He knew he didn’t
have anything that smelled like that in his bathroom.
“This is starting to sound like it’s not going to be much fun.”
“It’s not going to be fun at all. We need to find you some stuff to take to
keep you entertained.”
“Why do I feel like I’m a kid going to work with my daddy?”
“I’m not your daddy,” he told her.
“I know that.”
Damn, but he might just like the idea of being her Daddy a little bit too
much. He could all too easily see her with pigtails. Dressed in a cute, flouncy
dress. Giggling and playing. Wrapping her arms around him and looking up
at him like he was her whole world . . .
Yeah. He didn’t fucking deserve that. Especially not with her.
“It’s going to get boring waiting around for me,” he told her. “We can
take a pillow and some bedding so you can sleep. What do you like to do?”
 She shrugged. “I watch TV.”
“That’s it?”
“Yeah. I read too. But most of the stuff in the library at home was pretty
dry.”
“Okay, there’s a TV in my office at the bar.”
She gave him a big smile, looking happier than she had in a while. “I can
catch up on all my shows. Wait. I can’t go dressed like this, though. And I
don’t have anything else to wear.”
He ran his gaze over her dark hoodie and black tights. “You look fine.”
The less conspicuous she looked, the better. He didn’t want anyone noticing
her until he figured out what was going on with her and the Fox.
Maybe he’d sneak her through the back. Yeah, that was likely the better
idea.
“I might not have ever been to a bar, but I’ve seen them on TV. And I
know I can’t go out looking like this.”
“I don’t have time to take you shopping, so you’re just going to have to
wear what you have.”
She sighed. “I understand.”
Damn it. Why did he feel so bad about disappointing her?
She stood and tried to slip past him. “I’ll just use the bathroom and then
I’ll be ready.”
“Emme,” he said, reaching out to grab her arm. But she slid by him,
giving him a big fake smile.
“Five minutes. I promise I won’t take any longer.”
She disappeared in the bathroom.
Shit.
13

Emme gulped as she stared out at the bar from where she was safely sitting
in the front seat of Reyes’ truck.
Reaper’s Bar.
Excitement warred with trepidation. She wasn’t sure what she’d been
expecting, but it hadn’t been a run-down building. There had to be around
fifteen bikes lined up out the front. Reyes drove past and around to a locked
gate. Opening his window, he punched in a code. The gate slid open. There
were several gray block buildings back here. It looked rather barren and
scary.
“What is this place?” she asked. Emme had a bit of a thing for slasher
movies. And this looked like the perfect setting for one.
“You’re talking to me again?”
“I wasn’t not talking to you. Just trying not to be annoying.”
“You’re not annoying.”
She stared at him. “Them how come you always seem so annoyed?”
“Look, I know I’ve been kind of short-tempered and grouchy.”
“It’s fine. I know I’m a complication you don’t need.”
“You’re a complication, all right. But none of this is your fault. If I was in
your place, I’d be furious. Surprised I haven’t ended up with my balls in my
throat.”
“Oh.” She really didn’t know what to say to that.
“Truth is, you have every right to leave. To go to the cops and tell them
everything.”
“Do you want me to do that?”
“Do I want to go back to jail? Hell, no.”
Back to jail? So he’d been incarcerated before? She wondered what for.
Was it weird that she didn’t care that he’d been in jail?
“But I can’t let you just take off, okay? What I can do is try to be less of a
jerk.”
“W-what?” She had to have heard him wrong.
“When I’m being an ass you need to call me on my shit.”
 “I do?” She felt like she was having some sort of strange, out-of-body-
experience.
“Yeah, wildcat. You’re a fighter. Fight back. Don’t ever just go silent or
shrug it off.”
“I don’t want to annoy you.”
“World ain’t gonna end if I’m annoyed.”
God. This man. Rough and gruff. Yet, willing to take the time to teach
her to stick up for herself. She didn’t want to go stay anywhere else. She felt
safe with him.
“Do humans imprint on humans?”
He frowned. “What?”
“Doesn’t matter,” she blurted. She’d once watched this documentary
about animals who imprinted. Maybe she’d imprinted on him?
It would explain why she was feeling so attached in such a short amount
of time. She wasn’t used to having anyone to talk to. Having someone
actually care about her.
She really wanted to stay with him.
“Dumb imprinting.”
“There something I need to know about your obsession with imprinting?”
“I’m a weirdo,” she blurted out.
“You’ve mentioned it a time or two. And I think I covered not calling
yourself names in the rules.”
“Wait, if I get to call you out when you’re being a shit—”
“I didn’t say being a shit, I said on my shit—”
“Same diff,” she dismissed.
“It’s really not.”
“Then I shouldn’t have to follow your rules, right? Since they’re shit
rules.”
“They’re not shit rules and you will follow them.”
Oh shit. That growly voice just did things to her. Deep inside. She’d
never felt like this towards anyone.
“Got some extra rules for you in here, too.”
She groaned. “Save me now.”
“Stop being overdramatic, brat. Don’t go around talking about the Fox
unless I tell you it’s all right to.”
“Okay. That makes sense.” Sort of.
“No going anywhere without me. There’s a bathroom attached to the
office so you shouldn’t have to.”
She nodded. “Fine. So what is this place?”
“The compound.” He climbed out of the truck.
Right. Explained everything.
“Maybe I should have stayed at your apartment,” she said as she climbed
out and looked around.
“Nope. I need to keep you where I can see you. Make sure you don’t get
into any trouble.”
“I’m not a child,” she told him. “I can take care of myself.”
He gave her an incredulous look that reminded her of just how reliant she
was on him. Well, it was his fault he was stuck with her. He was the one who
had taken her from her home.
A home that had gone up in flames. All her stuff gone. Not that she had
much, but still. . . it was all gone.
Push that deep, Emme. You can freak out over it later.
He unlocked the back door of the bar and punched in a code for the
alarm. For such a run-down building, it seemed to have good security. She
glanced around, noting all the cameras and the high wire fence.
This place kind of gave her the creeps. She shivered. He opened the door,
and she followed him in. Inside wasn’t much better. It was dark and smelled
like beer and wood. It wasn’t terrible, though.
She followed him down a hallway. He wearing black jeans and his cut
over a Henley. How he wasn’t freezing, she had no idea.
On the back of his cut were the words Iron Shadows, along with the
image of a skull and flames. She itched to touch it. Somehow, she thought
that was probably a no-no. Damn, it was hard, though.
Stopping, he pushed open a door, gesturing for her to enter. She guessed
this was his office. There was a couch against one wall, a large wooden desk
with two chairs on one side and a leather chair on the other side. A big TV
was mounted to the wall.
He pointed to the sofa. “That’s where you’re going to sit. You can watch
the TV. Bathroom is over here. I’ll say it again, do not leave this room
without me.”
“Do I have to ask permission to use the bathroom too?” she asked.
“Keep pushing it, brat, and you will.”
With a sigh, she slumped down on the sofa. Ouch. This thing was hard.
She had a feeling it was going to be a long night.
 He picked up the remote and turned it onto a romantic movie. Umm, what
was he trying to do? Torture her?
“Here you are. Watch this. I’ve got to go check everything over before we
open. Can I trust you to stay here?”
“Nope,” she said cheerfully. “You best take me with you.”
He sighed and shook his head. “I don’t want anyone to see you here. The
fewer people who know you’re with me, the better.”
“But aren’t people going to notice me when they come in here?”
“The only people who come into my office are the guys, and they already
know about you. it’s safer for you if no one knows about you.”
“Fine. I’ll wait here.”
He eyed her suspiciously. Jeez, try to leave one little time and suddenly
you’re branded as a runaway.
“Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.” She ran her
finger over her heart with a cross, then pointed at her eye. “That’s a solemn
vow, you know. Also, did you know that saying likely originated from people
wanting to be sure that patients were actually dead before they were buried
and not just in a coma or something? Caregivers would stick a needle in their
eye before declaring them dead.”
“Where the fuck did you hear that?”
“It was on TV. So it must be right.” She was having him on. Sort of.
After all, she knew that not everything on TV was real.
“Just stay here.” He pointed a finger at her. “I’m only going to be ten
minutes. I’m also locking the door.”
“Your trust in me is staggering,” she muttered.
“Don’t push me, wildcat.”
With that he was gone, and the key turned in the door. Hmm, time to
explore.
Getting up, she peered into the bathroom. She wrinkled her nose. The
white subway tiles were going gray with age. There was a slightly musty
smell in here, as though it never dried out properly. A small window above
the toilet had a grate across it. There was also a shower with a ripped shower
curtain. The whole room looked tired and worn.
There was no window in his office which added to a feeling of
claustrophobia. And she didn’t even have an issue with small spaces. She
snuck a look at the papers on his desk. Okay, it was a bit naughty. But hey,
maybe she’d get some more insight into who exactly Jacob Reyes was. There
was nothing of interest on his desk, just some invoices that looked like
normal bar stuff.
Grabbing the remote, she quickly turned it to the news. Immediately,
images of her house appeared. She gasped, holding her hand over her mouth.
She hadn’t quite been imagining the utter destruction she saw on screen.
It was all gone. Everything.
“Jonathan Robins, Senior, who had recently been under investigation by
the FBI and the DEA, died last night in a house fire. Cause of death has not
been established. Several members of the staff working at the house also
perished in the fire. As you may recall, Robins Senior was the father of
disgraced senator Jonathan Robins who was murdered—”
She switched off the sound, feeling ill. Who else had died? The security
guards? The cook? Housekeeper? How had that fire happened? There was a
sprinkler system. Why hadn’t her father and the others gotten out?
Unless her father had already been dead when the house caught on fire.
She ran her hand over her face as the door unlocked and Reyes walked
back in.
“What are you doing?” he snapped, looking at the TV screen. “You
shouldn’t be watching this.” He reached for the remote and she drew it away.
“I want to watch it. I deserve to know what’s going on.”
He scowled. “It will just upset you.”
“I’m not upset. I’m fine.”
He eyed her. “Give me the remote, girl.”
Without thinking, she slipped it down her top to nestle in her ill-fitting
bra. She hadn’t bought a new bra since she was eighteen. So yeah, her bras
were stretched and barely did anything. Wasn’t like she’d had much of an
opportunity to go shopping for new ones.
“Did you seriously just stick the remote down your top so I couldn’t get
to it?”
Umm. Yeah. She had. But it kind of sounded stupid when he said it.
She sighed and reached in to grab it. “Sorry.” She handed it over.
With a shake of his head, he waved her off. “Keep it. But there’s no point
in watching this. They’ll just report the same thing over and over.”
“But they might find something new.”
He shook his head. “Soon as there’s new information we’ll know before
the news stations.”
“You will. How?”
 He didn’t reply. Instead he sat behind his desk, turning to his computer.
She guessed he had a point. “The reporter said that some other people
died, do you know who?”
“I can find out.”
“Thanks.”
“You worried about someone you were close to?”
“I wasn’t close to anyone,” she denied. “They were all loyal to my father,
he kept them well paid. They were more like my jailors and spies. If I did
manage to get close to someone, he always found out and got rid of them.”
His face filled with pity, and she turned away, changing the channel. She
didn’t want to see how sorry he felt for her. “I just want to know.”
“Consider it done.”
14

Reyes stretched his neck from side to side.

Something was going on with the finances for the bar. But he couldn’t
figure out what was happening. He needed to go out and check on the bar.
Everything ran pretty smoothly, but he liked to make an appearance. It helped
stop shit from getting started.
He glanced over at Emme, surprised by how quiet she was. For some
reason, he thought she would complain about having to sit on the sofa and do
nothing.
She’d proven him wrong. In fact, she’d barely moved. He frowned and
checked the time. Shit. He should have fed her ages ago. And when was the
last time she drank something? Had she used the bathroom since they left his
apartment?
She’s not a dog or a child.
But she needed close watching. She had a kind of childlike innocence
when it came to the real world. And he had to make sure she didn’t get into
trouble. For now, she was his responsibility.
Until he could hand her over to Spike or Ink.
And why did he feel ill at that thought? Like he wanted to punch anyone
who thought of taking her from him.
Idiot.
“You hungry, Emme?” he asked.
She had to be starving. He knew he was. They hadn’t eaten since those
donuts and she’d puked them up. Shit.
She didn’t even look his way.
“Emme? I’m gonna order some food from the kitchen, what do you
want?”
“Huh?” She didn’t even bother tearing her eyes from the TV screen.
With a sigh, he walked around the desk to see what she was watching.
The screen was on an arm and could turn to face the couch or desk so he
couldn’t see it from where he was sitting. And she had the volume turned
low.
 He stepped in front of the screen, facing her. She angled her body around
him, so she could see the screen.
“Damn it, they were just getting to the good part,” she grumbled. “You’re
blocking my view.”
“I’ve been talking to you for the last five minutes and you didn’t even
reply.” Small exaggeration, but he was feeling a touch grouchy. How was it
that he could hardly keep his eyes off her, and yet she barely even noticed he
existed?
“Reyes, come on. I can’t see.”
Finally, he turned to see what she was watching. His jaw dropped as he
watched a man wearing a dark mask and gloves sneak up behind a woman
who was mixing something in a bowl. He raised a piece of wire, then
wrapped it around her throat from behind.
Reyes jumped forward and quickly turned off the television.
“Hey! I was watching that. I need to find out how it ends.”
“What the fuck! I thought you were watching some romance movie.”
“Uh, no. This is much better, it’s a true crime documentary about this
serial killer who strangled all these women and was never caught.”
“That . . . what . . . no!” he snapped at her. “You’re not watching that
shit.”
She stood, her hands going onto her hips. “Oh? Is this another rule?”
“Yes, it is. No more crime shows. Or murder shows. You’ll give yourself
nightmares.”
“I’ve been watching those shows since I was fourteen,” she scoffed.
He narrowed his gaze. “Who was meant to be looking after you when you
were doing that?”
She shrugged. “I had nannies, but they usually clocked out at dinner time
and left me to do what I liked. Think most of them ended up sleeping with
my security detail.”
He ran his hand over her face. “Damn it, you need watching over.”
“I do not.”
“No more crime shows. That’s a rule.”
“That’s a stupid rule. I should be allowed to watch what I like.”
“I’m responsible for you. Which means I’m in charge. You’ll do what I
say or suffer the consequences.”
“Hmm. You talk a big talk, but I don’t reckon you’ll do it.”
“Excuse me?” Oh, this girl was pushing his buttons. He knew he was
being played. Yet, he couldn’t seem to stop himself from taking the bait.
“I don’t reckon you’d spank me. You couldn’t do it.”
“Let’s see . . . having you over my knee, your pants and panties around
your ankles, turning that lily-white ass red? Yep, that is definitely something
I could do. If you’ve been particularly naughty, I might have you stand in the
corner, your bottom on display, giving you time to think about what you did
wrong.”
“It . . . that . . .” she licked her lips. “I watched this movie about a man
who was a Dom. He liked to spank the woman, to whip her, paddle her. I
don’t . . . I couldn’t . . . but she liked it. Is that stuff real? Are you . . .”
“A Dom? Yep, I am. I’ve been to clubs and participated in scenes like
that. But that’s not what you and I are doing.”
“It’s not? I mean, I know it’s not. I’m not a sub.”
He raised an eyebrow in amusement. Oh, she thought that, did she? He
wasn’t so sure. But now wasn’t the time to press her.
And if he was right, she was a Little. He knew the fact that she slept with
some stuffed toys wasn’t a true indication that she was a Little. But there
were some other signs.
His empty stomach reminded him of what he’d been originally trying to
get her attention about. “I’m hungry. I’m going to order some food from the
bar and check that everything is all right. What do you want?”
“I’m fine.”
“That wasn’t the question, wildcat. What would you like to eat? Fries?
Burger? Chicken nuggets? Chicken wings?”
Nervousness filled her face. “I don’t . . . umm . . .”
He frowned. Then realized that for someone who had never got to make
choices, this was probably a lot for her. He needed to ease her into making
her own decisions.
Great job you’re doing, when all you’ve been giving her are rules.
“I’ll grab you something. Back soon.”

***
Emme’s stomach grumbled, and she put her hand down over it. She was
rather hungry. It had been a long time since those donuts.
She was thirsty too. Hopefully, he brought back some water. She moved
through the channels but couldn’t settle on anything.
What was taking him so long?
A knock on the door startled her. She bit her lip. She probably wasn’t
supposed to answer it. He didn’t want people knowing she was here. Unless it
was one of his friends. He’d told her she’d been meeting them tonight.
Another knock. Crap. She just opened her mouth to speak up when the
lock rattled, then the door opened.
A tall woman carrying a tray of food strode confidently into the room.
She had masses of blonde, wavy hair that went down nearly to her ass. She
had on a corset-like top and dark, skinny jeans with a generous strip of skin
showing between her jeans and top.
She was beautiful in an edgy sort of way. Her blue eyes were made up
with smoky make-up. Her lips were plump, and she wore this cool purple
lipstick.
Wow. She was everything that Emme wished she could be but knew she
never would. Gorgeous. Confident. Strong.
And then she went and opened her mouth. “Who the fuck are you?”
Emme’s eyes widened at the demanding tone. “Uh, I’m Emme.”
“What are you doing? Did you sneak in here?” the woman demanded.
“No, I didn’t. I’m here with Reyes.”
The other woman snorted. “Right, like I believe that.” She slammed the
tray of food down on Reyes’ desk. Some of the chicken nuggets, which rested
on top of a pile of golden, salty fries, rolled off and landed on the tray.
Emme’s mouth watered right before the crazy blonde woman grasped
hold of her arm and dragged her up from the sofa.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“Taking out the trash.” Blondie sneered down at her as she started
tugging her out of the room.
She had at least half a foot in height and maybe forty pounds on Emme.
Apparently, all of it muscle. Because boy, was she strong.
“Let go!” Emme tried to pull the other woman’s hand off her arm. But
she dug her sharp nails into Emme’s skin, making her squeak in pain.
Then she leaned into Emme’s face. Her breath smelled of liquor. “Listen,
you crazy bitch, Reyes ain’t interested in you. I don’t know what look you’re
going for,” she studied Emme with a sneer, “but what you’re selling he don’t
want. So get the fuck out of here.” blondie started dragging her down the
hallway.
Okay, enough of this. Emme wasn’t going anywhere. She grabbed for
blondie’s wrist, twisting it painfully. The woman gasped and Emme kicked
her in the knee.
“Ow, you bitch!”
Drat! That looked easier on TV. She really thought she’d be lying on the
ground, howling in pain.
“You cow!” The other woman stumbled, then reached out and slapped
Emme in the face, right on her bruised cheek. Pain shot through her head.
Oh, this bitch was dead. She launched herself at blondie, tackling her to
the ground.
“Hey! What the hell!” a deep voice roared right as blondie dug her nails
in, scratching along Emme’s arm.
Ouch. Shit.
Suddenly, she found herself picked up in the air and held against a hard
body. She tried to fight her way free as blondie picked herself up.
“Let me go! I had her. Damn it. Put me down.”
“Easy, slugger,” the man said in a low rumble. “What’s going on?”
“This bitch attacked me,” blondie claimed.
“I did not. No, wait, I kind of did.”
“Well, which is it, slugger?”
“I attacked her, but she was dragging me down the hallway. Her nails are
really sharp. Look!”
She held up her arm. The man’s amused voice changed. “Flora? Want to
explain yourself?”
“I found her trespassing. She was sneaking around Reyes’ office. I think
she broke in.”
The man stiffened. “What the fuck?”
“I was not!” she cried out. “I was there with Reyes.”
“Reyes was in there?” the man asked.
“No,” Flora replied. “He asked me to take some food to his office, and he
never said anything about her. She’s trespassing. Who knows what she was
up to?”
“I was sitting on the sofa waiting for Reyes to get back,” she protested. “I
came here with him. I’m staying at his apartment.”
 The man let out a small bark of laughter. “Sorry, slugger. You should
have stopped while you were ahead. We all know there is no way you were at
Reyes’ apartment. He never takes women there.”
As he spoke, he carried her down the corridor, towards a door. Well,
shoot.
She could try to fight, but this guy was huge. Her feet were dangling off
the ground and he was basically holding her with one arm.
Seemed like she was just going to have to go with it. She really wished
she’d gotten to eat one of those chicken nuggets, though.
The door was opened, and then she was placed on her feet. It was kind of
surprising how gentle the giant was with her.
She turned, staring up at him. She couldn’t make out much of his face
since it was dark out and the light was coming from behind him. But huge
didn’t even cover it.
“How’d you get here? You need me to call you a ride?”
“Do you offer to call a ride for every person you kick out?” she asked
curiously. “This isn’t at all like what you see on TV.”
He snorted. “Usually the people I kick out are drunk, swearing, and
violent. Not pretty little girls who are out past their curfew. You know, I just
thought you were small, but seriously, how old are you, kid? You better give
me your parents’ number. Come on, you can wait inside until they come get
you. Hope your daddy takes a belt to your ass for coming to a biker bar on
your own.”
“I’m not a child. I’m twenty-two.”
“Uh-huh, sure.” He stepped outside and shut the door behind him. They
had left out a side entrance, rather than the back door where she’d come in
with Reyes. “Where’s your phone, kid? Let’s call someone to get you.”
She shivered. She was only wearing a thin pair of tights, a T-shirt, and
hoodie. It wasn’t exactly enough to protect her from the cool weather.
“I don’t have a phone.”
“Everyone has a phone.”
She heard the sounds of shouting from the front of the bar. What was
going on?
“Well, obviously not, since I don’t have one. Look, I wasn’t lying. I came
here with Reyes, and he’s going to be pretty pissed if he comes back to his
office to find me gone.”
He was going to think she’d left on her own. Pissed probably didn’t even
cover it.
“Kid, stop. We both know that’s not true. Reyes doesn’t take anyone back
to the office except those closest to him. And even if he did, he wouldn’t
leave you there on your own.”
The sounds of shouting grew louder. The man next to her stiffened.
“Fuck, I’ve got to go. Stay here, kid. I’ll be back.”
The yelling grew worse. Sounded like there was a brawl going on out
there.
Right. Like she’d just stand here and wait for him to return. Moron.
He sped off, and she waited for a few seconds before turning and heading
towards the back of the building. Except . . . she forgot about the damn fence.
That thing was tall. And it had wire at the top. She wasn’t climbing it. Then
there was the alarm at the back door. She’d need the code, and she hadn’t
seen what Reyes had punched in.
All right, through the front it was.
15

How the fuck had a brawl broken out?

Some members of the Blood Sinners had decided to come cause some
trouble, and now he was in the middle of a f brawl. Reyes slammed his fist
into some bald-headed asshole who had tattoos all over his ugly face.
Slam. The jerk went down in a thump.
If the bar wasn’t in such a crap area of the city, someone would already
have called the cops. As it was, the assholes who’d invaded his territory were
either unconscious on the ground or running with their tails between their
legs.
He sighed. He had a feeling this was going to end in a headache.
Around him, members of the Iron Shadows were whooping and
celebrating. A few years ago that would have been him, smashing down a
drink and grabbing whatever woman was close to drag into the shadows and
fuck.
But right now, this shit just made him tired.
“All of you, get the fuck inside before someone calls the cops,” he
ordered.
There were a few mumbled protests and some glares, but he couldn’t care
less. Last thing he needed was the cops here, getting into his business.
Reaper’s was his bar, not the Iron Shadows’, even though they treated it
like a headquarters. Still, it was in no one’s interest for the cops to end up
here.
“Reyes, I’ve got to talk to you.”
He glanced over as Butch strode towards him. The huge guy had been
fired from his job a few weeks ago, and Reyes had hired him on as security
for the bar. They’d known each other years ago. He hadn’t joined the Iron
Shadows, but Reyes figured he would, eventually. He was just being
cautious.
“Can it wait? I’ve got to clean up then check on someone.”
Damn it. He couldn’t believe that he’d had to leave Emme so long. She
better be where he left her, or he was going to paddle her ass. He was not in
the mood for any disobedience.
Adrenaline was still pumping through his veins. All that fight had done
was stir up his blood. When he got like this, he usually fucked or fought.
Fucking was out. So was fighting.
So his temper was shorter than usual. And he didn’t want to deal with any
more bullshit tonight.
Butch’s eyes widened. “Check on someone?” He followed Reyes to the
bathroom. He figured he should wash his knuckles before he went back to the
office. No need to scare Emme. He hoped she hadn’t heard anything and
gotten scared.
Shit, why hadn’t he thought of that before?
“Reyes? Reyes!” Butch said as he followed him towards the office.
“Just hold on a minute, I have to check on . . .” He opened the door to his
office. To find Flora sitting on his couch.
Not Emme.
“Oh, Reyes, there you are.” Flora stood up, giving him a sultry look. He
knew it had been a mistake to hire her, but he’d needed someone to cover at
short notice since Jewel had taken some time off.
Unfortunately, Flora spent more time flirting and fucking than she did
working.
“What are you doing in here?”
“I was so worried about you and that brawl, all the violence . . .” She
shuddered. “It scared me.”
He shot her a look. “So you decided to come sit in my office? You’re not
supposed to be fucking back here.” He stomped over to the bathroom,
opening the door. Shit! “And where the hell is Emme!”
“Who?” Flora asked.
“Emme,” he gritted out. “The girl who was in here. Wearing a black
hoodie. Dark, curly hair. Ring any bells?”
“You mean the baggy, ugly girl that was in here?” Flora said
dismissively.
“Yes,” Reyes replied. “Where. Is. She.”
“You did know her then? Fuck,” Butch swore. “Reyes, man, we thought
she was lying . . .”
Reyes turned to him, his hands clenched into fists, anger coursing through
him. “Where?” It was all he was capable of saying right now.
If anything had happened to her . . .
 Then it will be all on you, won’t it? You’re meant to be keeping her safe.
“We figured she was lying,” Butch said, looking ill. He glanced over at
Flora, who still looked like she’d been sucking on sour grapes. “When she
said she was staying at your apartment . . .”
“She is staying at my apartment.”
“Her? Why would you want her?” Flora said dismissively. “Oh, is it a
favor to someone? Because I know she’s not your type.” She licked her lips
suggestively.
Ugh. If she thought his type was her, then she was way off the mark.
“Start talking,” he ordered Butch.
“I was walking out the back to find you when I came across Flora and this
chick—”
“Emme,” Reyes interjected.
“Right, Emme, fighting in the passageway. Emme was on top of Flora, so
I reached out and picked her up. Flora said she found her sneaking around in
your office so she was trying to kick her out.”
“That so?” Reyes drawled. “And what were you doing in my office,
Flora?”
The woman pulled her shoulders back. “I was delivering your food.”
“The food I said I would come back for?” Reyes asked. “And how did
you get in? I locked the door.”
A guilty look flooded her face. She glanced away.
“How?” he snapped.
“I swiped the master set from Danny a week ago, all right? Had a copy
made.”
And he could just guess what she’d been doing with Danny at the time.
He’d recently promoted Danny to managing the bar since he had so much shit
going on. Now he was wondering if that was a mistake.
“So you used a stolen key to come into my office, saw Emme, and
decided that even though she was locked in my office that she wasn’t meant
to be there, and threw her out?”
“She attacked me!” Flora cried.
“Because you were trying to make her leave!” Reyes roared. “And then
you!” He turned on Butch.
Butch held up his hands, looking almost comically nervous for such a big
guy. “All I saw was her fighting with Flora. She told us that she was staying
with you and I know you never take women home, so I figured she was
lying.”
“And you kicked her out? A young female on her own in this fucking
neighborhood!” he roared. “She has nowhere to go. Shit! She doesn’t even
have a phone or money.”
Christ, he was so close to losing it. What if she was hurt? Scared?
“Who doesn’t have a phone?” Flora sniped. “How old even is she?”
“Give me the key.”
“What?”
“The key you cut. Give it to me.” Not that he wouldn’t be changing the
lock, but that might take a day or two.
She dug into her pocket and handed it over.
“Now get out,” Reyes told her. “You’re fired.”
“You can’t fire me over some dirty kid!”
“I fired you because you put your hands on someone who is under my
protection. And you made a key for my office without permission. Get. Out.”
He made his voice go cold. Dark.
Her gaze narrowed. “Be careful, Reyes. You might not always be the
head of the pack.”
What the hell? She scampered away, running on ridiculously high heels.
“Where did you leave her?” he snapped at Butch. “Can’t fucking believe
you’d kick her out on her own.”
“I wasn’t going to. I mean, I was. Then I realized she was on her own
without a car and with how young she is, well, I was going to bring her back
inside and call her parents. But then the brawl broke out. I told her to stay put
. . . but she took off.”
“For fuck’s sake. Really? You expected her to stand around in the dark, in
a scary neighborhood with a brawl breaking out close by?”
“Okay, I get it. I fucked up. I’ll find her.”
“You will,” he said in a low, deadly voice. “And if anything has
happened to her, you’re going to get it back twice as hard. Understand me?”
Butch’s eyes grew cold. He wouldn’t normally take threats like this
without retaliation. But Butch knew he’d fucked up.
“I’ll go out the front,” Reyes told him. “You head out where you left her
and do a sweep of the perimeter.”
Butch nodded and took off while Reyes moved into the bar. His heart was
racing with a mix of fear and fury. Where was she? If anything happened to
her, it wouldn’t just be Butch who would bleed.
 He was pushing his way through the throng of people in the bar. He’d
preferred it when this place wasn’t so popular. Then someone tapped his
shoulder. Turning, he scowled at whoever was daring to bother him right
now. He didn’t have time for bullshit.
“Reyes!” Smiling up at him, swaying, her eyes slightly unfocused, was
the very person he’d been about to rip half the town apart in search of.
“Emme? Are you all right?” He grabbed hold of her, drawing her against
him.
“Why are you calling me Emme? You always call me wildcat or girl. You
can lose the girl, though. I don’t like that. Hey, are you okay?”
“Am I okay? Am I fucking okay?” He drew back and ran his hands over
her, searching for any injuries. If anyone had hurt her . . . he’d kill them.
Dismember them. Rip them apart.
He was aware of their audience but couldn’t seem to bring himself to
care.
“Yeah, are you okay? You’re acting kind of odd.”
“You disappeared!”
Wariness filled her face. “You’re not gonna spank me, are you? Cause
that totally wasn’t my fault! It was all blondie!”
“I’m not going to spank you,” he reassured her.
“Hey, guess what!”
“What?” he asked, trying to slow his racing heartbeat. She was here. She
was safe. Unharmed. Well, she did appear to be somewhat drunk.
“I got kicked out.”
“That so?”
She nodded so hard that she almost fell over. “Yep. And for a minute, I
was kind of scared. But then there was this brawl. A real brawl. Did you see
it?”
“Kind of.”
“Anyway, the big dude that kicked me out took off towards the brawl.
And I figured I’d go around the back and sneak in because I knew you’d be
mad if you returned and found me gone. Which wasn’t my fault, I only left
because blondie was dragging me. She has really sharp nails.”
“She hurt you?” he snarled.
She rolled up her sleeve, showing some nasty scratches down her arm.
“Damn, those do look sore. We need to get those cleaned.”
“They’re okay. Then I snuck back in, but I saw blondie heading into your
office so I thought I’d wait out here.”
“And how did you happen to get your hands on a drink?” he asked.
She gasped. “How did you know?”
“Just a good guess,” he said dryly. He stole the glass from her hand and
took a sip. Urgh. Vodka and lemonade. He set it down on a nearby table.
“Hey, that’s mine. The nice guy at the bar bought it for me.”
“Did he?” He glanced towards the bar. “And who would that be?”
“Umm.” She turned, wobbling. “Him.” She waved at a guy with greasy
brown hair and a thick beard. Worm. He should have known. Worm was a
big supporter of Smiley, the old Prez. And not a fan of Reyes. But he’d never
done anything against him, so he’d put up with his bad attitude.
Could be time to change that.
“How many have you had?” he asked her. She can’t have been in here
long.
“Let’s see.” She held out the fingers of one hand and started to count
them with her other hand.
Fuck. Him.
“One. Two. Three. I think.”
Christ, and she’d probably never drunk in her life, plus she was tiny.
“Right. Time to go home.”
“What? Why!”
“Because you’re drunk.”
She gasped, placing her hand on her chest and stumbling back. She would
have fallen on her ass if he hadn’t grasped hold of her arm. “I am not.”
“Baby, you are.”
“Oh, you called me baby. That’s so sweet.” She smiled. He couldn’t keep
up with her. She was all over the place. “Did you know that swans mate for
life?”
Was she serious right now?
“That so?”
“Yep, they mate for life, and if one dies, the other one sometimes dies of
a broken heart. Isn’t that romantic?”
“That’s terrible.”
She sighed. “It’s sad how you don’t understand how sweet that is.”
Okay, enough of this.
“Blondie was kind of mean,” she told him. “She called me names. That
was my first mean girl experience.”
 “Don’t worry, you won’t have to deal with her anymore. I fired her.”
She gasped. “You fired her because she was mean to me?”
“Because she laid her hands on you, and could have seriously hurt you.”
“Aww, that’s sweet.”
That was not the reaction he expected.
“Come on. We’re going.” Using his hold on her arm, he tried to steer her
out the back. There was no chance of keeping her presence a secret anymore.
Everyone was going to be talking about him dragging a girl out of the bar.
“I can’t! I have to say goodbye to Worm. Weird name, huh? He looks
more like a warthog.”
“Worm doesn’t need you to say goodbye to him.”
“But he was nice and kept me company until you came back. He bought
me drinks.”
“Believe me, he didn’t do that out of the goodness of his heart.” Reyes
glared at the other man, who smiled, revealing his yellow teeth. Then his
gaze slid to Emme, and he licked his lips.
Oh, hell no.
Reyes grabbed her, throwing her over his shoulder. He knew what he was
doing. Staking a very public claim. Probably a really stupid move since he’d
wanted to keep her presence quiet.
But yeah, that ship had sailed.
He strode over to Worm. The other man’s grin widened. Everyone around
them went quiet.
“What the fuck were you doing, buying her drinks?”
“Hey, let me down!”
Emme wriggled around and he reached up and smacked her ass. “Don’t
move.”
She let out a groan but lay still.
“Sorry, Reyes, didn’t know she was yours. Figured, she was just one of
the bitches that comes in here looking to get laid.”
Emme let out a loud gasp. “Did he call me a bitch! Rude!”
“Hush, Emme,” he commanded.
Worm gave him a slimy grin. “She’s a cute one.”
Reyes wrapped his free hand around the other man’s throat. Worm’s eyes
widened with fear.
“You’re going to stay away from her and any other women who comes
through the door. Understand me? You see her again, you look the other way,
you cross the road, you don’t even call out for her if you are lying the ground,
bleeding out. Understand?”
He drew his hand away from the other man’s throat and he nodded,
rubbing his throat.
“Good.” Turning, he strode out of the room. Everyone gave them a wide
berth. Oh, he knew this wasn’t the last he’d hear from Worm. But he’d deal
with him later. When he didn’t have Emme to look after.
“Reyes! What are you doing?”
“Taking you home.” He walked into his office to grab his stuff.
“Such a cute ass.” She cupped his butt, squeezing it.
Motherfucker. Arousal surged inside him. She was killing him.
He set her down on her feet in the office, holding onto her until she was
steady.
He quickly grabbed what he needed to take home. He spotted the cold
food he’d ordered a while ago. Shit. He still needed to feed her.
You’re doing a fantastic job of taking care of her, asshole.
“I think I should go give Flora a piece of my mind.”
“Emme, freeze,” he barked as she walked towards the door. She froze.
Completely froze. He didn’t think she was even breathing.
Crap.
“Breathe, wildcat.” He moved over to her, patting her back gently.
“You said to freeze.”
“I didn’t expect you to stop breathing. Just relax.”
“You have to say unfreeze.”
He rolled his eyes. “Fucking fine. Unfreeze.”
She let out her breath. “Whew. That was hard. Why’d you freeze me?”
“Because you were about to leave the room to go talk to Flora.”
“Oh yeah. I was.” She took another step towards the door and he grasped
hold of her arm.
“You’re not going to talk to Flora.”
“Yes, I am.”
Little brat.
“No, you’re not. You’re waiting right here for me to finish grabbing our
stuff. Then we’re going home. Try to leave, and you’re going over my knee.”
“You have an obsession with spanking me.”
No, his obsession was with touching her. Full stop. The spanking part
would just be a bonus.
 “Don’t you think you were a bit rude to Worm? Although I didn’t like
when he called me a bitch. There was no call for that.”
“Emme, do you really think that Worm was buying you drinks out of the
goodness of his heart?”
“I . . . what?” She looked confused.
He sighed, then he cupped her face with one hand.
“Worm ain’t a good guy. He doesn’t do things without an ulterior motive.
What he likely planned was to get you nice and drunk, then have you thank
him on your knees.”
The guy was a complete prick. But he’d heard no complaints about him,
so he’d had no grounds to kick him out of the club. Now, though . . .
“Why would I thank him on my knees?”
Christ.
“Just . . . just listen to me, okay?”
“All right.”
He thought he might have to repeat later this seeing as she was drunk. But
he hoped something might get through.
“You can’t just trust people. Most people are complete assholes who are
looking out for themselves.”
She blinked up at him. “You really think most people are bad?”
“Not bad. Just . . . selfish. Out for themselves. But Worm, he is bad.”
“But he’s part of your club. He said so.”
“Because he’s sneaky as fuck and good at covering himself. I know he’s
done shit, just got no proof. But if he’d touched you. . .”
Well, Worm would be getting closely acquainted with his namesake when
he ended up six feet under.
“He didn’t.”
Thank Christ.
“Come on. Food. Then sleep.”
He gently nudged her out of the room, then locked it. He needed a new
lock. And to have a chat with Danny about keys and letting people like Flora
get access to them.
“This night ended up a total clusterfuck.”
As they were walking down the hallway, Butch came barreling towards
them. He stilled, shock then relief filling his face.
Whoops. Probably should have called him. Ah, well it served him right.
“Fuck, you found her. Thank God.”
 “Hey, Mike,” she said to him.
“Um, hi. My name isn’t Mike, though. It’s Butch.”
“Huh. You look like a Mike. Like Mike Myers.”
Butch’s mouth dropped open. Reyes actually had to bite back a grin.
Butch recovered quickly.
“Are you all right, Emme?” Butch asked, running his gaze over her.
Reyes didn’t like that. Not. One. Bit.
He let out a warning growl of possession. Fuck, man. Get it together. Not
yours.
Butch gave him a look, then backed up a step, his hands up. “Hey, I
wasn’t going to touch her or anything. Just want to make sure she’s all right.”
“I’m fine,” Emme sang with a big smile. “I’ve been drinking. I’ve never
drunk before. It’s kind of fun. I think I might take it up.”
“You won’t be taking up drinking.”
“He’s so bossy,” she whispered to Butch. “Has he always been like this?”
“I think it’s safe to say I’ve never quite seen him like this,” Butch replied,
watching him warily.
Reyes just grunted. “We’re going. Any issues, call me.”
“You got it, boss.”
“Problems like that brawl?” Emme asked, seemingly unaware that he was
very close to losing control, throwing her over his shoulder once more and
storming out of there.
Having nearly lost her, knowing she had been so vulnerable, alone,
susceptible to anyone hurting her . . . yeah, it was a wonder that he was
managing to control his temper as well as he was.
“What even happened?” she asked.
“Nothing for you to worry about,” Reyes muttered.
“Just some idiots from a local gang,” Butch told her at the same time.
“A gang? Wait, is that where you went? Were you trying to get rid of
them?” she asked Reyes.
“Something like that. Come on, we’re going.”
“Okie-dokie. Bye-bye, Butchie!”
Reyes took her arm, trying to ignore the way Butch watched her with
something akin to hunger and need in his gaze. When they were past him,
Reyes glared back at him warningly.
To his shock, Butch grinned, then saluted him.
Fuck. When had people stopped being scared of him and started to think
he was someone they could joke around with?
He was not.
As they reached the truck, he unlocked it, then opened Emme’s door for
her.
“Ooh, you never open my door for me.”
He ground his teeth together. Because he didn’t want her getting any
ideas that he was a good guy. He wasn’t a gentleman. He wasn’t chivalrous
or a hero. He wasn’t any of that shit.
He was an asshole who’d lived in the gutter all his life, and that was
where he deserved to stay. His one attempt at something normal had ended in
disaster and wouldn’t be repeated.
“Wasn’t sure you could open it on your own in your state.”
“In my state? What does that mean? Are you saying that I’m,” hiccup,
“that I’m too,” hiccup, “in . . . in . . . oh, screw it! That I’m too drunk to open
my own door?”
“Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“Rude.”
She just stood there, gazing up at the sky. What was she doing? It was
cold as fuck out here, and she was shivering.
“Get in, girl.”
“There’re no stars.”
He nearly snapped at her that they didn’t have time to stand here, looking
at the stars. But there was something in her voice. A longing.
“No, there’s too much fog tonight. You like the stars?”
“When I was lonely, I’d stare up at the stars. I’d think about how there
could be other life out there. About how I could be living a different reality,
you know?” She shook her head. “Sorry. It’s just stupid stuff.”
“It’s not stupid.” He cupped her cheek with his hand. “I’m sorry you were
lonely.”
She moved her gaze to his. “I’m not lonely anymore.”
“I’m glad.” He ran his thumb over her cheek before he realized what he
was doing and snatched his hand back. Fuck. He really had a problem
stopping himself from touching her.
Another shiver filled her, followed by a loud rumbling. “I’m hungry.”
“I’m not surprised.” If he didn’t get some food and water into her, she
was going to be feeling hellishly bad in the morning. “Get in the truck.”
“But it’s so far up. And I’m tired.” She slumped against him.
 Playing him. She was definitely playing him.
If anyone deserved a red ass, it was this brat.
And yet, somehow, he found himself lifting her into the truck. He wasn’t
belting her in, though. Nope. She could do that herself. He climbed into the
driver’s side and started up the truck, pulling on his own belt.
“Hey, can we have donuts?” she asked.
“Nope.” He waited for her to reach for her belt.
“Man, I really liked donuts. I guess chicken nuggets will have to do. And
fries. And a chocolate milkshake. Have you tried a chocolate milkshake?”
“Yeah.”
“I haven’t. Can I have one of those?”
He shouldn’t let her. Milk on top of vodka. Not a great idea.
“Put your seatbelt on,” he ordered. What was it about her that made it
hard for him to say no to her? “Seat. Belt. Up.”
She grabbed the belt, then tried to plug it in. “You’re very grouchy. Is it
because you haven’t had dinner? The food you ordered looked nice. Too bad
that waitress was such a mean girl. I didn’t even get to try one fry before she
was dragging me out the door. Of course, I could have used my mad crave
maggie skills on her, but my hands are considered a lethal weapon.”
Give him strength.
“Damn it, why won’t this stupid belt buckle!” she cried, letting it go. “It
doesn’t work. I’m sorry to tell you that your truck is broken.”
“It’s not broken. Do you always give up so easily?” He reached over and
grabbed the belt. His arm brushed against her breasts and she shivered.
Fuck. Him.
After quickly doing up her belt, he drove towards the nearest drive-
through and grabbed them some food. She took the food from him and stared
down at it on her lap.
“We’ll eat when we get home.”
“You’re a good man, Jacob Reyes.”
No. He really wasn’t.
16

Hangovers sucked.
Why did anyone drink? Seriously. This was torture.
Her head was throbbing, her stomach rolling, and she felt all grungy and
disgusting. Like she hadn’t showered in a week.
Worst of all, she didn’t know how she’d ended up in bed. She could recall
Reyes driving them home. Crap. Had she really stuck her head out the
window and tried to hit some road cones with her hand?
She winced as she remembered Reyes pulling over to the side of the road
and telling her off. Another threat to spank her if she didn’t keep her hands
inside the truck.
And then they’d arrived at the apartment, and she’d . . . oh shit. Had she
really decided to play hide and seek in the parking lot? He’d thrown her over
his shoulder and carried her upstairs. That had made her feel ill. And she’d . .
. ended up vomiting. Right down his back.
That was it. Definitely never drinking again.
How. Embarrassing.
She moaned and placed her arm over her eyes. That’s when she noticed
the bandage on her arm, covering the scratches. She couldn’t remember him
doctoring her scratches.
She heard the door opening. Had he slept out on the sofa again? Probably
hadn’t wanted to sleep with her in case she puked all over him. Grabbing Bad
Boy, she wondered how he’d ended up in bed with her. She placed him over
her face.
“Feeling that good this morning, huh?” Reyes drawled.
She could smell food. Bacon? Toast? She didn’t know what it was, but
she wanted it. Badly. Had she eaten last night? If she had, she couldn’t
remember.
Her stomach made this ridiculously loud gurgling noise. Thank God she
was hidden under Bad Boy.
“You gonna talk this morning or you feeling too sorry for yourself,
wildcat?”
 “Wildcat isn’t here. Bad Boy is the only one here.”
“Hmm, that’s funny because Bad Boy sounds suspiciously like wildcat,”
Reyes replied. “Can Bad Boy tell wildcat that she has until the count of five
to talk to me or else I’m ripping the covers off and dragging her out of bed.
One.”
“Bad Boy says you’re mean.”
“Two.”
She wasn’t moving. Nuh-uh. Not happening. She was just going to lie
here and wallow in self-pity and embarrassment.
“Three.”
She couldn’t believe everything that happened last night. What had she
been thinking? Accepting a drink from a stranger? How did all those people
drinking in the bar last night function the next day?
“Four.”
She felt awful.
“Five.”
Uh-oh. Suddenly, Bad Boy was pulled from her hands.
“Hey! Give him back!”
“Nope. Time to get up. You need to eat. You likely need to pee. And you
definitely need to shower.”
He yanked off the bedcovers and she screeched. She had no idea whether
she was even dressed. Glancing down, she saw she was wearing her T-shirt
from last night. And panties. Well, that was a bonus.
But she let out a shocked gasp as she realized her T-shirt had ridden up
her tummy, showing off her plain black panties. She tugged it down.
Yikes. Had he seen? She glanced up at him, but he was staring at her
impassively.
“Where’d my hoodie go?” she asked suspiciously.
“You puked all over it,” he told her. “It was ruined, so I chucked it.”
Her mouth dropped open. “That was the only sweatshirt I had with me!
Now, what am I going to do?”
“I’ll buy you a new one. Now come on, up. Pee. Shower. Meet me in the
kitchen in fifteen minutes.”
“Or what?”
“Or I’m coming to find you. And you won’t like it when I do. We still
need to discuss your antics last night.”
“What antics?” She figured ignorance was her best defense.
 “Let’s see. Taking drinks from a stranger. Do you have any idea of the
danger you could have been in? He could have drugged your drink then
dragged you out of there and no one would have likely done a thing.”
“Someone would have helped me.”
He shook his head. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with, girl.
And what about leaning out of the truck window while I was driving or
running around in the dark, playing hide-and-seek?”
“I was drunk!”
“Being drunk is no excuse. Just get showered and dressed. I left you some
clothes in the bathroom. Brush your teeth.”
Great. So not only did she smell, but she had bad breath too? He walked
out, and she sighed. He had been right, last night had been a total clusterfuck.

