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1 The Sweet Kitty Gentlemen’s ClubDowntown Washington, DC “S in, it’s showtime. Time to get your sexy on, girl.” After curling the mascara wand one last time over her naturally thick lashes, Sienna glanced away from the mirror. She smiled at the woman who gave her the reminder and pushed the wand back inside the mascara tube and twisted it closed. “Yeah, Kitty, I know,” she murmured, throwing the woman a small affectionate smile. “I’ll be ready in a sec. Gotta give ’em the best that I got, to get what I want,” she quipped. Deloris, aka Delatta Kitty, ran her hands down the sides of her thong-covered rounded hips. “Definitely, baby girl. And maybe after your last set, you and I can have a drink and you can show me the best that you got,” the older woman murmured in her whisky-toned voice, and gave Sienna a small wink. “I don’t know if you can handle the best I’ve got. I may be too much for you.” She rose from her chair and glanced at her reflection in the chipped oval mirror. “Promises,
2 G arrett McAllister sat back in the high-backed wooden bar chair and raised the shot glass of whisky to his lips and took a healthy swallow. With a grimace, he placed the glass back on the small dented table in front of him, and turned bored eyes toward the gyrating woman on the main stage. Her moves were the same as all the others before her. She shimmied and danced, kicking her long legs out in front of her, gyrating for all she was worth. She worked her double-D cups, grabbing her breasts and squeezing them, dancing and twirling around the small stage for the throng of men standing in rapt attention. When one of the men looked particularly animated, the dancer dropped down on all fours, slid on her back, throwing her legs in the air, and shimmied her ass in front of him. At his vantage point, Mac could see the saliva practically oozing from the sides of the man’s lips as the dancer slid one long, manicured finger inside her thong panties. She pushed the scrap of lace aside to give
3 U nlike the other dancers, this one never looked at any of the men who whistled and called out to her. She wasn’t dancing for the ogling men, but for herself. Mac was intrigued by her casual, absentminded sexiness. As though she didn’t give a damn what the ogling, horny bastards at the club thought as they watched her sinewy body wrap around the pole, dancing as though she were alone in the room. Throughout the two-week investigation, Mac had witnessed several degrees of skill from the strippers at the Sweet Kitty. From the burgeoning, awkward attempts by the neophytes, much like the stuck-up heiress he’d rescued, to the jaded, yet proficient, skills of those who’d danced for years. None he had seen were like this woman. None of them had played with his mind, had given him hot dreams at night, cold showers in the morning, like she had. Everything about her was different, from her slow, hypnotic moves, to the sensual, rhythmic music she moved her body to, or the way she never glanced
4 “W hat do you mean you’re ready to quit? Who told you that was your choice, bitch?” Damian Marks walked closer to Sienna, crowding her, shoving her until her back touched the back of the door. Sienna was so afraid she felt close to peeing on herself, but she knew if she backed down now, the asshole would never let her go. She swallowed her fear and tried to shove at his chest. “Back up off me, Damian! What the hell is wrong with you? I’ve paid you the money I owe you, then some! And I’m done with this life! I want out. I finished school and I’m ready to take care of my brother now!” A sharp crack split the air, forcing her head back and away when his hand connected with the side of her face. “Take care of your brother? That retarded mother—” “Don’t! Don’t you fucking say it! Don’t you say anything about my brother!” Sienna cried, biting back the tears that sprang to her eyes. She raised her hand to hit Damian, and he caught her raised fist in a punishing grasp. “Don’t. Don’t make the
5 S ienna took a deep breath and slowly released the pent-up air in a small puff. Damn. She hadn’t had to do a lap dance in a long time, but since Damian wanted to prove a point, that she was totally under his dominance, she had to swallow what little pride she had and do what she had to do. She’d do anything to keep her brother safe. She was all he had. Her eyes searched the crowd for Damian, but she didn’t see him. But she knew his eyes were on her, somewhere. No doubt he was watching her across the room behind one of his “special” two-way mirrors, getting his laugh on, knowing how much she hated this. She surveyed the crowded throng of men and slowly threaded her way through the club. She heard the murmurings from some of the club’s regulars, surprised to see she was on the floor. She hadn’t had to work it, hadn’t had to do any lap dances for a long time. She also caught the surprised—and mocking—glances of several of the dancers in response to her arrival on the floor. She stiffene
6 W ith a painful cry, Sienna felt herself snatched, bodily, from Mac’s lap and thrown to the floor. Disoriented, she was barely able to catalog the swift movement from the man who had been inches away from giving her the ultimate pleasure. She scrambled to her feet, only to encounter Damian’s twisted, red, angry face, his hand raised, fist closed, prepared to strike her. She covered her arms over her head, readying herself for the blow. Instead of feeling a fist connecting painfully with her jaw, she saw Mac towering over Damian. He grabbed Damian’s much smaller clenched fist within his and spun him around. “Don’t fucking touch her,” Mac barked. “Get your damn hands off me!” Posturing, aware of the small audience now paying avid attention to the threesome in the dark corner, Damian wouldn’t back down, Sienna knew, despite the fear she saw blazing in his dark brown eyes. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Dragged abruptly from the hot feel of her body riding him, Mac quickly
