Submission and Surrender
Book Two in The Billionaire’s Temptation Series
By Cali MacKay
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Submission
and Surrender
The Billionaire’s Temptation Series
By Cali MacKay
Copyright © 2014 by Cali MacKay
Published by Daeron Publishing
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner
whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher or author, except for the use of
brief quotations in a book review. The story contained within is the work of fiction. Names and
characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual person’s living
or dead, is entirely coincidental. This story contains explicit sexual scenes and adult language and is
only for readers over the age of 18.
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing, 2014, edition 1.0
ISBN: 978-1-940041-21-6
I’d like to dedicate this book to my family and my amazing readers, for all they do. A million thank
you’s!!!
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Submission and Surrender
Chapter One
Sitting alone at the hotel bar, Hadley let out a ragged breath and wrestled with her emotions as
she hung up with her lawyer, his words still echoing in her head. After two long years of legal
wrangling, her divorce was final.
Tears stung her eyes, even though it felt like she could finally breathe again without the weight
of her past sitting on her chest. Matt had been a lying, cheating bastard, and yet at one point they’d
truly loved each other—or at least she’d thought they had. But that was before she’d lost herself in her
work, taking on one case after another, and before Matt lost his job, started gambling away everything
they owned and then cheated on her with some woman he’d met in therapy.
Trying to ignore the steady thump of loud music that made its way over the speakers, she took
a long swig of her beer, thinking it ironic that she was a police consultant—a special investigator, no
less—and yet she’d managed to ignore all the signs that’d been right under her nose. Part of her
wondered if it’d just been easier for her to remain oblivious rather than to try to deal with a
crumbling marriage.
And then Matt cleaned out her savings on a week-long excursion to Vegas with his girlfriend.
That had been the slap in the face she’d needed.
They’d then spent the next few years with him promising to clean up his act and her hating him
each time he’d lapsed back into his old habits. He’d refused to get help, and after she’d caught him
cheating once more, that had been the last straw.
Vowing never to let love cloud her judgment again, she’d packed her bags and filed for
divorce.
Two years ago.
Part of her felt as though she should be celebrating, but there was an even bigger part of her
that felt like she’d failed. Failed to see the truth. Failed to keep her marriage together. Failed at being
a wife.
The only thing she was good at was her job. And at this point, her job was the only thing she
had left. Her cases. Solving her mysteries. At least she was making a difference by putting criminals
behind bars and solving cases that had hit a wall.
She supposed she could blame her failed marriage on The Curse—the curse of the Moore
women that always resulted in them picking shitty men. Her gran, her mom, her sister, herself…every
one of them had been screwed over and messed around with.
She’d thought she’d picked a good one with Matt—and he had been a great husband at the
beginning. He’d showed her what it was like to be happy, and he’d made her want that sort of a fairy-
tale romance. And then the curse hit, and it all went down the stinking toilet after he got laid off and
ended up with far too much time on his hands—time he’d spent gambling and then fucking other
women when he was supposed to be getting help with his problem. At least they hadn’t brought kids
into that mess.
Knowing it’d be far too easy to let her past drag her down, Hadley vowed to make the most of
this new start—this new life. She was finally free of her past and she could start fresh. Leave her
mistakes and the curse behind. Find out who she really was when she didn’t have baggage pulling her
down into a pit of desperation and threatening to drown her.
With her eyes still on her beer, she felt the air around her shift as someone took a seat next to
her. She barely needed a sideways glance to take in the details. Male, tall, far too much cheap
cologne, and since there were plenty of other seats at the bar and he’d decided instead to crowd her,
it meant that he was going to be a nuisance.
“I’ll have what the pretty lady’s having, and one more for her.” To her, he said, “Name’s
Ryan.”
Hadley let out a sigh, and shifted in her seat to face him, managing a small smile as she took
him in. Too young, too built, too full of himself, and too drunk, if she had to guess. “I appreciate it, but
I’m all set. Thanks.”
“I’m just trying to buy you a drink, princess.” Leaning against her, he closed in on her space,
brushing her hair off her shoulder in a move that earned him a glare. “Can’t a guy buy you a drink, or
do you think you’re too good for me? You haven’t even told me your name.”
“I think I’m done here.” She didn’t want to get into it, and he wasn’t worth the aggravation.
The only reason she was even at the hotel was because she was helping with a new case and it was
too far from home for her to commute.
She slipped off the stool when he grabbed her arm. “Hey…where you going? I want to get to
know you better. Have a bit of fun. Come on…stay and have a drink.”
Why…why couldn’t she just be left alone to wallow in her misery? She’d wanted a bit of a
distraction, but not this. She yanked free of his grasp, fire in her eyes. “Buddy—touch me again, and
you’ll live to regret it.”
“Ooo, spunky. I like that.” Ryan got to his feet, and though she never thought of herself as short
at five six, the guy was tall. And big. She could take care of herself, but he could easily pick her up
off her feet and plant her. If she was a cop, she’d have a badge to scare him away with, but she
wasn’t. She was a consulting investigator, which meant no badge, no gun, no handcuffs. “Don’t go…
Someone so pretty shouldn’t be alone. And I really like you. Don’t you want to really like me too?”
Yep. Definitely drunk, which meant that there was no chance of successfully reasoning with
him. With a jolt of adrenaline kicking into her system, she backed up a step—and right into a wall of
muscle, her fear spiking as she wondered if he’d brought a friend.
The stranger stepped around her and put himself between her and the jerk harassing her.
“She’s not alone. Not anymore. And she’s already told you she’s not interested. Now take your drink
and get the fuck out of here.”
“I saw her first, so you can fuck off. Go find your own. This one’s mine.”
As big as Ryan was, the guy coming to her defense was just as big, if not bigger. And the way
he moved—he might be muscular, but there was an ease in his movements that made her think he’d be
quick and dangerous.
And he was. He dodged a blow, and before she could really see what was happening, her
stranger had Ryan pinned to the bar with his arm twisted painfully around his back as he groaned in
pain. “You need to leave, or I’m going to make sure you regret it. Are we clear?”
“Fuck…let go of me, man. I didn’t mean anything by it.” Ryan struggled to get free but it
wasn’t happening.
Her handsome stranger yanked him upright, though he’d yet to let go of Ryan’s arm, twisting it
so it was clearly painful. “Apologize to the lady for touching her.”
“I’m sorry. Fuck…let go of me, man. That fucking hurts.” He was set free with a shove that
put plenty of distance between them, looking over his shoulder as he slunk back towards a dark
corner on the other side of the bar.
“Thanks.” Though Hadley could have probably taken care of the guy herself—with a whole
lot of effort and no guarantees—it was damn nice not to have to. Especially when the guy coming to
her aid was smoking hot. He was everything that other guy had tried but failed to be.
“Are you okay?” His worried gaze took her in, as he put a gentle hand on her arm and steered
her away from the bar. Except that this time, she wasn’t bothered by someone touching her. Not in the
least.
“I am. Thanks for asking—and thanks for dealing with that asshole.” Her heart was now
racing for an entirely different reason. There was something about the guy standing in front her that
made her crappy mood disappear.