***

He was plating up some bacon, eggs, hash browns, and toast when Emme
walked into the kitchen, looking pale and sorry for herself. She was wearing
one of his T-shirts and a pair of sweatpants. A wave of possessiveness hit
him. Shit, he liked seeing her in his clothes.
“Hangovers are terrible,” she whispered hoarsely, as though she couldn’t
stand to talk any louder. She likely had a headache. Getting up and moving
around had made the hangover settle in even more.
Without a word, he grabbed a bottle of water and unscrewed the top, then
got her some painkillers.
“Thank you,” she whispered as she climbed onto the kitchen stool.
“Want all of that gone. You’re feeling like crap because you’re
dehydrated.”
“How do people do this all the time?”
“Some people don’t get hangovers or they just sleep it off. Others don’t
get so drunk that they’re hungover.”
“I only had three drinks. And you took that last one off me so it was more
like two and a half.”
 “You’re tiny. You’d had next to nothing to eat. And you’d never drunk
before.”
“Oh.”
He just grunted. “But we can talk about your behavior and consequences
after you’ve eaten.”
“What do you mean, my behavior and consequences? I didn’t leave your
office under my own free will! Blondie dragged me out.”
“I know. And she’s gone now. But I’m not talking about that.”
“Then what are you talking about?”
“Eat first. I’ll wait in the living room for when you’re finished.”
She wrinkled her nose. “You know what? I don’t think I feel much like
eating right now.”
“You need food in your belly. After you puked last night, you passed out
and didn’t eat any dinner.”
She sighed.
“It will make you feel better.”
She gave him a suspicious look. But as he left, he glanced over his
shoulder to find her picking at her food.
He’d already eaten, so he checked his phone for messages. Then he tried
calling Jewel. No answer. With a sigh of frustration, he left her a voicemail to
call him. As soon as he could, he’d go over and see her.
He paced back and forth until Emme called out to him. She was placing
her plate in the dishwasher when he walked back into the kitchen.
“Did you eat?” he asked gruffly.
“Yes, I’m sorry you have to leave the room for me.”
“Not a big deal. Now drink.”
She sat back at the counter and sipped at her drink. “I’m really sorry
about last night. About puking and the other stuff. I promise, I won’t be
drinking again.”
“The drinking isn’t the problem. It’s that you have no sense of self-
preservation. And not just when you’re drunk.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“You don’t know how to safeguard yourself.”
“I do too.”
“You got into a physical fight with Flora. She’s half a head taller than you
and forty pounds heavier. Plus, she’s a scrapper. She’s had a hard life. She
knows how to fight.”
 “Hey, I got in a punch or two.”
“Really?” he drawled. “Because she looked fine to me.”
She glared at him. “What did you expect me to do? Just let her drag me
around? Hurt me?”
“I expected you to try and run. You could have locked yourself in the
bathroom. You shouldn’t have antagonized her. But part of that was my fault,
so I can’t punish you for that.”
“Well, if it’s partly your fault, maybe I should punish you.”
“That’s not happening,” he said dryly.
“Why not? Maybe you should have rules and consequences. Maybe you
need a spanking.” As soon as she said the words, she went bright red.
He leaned in, his face close to hers. “I can assure you that there is no
chance of that happening. I’m the only one doing any spanking around here.
Your butt is the only one that is ever going to be red.”
“My butt is going to stay white, thank you very much. What happens
when you mess up then?”
“If I mess up, I have consequences other than getting spanked.” He knew
all about punishing himself.
“Like what?”
“Like messing up the lives of people who depend on me.”
“Oh. Yeah. That’s worse than a spanking, I guess.”
He crossed his arms over his chest as he stared down at her from across
the kitchen counter. “And what about the fact that you took a drink from a
stranger?”
“I thought he was being nice. I was all on my own, just standing there
with people staring at me. I thought if I had a drink, I’d like, blend in.”
She couldn’t fucking blend in if she tried. Let alone in the middle of a
rough bikers bar. Her innocence was like a beacon of light in the dark, calling
out all the scum and jerks. And worms.
“You didn’t know him. He could have spiked your drink, taken you
somewhere and raped you. New rule. No accepting drinks from strangers.”
She nodded. “That’s fair.”
“Next rule.”
She groaned, leaning her chin on her hand as her elbow rested on the
counter. “Do we have to do this now?”
“Oh yes. Right now. While the pain is fresh.”
“You’re a sadist.”
 “If you’re in a moving vehicle, you do not undo your belt, roll down the
window and stick your head out pretending to be a dog.”
She groaned.
“Next.”
“There’s more?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
Damn it.
“The middle of the night is not the correct time to start playing a game of
hide and seek in the parking lot,” he told her. “And if I tell you to come to
me, then you damn well come to me. You do not run off, laughing.”
She winced. “I’m so sorry, Reyes. I can’t remember any of that. I’ve
never drunk before. I didn’t know I would do any of this stuff.”
“I know.”
He still felt like he should have protected her better. Anything could have
happened to her. He felt ill just thinking about it. At any stage last night, she
could have been hurt.
And it would have been his fucking fault.
Because he had assumed that she would be safe, and she wasn’t.
This would sit haunt him for a long, long while.
Her shoulders slumped as she sighed. “You’re right. I was stupid.”
Ignoring the warning signals going off in his head, he moved around the
counter to get closer to her.
“Nobody said you were stupid.”
“It was implied,” she said dryly.
“Emmerson May,” he warned.
“Ooh, my full name. Does that mean that you mean business?”
“It sure does.” He leaned in until their faces were inches apart. It was a
plain attempt at intimidation. Except, her mouth parted and a look of heat
rather than trepidation filled her face.
Fuck. What was it about this girl? He should stay away from her, yet she
pulled him close. She was so innocent, yet she had this edge that made him
hard as fuck. When she should be afraid, she was brave.
She moved closer to him until he could feel her breath on his lips. His
dick pressed against his jeans. He was in agony and there was only one way
to fix the pain.
Her.
“Move away from me, Emme. Put some space between us. Now.”
 “Why? What will you do if I don’t?”
Oh. The little brat should learn not to dare him. Playing games with him
wasn’t something she was at all prepared for.
Because Jacob Reyes only played to win.
“Don’t dare me, Emme. You won’t like the consequences.”
“I. Dare. You.”
Grasping her around the back of her neck, he dragged her up against him
and his lips touched hers. He might have intended to be soft and gentle.
Maybe.
Nah, fuck, who was he kidding. He didn’t do soft and gentle. The kiss
was hard. Hot. Almost punishing. Although whether he was punishing her or
himself, he had no idea.
She moaned, and he slid his tongue into her mouth. For a moment, she
froze. But he didn’t allow her any respite. This is what he’d wanted to do
from the moment she’d jumped out from behind that chair and attacked him.
He kept a tight hold on her, not letting her move an inch. This is what she got
for ignoring his warning.
He wanted to kiss her. To devour her. To fucking own her.
That last thought cut through the lust.
Pulling on his control, he drew himself back, trying to ignore the way his
body screamed at him to grab her, to carry her into the bedroom and fuck
them both into oblivion.
You can’t get involved with this girl.
He needed someone who knew the score, that he couldn’t guarantee
forever. That he couldn’t even guarantee that he’d be there tomorrow. He
didn’t date. Not anymore. Not when he would likely miss dates, not fulfil
promises. It was too messy.
Getting involved with this girl was messy on a whole other level.
But damned if he didn’t want her.
Emme stared at him, her eyes dazed, her lips swollen, her breath coming
fast.
He waited for her to slap him, berate him, tell him he was an asshole.
Instead, she touched a finger to her lips. Then stared up at him, her eyes
wide. Shit. Had he broken her?
“Double dare,” she whispered.
“What?” He gaped at her, dumbfounded.
“Double dare.”
 What the hell was she talking about? Then it hit him. She wanted more.
Christ. That had backfired on him. He’d been expecting her to be horrified by
his dominance. By his harshness. Instead, she was . . . turned on?
Fuck. Him.
Seemed like he was going to have to do all the work to put some chill on
this heat between them.
“We’re leaving for Millie and Spike’s place in half an hour. You need to
grab your stuff.”
“W-what?” She blinked at him.
As much as he hated doing this. He knew he had to. They needed space.
“It will be better for you to stay with them. It’s safer. I can’t take you to
the bar and you can’t stay here alone. We’re all going to Millie and Spike’s.
Sunny is going to call the Fox again. She called last night, and he told her
he’d call back at two today, but that he wanted you and I there.”
Her face started to close down. “You don’t want me here.”
“This has nothing to do with what I want. It’s what we need to do.”
She nodded, her face a mask. “Right. Okay. Guess I’ll pack my stuff up
then.”
As she walked away, he had to force himself not to take everything back.
His head told him to send her away. But his gut said that she needed to stay
with him.
17

Obviously, she was shit at kissing.

It was the whole tongue in the mouth part. She hadn’t been ready for that.
She’d frozen up, and that’s when he’d pulled away and started acting like a
cold douche. Up until then, things had been going great. Or so she’d thought.
She’d never thought she’d like to be dominated like that. But his hand around
her neck, one cupping her face, him taking the lead. Yeah, her panties had
been wet within seconds.
Then he’d pulled back.
As they drove up in front of the big, double-storied house with the wrap-
around porch, she wanted to cry.
The whole way out here, she’d managed to hold it together. But she felt
like an unwanted kid being dropped off at boarding school. Too much of a
nuisance at home, so she was being given away.
Damn, she hated feeling like this. Staring out at this house, with a
backpack that contained all her measly belongings, she almost wondered if
she was any better off than she had been before.
Suddenly, the door of the truck opened, and she stared in shock at Reyes.
When had he moved? Shit. She needed to get her head together.
He gave her a concerned look. “You okay, girl?”
She had to hide her grimace at him calling her girl. She knew why he was
doing it. To make it obvious that he didn’t want her in the way she did him.
She was too young. Too inexperienced. No doubt, his type was more like
Flora. Someone who screamed sex. Confidence.
“Yep. Totally. I’m fine.” She nodded woodenly, trying to get out. Only to
be slammed back into place by the belt.
Damn it.
Idiot.
He reached over to undo her belt.
“Don’t touch me,” she snapped.
He froze. Stepping back, he turned away.
Idiot. Idiot.
 It wasn’t that she didn’t want him to touch her. She wanted it too much.
But she knew that if he did that her nipples would turn into hard peaks. And
she didn’t need to add to her humiliation.
Not that he didn’t already know how much she wanted him.
Slowly, she undid her belt and climbed out, grabbing her bag. She wished
she could hold Bad Boy or Starry. She needed to feel less alone. Less
uncertain. But she had to pull on her big girl panties.
Not that she was wearing panties.
She really had to do some washing. She was wearing one of Reyes’
hoodies, her own tights that were getting rather grubby, her old bra and
nothing else.
Even though she’d showered, she felt gross.
Reyes kept several feet between them as they walked up the stairs. She
noticed that there were already several trucks, a gorgeously restored
Chevrolet corvette, and a motorbike parked outside. How many people were
here?
He rang the bell, and that’s when she heard several dogs barking. She
froze.
“Umm, Reyes,” she managed to whisper right before the front door was
opened by a large, scowling bald man.
Only it wasn’t the scary-looking man that held her frozen, but the dozen
feral mutts behind him.
Okay. Maybe there wasn’t a dozen. And maybe they weren’t feral. But
she wasn’t sticking around to find out.
She. Was. Gone.

One minute she was there.

The next, she’d disappeared.
Reyes stared at the empty spot beside him for a moment as Ink, Duke,
and Razor’s dogs yapped at him in excitement. They clambered to get close,
one of them jumping up on him to grab his attention.
“Down, Luna,” Razor commanded, walking up behind Spike, who had
opened the door. Luna dropped to four feet, her tail wagging enthusiastically,
waiting for him to pat her.
But he didn’t have time to spare for the dogs. Where had she gone?
“She’s behind you,” Razor said, dryly. He walked up to stand beside
Spike on the porch. They were both staring behind him.
 “You didn’t warn me that she didn’t like dogs.” Spike glared at him.
He swung around to find her standing on top of the hood of his truck. As
if realizing there was another human that might pat them, Hatter and Bandit
took off. Luna stayed by her owner, gazing up at Razor adoringly.
Bandit and Hatter, Ink and Duke’s dogs, stood in front of the truck,
barking up at Emme enthusiastically, their tails wagging in excitement.
Shit.
There had been dogs at her father’s compound. How was she afraid of
them? Or maybe the question was why. He didn’t like to think about the
answer to that question.
“Hatter, Bandit, down,” Spike called out warningly.
Both dogs obediently sat, their tails still wagging, tongues hanging out of
their mouths. But it wasn’t enough for Emme. He could see her trembling
from here.
“Emme, it’s okay.” He moved slowly towards her, not wanting to startle
her.
“Don’t get closer,” she warned him, her eyes wide as she stared down at
the two dogs in fear. He glanced behind him to find that Razor had
disappeared with Luna. Spike was walking calmly towards the dogs.
“The dogs aren’t going to hurt you,” he attempted to soothe her. Shit, the
last thing she probably wanted was his reassurance. But damned if he was
going to let someone else help her. Touch her.
He was so fucked.
“What’s going on?” Duke asked in a sharp voice, sending Hatter off
barking.
Emme screamed and dropped to a crouch on the top of his truck. She
tucked herself into a ball, her screams of fear nearly tearing him apart.
“Get the dogs out of here,” he snarled at Duke and Spike as he jumped
onto the hood of his truck. God knows how her short legs had managed to get
up here so easily.
“Shh, baby. Shh. You’re all right. Come on. You’re all right. Let me hold
you. You’re safe.”
She stayed where she was. He glanced over to find all the dogs had
disappeared. Duke and Spike stood close to the truck, while Razor was over
by the door. No doubt keeping the girls from coming out here. Probably a
good call. Right now, Emme didn’t need anyone else to contend with.
“Baby, I’m going to pick you up, all right?”
 No reply. Fuck.
He lifted her onto his lap, then realized it was going to be tricky to climb
off the truck with her in his arms.
“Hand her to me,” Duke commanded, holding out his arms.
Emme let out a cry and wrapped her arms around his neck. Reyes
tightened his arms around her in reflex.
“Yeah, not happening. She’s terrified enough as it is. Give us a minute.”
Duke stared at him, then sighed. Spike just nodded. “The dogs have been
put in the living room. We’ll all be in my office when you’re ready.”
“Thanks.”
He rubbed his hand up and down her back, waiting until the guys had left
to start rocking back and forth. He hummed a tune, hoping to soothe her.
Gradually, the tension in her eased and her hold around his neck loosened.
As that happened, he grew more aware of the fact that his body was
reacting to her closeness. Fuck, get yourself under control.
After that scare, the last thing she needed to feel was his hard-on pressed
against her.
“You feeling better?” he asked her.
“I just made a complete dick of myself, didn’t I?”
Reaching out, he tilted up her face. Still too pale. Eyes a bit wide. Pulse
too fast.
Poor baby.
“Nobody thinks that.” He ran a thumb over her cheek, loving the smooth
feel of her skin. “Wish you’d told me you were scared of dogs, though.”
“It never came up. And I wasn’t expecting . . . how many dogs do your
friends have?”
He sighed. “They weren’t Spike’s dogs.”
“Oh, that’s good, I guess. I don’t think I could stay here with a dog.”
“Yeah, that’s kind of a problem. Those dogs belonged to Duke, Ink, and
Razor. But Spike has a dog. Well, it’s Millie’s dog. Mr. Fluffy. He wasn’t out
here because he’s lazy and couldn’t care less who was at the door. He’s a
really gentle dog.”
She chewed at her thumbnail. Reaching up, he eased it away from her
mouth.
“Did you know that elephants are the only animals that can’t jump?”
“That so?” he said in a calm voice. He didn’t know why she blurted out
random facts about animals. Like everything else with Emme, it was slightly
odd and weirdly endearing.
And right now, he was just going with it.
“If I was scared of elephants, all I’d have to do is climb something.
Probably something higher than this truck, though. And I’m not a great
climber.”
“Could have fooled me, seems like you flew up here.”
A small smile crossed her face. He could tell it was an effort, though.
“I don’t think I can stay here with a dog,” she whispered. “Maybe if I stay
in my room. I could live on protein bars, I guess. But then I’ve also got to
pee. . .”
He sighed. “You’re not staying here.”
“Then where will I go?”
“Back home. With me.”
“But you don’t want me,” she whispered.
“If only that was the issue.”
18

If only that was the issue.

What did that mean? Did that mean he was attracted to her? But why pull
away like he had? Why did he act like that kiss had been about giving her a
lesson and had nothing to do with actually being attracted to her?
Damn it. She was not prepared for any of this. Maybe instead of watching
slasher movies and Animal Planet, she should have been watching things like
Gilmore Girls and Saved by the Bell.
Because she had no idea how to handle any of this. She didn’t understand
this hot-cold thing he had going on. Did he want her or not? If he did, then
why would he push her away?
How the heck was she going to figure this out? Wasn’t like she had
anyone to ask.
Emme followed him into a large office. Even though he’d promised that
the dogs were locked away, she still felt a bit out of sorts. So she was
following close enough that when he stopped, she crashed into the back of
him.
She probably would have fallen if someone didn’t grab her from behind.
She let out a frightened cry and Reyes turned suddenly, glaring at whoever
stood behind her, holding her upper arms.
The person let go of her quickly, and Reyes drew her to his side.
“What are you doing, Razor?” he snarled.
“Sorry, man.”
She stared up at an older, black-skinned man.
“Didn’t want the little bit to fall and hurt her ass. All for giving a woman
a sore bottom, but only when she deserves it.” He winked at her, his eyes
twinkling. He spoke with a southern accent which kind of distracted her.
Once his words registered, she glared at him. “Nobody is giving me a
sore ass, whether I deserve it or not.”
The other man grinned. “We’ll see.”
Oh. It was on. She folded her arms across her chest and leveled a stern
look at him. He threw his head back and laughed. “She’s got some fire in her.
I like her.”
“Well, like her from a distance,” Reyes grumbled.
Razor reached out and took hold of her hand. His grin widened as Reyes
growled.
“Hi, I’m Razor.”
“Emme.” She shook his hand.
“You can let go of her now,” Reyes told him, grabbing hold of her wrist
and tugging her hand back. What was going on with him?
“Sorry about the dogs scaring you before, they’re harmless,” Razor told
her.
“Umm, yeah, it doesn’t really matter if they’re harmless or not. I seem to
have a fear of all dogs, I’m afraid.”
Curiosity filled his face, and she turned away before he could ask her
anything else. Several people stared at her from around the room. She
recognized Sunny and Duke. Sunny waved at her with a smile from where
she was sitting on Duke’s lap in a big armchair.
She smiled back, grateful to see a friendly face. Her stomach was
churning with stress. Duke gave her a small nod.
On the sofa sat an elegant woman with white-blonde hair. Next to her was
a heavily tattooed man with slicked back hair. He had his arm around the
woman, who was dressed impeccably. They appeared completely
mismatched. Yet as the man turned his head, he glanced down at the woman
with a look of utter adoration. It made Emme’s heart melt slightly.
Behind them, leaning against the wall was a huge man with shoulder-
length hair. When he saw her looking, he gave her a small smile.
“Emme, this is Betsy and Ink.” Reyes gestured at the couple on the sofa.
The blonde woman smiled at her and the man did too, giving her a curious
look.
“Behind them is Jason.” He was the big man. “And this is Spike and
Millie.”
She turned and glanced past Reyes to where the big, bald man from
earlier sat behind a big desk. He stared back at her, no hint of a smile.
She suppressed a shiver. She was meant to stay with him? Yikes.
There was a curvy, beautiful woman sitting on his lap, and she jumped
up.
“Emme, hi!” she said cheerfully as she walked around the desk. She had
lush curves that were highlighted by the fifties style polka-dot dress she wore.
“I’m Millie. It’s so nice to meet you.”
Emme gasped in surprise as Millie reached out and drew her in for a hug.
Millie stepped back and Emme would have tumbled onto her ass if Reyes
hadn’t put a steadying arm around her.
Damn it. His touch seemed to burn through her clothes, heating her from
the inside out.
Don’t react. Don’t react.
She felt completely under the microscope and she just needed a minute to
breathe. Bad enough she’d had a freaking panic attack when confronted by
the dogs. She really didn’t need more stress. Was it possible to go gray at
twenty-two?
“Come. Take a seat. I’m sorry about what happened with the dogs scaring
you. Is it all dogs or just ones that bark? Mr. Fluffy is really placid. I
promise.”
“I . . . um . . .”
“No lying,” Reyes told her quietly. His arm was still around her. Why
was it still around her? She thought he didn’t want to touch her. Or wanted to
touch her too much.
See? Confusing as hell.
“It’s all dogs. I think. I’m not sure because I haven’t been around that
many dogs to know.”
“Then maybe you can try seeing if Mr. Fluffy scares you,” Millie said.
“He rarely barks. Or jumps.”
“Or does much of anything except sleep and eat,” Spike said dryly.
“That’s true,” Millie said. “He’s a little bit lazy,” she whispered, as
though the dog might hear her and take offense.
Emme had to bite the inside of her lip so she didn’t smile. There was just
something about Millie that set her at ease.
“Can I get you a drink?” Millie asked her.
And that knot in her stomach tightened again.
“Some water would be great, Millie,” Reyes replied after a long moment
where she couldn’t speak.
What was wrong with her?
Reyes led her over to another armchair. She stood next to it, feeling a bit
numb and out of it. Brain. Think.
Exhaustion flooded her. She thought she might close her eyes and just
sleep for a year. She could feel herself swaying as she stared down at the
chair.
“Sit, Emme,” Reyes commanded.
She sat. Right now, it just seemed easier to follow his orders. As soon as
she’d shored up her defenses again, she’d be ready to take back control.
Millie returned with a glass of water. She reached for it with a shaking
hand. Shoot. After effect of the panic attack.
The glass trembled in her hand and might have dropped if Reyes hadn’t
grabbed hold of her hand in his. He guided the glass to her mouth, holding it
there as she gulped some water down. She was thirstier than she thought.
How did Reyes know that when she didn’t?
She held his dark gaze as she drank. Something passed between them.
Something hot and consuming.
She pushed at his hand and he removed the glass, then put it down on the
coffee table. She became aware of the fact that everyone was staring at them.
Okay, this was embarrassing.
Reyes cleared his throat. “This room has been swept?”
Spike frowned but nodded. “Ink and I did the whole house. We’re good.”
Reyes nodded. Had he thought someone might be listening in? But who?
The Fox? Why would he when he was calling them?
“Everyone is up-to-date on what’s going on?” Reyes looked around the
room.
“I told them all of it,” Duke answered. “The Fox wanted to talk to the two
of you. He wouldn’t say anything to us.”
“He sounded a bit preoccupied,” Sunny added. “I hope he’s all right.”
“He’ll be fine, little rebel,” Duke soothed.
“All right, so we’re waiting for him to call us?” Razor asked.
Sunny nodded. “He said he’d call at around two.”
Reyes moved to stand beside Emme. She appreciated his presence more
than she could say. She wasn’t sure what was more nerve-wracking, waiting
for the Fox to call, sitting in a room with a bunch of strangers, or knowing
there was a pack of dogs a few feet away.
She shuddered.
“You okay, wildcat?” Reyes asked.
“Yes, just, dogs,” she whispered.
“Have you always been scared of dogs, Emme?” Millie asked with
concern.
“Ahh, no. Not always.” But she didn’t want to talk about the reason for
her fear of them. Just thinking about that . . . she swallowed heavily, feeling
ill.
“Easy. The dogs can’t get in here. And even if they did, they wouldn’t
hurt you. I promise.”
She glanced up at him and he met her gaze steadily. She knew he meant
every word.
He nodded, and she gave a nod back, trying to calm her tummy. Showing
that she had a vulnerability probably wasn’t a good idea. But everyone had
one.
“Even crocodiles have a vulnerable part,” she muttered.
“Pardon?” Millie asked kindly.
“Oh, crocodiles. If you’re attacked by one, you should go for their eyes.”
Millie blinked. And she realized how crazy she sounded.
“That’s really good advice,” Millie said slowly. “In fact, with most
animal and human attacks, going for the eyes is a good strategy, right?
Although personally, I usually carry around my gun, taser, and pepper spray.
Pepper spray is good to get in the eyes. Of humans, at least. Not sure about
crocodiles.”
Emme blinked at Millie in shock. Was she making fun of her?
Reyes gently squeezed her shoulder. “Millie really does carry all those
things in her bag. Although Spike is trying to get her to leave her gun at
home.”
“Yes, but last time I did that I was attacked in an alleyway and had to use
glitter to defend myself.”
Emme gaped at her. Glitter?
“That was kind of an accident,” Millie explained. “I was trying to find my
pepper spray at the time.”
“Let’s not talk about that, huh?” Spike grumbled.
“Makes him grouchy,” Millie mock-whispered with a wink.
Millie was fun. Quirky. She kind of thought they could be friends if they
ever got the chance to be.
“Come here, baby doll,” Spike commanded. His face was serious, but as
Millie moved around towards him, he was gentle when he lifted her onto his
lap. He whispered something to her and she giggled, blushing slightly.
That was cute.
A phone started ringing, and she froze. Time to talk to the Fox.
Sunny climbed off Duke’s lap, then knelt next to the coffee table. She
answered the call, then set it on speaker.
“Fox?”
“Sweet girl. How are you? That man of yours treating you right? Because
you know I’m only a call away and I know a hundred and eighteen ways to
kill a person.”
“Wow, I only know of a hundred and one,” she muttered.
“Hello, Emme,” the Fox drawled.
“Um, hello.”
“Fox, Duke treats me well and you know it,” Sunny scolded. “Stop
antagonizing him.”
“Now, sweet girl, my life is so dreary and serious, don’t take away all my
treats.”
Duke glared at the phone.
“Fox, is everything okay?” Sunny asked.
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Uh, when we talked last night you seemed a bit preoccupied and today
you seem rather, umm, antagonistic,” Sunny said carefully.
It still amazed Emme that Sunny was friends with an assassin.
“Sweet girl, you know me so well,” the Fox drawled. “We have a special
connection. It’s beautiful, really.”
“Fox,” Duke snapped as he glared at the phone.
“Fox,” Sunny warned, shooting Duke a look. “You know, one day you
might find a significant other and then you’ll understand how Duke is
feeling.”
“What makes you think I haven’t already?” the Fox said slyly.
“You have a girlfriend or boyfriend?” Sunny asked, clearly shocked.
“Maybe. They just don’t know it yet. Enough of that. I called for a
reason. Duke just keeps distracting me with his alpha male displays of
possessiveness. Bad Duke, bad.”
Oh, she totally got why Duke wanted to kill the Fox. Even if it was
slightly funny.
By now, Duke’s face was turning red. As though he was about to
explode. Sunny jumped to her feet and climbed onto his lap.
He wrapped his arms around her.
“Okay, Fox,” Sunny said. “We’re all here.”
“Ahh, good. First of all, Emme, I’d give my condolences on your father’s
death, but I feel more like I should offer congratulations.”
 Should she reply to that? Nobody gave her an indication either way.
Before she could make up her mind, Reyes spoke up. “Don’t you think
saying either of those things is a bit of an insult? Why did you take me with
you? Why did you want me to keep Emme with me? And why burn down the
house after you killed her father?”
Oh. Fuck.
19

“Reyes,” She whispered, tugging at his arm until he leaned down.

“What?”
“Don’t you remember that he knows a hundred and eighteen ways to kill
a man?”
“So?”
“So, I don’t think you should antagonize him.”
“Very good point, Emme,” the Fox said in a cool voice.
“Also, he has really good hearing,” she added rather lamely.
Reyes just shook his head and straightened, crossing his arms over his
chest.
“And it’s rude to assume that I killed her father.”
“Didn’t you?” Reyes asked.
“Actually, no. I was after information. Unfortunately, I didn’t find what I
wanted so him being dead is quite the inconvenience. Now, I won’t get the
chance to extract that information.”
Extract it? She swallowed. Did he mean he was going to torture it out of
him?
Holy. Shit.
“So if you didn’t kill him, then who did?” Reyes asked.
“I assume one of the mercenaries who turned up as we were leaving.”
“That’s why you rushed us out? There were mercs coming?” Reyes
asked.
“Yes. And as you were getting Emme away, I had to take several of them
out to keep the path clear. Then I snuck back to capture one for a bit of show
and tell. Unfortunately, he isn’t being very co-operative.”
Did that mean he was torturing him? She watched as Ink drew Betsy onto
his lap. She was looking rather pale. Emme didn’t blame her, this wasn’t the
nicest conversation.
“You think mercenaries were hired to kill him?” Reyes asked. “By who?”
“With all the things that Senior had his finger in, there could be a number
of factions wanting to silence him before he could come clean to the cops. I
miscalculated. I didn’t think he’d be taken out so quickly.”
“Why did you save Emme?” Duke asked. “How does she factor in?”
“Are you saying I had an ulterior motive? Other than saving her out of the
goodness of my heart?”
“Do you have a heart?” Reyes asked dryly.
She tensed, expecting the Fox to snap back. Instead, he laughed. “Maybe
I do, maybe I don’t. I saved her because she’s an innocent.”
“How do you know I am?” she asked.
Reyes shot her a quelling look. But she wanted to know.
“I always do my research,” the Fox said quietly.
“Then do you know why there’s no birth certificate anywhere for
Emme?” Ink asked.
“It’s interesting, isn’t it? She’s a ghost. No one knows anything about her.
Except for her father and brothers, who are dead. And now, all of you.”
There was something off about the way Fox said that. Did he mean . . .
“Are they in danger because of me?” she asked.
There was a pause. She swore she didn’t breathe for a whole minute.
“I would never put my sweet girl at risk. Although . . .”
“Although what?” Duke snapped, pulling Sunny closer against him.
“It might be best if you all stayed away from Emme because I’m not sure
she’s out of danger. If I found out about her, so could these mercenaries. And
whoever hired them. And they might want to know what she knows.”
“I don’t know anything,” Emme said quickly. “I rarely saw my father.”
“You might know more than you think you do,” the Fox said ominously.
“This sounds like something you should have already told us,” Duke
gritted out.
“Did I mention the part where I have been busy trying to figure out who
hired mercenaries to take out my mark?”
“Your mark?” Jason asked, surprising her. She hadn’t heard him talk yet.
“So you were hired to kill Senior?”
“Not exactly,” the Fox said slyly. “That’s a story for another day. Right
now, I think the best idea is to get Emme away from my sweet girl and
somewhere safe. I will set that up and get back to you soon.”
Set that up? What did that mean? That she was going to be at the mercy
of the Fox? What was to say he wouldn’t see her as a liability when he
discovered she knew nothing about her father’s dealings?
Panic had the room swirling around her. Reyes grasped hold of the back
of her neck, the same way he did earlier when kissing her.
And suddenly, with that touch, the panic receded. She didn’t know what it
was about him that made her feel so safe. It was scary and thrilling all at
once.
“No.”
It was all he said. Just one word. No.
“No?” the Fox drawled, sounding curious and deadly all at once. It was
quite a skill to manage that.
“No. You’re not taking care of her. I’ll do that.”
“Now, Reyes, just because I let you rescue her doesn’t mean you own
her. I found her first. Damn, I should have licked her, then my claim would
be secure.”
She frowned. “I’m not an ice cream to be licked.”
“Oh, ice creams aren’t the only things that get licked,” the Fox drawled.
What was he talking about?
“Fox!” Sunny snapped.
Fox sighed. “Sorry, sweet girl. Got carried away.”
“You didn’t let me rescue her. You forced me to come along with you
without telling me what we were doing or whose house we were breaking
into. You could have got me arrested or worse.”
“Come on. We all know you’ve done worse than a bit of B&E,” the Fox
replied.
He had?
Not your business, Emme.
Still. Her curiosity was aroused. Big time.
“That’s not up for conversation,” Reyes gritted out. “The point is that
Emme is under my protection now. You’re not taking her anywhere. I will
protect her.”
“I don’t want her near my sweet girl,” Fox countered. “She could put all
the girls in danger.”
“I’ll take care of Emme,” Reyes repeated.
“I’m going to need to talk to her at some stage,” Fox warned. “And you
will let me.”
She shivered. She wasn’t sure she wanted that conversation.
“You can talk to her. If you call first. And only if I’m allowed in the room
with her.”
“Fine. I’ll be in touch shortly. But fail to keep her safe and there will be
repercussions.”
Shit. She didn’t like the sound of that.
“Fox?” Sunny asked.
“Yes, sweet girl?”
“We have some information. About Senior. Maybe it’s what you’re
after.”
“Sunny,” Duke said warningly.
“Information? Where would you have gotten information from?” the Fox
asked.
“From Forrest’s computer,” Betsy said, ignoring the way Ink shook his
head at her.
Reyes stiffened, his hand around her neck tightening almost to the point
of pain. But it didn’t really hurt. It felt more like a mark of possession.
Damn it. She wanted to be owned by Jacob Reyes.
In all ways.
She didn’t even know all the ways. Wasn’t like she had much experience.
No experience. You have no experience, Emme.
Right. None. But she figured he had enough for the two of them, right?
“Is that so? I doubt there is anything you have that I don’t already know
about. I went over Forrest’s computer several times.”
“How did you do that?” Sunny asked.
“That, my sweet girl, is also a story for another day. Right now, I have to
get back to work. When I come to talk to Emme, bring the information. Well,
this was fun but I’m bored now. Bye.”
The phone went dead. Emme let out the breath she hadn’t known she was
holding.
“You shouldn’t have told him about that information, Sunny,” Duke
scolded.
“Why shouldn’t she?” Betsy asked. “We don’t need it. Senior is dead.
Whatever is on there could help the Fox.”
“And why would we want to help the Fox?” Spike asked. “He’s a fucking
assassin.”
“Who saved me,” Betsy said quietly.
“And me,” Sunny added.
“He sent me a bucket load of money which meant I could fix the leak in
Mr. and Mrs. Spain’s roof so they no longer had to go stay with Andry
anymore when it rained,” Millie said cheerfully. “Which is good, since Andry
likes to sleep naked and often sleepwalks. One night he found himself in Mr.
and Mrs. Spain’s bedroom. Mrs. Spain actually screamed loud enough to
wake Mr. Spain, who wasn’t wearing his hearing aids and was in a deep
sleep. And he sleeps with a knife under the pillow. If he was quicker with that
knife. . . well, Andry could have lost a very important appendage.”
They all stared at Millie.
Don’t ask. Don’t ask.
“He nearly chopped off his penis?” she asked. Whoops. That just came
out.
“What? No. Oh, I see how you came to that conclusion. No, no, his
finger. For some reason, he was pointing it at Mr. Spain and muttering
something about him being a dirty radish. English is his second language, so
we’re not really sure what he was trying to say.”
Emme just stared at her. Then a giggle worked its way up her chest. She
had no idea if Millie just made that up or if it had seriously happened. But
just imagining it happening was enough. She laughed until tears dripped
down her face. Sure, she was releasing some of the stress she’d been
carrying. But also, that was hilarious.
She noticed that she wasn’t alone. Sunny was laughing and Betsy was
smiling. Spike just shook his head. “You never told me he sleeps naked and
sleepwalks. He’s been in our house.”
“It would have been bad if he’d fallen down the steps, but Reverend Pat
slept in his room to keep an eye on him.”
Razor turned to Reyes. “What are you going to do? How will you keep
Emme safe? If whoever hired these mercs is after her and they somehow find
out she’s with you, then your apartment isn’t exactly defensible.”
“There’s no reason anyone would guess she’s with me,” Reyes said.
“Unless someone has spotted her with you,” Duke pointed out.
“That’s a big reach. She’s barely been anywhere, except for the bar. And
most of the people at Reaper’s are ours.” Reyes frowned.
“Yeah, but not all of them are loyal, are they?” Razor drawled. “Like our
friend, Worm. Heard he bought your girl here some drinks while you were
dealing with a brawl and then you made him piss himself when you
threatened him.”
“He didn’t piss himself,” he muttered as he shot his gaze to Duke.
“You’ve been busy.”
Duke shrugged. “They all need to know. We have to watch him.”
 “Oh, we won’t need to do that, since he’s out.”
She waited for a protest from the others, but they just nodded. They were
really kicking Worm out?
“Worm is actually a worm,” Sunny said to her. “He’s a slimeball. And
he’s been suspected of some nasty things, but never caught. He needs to go,
it’s not your fault.”
She sent the other woman a grateful look. And Reyes tightened his hand
around her neck. She hadn’t even realized his hand was still there. It felt so . .
. nice, right, perfect.
Oh, she was in trouble.
“You can’t keep taking her to the bar with you, though,” Ink pointed out.
“She was there one night and countless people saw her.”
“Fuck,” Reyes swore. “Fine. We need somewhere to go for a while.”
“Been a lot of problems at Reaper’s lately,” Spike added. “Can you really
afford to leave it?”
“Danny is capable of managing it. Jewel might be able to come back and
help. I left her a message earlier to call me.”
“I tried to go see her yesterday, but she wasn’t home,” Sunny said
worriedly. “I’m worried about her. First, she was ill and now she’s taking
time off? It’s not like her.”
Emme saw Jason frown. It was the only change in his facial expression
she’d seen since she’d walked into the room. Obviously, Jewel was someone
important to them all.
“I’d go with Emme, but I just hired Sav and I need to be around in case
his parole officer pops up,” Razor said.
“I could do it,” Jason offered.
“What about your job at the gym?” Razor asked.
Jason shrugged. “Owed some holiday time.”
Emme tensed, her stomach rolling. As nice as Jason seemed, she didn’t
want to go anywhere with him.
“No,” Reyes said. “I’m guarding Emme. Jason, can you handle Reaper’s
for me? With Danny’s help?”
Jason shrugged. “Sure thing.”
“Where are you going to take her?” Duke asked.
“I’m going to have to call in a favor,” Reyes replied.
20

“Whose cabin is this? A friend of yours?” Emme asked as she looked out
through the window of the truck.
Seemed like she was back to where she’d started. In the middle of
nowhere, under constant watch.
Although at least this time, she was under Reyes’ watch and not her
father’s guards.
“Not exactly,” he said as he parked. Thankfully, Ink and Betsy had gone
out and bought some clothes for her and Reyes, since they’d all agreed he
shouldn’t go back to his apartment. Betsy had asked her about her favorite
styles and colors, but she’d had no idea how to reply. She’d finally managed
to tell her that she liked yellow and blue.
But they hadn’t stopped for groceries. Was the cabin stocked? There was
an outside light on, but otherwise it looked empty.
“A guy I used to know hid here with his girl when this asshole was after
her.”
“Right. I understand.” Nope. She had no clue.
“Zeke was my foster brother. Long time ago now. Anyway, his girl,
Eden, got herself mixed up in some shit going on with this crime boss,
Bartolli. So the two of them hid here. This cabin belongs to an old friend of
Zeke’s. Apparently, Hayes doesn’t come here anymore since his wife died.
She loved it here.”
“That’s so sad.”
He grunted. “Anyway, Zeke said he stocked it with some food for us.
Said Eden sent stuff for you.”
“She did? That’s sweet.”
“Hmm, wouldn’t exactly call Eden sweet. Brave and rash, yep. Sweet,
well, maybe sometimes.”
There was admiration in his voice. Jealousy bubbled in her stomach and
she had to swallow it down. Eden was his friend’s girlfriend.
“It was still nice of her to send me things. I’m not sure how I’ll pay her
back.” Since she had no money. She already owed Betsy and Ink for the
clothes they’d bought her.
“You don’t have to pay her back, wildcat. She’d be insulted if you tried.
Eden doesn’t know all the details of what’s going on. Figured it was best not
to go into too much with Zeke. But she knows what it’s like to be in hiding.
And to feel helpless. When she was younger, she was in a car accident. She’s
now mostly confined to a wheelchair.”
“Oh no.”
“She has a lot of support. A good family. Zeke does now too. He deserves
that.”
And what about Reyes? Was he saying that he didn’t deserve that? But
before she could ask, he was out of the truck. Probably just as well. He likely
wouldn’t answer her, anyway.
Slowly, she climbed out, gasping in shock as he appeared in front of her.
He picked her up. “It’s dark. Don’t want you twisting your ankle.” He carried
her up the stairs onto the porch. That was nice. She didn’t point out that he
could easily trip. Nope, she liked being in his arms far too much to do
something stupid like that.
At the door, he set her down then punched in a code. She shivered in the
cool air. The door clicked open.
“Hayes has a lot of security. If anyone comes for us, we’ll know.”
As she followed him inside, she let out an appreciative groan at how
warm it was in here. Her father always kept the house cold. He didn’t see the
point in spending money warming rooms beyond the bare minimum. She
hated being cold.
“It’s so nice and warm.”
“Asked Zeke to turn on the heat.”
The cabin was surprisingly large, yet homey. She wandered through the
kitchen out to the living room with a gorgeous open fire. A hallway led off to
a number of rooms. She wasn’t sure whether she should go opening the
doors.
“Zeke said for us to use the first two rooms,” Reyes told her, coming up
behind her.
She had to resist the urge to lean back into him.
Reyes moved around her and opened the door on his right. She walked in
behind him. The room was pleasant. A large king bed with a wrought iron
headboard, dark bedspread. A door that led off to a bathroom and another
door she figured was a closet.
 “Your room must be across the hall,” he told her, walking back out.
She followed along slowly. Shoot, for some reason she really didn’t like
the idea of sleeping on her own. But how did she ask to stay with him? When
she walked into the bedroom, she immediately saw some shopping bags
sitting on the bed. Way more stuff than she’d thought there would be. The
bedspread in here was a deep rose color and there were floral curtains on the
windows.
“There’s a bathroom attached,” Reyes said. “Likely Eden sent bath shit. I
need to go take a shower. You hungry?”
She shook her head. They’d gone through a drive-through on their way
here, and Reyes had asked for a knife and fork for her. At least she’d
managed to eat with him in the truck, she’d simply moved into the back seat.
She hadn’t eaten much. But she also hadn’t vomited it back up. So progress.
“Okay, it’s late, so you should sleep. You need anything?”
Yep. For him to stay.
“Emme?”
She glanced over at him, noting how tired he looked. He didn’t need her
to be more of a nuisance than she was already being. “I’m good.”
He eyed her suspiciously. “I’m just across the hall if you need anything.
The alarm is set, but I’ll do a perimeter check before I go to sleep.”
“I’m not worried about security.”
He grunted. “Good. I’m gonna keep you safe.”
“I know. Reyes,” she called out as he walked towards the door.
He turned back with a scowl. “Yeah?”
She didn’t take offense at his snappy tone. “Thank you. For everything. I
know this is a pain, having to leave the bar and the Iron Shadows to come
here with me. And just, thank you.”
He grunted and left, shutting the door quietly behind him.

***

This was hopeless.

 She thrashed back and forth, before giving up and staring up at the
ceiling. She’d left the bathroom light on so it wasn’t completely black in
here. Sleep wasn’t ever something that had come easily to her. Normally,
she’d only fall asleep in the early hours of the morning, then sleep half the
day away. That had suited her while locked up in her father’s house because
it wasn’t like she had anything to get up for.
Even though it was now well after midnight and she was exhausted, she
still couldn’t sleep.
She huffed out a breath. She could sneak into bed with Reyes, but what if
she woke him up? He needed sleep. Maybe even more than she did.
With a sigh, she got out of bed. Betsy had gotten her new pajamas, but
she’d opted for her old rainbow ones. They made her feel more secure. Betsy
had bought her more clothes than Emme had ever owned in her life. And then
there was the stuff from Eden.
She worried about how she would ever repay them, and she didn’t care
what Reyes said she had to do something to pay them back. When this danger
was over, she’d need to find a job, a place to live . . . panic swirled in her
stomach and she took a deep breath.
One worry at a time.
Grabbing Starry and Bad Boy, she headed out to the living room. Her feet
were cold, and she thought about going back to get socks, but she didn’t want
to risk waking Reyes by going back and forth.
She turned on a floor lamp and grabbed the remote. Turning on the
television, she sat on the sofa and grabbed a blanket that lay on one arm,
placing it over herself. She tucked Starry and Bad Boy in on either side of her
while she searched for something to watch.
Her father had tried to throw both her blanket and toy away. She’d been
around seven at the time. It was one of her earliest memories. Just after . . .
the incident. She blocked that memory, just like she seemed to have blocked
all memories before the incident. Luckily, one of the kinder cooks had seen
what he’d done and stolen them back for her. That cook hadn’t lasted much
longer. She hated to think about what had happened to him. She didn’t think
her father’s employees just left and got new jobs.
After that day, she’d learned to hide them from her father and the staff.
She’d only bring them out at night, in the dark, to cuddle.
What she needed was ice cream. She’d avoided going into the kitchen on
her own. Eating was difficult at the best of times. But if the tub was brand
new. . .
She crept her way into the kitchen and opened the freezer door. Bingo!
Someone was watching over her. She searched through and picked out a tub
of cookies and cream. She’d never tried that. Ice cream was a rare treat.
The plastic wrap was still intact around the top. Grabbing a spoon, she
tiptoed back into the living room and ripped off the top.
Oh, this was delicious.
She was about twenty minutes into the film, when a gruff voice spoke up,
scaring her half to death.
“What are you watching?”
With a screech, the ice cream and spoon went flying from her hands. She
jumped off the sofa and turned, her hands ready in a karate chop. Because
everyone knew to be afraid of the karate chop, right?
Right.
But her feet got tangled up in the blanket and she would have fallen on
her ass if Reyes hadn’t jumped over the back of the sofa and grabbed her.
Whoa. Had he really just done that?
“How did you do that?” she gasped.
“Jesus, you could have fallen back and hit your head on the table and
knocked yourself out! What are you thinking, watching something like this?
It will give you nightmares.” He shook her lightly as he spoke.
She frowned at his scolding tone. “Well, you nearly gave me a heart
attack sneaking up on me like that.”
He scowled down at her. “I wouldn’t be able to sneak up on you if you
were aware of your surroundings. Or if you were in bed, sleeping like you
were supposed to be.”
“I couldn’t sleep because I’m in a new place, alone in a strange bed.”
“Well, I don’t think that watching a horror film is going to help you sleep
any better,” he countered.
“It might have, if some jackass hadn’t scared me half to death.”
He cupped her face between his hands. “You are so damn frustrating!”
“Yeah, try dealing with you!”
She knew she was blowing it all out of proportion. That she was tired and
worried and everything was so uncertain that it was stressing her out.
“You’re going back to bed, little girl. You’ve got dark circles under your
eyes and you look like shit.”
“You’re such a charmer.”
 “Not trying to be charming. And no more slasher films, hear me?”
“Anything else?” she asked sarcastically.
“If you needed me to sleep with you, then you should have just said so.”
“I don’t need you to sleep with me,” she told him. “I’m just not used to
going to bed so early.”
He scoffed at that. Yeah, she was totally lying.
Reaching out, he tilted up her chin. Her breath caught. Would he kiss her
again?
Then he stepped back, turning away. Disappointment bubbled in her
stomach. Was it because she was bad at kissing? But she just needed some
practice, right? Perhaps she needed to make a move rather than waiting for
him to do it. Hmm. This would require some research. She might need to
watch some romance movies or something, as she had no idea how to seduce
someone.
“What are you doing?” she asked suddenly as he turned off the television.
“Turning off that awful movie.”
“But I was watching it.”
“Not anymore.”
“Jacob Reyes, you can’t tell me what to watch.”
“Emmerson May, oh yes, I can. I’m going to put the ice cream away. So
grab the weird-looking toy and blanket and let’s go.”
“He’s not weird looking.” She snatched up Bad Boy and Starry and
followed him into the kitchen where he put the ice cream in the freezer then
walked into her bedroom.
“Get in.”
He got into bed. He didn’t reach for her. Didn’t say anything. She rolled
onto her side, hugging Bad Boy close. Maybe she should put her toy and
blanket somewhere. It wasn’t normal to sleep with toys at her age.
Rolling, she placed them on her bedside table. It wasn’t easy, and she
wanted to immediately snatch them up again.
“What are you doing?”
“Um, nothing. Just putting some things away.”
“Don’t be silly. I already know you sleep with them. Get them back.”
She didn’t reply, but she did grab them back. It was almost painful to
think about sleeping apart from them. As she reached over, she kicked back,
getting him in the leg.
He let out an oomph.
 “Sorry! Did I hurt you?” She rolled over, watching him worriedly. Would
he leave now?
“Your feet are like icicles! Where are your socks?”
“I don’t usually sleep with socks on.”
“You need to, your feet are freezing. Where are the ones Betsy got for
you?”
“I don’t really like those ones.” She seemed to have a weird thing for his
socks.
Mumbling under his breath, he climbed out and returned a minute later
with a pair of his socks. They were brand new, still in their packet. But when
he drew back the blankets and put them on himself, she didn’t care about
that. He lay down again, pulling the blankets over them.
“Reyes?”
“Go to sleep,” he demanded.
“Yes, but Reyes?”
“What is it?”
“Thank you.”
“Sleep, baby.”
Amazingly, she did.
21

Safety.
Happiness.
She sighed and stretched. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d
woken up feeling so warm and secure. Why was this morning so different?
Normally, she woke up grouchy. It took her at least an hour to feel human.
Not this morning. She felt energized.
Then she froze as she realized there was a heavy arm around her waist
and a hard body pressed up against her back. And something very firm and
long pressed against her ass.
She knew what that was. She just hadn’t realized that men his age still got
morning hard-ons. Interesting.
Carefully, she rolled over. He slid onto his back, one arm bent above his
head. The sheet slid halfway down his chest.
Damn, he was ripped. When did he find time to go to the gym? There was
ink all the way across his chest and down both arms to the tips of his fingers.
It also went up one side of his neck. It was so detailed that she knew she’d
need hours to study what looked almost like a coat of arms. There were wings
at the bottom, with roses just above it. Then something was written in
cursive.
Nunquam Iterum
She wondered what that meant. Funny, she’d never thought of tattoos as
sexy. But damn, her entire body buzzed as she took him in.
Another tattoo started lower down his stomach. She could just see the
start of it. Maybe if she moved the sheet? Just to peek at the tattoo, of course.
Not at anything else.
She glanced up at his face, then sliding up onto one elbow, she lifted the
sheet.
He was wearing boxers.
That was a big disappointment.
She lowered the sheet, not wanting to be caught staring at his junk. She
raised her head, taking in his chest. What would happen if she decided to
trace the pattern with her finger and followed up with her tongue?
Hmm, odds were good he’d wake up, and it probably wasn’t cool to lick
someone’s tattoo while they were asleep.
Too bad, really.
She sat up carefully, her bladder protesting. Damn, she really didn’t want
to get up. She wanted to go back to snuggling against that monster . . . umm .
. . tattoo. Yep, that was it, she wanted to snuggle his tattooed chest. Nothing
else. Nope.
Would he really wake up if she lifted his boxers slightly?
You’re being a creeper, Emme.
She got out of bed before she was tempted to do anything disastrous.
After peeing, her grumbling tummy led her to the kitchen.
Nerves made her feel ill. But she wanted to try and make Reyes pancakes.
She’d seen a cooking show once where they’d put chocolate chips in the
pancakes. So she knew the basics. Also, she needed to ask Reyes for help
setting the tablet that Eden bought her up to the Wi-Fi. She’d used a laptop
for her schoolwork, but she’d never been given free access to the internet
before.
Opening the pantry, she had to pause for a moment.
You can do this.
No one tampered with the food. You’re fine.
With a hand that shook, she started searching through the pantry. Ahh,
there was flour. She pulled it out. Now, what else did they put in it? An egg?
Maybe sugar. Everything was better with sugar. And oh, chocolate chips.
Awesome.
She shut the pantry doors once she had everything and mixed up three
cups of flour, one egg, three handfuls of chocolate chips, and a cup of sugar.
It came out really thick. That didn’t seem right. Maybe some water as well?
She poured water in. It was kind of lumpy now, but oh, well. She was sure it
would work out.
Pulling out a frying pan, she stared at the gas cooker with some
confusion. She turned the knobs. This really wasn’t right. Sighing with
frustration, she pushed and turned.
Ooh, okay, that flame was a little scary, but she had guessed right.
She poured out the batter, but the liquid part kind of it went everywhere
and the lumps didn’t shift. It didn’t look right at all. She turned away to look
in the pantry. Maybe she was missing something.
 Staring at the pantry, she attempted to calm the nausea bubbling in her
tummy. What she needed was a cookbook. She’d noticed a few books in the
living room. She’d go see if one was a cookbook.