7 G od, what in hell was she going to do? How would she ever escape Damian or the club now? How could she, when she knew Damian was capable, and willing, to carry out his ugly threats against her brother? After Mac left, Damian told her to get on the stage, excusing her from any further lap dances. She didn’t question why, but gratefully left the floor and prepared to dance. Sienna was on pins and needles for the rest of the evening. Between fear of Damian’s reprisal and furtive glances over the audience looking for Mac, she missed steps and performed on automatic, not into the dance or the stage as she normally was. When Damian left the club early, leaving his manager to close, some of the queasy feelings in her gut went away. The evening passed without a return appearance from Mac. For that, Sienna didn’t know if she should be happy or sad. In the end, she was grateful when the club closed and she cashed out for the night, collecting her money, with no more interactions from either m
8 “T hank you,” Sienna murmured when Mac removed her coat and, along with his leather jacket, hung both inside the closet near the front door. Sienna walked farther into the living area and placed her bag on the oversized white sofa. “Your home is beautiful.” “Thanks. But it’s temporary digs for me,” he replied, and leaned against the door frame, observing her. His intent stare unnerved her and she caught herself fidgeting, playing with the strands of hair on her wig, before stopping herself. “Temporary?” “Yes. I don’t live in this area. Just here on business.” He peeled himself from the wall and walked toward her. “What type of business?” “I’m a private investigator. My partner, Kyle, and I were here on a case. We were put up in these accommodations from our client. But he’s out. For the weekend.” The clarification didn’t go over her head. He wanted her to know that they’d be alone for the weekend. “Can I get you something? Food? Drink?” he murmured, the heat from his body reaching ou
9 W hen his rough tongue lapped against her thighs, and his sweet, hot kisses traveled to her vagina, Sienna nearly came. Sienna half-raised her body from the soft cushions of the sofa, her legs clamping against his face. The sight of his dark head between her thighs, his hot breath scorching the skin of her inner thighs, was enough to send liquid from her. Embarrassed, she tried to close her legs. “No, let me finish eating you,” he said, and opened his mouth wide. Using his entire tongue, he lapped at her core. The words and incredible feel of his tongue against her pussy forced her cream to rush from her body. Sienna relaxed her legs and opened herself to his mouth, his lips, his demanding tongue. With slow licks and soft bites, he ministered to her, swirling his tongue alongside the soft tissue of her inner core, ignoring her whimpers and cries. Sienna was dizzy with the onslaught of erotic sensations. “Oh God…that feels so good,” she moaned. “Do you want me to stop?” He murmured th
10 S ienna’s back stiffened against Mac’s chest with his abrupt question. Yeah, he had no damn right to ask her the question he had, but that hadn’t stopped the words from flying out of his mouth. Mac held her close, his breathing calming. The fine tremors she’d elicited from him when he’d first stroked into her were easing, finally, with his release. “You have no right to ask me that,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “You have no control over me. My body is my own, to share with whom I please.” She was right; he had no right. But the thought of her allowing another man to rock into her hot, sweet pussy was an image he wanted scrubbed from his mind. When she tried to move from him, he pulled her tight, his hold strong. He refused to allow her to run away from him. “Answer me,” he demanded, ignoring the truth of her words, intent on getting her to answer his question. The silence stretched out, until he thought she would refuse to answer. When she did reply, he had to strain
11 S ienna wanted to tell him everything. Wanted to unburden herself to a complete stranger. Wanted to release the anger and pain of growing up the way she had. Of the stupid choices she’d made along the way. Choices she had to make, in order to protect her brother and survive. “Why did you come to the Kitty?” she asked. He moved their bodies so they were lying facing each other. “Why does any man come to a strip club?” “Well, yes, I know that. I meant, I hadn’t seen you around before last week. I notice all the regulars. At first, I thought you were one of Damian’s associates.” “Damian, as in the asshole you work for?” he asked gruffly. “No, I wouldn’t call myself a ‘friend’ of your employer.” His voice sounded grim. It was her turn to wait for him to expound on his answer. For the first time in years, Sienna wanted to get to know a man beyond the superficial. “My partner and I are here on business. He came to the club a few times with me. You may have seen him. He’s the big, bald bla
12 “C ome on, Sin, you know this is what you want. It was good before. It can be good again.” “Please…just go away. I told you to leave me alone!” “You want it—” “I don’t want it or you, Damian!” Sienna yelled. “Don’t you understand? That was a long time ago. Get away from me! I work for you at the club. I’m not your personal whore.” She wrenched herself away from him and ran toward the door. She had gotten only a few feet away when she heard her skirt rip. “One more time, for old times’ sake. Soon you’ll belong to him. But until then, I think I should get one last sample of the goods, don’t you?” He roughly turned her around and pinned her against the door. “What are you talking about?” He ignored her, kept a punishing hold on her upper body with one hand, the other he used to unzip his slacks and shove them far enough down to release his cock. Sienna screamed, kicking and punching him, desperately trying to get away when he she felt the end of his penis brush against her naked thighs