He was damn good-looking, in a way that combined rugged and refined. His dark brown hair
looked casually mussed like he’d been running his hands through it, and he had just enough stubble on
his strong jaw to make his bright blue eyes stand out. Though he looked as though he could wear
anything from flannel to a suit and look damn good in any of it, he’d continued that rugged yet refined
theme by pairing worn jeans that fit him perfectly and a pair of scuffed Docs, with a navy cashmere
sweater that hugged every muscle and fit him perfectly.
“My name’s Hadley, by the way.” She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear, and tried to
remember the last time she’d attempted to flirt. It’d been ages. But if ever there was a time to attempt
it, this would be it, given that gorgeous guys like the one before her never wandered into her life.
“Gabe. It’s a pleasure.” He tilted his head towards the other end of the bar with a disarming
smile. “Not that you want a repeat, but can I buy you a drink? Or would you rather get out of here?”
He ran a gentle finger down her cheek and leaned in just a little, lowering his head to hers so the air
between them crackled with sexual tension.
Before meeting Gabe, she’d been ready to go back to her room and dig into the case file she’d
just picked up the police station. But now? She was thinking that after such a crappy day, she could
easily do with a distraction as good-looking as Gabe, especially since it’d been years since she’d let
a guy get close.
Managing a flirty smile—at least she hoped it was flirty—she leaned into him and went onto
the tips of her toes so she could whisper in his ear. “I think I’d like to get out of here—if you’re up for
it.”
“Oh, I’m definitely up for it, sweetheart.” He slipped his hand up the back of her neck and
pulled her close, nuzzling her as he brushed her lips in a kiss that shot right through her and left her
desperate for more.
She never did this sort of thing. Never. But hadn’t she just been thinking that she wanted to
start a new chapter in her life, and she wanted a change? Well, Gabe couldn’t be any more perfect for
kicking off her new life with a bang.
She no longer wanted to be the woman trapped in a bad marriage, or the woman who’d
forgotten how to have fun. It’d been a long time since she’d felt any sort of happiness outside of a job
well done, and she was still far too young to feel so defeated and dejected.
She needed this. She needed to forget her past, her failures, even if it was for just one night.
And after feeling like she hadn’t been good enough for an ass-wipe like Matt, she desperately needed
to feel wanted, even if it was for something purely physical.
Slipping a strong arm around her shoulder, Gabe held her close as he led them out of the bar
and into the hotel lobby, his hard body pressed against hers as if giving her a preview of what was to
come. She couldn’t quite believe she was going to do this, and she hated to admit it, but her nerves
were getting the better of her, her heart racing like it might jump out of her chest.
“You seem nervous, sweetheart.” He slowed them to a stop and pulled her close, his grip on
her hips firm enough to ramp her excitement up another notch. “Anything I can do to help?”
“Yeah…kiss me.” This was a fresh start, a new her, and she refused to overthink it. She
needed this. More than anything.
“Happy to, babe.” Cupping her face, he knotted his large hands in her hair and dragged her up
to him, covering her mouth in a kiss that was sweet yet passionate enough to have her breath catching.
His tongue darted past her lips as his kiss deepened, causing her clit to throb with a heavy pressure
that begged for release. He pulled away, but only for a moment before dragging her back to him and
biting her bottom lip, his words spoken against her skin on a needy breath. “Fuck…I want you,
Hadley.”
With her heart hammering inside her chest, she hooked her fingers through the loops of his
jeans and pulled his hips to her, making it impossible to ignore his long, hard length—and damn if that
didn’t make him all the more irresistible. “It’s been a really long time since anyone’s wanted me.”
“That’s just so fucking wrong, sweetheart.”
Chapter Two
With someone gunning for him and his family, and one of his brothers ending up in the hospital
as a result of it, Gabe had been having one hell of a fucking crap-tastic month—until he’d spotted
Hadley. She was just what he needed to distract himself from his problems.
Except that he could already tell there was something different about her, something that made
him think she’d be nothing like his usual fare of women. The girl sure as hell stood out in a sea of
females. He’d give her that.
She wasn’t very tall, but she had one hell of a body on her, though it was athletic more than
curvy—and fuck, but that probably meant she had amazing stamina. Her blue eyes were fiercely
intelligent and utterly captivating, she had long brown hair he wanted to fist his hands in, and her full,
red lips would look perfect wrapped around his hard cock.
So then how the hell could she not feel wanted? And who the hell would be stupid enough to
neglect her or pass her up? Not him, that’s for fucking sure.
Gabe slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him with a firm hold as he nipped at her
ear and down her neck, taking immense pleasure in the way her body shuddered against his in
response. When he spoke, his voice betrayed his need for her, though he did nothing to mask his
desire or his hard-on as it pressed against her. “Where would you like to go, sweetheart? We can take
this as slow or as fast as you need. No pressure.”
Nervous as she seemed, it was clear to him that she didn’t normally sleep with guys she’d
only just met. He desperately wanted to fuck her, but he didn’t want to push her into sex if she wasn’t
ready for it, even if he’d no doubt regret doing the honorable thing.
She nuzzled his neck as her hands slipped up his chest, her voice barely a whisper against his
skin. “I don’t want to take things slow, Gabe. I don’t want to overthink it—and I’ll do just that if you
give me half a chance.”
Then Gabe would just have to distract her. When he dragged his teeth over the pulse in her
neck, she let out a needy whimper and leaned against him, her body instantly responsive to his every
touch.
Her breath caught as she leaned into him, the need in her voice evident. “Damn, Gabe…you’re
really good at this sort of thing.”
“It only gets better from here, babe. I promise.” He needed her. Now. And if she was willing,
then there was no way he was going to put off sinking his cock into her tight little pussy.
He owned the penthouse suite in the very building they were in—hell, he and his brothers
owned the entire hotel—but he never brought women up there. It was his home, and he liked his
privacy. “Let me get us a room.”
She dug her key out of the back pocket of her jeans. “No need. I’m staying here on business.”
Even as she said the words, he was already pulling her towards the elevators, desperate to get her
naked. “Third floor.”
The moment the doors of the elevator slid closed and it was just the two of them, he was on
her, pinning her to the elevator wall and claiming her mouth in a bruising kiss, ignoring the security
camera. Let them fucking watch, for all he cared, because he wasn’t waiting a moment more.
He grabbed her ass with both hands and lifted her, her legs wrapping around his waist, their
kiss deepening as he pressed her against the elevator wall, his erection trapped between them,
seeking out her heat. With one arm around his neck, her other hand tangled in his hair, as she tugged
him to her, her hips grinding against his hard cock. The door rang and slid open, but he held onto her,
carrying her off the elevator as she bit his neck, not willing to let her go for even a moment. “Fuck…
what room are you in, sweetheart?”
“Three twelve.” Another bite had him sucking in a breath, pain and pleasure becoming one, as
he carried her to her door, where she swiped her key card and let them in.
Gabe barely registered the door closing behind them as he headed to the bed, only breaking
away from their kisses long enough to strip off their clothing in a hurried frenzy. Fuck, the girl was
gorgeous. Pert breasts and toned legs, with just enough curves to soften her figure.