***

The screaming of an alarm had him jumping out of bed. He grabbed a gun
from the bedside drawer where he’d stuck it last night. He switched off the
safety.
“Emme!” he roared as he raced through the house. Smoke reached him as
he entered the kitchen. And there he saw her, standing on top of a stool,
jabbing at the smoke alarm with the end of a broom.
He quickly took note of the smoking pan that had been dumped in the
sink. Putting the safety back on the gun, he swooped one arm around her and
lifted her down from the stool. He carried her into the living room.
“Stay here.”
She stared at him with wide eyes, then down to where he held the gun.
“Thought it was a different alarm.”
She put hands over her ears. “I’m so sorry.”
He raced back into the kitchen, putting the gun on the counter. Reaching
up, he unscrewed the smoke alarm. Then checked that the stove was off. It
was. But the pan was a mess. He ran the tap over it. He’d put it out in the
trash once it had cooled down. Moving around the room, he started opening
windows and doors. Emme appeared in the doorway.
“Is there something I can do?”
“Go sit in the living room.” He cursed himself as her shoulders rounded
and her head dropped.
Fuck, he wasn’t angry at her.
No, he was upset with himself. He’d been sleeping while she’d nearly
burned the house down. She could have burned herself. Or fallen off the stool
and hurt herself. Cracked her head.
His stomach tightened with each thought.
 Some protector he was.
And now, he’d just hurt her feelings by acting like a grouchy bastard.
After opening everything to let a breeze come through, he assessed the
damage in the kitchen. It wasn’t too bad. If they aired out everything, it
should all be fine. He glanced down at the mixing bowl, seeing ingredients
scattered about. What had she been making?
Placing the gun away, he walked back into the living room. To find her
missing.
Okay, they needed to have a chat about her staying where he put her.
“Emme! Emme?” He stomped towards her bedroom.
Nope. Not in there, either. He turned back to the living room then out to
the porch where he saw a flash of movement.
God damn it, she better have put some fucking clothes on first. He
stepped out to find that she’d pulled on one of his hoodies. It was like a dress
on her, but that still left most of her legs uncovered.
At least her feet were covered. In his socks. Shit. He nearly groaned. Why
was it such a turn-on to see her wearing his clothes?
She shivered.
“You shouldn’t be out here without pants on,” he grumbled.
“I’m wearing pants.” She glanced down at her legs. “They’re just short.”
“I told you to wait in the living room.”
“I needed some fresh air.”
He narrowed his gaze, taking her in. “Why? Are you having problems
breathing? Do your lungs hurt? Did you burn yourself?”
“No. No.”
“Show me your hands and arms.”
She pulled her hand from her pocket and he dragged the arms of the
sweatshirt up so he could inspect her properly. No burns. “Fuck it, you could
have damaged your lungs. Come on, I’m taking you into town to get checked
out.” He grabbed hold of her hand, tugging her towards the door.
Her eyes widened, and she dug her heels in. Like that would stop him.
She was at least a hundred pounds lighter than he was. “What? No, I’m fine. I
didn’t inhale any smoke.”
He shot her a look.
“Much smoke. I’m fine. I just needed to clear my head. I almost burned
the house down. I’m so sorry.”
“You didn’t nearly burn the house down. It was a small pan fire.”
 “Still, I’m really sorry. I don’t know why I thought I could make
pancakes. I’m so stupid sometimes.”
“What did you just say?” He tilted her head up. Her guilt-ridden eyes met
his. “You are not stupid. You made a mistake. So what? Everyone makes
them. Nobody died. There’s no damage except to the pan. You need to go
easier on yourself, girl.”
She scrunched her nose, giving him a murderous glance. Yeah, he’d
noted her reaction to him calling her girl. And he’d deliberately used it now
to rile her temper.
He didn’t like seeing her down. Her father had done a fucking number on
her self-esteem.
He also needed to remind himself that she was a kid in comparison to
him. There might not be a huge age gap, but there was an enormous gap in
experience.
“But next time I tell you to stay somewhere, I expect to find you there,
understand me? You also shouldn’t get out of bed without waking me up.
Can’t believe you managed to sneak out this morning without me realizing.”
She narrowed her gaze at him. Oh, all hint of dejection was gone. She
was now trembling with temper.
“You’re such an ass sometimes.”
He led her inside. “You’ve got that wrong.”
“No, I haven’t.”
He shut the door behind them, then led her to the sofa. “Yeah, you have.
I’m an ass all the time. Now, sit down.” She sat, and he wrapped the blanket
around her legs. “Stay there. You need to warm up. I’ll get you a hot
chocolate.”
Reyes stood.
“An ass all the time, huh?” she muttered.
He decided not to reply to that. He knew what he was.

***
After making some more breakfast, he settled Emme in front of the television
then set himself up to work at the dining table. He’d just pulled out his laptop
when his phone buzzed.
Jewel: Sorry I missed your call. I’m fine. A friend needed help, so I’ve
gone out of town for a while.
What the fuck?
Reyes: What friend? Since when do you have friends?
Jewel: Nice, asshole. I have friends. You don’t know everything about me.
Okay, calm. He wasn’t going to get anywhere by pissing her off. That
would just drive her away. She could be stubborn as hell, and she liked to
hold a grudge.
Reyes: Sorry. Just worried about you.
Jewel: Don’t be. Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. But I’m okay. Don’t
worry about me. Sunny told me a bit about what’s going on. You have your
own problems. Sorry I can’t help at Reaper’s.
Reyes: No matter what’s going on, I always have time for you.
She didn’t reply for the longest time.
Jewel: I know. I just needed a break from the city for a while.
He still didn’t like this. Maybe he should have Brody track her down. But
if she really was just having a break with a friend and she found out what
he’d done . . . yep, she’d never talk to him again.
Reyes: I get it. But I want you to check in every day.
Jewel: Seriously?
Reyes: Yes. Please. For me.
Jewel: Fine.
Unfortunately, her agreement didn’t make him feel a lot better.
22

The sound of glass smashing had her racing into the dining room where
Reyes had been working on his laptop.
He was standing, his chest heaving as he leaned his hands on the tabletop.
Shards of glass lay on the floor. When he saw her, he raised his hand. “Stay
where you are. Don’t move.”
She froze. What was going on?
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Stay there, I just knocked over a glass.”
He’d knocked it or thrown it? They’d been here a couple of days now,
and she knew he was frustrated with something. She’d thought it was just the
situation with her father and the Fox, but maybe there was something else?
He walked into the kitchen to grab a broom, then started sweeping up the
glass.
“Can I get you something else to drink?” she asked.
“I’m fine.”
“Have you heard from the Fox?”
“No.”
“Anything else I can help with?”
“Nope.”
“Don’t chew my ear off, I can hardly get a word in, it’s embarrassing how
much you talk,” she muttered.
Reyes glanced up, his dark gaze pinning her in place. Whoops.
“Probably shouldn’t have said that out loud, Emme,” she said to herself.
She took a step back. “Back away, slowly.”
He rolled his eyes at her. Then pinched the bridge of his nose. “You
okay? You need something to eat?”
“No. I’m fine. Go back to your work.” He’d cleaned up all the glass by
now.
“Come here.”
“Oh no, I have too much to do. There’s a program on short-nosed fruit
bats coming up I’ve wanted to watch. Do you know that they engage in oral
sex?”
Wait. What did she just say? Oh, holy crap.
“And I can’t believe I just said that.”
“Emme, come sit here. Actually, wait. I might have missed some glass.”
He moved his stuff down to the other end of the table, then pointed at a chair.
With a sigh, knowing he wouldn’t give this up since he was the most
stubborn bastard ever, she slid into a chair next to him.
He studied her for a moment. Then he looked back at his computer and
she thought that he wasn’t going to say anything else.
“I think someone is stealing money from the bar,” he said suddenly.
“What? Really? Who would be dumb enough to steal from you? Idiot
must have a death wish.”
His lips twitched. “For a while now, I’ve been having problems. While
ago I thought I had a mole who was feeding information to a guy called
Bartolli. But after he died, I thought maybe I was mistaken. But now, there
have been other things. An overdose in the bathroom a few weeks ago. A
brawl breaking out with members of the Blood Sinners gang. One incident
wouldn’t concern me, but all of them together . . . it makes me suspicious.”
“That does sound like a lot.”
“Hmm, to top it all off, the bar’s finances are plummeting and I can’t
figure out why. We seem to be busier than ever.”
“You think someone is stealing from you?”
He nodded.
“But if there was a mole, would he risk exposing himself by doing
something like stealing or selling drugs?”
“I don’t know. Maybe if they wanted to create headaches for me.”
He certainly looked like he had one.
“Want a massage?” she offered.
He raised his eyebrows.
“I mean, I don’t know if I’m any good at them. I’ve never given one
before. But I can try.”
“No. I mean, that’s okay. Thanks.”
“Oh.” Her shoulders deflated. “I wish I could help. But I don’t know what
I could do.”
“That’s okay, I’ll figure it out.”
Great. Now she felt even more useless than before. “Eden left me a tablet,
but I don’t know how to set it up to the Wi-Fi. Could you help me?”
 “She left you a tablet? Seriously?”
She nodded.
“You used one before?”
“Yeah, I had a computer for school work, but I was only able to use it
under my tutor’s supervision. Guess my father was worried I’d sent out an
SOS or something,” she half-joked.
“Go get the tablet. I’ll set it up for you.”
“Thanks.”

***

Emme shut down the tablet.

God, she was bored. She wasn’t sure why. She’d spent years having to
entertain herself. Being on her own, with just Bad Boy, Starry, Suzy, and the
TV to keep her company.
Not that Suzy had been around much lately. Traitor.
After the pancake disaster, she now wasn’t allowed in the kitchen without
supervision. Not that she had any urge to cook again. And thanks to getting
distracted when filling the bath last night, she was banned from that too. At
least the flood hadn’t done any damage.
Honestly, she felt nearly as restricted as she had when she’d lived in her
father’s house.
That’s not fair. These are extenuating circumstances.
Living at her father’s house, she’d always been hyper-vigilant, always
aware. Here, though, she was more relaxed.
Because she knew Reyes would keep her safe.
But today, she was determined not to create any more problems. Reyes
was starting to look a bit, umm, stressed.
Reyes wasn’t any closer to working out who was creating issues at the
bar, and his phone kept ringing with members of the Iron Shadows wanting
something from him.
She hadn’t realized how much work it would be to be president of an MC
club.
The news was filled with her father’s death, but the coroner hadn’t
released his preliminary findings yet, so they still had no idea what he’d died
from. They’d discovered that no one had survived the fire, which she didn’t
understand. Had the mercenaries killed them all? Her stomach bubbled with
nausea. She needed a distraction.
You should go exploring.
She looked over with a start and saw Suzy standing there, dressed in her
usual blue dress with her blonde hair in pigtails.
“Suzy, I thought you’d left me.”
You don’t need me as much with Reyes around. You’re happier now.
She frowned, not sure how she felt about that. But it was probably
healthier that she didn’t need her as much.
Come on.
Maybe she should do some exploring. She hadn’t looked in any of the
rooms in the rest of the cabin. She walked down the passage to a different
door. Opening it, she came to a stop. Confusion filled her. Then sadness.
Reyes hadn’t said that Hayes had a child. He’d said his wife died, right?
That was so sad, especially for the child. But this room was different. She
looked around, trying to put her finger on it.
It was a bedroom for a princess. The bed in one corner had a white
bedspread with fairies on it and a lacy white canopy over it. Emme wasn’t
really girly, but even she thought that was super cute.
The headboard was wrought-iron and spray-painted white. A large, round
pink rug was on the floor. In the opposite corner was a white crib.
Except, it was the largest crib she’d ever seen. She could sleep in it and
have plenty of room. That was . . . odd.
There were toys and a desk and books. But she bypassed all of that to
check out what was in the doors.
“Wonder what’s in here,” she muttered. She couldn’t help but look in the
closet and what she saw there made her heart race.
Jackpot.
 ***

Fuck.
This whole mess was going to blow up in his face. He could just feel it
coming. Only he didn’t know when.
“Reyes?”
“Yeah?” he barked out. He didn’t look up. He didn’t need to feel guilty at
burying himself in work in order to avoid being around her.
It was bad enough he had to sleep with her at night. This morning, he’d
woken up to find her tucked up in his arms, his hand possessively sprawled
on her ass. He needed to figure out a way to get her to sleep on her own.
It would have been all too easy just to push down her short pajama
bottoms and panties and slide his dick into her pussy. Ignoring her was
becoming almost impossible. She was everywhere. If he wasn’t tripping over
her shoes or trying to find a hoodie to wear only to find she’d stolen them all,
then she was nearly starting a fire or a flood or walking around in those
ridiculous sleep shorts.
Who wore sleep shorts when it was winter? Apparently, she did.
You’re the idiot who keeps the heat turned up so high that you’re
sweating.
Yeah, well, he didn’t want her to get cold.
Fuck it. The Fox better hurry up and figure out if those mercs were a
danger to Emme because he wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep his
hands off her. And for someone who prided himself on his control, that really
pissed him off.
“Reyes?”
“Yeah?” he snapped back.
“I’m going out onto the porch, all right?”
“What? Why?” he asked, looking up at her finally. She was dressed in a
jacket, and, hallelujah, pants. She even had a hat on her head.
“I just need some fresh air. And see, I have enough clothes on to survive a
blizzard.”
He grumbled under his breath. Smart-mouthed brat. Secretly, he liked it.
Most women gave him whatever he demanded. All they wanted was to be in
his bed or to be on the back of his bike. But he’d never had an interest in
making any of them his.
But this girl . . . fuck, she had him wanting to lock her up in a room and
not let her leave until she agreed to be his, until she wore the mark of his
possession, until she promised to stay where the fuck he put her.
“So we’re good?” she asked.
“You’re not to go near the lake,” he ordered.
She rolled her eyes. His hand itched to land on her ass. And his cock was
throbbing.
“I’m not a child.”
He grunted. No, she wasn’t. She was all woman. But he could see her as a
Little. Which was just another temptation he didn’t need.
“Can you swim?”
“No. You know I can’t.” They’d had this conversation almost as soon as
they arrived. “But I’m not going swimming. It’s freezing out there.”
“If you accidentally fell in, you could either drown or catch pneumonia
and die.”
“You have an obsession with me dying. It’s weirding me out.”
He just gave her a look. “No leaving the porch. Five minutes.”
She huffed out a breath. “Thirty minutes and I promise I won’t leave the
porch.”
“Five minutes or I’m coming to find you.”
“Urgh, so impossible.”
She stomped away. He shook his head and stood, about to go after her.
He’d watch her while she was out getting some air.
But his phone ringing made him pause. He grimaced as he saw the name
of the person calling him.
“Zeke,” he greeted the other person. “What do you want?”
“I have to want something?” Zeke asked, sounding amused. “I can’t just
call for a chat?”
“Chat? Since when do we fucking chat?”
“Good point. I was calling to see how everything was going and if you
needed anything.”
“Everything is fine. No, we don’t need anything.”
There was silence on the other side. “That’s it?”
Hmm. “Tell Eden thanks for the stuff she sent here for Emme. She likes
it.”
Zeke sighed. “You do know that you can ask me for help, right? I’m not
going to ask for your firstborn in return or anything.”
Reyes closed his eyes. “There’s nothing you can do to help, and you’re
better off out of it. Don’t want to bring any trouble to your doorstep.”
“Right. You do remember where I live, right? Who I work for? If anyone
can help, it’s JSI.”
Reyes clenched his teeth together. Asking for help wasn’t his forte. Not
even close. He sighed, but he likely owed Zeke some sort of explanation. All
he’d really told him is that he needed a safe place to keep Emme.
“You see that Jonathan Robins Senior died?” Reyes asked him.
“The senator’s old man, yeah. In a house fire, right?”
“The coroner hasn’t made a ruling yet, but yeah. Well, he was Emme’s
father. He was keeping her prisoner in his house and we don’t know why.
Looks like mercenaries were hired to take him out, and we’re not sure
whether they were after Emme too.”
He couldn’t mention the Fox, and he didn’t want to talk about the fact
that he’d basically kidnap Emme.
“You sure there’s nothing we can do? Look into the old man’s
background to see who might have wanted him killed?”
“Got people looking into him, and Emme’s background since no one
knows anything about her. Thing is, less people that know about this, the
better.”
“Got it,” Zeke replied. “But I know a lot of people and if you need help . .
.”
“I’ll ask.” Something occurred to him. “Actually, there is something I
need.”
When he described what he wanted, there was silence on the other end.
Then Zeke cleared his throat. “Sure, I can get that and send it out to you.”
“It’s to keep her safe,” he insisted.
“Uh-huh, sure.”
Before he could reply, there was a strange thumping noise then a loud cry
that made his heart race.
“Gotta go!”
He dropped his phone and raced through the living room and out onto the
porch. Where was she? What had happened? Had they found her? Hurt her?
Fuck! Why hadn’t he been keeping a closer eye on her?
Then he spotted her bright yellow jacket down the other end of the porch.
She was on her bottom, holding her right hand cradled against her chest . . .
and were those roller skates on her feet?
Holy. Hell. He was going to kill her.
 Soon as he made sure she was all right.
“What happened? Where are you hurt?” he demanded, sliding to his
knees in front of her.
Shock filled him as tears dripped down her cheeks. Fuck! When had he
seen her cry? She didn’t cry. His girl was tough. She held up her hand, and he
immediately saw that her pinky and ring finger were swollen and red.
“Oh, baby.”
“I got an owie.” She sniffled. “I thought roller-skating would be easy. I
watched some videos online, and they made it look so simple. And I was fine
while I was holding onto the handrail. But then I let go and started to fall and
my fingers bent when I did and now, they’re so sore.”
“You’re all right now. What about anywhere else? Anything else hurt?”
“My knees.” She sniffled. “I think I scraped them. They’re burning.”
“Come on, let’s get you inside and have a look at the damage.” He lifted
her up into his arms and carried her inside, setting her down on the sofa.
“Stay there,” he ordered.
“Okie-dokie.”
He paused for a moment at her response, then shook it off. He returned
with a first aid kit and an ice pack for her hand. Gently, he placed the ice
pack on her hand before undoing her skates.
She scowled down at them as he slid them off her feet. “I think they’re
broken. They just moved around on their own!”
“Right. Or maybe you shouldn’t have been trying to roller skate in the
first place since I’m guessing you have no experience.”
“You don’t have to be all logical.”
He helped her off with the jacket and the hat then placed his hands on the
back of the sofa, caging her in. “Maybe instead of worrying about the roller
skates, you should start worrying about the fact that you lied to me.”
“What? I never lied to you.”
“You didn’t tell me the full truth, though, did you? You said you were
going out onto the porch for some fresh air.”
“Well, I was.”
“You’re just digging a deeper hole, little girl. And all that’s going to get
you is a red fucking ass.”

Shoot.
Had he really just said that? She gulped, barely paying attention as he
tried to tug her skin-tight jeans up her calves.
“These have to come off,” he told her gruffly. “Stand up.”
“What? No!”
Okay, so she’d spent plenty of time dreaming about him taking off her
clothes. But in none of those dreams had he just threatened to spank her.
Suddenly, keeping her pants on had become a necessity.
“Emme, I can’t look at your knees with these on.”
“You just want to take them off so you can spank me,” she blurted out.
He snorted. “I don’t need to take your jeans off to spank you.”
“I don’t want you to spank me.” Jeez, way to just blurt out everything,
Emme.
“Don’t you?” He gave her a serious look.
Holy hell. How did he know? She groaned. “I said something in my
sleep, didn’t I? Holy crap. Is that how you found out?”
“Nope.”
“Nope? Then how do you know?”
“Because you just told me.”
“You asshole!” She tried to shove him away, but it was like trying to
move a brick wall. He didn’t move an inch.
She couldn’t believe she’d let him trick her into revealing that. She was
so angry. And embarrassed. Now not only did he know that she had spanking
fantasies, he knew she had fantasies about him.
Emme attempted to get up, but he placed a hand on her chest.
“Get away from me.”
“Nope, can’t do that.”
“Why? Want to humiliate me again?”
He cocked an eyebrow. Christ, she really had to learn how to do that.
Maybe then she’d be all sophisticated and worldly looking. Instead of
ridiculous and naive.
“Humiliate you? You think I’m trying to humiliate you?”
She glanced away. “Now you know that I want you to . . . that I think
about you . . .”
“Christ, wildcat. You think I’m not fucking hard every second I’m around
you?”
“What?”
“Sleeping with you is torture. Can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve
fantasized about bending you over the nearest piece of furniture and taking
you.”
“Then why haven’t you?”
“Because you deserve a hell of a lot better than me.”
“Says who? And I happen to think I’d be damn lucky to have you for my
first time, you’re a good man, Jacob Reyes.”
He snorted. “And that just shows how little you know me. Now, take your
pants off and let’s check your knees.”
Something every girl wanted to hear.
But they carefully pulled off her jeans. She hissed as she saw her skinned
knees, tears dripping down her face at the pain as they throbbed mercilessly.
“Owie.”
He shook his head. “Doesn’t look good.”
“It doesn’t?” Was it worse than it felt? What did he mean by that? She
gazed down at her knees. Thankfully, her T-shirt came down past the tops of
her thighs, hiding her panties. They were plain cotton, not sexy at all. Still, as
she sat, he reached up to grab the blanket and tucked it around her hips. To
cover her up or keep her warm, she wasn’t sure. “What’s wrong?”
“Well, in my professional opinion, I think we need to chop your legs off.
Right here.” He placed a light chop just above her knees.
Wait. He was teasing her? Her mouth dropped open as he grinned at her.
“You rat! I thought something was seriously wrong! Why would you
scare me like that?”
“Got you to stop crying, didn’t it?”
“Yeah, by scaring me half to death. You could have given me a hug and
told me there-there or something.”
“Why would I say there-there?”
“I don’t know! It seems like the thing you should do! Not tell me you’re
going to chop off my legs.”
He just shook his head. “Your knees are fine.” He started cleaning them
up. She felt obliged to hiss and complain, although it didn’t really hurt that
much. “Your fingers, on the other hand, are likely sprained. Not much to do
but wrap them.”
He grabbed some band-aids out of the first aid kit to put on her knees.
Some plain band-aids.
“I don’t want those.”
“Sorry?”
She pointed to some other band-aids she’d spotted. They had laughing
emojis on them. If she had to have band-aids on her knees, she was going to
have cute ones. She waited for him to make fun of her, but he didn’t say a
word as he put them on her knees.
Then he gently wrapped her fingers.
“Right,” he said after he’d packed up the first-aid kit. “Want to tell me
where you got those roller skates from?”
She bit her lower lip. “From the little girl’s room. Do you think Hayes
will mind me borrowing his daughter’s roller skates? It’s weird that they fit
me considering I think she’s really young. There’s still a crib in her room. Do
you want to see?”
“I’ve seen it. I do checks through the cabin regularly.”
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
“That room isn’t for a little girl. At least not one who is young in actual
years.”
“What does that mean?”
23

Instead of answering her question, he just stood and held out his hand. He
helped her up, then grabbed the roller skates. She followed him to her
bedroom, blushing as he walked into the mess.
“Umm, I’ve been meaning to clean this up,” she told him.
He shot her a look like he didn’t believe a word of what she’d just said.
Yeah, she didn’t believe it either. She had to face it. She was a slob. She’d
never owned enough clothes or things for her to actually make a mess. And if
she had made any mess, someone else cleaned it up.
So yeah, perhaps tidying up wasn’t her forte.
Reyes winced slightly as he stepped around clothes. It wasn’t that bad.
And he was kind of a neat freak. It couldn’t be normal for men to fold their
boxers, right?
“How is your bed such a mess when you sleep in mine?”
Ooh, that sent a shiver through her body. She wished they were doing
more than sleeping, though.
She shrugged. She wasn’t about to tell him that she liked to bounce on it.
Probably wasn’t a good idea on someone else’s bed. But it was just so
springy. She liked to pretend it was a trampoline.
He set down the roller skates, then grabbed a clean pair of sweatpants
from the drawers. “We need to do some laundry for you.”
“Oh yep, been meaning to do some.”
Nope. Not at all. She was so full of shit. And the look he sent her said he
knew that.
“Do you know how to do laundry?”
“Can’t be that hard. I have internet access now. I can Google it. Google is
my friend.”
He just shook his head and then crouched in front of her, holding out the
pants.
“Umm, I definitely know that I can put pants on myself. Been doing it for
a while now.”
He glanced up at her, those dark eyes holding her immobile. “Emme, hold
onto my shoulders and then step into the pants.”
Sir, yes, Sir.
She wasn’t stupid enough to say that out loud. But oh boy, how was this
so damn sexy?
After she was dressed, he stood and picked up the roller skates. He
walked out of the room and she followed silently as they walked into the
bedroom with the crib.
“Whose room is this if Hayes doesn’t have a daughter?”
“It was for his guests, and his wife.”
Emme waited for more of an explanation, but he didn’t say anything.
“His wife?” That seemed odd.
“You ever heard of age play?”
“Umm, no.”
“Not surprising. You know about BDSM and Doms and subs.”
It wasn’t a question but a statement since they’d already discussed this,
but she nodded anyway. For some reason, her tummy went tight with
excitement. It wasn’t that she was submissive. Or she didn’t think she was.
She didn’t want to be tied up and whipped, that was for sure. Or humiliated.
No thanks. But the idea of a spanking . . . that had her panties going wet.
Reyes doing the spanking? Holy shit, she thought she could almost come
from that thought alone.
Easy now.
“Age play has something to do with BDSM?”
“Yep, BDSM encompasses a lot of different types of . . . play, let’s say.
At the heart of it, there’s a dominant partner and a submissive one, right?”
“Right.”
“There can be bondage, discipline, sadomasochism as well as other
dynamics. There’s also role play.”
Oh, she was beginning to see where this was going. And she was
intrigued.
“To give it a very basic explanation, age play is a form of roleplay or
power dynamic where someone might act a certain age.”
“So you’re saying that Hayes and his wife, they liked to role play? And
she liked to be . . . “
“A Little,” he said. “Yeah, Zeke didn’t go into lots of details, but that’s
what he told me when he said there were some themed rooms here at the
cabin.”
 “So if the submissive is a Little, then the Dominant would be . . . “
“A caregiver, or a Mommy or Daddy.”
“Right. And what would happen?”
“I can’t speak to their relationship. There’s no checklist to mark off. But
the Little might enjoy being a baby, maybe diapers and bottles. Or they might
be older, they might like playing with toys, coloring. A middle tends to like
playing an older role. Maybe a teenager. It’s about what feels right to them.
But whatever happens, it happens between fully consenting partners. This is
something that both partners would want and agree to. Understand?”
She wasn’t sure why it was so important to him that she understood, but
she nodded anyway. Then again, maybe she did know. Because she could see
a kind of appeal in this.
“Communication is important. Conversations about expectations and
limits should happen before anything else.”
“Why do they like it?” she asked. She was going to take advantage of the
fact that he was being unusually forthcoming.
“Some Littles enjoy going back to a time where they had fewer worries
and responsibilities. They might want to cede all decisions to their Top. They
can let go of all adult worries and just play. Tops will usually have rules for
their Littles. And consequences.”
“And a Top? What do they get out of it?” she asked as she wandered
around, touching things.
“I can only really speak for myself.”
She turned sharply, staring at him. “You’re a . . . what did you call it?”
“Daddy Dom. I have been.”
“Have been?”
“I haven’t had a Little in years. I used to go to clubs, sometimes I’d scene
with a Little. And that was it. I had a girlfriend once who was a Little. But I
didn’t fit into her idea of what she wanted for a man. So she left me. Found
someone who fit into her life better.”
“What do you mean? How could you not be her ideal man? Look at you.
Who did she marry? Chris Hemsworth?”
He grinned. “Thanks for the ego boost there, wildcat. But she married a
man with a nine-to-five job, no tattoos, no record. They’ve got a nice house
in the suburbs, two kids, a mini-van.”
“Wow. What an idiot. Bet she wakes up every morning and regrets that
decision.”
 He gave her a shocked look.
She put her hands on her hips. “You have looked in a mirror, right?
You’re gorgeous. You’re ripped. You have this whole bad-boy vibe going on,
but you’re also protective. I know I could go anywhere and as long as you
were with me, I’d be safe. You make me feel safe. That’s not just something .
. . it’s everything.”
He just stared at her for a long moment. Until the silence became too
embarrassing.
“Do you think Hayes would mind if I spent time in here?”
Glancing around, he shook his head. “From what I understand, this space
was open to his guests. You really want to spend time in here?”
“I get the appeal of not having to worry about anything. And I like to
play.” She lowered her face. He walked forward and grasped hold of her
chin, tilting her face up.
“There’s no reason to be ashamed of your needs.”
She nodded. “I’ve never had many toys or opportunities to play. I’ve only
ever really had Bad Boy and Starry and I had to keep them hidden or my
father would go into one of his rages and throw them out.”
“That bastard,” he muttered. “He died too easily.”
She shuddered. “Yeah, well, I’m glad he’s gone and I don’t have to worry
about him. Now all I have to worry about is that a group of mercs might be
after me, who my mother might have been, if I have any other family, and
what I’m going to do with the rest of my life since I have no money, no job
skills, and no ID. Simple, right?”
“Brody is still working on finding your family. He’s hit some walls, but
we’ll get there.”
Right. Only issue was, what if they didn’t want her? What would she do
then?
24

She glanced down at the plate of food with frustration. She was sick of this.
All she wanted was to be normal. To not feel this dread every time she ate
something. For Reyes not to have to sit down at the other end of the table, so
she didn’t panic.
“Reyes?”
“Yeah?” He glanced up. “Everything okay? I cut it all up for you so you
could eat it more easily with your sore fingers.”
“I just . . . can you sit closer to me?”
She could feel the tension coming from him, even though she didn’t dare
turn to look at him. Part of her wanted to hurl. But the other part . . . that told
her that she needed to work on getting past this.
She expected questions. Instead, he put his plate across from hers at the
dining table.
Okay. She could do this. After all, this was Reyes. He’d never harm her.
If anything, he was crazy protective.
He started eating without saying anything. His inattention helped. A lot.
Using her left hand, she tried to spear a piece of steak. Damn, this was
harder than it looked. She managed to get a piece to her mouth, quickly
grabbing it to eat. He was nearly finished with his plate and she was still
chewing through her first piece.
“Want some more help?” he offered.
She froze, then looked up at him. “Help?”
“I can feed you.”
A blush rose up her neck and cheeks. “I got it.”
He simply grunted and finished his food. Okay, there was no way she was
getting corn on her fork. With a sigh, she went for the mashed potato. That
was easier.
“Emme, it’s gonna be cold by the time you eat it, baby.”
Baby. Hell.
“I’m not a baby.” No, but she did wonder if she was a Little. She’d spent
an hour or so in the playroom this afternoon. Suzy had joined her. But while
it had been fun, it hadn’t felt quite right. She knew that what she really
wanted was for Reyes to turn around and say he would be her Daddy.
“Not saying that.”
“And I’m not sure how I’ll react to you feeding me. This is the first time
in years I’ve managed to eat with someone else in the room.”
He nodded and rose to put his plate in the dishwasher. For some
ridiculous reason, she wanted to cry. She wanted him to argue.
“Could we try?” she whispered. “If I freak out . . .”
“I’ll give you space.” He said it so matter-of-factly that she felt the knot
in her stomach unravel slightly.
He’d never make fun of her. Or push her for what she couldn’t give. As
shown by his complete willingness to eat in another room.
“Are you sure you don’t mind doing this?”
“If it helps you eat, I’ll try anything.”
That was possibly the sweetest thing he’d ever said. She nearly cried, but
pulled herself together as he held up a forkful of steak. She waited for him to
snatch it back. To laugh at her.
Wait. What was she thinking? This was Reyes.
Shoring up her courage, she took it and ate it slowly. She was a bit tense,
but after a few bites of food, she started to relax. The food didn’t come back
up. She didn’t feel nauseous. In fact, she actually found herself enjoying it. It
helped that he didn’t make a fuss about it. That he just slowly fed her.
“One day you’ll tell me what caused this issue,” he told her. It was a
statement. Not a question.
“Yes, one day.”
“And why you fear dogs.”
“It’s kind of all related.”
“Christ,” he muttered.
When she had enough, she pushed back, shaking her head. “Thank you.”
He simply stared at her. “You ate more than I’ve ever seen you eat.”
She glanced down at her plate and realized he was right. “Yeah.”
Abruptly, he stood. “I’m going back to work.”
She sighed. “Okay. I’m going to go have a shower.” She had a plan for
tonight. She was going to make her move.
 ***

She took her time in the shower, shaving herself all over. She’d never shaved
herself down there, but she liked it once it was gone.
After she’d dried off, she took a look at her naked body in the mirror.
Was it enough? She was kind of thin and bony. Short. Her eyes were too big
in her face and her hair was wild. She sighed. Maybe she was dreaming.
Sure, he’d made a few comments like he wanted her and he’d kissed her.
But what if she did all this, and he rejected her? What then?
Well, she’d just never look him in the face again. Simple. But she had to
try.
No regrets.
That was becoming her new motto in life. Try everything once. Have no
regrets.
Walking into her bedroom, she pulled out the pretty nightgown that Betsy
had bought for her. She wasn’t sure why she’d bought it, but she was grateful
for the red, slinky nightgown that had lace around the bottom and across the
cleavage. Everything was covered, but she definitely felt sexier than she ever
had in her life.
You can do this. You got this.
Actually, she had no idea what she was doing. But from what she’d read,
she just had to be confident. Thrusting out her boobs, what little boobs she
had, she strode towards the dining room.
Reyes was on the phone. She stood there, her nerves growing so much
that she thought she might vomit.
Back away. Back away.
Then he turned and stopped mid-word. “Gotta go.”
He ended the call. And stared at her. He kept staring at her. Shit. Say
something, Emme. She didn’t expect him to say nothing. In fact, she kind of
expected him to take over. She hadn’t thought she’d have to do anything.
Well, she’d do things. But she thought he’d lead the way.
“Um, hey.”
Wow. Way to be sophisticated, Emme.
 “What are you doing?”
“Um, well. . .”
“What are you wearing?” he demanded.
“Oh, well. . .”
“Go take it off.”
“W-what?” All right, this wasn’t going as expected.
“Take it off,” he repeated.
“Right now?” she squeaked.
“No, not right now,” he barked. “In your bedroom. Go back to your
bedroom and put on clothes. Lots and lots of clothes.”
She stared at him, her mouth open. “You don’t like what I’ve got on? I
thought it was pretty and sexy. Is it not sexy?”
“That’s not the problem,” he gritted out.
“So it is sexy.”
“For fuck’s sake. Stop saying sexy.”
“You don’t like what I’ve got on and you don’t like me saying sexy? This
is definitely not how I imagined this going,” she muttered.
“I don’t know what is going on in your mind coming out in that. But you
need to change before . . .”
“Before what?”
“Before I bend you over this table and fuck you,” he said bluntly.
“Good. That’s what I was going for. Let’s do that.”
He stared at her. Then he huffed out a laugh. “Okay, you nearly had me.
Go get into your pajamas.”
“I wasn’t joking. I want you. You want me. And so, I’m making the first
move. This is me. Making the first move.”
“I’m not sleeping with you, Emme.”
“Why not? Is it because I’m a bad kisser? Or are you not attracted to
me?” she asked, her heart racing. Had she read him wrong? It wasn’t like she
had much experience.
You have no experience.
“You’re not a bad kisser. Where did you get that idea? And you know I’m
attracted to you.”
She wasn’t a bad kisser? Then why . . . oh shit. “There’s someone else?”
“You think I’d be here if I had someone else?” he snapped.
“You’ve taken a vow of celibacy?”
“No.”
 “Then what is it?” she asked, exasperated with him.
“You’re a virgin.”
“Yeah. So. Isn’t everyone before they have sex? Does that matter?”
“It matters.”
“Why? Because I don’t know what I’m doing? I’ve been doing research.”
Did he think she was going into this blind?
He froze, his eyes narrowed. “You’ve been doing research?”
She puzzled over the tone in his voice. He sounded angry. But she
couldn’t work out why.
“I’ve been reading up about sex. There’s a lot of information on the
internet and its way more than what my tutors told me in Sex Ed. And
there’re videos as well.”
“You’ve been watching videos about sex?”
“Uh-huh. So if you’re worried, I don’t know what I’m doing, then don’t
be. I got this.”
“You. Got. This?” The intensity in his gaze almost had her turning around
and running. But she stood her ground.
“I got this.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m not sleeping with you, Emme.
You have no idea of what I’d need from you. You’re not in the slightest bit
prepared to be with me.”
She sucked in a breath. Okay, there was only so much rejection she could
take before it really hurt. She liked to look on the positive side of life, but he
was starting to get to her.
“Fine. No problem. I’m sure I can go to a bar and pick up some guy. No
doubt there would be someone who would want to fuck me, even though I’m
a virgin.”
“What the fuck did you just say?”
25

He should ease back. Leave the room. Give them both space.
Yep, that would be the smart thing to do.
Too bad around her, he seemed to lose his goddamn mind. Every time. It
was like she knew exactly what buttons to push to sever his control and
unleash his possessive side. The part of him that wanted to claim her, mark
her, and would never let her go.
She didn’t need that.
But damned if she wasn’t close to getting it.
“You’re not going anywhere, Emme.” He made sure that he spoke in a
low, calm voice. But he saw her shiver.
“Aren’t I?”
Oh, fuck no.
He stood and moved towards her. With every step, his body heated even
as his mind screamed at him that he was making a mistake.
“How are you going to get there? Walk? Hitch? I can tell you right now,
you take one step out of this cabin without my permission and you’re
grounded.”
“Grounded?”
“Yep. Grounded.”
She huffed out a breath. “I’m not a kid! And you can’t ground me.”
“Watch me.”
He moved in closer. He could see her pulse racing. She was pressed up
against the wall and he placed his hand against her cheek.
Instantly, he realized his mistake. Touching her was his downfall. All
those shields he had carefully crafted started to crack.
“Your pulse is racing. You scared of me?”
Don’t be scared of me. I’d never hurt you.
He kept the words back by sheer force of will. If she only knew how
much she’d gotten to him . . .
“No,” she whispered. “You’d never hurt me.”
“Not physically, but there are other ways to be hurt. You don’t want to
push me, brat. Threatening to leave and get laid? That’s just going to end up
with you over my knee.”
“Promises. Promises.”
“What?” He narrowed his gaze at her.
“You keep promising a spanking and not delivering.”
He reached up with his other hand and cupped the other side her face.
“You’re not going to go to some bar to find some lowlife to take your
virginity.”
She shrugged. “Maybe not now. But after we’ve left here, I likely will.
Seems that having your virginity is a negative thing.”
“It’s not a bad thing.”
“No? Then how come you don’t want me because of it?”
He groaned at the hint of vulnerability in her voice. Leaning forward, he
placed his forehead against hers. “Baby, it’s not that you’re a virgin.”
“Yes, it is. You said so. That I wouldn’t understand your needs. But how
am I meant to understand them if you don’t tell me?”
“I can’t be with you, because I don’t do relationships. I fuck and then I
leave. That’s it.”
“I didn’t say I wanted a relationship.”
But he felt her flinch. “Don’t lie, wildcat. You have forever written all
over you.”
She sucked in a breath.
“And I don’t do forever. One night. It’s all I can give. And you deserve
more.”
He forced himself to pull back. Then she reached out and clasped her
hands around the back of his neck. She raised one leg, placing it on his hip.
“No.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
Grown men had cowed under that look. But not his fearless, gorgeous
girl. Nope, she just met his gaze head-on.
“No.”
“I don’t like the word no, Emme.”
“Funny, you like to say it often enough. Emme, no cooking on your own.
Emme, no roller skating. Emme, no baths. Emme, no finding a stranger to
lose your virginity.”
He ground his teeth together. “All of those rules are to keep you safe.
You seriously think it would be safe to have sex with a stranger just because
you want to lose your virginity?”
“Of course I know it’s not safe! I’ve watched every episode of Cold Case
Files. I don’t want some stranger. I don’t want anyone else but you.”
He closed his eyes in pain. “I can’t give you all of me, Emme. I can’t care
about you. Not like that.”
“You already care about me. Don’t try to bullshit me.”
He snorted out a laugh. “At one time in my life, I would have killed
someone who spoke to me like that. Who disrespected me.”
He met her gaze, letting her see the truth. She didn’t even flinch. “I
started watching programs about murderers who got away with killing people
because I hoped to find a way to destroy my father.”
He sucked in a breath. He hated that she’d felt so desperate. That his
sweet, darling girl had thought the only way to free herself was to kill her
own bastard of a father.
“But, jokes on me because I could never do it. For years, I let him belittle
me, scream at me, slap me around. Still, I always figured that eventually, I’d
find a way to get free, you know? Then you appeared.”
“And you have a case of hero worship. You want me because you feel
grateful. You’d feel like this about anyone. I’m not a white knight and you
need to stop making me into one.”
Reyes was pissed off at himself. At her. Why couldn’t she leave well
enough alone?
“You’re such an idiot,” she muttered, tightening her hold on him.
He could have wrenched free, but he didn’t want to hurt her. Especially
with her injured fingers.
“An idiot?” he drawled.
“Yeah,” she said huskily. “An idiot.”
“Emme,” he growled.
She shivered. “Say it again. I love it when you growl my name.”
Oh, he was being played. Any other woman, he’d have walked away . . .
but damned if Emme didn’t have some power over him.
He should never have touched her.
“Your mistake is thinking that while I might be naïve in some ways,
while I might sleep with stuffed toys and have no idea how to do things most
people know, that I don’t know what I want. Sometimes I have trouble
making decisions when given options. But that’s the thing about you, Reyes.
There are no other options.”
 “Because I’m the only man here.”
“No, idiot, because there could be a thousand men here and still, all I’d
see is you. I want you.”
He shook his head.
“One night. The rest of the nights we’re here, I don’t care. Don’t reject
me.”
He shook his head as he reached behind him to grab her hands, pulling
them around between them.

Disappointment flooded her. She dropped her leg down, away from the heat
of his body.
Of course he doesn’t want you. What were you thinking? He obviously
has a parade of women through his bedroom door. Why would he want you?
He was right. She had no idea how to please him. Damn, it was going to
be hard to face him over a bowl of cornflakes in the morning. That was for
sure.
“Okay, fine, sorry for all this . . . maybe we can forget it ever—”
Her words were broken off on a gasp as he took hold of her wrists in one
hand and raised her hands above her head, gently pressing them into the wall
above her, without putting pressure on her injured fingers.
Umm, what was happening?
“Reyes?”
He leaned in so his breath tickled her ear. “Rule number one of being in
my bed is that I’m in control. Understand?”
She heaved in a breath, her hard nipples pressing to his chest, and he bit
down on her ear. Ohh, who knew that bite of pain could turn into a rush of
pleasure? Her legs weakened slightly.
She already knew he was a Dom and bossy. It wasn’t coming as some
great shock that he’d want to be in control.
“Does that mean that you want—”
“Question time is later. Right now, I want a yes or no. Got me?”
She nodded.
“Words.”
“Yes, I understand.” Her heart was racing, and she felt light-headed. It
was the effect he had on her. When he focused on her, she felt like everything
else faded. Having all that intensity focused just on her could be kind of
scary, yet at the same time, it was the most heady feeling in the world. Like
she could do anything. Climb a mountain, sing at a rock concert, fly a plane.
She could do anything because he was behind her. Guarding her,
watching her, supporting her.
When it ended, she knew she’d be devastated. She also knew she would
forever regret not taking whatever he offered.
“That’s good,” he crooned.
Oh fuck. She was in trouble.
“Don’t think I haven’t noticed you manipulating me to get what you
want,” he told her. “That’s going to stop now, isn’t it?”
Umm, she wasn’t so sure about that.
“Your safeword is red, anything scares you, or hurts you then say that and
everything stops.”
“Are we . . . are we doing a scene . . . because I wasn’t . . .” Prepared for
that. At all. Not that she was opposed to it. The more she read about BDSM,
well, in particular, Littles and Daddy Doms, the more she wanted to explore
that dynamic. But anything else . . . anything beyond a spanking, yeah, that
might take some thinking about.
“I’m going to go as easy as I can for you. Nothing hardcore. But I’m used
to being in charge, and I’m going to want that in the bedroom. You can walk
away. Things get too intense, anything happens you don’t feel comfortable
with, you say red and it stops. We want to do anything after tonight, we can
negotiate. Yeah?”
“All right,” she replied.
“Remember, you can walk away at any time.”
Yeah. Like hell that was happening. Her panties were soaked, just from
him being so close to her, holding her hands above her head. The feeling of
not being in control probably should have put her off. But she didn’t want to
make the decisions. Not in this, anyway. Maybe not in lots of things.
Don’t get her wrong, she didn’t want to be a prisoner like she had been
under her father’s thumb. But there was something freeing about not being in
charge now. Maybe it was knowing that she had the ultimate say. That if she
spoke her safeword, everything stopped. That ultimately, she was in control.
Of course, that safeword only worked because she trusted him to honor it.
“I know. I trust you.”
Something filled his gaze. Something that looked like regret. “I don’t
want to break you.”
She knew that she had to say something to keep him from pulling away
again. Christ, how did he think he wasn’t a good guy? From what movies
she’d watched, it seemed most guys just wanted to get their dick wet, right?
Damn. She didn’t know.
“What makes you think it won’t be me breaking you?”
He stared down at her. “Maybe you already have.”
Before she could reply, he turned her to face the wall, pressing her up
against it.
“I think you need to be punished.”
“W-what for?” she asked as he grabbed hold of her braid in one hand and
pulled it to the side, kissing down her neck. She whimpered, that felt so good.
“Reyes, please.”
“I tried to save you from this. Your first time should be fucking roses and
champagne. Something sweet and gentle. With someone who respects you.
Cherishes you.”
“You don’t respect me?” Shock filled her, and she stiffened.
“Emmerson May,” he said in a stern voice that had her sucking in a
breath. “I think that you are,” nip on her neck, “courageous,” another nip,
“intelligent,” another nip, “funny,” several more nips. If these were meant as
punishment, then he was way off the mark. “And extremely beautiful. I
respect you. But I’m not going to be able to give you some sweet loving in
the dark, under the sheets. What I can give you is something that is hot, hard,
and dirty.”
Who the hell said she wanted sweet and gentle?
“I want that,” she groaned as he ran his hand up her side. “What you’re
offering. Screw sweet and gentle. Is that what your first time was like?”
He snorted out a laugh. “No. My first time was a few awkward thrusts,
then jumping out the girl’s window when her daddy woke up and came
rushing into the room. I didn’t even have time to grab my pants. Had to run
several blocks with my dick flopping around, the condom having slipped off
at some stage. Jesus.”
Even as jealousy surged, she found herself giggling. Then she let out a
groan as he ran his hand down her side. He kept her hands above her head
with one hand while he used his other hand to torture her.
“Do you know why you’re getting spanked?”
Oh, hell.
“Because you’re obsessed with spanking my ass?” she asked cheekily.
Nip.
 She moaned. Who’d have thought being bitten could be so damn sexy?
He sucked on the skin where he’d bitten it. She might have slipped to the
floor if she wasn’t being pressed into the wall by his firm body.
“Nope.” He moved his hand up under her silk nightgown to rest on her
mound. He was so hot, it felt like his touch was scorching her skin. But she
needed more. “It’s because of your threats to go fuck some stranger in a bar.
Are you allowed to put your safety at risk, baby?”
“Noo,” she moaned as he moved to her side and slapped his hand down
on her ass. “Oww.”
“Spread your legs.”
She shuffled them apart.
“Wider,” he commanded.
Shit. She widened them further.
“Good girl.” Another smack landed before she could process the pleasure
those two words brought her. “How come you can take orders so beautifully
sometimes.” Smack! Smack! “Yet other times, you can be so naughty,
hmm?” He leaned in to nip at her ear.
Fuck. Fuck.
Maybe because sometimes she wanted to push him, and other times, well,
the last thing she wanted was for him to stop.
Another two smacks landed. She groaned as her bottom grew warm. The
silky panties and nightie she wore were no protection against his heavy hand.
“You’re never to enter any bar alone, understand?” Smack! Smack! “And
you aren’t going searching for some stranger.” Smack! Smack! “You even
try, and I’m going to take off my belt.” Smack! Smack! “And the ass
whipping you get will make this one pale in comparison.” Smack! Smack!
Damn. She could just imagine him taking off his belt. However, the idea
of being spanked with one . . . hmm, she wasn’t so sure about that.
“For as long as we’re here, this ass is mine.” Smack! Smack!
Her head fell forward. Hell, her bottom was really starting to burn. She
was beginning to see that she wouldn’t be sitting comfortably tomorrow. She
didn’t like him putting a limit on this, but she also got it. Commitment wasn’t
in the cards.
“This pussy is mine.” Smack! Smack! “Tell me you’re mine.”
“I’m yours, Reyes! All yours.”
“Jacob,” he commanded. “In the bedroom, you’ll call me Jacob. Get me?”
“Not Sir?” she asked.
 Smack! Smack! “Nope. I want to hear my name coming from your lips.
What do you call me?”
“Jacob,” she replied, breathlessly.
“That’s my girl. Now, you’re going to keep your hands above your head
while I do some exploring, understand?
“Yes.”
“Yes, Jacob,” he countered.
“Yes, Jacob.”
He kissed his way along her bare shoulder. “Fuck. You’re killing me,”
She was killing him? What was he doing to her? He moved behind her
and reached up under her nightgown to pull her panties down. She tensed
slightly but kept her hands where they were. No way did she want to risk him
stopping. He drew her panties down to mid-thigh, then raised her nightgown
up.
She turned her head to look and found him kneeling behind her, studying
her ass.
“Did I say you could turn your head?” he asked
“No,” she squeaked out, turning back to face the wall.
Hell. Christ. She was toast. Totally in over her head. But damn, if this
was drowning . . . she never wanted to come up for air.
“Baby, your panties are so wet.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” It wasn’t gross, was it? Wasn’t she supposed to
be wet?
“It’s fucking sexy as hell. You liked your spanking?” He cupped her hot
ass cheek, and she whimpered.
“Like isn’t quite the word I’d use,” she muttered.
He ran a finger through her slick lips and she jolted, arching up onto her
tiptoes. Not that she actually wanted to get away from him. But shit, she
hadn’t been expecting that.
“Easy, baby. Shh. I got you. Just need a little taste.” He slid his finger
around her clit and she let out a low moan.
“Ahh, you need this so bad, don’t you? Tell me how you like to be
touched.”
“I . . . I don’t know. No one’s ever touched me there.” She was confused.
She thought he knew that. He knew she was a virgin. Did he think she’d let
someone touch her like that? Who? Her father’s guards? They would have if
they didn’t fear her father. But for some reason, while he might have liked
belittling and hurting her, he’d never allowed his staff to harm or molest her.
“I know, baby. But when you touch yourself, what do you like to do?
Hmm, you know what? Maybe you should just show me.”
“I . . . I can’t!”
He squeezed a hot ass cheek, and she groaned. “There’s no holding back,
Emme. I won’t allow it.”
Fuck. If only shyness was what this was about.
“I can’t show you because I’ve never done that.”
26