13 M ac rested his face on top of her head for a fraction of a moment before easing her away. She sucked her swollen full lower lip into her mouth; hesitancy and uncertainty reflected in her eyes. He bit back a groan. Damn! If he kept kissing her, he wouldn’t stop. He’d take her right there on the kitchen island, and not stop until he’d gotten his fill of her, rutting in her until they were drained, sore, and satisfied. “Sin, would you consider staying with me? For the weekend.” He saw the flare of hesitancy in her eyes. “You could go to work at nights. Just spend the weekend with me. Please,” he added when she said nothing. He waited for what felt like an eternity before she spoke. “Okay. I’ll stay with you,” she finally said, and Mac released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Good,” he said brusquely, clearing his throat. “There are toiletries upstairs in the bathroom. In the cabinet mounted on the wall, you’ll find a spare toothbrush, as well as a robe that should fit you
14 A s Mac walked into the room, he kept his eyes glued to the mirror and her startled gaze. “I—I didn’t hear you walk in,” she stuttered, quickly removing her hands from her body, closing the robe and belting it tightly. He stopped, standing behind her, close. So close, she could feel the heat from his naked chest against the thin robe. He kept his gaze on hers and lowered his head, his lips grazing the side of her neck. “Hmmm,” Sienna moaned in appreciation, rolling her neck to the side. She closed her eyes when she felt his tongue snake out and leisurely lap a caress against her skin. The moisture increased between her thighs. After last night, she didn’t think she’d be able to bear any more of his heated kisses. She was wrong. His hard body blanketed hers, his erection thick and insistent, lying against the curve of her back. As he kissed her, he reached around her body, inserting his big hand inside her robe, and palmed one of her breasts. The other hand pushed aside the robe and
15 “S top playing games! Acting like you’re some kind of virgin innocent. I’ve seen the way you flounce around here, purposely switching that ass in front of me. You want to be fucked. Don’t worry, I’ll give you what you want. But first, I’ll eat this sweet cunt, make you feel real good before I stuff my dick in your mouth and let you suck me. Stop fighting and let me in. Let me in, damn it!” Although his voice was low, it held a distinct nasal quality. Sienna felt her thighs being parted, and struggled against hands that held her down, not allowing her to move. “No,” she moaned, tossing her head back and forth. “I don’t want this! I never asked for this! Please let me go!” Sienna begged, crying out when she felt a warm, wet tongue lap between the seam of her vagina. In horror, she felt the stirrings of arousal, despite the humiliation of what he was doing to her. She grew moist, her limbs grew shaky, and cream eased down her legs as she spread for him, welcoming him, inviting him to t
16 “H oney, I need to go downstairs and do some paperwork, make a few calls. I brought your purse upstairs, in case you needed anything.” Sienna was awakened from a deep sleep when Mac’s deep, scratchy voice murmured near her ear. She stretched her back and yawned, raising her body from the comfortable mattress. “No, don’t get up. You rest. I’ll be back up, soon.” He kissed her forehead and she smiled sleepily, mumbled an incoherent assent, and lay back against the soft down pillows covering the bed. The bed dipped when he left and she hugged her pillow tightly, closing her eyes. She’d only had her eyes closed for a minute; then she heard an insistent beep. She tried to ignore it and keep sleeping, but she realized it was her cell phone. Struggling against the hold of sleep, she forced herself to consciousness. Untangling her body from the satin sheets, she leaned over to the side of the bed where Mac had placed her purse. Fumbling with its snap, she finally reached her phone and flipp
17 A s soon as Mac drove up to the near empty lot of the Sweet Kitty lounge, he unlocked the passenger side on his console. “Mac, I—” “Just go.” He stared ahead, refusing to look at her. He simply wanted her to get out so he could get the hell out of there. “Please.” “Please what?” He turned to face her and waited for her to tell him to turn around. To take her away from the lounge. She remained silent. The tension was thick, palpable, as he waited for her to say something, anything, that would give him a reason to ask her to go back home with him. He gritted his teeth and forced himself not to reach out to her; with a sorrowful, yet resigned, look in her dark eyes, she turned away from him and lifted the door handle. He forced himself not to beg her to stay when she stepped out of his SUV, and closed the door, not looking back at him. He forced himself not to demand she tell him what the hell happened. One minute, she was willing to stay with him; the next, she was demanding he take h
18 Twenty-two months later S ienna turned from the blackboard and faced her small gathering of students, clapping her hands together. She glanced at the white utilitarian clock on the wall, noting it was five minutes until the class, as well as school, ended. She hid a smile. “Okay, guys, we have just enough time to do one final review!” The collective groans from her eighth-grade social studies class predictably greeted her and she laughed out loud. “Okay, okay, just kidding. I think you all are ready for the T.A.S.K.,” she said, referring to the annual academic assessment test. “No more review, I promise! Class is dismissed. Go have fun and get started on your weekend.” When her announcement was met with loud cheers and chairs scraping against the floor in a mad rush to gather backpacks and leave, she held up a hand. “Now, if any of you really want more practice, I’ll be here this weekend to go over any material you’d like to review, as well as this week.” “Man, Ms. Featherstone, don