Laying down by her side, he sucked a nipple into his mouth, teasing it with his tongue, as his
hand drifted up the smooth skin of her thigh to find her so slick, his fingers slipped into her
effortlessly. He couldn’t help but let out a needy groan of desperation. “Hadley…you’re so fucking
wet, so ready for me.”
Her breaths were coming in shallow gasps. She shifted her hips to meet the thrusting of his
fingers as her small hand wrapped around his hard cock to stroke him, pushing all thoughts of taking
this slow out of his mind. “It’s been so long, Gabe…I can’t even tell you.”
“That’s just wrong, sweetheart. So fucking wrong. A girl like you should always have her
needs met. Always.” He needed her…needed to taste her, needed to fuck her until they were both
spent. Sated.
Still sliding his fingers in and out of her at a torturously slow pace, Gabe nestled himself
between her legs, loving how her hips shifted and her body undulated to meet his strokes. He kissed
his way up her thighs, his stubble brushing against the delicate skin as she sucked in little gasps of air.
And when he pressed a firm tongue to her clit and lapped at it, sucking and nipping at the swollen nub
of sensitive flesh, he loved that she buried her fingers in his hair, loved the little pants and moans that
escaped her.
Gabe reached up and pinched a nipple, twisting it between his thumb and finger as her hips
arched up to meet his tongue, his name falling from her lips like a spring rain, over and over and over
again. He swore, he didn’t think he’d ever tire of hearing his name said like that.
He felt her body tightening and tensing around his fingers, her hips moving against his mouth,
while his rhythm increased and grew rough. And then she was coming, crying out as her orgasm tore
through her, her body quivering and shuddering in his arms.
He wanted nothing more than to bury himself in her slick heat, skin to skin, but he fought the
urge and managed to pull away just long enough to find his jeans and dig out a condom. He tore at the
package with his teeth and slipped it on his hard length with an experienced hand.
Reaching for him, she pulled him to her, her legs wrapping around his hips as he sunk deep
inside her with a single thrust. She cried out with a ragged gasp, her body so fucking tight around his
cock, he knew he had to give her a moment to adjust to his size. “You okay, babe?”
“Yeah…you’re just really…big. And it’s been a really long time…” She shifted her hips a
little, slowly grinding against him as her body stretched around his girth and length.
He had no doubt that once he started to move, there’d be no holding back. “Sweetheart, I’d
like to take this slow for you, but the honest truth is I don’t know how successful I’ll manage to be.”
Already, his hips were moving, as if by their own volition, clearly ignoring anything his head
had to say on the matter. And yet, hers were moving too, increasing the pace of their lovemaking, as
her legs tightened and pulled him in even closer, deeper, with each thrust.
“I don’t want you to hold back, Gabe. I want all of you. Whatever you have to give me…” Her
blue eyes fluttered closed, and with her words rattling around in his head, it was nearly his undoing.
The fact that she was willing to take him, to have all of him, to take whatever he wanted to give her,
and to mean it so sincerely…it had been a long time since any woman messed with his head like that.
He took her hard and rough, each thrust pulling another gasp from her lips, the entire bed
shaking as he drove into her, pushing them both closer to orgasm. Hooking her leg, he raised it up
onto his shoulder, opening her up even further to him, as her eyes went wide and she started mumbling
his name as if it were a mantra.
“Look at me, sweetheart.” He lowered his forehead to hers, his pace quickening as he
punctuated each thrust with a shift of his hips, slamming into her. “Don’t you dare close your eyes,
babe…I want you looking at me when I make you come. I want you to see who’s bringing you
pleasure.”
“I’m so fucking close, Gabe. Fuck me…that’s it…” When she raked her fingers down his
back, and started to come, he couldn’t hold back, the flicker of pain pushing him over the edge. He let
loose with a grunt, his cock pulsing as he came harder than he could ever remember, her body
quivering under him as her eyes slipped shut.
“Babe…” He kissed her sweetly, and then again. But his mind was already on taking her again
and again. The poor girl wouldn’t be able to walk straight by the time he was through with her. And
even then, he had to wonder if it’d be enough. He pulled free of her and tossed the condom in the
trash, before pulling her back into his arms.
“I think my neighbors might complain to the hotel.” She couldn’t help but laugh—and blush. “I
wasn’t very quiet, was I?”
“Don’t worry about a thing, sweetheart. You can scream my name to your heart’s content. I
promise, the hotel won’t mind.” Not when it was his hotel. He couldn’t help but smile as he ran his
hand down her back to grab her ass, kissing her again as his cock hardened, already wanting more of
her.
There was something about her being so willing, especially when she clearly didn’t do this
sort of thing often. And it was messing with his head. Making him want her in a way he rarely wanted
any of the other women he was with.
“Come on, babe…I’m not through with you yet. I’ve yet to have my fill of you, and I’m going
to make sure we make up for all the times you should have had your world rocked.”
Chapter Three
Hadley reached out to turn off her alarm clock, only to realize that she was entangled in
something heavy. Oh, fuck…not something…but rather someone. She pushed Gabe’s arm off her,
trying not to panic as she killed the alarm and he stirred awake.
“Where are you going, sweetheart?” Gabe’s voice was still thick with sleep as his strong arm
slipped around her waist and pulled her close, spooning her from behind, so his hard cock pressed
against her inquiringly and left her flustered. “I was hoping for an early morning replay of last night.
No better way to start the day, as far as I’m concerned.”
She pushed his hand away as it reached up to cup a breast and pinch a nipple, despite the jolt
of need traveling right to her aching clit, her body clearly remembering Gabe and all he was capable
of. She tried to extricate herself from his grasp, though her traitorous body was already making her
second-guess herself as the pleasant soreness between her legs reminded her of just how many times
the man had made her come, and just how mind-blowingly good those orgasms had been.
Before she succumbed to his warmth, his wandering hands, and most importantly, his all-too-
enticing erection, she hopped out of bed and hastily threw on a tank and sweats, needing to put some
distance between them. “Get up, Gabe. You need to go and I’ve got to get to work. I’ve got an
important meeting, and I can’t be late.”
What the hell had she been thinking to sleep with a total stranger? She didn’t even know his
last name, for fuck’s sake. It must have been some sort of post-divorce crisis that made her lapse into
wild and irresponsible behavior.
Or the fact that she hadn’t gotten laid in years.
She flicked on the bathroom light, and with her panic now mounting, she started gathering his
clothes up off the floor where they’d been discarded haphazardly the night before, and tossed them
onto the bed. “You need to go. Now.”
“Fuck…all right. I’ll get up.” Gabe rolled out of bed and stood there, stretching as he ran a
hand through his hair so it stood up on end, his hard-on at full attention so that he made one hell of a
striking silhouette against the light of the bathroom.
Damn…the man was hot.
She shook her head to clear it of all thoughts that involved Gabe naked, though it was hard to
ignore the ache and pleasant soreness between her legs. It had been so long since she’d had sex, and
last night had more than made up for it. Gabe had not only been exceptional in bed, but he’d proved
that he could go all night, and that cock of his…well, it was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Crap! He was distracting her again. “I’m sorry, but you need to go.” Because if he didn’t,
there was a very good chance that she’d climb up that fine body of his and impale herself on his
morning wood.