Reyes froze. Which was kind of bizarre, since one finger was pressed
against her clit, while he was squeezing an ass cheek with his other hand.
Then he grabbed hold of her hips and turned her around. She kept her hands
above her head, not sure if she was allowed to move them.
He was kneeling, looking up at her. Maybe it should have given her the
dominant position.
It did not.
His eyes were dark pools of fire. Arousal. Desire.
“What? Never?”
“I tried,” she told him, hoping she wasn’t giving him an excuse to walk
away. After all, there had to be something wrong with her. Everyone
masturbated, right? Or could masturbate? But for her, she touched herself and
there was nothing.
“I’ve just never been that . . . aroused? Before you rescued me that night,
I’m not even sure I’d ever been turned on. I was starting to wonder if I was
asexual or something. I’d touch myself and nothing would ever happen.
There’s something wrong with me, isn’t there?”
He stood and held her face between those warm, calloused hands. He
made her feel so small when he did that. But in a good way. As though he
was protecting her.
“There’s nothing the fuck wrong with you and if you think there is, then
you only need to touch yourself now.” His eyes narrowed. Uh oh. “Do it.”
“Do what?” she exclaimed.
“Touch yourself.”
“Reyes, no, please.”
He drew her against him and reached around to smack her ass several
times. “What do you call me?”
“Jacob?” she said, drawing in a sharp breath.
“And who is in charge?”
“You are.” Damn, but she didn’t expect him to push her so hard.
Yeah? Who you trying to kid? This is Reyes. You knew he’d be exactly
like this. And it was what she wanted, craved.
His dominance. His care.
He stripped her panties off her legs, then stood and reached for the
bottom of her nightgown. She didn’t have time to protest before it was up and
over her head. Instinctively, she tried to cover herself up.
“No.” He tapped her uninjured hand. “No hiding. I want to see you.
Fucking dreamed about it.”
“You have?” she asked. It wasn’t like she hadn’t had her own sexy
dreams about him. But somehow, she had never imagined he’d be doing the
same.
“Fuck, yes. You think spending nights with your tiny ass pressed up
against my dick hasn’t infiltrated my dreams? It’s taken all my control not to
rip those pajamas off you, press your legs apart and take you. Now, let me
see you.”
“I’m too thin,” she warned as she placed her hands at her sides.
“Already knew that, and we’re working on making you healthier.”
That was all he said. No false reassurances or lies. But the look on his
face was pure desire and heat.
“You are even better than any dream I’ve had.”
Her heart skipped, then raced. She knew he wouldn’t lie. It wasn’t who he
was. He cupped her breast. His scarred, tattooed hand completely engulfed it.
She moaned as he rubbed her nipple with his thumb. Then leaning in, he
suckled on it.
“Beautiful.” He grasped hold of her hand and pulled it lower, towards her
pussy.
But he didn’t glance away from her, his gaze held her captive. She gasped
as he brushed her finger against her clit. She closed her eyes as pleasure
engulfed her. He stopped moving.
“Open your eyes.”
She stared up at him again. “Good girl. Keep them open. We’re just
having a small play to see what you like.”
He guided her finger into circling her clit then flicking it. Then he moved
it higher, and she gasped.
“Like it there, don’t you?” he murmured.
She shook her head. “I don’t . . . I’m not . . . I like all of it. When it’s you
doing it.”
Leaning in, he kissed her, moving her finger back and forth over her clit
until she was panting, squirming, on the verge of something she’d never felt.
She squirmed, feeling frustrated.
“Shh, baby. It’s all right.”
Suddenly, he let go of her hand and lifted her. His hands were under her
bare ass as he carried her down the hallway. She wrapped her legs around his
waist, trusting him to get her there safely.
Gently, far more gently than she’d expected, he laid her down on the bed.
Hungrily, he stood and looked down at her. Her legs were lying over the edge
of the bed and he was standing between them.
“Spread your legs, wide. Let me see your pussy.”
Fuck. Her.
But she spread her legs like a good girl. Even as her face flushed while he
stood there, staring down at her pussy.
“Pretty and pink. Slick with your juices. Baby, how have you never
come?”
“I don’t know. Like I said, I just never felt it. Felt nothing, until you.”
“Damn, I never thought that could be such a fucking turn-on.”
He dragged his shirt up over his head, revealing his ripped chest. Firm
shoulders, thick biceps, undulating abs. Her mouth went dry. Could she . . .
would she be able to . . .
“Can I touch you?” she whispered.
He grinned. “You want to touch me?”
“Does a bear shit in the woods?” she muttered. “I mean, unless the bear is
in a zoo.”
He reached for his belt. Oh hell, she remembered him saying about using
his belt on her earlier. What would that feel like? Damn, watching him
undress was sexy.
Holy. Hell.
She was completely hypnotized as he rolled up his belt and set it neatly
on the dresser with his shirt. Was it weird that his tidiness turned her on?
Probably considering she was a bit of a slob.
Down went his jeans. Getting closer. He wore black boxers underneath,
and it was easy to see how hard he was.
The boxers came down slower. She swore he was trying to kill her. She
sucked in a breath as she saw his dick. It was long and thick.
“I read that the average American erect penis is six inches long and five
inches in circumference,” she blurted out.
 “That so?” he drawled, not looking at all uncomfortable to be standing
there, with his dick out.
Then again, why would he be? He was gorgeous.
“That’s not six inches long and five inches around,” she stated, sitting up
to stare at his cock properly. He grasped the shaft at the base then ran his
hand down it.
Oh. Wow.
Would he masturbate in front of her if she asked?
“The blue whale has the biggest animal penis,” she told him.
Shit, Emme. Shut up.
He froze. His hand had reached the tip of his dick. Oh God. He was going
to tell her that he couldn’t do this. That she was just too weird. And she
wouldn’t blame him. What was wrong with her?
Don’t say it. Don’t say it.
Just shut up.
“It’s ten feet long,” she yelled, breathing heavily. Oh fuck. She cringed,
waiting for his rebuttal. For him to tell her that she was messed up in the
head.
Of course she was messed up, who wouldn’t be growing up the way she
had? But no one wanted to sleep with someone as crazy as she was.
“Emme, look at me.”
She raised her gaze up to meet his.
“Mine isn’t ten feet long.”
That was it. That was all he had to say?
She let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Guess if a
female whale can handle it so can I.”
He grinned, then gently pressed on her shoulder so she lay back on the
bed. He leaned over her, his hands on either side of her head as he brushed
his lips over hers.
“Baby, it will fit just fine. I’m going to make you all nice and wet. You’ll
be so fucking relaxed. Sure, it might hurt a bit the first time, but after that, it’s
going to slide in like you were made for me.”
She was starting to think she was made for him. He kissed her again. This
time, it was hotter, harder. And her brain turned to mush. There were no
thoughts in there. All she felt was white, hot desire.
Wrapping her arms and legs around him, she used him as an anchor in the
storm. All she could do was hold on, knowing he’d safely get her through.
 Moving, he kissed down her neck, nipping and sucking in turn. Her
breathing became harsh, raspy. He lay beside her, taking her nipple into his
mouth. He sucked on it and she arched her back.
“Reyes!”
Smack! His hand landed sharply on her pussy and she let out a loud cry.
“Why did you do that?”
“What do you call me?” he said in a low, warning voice.
“Sheesh, I didn’t think it was that important.”
Before she could even squeal, he had sat up and rolled her over and was
laying smack after smack on her already hot ass.
“Okay! Okay! It’s important. I won’t forget again, I promise. Stop
smacking my bottom. It hurts!”
“That’s the point, baby.” He pressed a kiss on her shoulder blade. Jeez,
who knew that would feel good?
Then he moved her onto her tummy and kissed her until she was a pile of
goo again. Lying on his side, he ran his hand down her tummy, towards her
pussy. She stiffened slightly, pressing her legs together.
“Open,” he commanded.
Shoot.
She drew her legs slightly.
“More,” he demanded.
Emme slid her legs apart further, and he ran a finger lightly up and down
her slit as he continued to kiss her.
“Can I touch you? Please?” she begged. She wanted to run her tongue
over every one of his tattoos, down that rippling stomach and to his . . .
Oh, hell. She really wanted to touch his dick. She just wasn’t at all
confident she’d done enough research to do a good job.
“Soon,” he promised. “Keep your hands above your head while I play.”
This was going to kill her. Submitting. She’d never thought she’d want to
submit. Not after having been forced to all these years. But that made the
difference, didn’t it? Consent.
He continued to kiss her, and she wriggled, finding it difficult to remain
in place. Each swipe of his finger over her clit made her gasp and moan. It
sent shards of delight through her body. She found herself pressing her hips
up, hoping for more contact with those light touches. He moved his finger up,
and she cried out.
Oh hell. That was like an electric shock.
 “More. More. I need more.”
“Hush, baby. You’re okay. Shh. Just relax for me. Let me take you there.”
He placed his mouth around her nipple, sucking strongly as he rubbed his
finger in circles around her clit. She raised her good hand, grasping hold of
his head, running her fingers through his hair.
He let go of her nipple, shaking his head. What was wrong? Oh drat. She
quickly dropped her hand.
“Sorry! Please don’t stop. Please!”
“I’m not going to stop. We’re just moving positions. I want you up on
your knees, facing the headboard. Then grab hold of the rungs with your
good hand. Don’t use your injured hand.”
She scrambled into position with what was probably embarrassing haste.
He moved in behind her.
“Spread your legs wide.”
Emme obeyed, and he knelt under her.
“That’s it, good girl. Now rest your weight on me. That’s it.”
She was spread wide, her ass nestled in against his cock.
“Keep your hand on the headboard.”
“I’ll try.”
“I know you will. You’re being such a good girl for me. I know it’s hard.
Especially this first time. I’m so proud of you.”
Oh, hell. When had anyone ever said they were proud of her? When had
anyone ever praised her?
Never.
Her body immediately melted into his. The tension sliding away. At least,
the tension that wasn’t due to the way he kept strumming her body into a
mass of sexual need.
“That’s it, baby.” He grabbed her hair again, moving it to one side so he
could kiss down her neck. He seemed to have a thing about her neck. Which
was okay by her since every time he nipped it, she felt an answering echo of
pleasure in her body.
Cupping her breasts, he tweaked the nipples to the point of pain then
eased back, running his thumbs lightly across the tips.
“Ohhh,” she moaned, pressing her head back on his shoulder, allowing
him greater access to her neck.
“So damn sexy. I’m going to come embarrassingly quickly once I get
inside you.” One hand dropped to her pussy, his finger circling her clit again.
Her breathing grew faster as he increased the pressure on her clit, flicking it
firmly. With his other hand, he squeezed her nipple while torturing her neck.
“Jacob. Jacob, I feel . . . “ She couldn’t describe it. On the verge of
flying? Out of control? Her body tightened with tension. More. She needed
something more.
“Easy, baby. I have you. You’re fine. I have you. Just let go. I’ll catch
you. Nothing will happen to you while I’m here.”
He moved his hand from her breast, down to her pussy, then spread his
legs apart so he could play with her entrance. One finger shallowly pressed
inside her. It wasn’t enough. She felt empty. She needed him inside her.
“Please fuck me.”
“Not yet, baby. Not yet.”
“That’s so mean,” she cried.
“You’ll thank me later,” he told her gruffly, adding another finger to her
passage. His movements were shallow, and he didn’t penetrate her fully. But
she was so slick that it didn’t hurt.
Although his two fingers in no way measured up to how big his dick was.
A sob escaped her before her body shuddered through her orgasm. For a
start it was small, but then it built and built and slammed through her. She
arched back with a scream, her hand letting go of the headboard. But he
placed an iron-hard arm around her middle, pinning her against him as she
trembled and shook.
“That’s my girl. Beautiful. God damned beautiful.”
27

Reyes slid out from behind her, then lay on his back and pulled her onto his
chest. She lay there, catching her breath, listening to his rapid heartbeat.
Then, as her body started pumping blood to her brain again, she realized
that he had to be in some pain seeing as he hadn’t come yet. His hand was
massaging her ass, which, she had to admit, was damn nice.
“Jacob?” she whispered.
“Back with me, huh, wildcat?”
“Yep. Umm, can I . . . will you . . .”
“Spit it out,” he said. Not unkindly.
“Will you fuck me?” Well, he said to spit it out.
He lifted her until she was sitting, straddling his chest. She blushed
slightly, knowing he was getting a good look at her breasts. But then he’d
already had his mouth all over them, so what did it matter.
Before he could ask her if she was sure, she leaned in. “I know what I
want. You. Inside me. Now.”
“Got to appreciate a woman who knows what she wants.”
She immediately tensed. Because she didn’t always know. In fact, when it
came to some day-to-day things, she had no clue.
Then a sharp bite of pain in her nipple made her gasp. She gaped down at
him in shock. He just stared calmly back at her, no hint of apology on his
face.
“I don’t know where your mind went just now, but I want you back with
me.”
“I rarely know what I want. I find most decisions hard.”
His face softened slightly. “That’s nothing to be ashamed of. Not like you
were ever given a lot of choices. It’s understandable you’re overwhelmed. All
I meant was that’s it sexy to know you want me.”
“What if you get annoyed by all my indecisiveness?”
“Have we met? I’m the guy that likes control of everything. I get off on
making all the calls. You can cede as much control to me as you like.”
But he wouldn’t always be around, would he?
 He ran his hands down her flat stomach to her sharp hip bones. “Fucking
hate what that bastard did to you. But you’re not to be ashamed of any issues
you have because of anything that happened to you. None of it was your
fault, understand me?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He moved a hand to her pussy and started rubbing her clit. She let out a
small noise. “Ohh.”
“Too sensitive?”
“I don’t . . . maybe . . . oh shit.”
“Just relax, that’s my girl. God, you’re beautiful.”
She didn’t see it, but if he thought so then who was she to tell him that
she wasn’t. He moved his finger faster, and she placed her hand on his chest
to anchor herself.
Oh yum. He was delicious. She leaned in, trapping his hand between their
bodies, and ran her tongue over his nipple. He let out a small grunt, and she
sat up. “Sorry. Is that okay?”
“Do it again.”
Emme licked his other nipple. Slowly. Oh yeah, she liked the groan he
made. This was kind of heady. She rocked herself against him unconsciously
as she moved from one nipple to the other.
“Hell. You’re gonna have me coming before I get inside you.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Not eighteen anymore. Unfortunately, it doesn’t just swing back into life
after coming.”
“Forgot you were an old man.”
“I’ll teach you what this old man can do,” he grumbled. Then he grabbed
her hips and drew her back further so she was sliding along the length of his
cock. The head nudged against her clit and her breath caught. Oh, hell. That
was good. With his urging, she ran her pussy lips up and down his length.
“Yeah, wildcat. Fuck, that’s hot.”
Nope, she was pretty sure she knew what hot was. And it was him. Lying
there, with his eyes half-lidded, face filled with desire. He didn’t lose that
sharp edge. She doubted he ever would. But there was definitely something
softer about him.
She kept her hand on his chest to steady herself as she rocked against
him. All she could think about was getting his cock inside her.
“Please,” she cried out.
 “Reach over into the top drawer. Get the condoms out.”
“I don’t want to.”
“I’m clean. But I’m guessing you’re not on any protection.”
Protection? What was he talking about . . .?
“Right. Babies. Got it.” Not something she was ready for when she could
barely take care of herself. Leaning over, she pulled out a whole roll of
condoms.
“Whoa,” she said.
“They’re not mine. Hayes must believe in making sure his guests have
everything they need. Rip one off.”
“I’ve never seen a condom in real life. Only on TV. I don’t know what
I’m doing.”
“You got this. Open it slowly, that’s it. Now pull it out.”
“It’s wet. And it smells funny.” She wrinkled her nose.
He grinned. “I know. Now you want it to go this way, so it looks a bit like
a top hat. I’ll hold the tip while you roll it on.” She slid down so she could
have more access to his dick.
“You sure this is going to fit? Maybe you need an extra-large or
something.”
“You sure are good for the ego. It’ll fit. Promise. That’s it. Christ.”
She froze with the condom halfway down his shaft. “What is it? Am I
doing it wrong? Is my hand too cold?”
“No. It just feels good to have you touch me. Keep going.”
Hiding a smile of satisfaction, she slid it down to the end. Sure enough, it
fit.
“Good girl. Now come here.” He dragged her up his body for a mind-
altering kiss that she swore made her body tingle. Reaching between them, he
guided his cock to her passage.
“Take me inside you.”
She drew the head of him into her. Fuck. It was a tight fit. Lightly, he
grasped hold of her hips. “You go as slow or fast as you need to.”
Emme knew it wasn’t normal for him to give her so much control, knew
it was because this was her first time.
“I’ll take care of you. Always. Take more of me into you.”
She knew she should move faster. She’d already come, but he was likely
in a whole heap of pain. She slid down further. It didn’t hurt exactly, but it
did feel like she was being stretched to breaking. Then his finger moved to
her clit, rubbing it expertly.
“You’re so good at that.”
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you.” She gave him an exaggerated wink.
Concern filled his face. “You okay? Is there something in your eye?”
She groaned.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” he tried to pull her away from him but she
grabbed hold of his biceps.
“Don’t move!” she cried.
He froze.
“I was winking.”
“What?”
“I was winking. I’m a big dork who can’t even wink without looking like
I’m having a fit,” she managed to spit out. “That’s it. I’m officially the least
sexy person on the planet. And the most ridiculous. I’m kneeling here, with
your dick halfway inside me, and pulling stupid faces. I can’t believe you
want to have sex with me!”
“Wildcat.”
“Yeah?” she wailed.
“My dick isn’t even close to being halfway inside you. Now move.” He
lightly tapped her ass. “Because I want to be fully inside you before I come.”
She gaped down at him.
“Wildcat, move,” he urged.
Right. Move. Dick inside her. Make him come. She took more of him,
slowly, inch by inch. He stretched her. It burned slightly, but nothing she
couldn’t handle. She’d been expecting pain, blood, to feel herself lose her
virginity. There was none of that. Especially as he returned his finger to her
clit. She groaned when he was fully inside her.
He rubbed her clit harder as she drew up then down his dick slowly. She
could feel her pleasure building.
“Jacob! Jacob!”
“That’s it. Come around my cock. Let me feel you.”
Several more firm flicks of her clit and she came, her pussy clenching
down around him. And oh, that felt amazing. She gasped for air, feeling like
she was floating as her pussy continued to pulsate.
“Hell. Yes. My turn now.”
What did that mean?
Reyes grabbed her hips, then rolled her over onto her back. Now he lay
between her legs. “It gets sore or I’m going too fast, then tell me or call out
red. But fuck me, wildcat. I can’t hold back any longer.”
He drew out, trying to move slowly for her sake. But it was like trying to
hold back the tides. He drove inside her. Christ, had anyone ever felt so
good? Had this ever felt so right? Like coming home.
Damn it. He couldn’t afford to feel this way about her. It was temporary.
This was like living in some sort of bubble. But eventually, real life would
come back.
But for now, it was the two of them. And he needed her.
He increased his movements, careful to watch her for signs of discomfit.
But she wrapped her legs around his waist, meeting his movements with her
own.
Fuck. Fuck.
She was sucking him in. Her pussy clenching around him as aftershocks
of her orgasm hit her. Eyes that were half-lidded gazed up at him and he gave
into temptation, kissing her like he needed her kisses to survive. With one
final surge, ecstasy flooded him and he came.
Damn.
Had anything ever felt that good? If it had, he couldn’t remember.
28

Emme slid out onto the porch, shivering slightly as the cold air reached up
under Reyes’ sweater. Which was all she had on. Oh, and some of his socks.
It was almost pitch black out here. The moon was just a sliver in the sky.
She’d woken up a few minutes ago. Alone. That wasn’t cool. After being
fucked senseless, she’d fallen into a deep sleep. She vaguely recalled him
tucking her in. But that was it.
Her eyes soon adjusted, and she found him several feet away, leaning his
forearms against the handrail of the banister as he stared down at the lit
cigarette between his fingers.
That wasn’t good. Had he relapsed? Shit, had she caused him to start
smoking again?
“Everything okay?” she asked.
He straightened as she approached. “What you doing out here?”
She paused. Did he want time on his own? Did he not actually want her
out here? Then he moved the cigarette to his far hand and drew her against
him.
She loved how tightly he held her. He kissed the top of her head. “It’s
freezing out here. You need to go back in where it’s warm.”
“You warm me up though.”
“You shouldn’t be near the smoke. Not good for your lungs.” He put the
cigarette out.
“I thought you’d given up. And if it’s not good for my lungs, then it’s
definitely not good for yours.”
“I have. I was just watching it burn. And contemplating smoking it,” he
admitted.
“Reyes,” she said worriedly.
“Hush,” he told her. “I’m fine. And your health is more important than
mine.”
“Jacob Reyes, what bullshit. You are just as important as me.”
“No, wildcat. I’m not. You come first.”
“Nope. Not accepting that. If anything, your health is more important.
After all, you’re sooo much older than me.”
“You little brat.”
He moved, grabbing her and bending her stomach over the handrail. Then
he ran his hand up her thigh. “Jesus, wildcat. You came out here wearing
nothing but a sweater?”
“I’ve got socks on,” she told him, wriggling her ass.
“Not good enough.” He gave her ass a sharp slap then pulled her into his
arms, holding her cradled against his chest as he walked inside and back into
the bedroom. He sat on the bed and arranged her so she was lying face down
on his lap.
He pulled his sweater up over her ass.
“Reyes! Put me down.”
“Nope. Don’t think so. Old? Is that what you called me?”
“Yes!”
Smack! Smack!
She tried to wiggle off his lap, giggling hysterically. Then he slapped her
again, and she moaned. Why could she feel that in her clit?
“Insulting me like that deserves a severe punishment.”
Several more slaps later and her breath was coming in harsh pants, her
clit throbbing.
“I just . . . want you here . . . as long as possible,” she panted out between
smacks. “So you can fuck me some more.”
“Think I’ve created a monster. She’s gotten a taste for orgasms.”
“No, I’ve gotten a taste for you.”
He helped her sit, so she was straddling him. “You sure about this,
Emme?”
She tensed, sensing the mood had changed. “What do you mean? About
orgasms from you? I’m definitely sure I want more. About keeping you alive
longer? Yep, still sure.”
“What happened could be a one-off.”
“You . . . you don’t want to do it again?” she asked, her confidence
fleeing.
“Course I want to do this again. Can you not feel how hard I am? But you
know nothing about me, Emme.”
“So talk to me. I’m here. Got nothing better to do,” she said with a slight
bitterness.
“You’re here because you could be in danger. Once we’re gone from
here, you can find your place in the world. You don’t have to know it straight
away.”
Right. Without him. Nope, she wasn’t going to think about that right now.
Emme might spend most of her time with her head up in the stars, but she
wasn’t dumb. Jacob Reyes wasn’t a man you should pin down. He was
wildfire, burning bright and with no desire to be put out.
So she’d take what she could get.
She slid her leg between his so her pussy was resting against his leg. She
sucked in a breath of pleasure.
“Easy, baby. You’re too sore.”
She didn’t know when exactly he’d stopped calling her girl, but she had
to admit to liking baby and wildcat a lot more.
“I’m fine.”
He tilted up her face. “You’re too sore. You’ll listen to me when it comes
to your health.”
“You can tell me what to do. Doesn’t mean I’ll do it.”
His gaze narrowed. “Someone likes having a hot ass.”
Maybe she did.
He drew off the sweater. “You’re so beautiful.”
She rubbed herself against his leg. “Fuck me again.”
“I’m not taking you. You’re too sore.”
She whimpered. “Reyes.”
“Jacob,” he whispered. He dipped his mouth to her nipple, sucking on it
strongly.
“Please, Jacob. Please fuck me.”
“Nope.”
“That’s so mean. Why are you teasing me?”
“I’m not going to fuck you, you’re too sore. But that doesn’t mean I can’t
pleasure you.” He rolled her over on her back. “Ever dreamed about oral
sex?”
“Oral sex?” Her eyes widened as he loomed over her. “We’re doing
that?”
“Yeah. We’re doing that.”
“So you’re going to kiss me . . . down there. And then I’ll . . . with your . .
.”
He chuckled. “It amazes me how you can go from being all tough and
bossy to shy and sweet.”
 “Well, I’ve never done this before.”
“This is just the first time of many. So just hang on and enjoy the ride.”
His face grew firmer. Harder. “Hands above your head. Keep them there.
They move and you get five.”
“Oh, hell.”
He grinned. “Wildcat, you’re in so much trouble now.”
Yes. Yes. She was.

***

Eating her out was quickly going to become addicting as fuck.

And damn, those noises she made as she found her peak. She was trying
so damn hard to stay still. He’d dragged her hips to the very edge of the
mattress, then spread her legs wide, his hands pressing her thighs apart as he
knelt on the floor and went to town on her.
So far, all he’d used was his tongue, not wanting to hurt her. Despite her
protests, he knew she had to be sore. She screamed through another orgasm,
her entire body shaking. What was that? Three or four? He’d lost count, but
she was so wet and slick and he was enjoying the hell out of himself.
“Please, Jacob. Please. Fuck me. Fuck me.”
“Not happening, brat.”
She groaned. “I need you. Please. No more orgasms. Take me.”
He rose. “You’re not the boss in here. Maybe I should bring you up to the
brink then not let you come as punishment.”
Her eyes widened comically. “Nooo, you can’t do that.”
“Lucky for you, I’m in a good mood. You need to be penetrated, hmm?”
He moved to the bedside drawers as he spoke. She nodded her head
frantically. He’d done a search of the room as soon as they’d arrived, so he
knew what was packed in these drawers.
Hayes was kinky as fuck. Reyes’ kind of guy.
Opening the drawer, he drew out a tube of lube.
“What’s that?” She sat up.
 He raised an eyebrow. “Were you given permission to move?”
Her eyes widened, and she quickly lay back into position.
“Too late. Up on your knees and elbows, push that ass right out.”
She pouted at him. “But shouldn’t I get some leniency? My mind was all
befuddled with those orgasms.”
“Befuddled, huh? Let’s see how befuddled we can make you,” he teased.
“Ever thought about anal sex?”
Her mouth dropped open. “Anal sex? People really do that?”
“Oh yep.”
“You want to do that? To me?”
“Wasn’t planning on doing it to someone else, wildcat.”
“I don’t know . . .”
“We’re just going to start with a bit of play,” he soothed. “You don’t like
it, you say red. Now, roll over before five becomes ten.”
After she’d moved into position, he walked behind her and placed the
lube on the mattress.
“This is a damn pretty sight,” he told her, running his hand over her ass.
“Still nice and pink. Needs more heat, though.” He slapped his hand down on
her ass. Hard. Then another slap to the other side.
He reached down and grabbed the lube, then parted her ass cheeks with
one hand.
“Reyes,” she moaned
“Uh-uh, what do you call me?”
“Jacob. Are you sure about this?”
“You trust me?” he asked in a low voice. He waited for her reply, not
really expecting her to say yes. After all, trust had to come hard with
everything she’d been through. But he just needed her to trust him a little.
“Yes,” she replied.
“Fully?” Fuck him. He had a bit, but he needed to push for more. He
didn’t necessarily like that part of himself, but it was who he was.
“Yes. I fully trust you.”
“That’s my good girl. That’s going to get you more orgasms.” He
squirted some lube on her hole before coating one finger. Then he pressed it
against her back hole. She tensed and he ran his other hand up and down her
back.
“Calm. Just relax for me. Deep breath in, then let it out slowly. That’s it.
Fuck. Me.” He slid his finger deep into her asshole and she groaned.
 Holding it inside her, he gave her two more smacks on the ass. She
clenched down on his finger, her breath coming faster.
His baby liked that. A lot.
“You like that? My finger in your ass while I spank you?”
No reply.
Two more spanks.
“Yes!” she cried out. “Yes, I like it. A lot.”
“That’s my girl. Just stay nice and still while I play.” He drew his finger
out slowly, then pushed it deep. While finger fucking her ass, he moved his
hand down under her to toy with her clit.
“Please, please, please,” she begged, her entire body trembling with the
need to come.
“Another finger, just relax.” She let out a deep groan as he stretched her.
“How does that feel?”
“It burns, but it also feels so good.”
“Just imagine my cock in here. Maybe I’ll press you up against the wall
of the shower or have you bend over the couch. Maybe I’ll take you outside,
strip down your panties, and have you ride my dick.”
She screamed as she came, clenching around his finger. He let out his
own groan. His cock was so damn hard, he needed to get these jeans off.
First, though, he eased his fingers out and gave her ass a final smack.
“Relax, baby. Just going to clean up.”
He swore he was walking funny as he moved into the attached bathroom.
He washed his hands and grabbed a washcloth to clean her up. When he
returned to the bedroom, though, she wasn’t lying on the bed as he’d
expected. Instead, she was kneeling, staring up at him.
Fuck. Him.
She licked her lips. “My turn.”
Perhaps if he was a better sort of man, he’d tell her that she didn’t have
to. But having her lips wrapped around his cock?
What dreams were made of.
It was kind of embarrassing, the haste with which he stripped off his
jeans. But damned if he was waiting any longer than he had to. He did take
the time to grab a pillow, throwing it on the ground in front of him.
“Kneel here.” He pointed to the pillow in front of him.
She moved over and knelt on the pillow, staring up at him. Yep,
definitely not saying no to this.
 “I don’t know what I’m doing,” she warned.
He huffed out a breath. “Not much to it. Men are simple creatures. Don’t
use your teeth, put it in your mouth and suck.”
She rolled her eyes at his explanation but she grabbed his dick around the
base with her good hand then licked the head. He let out a groan.
“Shit! Don’t think you need any instruction.” He let her go for it, not
wanting to scare her by seizing control.
That would come later. But when she took his cock into her mouth, he
couldn’t help but place his hand on the back of her neck. He didn’t guide her,
but he did squeeze lightly, making her groan.
“That’s my good girl. You can be so good sometimes. But you’re also a
bit of a brat. That’s always going to result in your ending up with a hot ass.”
He didn’t give a shit that she had a bit of brat in her. Their relationship
was theirs. And anyone who said it had to meet a bunch of rules could fuck
the hell off.
Damn, she was so beautiful. Her gorgeous mouth wrapped perfectly
around him. Pure. Fucking. Heaven.
“Look at me,” he commanded.
She raised her eyes to his, her lips stretched wide, her face flushed and a
slight sheen of sweat coating her skin.
“When I come, you’ll swallow, understand?”
Her eyes filled with heat.
He kept his gaze on her, his hand wrapped around her neck but still
letting her guide the movements. His orgasm rushed at him, building at the
small of his back, then shooting out as he groaned. You would have thought
he hadn’t come in months, instead of just hours ago.
Emme did her best to swallow everything, losing just a bit. Removing his
cock, he reached down and swiped it up, then put his finger in her mouth.
“Clean up, baby.”
She licked him clean, then he helped her stand, pulling her up into his
arms. She sighed with happiness, spent, totally relaxed.
And his. All his.
29

She was half-asleep when he lifted her into his arms.

She’d given him a blow job.
Holy. Hell. She wanted to do that again.
“Come on, wildcat. Time for a bath.”
“Nooo. No bath. Emme sleep,” she mumbled.
“No, Emme is going to have a bath. Then she can sleep.”
“Not stinky.”
He snorted. “I won’t reply to that.”
She gasped as he set her into the bath which he’d already filled. He
helped her lie back. Hell, he’d even filled the bath with bubbles and placed a
towel on one end for her head.
“You’re saying I stink?”
“I’m saying that you’re going to be sore in the morning and a bath will
help.”
With a grumble, she crossed her arms over her chest. Then he picked up a
washcloth and wet it, before running it up her thigh.
She squeaked, trying to sit up and grab the cloth. “I can do that.”
He pressed a hand into her chest, keeping her where she was. “No.”
No? Really? Just no?
“No?”
“Yep, no.”
“I don’t like the word no, Jacob,” she shot his words back at him.
“Get used to it.”
Oh, he could be such an asshole.
Yeah, as if you didn’t know that already. And as if you don’t like that part
of him.
She watched as he washed every inch of her body. The big, heavily-
tattooed, rough biker was washing her with long, careful strokes.
This shit just didn’t happen.
He was almost being . . . sweet, tender.
“Damn, your boobs are gorgeous.”
 She had to grin.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she replied. “Just happy.”
“Wish you’d always been happy. Wish you’d never known a moment of
fear or loneliness.”
She stared up into his eyes.
But then I’d never have met you.
She wished she was brave enough to say the words out loud. But she kept
them inside her. The last thing she needed to do was ask for too much.
“Me too.”
The washcloth ran over her breasts, but didn’t linger. Her eyes closed,
and she yawned. She wasn’t sure how long she lay there, but she was half-
asleep as he parted her legs and washed her pussy.
That made her gasp and attempt to close her legs. But he held them firmly
apart.
“Uh-uh, there’s no piece of you that you get to hide from me,” he told her
in a low, rough voice.
That made her shiver. With a mix of arousal and excitement. “And if I try
to hide something?”
“Then I’d have to punish you. Now, be a good girl and keep those legs
nice and wide so I can clean your pussy.”
“Dear. Lord.”
“He ain’t gonna help you.”
Oh, she knew that.
He put pressure on her thighs, and she found herself caving.
“Easy, baby. Good girl. You’re being such a good girl.” He lightly
massaged her inner thighs with his fingers.
Oh, hell yes.
He could have access to anything he wanted if he kept that up. She found
herself drifting.
“Likes baths,” she muttered sleepily. “Baths are fun. Except when I flood
the bathroom. Then they’re bad. I can’t do anything right.”
“That’s not true.”
“Can’t roller skate without hurting myself. Can’t cook pancakes without
setting the house on fire. I didn’t think living would be so dangerous. Just
want to try everything, but it all goes wrong.”
He continued to massage her, this time moving his fingers under her
bottom. She braced her feet against the bath to lift her hips slightly, groaning
in delight as he rubbed her ass with firm strokes.
The water was cooling, and she shivered.
“I’ll grab a towel and get you out.”
“Okie-dokie.”
“Did you like playing in the playroom today?”
“Sort of,” she replied. “Didn’t know what to do.”
“Whatever makes you happy.”
“Don’t know what makes me happy. My happiness never factored into
anything.”
“We’ll change that.”
He drew her up and wrapped the towel around her before lifting her out
of the bath. Setting her down, he thoroughly dried her off and carried her into
the bedroom.
She felt like a ragdoll. Boneless. Without energy. Reyes laid her on the
bed and handed her Starry and Bad Boy.
“My pajamas,” she murmured.
“You don’t need them,” he replied as he pulled the covers over her.
She didn’t?
Emme was mostly asleep by the time he climbed in beside her. She
murmured in disgruntlement as he moved her, arranging her so he was
wrapped around her back. Damn, he was hot. She didn’t know if she’d ever
felt this warm before. He wrapped an arm around her, placing his hand over
her mound in a move that was entirely possessive.
Caveman.
“Sleep, wildcat.”
“I can’t sleep like this.”
“You will.”
She sighed. There was no way she could sleep with his fingers so close to
her pussy. She didn’t sleep well at the best of times. She just didn’t see this
working.
Not. Happening.
30

Emme knew she was walking kind of funny as she entered the kitchen the
next morning. She’d lain in bed for half an hour, convincing herself to get up.
Finally, she’d rolled out of bed and pulled on some comfy sweats.
The smell of food cooking made her tummy rumble. But that wasn’t what
had her freezing and catching her breath.
No, that would be the half-naked God of a man standing at the stove,
flipping pancakes. She didn’t care what anyone said. A man cooking was one
of the sexiest things. Ever. And doing it while bare-chested . . .
Be still her beating heart.
And yes, she seemed to be swearing much more since meeting him. But
she kind of liked it. She’d always imagined she was a bit of a badass. And
now, she was embracing that side of herself.
“I’m a fucking honey badger,” she muttered.
He placed the last pancake on a plate, turning off the stovetop before he
turned and leaned back against the kitchen counter, crossing his arms over his
well-muscled chest. How could he look so good in the morning? She felt like
death warmed up.
“Good morning,” he said in that low, raspy voice.
“It is now.”
Reyes raised one eyebrow. How did he manage that? She couldn’t even
wink without looking like she was having some sort of weird fit. She shuffled
her way towards him.
“I’m a honey badger.”
“I’m not sure I want to know why, but I’m going to ask anyway.” He
reached out and placed his hand around the back of her neck, drawing her in
against him.
Her body shivered as it came into contact with his. The effect he had on
her was insane. Then he leaned in and kissed her.
Her head was spinning by the time he let her up for air. With his free
hand, he brushed back her wild hair, which she hadn’t bothered to try to
tame. She hadn’t even looked in the mirror before coming out here. Probably
that was something she should do, now that she had a lover.
Nope. She didn’t like that word for what they had. But she wasn’t sure
what else to call him.
Not her boyfriend. Not even her man.
“Honey badgers are the badasses of the animal kingdom,” she told him
once her brain started moving again.
“Really? Not wolves or lions?”
“No,” she scoffed. “A honey badger might be small, but they’re fearless
killers. They’ll take on a lion. They’re fucking psychopaths.”
“Right.”
Emme, your weirdness is showing.
Her stomach rumbled again. Turning her, he slapped her ass. “Sit down.
No more distracting me. You need to eat and rehydrate.”
“Before round two?” she asked as she attempted to get on the stool. Ouch.
Shit.
“Round two? Think that might be round three. And no sex today.”
“What?” She scowled at him. “Why not?”
“Because you can’t even climb onto that stool without wincing.”
“That’s because someone spanked me last night. Several times.”
He lifted her onto the stool then leaned into the back of her, his hands on
the counter on either side of her. She loved when he trapped her like this. She
had no idea why, but she wasn’t going to overthink it. Screw that. If she liked
it, and it didn’t hurt anyone, then why not have it?
“If anyone has a problem with it, I’ll show them my inner honey badger.”
“If someone has a problem with what?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Me. The way I am.”
“Anyone doesn’t like you then they can get fucked. If they say anything
to hurt you, then you tell me. I’ll take care of them.”
She shivered. “I like when you get all protective.”
“Baby, you haven’t seen protective yet.” He nipped her neck. “You smell
good.”
“We could go do some tongue fucking right now,” she said, entirely too
eager about that idea.
“You know, oral sex won’t hurt me. And I need to practice my blow
jobs.”
“Shit, if only I hadn’t told myself I was going to be a better person this
morning . . .”
 “Why would you go and do something stupid like that?” She tried to twist
around to see him, but he was pressed too tightly against her.
Her stomach chose that moment to rumble.
“Nope. You’re not getting your way in this, brat.”
She pouted. He made it sound like she’d be the only one getting
something out of some mutual fun. He moved around the counter and
grabbed the pancakes as well as some maple syrup and butter. “I need to take
better care of you. Feed you. Hydrate you. Make sure you sleep and shit.”
“I don’t think I like this side of you.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“What? My bossy side?”
“Nah, fool that I am, I go all weak for that.” She waved her hand. “The
responsible side.”
He cut some pancake up and held the fork out to her with a calm face. As
though there was nothing weird about feeding her.
She took the bite. He ate in between feeding her. Her heart swelled at the
way he just gave her what she needed without complaint. Without trying to
fix her.
“Do you think you’ll get sick of having to do this for me?”
He shook his head with a smirk. “What did I tell you about myself last
night? I’m a controlling, arrogant, all-up-in-your-business asshole.
Remember?”
“Yeah, I remember. I’m not the one who’s old and getting senile.”
He gave her a sharp look. “Watch that smart mouth.”
“Bring it, old man.”
“Oh, I will, little girl,” he said with dark, wicked promise in his eyes.
She shivered. Why’d she get off on poking the bear? She had no idea.
She’d never have provoked her father like this. But then her father and Reyes
were worlds apart. One would have destroyed her without a hint of remorse.
The other would destroy the world to keep her safe.
At least she thought he would.
“This feeds right into my need to control everything and everyone around
me. Believe it or not, most people get upset when I try to tell them what to
do.”
“I don’t have any trouble believing that,” she reassured him before he
stuffed her mouth with more pancakes.
She glared at the glass of water he set down next to her plate.
“Why has no one invented something that makes water taste like
chocolate?” she muttered. “Water is sooo boring.”
“It’s also good for you. Drink.”
“Bossy boots.”
“What was that?” he asked, turning away from where he was grabbing
himself some coffee.
“Nothing.” She grinned then shook her head as he went to feed her more
pancakes. He finished them up. Where the hell did he put all that food? The
man was built like a God. All hard lines, firm skin covered in tattoos. Was it
bad she just wanted a few hours to trace over all those tattoos with her finger,
then chase it up with her tongue?
“You’re drooling a little.” He grinned at her.
“Am not.”
But she did check, just in case.
“You’re so mean to me.”
“You were eating me with your eyes.” He leaned over the counter and
kissed her gently. “I loved it.”

***

Fuck it.
Sitting here, looking at spreadsheets, wasn’t getting him anywhere. He
wasn’t any closer to finding out what was going on at Reaper’s.
He’d already called Brody several times to get updates on his research
into Emme. He was pretty sure that if he called again today, that Ink would
kill him.
His concentration was shot anyway. All he could think about was her.
The noises she made as she came. The way she tasted.
Like honey.
Honey badger indeed. He shook his head. There was definitely nothing
ordinary about Emme. Standing, he stretched.
Making his way into the living room, he glanced around. The place was
pretty quiet. The TV was on but had been turned down. He grimaced as he
saw it was set on some true crime documentary.
Christ.
Moving to the door of the playroom, he heard some noises. Although not
the noises he’d been expecting.
“Sergeant Bad Boy, are you ready to take out the enemy? Excellent.
Everyone get ready. We need to destroy the evil enemy, Suzy. No, Suzy,
you’re not actually the enemy, we’re just playing.”
Suzy again. He hadn’t heard her talk about Suzy again, and he’d thought
maybe that conversation he’d overheard had been a one-off.
“Okay, good. Sergeant Bad Boy. One. Two. Three. Fire! Fire!”
He pushed the door open carefully and watched in surprise as Emme used
a nerf gun to take out a line of stuffies, who were obviously the enemy.
Another line of stuffies stood in front of her.
He’d expected to find her playing with dolls or quietly coloring. Although
he wasn’t sure why. This was Emme. No tea parties for her. Nope, she was
holding a full-scale war.
“Die, teddy, die!”
Poor teddy got knocked onto his back by the foam bullet. Pretty good
aim.
“Die, rabbit! You evil bastard.”
He found himself holding back a laugh.
“Ouch! Damn it!”
He frowned as he noticed her staring down at her fingers. They’d looked
a lot better this morning when he’d examined them, so he hadn’t taped them
together.
Obviously, they weren’t fully healed as she’d claimed.
He stepped into the room. “Let me see them.”
She gasped and looked over, growing pale. Guilt filled him for scaring
her.
“Sorry, wildcat. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Shit. Didn’t hear you.”
His lips twitched. “You were too busy taking out an evil army of stuffies,
I see.”
She glanced over at her two armies. “Umm, yeah. Is that weird?”
He grasped the back of her neck, drawing her closer. Damn, he loved the
way pleasure filled her face with his possessive touch.
“What have I said about calling yourself weird?”
 “I bet most Littles don’t create armies, then fire at their stuffies with nerf
guns, though.”
“Who cares? Like I told you, do what makes you happy. Do you like
being in here? Playing?”
“Mostly.”
Mostly?
She shrugged. “Feels a bit weird to be in here alone, even if Suzy . . .”
She trailed off, going bright red.
“Who is Suzy?”
“Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”
“Emme,” he warned.
“I don’t want to tell you. You’re going to think I’m a freak.”
He sighed. “That’s twenty.”
“Twenty!” She gaped at him.
“Yep. First, you lied, then you called yourself a freak. Keep going and
we’ll make it more.”
She glared up at him. He nearly grinned. He liked her fire. Her sass.
“Who is Suzy?”
“My imaginary friend!”
31

There. Now he was going to know that she was completely nuts. She waited
for the weird look. For him to step away from her.
To be rejected.
“An imaginary friend? Makes sense.”
Her breath was caught in her lungs as she stared at him. That was it? That
was all he had to say?
“Makes sense?” she managed to get out as he moved his hold on her to
the side of her neck, running his thumb soothingly over her jaw.
“Yep. It wasn’t like you had the opportunity to make friends. You were
alone. Lonely. I can see why you would invent a friend. Others have
imaginary friends.”
“Other children! I’m not a child.”
“You know for a fact that there are no other adults with imaginary
friends?”
“Well, I . . .” No. She didn’t know that. “But I’m sure it’s not that normal.
Why aren’t you more surprised?”
“Heard you talking to her in my apartment. I’m surprised I haven’t caught
you talking to her more often.”
“She’s barely been around since I left my father’s house. She doesn’t
really like other people. I was worried she might have left for good.”
“Maybe she knows you don’t need her as much anymore.”
She chewed her lip. “You really don’t think that I need help?”
“No.”
She let out a deep breath.
“Not with that, anyway.”
Oh, but she needed help with something else? Ass.
His lips twitched.
“You’re teasing me.”
“I never tease.”
That wasn’t true.
His face grew stern. “Show me your fingers.”
 Oh crap. She’d hoped he would forget about that.
“They’re fine.” She hid them behind her back. Seriously. As though that
was going to go well for her?
His face hardened. “Emme. Fingers. Now.”
He held out his hand. A king expected to be obeyed.
She took a step back. Sometimes, a king needed someone to challenge
them, right? Although that often didn’t work out well in the animal kingdom.
And by the dark look on his face, it wasn’t going to work out well for her,
either.
She squealed as he reached out and picked her up. He carried her to the
bed then sat with her on his lap.
“Reyes! Let me down!”
“Not Reyes in here,” he muttered.
“What? Oh, Jacob.”
“Nope, try again.” He held her tightly as she tried to get off his lap. “Hold
still. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
Urgh! That logic just made her mad. She wouldn’t hurt herself if he
would let her go! But instead of letting her go, he rolled her onto his lap and
gently gathered her wrists up.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to teach you to obey me.” He slapped his hand down on her
bottom. Thankfully, she was wearing jeans today, so she didn’t feel much.
Although her bottom was still slightly tender after her spanking last night.
“Reyes!”
“Not in here. In here, I’m Daddy.” Slap! Slap!
Wait. What?
She stilled, no longer interested in fighting him. Had he really just said
that? Gently, he rolled her back, so she was sitting on his lap. Then he took
careful hold of her injured hand.
“I didn’t think you’d want that. You said you haven’t . . . not since . . .”
“Haley, I know. But I want to help you explore your Little side.”
Oh. Right.
“You pull at my Daddy more than anyone has in years. I want to be your
Daddy when you want to play. That something you want?”
There was something in his voice. Something she hadn’t seen or heard
before.
You will be in such trouble once this is all over.
 “Yeah.” She cleared her throat. “Yeah. It’s good for me.”
He studied her. “Good. We can go over some limits later. Although, you
should know I’m going to want to push at them. Can’t help it.”
She’d kind of figured. But she also trusted him not to harm her. Not to
push for more than she could take.
“I understand.”
He frowned as he took in her fingers’ slightly swollen appearance. “When
I asked you about your fingers this morning, you said they were fine.”
“They were!”
He gave her a stern look.
“All right, they hurt a tiny bit. But not enough to be concerned about.”
He raised an eyebrow. Damn, that look of his was intimidating.
“They’re swollen, and you cried out in pain just before when you were
using the nerf gun.”
She chewed guiltily at her bottom lip.
Suddenly, she found herself on her feet. He stood and turned her towards
the wall. With his hand on the small of her back, he guided her to the corner.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“This is called corner-time,” he told her. “You should get used to it. I
think you’ll be here often. While I get the first-aid kit and plug, you’re going
to stand here and think about what you did wrong.”
As he spoke, he reached around her and undid her pants, tugging them
down her hips.
“Wait. Why are you taking my pants off?”
“Because corner time always happens with a bare bottom. We’ll leave
your socks on, though. Don’t want your feet getting cold.”
No, they wouldn’t want that. Next, her panties came down.
“Why would I need to do this with my ass hanging out?” she asked
suspiciously.
He palmed an ass cheek, squeezing it. “It’s so you know that the next
time I touch this bottom, it will be to heat it.”
She sucked in a breath.
“Nose against the wall. Legs as far apart as they will go. No moving from
that position, understand?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Yes, Daddy,” she repeated. Damn, it felt so good to call him that.
 Her nerves built as he left. Along with her anticipation. A spanking didn’t
scare her. Then his words came back to her.
A plug?
What the fuck? Did he really mean . . . ? Was he really . . . ? Oh shit. She
was considering running and hiding when she heard him come back into the
room.
“That’s my good girl. Thought you might have tried to do a runner.”
Well, she likely would have if he’d left her for much longer.
“Just so you know, if you had, I’d be using my belt on that ass.”
Ooh. A shiver just ran down her spine. And not in a bad way, either.
“Come here.” She turned and Reyes crooked a finger at her. Feeling
nervous, she walked over to where he stood next to the bed. Sitting, he drew
her between his powerful thighs. Then he proceeded to tape up her fingers
again.
She sighed. “I think this is unnecessary.”
He didn’t reply.
“They’re really not that sore. They’ll be fine.”
“Emme?”
“Yes?”
“Hush.”
She frowned down at him. Hush?
“When it comes to your health and safety, there won’t be any arguments,
understand me? You’ll do as you're told.”
There was an unspoken ‘or else’ there. But even she wasn’t foolish
enough to ask the question. Besides, the answer was pretty damn obvious.
“How does that feel?” he asked, examining his handiwork.
“They feel fine.”
“Hmm, maybe I should put your arm in a sling. Then you definitely won’t
be able to move them around.”
Her eyes went wide. “Reyes!”
“What’s my name in here?”
“Daddy,” she breathed out, a hint of wonder in her voice that made her
blush like a teenager.
“You know why you’re being punished?”
“Because you like spanking my butt?” she asked cheekily.
He narrowed his gaze. “Seems you didn’t spend enough time in the
corner.”
 She widened her eyes. “No, I did. I promise!”
Searching for something to delay her inevitable return to the corner, her
gaze went to the bed, and she gulped as she took in the odd-looking purple
item. It was wide at one end with what looked like a small handle, then it
tapered at the other end. There was also a tube of something beside it.
“What is that?”
“The plug and lube.”
“And where does it go?”
Like you don’t know.
“It’s going up your ass, of course.”
“Uh-uh, no way. That is not going in my ass. It’s unnatural.”
He snorted. “It’s not unnatural. And I need to stretch you to take my cock
there. You’ve had my finger in there. How did that feel?”
She knew she was bright red. How could she not be with this topic? But
she took a moment to think that over. How had she felt? Hot. Turned on.
“Emme?” he prodded.
“Do I have to answer?” she whined.
“Yes.”
“But it’s embarrassing.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because you . . . I . . . we . . .”
“I liked fingering your ass. I want to plug you. I want to fuck your ass. So
why are you embarrassed by telling me how you felt with my fingers inside
your ass?”
“I’m sure this isn’t a normal conversation.”
He huffed out a breath. “You’re gonna be disappointed if you’re looking
for normal from me.” He stood, looming over her. But she didn’t move away.
He didn’t frighten her. Sure, he could be intimidating, but she knew she was
safe with him. “Tell me.”
Be brave, Emme.
“I liked it,” she whispered.
Something warm flickered in his eyes. “Good girl. Now, bend over and
put your good hand on the bed. You can wear the plug while you spend some
more time in the corner.”