19 I t was her. Sin. Mac strolled across the room, his gut tied in knots. As he approached her, she nervously bit at the full rim of her bottom lip, her cheeks flaming with color. Her startled gaze behind her glasses roamed over his face. He saw that her breaths increased, her chest rose and fell, her breasts pushing against the silk blouse she wore. His own gaze lit on the buttons of her blouse straining with every deep breath she took, the pink lace-scalloped edge of her bra visible. For two years, her face, her body, still burned a hot memory in his mind. In two years, he hadn’t forgotten how good she’d felt lying beneath him. The way she moved, wrapped her body around his as they’d made love, calling out his name as he catered to her body. In two years, he hadn’t forgotten the feel of her hands feathering over his body as he rocked into her hot, wet sheath. In two years, he hadn’t forgotten her casual dismissal of him as a onetime momentary diversion. No. Mac hadn’t forgotten one t
20 M ac turned into the private cul-de-sac and drove into his sister’s driveway. He’d made the ten-minute drive in less than five minutes, and thanked good fortune he hadn’t gotten busted by a cop. Daniel had thrown him curious glances during the short trip. But, thankfully, he hadn’t asked his uncle any probing questions—the kind most kids his age seemed to enjoy—along the drive. He parked the car, without cutting the engine. “Aren’t you going to come in? Mom’s making pizza,” Daniel quizzed, one hand on the door handle, the other hooked on his backpack. “No, son, not tonight. I have something I need to take care of.” “Going back to talk to Ms. Featherstone?” Mac looked in surprise at his nephew. Obviously, he’d passed some of his intuition, or overall nosiness, to his nephew. “Maybe,” he conceded, and ran his hands over Daniel’s head, knowing it would irritate him. He laughed when Daniel ducked away. “How ’bout I take a rain check on dinner? Tell your mom for me, okay?” “Sure, Uncle M
21 M ac parked his Jeep and vaulted out of the driver’s seat, locking the door with his remote. Glancing around the near-empty parking lot, he hoped he caught Sienna before she left the school. He had no idea what car she currently drove. If memory served correctly, she last drove an old Corolla, and he saw no sign of a Corolla in the parking lot. The only cars he saw were an old, beat-up–looking maintenance truck, a small compact, and a gleaming black Mercedes-Benz. Maybe the Ford was hers. He didn’t think she’d be driving a Benz. Hell, if teaching paid enough for her to afford a luxury car like that, he was in the wrong line of work. He walked to the door, and wasn’t surprised when he found it was locked. “Fuck!” He tried the revolving door, with no luck. He banged on the glass door for several minutes before giving up. He must have missed her. Damn it! Turning to go, he caught sight of a uniformed man ambling toward the door. He motioned for the man to come, and waited impatiently f
22 “S ame dance, different city.” Sin—Sienna, Mac mentally corrected himself—jumped when he spoke. He spoke as though he were picking up a pleasant conversation between two friends, and not ex-lovers. He’d been waiting for over an hour for her to come home. Images of her dancing for Marks, her hot little hands touching the other man’s body, screwed with his head. After witnessing her dance, Mac had driven around for a short time, enraged, trying like hell to cool down. He didn’t trust himself to go back to the school, to confront her. And if Marks’s ass was still there, there was no telling what the hell he would do to the man. To say he wanted to rip him apart was putting it too mildly. He had to calm down. And now he knew her address and phone number. He’d stopped at a gas station, picked up a phone book, and searched for her listing. She had an unusual last name, not common. He wasn’t surprised when there was only one listed, and when it had the initial S, with no full first name, h
23 W hat the hell was wrong with her? Sienna thought desperately. She didn’t want this, didn’t know this angry Mac, and had no idea what she’d done to incite him so. She had every right to not seek him out, to deny knowing him. Why in the hell couldn’t he have just left well enough alone? Now he had her on her knees, his dick in her mouth. Instead of biting it, doing him and it serious damage, she shamefully gloried in having him embedded in her mouth. She gloried in the feel of his thick shaft cradled in her warm mouth, loved the feel of him. Just like the whore he called her. Loving him in ways she’d never willingly done to any man. She licked him, her tongue sliding under and around his thick shaft, nursing from him like a babe on a bottle. She dragged his penis from her mouth. As she gazed down at the thick stalk with its blushed round head, she felt her sex clench in remembrance of what it felt like stroking inside her. Sienna glanced up at him, grasped the root of his shaft, and
24 H is strokes were hard and strong, jostling her body with the force of his thrusts. Sienna whimpered and moaned, forced to lower her upper body, her elbows and forearms flush on the carpeted floor as she accepted his glorious fucking. As he plunged and retreated inside her drenched sex, his balls insistently tapping against her backside, she reared her ass back, grinding on his cock, twisting her body to better accommodate his thick girth. She mewled and cried with every corkscrew drive of his hips. When one of his big hands strongly smacked one of her ass cheeks, she yelped. He withdrew from her, easing himself out, and Sienna cried out, “No, please—” He reached a hand down and she felt him replace his shaft with one of his fingers. He pushed into her vagina far enough to swirl a thick finger inside her creaming core, withdrawing some of her juices, before plunging his cock deep inside her once more. He covered her back with his chest, his breath ragged and hot against the back of