Once he had his jeans and shoes on, she shoved his sweater against his chest and was pushing
him towards the door, her hands on his washboard abs. He grabbed her hips, and spun them both, so
she found herself pinned to the wall, as he lowered his mouth to hers in a demanding kiss that forced
her to yield to him. Her body softened against his, as her hands reached down to stroke him through
his jeans, the feel of him like steel against her palm, and her body clearly not listening to anything her
brain was screaming.
“Babe…are you sure you want me to leave? ’Cause I’ve got to say, it doesn’t really seem like
you want me to go. And you know me, I’m happy to fuck you again. Over…and over…and over…”
His words were spoken between kisses as his hands slipped up her side to pinch her nipples through
the all too thin fabric of her tank top. “I promise, I’ll make it worth your while.”
She swallowed a needy moan and then, somehow, found the strength to push him away and
shove him towards the door. “You need to go. Now.”
“Babe…you know you want me.”
And she did, damn it. Which was why, as soon as she managed to get him over the threshold
and into the hall, she mumbled, “Thanks, Gabe. It was really fun.” And then quickly shut the door
behind him.
***
Hadley had planned to use her evening to familiarize herself with her new case file. Instead,
she’d spent her time straddling Gabe and having multiple orgasms. Not a bad way to spend the night,
but it certainly didn’t leave her feeling prepared for her brief.
It had been a last-minute assignment, after her co-worker Wilson had come down with some
sort of stomach flu, which meant she hadn’t had the time to do her usual prep. She hated going into
something like this blind, but she had no choice.
McFee Consulting, the company she worked for, had been hired to come in and consult with
the Portmore Police Department. They were coming up empty in their search, and didn’t have the
resources to keep digging when there were no new leads. Since it was technically the Rykers who’d
hired McFee to work with the police, Hadley knew from experience that there was a good chance her
help wouldn’t be welcome, even though the Ryker family was the one footing the bill.
At least she’d been sent someplace nice. Portmore had to be one of the prettiest towns in all
of New England. Right on the water, it was an eclectic mix of centuries-old historic buildings down
by the port, and gorgeous new architecture flanking it. The town could easily do well with only the
tourist industry it had going, but it’d also diversified to include a healthy business trade with several
large companies basing their operations out of the quaint seaside town.
The police department was relatively large, given the size of the town, though its resources
were still limited. There just wasn’t much need for a massive police force given the lack of crime, yet
there was now a credible threat to deal with. Though McFee Consulting normally dealt with
investigations and security, it was often hired to assist on cases that were losing traction.
She climbed the stone steps to the police station, her file clutched to her chest with one hand
as she dug around in her purse for the ID card she’d been given. Although she was on time for her
meeting, she hadn’t had the chance to do anything more than glance at the particulars on the case, no
thanks to Gabe’s distractions. Not that she was complaining. It was a one-time lapse of judgment that
would have to sustain her for a long time to come, if her track record were anything to go by.
The clerk buzzed her in when she showed her ID, now clipped to the pocket of her suit jacket.
“They’re expecting you—down the hall and to the conference room on your right.”
“Thanks.” Heading down the hall, Hadley did her best to ignore her nerves, even as her
shoulders tensed. Too often she was seen as an outsider coming along to stick her nose in an
investigation that she had no right to, and though most of the officers were normally civil or
appreciative, the feeling wasn’t usually unanimous.
She opened the file to sneak a quick glance at the information she should have already
familiarized herself with as she neared the conference room, flipping rapidly from one page to the
next. Ryker Investments…a fire at the Old Port Bistro…two of the Ryker brothers being run off the
road… She scanned the pictures as she pulled the door open and stepped into the room—the burnt-out
building, the wrecked car, and—fuck!
“Ms. Moore.” The chief of the Portmore police department stood and shook her hand, but her
gaze settled on a different man in the room, and she couldn’t for the life of her pull her eyes away
from his smug grin.
Her face felt like it was on fire, and how she managed to refocus her attention on what was
being said, she hadn’t a goddamn clue. “Chief Adams. I appreciate you letting me help with your
investigation.”
Adams waved his hand around to the other people assembled in the room. “Detective
Murphy’s been handling the investigation up until now, so I’ve partnered you with him. He’ll catch
you up on everything he’s found so far and will be here to assist you with whatever it is you need.
Investigator Langst completed the arson report and can go over those details with you when you’re
ready. And this is Quinn Ryker, and his brother, Gabriel Ryker, from Ryker Investments, which has
been the focus of the attacks. Gentlemen, this is Ms. Hadley Moore from McFee Consulting.”
Gabriel…Gabe…shit. This was not good. Not. Fucking. Good.
With the only available seats either across from Gabe or sitting right next to him, Hadley
opted for the one across the table, though she wasn’t sure she’d chosen wisely when it became
impossible to avoid the full force of his gaze. His mere presence in the room was frying her brain
cells and making it near impossible for her to concentrate on what Adams was saying as he reviewed
the timeline of the incidents.
Avoiding Gabe’s gaze, she forced herself to focus, knowing she’d sound like a complete idiot
if she was caught not paying attention. Flipping through the pages of the file she’d been given, she
scanned the information, doing her best to pick up on key items. Luckily, this was only the preliminary
meeting to get her introduced to the key players, and she’d be allowed to go through all the
information in detail once the meeting adjourned.
“I’ll likely want to speak to the people you’ve already interviewed, just so I can get a read on
them for myself.” She scanned through the list of witnesses and suspects, doing her best to focus on
her work. Someone had to know something, and she’d get it out of them whether they wanted to give
up that information or not. The one thing she was good at was reading people. Too bad her skill only
seemed to revolve around those prone to criminal mischief, and only if she wasn’t personally
involved with them.
Gabe’s deep voice sent a shiver of need through to her very core. “I’ve cleared my schedule
over the next several days in order to help you gather whatever information you might need on our
business and competitors.”
“Thanks. I’d, um…I’d like to get started immediately, if that’s possible.” Damn it. She was
blushing and stammering like an idiot.
How the hell was she going to keep him at a distance when she’d be stuck working with him?
As if he’d read her mind, Gabe wasn’t blatant enough to grin at her outright, but there was definitely
humor in his eyes—and she knew exactly what it meant. Especially after she’d booted him out the
door earlier that morning.
“We can get started after this meeting, if that works for you.” He tipped his head towards her,
and there—there was the smile that she’d been waiting for. A smile that would tell everyone in the
room that they’d slept together. That she had slept with one of the main subjects of her investigation.
That he’d fucked her from one mind-blowing orgasm to the next.
She didn’t know if she’d lose her job over it, seeing that she hadn’t known who he was prior
to their encounter, but it’d tarnish her reputation irreparably with the police departments she worked
directly with and it could mean trouble for McFee Consulting. If she were a guy, she might get away
with a bit of good-natured ribbing or a slap on the wrist. But as a woman? Things may have gotten
better over the years with regards to the way women were treated in such an old-school, male-
dominated field, but there was still a double standard, and she knew what people would think and
say. Her hard-earned reputation would be ruined.