Fuck.
The look on her face. It was a mix of horror, trepidation, and anticipation.
It was killing him. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had amused
him as much as she did. But this was punishment. It wouldn’t do for her to
think she could act all cute and wiggle her way out of being punished.
Her lower lip even slipped out on a pout. “Couldn’t you just spank me?”
Brat. He knew she’d enjoyed the spankings he’d given her so far. She
might not think that anymore once he got through with her ass today.
He shook his head and pointed at the bed. “Hands down. Bottom up. Legs
spread.”
“Sounds like the start of a bad porno,” she muttered.
“And what would you know about pornos?” he countered.
Her face was red as a tomato. Oh, this was interesting. He crossed his
arms over his chest. “When did you watch pornography, Emme?”
“I, umm, I . . . that’s none of your business!”
“Everything about you is my business.” He grasped her around her naked
hips. He was glad to find that her skin wasn’t cold. He had the thermostat up
so high that he was starting to wish that Ink had gotten him some shorts.
Reaching out, he grasped hold of the back of her neck. “When did you
watch a porno, wildcat?”
She huffed out a breath, but he knew she wouldn’t hold out long.
Although, he had a feeling there were things she hadn’t yet told him.
If she were his, she’d never be allowed to keep anything from him. He’d
demand it all.
Like you aren’t basically doing that anyway?
She groaned. “I looked one up on my tablet the other day.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Here? At the cabin?”
She nodded. “I was just . . . curious, I guess. I wanted to see what
happened in them. I never had access to the internet at my father’s house, not
unless it was for school work. Also, I figured maybe I could learn what to do
to, umm, please you.”
“Baby, you please me no matter what you do.”
She did?
“Well, except when you put your health or safety in jeopardy.” He
reached out and placed his fingers against her neck, rubbing his thumb over
the apple of her cheek in soft movements.
“Where did you watch it?” His curiosity was piqued as she grew even
redder. “Emme?”
“In the bathroom,” she blurted out.
 “That . . . wasn’t what I was expecting you to say.”
“I didn’t want you to catch me.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I don’t care if you watch porn.”
“You don’t?”
“But the rule is that you have to watch it with me. Not hide away.”
“Oh Lord,” she groaned. “I don’t need to watch anymore. Once was
enough. Besides, now I’ve got . . .”
“Now you’ve got what?”
“You’re never going to just let me keep secrets, are you?”
“And she catches on.”
“Now I’ve got the real thing anyway.”
He placed his free hand on the other side of her neck, then moved his
thumbs to her chin, tilting her face up. “Damn right, you do.” He kissed her.
Hot. Hard. Hungry.
Then he pulled back.
“Into position. Now.”
32

How did she get herself into these situations?

Seriously.
Bent over, good hand on the bed and her naked butt in the air. Waiting for
the sexiest man on the planet who’d taken her virginity, who handled her
with gentle savagery, to plug her butt.
This was not where she’d thought today was going to go.
Oh, and you’re so disappointed?
He placed his large hand on her lower back. That small touch steadied
her, gave her confidence.
“Relax, baby,” he told her.
Right. That was so easy when she knew he was about to stick a piece of
rubber up her ass. Was he for real right now?
Smack!
“Hey!” She turned her head to glare at him over her shoulder. “What was
that for?”
“You need to stop thinking and just do what you’re told.”
“That would make your life easier.”
Smack! Smack!
“Watch the sass, little girl.”
Damn, being called little girl did gooey things to her insides.
“That’s better. All you needed was a reset.”
A reset? Was that what he called spanking her ass? Before she could ask
him, he was pressing her cheeks apart and something cool and wet was
applied to her back hole.
Here we go. Down the rabbit hole.
Umm, actually, not the best thought to have.
“Breathe in,” he instructed, and she felt the rubber tip at her bottom hole.
“Now out. Slowly. That’s it. Good girl. Here it is.”
As she breathed out, he slowly but firmly pressed the plug into her
bottom. She’d expected it to be more painful. But there was just a slight
burning sensation and then the feeling of fullness. She wasn’t sure if she
liked it exactly, but she didn’t dislike it.
Then his big hand cupped her pussy possessively. He’d slept all night
with his hand over her like this. Arousal built inside her. It wouldn’t take
much for his finger to slip between her lips, to play with her swollen clit.
“That’s my good girl. Stand up now.”
As she stood, he removed his hand, and she whimpered at the loss.
“Easy,” he warned as she swayed. Reaching around her, he placed his
arm under her breasts, holding her against his huge, warm body until her legs
were steady.
“You good?”
She nodded.
He carefully let go of her before landing a hard smack to her ass. “Then
get in the corner for the rest of your punishment, little girl.”
If anyone ever told her that she’d one day stand half-naked in the corner
of a room with a plug in her ass. Well, she’d ask them what drugs they were
on.
And if they’d told her that the hardest part of it all was standing still,
she’d have scoffed and told them they were dreaming.
But here she was. She shuffled her weight around. Surely, it had been ten
minutes.
“That’s a reset,” Reyes told her.
“Noooo, that’s my third reset, I’ll be here until I’m old and gray at this
point.”
“All you gotta do is stay still, wildcat.”
Oh, that was all? He should try staying still with a piece of rubber up his
ass, while the sexiest man on the planet stared at his naked butt.
Actually, wait. She’d pay good money to see that. Hmmm.
“You thinking about what it was that you did to get you in that position?”
No. And now he’d just ruined her fantasy. Darn it.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Been ten minutes, come here.”
She turned and awkwardly waddled over to him. He raised an eyebrow,
managing to look both stern and amused.
“I don’t want it to fall out.” That would be just her luck. “You’d probably
insist on a reset.”
He seemed overly fond of that word.
“Most likely,” he agreed.
When she made it over to him, he tapped his legs. “Over you go.”
 “Over?” she squeaked.
He just stared at her. As though he didn’t think it was worth repeating
himself.
Reaching out, he took hold of her arm and helped guide her over so she
didn’t have to put any weight on her sore fingers.
Now he had an excellent view of her ass. And the plug in it.
He gently tugged at the plug, and she had to bite back a moan of pleasure.
“Do you like the plug, baby?”
Nope. No way. He couldn’t expect her to answer that, right?
Smack!
“In case you haven’t realized it, I don’t have a lot of patience.”
“Oh, I know that.”
“Then why do you keep testing me by not answering me straight away?”
“It’s not a test!” It was just that he kept asking her things that were
embarrassing as hell.
“Hmm, well if you can’t answer, then I’ll just have to find out for myself,
won’t I?”
What the heck did that mean?
“Part your legs,” he ordered.
Hell. Crap. Shoot.
She clenched them tight. A sharp smack landed on the top of each thigh
and she moaned.
“You should know better than to try to keep me out.”
Slowly, she parted her legs, and he reached that big hand between them to
cup her pussy possessively. Then a long finger slid between her slick lips.
Hell. Yes.
“That’s what I thought. Someone is all turned on, aren’t they? Someone
likes having the plug in her bottom.”
Wasn’t like she could deny it.
A thick finger slid deep into her pussy and he drove it in and out of her
until she was squirming, whimpering, wanting more. Then his finger slid
free.
“Nooo, don’t stop.”
“I’m sorry, wildcat. But naughty girls don’t get to come.”
What? What bullshit was this?
She glared at him over her shoulder. He just raised his eyebrows. “What
they do get is a bigger plug in their ass if they don’t stop glaring at their
Dom.”
Okay. Shit. Backtrack. She wasn’t ready for something bigger. Wait . . .
“Bigger?” she squeaked.
“This is the smallest plug that Hayes had.”
“You borrowed it?” Someone else had used it? Gross.
“It was brand new, still in its packaging.”
Thank God for that.
“I can’t do bigger.”
“You’re going to take me there, so you’re going to have to take bigger.”
Crap.
“But don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re ready. Going to be a pleasure
stretching this tight asshole.”
The things he said. Shoot.
Slowly, he started removing the plug from her bottom. “Relax, that’s it.
Good girl.”
Finally, it was gone. And her asshole felt . . . empty.
She attempted to wiggle off his lap. But he pressed his hand on the small
of her back. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Umm, I’m getting off?”
“You forgotten about your spanking?”
Shit. Yes. Crap.
“Hands behind your back, I’m going to hold your wrists to make sure you
don’t hurt your fingers.”
Of course he was. When he had her wrists firmly in his grasp, he started
spanking her.
Fuck.
If the first two smacks were any indication of how hard this spanking was
going to be, she was in deep, deep trouble.
His hand was relentless, spanking her with stinging smacks that soon had
her crying out and trying to wriggle free. He stopped and placed his hand on
the small of her back.
Thank God.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
“My butt hurts!”
“I bet it does. Ready for more?”
“More? There’s more?”
“That was only ten, you’ve got ten more to go.”
 “Nooo,” she groaned.
“That’s not your safeword. But you can say it if you need to.”
Did she need to? It was tempting, but . . . she wasn’t in any huge amount
of pain. And there was a part of her that felt like she deserved this. How often
did she put herself down? It wasn’t productive. It wasn’t doing anything to
build her self-esteem. And lying to him about her fingers, while it hadn’t
seemed like a big deal, was just something else her father had taught her. Not
to complain. That she wasn’t important.
She needed to change that mindset.
“I need to alter my way of thinking. He always made me feel like I wasn’t
important. Useless. Unlovable. Easily forgotten. Stupid.”
“That bastard. You’re not any of those things.”
“I know.” She sniffled. “Just sometimes I need reminding.”
“I’m here anytime you need that reminder. Ready for the last ten?”
“Yes,” she said quietly.
The last ten were just as hard as the first ten and while they hurt and she
cried and her bottom throbbed, she also felt like all those bad thoughts, all the
hurt she carried inside starting to melt away.
Maybe she could do this. Reset her life. Find her happiness.
She just wanted to do it with him.
Jacob Reyes.
33

Ouch.
Her bottom hurt. She didn’t think she’d be sitting comfortably for the rest
of the day.
As Reyes walked into the playroom with their lunch, she sent him a
pouting look.
“You sulking, little girl?” he asked calmly as he set the tray he was
carrying on the floor.
“You hurt my bottom.”
“And did you deserve to have your bottom spanked?”
Well, he didn’t expect her to answer that, did he?
From the stern look on his face, he did. Darn it.
“Maybe I deserved a spanking, but you didn’t need to make it so hard.”
“Yes, I did. You need to learn not to call yourself names or lie to me.
Come here. It’s lunchtime.”
“Not hungry.”
Okay, she was definitely sulking.
“Come here.” There was no leniency in his face. With a sigh, she walked
across the playroom to where he’d set a blanket on the ground and placed the
tray in the middle. Laid out on a couple of plates were some sandwiches.
Several were cut in half, others were cut into corners with the crusts removed.
There was also a bunch of plump grapes and cut-up strawberries. Ooh and
cookies.
“It looks just like a picnic.” She bounced excitedly, her sore bottom and
his stern expression forgotten. “Yay! I’ve never been on a picnic.”
“You’ve never been on a picnic?”
“No, never.”
“Killing me,” he muttered. She wasn’t sure what he meant, but she shook
it off. She was too excited.
“I mean, I know you’re supposed to go outside and stuff. Ooh, could we
have a picnic outside?”
“It’s thirty-five degrees out there.”
 “Oh yeah. Never mind, this is great.”
He eyed her strangely. What did she say? She knelt down opposite him.
Her stomach tightened, but not to the point of making her want to vomit.
“Do something for me?” he asked calmly.
“Yeah, of course.”
“I want you to write a list of everything that you’d like to do. Everything
that you missed out on doing while that asshole held you prisoner. Doesn’t
matter how big or small. Okay?”
She bit her lip but nodded. She wasn’t sure what to put on it, but she
guessed she could try. “Okay, Daddy.”
“Good girl. You’re not sitting there. Come here.”
He patted his lap.
She hesitated.
“Emme,” he warned.
“Honestly, you can’t always get your way, your ego is going to get so big,
you won’t even fit through the door.”
“I fit through the door just fine. And I always get my way.” He held out
his hand ,and she took it, letting him help her onto his lap. She was facing
away from him. Her hot bottom pressed against his cock. She hadn’t wanted
to put her pants back on over her red ass, so he’d grabbed her a pair of loose
sweatpants from the closet in here. They were a light blue color that she
really liked. And they were so snuggly. She ran her hand down them.
“Like those, little girl?”
“Yeah. So soft and the color’s pretty.”
“What’s your favorite color?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t?”
“No. I mean, wouldn’t have mattered if I did. I never got asked about
what I wanted to wear or what color the stuff in my room would be. I just
wore whatever my nannies or father bought, and my room had white walls
and a white bedspread. Always. I guess I like blue and yellow. So maybe
they’re my favorites.”
“Favorite food?”
“I dunno. Oh, but I liked that ice cream I had the other night. Cookies and
cream. That was yum. Sometimes the cook would make chocolate chip
cookies. So yeah. Ice cream and chocolate chip cookies. Can I have a cookie
now?”
 “No, you have to eat your sandwiches first.”
“But you keep saying I have to put on weight. Wouldn’t that happen
quicker if I eat the cookies? I mean, what if I eat the silly sandwiches and
then I’m too full for the cookies?”
Oh, the crime of it all.
“Somehow, I think you’ll still have room,” he said dryly.
Drat. That ploy didn’t work. She shifted around on his lap, but he held her
still and reached over to grab one of the sandwich triangles. She tensed,
unable to help herself. She knew he wouldn’t let her get away with not
eating.
“Open.”
She took a bite.
She’d been relying on him so much. What would happen when he was
gone?
Don’t worry about this now, Emme.
He fed her first, and she ate two whole triangles before shaking her head.
“No more sandwiches, Daddy.”
“That’s not enough.”
“I need room for the cookies.”
“Make you a deal. Eat two strawberries and four grapes and you can have
one cookie.”
She wasn’t sure she liked that deal. But then, she did love strawberries
and grapes, so it wasn’t too much of a hardship.
“Can I have a drink, Daddy?” she asked as she finished the fruit and
cookie.
“What do you say?”
She thought that over. She thought what she’d said had been pretty clear.
Then it came to her.
“Please, Daddy?”
“That’s better.” He picked up the sippy cup and held it to her mouth.
“I can drink out of a glass.”
“You might spill. This is easier for me to help you. Open up.”
She placed a hand on the sippy cup as she drank, then drew away when
she’d had enough. It felt a bit weird, but also kind of right at the same time.
Afterward, he helped her off his lap and even wiped her mouth with a wet
wipe he’d gotten from the drawers under the crib. She’d gotten a look in the
drawer and seen what appeared to be adult-sized diapers.
 Some Littles really did like to use diapers, huh? She couldn’t imagine
doing that herself, but then she couldn’t discount it either, seeing as she
hadn’t tried it.
Her bladder chose that moment to tell her that she needed to pee. She’d
clenched her thighs together, shifting from side to side where she still sat on
the floor.
“I’m going to take this back to the kitchen,” he told her. “Little girl?”
“Hmm?”
“Do you have to pee?”
“How did you know?” she wailed. She swore that sometimes he could
read minds.
A half-grin pulled up one side of his mouth. “A Daddy can tell.”
“I really gotta go.” She stood and kind of waddled towards the bathroom.
Then she was suddenly lifted into the air and carried to the bathroom
where he set her down in front of the toilet.
“How long have you been holding on for?” he asked sternly.
“Awhile. Now shoo!”
“Shoo?” He crossed his arms over his chest.
“Daddy!” she cried. “I need privacy.”
He shook his head. “There’s nothing that you can’t do in front of me. But
I’ll give you privacy. For now.” He stopped when he reached the door.
Oh, stuff it. She pulled down her sweatpants. She was going to pee
herself if she didn’t go.
“But we’re going to have a chat about holding on.”
Awesome. Just what she wanted to talk about. Her bathroom habits.

***

“You want to stay in here? Are you sure? Are you going to work in here?”
she asked.
He’d cleaned up their dishes while she’d peed. Then they’d had a very
awkward and embarrassing conversation about how she needed to pee as
soon as she felt the urge or she’d get a UTI. She’d thought that had sounded
like some sort of sexually transmitted disease until he’d explained it to her.
Then she realized she’d likely heard of it before, she’d just never known
exactly what it was.
Afterward, she’d expected him to go back to work. Like he usually did
after lunch. Except, he’d told her he was going to spend some time playing
with her.
“Thought I might take a break from work for an hour or so until it’s time
for your nap.”
“I don’t have naps.”
“Maybe you didn’t in the past. Things have changed.”
She scowled at him. “I don’t need a nap.”
“If that foot stomps the floor, then you’re heading back into the corner,
little girl.”
Darn it. She hated corner time.
Reaching over to where she stood, he ran a thumb under her eye. “You’ve
got dark marks under your eyes. You haven’t slept properly since I met you.
Having naps is something you best get used to.”
“I won’t sleep at night, though.”
“Oh, you will,” he promised. “I’ll see to that.”
She blushed as he winked.
“You going to set your army back up?”
“I dunno. I can’t fight if there’s no other general and I’m not sure that
Suzy is going to come back.”
“Do you think she doesn’t like me?” he asked.
She snuck a peek at him, the tattoos, the muscles, the almost-permanent
scowl, and icy dark eyes. “You might seem slightly intimidating to someone
who didn’t know you well.” Or to everyone.
“Well, if Suzy isn’t here because of me then maybe I should be the other
general.”
Her eyes widened. “I’m not sure, Daddy.”
“Why not?”
“Do you know how to play?” she asked.
“I can play.”
“Uh-huh. When’s the last time you did any playing?”
“Just tell me where you want me, brat.”
“Okay, you can take this army. You need to choose a sergeant. Bad Boy
is mine. You can’t have him.”
“Damn, he has the most experience too.” He tapped his chin with a
finger, looking so serious as he perused the toys around him. She had to
giggle. This wasn’t a side of him she had expected.
“Fine, I choose the dolly with the red hair.”
“Ooh, are you sure about that, Daddy?”
“Why?”
“She’s kind of crazy. Like psycho crazy,” she mock-whispered.
“I seem to be dealing with a lot of psycho crazy lately.”
She giggled again.
“Now, rules.”
“There’re no rules while playing, Daddy.”
“There is. No nerf guns.”
“What? How am I going to destroy your army of psycho stuffies?” she
asked.
“Fine. You can have nerf guns, but you need to use your left hand. And
you have to wear eye protection.”
“Daddy!” She rolled her eyes. “You’re being silly.”
“That’s the deal. Or you can go have that nap right now. Sassy brat.”
“Okay, Daddy.” He found her some glasses, but she noticed he wasn’t
wearing any. Double standard, much? But she supposed she shouldn’t
complain too much about him protecting her. After all, no one had ever
bothered to do that before.
She grinned at him. “Now, I hope you’re not a sore loser, because we’re
going to kick your ass.”
34

Emme looked down at her list she’d written, glad that her fingers had
finally healed enough that she could write without pain. Then she headed into
the dining room. Or badass headquarters as she’d started calling it.
“Mr. Badass?”
He glared up at her. “You’re not calling me that.”
“But you have nicknames for me, so I figured it was only fair to give you
one too.”
“My nickname is Reyes.”
“But that’s your last name.”
“You call me Daddy.”
“But only when I’m Little. I suppose I could call you Daddy all the time.
Might get a few looks when we’re out in the real world, though. Then again,
you’re soooo old that you could pass for my Daddy.”
He jumped from his chair and leaped for her. With a squeal, she raced
around the other side of the table.
“You want to repeat that, little girl?”
“Umm, I’m thinking no!” she cried as he grabbed her around the waist.
“Eek!” she screeched, her arms flailing in the air.
“Now, I have you!” He sat on the chair and turned her over his lap. He
placed a warning hand on her bottom. “What were you saying?”
“That you’re such a handsome, youthful-looking Daddy. Why, I’ve only
counted ten gray hairs on your entire head and that’s a miracle!”
“Brat!”
She braced herself for a smack, but instead he reached between her legs
and started tickling her upper thighs.
“No! No, Daddy!” She tried to wriggle her way off his lap, but he held
her down, relentlessly tickling her. “Don’t! I can’t . . . it’s too . . . much!”
Finally, she relaxed and gave in. He stopped immediately, turning her
over, so she sat on his lap. He pushed back her mess of hair, weaving his
fingers through it before he brought her face up for a kiss.
She melted against him as he kissed her like she was the very air he
needed to live.
It was a heady feeling. She just wished it was the truth. By the time he
drew back, her body was tingling, her clit throbbing.
“Seems this old man can still render you speechless.”
“Guess you’ve had plenty of time to perfect your skills,” she replied
cheekily. Although thinking of him with anyone else made her . . .
murderous.
“Want to tell me what that look on your face is about?”
“I have a list for you to look at,” she deflected.
He raised an eyebrow curiously, but didn’t say anything as she scrambled
off his lap to go find the list. Where did it go? She must have dropped it
while he was chasing her. Oh, there it was under the table. Getting down on
her hands and knees, she crawled under the table to retrieve it.
“Careful of your head.” She wriggled back, and he placed his big hand on
her head, protecting her against banging it.
Sometimes, he did these small things that just melted her heart.
“Here it is!” She handed it up to him. He put it on the table then helped
her stand, holding her hips until she was steady. Then he looked at the list.
And said nothing.
Nervously, she shifted her weight from foot to foot. What was wrong?
Why wasn’t he speaking?
“Have I got it completely wrong? I just put down a ballpark figure. I can
change it.”
“What is this? I thought you were writing a list of things you’d like to do
once we leave here?” he asked.
“Oh yeah, I’m having some issues with that.” Since she had no idea.
Thinking about the future, about what she wanted, it wasn’t something that
came naturally to her.
He gave her a dark look. “Nope.”
“Nope? What does that mean, nope?”
“It means that nope, you’re not in the ballpark because all of this should
say zero.”
She narrowed her gaze at him. “What?”
“Everything I bought you is a gift and you insult me by telling me you’re
going to pay me back for it.”
Her eyes widened “I insult you?”
“Yes.”
 “Grr, Jacob Reyes, you can be so infuriating. I’m trying to do the right
thing.”
“Not taking your money. And I dare you to try and give me any.”
“You are being ridiculous.” She stomped her foot. “Give me that list.”
“Did you really just stomp your foot at me?”
She scowled at him. “Yes. I did. What are you going to do about it?”
He slowly stood. Oh. Shit. Yeah, she’d basically just dared him. Never a
good idea to dare a badass, Emme.
She took a step away. “I didn’t mean that!”
“I think you did. You need some time in the corner. With a plug up your
bottom. Then you can think about not stomping your foot at me or
challenging me. And you can definitely think about how to apologize for
trying to keep a list of all the things I’ve bought that you think you have to
pay back!”
“Fine. I won’t pay you back, you stubborn goat.”
“Stubborn goat?” he whispered.
Oops. Things were going from bad to worse for her today. Maybe it was
time to close her mouth.
“Stubborn. Goat,” she whispered.
Too bad her mouth just didn’t know when to quit.
“Corner. Now.”
“Grr.” She turned on her heel and stomped towards the corner. “Don’t
you get rid of that list, though. I still owe Betsy, Eden, and Hayes.”
“You don’t owe Hayes. I do. I owe him a favor. I gave Betsy the money
for your stuff, so you don’t owe her anything. And the stuff Eden sent you is
a gift, I’ve already told you that she’d be insulted if you tried to pay her
back.”
“How can it be insulting when I’m trying to do the right thing!” She
threw her hands in the air.
“Get those jeans down and spread your legs.”
Muttering under her breath, she drew off her jeans and panties then
pressed her bottom out, her forehead leaning against the corner. Pushing her
legs apart, she put her hands in the small of her back.
Ridiculous. “I was trying to do something nice. Shouldn’t be punished for
doing the right thing. Mean old stubborn goat.”
“You’re not being punished for trying to do something nice,” he told her.
Whoops. She hadn’t realized he’d come back into the room.
 “And call me a stubborn goat one more time and I’ll add writing lines to
your punishment.”
Don’t do it. Don’t. Do. It.
She held back the words through sheer force of will. But damn, it was
hard.
“Come here.”
“Nope.”
“Excuse me?” he asked darkly.
“I don’t think I want to go over there.”
“Oh, you definitely don’t want to. However, that’s what you’re going to
do. Because you know you’re in enough trouble and you don’t want to make
it any worse, do you?”
Drat. She hated when he made sense. Turning, she scowled at him.
“Come here, brat.” He crooked a finger at her. She walked over, slowing
as she saw the huge butt plug sitting on the table. Alongside a tube of lube.
“Umm, can we talk about this?”
“I think you’d be better off not talking, since every time you talk you
seem to get yourself into more trouble.”
That was for darn sure.
“But that plug is too big. Are you trying to split me in two?”
He snorted. “That plug isn’t the biggest one you’re going to take, and it’s
definitely smaller than me.”
That was the truth.
“Over my lap. You’re getting twenty with my hand, then the plug and
some quiet time in the corner.”
“Twenty! Why?”
“You stomped your foot, lost your temper and basically dared me to
punish you then you called me a stubborn goat. Twice.”
“Well, you put it like that, then of course it’s going to sound bad. Could I
plead temporary insanity?”
“You can. And I definitely believe it. However, temporary insanity still
doesn’t waiver the sentence.”
Yeah, she’d kind of figured that wouldn’t work.
He positioned her over his lap. The spanks came hard and fast, barely
allowing her any time to gather up her thoughts or her breath. Then he moved
lower to where her thighs and bottom met and she let out a screech.
Ouch! That was damn sore.
 By the time he finished heating her ass, tears were dripping down her
cheeks, sobs rocked her body and her poor bottom was throbbing. Yep, she
wouldn’t be sitting easily this afternoon.
Reyes rubbed her lower back gently. “Do you have anything to say to me,
wildcat?”
She guessed telling him that he spanked hard for an old man wasn’t what
he wanted to hear.
“Sorry for stomping my foot and calling you a stubborn goat.” Even
though he was one.
“That’s my good girl.”
He shifted, and she heard a squirting noise. Oh crap. She knew what that
noise was.
“Don’t tense up,” he warned as he parted her bottom cheeks and then
placed a wet finger against her bottom hole. “That’s it. Just relax and let me
in.”
She eased her muscles, accepting his finger. He pressed it deep and
arousal flooded her. Another finger joined the first, stretching her. She bit her
lip to hold in her groan of need.
Then his fingers slid free to be replaced by the tip of the plug. Crap.
“Deep breath in. Now out slowly. That’s it. Good girl.”
The plug stretched her, filling her. She clenched down around it once it
was fully seated inside her. Her pussy was wet, her clit throbbing. He rubbed
her bottom gently. But she wanted more.
“Please touch me. Please.”
“Not yet,” he told her. “You know you don’t get pleasure right after a
punishment.”
That rule sucked ass.
“I don’t want you worrying about paying people back or what you think
you owe, okay? People want to help you. Kindness doesn’t need to be repaid.
But it can be paid forward.”
Okay, when he put it like that, it made more sense.
“I just feel so guilty that you’re stuck here with me when you have other
things you need to do. And we don’t even know how long we’ll be here.
Every day we’re here, I feel worse. Especially since part of me is kind of
glad. Since I have no idea what I will do once I leave.”
Carefully, he rolled her over, turning her so she straddled his legs, facing
him. This kept the pressure off her sore bottom. But it also had her pussy up
against his cock. Ooh, it was so tempting to move herself against him. To
relieve some of the pressure building inside her.
Just one small orgasm.
Okay, with Reyes, they weren’t exactly small. But it was all she needed.
Placing one hand under her chin, he raised her face so she was looking
straight at him. “Eyes are up here, wildcat.”
She blushed. Whoops.
“Now, listen to me. Nothing is more important to me right now than
keeping you safe. Got me?”
“Why?” she whispered.
“I have my reasons. I care about you, Emme.”
But did he love her? Could he love her? The way she loved him.
Don’t tell him. You can’t tell him. She had no doubts that he’d try to tell
her that she didn’t know what love was. Or that she only thought she loved
him. And she couldn’t bear to be rejected by him. That would kill her.
“No worrying. No feeling guilty. Got me?”
“Okay.”
“Is being stuck here getting to you?”
“Not exactly,” she whispered. “I like it here. But I know this isn’t forever.
And I worry about the future. I worry about a lot of things.”
He grasped the back of her neck and leaned his forehead down to touch
hers.
“Anytime you’re worrying, find me. Tell me. Let me shoulder some of
that worry. Hear me?”
“I hear you.” Even though she wasn’t sure she should do it. She needed to
learn to do this stuff for herself. Sometimes, she felt as helpless as a babe.
Couldn’t cook. Could barely eat. No money. No job. No skills. More baggage
than a 747.
“Do you need more Little time? Would that help?”
Maybe. Or was it just another crutch to lean on? She didn’t know. But her
time here came with an expiration date, and spending more time with him
wasn’t something she would ever turn down.
“Yes, I think so.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I’m here for what you need. You’ve just
got to learn to ask for it since I’m not a mind reader.”
“You’re not?” She gave a mock gasp of shock.
“Brat,” he muttered. Standing, he set her on her feet.
 “I suppose it’s back to the corner for me.”
“Actually, I’ve changed my mind. Strip off the rest of your clothes. Leave
your socks on so your feet don’t get cold. Once you’re naked, wait here by
the table for me.”
Curious, she stripped off. Slowly and carefully since she didn’t want the
plug to slip free, then she waited for him to return. When he did, her
eyebrows rose at the three pillows he was carrying. What was he up to?
He placed the pillows on the table next to his laptop. One was at the edge
of the table, the other two in front of it in a line.
“Bend over the table and lie on the pillows.”
“Bend over the table?”
“Yep. I want you right next to me while I work. It will give me . . .
motivation to work quickly.”
Her breath quickened as she bent over the table. The pillows acted like a
mattress. Keeping the cold wood from touching her. She kept her legs
together. She should have known better.
He slapped her thighs lightly. “Move these apart.”
She widened her legs, blushing as she knew he could see her pussy. She
bent her arms under her head and faced away from him. A gasp escaped her
as he cupped her pussy.
“Someone is already wet. I’m guessing you enjoyed being plugged. And
spanked.”
She groaned as he ran his finger through her pussy. He was so close to
her clit. Come on, please.
Then he removed his hand. She bit back a sharp retort.
“Not the time yet.”

***

Fuck.
Ten minutes passed, and he knew that getting any work done was a
hopeless endeavor. Not while she was lying there, tempting him. He could
see the end of the plug where it was tucked between her ass cheeks. Her
pretty pussy was pink and damp with moisture. He just wanted to bury his
face inside her, lick her until she screamed.
Maybe he wouldn’t get much done, but perhaps he could use this time in
another way. Reaching over, he parted her pussy lips then slid a finger deep
inside her.
“Poor thing. You’re so turned on right now, aren’t you? Do you like
being my desk ornament?”
She groaned. “I’d like it more if he let me come.”
“Well, I might have if you’d been a good girl. But answer a few questions
for me, and maybe I might. Or perhaps I’ll just have you kneel between my
legs and suck me off while I deal with some emails.”
She whimpered and relaxed.
“Like the idea of that, do you?”
Shit. She never ceased to amaze him. And his dick was hard as steel right
now.
“Why haven’t you written that list of things you want to do when you get
out of here?” he asked as he pressed two fingers deep inside her. He loved
watching her lower lips part, the way her pussy clenched down around him.
She wriggled around, but he kept his fingers still.
“Why aren’t you moving?”
“Because you’re not answering me,” he replied.
“Shoot. I don’t know. Sometimes I find it hard to make decisions. I don’t
really know what to put because I don’t know what I’m going to do when I
leave here. It’s all so . . . so scary,” she whispered.
He moved his fingers, pulling them out then thrusting them back inside
her.
“I know it’s scary, but you’re going to have help, you’re not alone
anymore, wildcat.”
He flicked her clit with the thumb of his other hand, heard her moan.
Christ, she was so responsive.
“Why haven’t you asked about Brody’s search for your mom and her
relatives?”
“Because I don’t know if I want to find them. What if they reject me?
What if they’re awful people?”
“And what if they’re not?” he asked her gently. He toyed with the anal
plug, twisting it, pulling it out then pushing it back in. “What if they’re good
people who want to know you?”
“I can’t let myself hope.”
Oh, his poor baby.
Pulling his fingers free, he ignored her moan of protest as he rolled her
then removed the pillow beneath her ass.
“Reyes?”
“Jacob,” he reminded her.
“What are you doing?” she asked as he raised her feet and put them flat
on the table. He pressed her thighs apart.
“I’m hungry,” he replied. “Put your hands above your head and keep
them there.”
She obeyed instantly, and he buried his mouth in her pussy, licking at her
clit, sliding three fingers inside her. His cock was pressing against his jeans.
But he wanted her to come on his mouth, to drink her down.
“Jacob, Jacob, please!”
“Come when you need to, wildcat.”
“Oh. Ohhh.” She pushed up to meet him, and he grasped hold of her hips
to keep her still. He lapped at her clit until she screamed, until he felt the
waves of her orgasm washing through her. He continued to lick at her, loving
the taste of her until she slumped back on the table, then he slid his fingers
free and brought them to his mouth, sucking them dry.
“Fucking delicious.”
She sat, her hair wild, her eyes dazed, and a hopeful look on her face.
“My turn?”
He raised his eyebrows. “Your turn?”
Red stained her cheeks. “You said I could suck you off while you
answered your emails.”
Hell. Just when he thought he had her figured out, she still shocked him.
He held out a hand to her, and she slid down carefully. Grabbing a pillow, he
placed it between his feet on the floor. Then he stood and stripped. She knelt
after he sat. Leaning forward, she grasped hold of his dick around the base
and licked him.
Yeah. Like he was going to be able to do anything with his dick in her
mouth?
He tried. For all of thirty seconds. But it was all he could do not to blow
his load straight away, especially when she took him deep. What she lacked
in experience, she definitely made up for in enthusiasm.
 She slowly rose off his cock, licking across the top and pressing her
tongue against the slit. He closed his eyes and tried to count backward from
twenty. But it was no use, he was far too close.
“Stop, wildcat. Stop.”
He glanced down at her disappointed face. “You didn’t like it.”
“Liked it too much,” he replied gruffly. He slid his hands under her
armpits and drew her up. “Need to be inside you when I come.”
He placed her on the table, sitting her on the edge before reaching down
to grab the condom from the pocket of his jeans. He’d taken to carrying them
around everywhere.
After sliding it quickly on, he picked her up in his arms. Her chest was
pressed against his and she wrapped her arms around him. “What are you
doing?”
“Need a wall,” was all he was capable of muttering before he pressed her
against the closest wall, then entered her with one deep thrust.
“Oh my God!” she cried out.
Fuck. The plug. “Shit, did I hurt you? Emme?” He was an asshole,
bastard . . .
She opened her eyes and stared at him dreamily. “Why aren’t you
moving?”
“You’re all right?”
“No.” She pouted. “You’re not moving. Move!”
“Bossy brat.” But he drove back, then slid inside her.
So good. So damn good. He placed his hands under her ass, helping
support her as he took her. He needed to come. God, it was hard to hold back.
“Touch yourself,” he commanded. “Make yourself come.”
“I can’t! It’s too much.”
He drew away from the wall and slid free of her pussy before letting her
feet drop to the floor.
“No! Don’t stop! I’ll do it. I’ll do it.”
“Shh,” he told her. “Nobody is stopping. Turn around and put your hands
on the wall and press that ass out.”
She gave him a suspicious look but turned around. He grasped hold of the
plug and then reached around with his other hand to play with her clit as he
slowly pulled it out of her ass.
“Oh. Ohhh!” she groaned as he drew it free, then he placed it on the floor,
before bending his legs, grasping hold of her hips, and thrusting himself deep.
 “Jacob!”
“Yes, wildcat, that’s it. Now reach down with one hand and play with that
swollen clit. I know you need to come. I want to hear you scream, hear me?”
He continued to fuck her as she played with her clit. His orgasm rushed at
him. He managed to hold off until he heard her scream of release, felt her
clench down on him.
And then it was all over. He gave two final thrusts before he followed her
over the edge.
35

Emme sat on his lap in the living room.

She wasn’t sure how Hayes would feel about them sitting naked on his
furniture. Then again, it was leather and judging by the amount of sex toys
the man had . . . yeah, they’d just disinfect it before they left.
She ran her hand over Reyes’ chest and down towards his abs. He’d
wrapped a blanket over her. Between that and his body heat, she was toasty
warm.
Oh, someone was looking down on her when they sent him to her.
Those. Abs. Were. To. Die. For.
“You’re built like a Greek god.”
“Not sure Greek Gods had gang tattoos, wildcat.”
“You belonged to a gang?” She gaped at him. “Like a gang gang?”
“As opposed to just a gang?” he asked.
“No, I mean, the Iron Shadows aren’t a gang, right?”
“No. We’re an MC. But I belonged to a gang.”
“How did you leave? I thought they didn’t like people leaving.”
“They don’t. But when most of the gang is decimated by a rival gang,
well, there’s not really anyone to protest you going.”
“That sounds terrible.”
His face closed off. “Yeah. One way to put it. Joining the Stingers was a
huge mistake in a list of mistakes. But I didn’t want out like that. Some good
men died. My friends. It haunted me for a long time. Why I survived and they
didn’t.”

Fuck.
He hadn’t meant to blurt all that shit out. That time in his life wasn’t
something he was proud of. Most of his life wasn’t something to be proud of.
But it wasn’t anything she needed to know.
He waited. For her to be shocked. To turn away from him. To look at him
with fear.
Instead, she wrapped her arms around him, clinging tightly.
 “Baby,” he whispered. Then he realized she was trembling. “Baby, I’m
okay.”
He ran his hand up and down her back. So tiny. So delicate.
Mine.
He shook that thought from his head. His possessiveness was growing
with every day.
“I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
“I don’t deserve your sympathy.”
She leaned back, giving him a delightfully grouchy look. She was too
cute for his peace of mind. He brushed back some of her crazy hair. It had a
life of its own, which is why she usually kept it tied back. But he liked it like
this. Zany. Out of control.
“Yes, you do.”
“I chose that life. Made my bed, had to lie in it.”
“Why’d you join a gang? What about your family? What happened to
them? Did they turn you out because you were in a gang?” She looked so
ferocious. As though she was going to hunt down his family for daring to hurt
him.
He wrapped her hair around his hand. “I’d been in foster care since I was
five. My father bailed before I was born. My mom died in a hit and run. She
was just walking across the road, when some drunk bastard mowed her down.
I was with a neighbor. My first foster family was pretty good. I stayed there
for several years. But then the dad lost his job, and the family had to move in
with his parents. There was no room for me.”
“What? Those bastards. They should have made room!”
He shrugged as though it didn’t matter. But it did. It had mattered to that
nine-year-old boy. It had changed his life. Almost as much as his mother’s
death had. Helped shape the man he was.
Because he’d had trust issues ever since.
“What’s their names?” she snarled.
“Whoa there, wildcat.”
“I want their names,” she demanded.
“So you can do what?”
“So I can teach them a lesson. Nobody gets to do that to you, to any child,
and not pay the price.”
He wasn’t going to lie. This vicious side of her was a fucking turn-on. He
shifted around in an attempt to move her off his cock. No need for her to feel
his hard-on.
She tilted her head to one side. “That turns you on? The idea of me
making them pay?”
Cupping her chin, he gave her a firm look. “You won’t be going
anywhere near them.”
She gave him a disgruntled look.
“Nowhere. Near. Them. Understand me, wildcat?”
“I understand,” she sulked. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Still
think they need to pay.”
He shook his head. “I came to terms with what happened a long time
ago.”
“Not sure you ever come to terms with rejection.”
He turned her head to face him, catching her gaze with his. “You didn’t
deserve anything your sperm donor did to you.” He refused to call him her
father.
“And you didn’t do anything to deserve being rejected by them.”
Part of him still didn’t believe it. That he couldn’t have been better, nicer,
quieter, more polite. But no, she was right. He’d been nine years old. He’d
lived with them for years. They’d had his trust.
They’d broken it.
“What happened after that?” she asked.
“Not sure this is a story you need to hear.” Or that he wanted her to know.
Parts of it were things he was ashamed of. And he’d come to like the way she
looked at him. Like he could conquer the world and bring it down to her feet.
Fuck. He would do that. If it’s what she wanted.
“Hmm.” She got a calculating look on her face.
This girl.
“What does it mean? Your tattoo?” Reaching up, she ran her finger over
the words across his chest.
“Never again.”
He saw the quizzical look on her face, knew it was killing her not to ask.
“It’s the next part of the story,” he muttered. “This story isn’t pretty.”
“If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to.”
“You might see me differently,” he warned. “You will see me differently.
You’ll see the real me.”
She tilted her head to the side, giving him an innocent look. “I do see the
real you.”
 “You think I’m a hero, wildcat.”
A contented smile filled her face. “You are a hero.”
“And that’s what I mean, you’re going to find out how far from a hero I
am.”
“Nothing you could say could change my mind.”
He narrowed his gaze at her. “Maybe you should hear what I have to say
first.”
She shrugged, looking unworried. She needed to hear this. But fucked if a
part of him didn’t like how she saw him.
He let out a deep breath and rested his hand on the nape of her neck. His
favorite place on her entire body.
“So I went from foster home to foster home. In the last one, there were
three kids. Me and Zeke and a girl. Elise.”
“Zeke, your friend who arranged this cabin for us?”
“Yep,” he replied. “Despite the fact that I was an angry asshole, Zeke and
I grew close. Got into trouble together. Caused problems. Our foster dad was
a complete dickhead. Abused his wife. Tried to abuse us, but we were hardly
ever around for him to get to. He was a heavy drinker and a gambler.”
“And Child Services left you there? You didn’t tell anyone what was
happening?”
He scoffed. “I was seventeen. I was nearly out. I wasn’t going to say
anything because I didn’t think there was anywhere left to go. Plus, I had a
bad view of authority. And they always put on a good act when CPS came
around.”
“That’s terrible. I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”
“Truth is, I had my best friend, and it really wasn’t that bad in the grand
scheme of things.” He swallowed heavily. “Zeke and I were gonna wait until
we were eighteen, then take off. We did everything together. We were tight.”
“What happened?”
“Elise happened.”
“Did you both fall in love with her or something?” she asked.
“No, wildcat. No. If only that was the case.”
He turned her, so she straddled his lap, her legs on either side of his.
She ran her fingers through his hair and stared into his eyes. He forced
himself to look back. This was his punishment, watching that flame of
admiration and caring in her eyes die.
“Elise always wanted to hang out with us. Like a pesky little sister would.
She was their daughter, not a foster kid like me and Zeke. We didn’t want her
hanging around with us. Didn’t want anything to do with her. Her old man
always treated her better. Didn’t hit her or yell at her. She had better clothes,
food. Even though it wasn’t her fault, I held it against her.”
“You were just a kid.”
He shook his head. “Yeah. A selfish kid. She begged us to take her with
us when we went out that night. There was this look in her eyes. I didn’t
figure out what it was until later, until it was too late. It was desperation. This
girl was desperate. She was begging for our help and we ignored her.”
“Jacob,” she whispered, cupping his face between her smooth, cool
hands.
“Jesus, are you ever warm?”
She shook her head. “Jacob, tell me.”
Damn it. So much for trying to deflect.
“We got home that night. Cops were there. Elise, she’d killed herself.
Turns out her old man had been sexually molesting her. All that time, he’d
been doing that shit to her, and we never knew. We should have done
something.”
“You were kids too.”
“We were seventeen,” he shot back. “We ignored her. Didn’t want
anything to do with her. We should have helped her.”
She shook her head, tears running down her cheeks.
“Yes.” He took hold of her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Our fault.”
“His fault. He was the one that . . . that hurt her.” Something crossed her
face. “Is that why you helped me? Because of Elise?”
“In the beginning, yeah. You were abused, just in a different way. You
needed help.”
“You’re a good man, Jacob Reyes.”
“Wildcat. I’m not.”
“You are. You and Zeke were kids. Not adults. You didn’t know. He was
the monster. And where was her mother? Why didn’t she help? That poor
girl.” Tears dripped down her face. He ran his thumbs over her cheeks. She
felt things so deeply. It was going to get her in trouble one day. Someone
would hurt her.
Unless you protect her.
She wiped at her eyes and he leaned over to grab a tissue from the box on
the small table between the two recliners. He cleaned up her face, even
holding a tissue so she could blow her nose.
He was losing his mind over this girl.
“Where did you go next?”
“I took off. I was a few months shy of eighteen, but I wasn’t waiting
around to be placed somewhere else. Got in with this gang. Started doing shit
I wasn’t proud of. Bad shit.”
“You were angry and upset. I get it.”
“The shit I was doing wasn’t legal. I was part of a gang.”
“I know.”
With the things she liked to watch, maybe she did. But he was still
reluctant to go into detail. Because he didn’t want to extinguish that part of
her that thought he was fucking good.
“The stuff I did, I can’t ever take that back.”
“You made some mistakes, Jacob. But you were a kid. You were hurt.
And you’re trying to be a good person now.”
He opened his mouth to refute that, and she placed her hand over his lips.
He narrowed his gaze at her warningly.
“I’m not going to listen to you say any differently. If I’m not allowed to
call myself a weirdo, then you’re not allowed to say you’re a bad person. I
won’t hear it.”
Reaching up, he gently removed her hand from his mouth. “That so?”
She eyed him warily. “It is so.”
He ran his thumb over her nipple, watching her shiver. “I’m not a bad
person, huh?”
“Nope. A bad person wouldn’t have helped me. Wouldn’t have left their
business, their home, to keep me safe.” She gave him a stubborn look.
Brat.
He twisted her nipple, and she gasped. Heat flooded her face. Oh, she
liked that, did she?
“What about Zeke? Did he join the gang too?” she asked.
Regret punched him in the gut. “No. He didn’t want me to join. Tried his
best to keep me out. But I pushed him away. I was angry and upset and . . . I
didn’t want him near me. To be tarred by me.”
“Oh, Jacob . . .”
“No. No pity for me.” He toyed with her nipple and she pressed her pussy
up against his dick.
“It ended up being the best thing for him. He joined the armed forces and
now he works for a private security company. Has a girlfriend he loves. A
family.”
“You deserve all that too.”
Fuck. She was killing him.
He cupped her breasts with his hands, running his thumbs over her
nipples. “Wildcat. You have no idea what I’m capable of. All that I’ve done.”
“I know you’d never hurt me. You’d never hurt anyone who was
innocent. Maybe you did some bad things in the past, but I refuse to believe
that you ever hurt women or children.”
He hadn’t. He would never harm a woman or child. But that still didn’t
make him good.
“Tell me the rest.”
He sighed and placed his hand between her breasts, needing to feel her
heart beating. “I wanted out. When I joined the gang, it was small-time shit.
But the leader was taking us into riskier work. Things I wasn’t in for. But
there was no getting out alive. We ended up pissing off someone bigger and
nastier than us. They went to war on us. Killing almost everyone. Even the
younger guys who didn’t even know what was going on. How I escaped that
massacre, I have no idea.”
“I’m so glad you did.”
She looked all teary again.
“Don’t cry for me, baby.”
“Why not?” she challenged. “You won’t let your sadness out, so I have to
do it for you.”
She was far too good for him. He knew he should let her go. But he was
far too fucking selfish.
“I had no family, nowhere to go. I had a contact who helped organize
underground fights. He’d always been at me to get into the circuit. I did some
fights. Won some money. But I wasn’t ever happy. Started going to a BDSM
club. It helped me rein in my anger. Learn some control. Bought a bike.
Joined an MC. The BDSM club is where I met Haley. Also, where I met
Razor.”
“You met Razor at a BDSM club?”
“Yeah, he’s a Daddy Dom. So are Spike, Ink, and Duke. Not sure about
Jason.”
“Wow, so Millie, Betsy and Sunny? They’re Littles?”
“Yep. Razor was visiting a cousin or something. It’s how I learned of the
Iron Shadows. I needed to leave the city. Didn’t have anywhere else to go. So
I got on my bike and headed to Montana. The Prez at the time, Smiley, was a
complete asshole. He was getting the club mixed up in dirty shit. He was
laundering money for this asshole called Bartolli.”
She frowned, nodding. “Isn’t that the name of the guy you thought the
mole was feeding information to?”
“Yep. Smiley was getting into stuff that Razor and most of the others
didn’t like. Razor convinced me to take over and we ousted him. But my
financials were a mess. I’d used most of my money to help a friend get out of
a bad situation. Reaper’s bar was deep in the red. I made a few bad decisions
and we got further in debt to Bartolli. Ended up doing shit for him that none
of us wanted to do.”
“What was it?”
He met her gaze steadily. “We were blackmailing your brother.
Jonathan.”
“Blackmailing him?”
“Bartolli supplied photos of your brother with a young girl who he had
tied up. We were using those to blackmail him.”
She stiffened. He felt ill. Now she’d know the truth.
“And if you’d refused to do it?”
“He’d slaughter us all.”
“So what did you do?” she asked.
“I killed Bartolli.”
Fuck. Maybe he shouldn’t have admitted it. But it was the truth.
Something came over her face. He’d expected fear. Disgust.
Not for her to nod with satisfaction. “Good. That’s what that creep
deserved. Instead of stopping my brother, he blackmailed him? And used you
guys to do it? Disgusting. Then what did you do?”
He studied her. “We watched your brother’s house, tried to keep track of
him, to figure out where he was taking these girls.”
“Did you kill him?” she whispered.
“No.”
She nodded.
“But I likely would have, if I’d been able to.”
“He deserved it,” she whispered. “These things he did. He was evil. I
can’t believe I’m related to him. To my father. They were both bad men.”
“They were still your family.”
 “Were they?” She gave him a fierce look. “Is family really about blood?
Because if so, then I’m screwed. Tarred with the same brush as them, right?”
“You are nothing like them,” he told her harshly. “Understand me?
Nothing.”
“Maybe I’ve got that evil in me as well. All those crime shows and
slasher films I watch—”
“Jesus, baby. That doesn’t make you bad. Fuck. A good proportion of the
population would be evil if that’s the criteria. You are kind and
compassionate and quirky and brave.”
She nodded. He hated telling her all this about her own flesh and blood.
But he couldn’t keep it from her. She deserved to know about the role he’d
played in her family’s downfall.
“There’s more. About Forrest.” He closed his eyes, a headache tightening
his temples.
“It’s okay, you don’t need to tell me.”
“It’s not okay. I want to tell you. But I don’t want to put you in danger.
You have to swear to tell no one this. It could mean your life. And mine.”
“I swear,” she whispered, wide-eyed.
“We think the Fox might have had something to do with Forrest’s plane
crash.”
“The Fox was hired to take out Forrest?”
“Not sure. But he did take out Jonathan.”
Her mouth dropped open. Then it closed. “Oh.”
He could practically see her thinking it all through. “He killed Jonathan.
Then Forrest died and you think he had something to do with it . . .”
“He made a comment about getting rid of Ink’s tree problem. With the
Fox, you read between the lines.”
“Ink? Why was Forrest a problem for him?”
“Forrest was forcing Betsy to get close to Ink by threatening her
stepsons.”
“Oh, my God. And you really think that I’m not evil too?” She tried to get
off his lap, away from him. But he wasn’t letting her go. “How can you even
stand to be near me? Why did any of you even want to help me? After
everything my family has done!”
“Stop. Stop! Wildcat, you’re going to hurt yourself.”
“I don’t care!”
“Well, I do!” He trapped her against him, holding her tight. “I care. I care.
Shh. Shh, now. Don’t cry. Baby, don’t cry.” She was killing him, breaking
him into a million pieces with her tears. He rocked her gently. With all that
had happened to her, he figured this was likely the least of what she had
trapped inside her. A release that was a long time coming.
He hated her being so upset, though.
Standing, he carried her into the bedroom and laid her down. He grabbed
Starry and Bad Boy, putting them in her arms before lying on his back and
pulling her in against his chest. He rubbed his hand up and down her back,
kissing the top of her head gently as she cried herself to sleep.
He laid there for a long time afterward. His need to erase her pain was
overwhelming. He wanted to tear apart everyone who had hurt her. But there
was no one for him to hurt. To destroy.
All he could do was hold her.
36

“Wildcat, time to wake up.”