25 “Y ou okay?” Mac asked, easing away. He had to force his body away from the temptation of hers, afraid he’d hurt her during his rough lovemaking. “I’m fine. Why?” she asked, her voice quiet yet strained-sounding to his ears. Mac glanced worriedly over at her as he yanked the condom off, tossing it in the small trash can. He pulled his slacks back up the length of his legs and shrugged his shirt up over his head. In his haste to get inside her, he had only shoved his slacks far enough to release his dick and get at her. Now, dressed, his pants fastened, he offered his hand to her. He saw the hesitancy in her expression before she placed hers inside of his, allowing him to help her stand. “I shouldn’t have been so rough with you,” he muttered. She didn’t respond, simply gathered her torn clothes, and attempted to put them on. “Here, let me help.” “No. I’m fine,” she replied in a soft yet clipped tone. She turned her body away from him to put on her clothes. Mac’s hand dropped at his s
26 M ac quickly shucked his clothes, withdrew a prophylactic, sheathed his erection. He laid her down on the mattress and settled his body over hers. Placing small kisses over her face, he lifted her by the knees, spreading her legs to accommodate his invasion, planting her feet on the mattress. Sienna gloried in the feel of his hard cock as it stretched her wide, impaling her. He pushed deeper inside her, that final inch of dick pressed tight, nearly to her womb. His breath coming out in harsh gasps, he stayed that way, not moving. “You don’t have to hide anything from me, Sienna. Trust me.” With her hands tightly held within his, he rotated his hips, screwing them clockwise, his thrusts short yet deep. The look in his eyes was intense as he gazed into hers, his expression as intense as his lovemaking. Moans and sighs of gratification were the only sounds in the dark room. To Sienna the lovemaking was as simple as it was beautiful. He made sweet love to her, as he did the first time.
27 A fter her disclosure, Mac had soothingly run his hands over her back, encouraging her to tell him everything. She’d gone on to detail what Marks wanted from her, and the yacht he’d secured to “entertain” a group of investors. “He told me that I only had to do it one more time for my debt to be paid.” Fat fucking chance, Mac thought, but said nothing. Now that Marks had found her, there was no way in hell he would let her go. Mac tried to convince her to give him the information Marks had given her—his location, cell phone, everything. “I don’t know, Mac—” “You told me that you trusted me.” “I do,” she quickly reassured him. “I just don’t want you involved in this mess. That’s the reason for my hesitancy.” The satisfaction he felt from her obvious trust in him made him want to go all caveman and claim his woman. And hell yes, he’d claimed her. “Don’t worry about me, baby. I can take care of myself. More important, I’ll take care of you. I promise you.” He laid her flat on her back a
28 “W e need Runninghorse.” Mac leaned back against the kitchen chair and rubbed his temple, massaging away the headache that had been hovering for the last few hours. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Just a matter of him being available,” Mac answered, and shoved the chair back and stood, rotating his back as he stretched. “I already checked. I called him on the way over. He’s back from his last mission. Taking some time off, he said.” Mac grunted out a laugh. Trust that Kyle had already done a recon on the situation. “Question is, will he be willing to help?” Kyle asked. Mac didn’t answer, knowing the answer already. Mac hadn’t ever called in the favor Runninghorse owed him. Once during their time in Afghanistan, he and Runninghorse had gotten caught in rebel crossfire. Runninghorse had taken a bullet in his leg, that, although not fatal, had disabled him. Had Mac not thrown him over his shoulder and run like hell toward their HumVee military vehicle, the rebels would have finished him
29 W ith satisfaction, she saw him flinch when she threw his words back at him. “I think it’s best until this is over for me to stay with you.” Sienna walked into the kitchen, leaving him to follow her. “Want something to drink?” she asked. “There’s more coffee in the pot.” “It’s too early for me to drink coffee,” she replied, opening the refrigerator door. “No. I’m fine.” Mac leaned against the counter, warily watching her choose a dish, pour milk into a tumbler, grab a cookie from the jar, and sit down in one of the high-backed island chairs. After dunking the Oreo, she delicately took a bite of the cookie, munching on it before taking a drink of milk. Mac walked farther into the room and stopped in front of her. “I don’t like that Marks hunted you out. Why the hell does he want you for this ‘entertaining’? I’m sure he could find any number of women to do it.” “Hmmm” was all she said as she continued to munch on a cookie, never looking his way. “You’ve dealt with the man, you should
30 M ac stared down at her as she lay with her legs splayed wide, her chest still heaving from her release. Reverently he brushed his hands over the springy, curly hairs covering her mound. Her pretty, glistening pussy called to him. Her small bud of a clit, turgid from his earlier manipulations, poked out in invitation, begging for him to take a sample of its sweet honey. He leaned down and dug his hands into the soft cheeks of her buttocks and dragged her down the bed. He rubbed his face over her pussy before drawing back and gently flicking his tongue over her pulsing, turgid clit. “Oh God, Mac, I don’t think I can take that, right now.” She laughed shakily. He grinned against her mound and continued to lap at her gently, her honey covering his tongue lightly. “All you have to do is lie there and enjoy what I’m doing to you.” He mouthed the words against her cunt. He twisted his torso and laid his upper body on the bed, knocked her legs farther apart, spreading her wide. He placed o