Adams grabbed his papers and tapped them into a neat pile. “Well, that’s about it. Let us
know if there’s any way we might be able to help. Murphy, when will you be ready for Ms. Moore?”
“I’ll be able to shift fully to this case in a few days’ time. My apologies for the delay but I
have an active case that needs to get wrapped up first.” Murphy gave her a kind smile that made her
think she wouldn’t mind working with him.
Adams shook her hand. “Welcome to Portmore, Ms. Moore.”
Chapter Four
Gabe could not believe it. He’d been sorely annoyed and bothered about the way Hadley had
thrown him out that morning, without so much as a farewell fuck, and his cock had been even
unhappier. No phone number. Not even a last name. But now? Damn…this was going to be too much
fun.
Little Miss Sherlock. He’d have never guessed it.
It was clear she hadn’t a clue as to who he was prior to walking into that meeting, and he
swore, if the girl had a tricky heart, it’d have likely given out right then and there. The look on her
face had been priceless, and the blush across her cheeks had flamed as if she’d been kissed directly
by the sun. And damn, but he wanted her again, his cock standing to attention when it was clear by the
look on her face that she was thinking of their night together.
She couldn’t have looked finer, all put together like that. Navy suit with a pencil skirt that
showed the expanse of slender legs he’d been kissing only hours before, and a silky pink blouse that
lent a touch of femininity. And heels—fuck, the girl had worn high spindly ones that did amazing
things to those legs of hers—and damn, but that did amazing things to his cock, too.
Once Adams brought the meeting to an end, Gabe got to his feet and leaned in towards his
brother. “I’ll meet up with you later. I want to make sure our pretty little investigator has all the
information she needs to get started on the investigation.”
Quinn kept his voice low so no one would overhear, though the look he gave Gabe made it
clear he knew something was up—and he knew the nature of it, too. “Gabe…for fuck’s sake. Don’t.”
Gabe couldn’t help the shit-eating grin that sprang to his lips. “Too late, man. That ship’s
already sailed.”
Leaving his brother behind, Gabe managed to tone down his grin as he wandered around the
conference table to Hadley’s side. “Ms. Moore. I’m ready if you are. Would you prefer to go over
this here, or would you rather convene in my office?” Or my bed? With your lips wrapped around
my cock? With you bent over as I fuck you until your knees buckle and you’re screaming my name
as I tear orgasm after orgasm from your sweet little body?
The poor girl looked mortified, her entire body rigid as another wave of heat blushed her
cheeks with…arousal? A promise of retribution? Fury? Not that it mattered when he was going to
have so much fun.
He could even see her racing pulse, beating just under the skin on her neck—soft flesh that he
was desperate to feast upon once again. Her eyes flitted around the room as people filed out, and if he
was reading her right, he didn’t think she wanted to be under anyone’s scrutiny more than she had to.
She took a deep breath and pursed her lips together. “I suppose your office is best so we can
access all your accounts and files.”
“Excellent. I’ll drive since you’re new to town.” Gabe tried not to look triumphant—since he
didn’t even know what he was triumphant about—but he just couldn’t help himself, even if he
managed to suppress most of it.
Maybe it had to do with the fact that he’d had an amazing time with her. She’d been a hell of a
lot more fun than anyone he’d been with in a long time, and though he usually stuck to a strict one-date
rule, he found himself wanting to make an exception for Hadley if it meant the chance to fuck her
again.
He led the way out of the police station and towards his car, but the moment they were a safe
distance away from anyone who might overhear, she started cursing under her breath. “What the hell,
Gabe? I could lose my job over this.”
“Babe…I swear, I had no idea.” He grabbed her hand but she yanked it free, and damn, but
that did not make him happy. Though he loved all that incendiary heat between them, he hated the fact
that he was truly stressing her out—and hated it even more that she was pushing him away.
Well, that was one challenge issued—and one he’d happily rise to take.
“Don’t touch me, Gabe. From here on out, our relationship is strictly professional. Last night?
That never happened.” Despite being nearly a foot shorter than him, he had to pick up his pace to
keep up with her, her stride brisk even in those heels. “And don’t call me babe.”
“But, babe…” He had to laugh when she glared at him. “I had fun last night, and frankly, I
want you wrapped around my cock again. I want to make you come, darling, and I fucking want to
watch your face when you come undone in my arms.”
He unlocked the door to his car and she got in before he had a chance to say anything else.
Letting out a sigh, he tried to remember the last time a woman had given him such a hard time—and
came up blank. He slipped in behind the wheel of his SUV and pulled out onto the road, heading for
his office.
“Look, I don’t mean to be a bitch, but it was a one-time thing. That’s it. It’s not happening
again.” She shook her head, and shifted in her seat to face him. “I’ve worked too damn hard to screw
up my career because you think it’s fun to toy with me about one night that was clearly a huge
mistake.”
“I get that you don’t want to get into trouble at work and you’ve got your reputation to
consider. But fuck, Hadley…” He didn’t want to argue with her, but he refused to let her dismiss him
as if he didn’t matter, especially after the way she booted him out the door that morning. “It was no
mistake when I made you come—too many times to count, mind you. And if you don’t remember
screaming out my name in fucking ecstasy, then maybe I need to refresh your memory.”
Gabe didn’t know why she’d gotten under his skin—and in less than twenty-four hours—but
she had, damn it. And he wasn’t happy about it. Now, she was like some goddamned itch he needed to
scratch—except she wasn’t letting him find any relief.
“Last night never happened, as far as I’m concerned. Do you hear me, Gabe? Never.
Happened.” She pulled her file out of her bag and started flipping through the papers, although as fast
as she was going from one page to the other, it was clearly just an excuse to ignore him.
Well, there was no fucking way he was going to let her just dismiss him. He wasn’t a big
enough ass to get her into trouble, but she was stuck working with him until they figured out who was
gunning for him and his family, and he was going to make damn sure they went through all that
information alone. Just the two of them, so he could weaken her defenses. Because last night? There
was no way it was a one-off. Not when he still wanted to bury his cock in that sweet pussy of hers…
her mouth…her…
“Where the hell are we going?” Every time she glared at him, he found her more and more
irresistible.
“We’re going to one of my offices.” An office where they’d be afforded all the privacy he
wanted. There were still unresolved issues they had to deal with—like the fact that he desperately
wanted to fuck that pretty little mouth of hers—and until they’d sorted out some of the tension between
them, they were better off staying away from places where they’d be under scrutiny. Especially if she
wanted to keep their fucking a secret.
And they would be fucking again. He’d make damn sure of it. Though he’d slept with his fair
share of women, none had left him wanting more. They’d been there to satisfy his sexual appetite, and
they had done just that—nothing more, nothing less. Hadley, on the other hand, had the complete
opposite effect on him. She not only left him feeling fully satisfied once he’d had her, but she also
stoked his need for more.