“No, go away.” She rolled over. All she wanted to do was sleep.
Yesterday had ended in a shit way. After Reyes’ bombshell about her
brothers, she’d slept for a few hours, then she’d spent the rest of the day in a
funk. Kind of numb.
Now all she wanted to do was stay in bed.
She couldn’t believe she was related to such evil. She was shocked that
anyone had wanted to help her. That they hadn’t been horrified by who she
was.
But you’re nothing like them. None of it was your fault.
“Shut up voice of reason, I don’t want to talk to you this morning,” she
muttered.
“Can’t say I’ve ever been called the voice of reason. I’m going to ignore
you telling me to shut up because I know you’re still half asleep, but that’s
your one pass, little girl.”
Oh shit. She’d forgotten Reyes was there.
“Wasn’t talking to you and I’m not getting up. Tired.”
“It’s nearly ten. You’re not spending the day in bed moping.”
“I’m not moping.” She rolled over to glare at him. Which was totally
ruined by the mop of hair covering her face. Urgh.
“I let you have time to work things through yesterday, Emme. You sat
around in a funk. But enough is enough. Up you get.”
The asshole had no empathy.
He reached down and pulled off her blanket. She grumbled in annoyance.
“Give my blanket back.”
“Nope. Up you get.”
“No.”
“All right then.”
Wait? He was just giving up? She grumbled, then screamed as he picked
her up and threw her over his shoulder.
“What are you doing?”
 “Getting you out of bed.”
She slammed her hands down on his back. “Let me go!”
“No.” He gave her a sharp smack on her bottom, which made her even
angrier.
“I’m allowed to take some time to process how evil my fucking family
is.”
“You already knew they were terrible people. Nothing has changed.” He
carried her into the bathroom, then set her down on her feet, holding her until
she had her balance. She was pulling her hair off her face when he reached
down and tugged off her panties. He’d undressed her last night and put her in
one of his T-shirts to sleep.
“What are you doing?”
“You need to pee. Now go.”
She slammed her hands down on her hips. “And what if I don’t?”
He bent down, getting into her space. The look on his face told her not to
push him. “I know you find it difficult to wake up. I know that yesterday hit
you hard. That’s why I’m being lenient on you.”
This was lenient? She snorted. Pretty certain he didn’t know the meaning
of it.
“Use the toilet. Now.”
He turned away but didn’t leave.
“Why are you standing there?” she asked.
“Because if I leave, you’re liable to hold on just to spite me, then try to
climb back into bed. So I’m staying here until you go.”
She glared at his back. “This is a huge invasion of privacy.”
“There is nothing that is private between us.”
“Oh, so you’re not worried if I’m in the bathroom when you need to
pee?”
“Nope,” he drawled. “Got no problem with that.”
Weirdo.
But her pressing bladder wasn’t going to be able to outwait him. At least
he wasn’t staring at her. Sometimes you had to be grateful for the small
things, she guessed.
After peeing and washing her hands, she turned to find him staring at her.
“Well?”
“Watch the ‘tude, brat.” He tapped her nose in warning. “Now, I have
something to show you. Come on.”
 He picked her up. She muttered under her breath, but she had to admit
that he had her curiosity piqued.
She expected him to take her to their bedroom, instead he walked into the
playroom. Stopping outside the closet, he set her down.
“What are you doing?”
He glanced down at her. “Trust me?”
She stared up at him. “Yes.”
Leaning in, he kissed her lips gently. Some of that numbness faded,
warmth slid through. Then he turned away and opened the closet,
disappearing inside. She watched him searching around. What was he
looking for?
Walking back out, he was carrying a really cute snowsuit. It was a pale
blue color. He set it down along with a light-yellow hat with a white pom-
pom and matching gloves.
“Let’s get you dressed.”
She let him dress her in the snowsuit which made her feel a bit like a
giant marshmallow, but she also knew she’d be toasty warm. He had her sit
down while he fetched some bright yellow rainboots that had a duck’s face
on the toes. And which she instantly fell in love with. Her Little side started
to sneak out.
“Here’s the hat.” He grimaced slightly at the state of her hair. “We’re
gonna need to tame this later.”
“There’s no taming it. I think we should chop it off.”
He placed the hat on. “We’re not chopping it all off.”
She pulled the hat off. “It’s my hair, Daddy. I say, off it goes!”
“If you want to get it cut, we’ll do that once we’re able to get to a
hairdresser. But we’re not just cutting it.”
“Bet I could find a pair of scissors and just do it.”
“Bet I could cut a switch and apply it to your ass,” he retorted.
Ooh. Good comeback. “You wouldn’t do that.”
“You best not test me, huh? You don’t want to be wrong. Or you won’t
be sitting for a while.”
She sighed. “It’s such a mess. It’s going to hurt to get all the knots out.”
“I’ll wash and brush it for you.”
“And give me a head massage,” she said, making big puppy eyes.
“Yes, and a head massage.”
“In a bubble bath?”
 “In a bubble bath,” he repeated.
“And you’ll give me a bottom and thigh massage too?”
“You’re trying your luck.”
She pouted. “So that’s a no?”
“Of course it’s not a no.”
Emme clapped her hands happily.
He tapped her nose gently. “Not much I wouldn’t do to see you smile,
baby.”
Her heart melted. The last of the numbness faded. It brought back some
of the pain. But it was also better than feeling nothing.
“Sorry about yesterday, I just . . .”
He put a finger on her lips. “Stop. I get it. It was a lot to take in. I just . . .
if you don’t want to be around me because of my part in everything—”
She jumped up and tackled him, nearly taking them both down to the
floor. “Shut up, Jacob Reyes. Just shut up.”
“Shut up?” he asked in that deliciously growly voice.
“Yeah. I get it. But it was my family that did all of that. It wasn’t you.”
“I’m not without guilt. It’s partially my fault we got involved with
Bartolli.”
“Sounds like that was more on Smiley. You didn’t make my brother rape
and murder women. What Jonathan, Forrest, and my father did, that’s on
them. Not you.” She took a deep breath. “And not on me either.”
“Definitely not on you.” He cupped her cheeks.
“So, can I see my surprise?”
“Put your hat back on.”
“I don’t like it. My head is hot enough with all this hair.”
“Little girl, put your hat on or you don’t get to go outside.”
She sighed, but stuck it on her messy hair. It was going to itch. Her
gloves were next and a scarf. Then he put on his own jacket, and taking hold
of her hand, led her outside. If she could have skipped along in the rainboots
she would have, but they were a bit too clunky for that.
They turned the corner of the house and she stilled, frozen in shock. “You
didn’t.”
“I know it’s not much. I found the tire and rope in Hayes’ shed, and I—”
He broke off as she slammed into him. “You built me a tire swing! I’ve
always wanted a swing. Daddy, let’s go! Let’s go!”
She tried to run towards the swing.
 “Whoa!” He grabbed her around the waist. “No running. You’ll slip and
fall over.”
She sighed but didn’t argue. Still, the five minutes it took to walk over to
the tire swing seemed like the longest in her life. When they got there, she
slipped her hand free and grabbed hold of the tire. She managed to get one
leg in, then got kind of stuck.
“Daddy! Help!”
“Here, I have you.” He lifted her, and she slid her legs through the tire
swing.
She pointed up in the air. “Push me high, Daddy! I want to touch the
sky.”
“I’ll give you a small push. See if you like it first.”
“Of course I’m going to like it.”
“You might feel sick,” he warned.
“Daddy, I’m not going to feel sick! That’s just silly. Now push!”

***

Reyes had to smile as she giggled. The swing moved, and she leaned back.
“More, Daddy, more!”
“Sit up,” he bossed. “You can’t lie back like that, you’ll fall off.”
“Stop being such a worrywart, Daddy. It’s fun!” She let go with one hand
and he swore he nearly had a heart attack. Maybe he was worrying too much.
It wasn’t like she’d really injure herself if she fell. But he didn’t like her
hurting in any way.
He’d hated seeing her hurting yesterday. That look on her face. The
devastation. Horror. Followed by blankness. It had scared him, that blank
look. He’d thought she would be angry, feel betrayed, anything but not that
nothing.
This morning, he’d woken up determined to put a smile on her face.
“Both hands or we stop.”
“I’s gonna start calling you worrywart Daddy,” she told him.
 “Just you try, brat.”
“Protective Daddy. No, that’s not right. Wild Daddy.”
“I’m not the wild one.”
She stuck out her tongue as he pushed her again. Such a brat. Instead of
pushing her gently the next time, he leaned down and smacked her ass
instead. Not that she probably felt much with that snowsuit on. It was well
padded.
“Ouch, Daddy! Don’t be mean.”
“No sticking your tongue out. Five more pushes, then we’re going inside.
You need to eat.” He hadn’t been able to coax anything into her last night and
he hadn’t felt right getting strict with her when she’d been in such a zombie-
like state.
“Ten.”
“Five,” he countered, giving her another push. “Now four.”
“Nine!”
“Three now.”
“Eight, that’s my final offer!” she told him, squealing as he gave her
another push.
“Two more to go.”
“No, Daddy!”
“Last one.” He pushed the swing and then waited until it slowed before
grasping hold of her. But she clung tight. “Let go, wildcat.”
“No, Daddy. More! Please!” She gave him big eyes.
“Nope. Breakfast time. Come on. Or while I get breakfast ready, you’ll be
in the corner of the room with a hot bottom.”
She sighed but climbed out of the swing. “That was so much fun! Can we
come out after breakfast?”
“We’ll see.”
“Please, Daddy. Please!”
“Maybe. I have some things to do, though.”
“I can come out here by myself,” she told him.
“No, you cannot. No leaving the porch on your own, remember?”
“But I’m a big girl.”
“No, you’re not. No coming out here alone or the swing goes back away.”
“Wow, Daddy, that’s super mean,” she told him as they entered the
house.
“But you’re still going to obey, aren’t you?” he said sternly as he stripped
off her snowsuit.
“Yes, Daddy,” she replied. “Daddy?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for making me a swing. I love it.”
“I’m glad.”
“One day, I’m going to take you to an actual playground.”
“But that won’t be as special.”
“Why not?”
“Because it won’t be something you made for me.” She wrapped her arms
around his waist, hugging him tight. “Right, Daddy, we eating or what?
Because I have an army of stuffies ready to conquer new territory, and I’m
gonna need pancakes to manage that.”
He slapped her ass as she walked past, and she giggled.
Brat.
37

“Daddy! Daddy! Can we go swinging now?” She came running into the
dining room, then skidded along the wooden floor on her socks.
He jumped up and grabbed her right before she slid into the wall.
“What are you doing?”
She giggled. “That was fun, can I try it again?”
“No, you cannot. No more running in the house.”
“Party pooper.”
He gave her ass a slap and pointed at a chair. “Sit down before you break
a leg.”
She sat. After she’d given him a sassy look. She was doing a lot better
than she had been when he’d first told her about her family. Although every
so often he caught her staring off into the distance, thinking. She just needed
some more time. She was doing amazingly well considering it had been less
than two weeks since he’d rescued her from her father’s prison.
“We’ll go outside on the swing after you finish the task I gave you.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
He put the piece of paper in front of her. “Your list of things you’d like to
do.”
She bit her lip. “Drat. That task.”
“Yes, that task. And you’re going to sit there until you’ve filled it with
things, understand? Now, I’m going to get you a snack and something to
drink. I have a feeling we’ll be here for a while.”
He’d been right.
Half an hour later, she’d crossed out more than she’d written. With a sigh,
she put her chin on her hand. “You know what might help me think?”
“What’s that?”
“Swinging on my swing.”
“Nice try, no cigar.”
She pouted.
“Why don’t you think about your favorite things? Like animals, right?
Maybe you could put down that you’d like to have a goldfish or something.”
 “Goldfish?”
“Yeah.”
She tapped her pen against her chin. “You know what, Daddy. You’re not
just a pretty face.”
He snorted. “I need to go check the mailbox. When I come back, I want
to see something written on that piece of paper, understand?”
“Sir, yes, Sir!” She saluted him sassily.

***

When Reyes walked back in about ten minutes later, Emme shook the piece
of paper at him. “Done.”
“Really?” He walked in carrying a package.
“What’s that?”
“You first,” he told her. He sat and held out his hand for the list. “Let’s
have a look.”
She handed it over. Then she watched as he went pale. At one stage, he
actually blanched. “Jesus Christ, are you serious?”
“What? What is it?”
“If you really expect that I’ll allow you to do something called the cage of
death with crocodiles, then you don’t know me at all.”
He ran a line through that.
“Hey! Who said you get to allow or disallow anything?”
“I did.” He shot her a stern look. “And jumping out of a plane is
definitely not allowed.”
“People do that all the time!”
“The parachute could fail. The plane could crash. It’s not happening.
Same with whitewater rafting and climbing Mt Everest. Someone give me
some fucking strength.”
“You’re being unreasonable.”
“I’m being sensible. I’m not crossing off everything.”
She peered at the list. “You’ve left going to the movies, seeing a musical
on Broadway, playing on a playground, patting a giraffe, seeing the northern
lights, drinking cocktails on the beach in Hawaii, and learning how to water
ski.”
“Yeah, I’m still not sure about the water ski one. Need to do some
research on it. Could be dangerous.”
She sighed.
“What about learning Krav Maga and how to fight with a knife?” she
asked.
“I’ll leave Krav Maga, but you’re not learning how to fight with a knife.”
She grumbled to herself.
When he finished going through, at least half of what she’d put down was
crossed off. “This hardly seems fair. Other people do these things.”
Standing, he placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned down to kiss
her nose. “You’re not other people. You’re . . .” he trailed off.
She was what?
“You’re precious.”
Yeah, somehow, she got the feeling that wasn’t what he’d intended to
say.
He stepped away and grabbed the package he’d bought in with him. “I
need you to do something for me.”
She frowned but nodded. “What is it? What’s in the package?”
“It’s a gift for you.” He cleared his throat, looking awkward.
“A gift?”
“Yeah, sort of.”
“You’re not making a lot of sense,” she told him.
He pulled off the outside packaging, and there was a small velvet box
inside. Was it jewelry?
With a shaking hand, she reached out and took it from him. When she
opened it, she gasped. “It’s gorgeous. How? When?”
She ran a finger over the delicate necklace inside the box. She’d never
had a necklace. Not that she could remember, anyway. It was a simple gold
chain with a pendant that resembled a shooting star.
It was cute. Simple. Beautiful.
“You bought this for me?”
“Zeke helped me. Told him what I wanted and he had it made up and sent
here.”
“It’s such a pretty necklace.”
 “Well, yeah, it’s more than that,” he said gruffly.
“More?”
“It has a GPS chip hidden in it.”
“So it’s to track me as well?”
“Yeah.” He stared at her. Not nervously, but with some wariness.
“That’s ingenious. Thank you!” She threw herself at him. She wasn’t
stupid. Sure, this might have been bought for a certain purpose. But if that
purpose was to keep her safe . . . then she wasn’t going to be an idiot and
protest.
When had anyone wanted to keep her safe? Who else would ever think to
do this for her? Would care? Well, her father might have tracked her, but only
to make sure she didn’t escape.
“You’re not . . . upset?” He wrapped his arms around her.
“No! Why would I be mad? It’s a lovely gift, and it’s practical. It’s
perfect. Put it on me?” She handed it to him, then turned, lifting her hair
away from her neck. He put the necklace on her and she turned back to him,
smiling.
“Well? How does it look?”
“Like a necklace,” he replied.
She rolled her eyes. Men! Then she threw herself at him again. “I love it.”
He kissed the top of her head. “You constantly surprise me.”
“I like to keep you on your toes.”
“You do that. Just promise me that you won’t ever take it off, okay? It
can go in the shower, swimming pool, wherever. Don’t take it off. Promise?”
“Promise.”

***

“What do you want for dinner tonight, little girl?” Reyes asked, frowning
down at his phone. Jewel hadn’t checked in since yesterday morning. He’d
give her another few hours and then he was going to get Brody to track her
phone.
 They were in the playroom. Today she’d chosen to wear black tights, a
bomber jacket, and a yellow tutu. She looked adorable. He’d even managed
to tame her wild hair into two pigtails. Currently, she was building a huge
tower out of blocks. Which she’d then destroy.
She had a passion for destruction. There was something wrong with him
that he found that fucking adorable. Although he hadn’t found it so adorable
the other day when she’d asked for dynamite.
Each day that he spent with her sucked him into her orbit. Until he had no
idea how he’d ever lived without her.
“Pancakes!”
He was trying to get her to make more decisions. He had started with
smaller things, like what to eat or what she wanted to do.
Of course, that left him open to answers like the one he’d just gotten.
“You’re not having pancakes for dinner.”
“That’s all I want. That’s all I’m eating.”
“No, it isn’t all you’re eating,” he replied patiently. “You’re going to eat
vegetables and protein.”
“Why ask me if you’re just going to make me eat those yucky things?”
He’d noticed that she was eating much better since he’d started feeding
her. She also slept better, with him pinning her to him.
His phone rang before he could reply, and he frowned, seeing the
unknown number. Was the Fox finally calling?
“Hello?”
“Reyes! How are you? Hope I didn’t catch you helping the python shed
its skin. Or is sweet little Emme taking care of that for you nowadays?”
“Fox, it’s about time you called,” he snapped, his good mood fading.
“And don’t talk about Emme.”
“Well, don’t we sound possessive,” the Fox wheedled.
“Have you found out whether Emme is in danger?” Reyes glanced over at
his girl, only to find her biting the tip of one finger. He held open his arms
and she flew into his embrace. He held her tight. “Well?”
“Hmm, well, my merc friend did eventually drop a few interesting pieces
of information.”
Merc friend? As in the guy he’d captured and likely tortured for
information? “Like what?”
“Ahh, now, you don’t expect me to divulge everything I’ve learned over
the phone, do you? Where are you?”
 Yeah, like he was going to tell him that.
“We’ll meet with you somewhere.”
“Don’t you trust me, Reyes?” he asked slyly.
Not at all.
“Fine. Meet me at this address.” He rattled an address off. “Just you and
the girl, though. When can you get there?”
He put the Fox on speaker and looked up the address on his phone. “We
should be able to make it in three hours.” It was about an hour away, but that
gave him time to make arrangements for back-up.
“Good. Now, I don’t have to go, but I’m going to anyway.”
The call ended.
“Can we trust him?” Emme asked quietly.
“Nope. That’s why I’m going to set up some back-up.”
“He said to come alone.”
“Don’t worry, he won’t have any idea that there’s anyone else there.”
Reyes hit the contact name on his phone. “Hey, Jason, need your help . .
.”
38

A feeling of trepidation came over her.

“This wasn’t where I was expecting him to want to meet us,” Reyes told
her as he pulled up outside the small diner.
“Me neither.”
The building was lit up, but it was clearly empty. There were no other
vehicles in the parking lot.
“Is Jason here?” she asked.
“He will be, along with Ink and some of his guys. But remember, don’t
look for them. It will clue the Fox in, okay? And let me do the talking.”
He’d already gone over the rules several times. No moving away from
him. No talking to the Fox unless Reyes gave her a nod. At the first sign of
danger, she was to run out of there. Without looking back.
Yeah, like she’d do that. No way was she leaving Reyes. She’d pretended
to agree though, to appease him. She knew he’d wanted to turn around
several times. Once, he actually had. She’d had to talk him into turning
around. He’d threatened to leave her at the cabin multiple times. But she
knew he didn’t want her to be alone.
He was between a rock and a hard place. For someone who liked to be in
control of everything, it wasn’t easy on him.
“I mean it, little girl,” he said in a low voice, reaching over to place his
hand over the back of her neck. She shivered at the possessive move. She
loved when he did that. “You’re to obey me or the minute we’re out of there
and safe, my belt is going to rain hell down on your ass. Understand?”
“Yes, I understand.”
She’d be perfectly obedient. Unless he was in danger. Then all bets were
off.
“Wait there.”
He got out and took in their surroundings. Then he moved around to open
her door. He crowded close to her as he quickly ushered her inside. Her heart
raced. She had a bad feeling. Not of impending doom. But as though
everything was about to change and she had no way of stopping it.
 Now she wished they were back at the cabin. They could be curled up
under a blanket on the sofa. Well, she would be. He’d be stripping off
because it was too hot, which would be no hardship for her.
Reyes opened the door and placed his hand on the small of her back. That
gave her the strength to move forward into the deserted diner.
Oh, no, not deserted. There was a man sitting at the counter. He was
hunched over. His ratty jacket was torn and old. He had gray hair poking out
the bottom of the cap on his head.
She sent Reyes a puzzled look, but he just shook his head.
The old man turned. “Good, you’re here on time. Didn’t take you too
long to get here from Hayes’ cabin, then?”
She sucked in a breath. Hayes’ cabin? How did this old man know that’s
where they’d been? Who was he?
“You knew where we were all along?” Reyes said in a low, angry voice.
“Of course. You didn’t think I’d let her leave without having a way of
tracking her, did you?”
“Where did you put the tracker?” Reyes asked, stiffening.
Tracker? Like the one in her necklace? Why would this man be tracking
her?
“Shit. Her backpack. You helped her with it. You put the tracker in then.”
Her backpack? The one she’d brought from her father’s house. But that
would mean . . .
“He’s the Fox?” she whispered.
The old man grinned. “You’re smarter than you look.”
Was that an insult?
“What’s with the disguise?” she asked.
“Emme,” Reyes said warningly.
Right. She wasn’t supposed to speak without his permission. But she
didn’t understand what was happening here.
“The disguise is necessary in my line of business,” he told her. “Too
many eyes and ears everywhere. Although, I’ve checked this building over.
Even made sure that Jason had a nice place he could watch us from.”
Reyes growled.
The Fox chuckled. “What? Mad that I’m always one step ahead of you?”
“What are we doing here? What do you want?” Reyes demanded.
The Fox knew about Jason coming as back-up?
“Come. Sit down. Let’s chat. Can I get you a drink?” The Fox moved
behind the counter and poured himself a soda.
“No. We’re fine. And we’re happy standing.” Reyes did lead her away
from the windows, though, towards the back wall. He pressed her back
behind him.
“So protective. And suspicious.” He took a slurp of his drink.
“Get to the point of all this. Obviously, you could have come to us at any
time. So why are we here?” Reyes asked.
The Fox narrowed his gaze at them. “I got called away briefly for a
personal reason, but I managed to get a few answers from my mercenary
friend. Unfortunately, they created a few more questions. That I haven’t been
able to find answers to. I’m thinking you might be able to provide some
answers, Emme.”
Reyes squeezed her hand, so she replied.
“Me? I didn’t know anything about my father’s business.”
“Perhaps not. Perhaps you know more than you thought. Did you know
that everyone that ever left his employ in that house disappeared?”
She swallowed, feeling ill. “Everyone?”
“Yes. Everyone. I know you’ve had Brody looking into her,” the Fox
directed to Reyes. “He didn’t find anything about her?”
“You mean you don’t already know?” Reyes asked dryly.
She squeezed his hand and he sighed. “No, nothing. She’s a mystery.”
“I don’t like mysteries.”
She shivered at his words, and Reyes stepped more fully in front of her.
“Was that a threat?”
“Hmm, ahh, no. It wasn’t. At least, I don’t think it was. Not in the habit
of hurting innocents. I find it interesting that he was so determined to keep
you a secret, don’t you? The lengths he went to, combined with Emme
having no birth certificate, no memory of a mother. It’s all rather interesting.”
Interesting was one word for it.
“Are you going to tell us what the mercenary said? Is she in danger? Are
they still after her?” Reyes asked.
“It doesn’t seem they are, since they’re all dead.”
“You killed them?” Reyes asked.
“No, actually, I didn’t. The mercenaries were hired by a person they
called Mr. X. They were given orders to kill everyone at the house, including
her father. Everyone except her. She was to be captured. Alive.”
“Me? Why would he want me? I’m no one special.”
 Reyes turned and gave her a quelling look. Right, no talking.
“Aren’t you? That remains to be seen. Do you know of any threats to
your father? Anyone who wanted him dead?”
She looked up at Reyes, who nodded.
“No. I can’t imagine who would hire mercenaries to kill him.”
“I’m thinking there were a lot of people who could have been motivated
to kill him,” the Fox said. “People who were scared he might talk about the
numerous things he was mixed up in. But the question is, who would know
about you? And want to keep you alive?”
“Why do you care?” Reyes demanded. “How are you mixed up in all
this? Why are you so interested in the Robins family?”
“I was hired to investigate them. And remove them, if necessary.” The
Fox smiled coldly. “When I learned of the evil things they had been doing, I
deemed it necessary.”
She trembled. “You said you didn’t kill my father.”
“I didn’t. I needed him alive to extract some information. If only I’d
found that house you were living in a bit earlier, I could have gotten what I
needed. Unfortunately, the mercenaries set off my perimeter alarms before I
could do anything and I thought it prudent to leave.”
“Who hired you?” Reyes asked.
“Careful,” Fox whispered in a low voice.
“It’s okay,” a new voice said.
She turned with a gasp towards the door that led to the kitchens. How
many people could be back there? And who was this man?
He moved forward. She was half-hidden behind Reyes’ back, so she had
to peer out from behind him to look at the newcomer. He was older, with
silvery-gray hair and piercing blue eyes. A neatly-trimmed beard. He was a
handsome man. Dressed in charcoal pants and a suit jacket with a white shirt.
Reyes stiffened. “Fox, if you’ve set us up . . .”
“I assure you that he hasn’t Mr. Reyes. I don’t believe we’ve ever met.
I’m Drew Markovich.”
He didn’t step forward to offer his hand, and Reyes didn’t move either.
“Markovich? You own Suck ‘n Blow. You’re a loan shark.”
Wow. He didn’t look like a loan shark. Not that she knew exactly what
one in real life would look like. And he owned something called Suck ‘n
Blow? Was that like a strip club? Terrible name.
“Amongst other things.” His turned his gaze towards where she was
mostly hidden. “You’re Emme.”
“So what if she is?” Reyes stepped entirely in front of her. “What do you
want with her? Why did you hire the Fox? To take out her family? You’re not
touching her.”
“I’m not in the habit of hurting innocent women,” Mr. Markovich said
coolly.
She shivered at the ice in his voice.
“Then what’s going on? Why did you call us here?” Reyes asked.
“We need to see if Emme can give us any answers,” the Fox told him.
“Answers to what?” Reyes bit out with frustration.
“Answers as to what happened to my daughter,” Mr. Markovich said.
She gasped slightly at the sadness in his voice. She peeked around at him
again until Reyes reached back and scooted her fully behind him.
“Your daughter?” Reyes asked.
“Yes, she went missing years ago. In Russia. She was taken while I was
in jail. I was about six months into my sentence when my family was
attacked. Men, loyal to me, who had been guarding my wife and daughter,
were killed, along with my wife. My daughter was taken.”
Oh God. That’s terrible.
“They should have been protected. My best friend searched for my
daughter, but he’d been out of the city and the trail was going cold. All he
could discover was that she’d been sent to the US, likely to be sold.”
“Oh, no.” She sniffled, leaning her face against Reyes’ back.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Reyes told him. “But what does that have to do
with us?”
“When I finally managed to get out of jail, I left everything behind to
come here and find her. I set up a new life for myself, but I never forgot why
I was truly here. Every whisper of a lead, I followed. Every underground
market, I attempted to find a way in. But I never found her. Until a man that
owed me money, stole some information from Fergus Bartolli. I believe you
know him.”
“Yeah, I do,” Reyes said reluctantly.
Bartolli? The man that had been using the Iron Shadows to blackmail her
brother?
“I’d heard rumors that Bartolli was buying young women from an auction
house. Max, the man who owed me money, sent me photos of some files that
were on the pen drive he stole. I told him to bring me the pen drive, and I’d
wipe his debt to me clean. Unfortunately, he was murdered and the pen drive
disappeared.”
“Bartolli found him?” Reyes stated.
“I’m guessing so. But the information he did send had some value. It
showed receipts of sales from an auction house that we believe were for
women he brought. There were copies of correspondence which talked about
a J. Robins. And there were a few mentions of goods coming in from a few
Russian ports.”
She sucked in a breath. J. Robins. Jonathan Robins. Could be her father or
brother.
“Not a lot to go on initially. Until we discovered that Jonathan Robins
Senior owned a shipping company.”
“You think Senior was importing girls from Russia to sell?” Reyes asked.
Oh God. Would he? Please, no. No.
She placed her hand over her mouth, trying to remain quiet. Tears dripped
down her face. Could her father have played a part in the kidnapping of this
man’s daughter? He must hate her. Had he brought her here to kill her?
She whimpered. Reyes reached behind him to grasp hold of her hip.
“Emme, baby, it’s okay. It’s not your fault. Even if your father did do this,
it’s not your fault.” The words were said almost sternly, and she knew he was
speaking as much to Mr. Markovich as he was to her.
“Of course not. Emme, you won’t be held accountable for your family’s
sins,” Mr. Markovich said.
But did she believe him?
“I didn’t have much to go on, that’s why I hired the Fox.”
“I thought you were an assassin, not an investigator,” Reyes said.
“I’m a bit of both,” the Fox replied. “I knew a guy who worked for
Forrest. He vouched for me. I proved my worth and when his second-in-
command died, I managed to secure his place.”
“Wait . . . just wait . . . are you saying that you were Kit? But he died, in
the plane crash that you . . . caused . . .” Reyes trailed off.
“Makes your head hurt, doesn’t it? I was Kit. I was sent by Forrest to
murder his own brother because he was jealous of him. Of course, I had an
ulterior motive. I wanted to know what he was up to. Found out the bastard
was raping and murdering women. As it turns out, neither son really knew
what Senior was up to. Guessing he kept the Senator out of it since he was on
his way to the White House. Why he never involved Forrest, I’m not sure.
But that bastard was useless. Too caught up in his jealousy over his brother,
the golden child. Definitely no hardship to get rid of either of them.”
“Why did you never help Betsy?” Reyes bit out.
“But I did. More than you know. You think that Forrest didn’t have far
nastier things in store for her? That I didn’t protect her in my own way? I
couldn’t help her escape, but I did what I could to keep her safe.”
Reyes let out a deep breath. “Fine. You killed them both then went after
Senior?”
“He was trickier. I searched all his houses, his office at the shipping yard,
caused a bit of chaos there to see what I would unearth. But there was
nothing. Until I found that house where he was keeping Emme. His daughter.
Who no one knows anything about.”
“I don’t understand,” she said, slipping out from behind Reyes. “What are
you trying to say?”
She heard a loud gasp and turned to find Mr. Markovich staring at her
like he’d seen a ghost.
He said something in Russian.
“W-what?” She glanced up at Reyes, who shook his head. She turned to
the Fox, who was watching Mr. Markovich with a thoughtful expression.
Markovich said something else and she just shook her head. “I’m sorry, I
don’t speak Russian.”
He ran a shaky hand over his face. “No, of course not. How foolish of me.
But you, you look so much like your grandmother. Except for your eyes.
Those are your mother’s.”
“You know my mother?”
“Your grandmother’s hair and facial structure. Not identical, but so
similar it cannot be a coincidence.”
“I don’t . . . I don’t understand.”
“What are you saying?” Reyes bit out.
Markovich turned to the Fox. “Could she be Katina?”
What?
The Fox looked at Emme critically. “She might have the same eye color,
but there isn’t much else that’s the same as your wife.”
“No, but I have some photos of my mother, if I find them you’ll see she
looks very like her.”
“Well, I didn’t see that coming,” the Fox commented.
Emme shook her head. “You’re mistaken.”
 “Katina was eight when she was kidnapped,” the Fox said. “She would
have memories of her parents. Of the kidnapping. Of life in Russia. What is
your earliest memory, Emme?”
“My . . . my earliest memory? It was . . . it was when I was seven. I was .
. . I was kidnapped.”
Mr. Markovich sucked in a breath.
“But I . . . no, it doesn’t make sense. I would remember.”
“You don’t have any memories before seven?” The Fox asked.
She rubbed at her temples where a headache throbbed. “I . . . I . . .”
“Stop pushing her,” Reyes demanded. “You’re stressing her.”
“It’s okay if you don’t remember, Katina,” Mr. Markovich said
soothingly.
“Emme, my name is Emme,” she said.
“Of course. Forgive me. You said you were kidnapped, though?” he
asked.
“Yes, but I don’t remember exactly what happened. And I was seven, not
eight like your daughter.”
“No, but perhaps you could have been told the wrong age,” Mr.
Markovich said.
“Maybe she was given something to mess with her memories,” the Fox
added.
“You really think I’m your kidnapped daughter?” Emme asked.
Reyes wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing her in close, and she
clung to him, grateful for his support.
“I think it could be possible.”
“We’ll need a DNA test done,” Reyes said.
Mr. Markovich narrowed his eyes, but then nodded.
“What do you remember about the kidnapping?” the Fox asked.
“Being scared,” she whispered. “Being held in the dark. It was so cold.
There were voices sometimes. People would bring me food, but it was often
drugged. It would make me sick. So I stopped eating. But then they’d get
mad. They’d yell at me. I wouldn’t eat until I was almost starved, then I
would gorge. And often make myself sick. Then they’d start yelling again.
There was a dog, he was always barking. Sometimes the guard who brought
me food would have the dog with him. He’d snarl and lunge at me. I was
terrified of him.”
“Fuck,” Reyes muttered. “That’s why you had trouble eating? Why
you’re terrified of dogs?”
“Yes,” she whispered hoarsely.
“Trouble eating?” Mr. Markovich asked.
“I still feel nauseous when eating.” Except when Reyes helped her. “I’ll
put it off until I need to. And I can’t eat with my hands, it reminds me of back
then.”
Reyes hugged her tighter.
“What happened? How did you get free? Do you remember seeing
anyone? Hearing anyone talk about who you were? Why you were there?”
the Fox asked.
“I remember crying. I remember being afraid. Then my father came.”
“You recognized him?” the Fox asked sharply.
“I don’t . . . I don’t know. He was angry. He barely spoke to me. Just
picked me up in a blanket and carried me to a car. Then we went home. I
remember being in my bed that first night. I laid awake all night, hugging
Bad Boy and Starry.”
“Bad Boy and Starry?” Mr. Markovich asked.
“My toy and my blanket.”
Mr. Markovich sucked in a breath. “A baby blanket with shooting stars
on it?”
“How do you know that?”
“My nickname for you was Zvezda. It means star. I gave you that blanket
when you were a baby. The toy, it’s not . . . wait, does it look like this?”
He tapped on his phone and then stepped forward. Reyes moved her to
his side, then stepped forward to grab the phone.
“I’m not going to hurt her,” Mr. Markovich told him with a scowl.
“And I’m not taking chances with her safety.”
Mr. Markovich nodded. But his eyes held a darkness as they stared at
Reyes. Neither of them were about to break the stare down.
“Oh, for God’s sake, I’m not getting any younger,” the Fox snapped.
“Someone look at that damn phone.”
Reyes glanced down at it and his eyes widened then he showed her.
“That’s Bad Boy,” she said. “What is that?”
“Cheburashka. It’s a character from a Russian story. Your mother bought
it for you. I’m so glad you still have both of them.”
“That would explain why my father . . . why Senior tried to throw them
away.” Could she really be this man’s daughter? On the one hand, that was
great because it meant she wasn’t related to Senior. It would explain so much,
actually . . . except . . .
“Why would he say he was my father? Why keep me with him all these
years? Why not . . . sell me?” she whispered.
“I don’t know. I don’t know why he would do any of those things,” Mr.
Markovich said. “You have no memory of your mother?”
“No. We’ve been trying to find out who she was.”
“I have photos,” Mr. Markovich told them. “At my house. Of you. Of
your mother and grandmother. I could show you, if you’d come back there
with me.”
“That’s not happening,” Reyes said sternly. “You can meet with us
somewhere to show us, but she’s not going home with you.”
“You speak for her?” Mr. Markovich asked.
“Emme is mine,” Reyes stated.
She let out a small gasp.
The Fox stared at them all with seeming disinterest, but he stepped
forward at that. “She’ll be safe. You can come with her.”
“No.”
“She’s my daughter. She was taken from me. I just want a chance to
know her. And she’s an adult, who can speak for herself.” Mr. Markovich
stared at her as he said that.
But no matter what he said, she didn’t know him. His story was tragic.
But . . . she couldn’t go against Reyes.
“We’re leaving now,” Reyes said.
“You can’t just go.” Mr. Markovich glared at Reyes. “You can’t just take
her.”
“I can. There’s no reason for us to trust you, what you say. Not without
more proof.”
“She’s in danger,” Mr. Markovich argued. “The person who hired those
mercenaries, this Mr. X, could be looking for her. I can keep her safe.”
“So can I. Come on, Emme.”
“You can’t take her from me.”
Her heart froze. She could hear his pain. But also a very real threat. Her
heart started again, this time racing so hard she felt ill. She looked back and
forth between Reyes and Mr. Markovich. Two alphas. Maybe she should
have felt like a bone between two dogs, but she knew Reyes just wanted to
protect her.
 It was Mr. Markovich she didn’t know. Who she couldn’t trust. Not yet.
“I just need time,” she told him gently. If he was her father, if all of this
was true, then . . . she couldn’t even fathom what he’d gone through. But
also, he should know that he couldn’t just lay this on her and expect her to
fall into his arms. “I’m really sorry that I don’t remember you. Maybe if you
give me a chance, something will come back to me. But right now, I just need
some time to think.”
The older man’s eyes softened as he stared at her. “All right, Zvezda. I’ll
give you some time. But I’ll need to leave some of my men on you. For your
own protection.”
She could feel Reyes vibrating with pent-up anger. Then he turned, and to
her shock, he picked her up, carrying her with one arm under her legs. She
put her arms around his neck, then stared back at Mr. Markovich over his
shoulder.
Sadness filled the other man’s eyes, and she sent him a small smile. He
nodded back and she watched him until they left the diner.
39

“Reyes,” she said hesitantly as they drove out of the parking lot. He’d put
her in the passenger seat and buckled up her seat belt for her before racing
around to his side of the truck.
Now he was driving like a bat-out-of-hell out of the parking lot.
“Not yet,” he told her. “Got to think. They know where we’ve been
staying, we can’t go back there.”
“Reyes,” she started again.
“And they have a tail on us.” He stared into the rearview mirror. “Need
someplace safe for us to stay. Somewhere they can’t get to us.”
“Do you think they mean us harm? It didn’t seem that way.”
“They could have made that whole story up.”
Why would they, though? What would they even gain? Although, it
seemed insane that she might be his missing daughter.
Reyes turned to glance at her. “I’m going to take care of you, Emme.”
“I know,” she whispered. But he’d never spoken of forever, had he? If
Markovich was really her father . . .
A noise startled her, and she looked to the dashboard where a call was
coming in via Bluetooth. He answered it.
“Hey, what happened? Where are you headed? Do you know you have a
tail?”
Was that Ink’s voice?
“Yep, it’s one of Markovich’s men. I was considering losing him. But I
need to figure out where we’re going.”
“You’re running from Markovich?”
“Maybe. Got a lot to tell you guys. But can someone go back to the cabin
and grab our stuff? The Fox knew where we were all along. There’s an old
backpack in one of the rooms, it’s black and torn. I think he put a tracker in
it. So get rid of it.”
“I’ll send Stone there.”
“Make sure he gets the baby blanket with stars on it and the toy beside
it.”
 “Of course.”
She blushed, but Ink and Reyes spoke so matter-of-factly. But she
remembered Reyes telling her that Betsy, Millie, and Sunny were all Littles.
So she supposed they had toys as well.
“I need a safe place to take Emme.”
“What about the safe room at headquarters? You could use that.”
“That’ll work. Can you all meet us there?” Reyes asked.
“Sure,” Ink told him. “Want some help losing the tail?”
“Nope,” Reyes said grimly. “I got it.”

***

Three hours later, she sat in a meeting room at Callahan Security. The
security firm that Ink apparently owned. Currently, the room was filled with
so much testosterone that she could barely breathe.
Reyes had driven like a madman to lose their tail. It hadn’t made it easy
for her to talk to him. She’d felt rather car sick by the time they’d managed to
get here. And then everyone else had arrived, so she hadn’t had time to speak
to him alone.
He was sitting at the head of the table, despite the fact this was Ink’s
company. Ink didn’t seem to care, though. He was seated across from her
with a frown on his face. Jason was standing, leaning against the wall. Spike
was two seats to her left. While Duke paced back and forth. When Reyes
finished explaining everything, they all exploded.
“You’re telling me the Fox was Kit?” Ink roared. “He could have helped
Betsy at any stage and he didn’t.”
“He claimed he did help her,” Reyes told him. “That he kept Forrest from
going too far with her.”
Ink blanched, and she knew what he was imagining. Forrest maybe raping
Betsy, beating her. Who knows what he might have done?
“He killed the Senator for Forrest?” Duke asked quietly.
Reyes shrugged. “Sounds like he was looking into all three of the Robins
men. Said he’d have killed him anyway for what he was doing.”
Duke made a low noise. “And in the end, he saved Betsy from those two
idiots that were trying to bury her alive.”
Ink looked ill. “Hell. I don’t know what to think.”
“Do you think Markovich was telling the truth about everything?” Spike
asked.
Reyes’ jaw clenched tight. “Fucked if I know, but I don’t see how we can
trust them without more proof. The Fox lies like he breathes, far too easily.
And Markovich, I don’t know much about him. Thought he was just a loan
shark and ran some bars and backroom gambling joints. But I think that was a
show. Think he has more power than we know.”
“I’ll get Brody gathering information on him,” Ink said. “See if we can
figure out if he’s speaking the truth.”
Razor glanced over at her, taking her in.
“You okay, sugar?”
Tears filled her eyes at the simple question. Her hands shook. She knew
she should claim to be fine. Should let it roll off her back.
But she couldn’t.
She shook her head. Those tears dripped down her face. “I feel like I’m
going to vomit.”
“Shit!” Ink jumped up and grabbed a trash can, while Reyes jumped
towards her, holding her as she leaned over and vomited up what little food
she had in her tummy.
“Shh, baby,” Reyes crooned. “You’re all right. Shh. I’m here.”
She realized she was sobbing as he handed the trash can over to someone
else, then held a glass of water to her lips. She drank it back gratefully.
“Sorry. How embarrassing. Sorry.”
“Got nothing to be sorry for, sugar,” Razor told her in that drawl of his.
“You’ve been through a lot today.”
Reyes took the glass from her, setting it down, then he picked her up in
his arms. “She needs to rest.”
“Stone put your stuff in the safe room,” Ink said.
He started walking out of the room and down a passage. She didn’t turn
her head from his chest. She felt exhausted yet she buzzed with energy. She
didn’t know how she’d ever get any sleep.
He paused for a moment, then there was a noise like a door popping open
before he started walking again. He tried to set her down, but she whimpered,
clinging tight.
“Easy, baby. I’m here. I just need to talk to Ink and Jason for a moment.
I’ll be right back. I’ll run you a bath. Get you settled.”
She made herself let him go. Watched as he walked over to the door and
spoke to Ink and Jason. She glanced around at what she guessed was the safe
room. There wasn’t a lot in here. A couch, coffee table, TV on the wall, desk,
and chair. She was sitting on the bed and there was a door off to the side,
which she figured led to the bathroom.
When Reyes turned back to her, his face was cold, his jaw clenched.
Those eyes that usually stared at her with warmth were cold and hard. The
door shut behind him with a finality that made her jump.
“What’s wrong?” she whispered. How much more could she take?
“Nothing to worry about.”
“Reyes, what is it?”
“You don’t need to be worrying about this. It’s club business.”
She wanted to question him further, but maybe he was right. She didn’t
need to be taking anything more on right now.
“I’m going to run you a bath.”
“Jacob.” She stood. “Please talk to me.”
“Things are just a bit messy with the club. The Blood Sinners are creating
issues. Talk of trying to oust me. Nothing new, wildcat.”
“If you need to leave, to go deal with stuff, I understand.”
“I’m staying here with you.” He ran his hand over her face. “You can’t
trust what he says. Not until we find out if it’s the truth.”
“I know. But if he is my father, then that means that I was never related to
them,” she spat out the word. “That I could have a home.”
He visibly flinched, and she frowned, confused.
“Jacob?
“You already have a fucking home!”
“I . . . I . . . what?”
He stormed over to her, placing his hand around the back of her neck and
leaning in close. “You have a home. With me!”
40

“Fuck! Fuck, I shouldn’t do this.”