31 “T his is cake. I can get in and out, bugs placed, in less than an hour.” “Time is short. How soon can you get in there?” Mac asked, peering at the assortment of gadgets and various electronic bugs strewn over the makeshift office he’d set up in Sienna’s kitchen. Jake Runninghorse’s solemn face was thoughtful, his dark, watchful eyes squinted. “Tonight,” he answered succinctly, and turned back to his work, carefully examining each piece. Sienna had returned to work, despite Mac’s insistence that she stay at home and call in sick for the week. He’d told her in no uncertain terms that he didn’t want her to leave his sight, didn’t want to chance Marks paying her another visit. She’d then told him in no uncertain terms that she was a grown woman and able to take care of herself. So much for laying down the law. After a heated debate, he’d allowed her to go. Unknown to her, he’d asked Kyle to follow her and hang out around the school until she got off at three o’clock. There was always a
32 S ienna tried to move Mac’s very large, unyielding body from her line of vision. “Move!” she hissed to no avail. This was becoming an ugly habit of his. Shoving as hard as she could, she finally gave up and simply reached around him and accepted Jake’s hand. She stared into the darkest, sexiest eyes she’d ever seen in a man. He and Mac were of the same height, both large men. But where Mac was heavily muscled, Jake was more streamlined, his lean body tightly muscled. Her appreciative gaze ran over him. He was dressed in similar clothing to Mac’s. Low-riding black jeans, hard-toed black boots, and a chest-hugging fitted black T-shirt. Although he was leaner than Mac, Sienna could visibly see the outline of his chest muscles behind the formfitting T-shirt. Her eyes trailed down his chest to his flat belly and narrow waist. His face had prominent cheekbones and a hawklike nose, which dominated his face, evidence of his Native American heritage. His deep-set eyes were sable brown and hi
33 “I came up with something,” Runninghorse said into the phone. “What’s that?” Jake Runninghorse examined the necklace he held in his hand, turning it over in his palm, his fingers caressing the diamonds. “Looks like the diamonds are real, not fake.” “Oh really?” With Sienna’s agreement, Mac had allowed Runninghorse to take the necklace to examine it further. “Yeah. Also looks like the links between the diamonds are made of platinum and not silver. The edges are smooth, not sharp. They were designed so that when lying flat against the throat, they’re harmless. But if pressed against the skin, the edges could cut as sharp as any knife into the tender skin of a woman’s neck.” Mac felt dread clench his gut, tying it in a knot at Runninghorse’s disclosure. “What else?” “I did some digging. Something about this necklace jarred a memory, reminded me of one of the cases in our closed files. A woman named Karen Hughes was murdered six months ago, strangled. Official autopsy report was death b
34 A s Sienna went about her nightly ritual that evening, in the adjoining bathroom, Mac lounged on the bed. With his back propped up against pillows, he watched her clean her face, brush and floss her teeth, and begin to braid her long hair. “Don’t braid it tonight. Leave it down,” he told her. Sienna turned to face him, brush in hand. “But I always braid it at night, you know that. It’ll be all over my head in the morning if I don’t.” “I like you looking all tousled. It’s sexy.” “Yeah, well, there’s a difference between casual messy and a rat’s nest.” She laughed when he gave a pathetic attempt at pouting. “Okay, fine! I’ll leave it down.” “Good. Now come to bed. I miss you.” He watched her with half-closed eyes. She wore nothing but his old ratty T-shirt, her face scrubbed free of makeup. Still, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Damn, I have it bad for her, Mac thought. Sienna placed the brush back down on the counter and turned back to the mirror, finishing her ritua
35 “I want to make love to you.” Sienna laughed and groaned at the same time. Mac had woken her, his hands roaming over her body, his shaft, hard, pushing against her buttocks. When he bounded from the bed, her drowsy eyes watched the muscles in his buttocks bunch and flex as he strode to the adjoining bathroom. “I thought that’s what you’ve been doing to me, for the last—” She glanced at the clock on her mantel. “God, Mac! It’s almost one o’clock in the morning.” She heard him muttering, and the sound of cabinets opening, before he said “yes” in satisfaction. “What are you doing?” she asked warily. He walked out of the bathroom, his beautiful, sculpted body highlighted from the small light streaming in. Her eyes fell to his member, long and thick, jutting out from the nestle of sable curls on his groin. He sat on the edge of the mattress, uncapped the tube, and squeezed out a liberal amount of cream on his fingers. He placed the tube of ointment on the nightstand. With a wicked gleam
36 S ienna woke up early, Saturday morning. Not that she’d gotten much sleep the night before, she thought, then eased her leg from beneath Mac’s heavy thigh pressed over hers. She slipped out of bed and reached for her robe, which lay over the foot rail. She grimaced when she began to walk out of the room. Last night, Mac had been alternately tender and sensually dominating with her. God, the things he’d done to her body, the way he’d made her feel, forced a groan from her lips. Her mind shied away from the last words he’d murmured before sleep overtook them. “Sienna?” Mac murmured from across the room. “It’s okay, honey. I’m just getting up to make coffee.” She glanced over at the bedside alarm clock, noting the time. “It’s early still. Go back to sleep.” She smiled when he murmured what sounded like an assent before going back to sleep. Closing the door gently behind her, she left the room and went downstairs. She needed time to herself. Before the day began and the house filled wit