It was like those goddamned trick birthday candles. Just as he thought he’d snuffed out his
need for her and was feeling satisfied, it’d pop back up with a vengeance, leaving him desperate to
quench it once more before he went up in flames. He just hoped he had it in him to put out that flame,
to put out his need for her, permanently. Because she was already making him crazy and he’d only
known her less than twenty-four hours.
“What the hell are we doing at a marina?” She spun in her seat to face him, as he pulled up to
a spot and parked.
“Like I said, it’s one of my offices.” He grabbed his laptop from behind his seat and then went
around to the other side of the vehicle to get her, since she clearly had no intention of budging any
time soon. “Come on, Hadley. We’ve got work to do.”
And they did. As much as he wanted her, they still had to figure out who the hell was gunning
for him and his brothers. That was his priority. Fucking her could wait until they’d made some
headway.
He grabbed her hand and helped her out of the vehicle, giving her a moment to collect her
things before he started walking towards his boat, leaving her to follow. He’d grabbed the dock line
that secured his yacht to the dock, when she put a stop to it. “I don’t want to go out. I’ll work with you
on the boat, but we stay put. Do you hear me?”
“Sweetheart, it makes no difference to me.” Because, one way or the other, he’d have her
again. Naked, on her knees, on her back, on all fours…begging him to fuck her, to feed her his cock,
to make her come. It was just a matter of time.
Ignoring his hand and offer of help, she hopped onto the deck of the boat, heels and all, like
she might be capable of running a marathon in those spindly things. “And don’t call me sweetheart.
This is a purely professional relationship.”
“But, babe…” He just couldn’t help himself. And damn, but the girl was even more smoking
hot when she was angry.
She looked ready to slap him. “You can be a real jerk. You know that, right?”
He unlocked the door and let her into the cabin, following behind her. “I’d be less of a jerk if
you weren’t pushing me away. Though you didn’t seem to mind my cock buried in your tight pussy last
night.”
“Yeah, that’s really professional.” Hadley shrugged out of her suit jacket, and sat down on the
sofa, ready to work with her laptop out, as Gabe took a seat next to her, needing to keep her within
arm’s reach. “Are we going to get started or not?”
“May as well. I want to catch whoever it is that’s doing this as much as you do. No one gets
away with threatening my family and the people I care about. No one.” He’d tear the bastard apart
when they finally found him.
Hadley shifted in her seat so she could easily face him, while tucking a stray strand of hair
behind her ear, her eyes alight with intelligence. “Good. That means you’re motivated to stay focused
on the task at hand.”
He loosened his tie and pulled it off, not having bothered with a suit, since he’d have to go to
one of their jobsites later. His job always had him juggling meetings and contract negotiations,
between running to construction sites to make sure their projects were on track. It kept him busy, but
he liked that. “I’m always motivated, babe. When there’s something I want or something needs to get
done, I make it happen.”
Her eyes narrowed imperceptibly, as if trying to figure out if his words meant anything more
than the obvious. Well, they did. He still wanted her and he was a determined man. Work first. But
then he sure as hell would be making time for play.
“Let’s start at the beginning.” She pulled out a notebook and pen, and opened her file. “It
looks like the fire at the Old Port Bistro was the first incident?”
“Yeah, it was. Although there were also small things that occurred at the Old Port before that:
a broken fridge, a shelf of wine giving way—that sort of thing. Nothing major, and the police don’t
think those are related to the fire. Turns out it was an employee of the restaurant.” Gabe let out a
small sigh as he thought of Emma, and how much of a jerk he’d been to her in the beginning. He’d
been completely mistaken about her, and truthfully, she was good for Quinn, who couldn’t look any
happier now that the two of them were together after a slight hiccup in the road. “You need to know
that the owner of the Old Port is my brother’s girlfriend, in addition to the fact that Ryker Investments
owns the building.”
Hadley jotted a few things down. “Do you think the less serious incidents are related to the
fire?”
“The police didn’t think so.”
“And what about you? I want your opinion on the matter.” Her gaze was intense, as if she
were analyzing his every move, every thought that crossed his mind. He could see how she might be a
damn good investigator.
“I’m not so sure. I like Emma, and she’s pretty damn nice. Forgiving too. I can’t see why
anyone would dislike her enough to cause her problems. That said, arson and being run off the road
are a pretty big fucking leap from broken bottles of wine and a busted fridge.” Thank fuck, Morgan
was going to be okay.
“I agree, though I’ll be speaking to Anthony Sturgis myself.” He was the employee who’d
admitted causing Emma problems. Hadley scribbled down some more notes on her pad of paper
before she flipped through the file she’d been given on the case. “Looks like most of the other
employees were cleared or had an alibi for the fire and for the night when you were run off the road.
All except for one—Jake Foley?”
“That’s Emma’s right hand in the kitchen and a good friend of hers. I can’t imagine he’d do
anything to hurt her.” Though damn...Quinn had said something about Jake being in love with Emma.
Needless to say, Quinn hadn’t been happy about it, though things were good between them now.
“What is it?” Her gaze bore through him. Damn, but the girl didn’t miss a thing. “There’s
something you’re not telling me.”
“Jake’s in love with Emma—or was, at any rate.” Gabe had only met the guy a handful of
times, and liked him. Still…if it was Jake, there wasn’t much of a connection beyond Emma and
Quinn. “It wasn’t Quinn who got run off the road, though. It was me and my other brother, Morgan.
Neither of us really knows the guy.”
Hadley shrugged and wrote down a few more things. “Tell me about the accident.”
He tried not to grit his teeth, but he was still pissed. Fucking furious. “I was with Morgan.
We’d been out at a club—Quinn had been with us earlier that night but left early to see Emma. They
were having problems at the time. We left the club at closing time, and then headed for some late
night grub. I was driving Morgan home when we got rammed. Repeatedly. They ran us off the road
just as we got to the cliffs near the ocean. There aren’t many drops around there, but they timed it
perfectly.”
“So they likely knew the area or had researched it prior to the incident.” More notes. “Don’t
suppose you know of anyone who wants you dead?” Her eyebrows perked up in question. “Husbands,
boyfriends, ex-girlfriends?”
Gabe reached over and twined a lock of her hair around his finger, a smile tugging at his lips.
“I don’t have a husband, a boyfriend, or an ex-girlfriend. No wife either, though you didn’t ask.”
“No ex-girlfriends? You’re lying.” She glared and slapped his hand away. “And quit playing
with my hair.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m not saying I haven’t been with my share of women, but I’ve
never let it get serious. So no ex-girlfriends. And I don’t lie.”
“Well, I suppose that’s good to know.”
Chapter Five
Hadley didn’t know why she should be so shocked by Gabe’s declaration that he didn’t get
serious with women. After all, he was young, sexy as hell, beyond successful, and stinking rich. So,
maybe it wasn’t so much a shock as a disappointment, though she hated to admit it.
Well, it was just one more reason to make sure she didn’t sleep with him again. She still
couldn’t believe it. Out of all the men in Portmore, it figured that she’d end up hooking up with one of
the three brothers who were off-limits. She should have known that her crap luck hadn’t changed.
Here she was trying to start a new chapter in her life, and at the rate she was going, she’d be
doing just that—as an unemployed investigator. She could not let Gabe get to her. There was too
much at stake, and she couldn’t afford to have her career ruined because Gabe felt like toying with
her.