“Do what?” she whispered. “What are you trying to tell me?”
“That your home isn’t with him. It’s with me. I want you, Emme.”
“I want you too.”
He stepped back, shook his head. “You shouldn’t.
“Why not? Because of your crap social skills?”
He frowned. “No.”
“Because you have a temper issue?”
“I don’t have a temper issue.”
She snorted. “Uh-huh. Oh, I know, is it because of your love of rules and
spankings?”
“No. That is something you definitely need.” He folded his arms over his
chest.
She glared at him. “Then why shouldn’t I want to be with you? Because
of your winning personality?”
“Damn it, wildcat.” He moved forward, crowding her against the wall.
His hands landed on the wall on either side of her head and he leaned in.
“You don’t want to be with me, because I’m a controlling, arrogant, asshole
motherfucker.”
She scoffed. “Like I didn’t already know that.”
He studied her. “Be sure, wildcat. Because this next step, there’s no
turning back. For you and me, there will be no divorce, no changing your
mind, no second thoughts. Those vows of thick or thin will never to be
broken. I’ll hold on to you so tight that sometimes it will be smothering. If I
can’t be with you, I’ll want to know where you are, what you’re doing, when
you’ll be home. You’ll never be allowed to turn off your phone when you’re
not with me. You don’t answer my call or text, then I’ll be tracking your
phone and coming after you. And you’ll be in trouble. So make sure before
you take this next step that I’m what you want.”
She opened her mouth, and he placed his hand over it. She narrowed her
gaze.
 “If I had my way, you’d be locked in a bunker built just for you.
Completely protected from any harm. I’m a possessive, jealous, ruthless
asshole. You just got your freedom and you have the right to live your life.
To fucking breathe. If you’re with me, then all of those breaths would be
mine. Every second of your life would be mine. Every tear, every moan,
every orgasm, every laugh, every fucking part of you . . . Mine. So I need to
give you this out. This one time. Tell me that you can’t handle that and I step
away. But this is it. The one time I give you a chance to go. And I’m telling
you now, I don’t know how to do it. Because you’re every breath I breathe.
You’re my every thought. You’ve every fucking heartbeat.”
Tears filled her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall. “Jacob Reyes, you’re an
idiot.”
His gaze narrowed. Oh, she knew she was treading dangerous ground. He
was already riding the edge. Pushing him over wouldn’t go well for her. At
least not for her ass.
“Say what?”
“You’re an idiot. Did you really think anything that you just said would
make me want to push you away? To not want to be with you?”
“It’s not easy for me to give you an out, Emme. You think that I don’t
want to just tell you that you’re mine and bind you to me? But I won’t take
advantage of you. There might be someone else out there for you, someone
who is less controlling.”
“Bullshit. Well, I mean, there’re likely lots of people less controlling. But
I know there is no one who would stand in front of a bullet for me, who
would always put me first, who would take care of me so ferociously.”
He drew her against him and kissed her. It was hard and savage and
everything she could have wanted.
“I’m not going to change. If I could change for anyone, I would change
for you.”
“You’d want to change for me?” she whispered.
“Hell, yes. But I can’t.”
“Why? Why would you change for me?”
“Because I fucking love you.”
She froze. She stared at him. Then she suddenly became aware of the
burning in her lungs. Blackness encroached on the edges of her vision.
“Shit. Breathe, wildcat! Breathe.” He pulled her away from the wall, so
he could pat her back.
 She sucked in a breath. Okay, that was better. The black dots stopped
dancing in front of her eyes.
“Pretty sure when someone stops breathing because you just gave them
the immense news that you love them that you don’t whack them on their
back until they’re black and blue,” she grumbled.
“Pretty sure when someone tells you that they love you that you’re not
supposed to stop breathing,” he countered, moving around in front of her.
Reaching out, he gently grasped hold of her chin, raising her face. “You
okay?”
“No. You told me you loved, me and I nearly passed out! Who does that?
Wait, can I have a do-over?”
“No do-overs,” he said dryly.
“But that’s not fair. I wasn’t ready.”
He folded his arms over his chest and just stared down at her.
“Fine. But when our kids want to know the story of when you first told
me you loved me, I’m totally going to make something up.”
He just shook his head at her.
“I love you, Jacob Reyes.”
His face warmed. “I know.”
“But if you try to give me any more ‘outs’ then I’m going to kick you in
the balls.”
“Wildcat, you’re not supposed to warn a person before you kick them in
the balls.”
“Well, I want to have babies with you someday, so I figure I should
safeguard those balls a bit. That’s the only reason you get a warning.”
Amusement twinkled in his eyes. “So if you didn’t want my swimmers,
I’d be rolling around on the floor swearing right now?”
“Damn straight. You going to kiss me now?”
Drawing her close, he kissed her like he really did need her to live. He
consumed her. It was savage and hard, and she wanted more.
“Fuck. Fuck.” He drew back then leaned his forehead against hers,
closing his eyes.
She closed her eyes as well, breathing him in.
“Don’t hate me,” he whispered, with more vulnerability than she’d ever
heard from him. And it nearly broke her.
“I could never hate you.”
“You say that now, but you don’t know what it will be like . . . the way I
am with things that belong to me.”
“I’m not a thing. I’m Emme. And I want to belong to you. I want to be
yours. I’m not letting you go, Jacob. I’m never letting you go. And if you
ever piss me off, then I’ll definitely kick you in the balls.”
“Wildcat, hate to break it to you, but you’re not as badass as you think
you are.”
She scowled. “I know twenty-seven ways to get rid of a body. I watched a
series on TV.”
He just shook his head. “TV ain’t real life.”
“Hey, take that back!” she said teasingly. But her smile quickly dropped,
and she took in a deep breath. “I know why you keep people at arm’s length
so you don’t have to care about them. So you can’t lose them like you did
Elise.”
“I didn’t love her.”
“But you blame yourself for her death. You cut yourself off from Zeke
because you felt guilty, you felt he was better away from you. You think that
if you keep people at a distance, then you can’t hurt them. But the truth is,
you pushing them away hurts. And I just want you to know that you’re not
getting rid of me. You need someone by your side, someone who has your
back. Like you have everyone else’s.”
“Emme, you keep insisting on making me the white knight, when I’m the
devil.” He grasped hold of her cheeks with his inked hands.
“No, that’s where you’re wrong. I know you’re not the white knight. I see
you. You’re not the devil either. You’re the man in the shadows, watching,
waiting, protecting. And when you strike, no one sees you coming. You’re
the guy who never gets the credit but always does what needs to be done. But
you don’t have to do it alone anymore. I’m here.”
“I never want you to be in the shadows.”
“That’s too bad, because wherever you are, that’s where I am too. I’m
yours. And you’re mine. Forever.”
“Forever, baby.”
41

Reyes bent her over in the shower and thrust deep.

He was trying to lose himself in her body. Last night, he’d bathed her and
dressed her in her favorite pajamas. Then he’d tucked her into bed and
wrapped himself around her, his hand splayed on her mound possessively.
She was his.
It should have eased something inside him. Should have made that
possessive beast inside him simmer down.
But there were too many unknowns. Too many threats. He needed to
eliminate some. He had to make sure she was protected.
He’d tried to figure some things out while letting her sleep in. When
she’d stirred, he’d pulled her into his lap until she’d woke up fully. Right
now, he just wanted to forget himself as he fucked his woman into oblivion.
He’d already gone down on her. But he reached around to play with her clit
again, his other hand squeezing her breast.
As he felt her come, her cry filling the bathroom, he finally let himself go,
driving deep. Filling her with him.
Fuck.
Condom.
Double fuck.
He eased out of her, then turned her to face him. Reaching down, he
gently cupped her pussy. He saw her eyes widen, a blush covering her
cheeks.
“Wildcat?”
“Yes?”
“Forgot the condom.”
He waited for the fog to clear from her face. Understanding filled it. “Oh,
shit.”
“I know you’re not on anything. But whatever happens, we’re in it
together. Okay?”
“Are you . . . are you talking about babies? I don’t think I’m ready for
babies.”
 “Don’t panic,” he told her calmly. “When was your last period?”
“Reyes!” She couldn’t look at him, her blush increasing.
Christ. She was adorable. But did she really not get it yet?
He slid his hand lower, pushing two fingers deep inside her, then flicked
her clit with his thumb.
She grabbed his wrist. “I can’t. Not again.”
“You can,” he countered. “It will help you stop panicking.”
“Orgasms are not a cure for panic,” she panted as he increased his
movements.
“Sure they are. You haven’t answered me, when was your last period?”
“Are we meant to talk about these things?” she asked.
“We talk about everything that concerns you. There’s no keeping
anything from me. Especially when it comes to health and safety. Last
period?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I rarely have them.”
“You rarely have periods?” He frowned.
“I think my last one was over a year ago,” she admitted.
Shit. That wasn’t good.
“We need to deal with that. Probably means it’s unlikely you’re pregnant,
but if you are, we’ll deal. Got me?”
“Yes,” she gasped out right before she fell apart, coming all over his hand
with a shuddering groan.
“That’s it. That’s my girl.” He kissed her before drawing back to give her
a serious look. “We need to have a few serious conversations. I get that shit
has been happening fast, and this isn’t how a normal relationship happens,
but nothing about this is normal.”
“I know,” she whispered.
“I’m going to need you to tell me everything. Even if you think it’s not
important. Keeping anything from me isn’t happening.”
A part of him had died inside when she’d talked about her kidnapping. He
now understood her problems with food. With dogs.
“You have nightmares.”
“Not since you’ve been sleeping with me. I don’t like thinking about that
time, let alone talking about it.”
“But you never dealt with it. I’m guessing that asshole never got you a
therapist.”
“No.”
 “We’ll figure it all out. Together.”
He quickly cleaned them both up. Emme was like a floppy doll. Sated and
peaceful. He helped her dress in some jeans, a T-shirt, one of his hoodies, and
a pair of his socks. He was doing her hair when there was a knock on the
door.

Emme stiffened.
“Easy,” he murmured. “No one here will blink twice at me doing your
hair.”
Walking over, he checked who it was before pressing the button to open
the door. They were definitely taking security seriously. But she wasn’t sure
how long she could stay in this room. It was too reminiscent of her time in
her bedroom at the Robins’ house.
Ink strode in, followed by a guy carrying a laptop. He wore shorts and a
T-shirt. Didn’t he know it was winter? The T-shirt had a picture of a T-Rex
on it and the words: If you’re happy and you know it, clap your . . . oh.
She giggled. “Cute T-shirt.”
The guy blushed and pushed his glasses up his nose. “Thanks.”
Reyes made a low, warning noise, and she glanced at him in shock. He
walked over and picked her up then sat on the bed with her on his lap.
“Want to piss on her too?” Ink asked, looking amused.
“Ink!” Reyes snapped.
“Umm, maybe I should come back . . . umm . . .” The other guy looked
nervous and unsure.
“It’s okay, Brody,” Ink told him. “Reyes is just being a bit territorial. He
knows you’re no threat.”
That’s what he was doing? Laying a claim to her? She turned to glare up
at him. But he was staring at Brody. Hard.
Jesus.
“Reyes,” she said sternly.
“What?” He snapped his gaze down to her, his eyes dark and cold.
“You’re scaring this poor guy and there’s no reason.” She shook her head
and leaned forward. “Sorry, just ignore him. He’s really not as scary as he
looks.”
Brody swallowed heavily. “Umm. Sure.”
“Reyes,” Ink snapped.
“Fine.” Reyes set her on the bed. He stood and turned her so he could
continue brushing her hair. She blushed but didn’t say anything.
“Right,” Ink said. “Brody, tell them what you found.”
“Uh-huh, okay, so, umm . . .”
Reyes sighed. “There’s just been a lot that has happened lately. I’m on
edge, okay? Brody, you don’t have to be afraid of me.” His voice was almost
gentle. Close to how he spoke to her, and she studied Brody carefully. Could
he be a Little?
Brody’s nervousness faded in the face of Reyes’ calmer approach. “I get
it.”
“Tell them what you found about Markovich,” Ink prodded.
Brody gave her a sympathetic look. “It’s not much, I’m afraid. Markovich
didn’t exist until about nine years ago. He would have created a new identity
when he moved here. Without knowing his real name his story is hard to
corroborate. Also, the press in Russia might have been pressured not to report
the incident.”
Right.
“I looked into Markovich since he’s been in the states. He’s very
secretive, there’s little to go on. Which makes me think he has a lot to hide.”
“He’s definitely not a small-time loan shark and businessman,” Ink said
grimly.
“We shouldn’t trust him,” Reyes stated.
“What if he is my father, though?”
She felt Reyes tense.
A knock at the door came before Reyes could answer. Ink walked over to
check, then opened it. A man she didn’t know stood there. He handed Ink an
envelope and said something quietly, before disappearing.
Ink turned to Reyes, giving him a wary look. “Apparently this just
arrived. It was dropped off by a big guy who introduced himself as Gray
Hawkins.”
“That’s the name of Markovich’s second,” Brody said.
“He’s sitting in reception, waiting for a reply. Seems you didn’t lose that
tail,” Ink commented.
“Motherfucker. We need to move. Find somewhere else. Maybe leave the
country,” Reyes said, setting her aside. He stood and grabbed his phone. “I
need to make arrangements.”
“No,” she said quietly.
“Emme,” he said sternly.
 “You’re not giving up your life for me, Reyes. If Markovich really is my
father, and he’s been searching for me all this time, then he’s not going to be
a threat to me. Plus, I can’t see him giving up and walking away. And we
don’t know that this Mr. X is still looking for me. Maybe he’s forgotten about
me.”
“Wildcat, he hired mercenaries to get you and kill Senior. Then he killed
them when they failed. That doesn’t sound like the sort of guy who’s just
going to forget that you’re out there somewhere. Guys like this don’t leave
loose ends. You can’t ignore the threat.”
“But if Markovich can keep me safe, then maybe I should go to him. It
will keep all of you safe.”
“You are not leaving me,” Reyes said harshly. He grabbed her under the
arms and shook her lightly. “You’re going nowhere without me.”
Tears flooded her eyes. “I don’t want to go anywhere without you, but if
it keeps you safe—”
“No,” he interrupted her. “I won’t allow it. Where you are, I am.”
“I don’t want to be away from you, but I don’t want to put you in
danger.”
“I can take care of myself. And you.”
But could he? What would be the best thing to do? If Markovich was her
dad, if what he said was true, well, there was a part of her that wanted to
know him. Sure, they were strangers. But he’d searched for her for years.
That spoke of a deep love.
Was it bad to want that?
“You want to know him,” Reyes whispered.
“I want to be with you. I’ll do what you think is best.”
But he must have read the truth in her eyes.
Ink cleared his throat. “Maybe you should look at these before making
any decisions.”
Turning, she saw that Ink had opened the envelope and spread out what
appeared to be some photos. They were somewhat faded, crinkled at the
edges. The first one she picked up was of a smiling couple. The woman was
wearing a long white wedding dress. She was gazing up adoringly at the
taller man beside her.
The man was clearly a younger Markovich. The woman was beautiful,
with long, dark hair. It wasn’t the frizzy mess that Emme’s was.
She picked it up with a shaky hand and then felt Reyes behind her.
 Turning the photo over, she saw something written on it. Some of the
words were written in what she guessed was Cyrillic script. But someone had
also added an English translation underneath.
My love and me on the happiest day of my life. February 12 th, 1997.
The next photo was of the same woman, lying in a bed, holding a baby.
Her emerald-colored eyes stared directly at Emme. Tears flooded Emme’s
eyes and she nearly dropped the photo. Reyes took it from her hand and
turned it over.
My little miracle. Katina Galina Stasevich. August 10 th, 1999.
The next photo was black and white. It was of a different woman holding
a little boy’s hand. The woman looked eerily similar to her. She checked
what was written on the back.
My mother and me. 1969.
She sucked in a breath. The last photo was of a younger Markovich with a
little girl. Her. This time, she would have been about two. She was smiling
widely into the photo. Markovich was staring down at her adoringly, the love
on his face clear to see. In her hands was a familiar-looking blanket and a toy.
Daddy and his Zvezda.
“Reyes,” she whispered.
“I know.” He kissed the top of her head. “We’ll talk to him. See what he
has to say. Okay?”
She nodded, then turned around to bury her face into his chest. He held
her tight.
Brody cleared his throat. “Sorry, one more thing. You asked me last night
to track Jewel’s cell phone.”
Reyes ran his hand up and down her back. “Yeah? Did you find her?”
“Yep. I did. She’s near Minneapolis.”
“What the fuck would she be there?” Reyes said.
She looked up at him. “You’re worried about her?”
He gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m sure Jewel’s fine. She just hasn’t
been in contact for a few days, that’s all. Probably sick of me being on her
case. Nothing for you to worry about, baby.”
“Let me deal with it,” Ink suggested. I’ll send someone to check on her.”
“Good, thanks man.”
42

Nerves made her want to vomit.

After looking at the photos, Reyes had gone out to speak to Gray about
setting up a meeting with her father. Wow. Should she feel weird about the
fact that the man she’d thought was her father, wasn’t?
But Senior was an abusive asshole who’d trafficked women for sex. And
done countless other things. So all she felt was relief.
But who is to say that Markovich is a better person?
They were now in a meeting room waiting for Markovich to arrive. Her
legs bounced nervously.
Reyes placed his hand on her thigh and leaned in. “You okay?”
“What about if I’m exchanging one devil for another?”
He stared at her for a long moment but didn’t ask her to explain. He got
it. “Then I will take you somewhere where he can never get to you.”
She shook her head, but he grabbed her chin, stilling the movement.
“Yes, because I love you. I protect you. Never forget that. And if I say it’s
necessary, that’s what you will allow me to do. Understand?”
“Yes. I understand.”
God, she was so stressed. She didn’t want to think anymore.
“Spike rang me when you were in the bathroom. He has some friends
who know more about the world Markovich lives in. They don’t know all the
ins and outs, but they’re doing some investigating. Markovich has a
reputation for having a soft spot for women. He’s no boy scout, but he’s not
Senior.”
Okay, that made her feel better.
The door opening made her jump. Then a big, bald-headed man walked
in. He nodded to Gray, who was sitting across from them.
Ink and Brody were also in the room. Brody was down at one end of the
table, tapping on his laptop, seemingly impervious to everything going on in
the room. Ink stood behind and to the left of her.
Like a bodyguard might.
Following the big guy who stood to the left of the door, was him.
 Her father.
Emme’s breath caught in her throat, and Reyes squeezed her leg. He
leaned in. “Breathe, little girl.”
She really wished she could be his little girl right now. She needed that.
Craved it. Maybe it wasn’t healthy to treat it as a way to escape, or maybe it
was. Damned if she knew.
“Katina,” Markovich said to her quietly.
“Emme,” she said back. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember being Katina.”
“But you do believe me then,” he said as he took a seat.
Reyes shot a look to his man by the door.
“Do not worry, Sergei is completely trustworthy,” Markovich said,
seeming to read what he was thinking.
Reyes grunted.
“You’re right, I do look like my grandmother and I have my mother’s
eyes. And then there was the photo of me with Starry and Bad Boy.”
“Thank God you still have them. I can’t believe that all these years you
were so close and I didn’t know.”
He looked devastated by that knowledge, and she couldn’t stop herself
from wanting to make him feel better. “You couldn’t have known. And
honestly, things weren’t that bad for me. Really.”
Her father gave her a look of disbelief.
“Emme is trying to underplay things so that you don’t feel bad,” Reyes
told him bluntly.
“Reyes!”
“You can’t hide things, wildcat. Keeping things to yourself, it will just
backfire in the end. He needs to know. Senior told her that she was his
daughter, but he treated her like dirt. He kept her locked up. Hired nannies
and tutors, who all disappeared after they left his employ.”
Markovich nodded. “So I was told.”
By the Fox, she was guessing.
“Your other employee isn’t here today,” Reyes asked, shooting looks at
Gray and Sergei. Weird name.
Markovich’s lips twitched. “Wouldn’t call him an employee and he’s
chasing up other leads. We may be close to figuring out where the auction
house is located. Did he hurt you? Senior?”
“No.”
“Emme,” Ryes growled.
 “Not usually,” she admitted. “Sometimes he’d slap me around if he got
really mad. He was hardly ever there, but if he did come home, then he was
usually angry about something.”
“And he’d take it out on you,” Markovich whispered. He had his hands
on the table, they were clenched into fists. She could see the anger. “He died
too easily.”
“He was verbally abusive. And he kept her prisoner,” Reyes said.
“I’m only free because of the . . .” She looked around, aware she might
not be able to speak freely.
Her father looked over at the man by the door. “Sergei, could you wait
outside?”
Sergei left without a word.
“Gray knows everything, you can speak freely in front of him.”
Markovich looked to Ink and Brody.
“We know everything too,” Ink said.
Brody nodded, not looking away from his laptop. “I know all about The
Fox.”
“The Fox and Reyes saved me,” she said.
“If I’d known who you were, I could have had him bring you straight to
me.”
Reyes made a threatening noise. She took hold of his hand, squeezing it.
“Then I wouldn’t have met Reyes and I can’t imagine my life without him in
it.”
Markovich narrowed his gaze at Reyes. “He’s very possessive.”
“She’s mine. You try to fight me for her and you’ll lose,” Reyes told him.
Markovich watched him for a moment and she held her breath. Christ,
this tension was going to give her an ulcer. Then Markovich nodded. “Glad to
know my daughter has such a fierce protector.” He turned his gaze to her.
“But I am worried that you’re still in danger from Mr. X. You have no idea
why you ended up with Senior?”
“No, I can’t remember anything before . . . before the kidnapping. That’s
what he, Senior, told me. That I was kidnapped. He might have said it was for
ransom. I’m not sure. Even that time is murky. I was drugged a lot through
my food. I was very scared. There were . . . monsters everywhere.”
“Monsters?” Reyes asked her.
She shrugged. “Thought it was my imagination, but maybe . . .”
“Maybe the monsters were people,” Brody said, surprising her. She
looked up to meet his gaze and saw some answering darkness in them.
“People are the biggest monsters of all.”
She nodded at that. “I’m sorry I don’t remember more.”
“You don’t need to apologize,” Reyes told her. “You were a traumatized
child. None of this is your fault.”
“Definitely not,” Markovich said sadly. “It’s mine. I should have
protected you and your mother better. Then none of this would have
happened.”
“It’s not your fault either,” she whispered to him.
He gave her a sad smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“This Mr. X, could he have been the one to take her from Russia in the
first place? Who killed your wife?” Ink asked.
Markovich’s jaw tightened. “I don’t know. But there’s a possibility, yes.
Perhaps he was working with Senior, helping to traffic women into the states.
But why kill Galina? Why take Emme? And why have Robins pretend that
she was his daughter?”
“You won’t use Emme as bait to draw him out,” Reyes warned.
Markovich stood so quickly that she gasped. He smacked a hand down on
the desk. “Of course not! What do you take me for? I would never risk her.
Never!”
Reyes stared at him for a long moment, then he nodded. “I believe that.
So, what do you have in mind to protect her now?”
43

“This isn’t quite what I was expecting,” she whispered.

Reyes tightened his hands around the steering wheel of his truck.
“Markovich assures me that this place has nearly as much security as the
White House. He’d best not be lying.”
“I don’t think he was.”
“Neither do I. However, I think if there’s one person as dedicated to
keeping you safe as I am, it’s him. And that’s hard to admit.”
“Because you don’t like him? Don’t trust him?” she asked.
“Because I don’t share.”
She shook her head. “You’re an idiot.”
“Wildcat,” he warned.
“Like anyone would mean as much to me as you do. Like anyone takes
up as much of my heart as you do. I could never love anyone like I love you.
Father or not. He’s second. You’re first.”
He let out a breath. “You’re right.”
“I am?”
“I am an idiot.”
The last thing she expected to be doing as they followed her father’s car
up the long driveway towards the house she’d just agreed to live in until her
safety was ensured, was giggling.
Reyes shot her a grin. They’d both agreed that coming to stay with
Markovich for a while might be the safest thing to do. So far, she’d spotted
four security guys, and they were only the ones she could see.
“You’re sure there won’t be any dogs?” This wasn’t the first time she’d
asked the question.
“I’m sure,” he told her. “He has German Shepherds, but they won’t be
allowed close to the house. And they will be leashed at all times. You won’t
have to see them.”
It still made her feel slightly ill to know they were on the property, but
Senior’s guards had had dogs too and she’d coped.
“I’m a nuisance.”
 “You’re not a nuisance,” he told her firmly. “You were terrorized, it’s no
wonder you’re scared of dogs and have issues with food. None of that is your
fault.”
Ink had gone over things with Gray before agreeing that it sounded safer
than anywhere he could offer them. Besides, she wanted to get away from
Reyes’ friends. She didn’t want them in danger too.
She was surprised Reyes had agreed to come here, though. This house
was about an hour out of the city.
“Won’t this be really inconvenient to get to Reaper’s and the club?”
“I’m only leaving you if it’s necessary,” he told her.
“I’ll be all right here if you have to go.” Even though she was nervous as
hell to be left here alone. But she knew that he was still having problems at
Reaper’s.
“I’m not leaving unless I have to,” he reiterated. “Danny has things under
control.”
Did he? It didn’t really sound like it. But she didn’t say anything more.
They pulled up outside a huge stone house. It was gray and imposing and not
anywhere she’d ever want to live herself. It was set well back off the private
road they’d driven up.
Reyes parked his truck, and someone appeared by her door. She shied
back until she saw it was Gray. She wasn’t sure what to make of him. The
guy never seemed to change facial expressions. Maybe that was a job
requirement.
He opened the door for her.
“Did you know that horses have seventeen separate facial expressions,”
she blurted out.
He stared down at her. “Um. Right.”
“Dogs have sixteen. Chimps have thirteen.”
“Emme likes animal facts,” Reyes told Gray. When she turned to look at
him, she saw him staring at the other man, his face firm. A warning.
“I’d have thought chimps would have more than horses,” was all Gray
said.
“You’d think so, right?” she replied, her nerves easing slightly.
“I’ll help her.” Reyes climbed out and walked around. Gray stepped back
as he reached in to undo her belt, then he lifted her out. Taking hold of her
hand, he led her up the stairs to where Markovich stood with a willowy
blonde plastered against him. The woman looked like she wasn’t much older
than Emme. And those nerves came rushing back.
Who was this?
“Zvezda,” he said warmly. “This is Christabel, my girlfriend.”
His girlfriend? Emme’s jaw dropped open as she took in the woman who
wore a tight red dress that made it look like she was off to a cocktail party.
Her blonde hair lay in big curls down her back, not a hair out of place. Her
face was made up. Every inch of her was primped and perfect.
Nothing like Emme.
“Hi, nice to meet you.” Emme clung to Reyes’ hand.
The other woman looked her up, and down, then seemed to force herself
to smile. It didn’t reach her eyes.
“Emme, the missing little girl. You poor dear, the things you’ve been
through. Don’t worry, I told Drew that I’m happy to help guide you back into
civilization.”
Civilization? Where the hell did she think she’d been?
“She hasn’t been living in the jungle, dining on dung beetles and shitting
in a hole in the ground, Chris,” Gray said dryly.
“It’s Christabel,” she bit out, then glared up at Markovich. “Drew, are
you going to allow him to speak to me that way?”
Markovich gave Christabel a dismissive look. “You know Gray speaks
his mind. Come in, dear. Christabel, did you have a suite made up for Reyes
and my daughter?”
“Of course.”
“Good. Emme, I’ll leave you with Christabel. I have a few things to take
care of. Reyes, would you join us?”
“No,” was all Reyes said.
Markovich’s face tightened. He was like Reyes, obviously unused to
hearing that word.
“I’m going to make sure Emme is settled in.”
God, she loved him.
“Oh. Of course.” Her father gave her a curious look.
“I’ll look after her,” Christabel gushed, giving Reyes an admiring look
which immediately made Emme want to claw her eyes out.
Easy. Now wasn’t the time to let her crazy flag fly.
Reyes just glared back at the other woman coldly, and she had to hide a
grin.
“I’ll be fine,” she said to Reyes.
 “You sure?”
She nodded. “I’ll call you if I’m not.” Ink had gotten a phone for her
before they’d left Callahan Security and he’d programmed everyone’s phone
numbers in. Now she just had to teach herself how to use it.
“You remember how to call and text?” he asked her.
“Of course.” She’d had a ten-minute lesson. So she pretty much had no
idea. But how hard could it be?
“I thought you said she hadn’t been living in the jungle. How does she not
know how to use a phone?” Christabel laughed. No one else did. She quickly
realized she’d mis-stepped and stopped.
“I’ll see you for dinner then, my dear.” Her father looked like he wanted
to say something more, but instead he moved away.
Gray, to her shock, sent her a wink and followed.
Reyes cupped her face, kissing her gently. “Call if you need me. I won’t
be long.”
She turned to Christabel, who looked her up and down with a sneer.
“Really? Did they not have any shops where you’ve been? What are you even
wearing?”
Oh. Emme blinked at her, then she grinned.
She could see her reaction confused the other woman. “You’re going to
be a mean girl, huh? I had my first mean girl experience not that long ago,
but somehow I think you’ll be even better.”
“What are you talking about?” Christabel asked. “If you tell your father I
was mean to you, I’ll deny it. And he’ll believe me. You’re a little nobody.
I’m going to be his wife.”
“Huh. Where’s the ring?”
Christabel’s eyes narrowed. Did she expect Emme to be scared of her?
Cowed? Emme had faced far nastier adversaries than this woman.
“He hasn’t asked yet. But he will. So you better be nice to me, because
when he dies, all his money will come to me. Not you, understand?”
“When he dies? He seems to be very fit and in good health. What? Are
you thinking of marrying him then getting rid of him for his money?”
“What? Of course not! Listen here, you little bitch, if you say anything
like that to him, I will end you.”
Emme just grinned wider.
“What? Are you simple or something? Follow me. I’ll show you your
room. Pre-dinner drinks are in an hour. Drew will expect you to be
appropriately dressed.” Christabel sneered at her clothes. Emme didn’t give a
shit. She’d rather be comfortable than stylish. And those heels Christabel
wore didn’t look comfy at all. In fact, Emme thought she’d injure herself if
she tried to walk in them.
“I’d lend you something to wear,” Christabel said. “But I’m so much
smaller than you, it just wouldn’t work.”
Emme started laughing.
Christabel stilled and turned to glare at her. “What is your problem?”
“You’re just so ridiculous, it’s hilarious. Here’s the thing, Christabel. I
don’t care who you are or what you think my father will be to you. Just stay
away from me, and I’ll stay away from you. Understand? Now, where’s my
room? I feel very tired all of a sudden.”
Christabel’s eyes narrowed. “Third door on the left. Don’t call me if you
need anything.”
Oh, Emme wouldn’t.
But she wasn’t joking about being exhausted. She walked through the
door Christabel indicated, grateful it didn’t lead to the portal of hell. She
wouldn’t put it past the bitch.
But inside was a large sitting room with a huge TV, an open fireplace
with a fluffy rug on the floor in front of it along with a large sectional. There
was a door at the back. She opened it, checking out the bedroom. It had
another TV. Excellent. And a king-sized bed. The ceilings in this house were
high and decorated with ceiling roses.
It was all beautifully done. If a bit formal for her. Its extreme neatness
made her want to mess it all up. Walking over to one of the two doors on the
right, she found a walk-in closet, with all their clothes already unpacked.
Wow. Someone was extremely efficient.
The other door led to an opulent bathroom with an enormous clawfoot
bath that she really wanted to test out. But she’d best wait for Reyes. She’d
hate to flood this bathroom when she’d just gotten here.
Turning, she walked over to the king-sized bed, sitting on it. Nerves
flooded her. What was she doing here? Could she really do this? Get to know
this man who was apparently her father?
It will be okay.
“I thought you’d left for good this time,” she said to Suzy, who’d
suddenly appeared.
I’m here whenever you need me. I’m part of your imagination.
 “Why does everyone have to be so logical?” she grumbled.
You mean Reyes. You love him. Reyes and Emme sitting up a tree . . .
“I can’t believe you’re a figment of my imagination. Because if you were,
I’d be certain not to make you so annoying.”
Suzy just grinned. Bitch.
Jump on it. You know you want to.
“I can’t. I’m meant to be an adult.”
You can be an adult and a Little. You’re allowed to have fun. Besides,
who will know?
“Well, you do make a good point.”
Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her pocket. That was weird. Why was it
doing that? She pulled it out. Reyes had helped her put in a code, so she used
it to open it.
There were several messages sitting there. When had they arrived? Why
hadn’t it made any noise?
She shrugged, then opened the latest message. She blinked as she saw
Sunny had written something.
Sunny: Jeez, Emme, answer us!
Answer them? What had they asked? She managed to work out how to
scroll up to the beginning of the messages. And saw several messages from
Millie and Betsy, too.
Sunny: Emme, so glad you have a phone. I’ve created a group chat.
Group chat? That sounded cool. And she was in the group? Extra cool.
Millie: Yay, Emme is part of the group. This is fun. Mr. Fluffy is super
excited.
There was a photo under Millie’s text of a sleeping dog. He wore a pink
tutu and had a party hat on. It was so ridiculous that despite her deep fear of
dogs; she had to smile.
Betsy: Ink said she doesn’t know how to use a phone. Maybe she can’t
work out how to reply.
Oh, shoot. She needed to reply to them or they might stop.
Millie: Emme, are you okay? Spike told me that you’re moving to your
father’s house temporarily. That must be weird finding out that your dad isn’t
your dad and then discovering your new dad. Did that make sense?
Weirdly, yes it did.
Betsy: Can’t believe that you-know-who was Kit! How did I not recognize
his voice when he saved me?
 Sunny: You-know-who is a master of disguise. You couldn’t have known.
But I’m mad at him for not helping you sooner.
Betsy: I think he was helping me as much as he could without blowing his
cover. Ink is furious. But I’m surprisingly okay about it.
Millie: Life around here is never boring, at least. Emme, are you okay?
She reached the last message from Sunny. Now how to reply? Oh, she
remembered now. She started to slowly type.
Emme: I am good. At father’s house. It is weird.
A bit stilted, but the best she could do.
For a moment there was nothing, and she thought they’d gone. Then her
phone buzzed again.
Sunny: It must be very strange.
Betsy: Is Reyes there? Is he looking after you?
Millie: If you need us to come to your rescue, then send out a bat signal.
We’ll come running.
She burst into giggles at Millie’s text.
Millie: I’m not joking.
Betsy: She’s not.
Sunny: She really will come riding to your rescue.
Emme: I am fine. Thank you. Although there is a mean girl here.
Betsy: Mean girl? What did she do? What did she say?
Sunny: That’s terrible. Did you tell Reyes?
Millie: I have glitter spray. And a taser. And pepper spray. And a gun. All
it takes is one small bat signal. I am there, girl. We have your back.
Tears filled her eyes.
Emme: Thank you. All of you. I can handle her. But your words mean a
lot.
Betsy: Got to go. Ink’s calling. Emme. Call anytime.
Sunny: Anytime.
Millie: Bat signal.
She was grinning when she put down the phone. Her worries felt lighter.
She had friends. She had Reyes. Even if things with Markovich didn’t work
out, at least she had people who cared about her.
Suzy had disappeared, but Emme knew she’d be back if she needed her.
But just maybe, she’d made some friends. Real friends. Standing, she slipped
off her shoes.
Time for some fun.
 ***

Reyes walked up the stairs with Markovich. Apparently, they dressed

formally for dinner and had pre-dinner drinks.
What load of shit was that? Pre-dinner drinks. This so wasn’t his world.
But he’d try for Emme. Besides, Markovich actually seemed like an okay
guy. They were on the same page when it came to protecting Emme, anyway.
“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” a voice screeched.
Who was that?
“Christabel?” Markovich muttered, moving forward down the passage.
“What are you doing in here?”
Okay, that was Emme. He rushed through the open door down the
passage behind Markovich, coming to a stop as he saw a horrified-looking
Christabel standing in a sitting room. She was holding some brown material
and glaring up at Emme through the open bedroom door.
Emme, who was standing on top of the king-sized bed. A bed that had the
covers all rumpled and messy. He raised an eyebrow. Just what had she been
doing? Her cheeks grew red as she saw him and her father standing there.
“What’s going on? Emme, are you all right?” Markovich asked.
Reyes had to hide a smile as Christabel turned to glare at Markovich.
Obviously, she didn’t like that he’d asked after Emme and ignored her.
“She was jumping on the bed!” Christabel screeched.
Reyes rubbed his ear. Jesus.
Emme plopped down on the bed, her shoulders slumping. Shit. He
wouldn’t let her be ashamed of this. Even if he didn’t approve of bed jumping
necessarily.
Markovich looked to Emme, then to Christabel. Reyes readied himself to
intervene. Nobody was allowed to hurt his girl.
“So?” was all Markovich said.
“So?” Christabel screeched. “It’s weird. She’s not a child.”
“Christabel,” Markovich said sharply.
The other woman straightened her shoulders, staring back at him in
shock.
 “What she does is none of your business, understand? She’s welcome to
bounce on every bed in this house if she wants to. This is her house now.
What are you even doing in here?”
That’s what Reyes would like to know.
“I was only trying to be kind. I brought her a dress to wear.”
Markovich glanced down at the brown material, his eyebrow raised. “It’s
brown.”
“It’s the only one I thought might fit her since she’s bigger than me.”
Reyes snorted. Markovich’s face grew red. “Christabel, leave.”
“What? Why? What did I do?”
“Leave,” he commanded.
She stormed out, taking the ugly dress.
Markovich sighed and ran his hand over his face. “I am sorry about that.
Did she upset you?”
Emme shook her head. “No. Did she upset you?”
Markovich gave Emme a surprised look. Reyes moved around him and
gestured to Emme. She walked over the mattress towards him and he lifted
her down.
“Yes, I suppose she upset me,” Markovich replied as Reyes wrapped an
arm around her back.
“I’m sorry.”
Markovich stared at her. Then he turned his face away for a moment, as
though he didn’t want them to see the raw emotion there. But Reyes caught a
glimpse, and he knew from the way Emme took a sharp breath that she did as
well.
But neither said anything. They gave him a moment.
“You’re very special, Zvezda. Your mother would be proud of you.”
Emme sniffled, and he held her tight, not liking that she was upset.
“I want you to tell me if she upsets you, though, okay?” Markovich said.
“What if she does?” Emme asked.
“Then she’s gone. Maybe I’ll get rid of her anyway. She’s become a
nuisance.”
“I want to say don’t get rid of her because of me, but I think you deserve
much better,” Emme told him honestly.
Markovich grinned. “Indeed. I do. Sometimes, when you feel alone, you
do foolish things or make stupid decisions like allowing someone into your
life who isn’t a good fit.”
 Oh. Her heart started to break for him.
“But I’m not lonely anymore, am I? Excuse me, I need to go get changed.
Don’t worry if you don’t have something to wear for dinner. You can come
as you are.”
Emme sagged against him and he knew she just wasn’t up to tonight.
“Actually, we’re going to eat in here,” Reyes told him.
She gave him a look of relief. He winked at her.
“Not because of Christabel?” Markovich asked.
“No,” Emme told him. “I’m just really tired tonight. And I find it hard to
eat around other people.”
Markovich’s eyes narrowed. “Because of when you were kidnapped?
Have you spoken to someone about that?”
Emme tensed.
“We’re going to deal with it,” Reyes told him firmly.
Markovich nodded. “Then I’ll say good night. I’ll have Margaret send up
food, if you’d like.”
“That would be good, thanks,” Reyes replied.
Markovich looked at Emme with soft eyes. “Good night, Zvezda. Sleep
tight. Perhaps we can talk tomorrow?”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
When he left, Reyes made sure the door to the suite of rooms was locked,
then he turned to give Emme a stern look. “Want to explain what you were
doing jumping on the bed, little girl?”
44

Emme bit her lip.

She should have known that he wouldn’t let her get away with that
without saying something.
“Would you accept temporary insanity as a plea?”
“You can plead that but it won’t get you out of being punished.”
“Punished? For jumping on the bed? Why?” she asked.
“It’s not safe.”
“Children jump on beds, Reyes.”
He stalked his way towards her. She swallowed nervously. Uh-oh.
“Yes, and if they’re caught, I’m certain they’re punished. You could have
slipped off, broken your arm, hit your head, hurt your bottom. Although soon
you’re going to have a sore bottom, anyway.”
“Nooo, you can’t spank me, Daddy!”
He’d seemed to realize that she wasn’t up to dinner with everyone
tonight. That she needed him. Her man. Her Daddy.
She bumped into the wall, and he continued to move slowly towards her.
She tried to dodge to the left, but he grabbed her, throwing her over his
shoulder.
“Daddy, no!” she screamed.
He smacked his hand down on her ass. “Calm down. We’ve got just
enough time for a bath before dinner, I think. Well, a bath and a spanking.”
“Nooo, Daddy. That’s so unfair. It was just a little bouncing.”
He set her down in the bathroom. She thought about running again, but
the stern look on his face changed her mind for her.
“Strip off, little girl, while I get your bath ready then I want you facing
the bathroom counter, hands on top, legs spread and ass out.”
“Daddy, it was no worse than bouncing on a trampoline,” she argued as
she slowly started to strip. He turned on the bath.
“A trampoline has nets to keep you safe. A bed does not.”
He searched through the cupboard, pulling out some bubble bath.
“Wow, there’s bubble bath?” she asked.
 “Markovich asked me what would help you feel more at home. I told him
to make sure there were no dogs on the property and that you liked bubble
baths and pancakes. And for the house to be warm.”
That was so sweet.
She wrapped her arms around him once he was finished pouring in the
bubble bath. “Thank you for always taking care of me.”
“Always, little girl.” He kissed the top of her head. “Now get into
position for your punishment. I’ll be back soon.”
She finished stripping, chucking her clothes in the hamper by the
bathroom vanity. Look at her, picking up after herself. With a sigh, she
forced herself into position. She wasn’t sure she liked being able to see
herself in the mirror.
She heard him enter.
“Keep your eyes facing ahead,” he warned.
He moved up behind her. God, he was gorgeous in that dark T-shirt, his
tattoos coloring his arms with that wicked glint in his eyes.
She gasped as he placed a butt plug on the counter next to her hand.
Hmm, she wondered what would happen if she was to just pick that up
and throw it in the bath.
Plop!
Nope. That didn’t happen. She froze.
“Did you just throw your butt plug in the bath?” he asked in a low voice.
She shook her head. “It was Suzy.”
He raised his eyebrows. “That so?”
She gulped. “Temporary insanity?”
“Oh, it was definitely insanity. That just turned a fun spanking into
something more serious.”
“I didn’t even know I was doing it!” she cried. “I just thought about it and
then boom, it was in the bath.”
She watched as he leaned over to fish the plug out of the bath, then rinsed
it in cold water from the tap.
“Are you sure I didn’t just do it with the power of my mind?”
“Your mind is an amazing thing,” he told her, drying the plug and setting
it on the counter again. Then he turned off the tap filling the bath. “But even
it doesn’t have the power to move things.”
“Drat.”
“Back into position, little girl.”
 She got back into position, gripping hold of the counter so she wasn’t
tempted to send the plug flying again.
This wasn’t going to end well for her.
He moved in behind her, smacking his hand down on her ass. She jumped
with a cry. Oh hell, he definitely wasn’t playing around. And there was
something very strange about watching herself while she was getting a
spanking.
Next time, she’d make sure to use her mind power for good. Not
naughtiness.

***

Later on that night, he wrapped himself around her restless body. He hated
that she still had bad dreams. But he loved that he was able to settle her.
He slid his hand down her stomach so it was resting on her mound. She
sighed with contentment. Yeah. He fucking loved this.
But he hated that everything was still so unsettled for her. After her
spanking earlier, he’d plugged her then gave her a bath. Little brat had taken
great delight in splashing him with bubbles. In the end, he’d had to take off
his T-shirt and jeans because they’d both been soaked.
Then he’d taken great delight in the look of heat that had filled her eyes.
He’d fed her dinner, having to coax her through. He wasn’t sure how she
was going to be able to eat in front of everyone else. Maybe it would be best
for all their meals to be taken in here.
He just hoped that club business didn’t pull him away. He didn’t want to
leave her here. Especially not with that bitch who was fucking her father. Not
that Emme seemed overly worried by her.
He’d taken the plug out after dinner and proceeded to give her four
orgasms before tucking her into one of his T-shirts and putting them both to
bed.
“Everything will be all right, little girl,” he whispered. “I’m going to see
to that.”
45

“What do you mean, he couldn’t find her? Have you tried calling her
again? Fuck. Okay . . . yep.”
Emme watched Reyes worriedly. He’d been tense all morning. He’d
brought her breakfast in bed, insisting she rest. She’d had a few nightmares in
the night, but he’d soothed her through them.
She was feeling exhausted and drained so she hadn’t argued as he’d fed
her then helped her shower. But just now, he’d gotten a call that was making
his face grow harder and colder.
“Fuck. Christ.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Okay, keep me
informed.”
He ended the call, then glanced over at Emme. The look on his face was
one of devastation.
“What is it? What’s happened?” she whispered.
“It’s Jewel. The guy Ink sent to Minneapolis couldn’t find her because
her phone is now off. Maybe the battery just died, but I don’t like it. No one
has heard from her in days. Sunny and Duke broke into her apartment, it
doesn’t look like she took much. But we don’t know what’s going on.”
“Do you think she’s hurt?” she whispered.
“I’m not sure. Fuck. I should have had Brody track her down earlier. I
should have kept a closer watch on her.”
“You were busy helping me.” Guilt flooded her.
“Hey,” he barked, surprising her. “Come here.”
She stood and walked towards him. He wrapped his hand around her
neck, pulling her in and putting his forehead to hers. “This is not your fault.
She’s been acting weird for a while now. And I wanted to help you. Needed
to. This is on me. Understand?”
“Yes.” But what if something had happened to her? “But now you have to
go, you have to help find her.”
He shook his head. “I’m not leaving you.”
“You have to go. I’m fine here.”
“No,” he said stubbornly, frowning down at her. “You’re in danger.”
 “Maybe. But I’m sitting in a mansion, surrounded by armed guards. I’m
safe. We don’t know if Jewel is.”
“I still don’t like it.”
“I know you don’t like trusting anyone, but I’ll be fine here. Promise.”
“You can come with me.”
“Okay.”
She hid a smile at his shocked look. Then he scowled. “No, it’s not safe
coming with me. I can’t watch you all the time. But can I trust Markovich
with you? No.”
“He’s my father. He’ll keep me safe. Besides, you’re forgetting my mad
Krav Maga skills.”
“Yeah, wildcat, not forgetting those mad skills.”
“Then you know I can take care of myself.”
He gave her a skeptical look.
“It seems I’m not winning this fight,” she muttered.
“We’re not fighting.”
“No, because you know you have to go. And I have to stay. I’m going to
be safe, even if you’re not watching me every second of the day.”
“Shit! I’ll be texting you every half an hour. You answer within five
minutes or I’m going to call you. Don’t answer that and I’m on my way back
here and you’ll be on lockdown until you’re gray. Got me?”
“Love you too.”