37 S ienna killed the engine to her Honda, withdrew the keys, and tucked them into her small, beaded purse. She released a long breath and tried to calm her racing heart. She opened the door of her car, and after adjusting the trench coat she wore over her skimpy outfit, closed the door and glanced toward the brightly lit anchored yacht. Her stomach churned with nervousness. She swallowed down the bile rising in her mouth. She had an overwhelming need to find the nearest bush and hurl. “Baby, are you okay?” Mac’s reassuring voice filled her ear, low and intimate. She barely stopped herself from looking around. She surreptitiously glanced over her shoulder as she clicked the button on her car’s remote to lock the door. She could just barely make out the surveillance van in the dark, parked several hundred feet behind her, where she knew Mac and Kyle were watching. “I’m—I’m fine,” she whispered. “You’re doing great, Sienna. I just had contact with Runninghorse. Everything is in place. He
38 “Is she here?” Damian watched Carlos, nervously, as the other man’s dark eyes scanned the crowd. “Yes, she’s here. One of my men brought her onto the main floor, just now.” A satisfied smile spread across Carlos’s face and he clapped a hand over Damian’s shoulder. “Good, now go and bring her to me. I want her to give me a private dance. I’ve been waiting a long time to see her. Way too long. And when you bring her to me, make sure no one bothers us. We’re overdue for a nice, long reunion.” “Yeah, sure. I’ll go and get her.” Damian was careful not to allow his anger to show. The fact that Carlos was so caught up in Sienna—had been since he’d first met her—pissed him off completely. He touched the side of his face, where the scar remained. She was the reason for the scar. When she’d left DC, with no trace, and he’d told Carlos, he had no idea the man would react the way he had. Damian considered himself lucky he’d escaped with only one lifelong scar, a reminder of the man he was deali
39 S ienna slowly made her way through the small crowd on the main deck, the variety of perfumes from the women assaulting her nostrils. She smiled and avoided outstretched hands, reaching for her. She knew it was only a matter of time before she’d have to start entertaining. She’d gone to several private parties that Damian had sponsored when she stripped for the lounge, but none had been like this one. There were uniformed wait staff circulating the room, carrying trays of food and drinks on platters, as they weaved throughout the room. The women were dressed in sexy clothes—yet none were dressed like she was. She had expected they would be dressed in skimpy outfits designed for stripping. Also, she didn’t recognize anyone. True, it had been nearly two years since she’d danced, but she thought she’d see a familiar face or two. Not only did these women not look familiar—although they were here for the same reason she was—none of them had the hard-eyed look of a seasoned pro. She walke
40 S ienna rapped her knuckles softly on a glass-paned door and stepped back. The door opened and she was surprised to look up to see Damian. “Come in, Sin, we’ve been waiting for you.” Sienna walked inside and closed the door, rubbing her hands over her arms. When she entered the room, her stilettos sank into the plush forest-green carpet. “I thought I was supposed to be meeting with Carlos. Alone,” she added, cutting her eyes in Damian’s direction. A sneer stretched Damian’s thin lips wide. “What? I’m not good enough? Used to be a time when you couldn’t wait to…dance…for me.” Sienna caught Carlos in her peripheral vision, near the bar. She turned her eyes toward Damian. “I don’t think so. You’ve got it twisted. I think you’ve got me confused with someone else. You never had it like that with me, Damian.” When Damian blushed, his lips tightened angrily. She knew she’d scored a direct hit. She knew she came off hard—harder than Damian was used to—but she wanted to present an image of a
41 “D amn it!” Runninghorse cursed. “Sir, we’ve lost communication with Ms. Featherstone,” one of his agents, who’d accompanied him on the yacht, said into his earpiece. “What do we do?” “Just hold off. I’m going to the suite,” he muttered. He looked around the crowded room and spotted another uniformed man who worked as wait staff. He walked over and handed him a silver platter filled with crystal goblets of champagne. “Going to take a piss. Take this,” he said, handing the man the tray. Without waiting to hear a reply, he swiftly left the room. “Do you need us to meet you there, sir?” “No. Stay put. I’ll contact you if I need assistance,” Runninghorse replied quietly. “What about the detective and his partner? Do I let them know that—” “No,” Jake interrupted. “I don’t want him busting in here, fucking up any chance to catch Medeiros.” Jake briskly pushed past a couple, his attention focused on getting upstairs to Medeiros’s suite. “Yes, sir,” the agent replied, and Jake cut communica
42 S ienna’s eyes widened with panic. “Now?” “Sí. I have my man waiting to take us. He is in my helicopter. It is on the yacht.” When he saw her eyes widen, he continued. “Wealth has many privileges, this is but one. To be able to leave at a given notice is necessary, in my line of work. “You will not have to work anymore, querida. You will have whatever your heart desires. Your only job will be to please me.” His lust-filled eyes darkened. “No one else will dare touch you.” “Special?” she asked, stalling his hands by placing her shaky hands on top of his, trying her best to get his mind away from his obvious desire to strip her clothes. “Just like the others. Just like the one you are replacing. You will be mine, to service only me. You will want for nothing. All of your desires will be fulfilled. Clothes, diamonds, jewels, cars, more wealth than you could dream of.” “The others? You’ve had other special women?” she asked, moving away from him, casually making her way toward the door.