She and Gabe spent the next several hours going over the details of the investments and the
sort of businesses the Ryker family ran. And damn, but she was impressed. How could she not be?
The Ryker brothers had come from nothing. But rather than let the premature death of their father and
their poor beginnings hold them back, they were now one of the largest investment firms in the state,
and were worth big money, even though not one of them was over thirty.
Gabe stretched, making it impossible for Hadley to ignore the way his muscular form shifted
under his perfectly fitted shirt, her mind automatically flashing to images of him naked. Aroused.
Wanting. Fucking her… His next words jolted her back to reality. “I don’t know about you, but I need
to take a break. Move around. I can’t sit still for this long.”
“Yeah…of course.” Hoping he didn’t notice the blush that just crept across her cheeks, or the
fact that she’d been staring, Hadley jotted down a few more notes, not wanting to bother him—or let
herself get distracted. She needed to stay focused on work—not his rock hard abs, or even harder
cock. “I’ve got more information I need to get through, so—”
“So nothing. It’ll still be here once you’ve taken a breather, and I want company.” He grabbed
her hands and pulled her to her feet, ignoring the glare she gave him, as she craned her neck to look up
at him.
Lowering his head to hers, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, his
body firm against hers and his erection impossible to ignore.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She put a hand on his broad, muscular chest and
tried to push him away, though she might as well be trying to budge a stone wall. “Let go of me,
Gabe.”
“Come on, sweetheart…there’s no one here to see us, and you know we’re damn near perfect
together.” Gabe tipped her chin back so she’d be forced to look at him. “I want you, and we both
know you’d only be lying if you said you didn’t want me too.”
“What I want is to keep my job. And why the hell do I matter when I’m clearly just one in a
long line of many? Just move on to your next lay, Ryker, and leave me alone to do my job.”
So then, why the hell did that bother her so much? What did it matter if he went from one
woman to the next? She was sure the women he usually dated were clued in as to who he was before
sleeping with him, unlike her—who’d been completely clueless that she was hooking up with one of
the area’s most eligible bachelors.
Yet when it came down to it, there was no doubt in her mind that Gabe did an amazing job of
taking care of them. She was proof of that, that’s for sure. Because the man was nothing if not a sex
god. The things that man was capable of…the things he did to her were nothing short of—
“You were just thinking about me fucking you—and you liked it, babe.” He gave her a smug
and self-satisfied grin, his hold on her tightening. “I can see it in your eyes—your gaze gets all
unfocused and your lips pout just the slightest amount.”
“You clearly don’t know shit.” She shoved his chest, for all the good it did. “And if you don’t
let go of me, I’m going to handcuff your ass and have you arrested for harassment.” Okay, maybe not,
though he didn’t need to know that.
“Babe…” He cupped her face in his large hand and ran a thumb across her cheek. “That
fucking turns me on like you wouldn’t believe.”
Hadley leaned into his touch before she could stop herself, her eyelids slipping shut. Damn
him! “Fuck, Gabe. Why are you doing this to me? I know I’m nothing more than a quick fuck to you,
but you’re messing with my career. My livelihood.”
And thanks to that jerk of an ex-husband and her legal fees, she had practically nothing left in
her savings. If she lost her job, she’d be screwed. Not to mention her professional reputation would
be ruined, making it damn hard to get another job without references.
“I could hire you…” He leaned in and caught her bottom lip between his teeth before grazing
her mouth in a whisper of a kiss, his hand reaching down with familiarity to cup her ass and pull her
against his hard cock. “You could protect me.”
“I’m the one you’ll need protecting from if you don’t remove your hand from my ass.” She
gave him a fierce glare that would have most guys backing off in a hurry, and yet it only resulted in
him giving her a sultry smile that had her going wet.
“You so want me, babe. And anything you say to the contrary is nothing but a lie.” Still
smiling, he lowered his head to hers and nuzzled her. “We can keep work and sex separate, if that’ll
set your mind at ease, and I swear, I won’t tell a soul. You have nothing to worry about, babe.”
“You’re not the one with everything to lose, and I swear, if you don’t let go of me, I’m going
to hurt you.” He didn’t get it. And why should he? It wasn’t like he had to worry about being fired and
ending up destitute.
“Hadley…” He let out a sigh and loosened his hold on her, letting her finally slip free. “I’m
not trying to be an asshole, but…I had a good time last night. We both did. So to have you kick me out
the door, barely dressed and without so much as a kiss goodbye, well…fuck. Let’s just say I didn’t
care for it much. And then to have you turn up at the meeting…figured it had to be fate.”
“So, let me get this straight. You’re being an ass because I kicked you out this morning?” She
shook her head with a laugh, though she was far from amused. The man must be insane—and far too
used to getting his way. “Are you kidding me? And I certainly can’t be the only one to kick you out,
that’s for sure.”
“Damn right you are. No offense, babe, but most women think I’m a catch.” He let out a sigh
of frustration, and though Hadley didn’t want to admit it, she knew Gabe and his brothers must be
some of the most eligible bachelors on the East Coast. “I’m not normally a jerk, Hadley—you just
manage to bring it out in me.”
“So, it’s my fault that you’re a pushy, cocky, arrogant ass.” The man was unbelievable.
“That’s just precious.”
“No, it’s your fault that you’re making me crazy.” He shook his head. “Aw, fuck it.”
Chapter Six
Grabbing Hadley’s face in both his hands, Gabe hauled her to him and covered her mouth in a
bruising kiss as his tongue thrust past her lips to clash and take, to make her submit to whatever this
thing between them was. He couldn’t quite figure out what the hell it was about Hadley, or why she
made him so crazy, but there was no denying how badly he wanted her. And he would have her again,
damn it.
She pushed him away and slapped him, her eyes flashing and her chest heaving. And fuck, that
only turned him on all the more, the sting on his cheek only spurring him on. He reached for her again,
and this time when he kissed her, she kissed him back, devouring his passion with her own as she
knotted her hands in his shirt and shifted her hips against his hard cock.
“I fucking need you, Hadley, and I can’t take no for an answer—not when I know you want me
just as bad as I want you.” Unable to pull away, his words were spoken against her lips, between
kisses. With both hands, he grabbed her ass and lifted her off her feet, pressing her against the glass
wall, as he thrust against her and bit her neck. “Tell me you want me—that you want me to fuck you,
make you come, that you want me to fucking ravage you.”
“I hate you for this—but fuck, yes. I want you so bad.” Holding onto him with an arm around
his neck, and with the wall at her back for support, she reached between them and stroked his hard
length, making him think of nothing but burying his cock deep inside her. Fuck, he needed her like
he’d never needed anything or anyone before.
Somehow he managed to get his cock free, but she was still wearing too many clothes to take
her against the wall. Spinning her around, he bent her over the arm of the sofa as he hiked her skirt up
and tore her lace panties from her body, before kicking her legs apart so he’d have full access.
Fuck…condom. He dug one out of his pocket and quickly slipped it on before grabbing her hips and
sinking into her, burying himself as deep as he could go as she cried out and tightened around him.