***

She stayed in her room until early afternoon, lying to Reyes when he texted
to ask her if she’d managed to eat lunch. That was going to cost her later if he
found out. But he didn’t need to be worrying about her right now.
Finally, though, she needed to stretch her legs and see if she could find
food she could stomach. Seemed her body had gotten used to eating
regularly.
But when she managed to finally find the kitchen, she heard Christabel’s
screechy voice coming from the room. With a wince, she backed away.
Sounded like she was berating the cook for ruining lunch and putting too
much dressing on her salad.
What a bitch.
Emme didn’t feel much like a mean girl confrontation right then so she
headed down toward another passage. A door opened and Gray appeared. She
froze. Shit. She hoped it was all right that she was walking around here.
“Emme?” Gray asked. “You okay?”
“Oh, well, yes. I was just going for a walk. Hope that’s okay.”
He eyed her curiously. “Course it is.”
“Emme’s out here?” Her father appeared in the hallway. “Hello, Zvezda.”
“Hi,” she replied shyly.
“Got stuff to do,” Gray said abruptly, but he winked at her as he walked
past.
“I was just having a look around. Hope that’s okay,” she said to her father
awkwardly.
“Of course it is. I was going to come up and check on you. You weren’t
at lunch. Have you had something to eat? Would you like me to get you
something?”
“Oh no. I’m fine. Really.”
He eyed her suspiciously but then nodded, letting it go. She sighed with
relief.
“Would you . . . would you like to come in and talk to me?”
“Sure,” she replied awkwardly. Her phone buzzed in her pocket as she
entered the room. It was actually cozier than she’d expected for such a big,
cold house. A leather sofa and two matching armchairs were set in front of an
open fire. A huge desk and chair were at the other end of the room. Two
walls were covered in bookshelves.
“You like reading?” she asked.
“I don’t get much of a chance, but I like to be surrounded by them. Come
sit.” He gestured at the sofa.
“I’m not interrupting your work?”
“I wouldn’t care if you were,” he said, shocking her. “I’ve waited years to
find you. I worked so I had enough money to do what it took to find you. To
pay for the best. To give you the life you desired. And now I have you. I’m
not going to waste time working when I could spend it with you.”
“That’s . . . that’s so sweet.”
 He grinned. “Not sure anyone has ever called me sweet.”
She blushed but grinned back.
“May I?” He gestured to the sofa, and she nodded. He sat but kept some
space between them, which she appreciated. He was still a stranger despite
their shared blood.
“I have to ask you something,” he said cautiously.
“Yes?”
“Would you like a DNA test?”
She opened her mouth, shocked, and he continued hastily. “I don’t need
one. I know you are my Katina. It’s for you, really. Whatever you wish, I’ll
go with.”
She pushed aside her initial surge of hurt and then thought it through. He
seemed sure, but was she?
“Actually, I think I would.”
“Then I’ll have it done.”
Her phone buzzed again in her pocket, but this time it went on and on.
“Your phone is ringing, sweetheart.”
“Oh. Yes. I’m not used to it.” She drew it out of her pocket and saw
Reyes’ name. She tapped it and it did nothing. “Stupid thing.”
“Here, you slide it like this.” Her father helped her answer the call, then
handed the phone back to her. Damn, it was embarrassing not to know how to
work a phone.
“Hello? Reyes?”
“Are you all right? Has anything happened?”
“No, nothing. I’m fine. I’m talking to, umm, Mr. Markovich.”
Her father flinched. Shoot. She hadn’t meant to hurt him.
“Why didn’t you answer my text?”
“Sorry, I was distracted.”
He let out a deep breath. “Wildcat, please answer my texts and calls,
okay?”
She could hear the stress in his voice and hated that she’d added to it.
“I will. I promise.”
“Good girl.”
“Have you found Jewel?”
“No. We’re just figuring out a few things. I might be home late, but I’ll
call. Okay?”
Emme said goodbye, then turned to her father. “Sorry, Reyes can be . . .”
 “Protective?” he supplied. “It’s one of his best qualities.”
She had to smile.
“They haven’t found his friend then? Reyes told me what was going on
before he left this morning,” he explained.
She shook her head. “No, they’re really worried about her.”
“I’m sure they’ll find her.”
“Hope so. Umm, I’m not really sure what to call you.”
“I know you might never be able to call me Papa, but would you consider
calling me Drew?”
“You don’t look like a Drew.”
He grimaced. “No. My real name is Ivan, but I haven’t gone by that in
years. In private, your mother used to call me Dima. It’s short for Dimitri,
which was my middle name. Would you consider using that?”
“I like that. Dima.”
He smiled at her.
“Would you . . . would you like to see more photos? Of your mother and
you? I was lucky that my best friend was able to salvage some things from
the wreck the house was left in.”
“I’m so sorry, that must have been so hard for you.” She reached out and
touched his hand gently.
“Worst day of my life. I was set up. My prints were found at the scene of
a murder. One I didn’t commit. Not that I was a good person. My father left
his criminal empire to me. I took after him. Ruthless. Stubborn. Cold. But I
loved my wife and daughter and after that day, the day my Galina was killed
and you were taken, I no longer cared about all of that. I wanted revenge on
who killed my wife and took you, but the trail was cold. I left the criminal
empire I’d bled for to my younger brother. I created a new identity, came
here to the states. Built a new life and searched for you. My Zvezda.”
A tear dripped down her face. She could only imagine his pain. How
terrible.
“Do not be sorry. We have each other now. Come, let me show you these
photos.”
They spent the next couple of hours just chatting and looking at old
photos. Some of them were of a younger Dima with his best friend, a
handsome-looking man. There were a rare few of him with his younger
brother, who was always frowning.
“I can’t believe I have an uncle. Did he ever marry? Do I have cousins?”
she fired off the questions excitedly.
“Pavel never got married. He had a series of mistresses, but nothing
serious.”
So, no cousins. Bummer.
“He and I were never close,” he told her. “We were always arguing. I
haven’t spoken to him in years. I suppose I should tell him I’ve found you.”
The door opened and Christabel strode in.
“Oh.” She came to a stop, looking down at Emme with disgust.
“Is there a reason you didn’t knock?” her father asked her.
“I thought you were alone.”
“I’m not.”
“Shouldn’t you be working? If Emme is disturbing you, I’d be happy to
entertain her.”
Emme rolled her eyes. She just bet she would.
“She’s not disturbing me. Although, there is a phone call I need to make
before dinner. Sorry, sweetheart.”
“It’s fine.” Emme stood.
“I was hoping to talk to you, though, Drew, baby,” Christabel whined.
Emme grimaced at the sickly-sweet tone coming from the other woman
who had wrapped herself around Dima.
“You’ve been so busy, I want our special time.” Christabel looked over at
Emme, her face filled with triumph.
“I’m busy right now, Christabel. Actually, we do need to talk though.
Perhaps later. Emme, will we see you for dinner?”
And sit across from this viper? No thanks.
“Could I eat in my room again?”
Her father gave her a concerned look. “Are you sure?”
She nodded.
“Let her eat in her room, Drew. We can have a romantic meal for two.”
Gross.
Emme left as quickly as she could. She was walking towards the stairs
when a door slammed. Turning back, she saw Christabel striding towards her.
She wore a tight pants suit that, yep, gave her a camel toe.
Delightful.
“You need to stop hogging his time,” Christabel hissed at her, coming
closer.
Shoot. She should have been quicker to make her exit.
 “He doesn’t have time for you, he’s just too polite to say.”
“He seemed to have plenty of time for me,” Emme replied. “It was you he
wanted to get rid of.”
“You little bitch.” Christabel reached out and grabbed her arm, hard.
“Everything all right here?” a deep voice said from behind her.
Christabel stepped back, giving the person behind her a haughty look. “Of
course, why wouldn’t it be?”
She turned and walked off in a huff. Emme turned to look up at Gray.
“She bothering you, doll?”
“I can handle her mean girl antics.”
He nodded. “I bet you can. But you tell me if she’s bothering you. I’ll
take care of her.”
46

Reyes moved quietly into the bedroom, nearly tripping on her shoes. He
shook his head. She was so messy. The light from the bathroom was on, so it
wasn’t pitch black.
She was lying on her back in the middle of the bed, dressed only in his T-
shirt. The covers were tangled around her bare legs, as though she’d been
fighting with them. He ran his hand over his face tiredly. He’d wanted to get
home before she went to bed, but it hadn’t been possible to leave the bar
before closing.
Jason had taken off to try and track down Jewel, and Danny hadn’t shown
up today. Fucked if he knew why, but he hadn’t had time to track the asshole
down. So he’d had to take over out front. There had been no less than three
bar fights. A couple of Blood Sinners guys had turned up and started causing
trouble, thankfully Butch had stepped in and thrown them out.
He was exhausted. He was mad that he hadn’t been here for his girl. He
needed to get another manager for Reaper’s. Maybe two.
Stepping into the bathroom, he took a quick shower and walked out
naked. Climbing into bed, he drew the covers over them both. She rolled
over, then snuggled her bottom back into his dick. Which was rock hard.
Grabbing her wild hair, he pulled it away from her neck, breathing in her
caramel and apples scent.
“Reyes?”
Damn it. “Sorry, wildcat. Didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.”
“I tried to stay up and wait for you.”
“You need your sleep. Although, doesn’t seem like you were sleeping
that well.”
“I only sleep well with you.”
Fuck it. He needed her. Reaching under the T-shirt, he cupped her breast
possessively, feeling her nipple harden against his palm. He nipped at her
neck and she whimpered, pressing back against him.
“Did you find her?”
“No.”
 “I’m so sorry.”
He rolled her onto her back. “I need you.”
“Then take what you need. Whatever I have, it’s yours.”
“All mine.” He tugged off her T-shirt, then panties. Kneeling between her
legs, he spread them wide, gazing down at her. “I need you to do exactly
what I say tonight, all right? I feel . . . tonight was the closest I’ve come to
smoking that cigarette.”
“You need to feel in control again,” she whispered.
He nodded, grateful she got it.
“I’m here.”
Gratitude filled him. “The day I broke into Senior’s house, fucking
luckiest day of my life.”
She smiled up at him.
“Put your hands over your head and keep them there. Keep those legs
spread.”
She followed his orders beautifully.
He parted her pussy lips, studying her. Leaning over, he turned on the
bedside lamp. He wanted to see her. Opening the bedside drawer, he drew out
one of the butt plugs he’d put there, and a tube of lube.
He knelt back between her legs. “I’m taking your ass tonight.”
Reyes watched her for signs of worry or trepidation. She just looked
peaceful. Hell. This girl. He put the plug and lube down on the bed.
“Hand me two pillows.”
She reached over and grabbed the pillows, giving them to him.
“Hands back above your head and raise your hips.”
Stacking the pillows, he placed them beneath her lower back.
“Keep those legs nice and wide. I want to see what belongs to me.” He
put a possessive hand over her mound. “My pussy.” He moved his hand
lower. “My ass.” Then he leaned over her and lapped at one nipple before
sucking on it and moving to the other nipple to give it the same treatment.
“My breasts.” He kissed her. Hard and hot. Until they were both breathing
faster. “My woman.”
“All yours.”
“You’re not to come until I give permission. You’re not to move unless I
tell you to, understand?”
“Yes, Jacob.”
He loved his name on her lips.
 “What’s your safeword?”
“Red.”
“Good girl. Use it if you need to.” He knelt back and parted her pussy lips
once more, rubbing his thumb over her clit. She was so wet.
“You’re ready for me, aren’t you, wildcat?”
“Yes, Jacob.”
“You’re excited about me taking your ass.”
“Yes,” she groaned.
“You want to feel me fucking your ass, claiming that final part of you.
Then I’ll own all of you, won’t I?”
“Yes.” She stared up at him with glittering emerald-colored eyes. “And
I’ll own all of you.”
“Baby, you already do.” He thrust two fingers deep, and she cried out as
he drove them in and out, while toying with her clit. He just watched her, saw
the passion fill her face. The need. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes heavy-
lidded, her breath coming in fast pants.
“Please. Please!”
“Do you need to come, wildcat?”
“Yes!”
“You have to wait for permission, though, don’t you?”
“Please let me come. Please. I don’t know how to hold off,” she pleaded.
“You do. You will. Or I’m going to spank this pretty pussy.”
Her eyes shot open at that. “You wouldn’t!”
He had to grin, letting the answer fill his face.
She groaned. “That’s just mean.”
He snorted. That feeling of being in control was coming back to him.
Chasing away his fears and concerns. They were still there. But he was
managing them better. Because of her.
Sliding his fingers out, he gave her clit one final tap. She moaned but
didn’t say anything.
Clever girl. Because that mouth would more often than not get her into
trouble.
Picking up the plug, he coated it in lube. She watched every movement he
made, her eyes hungry.
“Pull your legs up and hold them to your chest, wildcat,” he commanded.
Her breath stuttered, but she obeyed beautifully. Fuck, that made him
even harder. With her legs raised up, her ass was on display. Placing some
lube on her puckered back hole, he then slid a finger inside her. He watched
her face fill with more hunger. Yeah, his baby wanted him to claim her.
He added a second finger, taking the time to make sure she was nice and
stretched before he slid them back out and pressed the tip of the plug to her
asshole.
“Deep breath in. That’s it. Now out. Good girl. Relax for me. Such a good
girl to take my plug. So beautiful, you take my breath away.”
Her eyes were locked on his as he slid the plug all the way in.
“Put your feet down flat on the mattress, legs spread wide.” He got off the
bed and went to the bathroom to clean his hands. When he returned, she was
right where he wanted her. Climbing onto the bed, he laid down on his
stomach, his mouth inches above that pussy.
Perfect.

***

He was killing her. How many orgasms did that make? Five? Six? And she
wasn’t allowed to move. She had to just lie there until he gave her permission
to come. By the time he drew back, his mouth glistening with her dew, she
was spent. Exhausted.
No doubt she looked a complete mess.
Then he slid up her body and kissed her again. She could taste herself on
him but didn’t care. Drawing back, he stared down at her for a long moment.
Her dark angel. Her black knight.
She loved him so much.
“Legs up against your chest again,” he commanded. Grabbing the lube
from the bedside table, he coated his thick cock with it.
Oh. Hell.
How she managed to get her limbs to cooperate, she had no idea, but she
raised her legs up and he drew the plug free from her ass, leaving it empty.
Wanting.
But not for long. He pressed himself between her legs. “Let them go,
wildcat, and wrap your arms around my neck.” His dick nudged against her
entrance and she stared up into his eyes.
“You’re mine, wildcat.”
“I know. I think I always have been,” she whispered as he pressed himself
inside her. She let out a breath, making herself relax. But while he stretched
her, it wasn’t painful. It felt right. She felt complete.
Like she was home.
He slid forward until he was seated deep. Her breath came faster. She
wanted to make him lose his mind, to get rid of that last piece of stress
clinging to him. He reached between them, lightly pressing against her clit.
“I can’t again. No.”
“You can. You’ll come with me.”
As he drove in and out of her, she watched him, stared up into his eyes.
“Come, baby. Come.”
She gasped. One thrust. Two. His thumb pressing against her clit. Then
her orgasm hit her, making her scream. She vaguely heard his own shout of
pleasure. But she was lost in wave upon wave of bliss.

***

Twenty minutes later, he had her tucked up against him in their usual
position, with her ass pressed against his cock and his hand cupping her
mound possessively.
He’d cleaned them both up quickly in the shower, having to hold her up
because she was out of energy.
Now, he was nuzzling at her neck as she drifted between consciousness
and sleep.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you today,” he told her.
“You had more important things to do.”
“Nothing is more important than you.” He tightened his hold on her. Then
he loosened it. “But Jewel is more than a friend. Nobody else knows this, but
she was in the same foster home as I was. When I was thirteen and she was
ten.”
“Oh, Jacob,” she said quietly, hurting for him.
“I lost track of her until a few years back. Before I was part of the Iron
Shadows. When I was fighting on the underground circuit. She was there.
She was involved with this guy. Really bad guy. She looked so terrible.
Blank. I heard rumors of the way he treated her. Like a fucking slave. I knew
I had to get her out, but it wasn’t easy.”
“She was the friend,” she guessed. “The one you used all your money to
help.”
“Yeah. Got her out of there. Away from him. When I moved here, she
came too. We decided it might be best to act as if we didn’t know each other.
She changed her appearance, but I didn’t want anyone looking into her too
closely.”
“And now she’s missing. Do you think that asshole found her?”
“He’s meant to be dead, but I think someone has taken her or scared her
into running.”
“You’ll find her. I know you will.”
“We better.”
47

Emme stepped outside. She’d bundled up warm. She’d been here at her
father’s house a few days now and had established a bit of a routine. She’d
have breakfast with Reyes, if he was there. Before lunch, she’d go for a walk
around the gardens, which Dima had assured her was safe. Then in the
afternoons she’d spend time with her father, talking about their past, her
mother.
If it wasn’t for the worry over Jewel, the issues at Reaper’s which kept
pulling Reyes away, along with not knowing who Mr. X was and if he was
coming for her, well, it might be relaxing.
Well, if Christabel wasn’t here. The bitch. But Emme had learned to
ignore her.
She strode down the steps, wondering where the front door guard was.
She shrugged. Maybe he had to pee. She walked down the side of the house
towards the back gardens that were her favorite. There was a black car parked
back there with the trunk up. Kind of odd.
“Hello, Emme.”
“Eek!” Spinning around, she froze in utter fear as she stared at the
salivating, enormous beast standing just feet away from her.
Okay, so he wasn’t enormous or salivating. But it seemed that way in her
mind.
She opened her mouth to scream, but the bitch holding the beast’s lead
spoke. “Don’t scream or I’ll let him go.”
Emme took in a shuddering breath. She tried to slow her racing heartbeat.
Don’t show her how afraid you are.
“You hurt me and my father will kill you.”
Christabel shrugged. “I’ll be long gone by the time he figures anything
out. I know he’s trying to get rid of me. I overheard him talking to Gray
about it. Well, this is his punishment. Me taking you.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ve been trying to work out what to do about you. Then yesterday, I was
out shopping when I was approached by a man with a proposition. Get you to
him and he’d pay me five million dollars. No more having to pretend to care
about your hideous father. He can barely even get it up anymore, he’s so
old.”
“Maybe that’s more about his bed partner.”
“You bitch.” She stepped forward, and the dog lunged at her.
Emme jumped back with a cry of fear. Christabel smiled coldly. “Throw
your phone towards me. Now.”
With shaking hands, Emme grabbed her phone and threw it gently on the
ground.
“Good. Now get in the trunk or I’ll let Brutus off. They want you alive,
but you don’t have to be in perfect condition.”
Emme glanced behind her at the trunk of the car and then to the dog.
Neither option was pleasant. But at least she had a chance in the trunk. With a
shaking breath, she ran her hand over her face. God, Reyes was going to
freak out. After this, she’d likely end up locked in her room for the next thirty
years. Only allowed out when she was surrounded by an armed guard.
This was going to put his protective side into a complete spin. And she
was going to be in trouble because she’d convinced him that she’d be fine.
That she’d be safe.
Crap. She was screwed.
“Get. In. The. Trunk.”
“Fine. Don’t get your panties in a twist,” she snapped back.
Really original there, Emme.
She spun towards the trunk and felt her necklace shift under her shirt.
Holy. Hell. Her necklace.
Relief nearly made her smile.
As soon as he realized she was in trouble, he’d come looking for her.
As she lay curled up inside, Christabel bent over her. “Now, time to go
night-night.”
Before she could even react, the bitch stuck something in her arm and
Emme lost consciousness.

Dark.
She felt sick.
What was that noise?
Going to be sick.
Dark. Hot.
 Out. She wanted out.
Her stomach rolled. Going to be sick.
“Eat the food, brat.”
“Stop crying! Your mama isn’t here!”
Dogs barking. Lunging for her. Huge teeth. Monsters everywhere.
She whimpered. No! No!
What was that smell? Where was she? She tried to open her eyes, but it
was all dark. She felt dizzy. Ill. What was that noise? That smell? Where was
she?
Her eyes closed again. The monsters returned.
“Stop crying!”
“Christ! She vomited again. Look at the mess. Why do we have to babysit
a kid, anyway? Thought we were keeping bitches here who were being sold.
Not kids.”
“Who the fuck knows? The boss said to keep her here and safe until he
arranged a place for her to go. We’re supposed to feed her and keep her
alive.”
She opened her eyes. She needed to stay awake. The monsters couldn’t
get her. She was thrown around the small space she was trapped in. Sweat
dripped down her face. Her stomach threatened to expel its contents. Why did
she feel so out of it? Where was she?
Blackness took her vision again. No! The monsters!
“What do you want me to do with her?”
“I want you to keep her alive. And hidden. No one can know where she is
or who she is.”
That voice made her shiver. Made her cry. Why? It was so familiar.
“Why do you want me to take her?”
“You’ll take her because I said so. Because without me and the money I’ll
provide, your failing shipping company will go under.”
“Why keep her alive?”
“Because I said so. I’ll watch you and if something happens to her, then
you will die and so will your entire family.”
“How am I meant to keep her hidden? To explain who she is?”
“Say that she is your daughter. Hire people to watch her. I don’t care.”
“But won’t she remember who she is?”
“We’ve been drugging her food. Makes her sick. It’s why she’s so skinny,
but it will warp her memories. She might remember some of this, but not
much. Tell her she was kidnapped for ransom. I don’t know. Just keep her
alive and hidden. Or you will pay. Painfully. Betray me and I will let her
father know where she is. Do as I ask and you’ll be safe. Go against me, and
you will die a painful death. You have been warned.”

***

Why hadn’t she answered his text?

Something was wrong. He could feel it. He was about to call her when his
phone started ringing in his hand.
“What is it? What’s wrong? Is Emme okay?” he greeted Markovich.
“No. She’s missing.”
“What do you mean, she’s missing?” Reyes roared into his phone. He
was currently in his office with Ink, Duke, and Spike. Razor would be joining
them soon, after he closed the garage.
“She’s disappeared,” Markovich said frantically. “I can’t find her
anywhere. None of the guards saw her either.”
“Who got to her?”
“I don’t know, but one of my guards was found in the bushes. With his
pants down. He’d been drugged. He claimed Christabel lured him out there
with the promise of a blow job, then stuck him with a needle.”
“Fucking hell!” Reyes stood and started pacing. “So Christabel took her?”
“I think so. She left twenty minutes ago. There was no sign of Emme, but
she could have been in the trunk of Christabel’s car.”
He was going to be sick. His Emme. Kidnapped? If anyone hurt her . . .
“We need to try and find her,” Markovich said frantically. “I have no idea
where Christabel would have taken her. I—”
“I can find her. I have a tracker on Emme.” He looked at the app while
keeping Markovich on the line. “I’ve got a location. I’ll send it to you.”
He ended the call, then sent the address to Markovich while he quickly
told the others what was going on. Before they left, he made another call.
Hang on, wildcat. We’re coming.
48

Emme woke up groggy and disoriented. Where was she? Why did she feel
so sick?
Opening her eyes, she blinked several times to remove the blurriness,
then glanced around. Was she in some sort of storage room? There were
empty shelves, and it was dusty, as though no one had been in here for a long
time. She was tied to a chair, her arms behind her back, her ankles bound to
the feet of the chair. The only light came from the fluorescent lighting tube
above her.
So, this wasn’t ominous or anything.
I think we’re in trouble.
She raised her eyebrows at Suzy. “You think?”
Suzy shrugged. Never did trust that bitch, Christabel.
She groaned as she remembered what happened. Christabel must have
handed her over to whoever was paying her that five million. Who would pay
five million for her?
Don’t think they paid her.
She glanced over at Suzy, then down to where she pointed. Her eyes must
have seen the prone woman but not registered what she was looking at.
Because there was Christabel, lying on her stomach, her legs and arms
sprawled away from her body.
“Oh hell, this isn’t good. If only you weren’t part of my imagination,
Suzy. Then you could go get Reyes for me. He’s going to be so upset. First
Jewel. Then me.”
He was going to lose his shit. If this set him back to smoking again, she
was going to be seriously pissed.
The door opened and Suzy vanished. Damn it. Emme really didn’t want
to be on her own right now.
A big, bearded man walked in. He was older, maybe in his mid-fifties,
with a stomach that bulged out over the top of his jeans. His T-shirt had
sweat stains around the pits, and she caught a whiff of his scent as he grew
closer.
 Garlic and body odor.
Disgusting.
Several other men walked in behind them. They all wore leather cuts. She
saw a patch on the back of one, as he gathered up chairs for them all.
Blood Sinners gang.
The guys that had caused so much trouble for Reaper’s? What was going
on?
“Who are you?” Was this Mr. X?
“I’m Smiley.”
Smiley? Wait. Why did she know that name? She frowned. “You’re the
old President of the Iron Shadows. The one that Reyes threw out.”
He came forward and slapped her face. Hard. Her skin stung. Tears filled
her eyes. But it wasn’t the first time she’d been slapped. She turned her head.
And smiled at him.
She wasn’t going to show this asshole fear.
Reyes was coming.
Everything would be all right.
“Why are you smiling, bitch?” Smiley demanded. “What’s your problem?
Are you simple? We’re holding you prisoner. I’m finally getting my revenge
on that asshole, Reyes. He really thought he could take my club? Never going
to happen.”
“So you did what? Found yourself some friends to create problems for
him?”
He grinned. “That was part of it. But the biggest part is you. He took
something of mine. Now I have something he cares about. You.”
Shit. Reyes was never going to let her out of his sight again.
The door opened and someone else slid in. Someone she recognized.
“You’re the barman at Reaper’s.” What was he doing here?
“You never introduced yourself, Danny?” Smiley asked.
The younger man shook his head. “Didn’t get the chance. Only saw her
once before Reyes hid her away.”
“He does love you, doesn’t he, girl?” Smiley said to her.
She didn’t answer, and rage filled his face. “Answer me!” He went to slap
her again, but Danny stepped forward.
“He loves her,” Danny told him. “Remember what Flora said? About how
Reyes fired her because she’d touched this bitch. And Worm said he
threatened him over her. This is a far better revenge than destroying Reaper’s
bar.”
“Flora? What does she have to do with this?” And Worm? Wow, Reyes
had been right about him.
“Flora is Danny’s woman,” Smiley said.
Oh, that bitch.
“Reyes is an idiot,” Danny commented. “Far too trusting. It will be his
downfall.”
“Seriously? You’ve been working for this guy all along?” she asked
Danny.
He gave her a calm look in reply.
“Yep, Danny has always been mine,” Smiley gloated. “We’ve just been
waiting for the perfect time to take revenge. I found myself some new friends
and we think that Reaper’s and the Iron Shadows compound will be a good
place to make our new headquarters, huh, boys?”
“And what am I doing here?” she asked when no one else said anything.
“You’re going to be the thing that breaks him. We’re going to do an
exchange. You for him. Of course, we’ll end up killing you both. Then I’ll
take back what’s mine.”
“And Christabel? Thought you were giving her money to help.”
Smiley sneered. “Stupid bitch was just a means to an end. She was
disposable.”
She swallowed heavily. “You killed her?” Holy fuck.
“She was making my head hurt with all her screeching,” Smiley whined.
“Now, let’s make that call.”
Her heart raced as Danny pulled out his phone. Then he handed his phone
to Smiley, who kept grinning at her. It was a slightly unhinged smile. Now
she was understanding where he got his nickname from.
“Hello Reyes,” he said into the phone. “No, this isn’t Danny. Can you
guess who it is?”
There was a pause. Then he frowned. “Yeah, it’s Smiley.”
She nearly grinned. Obviously, he’d hoped Reyes wouldn’t figure it out.
“I have something of yours,” Smiley sang, cheering up. Jesus, he was
creepy. “That’s right. Something you’ll want back . . . now, now, no need to
make threats . . . this can all end peacefully. All I want in exchange for her is
you.”
“No,” she gasped out.
“Aww, she doesn’t like that idea, much. But you’re going to do it, aren’t
you? She’s fine. For now. Fine . . . fine . . .”
He pulled the phone from his ear and stomped towards her. “I’m putting
him on speaker. He wants proof of life.”
Proof of life? Holy hell.
“Reyes?” she said tremulously.
“Emme? You okay? They hurt you?”
“No, I’m fine, I—”
“As you’ve heard, she’s alive and well,” Smiley interrupted her then drew
the phone up to his ear.
“I’m going to send you an address. You’ll come alone. Leave your bike
by the road. You’ll be met at the road and escorted up. Remember, come
alone, or she dies.”
Emme held back a sob. She knew Reyes would have a plan. He knew
where she was. But how was he going to help her?
She didn’t know how much time passed. But her hands and feet were
going numb by the time someone walked through the door again. One of the
patched guys had stayed with her. He had a scraggly beard, terrible body
odor, and a bad attitude.
It was so frustrating that she couldn’t do anything but sit here and wait.
Then the door opened. She looked up right as Suzy pulled a face at the
asshole walking in. Emme giggled.
Danny paused and frowned at her. “Why are you laughing?”
“No reason.” Then Suzy mooned him and she let out a full laugh. Okay,
wildly bad timing. But seriously, who could resist giggling while Suzy’s
white ass was on display?
Yes, she knew Suzy was imaginary, but she was real to her. And right
now, she was doing everything to keep Emme from having a full-on panic
attack.
“She’s a crazy bitch,” smelly, bearded guy said. “Always talking to
herself.”
Danny shook his head. “Not our problem if she’s missing a few brain
cells.”
“Maybe you should take a look in the mirror,” she muttered.
Danny scowled. “What does that mean?”
It means you’re an idiot for going against Reyes.
But she didn’t say that out loud. She wasn’t a fool.
Danny just shook his head and walked behind her. “Help me get her
untied. Reyes has arrived.”
“He actually came? Didn’t think he would,” smelly, bearded guy said.
His scent didn’t get any better the closer he got to her. She started breathing
through her mouth as they worked on the ropes holding her.
“Told you, when these idiots find a woman, they fall hard. Reyes is going
to give himself up just to save this stupid bitch,” Danny said.
Stupid bitch? How dare he!
“Why the hell didn’t Smiley just shoot the bastard?” bearded, smelly guy
asked.
“Because he wanted revenge. Just taking him out was too simple. He
wants the Iron Shadows back, but he’ll be culling the membership, only
leaving those that are loyal to him. I’ve been working behind the scenes,
creating unrest, gathering up support for Smiley. Reyes never had a clue that
I was working against him.”
She was silent as they talked, taking it all in. Finally, they undid the
ropes. And if her hands and feet hadn’t been numb, she’d have let loose with
her mad Krav Maga skills. But as it was, the two of them had to drag her out
of the room.
“Why are we taking her out there?”
“So Reyes can watch us kill her, of course.”
Kill her? Hell. She really hoped that Reyes had a plan.

***

Reyes didn’t look anywhere but straight ahead. He definitely wasn’t going to
look at that bastard, Worm who had been waiting by the road to greet him.
Nope, he wasn’t looking at him because he knew he might not be able to hold
back. The bastard had taken great delight in patting him down, including a
few hard elbows to his kidneys while a Blood Sinners member had watched
on.
Fuck.
He couldn’t believe it was Smiley who’d taken Emme. And that he was
obviously working with the Blood Sinners gang.
And Danny.
He hadn’t seen that coming. But Smiley had used Danny’s phone to call
him from. Which likely meant that Danny was at the center of all the trouble
at the bar and in the club.
Fuck.
How could he have trusted that bastard? He had no idea how Christabel
fit in with Smiley, but right now he didn’t care. His fury built so by the time
they got to the cabin set back from the road, Worm and the Blood Sinners
asshole were panting and running to keep up with him.
Smiley was standing in front of the cabin, flanked by two more of the
assholes. He had a smug look on his face.
As though he had the upper hand. Prick had no idea what was coming his
way.
“Stop there, Reyes,” Smiley called out. He wasn’t holding a gun, but the
two guys on either side of him were armed, same with the two behind him.
He guessed there were more hidden around the place. But he also knew they
wouldn’t be there for long.
“Where’s Emme?” he demanded.
“No greeting for me? Wouldn’t you like to know how I’ve been since you
kicked me out of my club?” Smiley was still smiling, but there was a dark
look in his eyes.
“Nope, don’t give a fuck.”
“You asshole!” Smiley stepped forward, fury filling his face before he
caught himself. “You’re going to get what’s coming to you. You couldn’t
seriously think that I would take what you did, that I would just forget about
your betrayal!”
“I owed no loyalty to you. My loyalty is to the club, and most of the
members wanted you gone. You were a cancer, destroying them from the
inside out. You’re lucky I let you live. See now that was a mistake.” One he
wouldn’t make again.
“I fucking built that club! It’s mine!” Smiley roared.
Reyes folded his arms over his chest. “I want to see Emme. You better
not have hurt her.”
“You’re not the one making demands here,” Smiley spat out, right as the
door to the cabin opened and out came another man, who dragged Emme
behind him. The tight knot in Reyes’ stomach started to ease.
 After this, he wasn’t ever letting her out of his sight again. If he had to tie
her to him, he would. But he wasn’t ever going to allow anything like this to
happen again.
It was his worst nightmare. A woman in his care being harmed. But a
thousand times worse because it was his woman.
He ran his gaze over her, taking her in. She looked surprisingly calm.
Although this was Emme, so nothing she did should surprise him. Expect the
unexpected could be her mantra.
She was pale, there were dark marks under her eyes and a red mark on
her cheek that made him feel murderous. Her clothes were disheveled and her
hair was a mess. The asshole with his hands on her appeared to be holding
her up.
Reyes narrowed his gaze where his hand touched her. Then he moved his
gaze to the man on the other side of her. Danny.
“You,” he spat out. He was angrier at Danny than at Smiley. Because
he’d trusted Danny. He’d managed Reaper’s for Reyes. And he’d betrayed
him.
Danny just raised his eyebrows, giving him a cold look.
“Emme, you okay?” he asked, moving his gaze over Danny. He was
armed as well.
“I’m fine.”
“Have they hurt you?”
“Smiley slapped me.”
Reyes let out a low growl.
“And they tied me up. My feet and hands are numb. And this dude really
stinks.” She nodded her head to the guy on her right. “It’s bad. And I’ve been
stuck in a room with him for ages and I’m not sure my olfactory system will
ever be the same again.”
“Shut up, bitch!” Bearded guy shook her and Reyes leaped forward.
He was grabbed by Worm and the other guy standing behind him. And
while he could have fought off their hold, that wasn’t the plan.
Stick to the plan.
But the motherfucker who’d just shaken her was going to wish he hadn’t.
“Now, Reyes,” Smiley drawled. “No need to get upset. Your slut is fine.”
Son of a bitch. He hoped everyone was ready because he couldn’t take
much more of this.
“You were the mole, weren’t you?” he asked Danny. “You were the one
taking money from the bar? Causing all those problems, along with these
assholes.”
“Yep,” Danny replied. “All me.”
Reyes barely held himself back from lunging for him again. He caught
sight of something moving in the cabin.
About fucking time. There was a flash of red. The signal. He barely held
back a smug smile.
“Worm!” Emme said, glaring at the asshole holding Reyes. “I can’t
believe you’d do this!”
“Stupid bitch,” Worm replied. “All you needed was another drink that
night and I’d have had you out the back, fucking that tight hole.”
Reyes saw red. Fuck. Fuck. He wasn’t going to be able to hold back.
Emme snorted. “Dream on. Bet I know why exactly why you’re called
Worm. Because you’ve got a little wormy doodle.”
Fuck, Emme, don’t provoke them.
Worm roared and lunged toward Emme. Danny let her go, standing in
front of her and it was all the distraction he needed.
“Emme, drop!” he yelled as a shot rang out, and Worm dropped. He
ducked and turned, breaking the hold the other asshole had on him.
Shots rang out as he knocked one out cold. The other one pulled out his
gun, but before he could take a shot, he fell backward. Reyes didn’t waste
time checking if he was dead. Instead, he turned frantically, looking for his
girl. Around him, people lay on the ground, groaning.
“Emme!” he roared. “Emme!” He raced towards where he’d last seen her.
He took vague notice of the fact that Smiley was lying on the ground, staring
sightlessly off into the woods. Damn it. He died too quickly. Reyes would
need to have a chat with whoever shot him about taking body shots.
“Emme!”
Someone groaned. “I’m here. Just trying to move this heffalump off me.”
Oh, thank God.
A huge man moved, standing and staring down at the person on the
ground. “Heffalump? Never been called that.” He held out a hand to Emme,
but Reyes got there first, picking her up in his arms and holding her tightly
against him. He breathed her in, reassured himself that she was here. She was
safe. And she wasn’t ever leaving his side again.
“Fuck. Fuck.” He finally became aware that he was muttering the same
word over and over again.
 “I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m okay,” Emme repeated over and over, patting
his back.
“Fuck, wildcat. Don’t ever do that to me again. I can’t take it.”
“Well, I wasn’t a fan either.”
He drew back slightly and ran his hands all over her, searching for injury.
“I’m fine. Really. He just slapped me once. And the ropes were a bit tight.”
She showed him her wrist. “But I’m good. Promise.”
He gently kissed her red, raw-looking wrists. “Bastard.”
A throat clearing pulled his attention to the big guy who must have busted
out of the cabin and thrown himself over Emme to keep her safe. Damn, he
owed him big time. Reyes hated owing anyone anything but to save Emme
he’d owe the whole fucking world a debt.
“Thanks, man.” He drew Emme to his side, keeping her close. “I owe
you.”
The big guy shrugged. “Not necessary. I’m Jed.”
“You’re enormous. No wonder I couldn’t breathe underneath you. Where
did you even come from? One minute I was dropping to the ground, the next
you were over me. I thought you were smelly, bearded guy for a moment,
then I realized you smelled much better. Hey, is he dead?”
Emme reached out and lightly kicked the guy that he guessed she was
referring to as smelly, bearded guy.
Jed stared at her in surprise.
“Yeah, think he’s dead, Emme,” Reyes told her as she continued to nudge
at him. Then he looked at Jed. “If you’re expecting her to get hysterical,
you’ll be waiting a long time.”
Jed raised his eyebrows. “Can see that.” Then he turned his intense gaze
to Emme. “Was in the cabin. Waiting. Covered you to keep you safe.”
“Guess you were chosen for that job because you’re so enormous. Well,
thanks big guy, I owe you too. We’re gonna need to exchange phone numbers
or something so you know how to get a hold of me.”
Jed looked slightly alarmed at that. Before he could say anything, Reyes
heard someone call his name, then Emme’s.
They turned to see Markovich striding towards them.
“Zvezda!” he called, followed by a string of Russian words. He reached
them, pulling Emme close, although Reyes grabbed her hand, not willing to
let go of her entirely. Jed gave him a knowing look, before retreating over to
stand with a group of men all dressed in black.
 They seemed to be working with Markovich’s men, going through the
bodies, checking to see if anyone was alive. Then covering them up. Probably
for Emme’s benefit, since no one else gave a shit. Although, knowing Emme,
she wouldn’t either. One of the men broke away and headed towards them.
“Everyone’s dead or dying,” Zeke stated as he got closer. “And Jed said
there’s a dead woman in the cabin. He assumes it’s this Christabel?”
“It is,” Emme said.
Reyes drew her close again as he stared at Zeke. The man who had once
been his brother. The man who had been there for him every time he’d called
these past few weeks. The man he wanted to get to know again.
“She’s dead?” Markovich asked. Then said something in Russian. “I was
hoping to kill the bitch myself.” Then he shot a guilty look to Emme.
“She deserved it,” was all Emme said. “Smiley promised her five million
dollars to kidnap me and bring me here. She forced me into the trunk of her
car and drugged me.”
Reyes swore savagely.
“I’ll go check on the clean-up,” Markovich said darkly. “And I’ll double-
check she’s really dead.” He turned and left after running his hand gently
over Emme’s back.
“She’s definitely dead,” Zeke said.
“He feels guilty that he brought that viper into his home,” Reyes said.
“It’s not his fault!” Emme protested.
“She kidnapped and drugged you. She nearly got you killed. It’s going to
take us all a while to get over that.”
Emme sighed. “I get the feeling I’m going to be smothered in over-
protective alphas for a while.”
“A good long while,” Reyes told her. “Anyone hurt?” Where were Ink,
Spike and Duke? He sighed with relief as he saw his truck headed towards
them. Ink climbed out. Duke and Spike followed.
“They went to get your truck. Thought you might want to get Emme out
of here quick. There were no injuries or casualties on our side,” Zeke said.
“Zeke, thanks, man. I—”
Zeke held up his hand. “Don’t say it, you don’t owe me anything.” Then
he turned his gaze to Emme, his face softening. “Hi, Emme. I’m Zeke.”
She threw herself into his arms. “I’ve wanted to meet you. Thanks for
helping Jacob save me.”
Zeke stared down at her for a long moment before his face softened.
Reyes quickly drew her back. One quick hug was fine. Just this once. But that
was it.
Zeke grinned at him knowingly. “Actually, I will ask one thing.”
“What’s that?” Reyes asked, tucking her in against him.
“That you have dinner with me and Eden one night. You and Emme,
yeah?”
Reyes nodded. “We can do that.”
“Take your girl home. She deserves some coddling. We’ve got it sorted
here. Although I think I’ll leave Markovich to take care of clean-up. He’s
likely got the most experience.”
Reyes nodded, staring down at Emme. But she didn’t seem concerned
that her father had experience with taking care of dead bodies.
“Yeah, I think I’ll do that.”
49

Before they started back to Markovich’s house, Emme had insisted on

hugging everyone who had come to rescue her.
Yeah. Reyes wasn’t having a bar of that. He’d picked her up and carried
her to his truck. Ink had driven them back here. Then Reyes had carried her
up to their bedroom and stripped her down so he could inspect every inch of
her. She’d insisted on a shower, telling him how hot and sweaty she’d gotten
in the trunk of Christabel’s car.
That bitch had died too easily.
After her shower, he’d helped her dress in some sweats, then carried her
downstairs and settled her on his lap in the living room with an ice pack on
her cheek. Ink had just made her a hot chocolate when Spike, Duke,
Markovich, and Gray arrived. Razor came soon after, grumbling about
missing all the fun.
Reyes suffered through her father giving her another hug. What was with
all these people wanting to hug her? That shit had to stop.
Now they were all waiting for her to tell them what had happened.
“Umm, so, parts of this are going to sound a bit weird,” she said.
“Weird, how?” Gray asked.
She nibbled at her lip. “I went out for my walk earlier and noticed the
guard at the door was missing. Is he okay?”
“You don’t need to worry about him,” Markovich said darkly.
“Oh dear,” she muttered. “Well, anyway, I walked around the side of the
house and saw a car with its trunk up, but I continued on until Christabel
called out to me.”
He felt her tense and rubbed her back soothingly.
“She had a dog on a leash. This huge, nasty-looking dog.”
“Fuck,” he muttered.
Somehow, she must have found out that I’m terrified of dogs.”
“That is my fault.” Markovich scowled. “She wanted to know why I
ordered that all the dogs be kept away from the house and I told her about
your fear of them.”
 “That explains it. Christabel told me how she was approached and offered
money to kidnap me. Then she forced me into the trunk of her car. I figured I
was better off co-operating with her than being torn limb from limb by that
vicious beast.”
“Where did she get a dog from?” Reyes demanded.
“It was likely one of the guard dogs. She must have taken one,” Gray
said. “I’ll find out.”
“What happened next, wildcat?” Reyes asked.
“She stuck me with a needle that made me lose consciousness. And, well,
it’s the next part that’s odd.”

Emme leaned back against Reyes’ chest and cupped the hot drink between
her cold hands.
“I think I had dreams or maybe, memories.” She explained everything
she’d remembered while in the trunk of the car. The voices talking. Feeling
ill. Frightened.
“Shit,” Ink said when she’d finished.
She drank some hot chocolate, letting it warm her from the inside out.
They all looked ill and angry. Even Gray.
“That last conversation, one of the men was Senior. And the other man, it
sounded like he was the one who took me,” she said. “And when he spoke, I
felt . . .”
“You felt what, Zvezda?” her father asked.
“Like I knew him. No, wait. Maybe it was just that the accent was
familiar.” She looked at her father. “He sounded like you.”
Her father looked over at Gray, his face a grim, cold mask. “The man
who took you was Russian? Likely someone who wanted revenge on me for
something. Enough to kill my wife and take my child.”
“So this Russian guy took Emme and killed your wife. Then he brought
her over to the states, kept her locked up and drugged until her memories
disappeared. And then he threatened Senior into keeping her hidden, but
alive? Why not kill her?” Ink asked.
“To keep Senior from betraying him perhaps?” Duke offered. “He kept
him scared by threatening him.”
“So Senior kept me hidden out of fear?” she asked.
“And greed,” Razor added.
She nodded. That as well.
 “Then it’s possible this Russian is Mr. X, the same person who hired the
mercenaries to kill Senior and take Emme,” Ink offered. “Since he knew
Emme was there.”
“And it sounds like this Russian or Mr. X could be running the sex
trafficking business that Senior was involved in,” Reyes said grimly.
“If my memories are right,” she whispered. “I was drugged. And I’ve
never dreamed of this before. Not that I remember, anyway.”
Reyes took the empty cup from her hands and set it down beside them.
Then he tucked her in tight against him, massaging the back of her neck.
Ooh, that was nice.
“I’m not sure why this stuff came back to me. Maybe because I was
drugged? Maybe my memory was triggered by the drugs, combined with the
darkness and feeling ill?”
“Likely,” Spike told her. That was all he said. Spike wasn’t much of a
talker.
“What happened next, wildcat?”
“I woke up in a storeroom. I was tied with ropes to a chair. That’s when
Smiley and some of his friends walked in. Of course, I didn’t know who he
was until he introduced himself. Then it clicked. Danny walked in next and I
recognized him.”
“I can’t believe Danny betrayed us like that,” Razor spat out. Gone was
the easygoing guy. In his place was someone far more vicious and scarier.
His friends all scowled and nodded.
“He was the cause of all the problems at Reaper’s. He had to be stirring
up things at the club. And he was the mole,” Reyes spat out.
“Flora was in on it too,” she told him. “Apparently, she’s Danny’s
girlfriend.”
“That bitch! Fuck!” Reyes swore. “She even said something to me after I
fired her about not being the top dog forever. I should have paid more
attention, but I thought she was just angry and striking out. We need to find
her.”
Ink nodded. “I’ll get Brody onto it. You have an address on file for her?”
“Yeah, I’ll track it down. Shit.”
“Let me handle Flora,” Razor said with a slow grin. “I’ll make sure she
leaves the city and never returns.”
Wow. Razor could be quite scary.
“They had a plan to draw you out, kill me in front of you, then kill you,”
she whispered to Reyes. “Smiley wanted revenge on you. But he didn’t know
that you’re tracking me.” She fingered her necklace.
“Think we need to get necklaces like that for all the girls,” Ink said.
Spike and Duke nodded. They all chatted for a while about what Danny
must have gotten up to behind the scenes. Her father and Gray were chatting
quietly as well. At least she had some ideas about why Senior pretended to be
her father. Even if they didn’t know yet who the mysterious Mr. X was. Or if
she was still in danger from him.
Duke stood. “I need to get back to Sunny. She was terrified when she
heard you were missing, Emme. She wants to know when you girls can have
a playdate.”
She snuck a glance at Markovich and Gray, but neither of them looked
phased at the way he’d phrased that.
“I’d love to see Sunny and the other girls.”
“As long as the puppies aren’t around,” Reyes added.
“Actually, it’s time I worked on that. And my eating issues. If I hadn’t
been so afraid of dogs, then Christabel wouldn’t have gotten the drop on me
like she did.”
“She could have used a gun as easily as a dog,” Razor pointed out.
“Surprised she didn’t.”
“She’d have found it hard to get one back through the gates,” Dima said.
“I had her car searched every time she returned. Wish I’d done the same
when she left.”
“You couldn’t have known,” she told him quietly.
But he still looked guilty. Yes, it was definitely going to take them all a
while to get over this.

***

A few hours later, she lay in bed with Reyes wrapped around her. “I’m not
letting you out of my sight again.”
“I know,” she soothed.
 “Never should have in the first place. Fuck.”
She rolled over and wrapped herself around him. “The whole time I was
held in that cabin, all I thought of was you. I knew you were coming for me. I
just had to stay alive.”
“I’ll always come for you. Always.”
“You know, in a way, what happened was a good thing.”
“What?” He drew his head back, staring down at her. “How?”
“Now you know why there was all that trouble at the club. Who was
stirring things up. Who the mole was. Win-win-win.”
“Having you kidnapped and nearly killed will never be a win for me,
wildcat.” He rolled her onto her back.
“There’s just no pleasing some people.”
“Oh, there’s one way you can please me.” He slid aside her panties and
pressed two fingers deep inside her.
“How’s that?” she asked, her breath hitching in pleasure as he rubbed her
clit with his thumb.
“By agreeing to be my wife.”
She froze. “This is how you’re asking me? With your fingers in my
pussy?”
“Hmm, objections?”
She thought about that. “Actually, no.”
“Well?”
“Well, what?” she asked innocently, grinning as he made a low, rumbling
noise of displeasure. “Was there a question you wanted to ask?”
“Emme, my wildcat, my little girl. Will you marry me?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” He started to pull his fingers free from her
pussy, but she clenched her thighs together, trying to trap him. “Yes. I say
yes.”
And then he set about pleasing her. Over and over.
Epilogue

“Is your helmet on properly?”

“Daddy, you put it on so you should know,” she replied.
He tested it again anyway. Then he checked over her hand, knee, and
elbow pads. “All right, I think you’re as protected as possible. But remember,
you’re not to let go of me.”
“I won’t, Daddy. I got this.”
He held out his hands and helped her stand. She grasped hold of his
hands, letting him guide her along the wooden deck that went around four
sides of the cottage on her father’s property. It was modest, especially when
compared to her father’s house. But she loved it. It gave them enough privacy
from her father that Reyes didn’t want to murder him, but they still had all
the protection of his estate.
Gray had threatened all the security guards with dismemberment if any of
them even thought of leaving their posts for any reason. He’d also discovered
that Christabel had managed to sneak one of the dogs away while it was
resting in its kennel after being on shift most of the night.
She knew that Reyes would rather live somewhere away from her father
entirely. It wasn’t personal, Reyes just didn’t like not being in control of
everything. He didn’t trust easily. But he did know that her father wanted to
take care of her.
She now had a permanent bodyguard. Not that he did much. It was rare
that she wasn’t with Reyes. He’d stepped back a bit from Reaper’s, hiring
two new managers. He still had a lot of club stuff to do, but she went with
him when he deemed it safe. Otherwise, he’d take her to her father’s, or she’d
stay with one of the girls. With her bodyguard watching them.
Brody had tracked down Flora quickly, and Razor paid her a visit.
Nobody would tell her what that conversation had entailed, but apparently,
she’d high-tailed it out of the city.
Emme hadn’t ended up pregnant. However, Reyes insisted on her getting
a full medical and the doctor told her that her missed periods were likely due
to her low body weight. So Reyes was working extra hard to get her back to a
good weight.
The DNA test they’d had done had proved that Dima was her father. That
had made her feel much better about everything. Their relationship wasn’t a
typical father-daughter one. But they talked every day, and she was becoming
more at ease with him.
Although she had been worried about what he might think of her and
Reyes’ unusual relationship. Reyes had gotten sick of her worrying and had
taken matters into his own hands, telling her father when he’d come over to
have dinner one night.
He’d taken it well. Almost too well. It made her suspicious that he’d
known and that maybe he had some experience of that sort of relationship.
Then she decided she didn’t want to think about that too closely.
She still had no idea what she was going to do. But everyone kept telling
her to take her time. To think it through. She’d started therapy and while she
didn’t feel like she was making much progress, she knew it would take time.
“That’s it, little girl. Look at you go.”
“I’m doing it, Daddy. I’m roller skating!”
Reyes had surprised her with a pair of roller skates the other day. Along
with more safety gear than a toddler would wear. But she got it. He wanted to
keep her safe. Her nightmares had gotten worse, and she knew it hurt him,
knowing what she’d gone through. But time would help that too.
She’d spent quite a bit of time with the other girls. Emme loved them all.
She never thought she’d have friends like that. Who she could laugh with,
tease, and who were like her. Littles. Suzy hadn’t been around since the day
she was kidnapped and she didn’t think she ever would be again. Because she
now had everything she needed. Friends, a father, and a man who she loved
more than anything.
They were still all really worried about Jewel; however, Jason had called
Reyes two days ago to tell him that he was pretty certain he’d found her and
he’d call when he was certain. Reyes was still feeling guilty about her
disappearance. And she knew he wanted more information, but trusted Jason
to take care of Jewel. Somehow, she thought there was something more going
on between them.
“You can let go of me now.”
“I don’t think so, little girl.” He gave her a stern look. Then his phone
started ringing. He gave her a pained look.
“Take it. I’m fine.”
 “You’re going to sit on the bench and not move, understand me?” He led
her over and sat her down. His phone stopped, then started again. He grabbed
hold of her chin, raising it up. “Hear me?”
“Yep.”
He moved away from her, answering the call. It wasn’t long until he was
totally distracted. He’d moved down to the other end of the porch.
She knew she shouldn’t . . . but hey, when did that ever stop her? And he
was being far too over-protective. She’d obviously gotten so much better in
the last few minutes.
Standing, she glided forward. See? It was easy. She moved forward with
the other foot then she wobbled, her right foot slid out in front of her and she
screeched.
A big arm caught her around her middle, pulling her up against a firm
chest.
“Daddy! You saved me!”
“Gotta go, Duke,” he said into the phone, his dark eyes staring down at
her sternly. “Got to go deal with a naughty little girl.”
She gasped, unable to believe that he’d said that to Duke. He ended the
call and placed his phone in his pocket. Then he picked her up in his arms.
“You want to explain what you were thinking?”
“Can I plead temporary insanity?”
“You can plead it, but it’s not going to save your ass.”

Thanks for reading Emme and Reyes’ story. I hope you enjoyed it! I know
you’ll want to know what is going on with Jewel and Jason, and that’s why
their story is next, in Her Daddy’s Jewel. You can pre-order it now. Read on
for the blurb.
Her Daddy’s Jewel
MC Daddies #5
Blurb:
Jewel knew better.
Don’t let anyone close. Don’t get attached. That way, she couldn’t get
hurt.
She’d really messed up.
Because a nightmare from her past is back. And this time she might not
survive . . .
Jason had intended to slowly build Jewel’s trust in him over time. To
prove to her that he could be her man, her lover, her Daddy.
And then she disappeared.
Well, whoever had her was going to learn that they had messed with the
wrong girl because Jason had some secrets of his own.
They’ve unleashed the beast. And they best be prepared for the
consequences.
Warning: Contains one possessive, protective Daddy Dom. This book has
age play and spanking.