43 S ienna flinched when she heard a popping sound in her ear. Something had gone wrong with the communication device and her fear turned to stone-cold dread. Sienna knew that she had to tread lightly with him. She had no idea where Mac or Runninghorse was, or if they’d get to her before he hurt her. She hoped to God the men knew she was in trouble and were on their way. The demented, crazed look in Carlos’s eyes told her he was teetering on the edge. When he released her, she stumbled back, watching him warily. He pulled her with him, dragging her to the large desk in the corner of the room. “What are you doing?” She cringed when he yanked harder on her hair, dragging her to the desk in the corner of the room. He laughed harshly before replying. “Come now, mi belleza, you did not really think I thought your boyfriend would allow you to come here, without accompanying you, did you?” “Wha…” Her voice faltered when he turned his dark eyes in her direction. “Surely, you do not believe I a
44 “W hat the fuck is going on? Why have we lost communication with her?” Mac yelled into the small microphone headpiece. “This wasn’t part of the plan. She wasn’t supposed to be alone with that motherfucker!” “There’s some type of interference, but we got what we need in order to bring Carlos in,” Runninghorse spoke calmly. “I don’t give a shit about that! Sienna could be in danger—I’m coming in!” Mac barked, angrily. “She’s safe. My men and I will get her out. Just stay calm and stay put. You charging in won’t—” Mac ripped the headpiece off and slammed out of the chair. “Man, where the hell are you going?” Kyle asked, turning his body around to face Mac as he opened the passenger side of the van. “I’m not sitting around here waiting for Runninghorse to give me permission. Sienna needs me.” He jumped out of the van and turned to Kyle. “You coming?” “Shit! Wait up!” Kyle heard the distinct sound of the charging handle on Mac’s 9mm pulled. Before he could close his door, Mac was already
45 A s Carlos dragged her along, toward the door, Sienna’s eyes darted around the room until they lit upon a crystal vase that was filled with flowers. She allowed him to continue to pull at her, and when they reached the vase, she twisted her body away from his, grabbed it with both hands and slammed the vase over his head. The crystal shattered into a thousand pieces, raining down over him. “You goddamn bitch!” he howled in pain. He released her and grabbed his head, blood trickling down from the gash in his temple. Sienna wasted no time, and began to run toward the door. The heel of one stiletto caught in the rug, and with a cry, she went down, landing on her knees. She glanced over her shoulder in time to see Carlos’s looming body moments before he tackled her, crashing down on her back, her body slamming into the floor, facedown. “You are going to pay for that, bitch!” he threatened. He rolled with her on the carpet, until he was straddling her, then slapped her so hard, her head
46 “N o!” Mac bellowed in a primal yell of denial. Sienna was lying still, head to the side, eyes closed, with blood oozing down her face, trapped beneath Carlos Medeiros’s prone body. The sight of her unmoving body propelled Mac into action. His long strides took him to Sienna’s side and he roughly shoved the man’s body away from hers. He spared only a passing glance at Medeiros’s still body before squatting down to Sienna’s side. He lifted her body and pulled it into the cradle of his arms, thumbing the hair away from her face. He placed two fingers at her pulse point under her chin, and the reassuring, steady thud filled him with overwhelming relief. Her eyes fluttered open, a moan escaping from her lips, and he crushed her to his body. “Oh God, baby, please be okay!” he said, and felt his eyes burn with the sting of tears. Her swollen, bruised lips moved and she whispered something inaudible. “What is it, Sienna? Baby, are you okay?” he asked tenderly. “Ummm,” she groaned, clenchin
47 “M ac, I’m fine. I can walk!” Sienna protested when Mac opened the car door and lifted her into his arms. “Hush up and enjoy the ride, woman.” Sienna gave up protesting and linked her arms around his neck. Although she had only an overnight stay—at Mac’s insistence—Sienna was more than ready to come home. When they reached her door, he looked at her expectantly. With a sigh, she handed him her key and allowed him to unlock it and walk inside with her in his arms. Once inside, he turned on the lights and walked with her over to her small living room. After gently depositing her on the sofa, he turned on a small lamp. “I’ll go make you something to eat.” He lifted the small blanket on the sofa and covered her, tucking the ends around her. Sienna hid her grin. Over the last twenty-four hours, he’d been treating her as though she would break. “I’m not really hungry,” she said, nestling into the sofa. “You need to eat something, baby.” “I’m fine, Mac,” she told his retreating back. She s
Epilogue
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