“Gabe…” Her head fell forward as he took her roughly from behind, his fingers grasping the
flare of her hips, digging into her soft flesh. He couldn’t think about taking things slow, leaving her
grasping at the sofa to steady herself as he pounded into her, one hard stroke after another.
“Babe, you’re just so good…” She was so fucking tight, so slick, and the view of her perfectly
plump ass was enough to have him nearly on the verge of coming.
He lowered himself to her, his chest pressed against her back, holding her to him with one
firm arm across her chest, his hand on her slender throat, applying just enough pressure to have her
pulse racing against his palm. His other hand found her swollen clit, and her breathing grew ragged as
needy little moans escaped her lips.
“Gabe…I’m going to come…” Her body was tensing around him, urging him to join her.
When he bit her neck and sent a shiver down her spine, he felt her come undone. She cried out as she
came, her body quivering in his arms as he joined her with a needy groan, his cock pumping deep
inside her until he was completely spent.
With his breathing heavy, he trailed kisses down her neck as he pulled free of her tight body,
slowly loosening his grip on her. “Sweetheart, you’re fucking amazing.”
Gently, he turned her around in his arms—and immediately felt like a shit. Her eyes were
glistening with tears that spilled over, running down her cheeks as she pulled out of his arms, and
shimmied her skirt back into place over her bare ass. “I’ve got to go.”
“Fuck…don’t cry, babe.” There was nothing he hated more than seeing a woman get upset.
And it was even worse when he was the cause of it. He reached out and grabbed her hand, but she
pulled it free, glaring at him. “Tell me what’s wrong, darling.”
“What the hell do you think is wrong? I’m supposed to be keeping my distance, and yet you
make it so I can’t push you away or deny you. Fuck…it’s not that I don’t want you, Gabe, but I can’t.
Don’t you get that?” She swiped at her tears and grabbed her torn panties off the floor, as he got
himself dressed, his thoughts plaguing him. “At least this solidifies my decision. This assignment has
been a mistake from the very start. I’m done here. They’ll just have to get another investigator in to
help. I was never supposed to be on this job anyway. It was just a goddamned fluke.”
“Hadley—I’m sorry if you feel I’ve screwed this up for you, but there’s no way you’re
leaving. You can’t go. No fucking way.” He cupped her neck and pulled her to him with a free hand,
his hold on her firm, refusing to let her pull a runner. “I need you to get to the bottom of this, and
you’re not going anywhere until we find out who’s threatening my family. My brother could have
easily been killed in that accident—hell, I could have been killed too.”
“Let go of me, Gabe. I’m not kidding.” She glared at him with such intensity, he decided to let
her have this one, loosening his hold enough that she could pull free. At least her anger had pushed
away her tears.
But when she grabbed her laptop and papers and stuffed them in her laptop bag, he had to stop
her, somehow managing not to grab her again in the process. “We’re not done yet, Hadley. Far from
it.”
“You may not be, but I am. And don’t bother driving me back to town—I’ll call myself a cab.”
She spun and headed for the door as he cursed under his breath and followed after her.
“If I have to speak to your boss, I will, Hadley.” It was a low blow, but he couldn’t let her
push him away or walk off the case. They needed to find out who was after them before someone
ended up dead—and, almost as importantly, he was nowhere near being done with her.
Normally he’d spend a night with a woman and it’d be more than enough for him to get his fill
until the next pretty face came by. But with Hadley? Fuck, he didn’t know what he needed to do to try
to get her out of his system. Because right about now, fucking her again had only stoked his need for
her, rather than extinguish it.
“Are you kidding me? You’re threatening me, now? Threatening my goddamned job?” She
shook her head as a fresh wave of tears spilled over. “You’re a real bastard, Gabe.”
“Sweetheart, I don’t kiss and tell. But if you think I won’t speak to your supervisor and insist
you stay on the case, then you can guess again.” He brushed her tears away with a gentle touch,
surprised when she didn’t slap him again. “I like you, Hadley. A lot. And even if you don’t like me,
you do want me. You’ve admitted as much.”
She stepped away from him with a glare. “If you want me to stay on this case, then you do not
touch me—in any way. Are we clear? We keep this purely professional.”
“Babe, I’ll try my best if it’ll make you happy, but chances are I’m going to want to fuck you
again—and you’re going to want me to. You can’t deny that there’s something between us.” He
cupped her cheek with a gentle touch, her skin soft and warm, as his heart raced simply from having
her so near. “I’m happy to keep this a secret, but I’m not one for making promises I can’t keep, and the
chance that I won’t be fucking you again is slim to none.”
Her eyes narrowed at him, though she’d yet to pull away from his touch. “You do realize I get
a say in that, right? And if you think I’m going to agree to that, then you can guess again.”
He couldn’t help but smile. “That’s what you said the last time, sweetheart, and yet you were
screaming my name with my cock buried in your sweet pussy just minutes ago.”
***
Gabe dropped into the seat across from Quinn’s desk, already wrangling his tie loose. After
dropping Hadley off at the station, he’d gone around to check in on the projects they currently had
running, before heading back to the office. “I think we’re off to a good start with that investigator.
Managed to get through most of our accounts before I had to drop her off.”
Quinn glared at him, his pen tapping a quick staccato. “You fucked her—again. Didn’t you?”
“She’s the investigator on our case. Why would I do that?” He knew it wasn’t an answer, and
though he did his best to keep his face as neutral as possible, he knew Quinn could still read him.
“Damn it, Gabe. You know better than that.” Quinn might be chastising him, but they both
knew that Quinn had mixed business and pleasure when he’d gotten involved with Emma.
“What I know is that she’s a professional and will do everything she can to find out who’s
fucking with us.” And soon. He didn’t need this thing escalating, because they’d already had too close
a call—and a big one at that. Morgan had only gotten out of the hospital a few weeks ago, and having
been there for the attack and experienced it firsthand, Gabe knew how dire things already were.
“She’s looking further into Capaldi. He may not have bothered to get his hands dirty directly, but
we’ve butted heads with him too often to let him off the hook just because he can vouch for his
whereabouts.”
“Agreed. Which is why I don’t want you fucking with—or outright fucking—Ms. Moore.”
Quinn took a final look at Gabe, and with a frustrated shake of his head, he sat back in his chair.
“Well then, at the very least, try not to piss the woman off.”
“I’ll do my best.” Gabe got to his feet and grabbed his briefcase. “Don’t forget dinner at
Morgan’s.”
“How could I? Emma insisted on cooking for it and has been planning the menu for the last
week. It promises to be a good one.”
“I have no doubt.”
Gabe headed back to his penthouse, hoping to run into Hadley at the hotel even if he knew he
was asking for trouble. By the time he’d dropped her off at the police station after their meeting on his
boat, she’d made it abundantly clear that he was to keep his distance. If he got physical with her
again, she’d have his balls. And yet…he couldn’t help himself, especially when it was clear she’d
enjoyed herself and it was just her head that kept getting in the way of what her body truly wanted and
needed.
Of course, he understood her predicament. Hadley had worked hard to build her reputation
and she worked for a company that was not only at the top of its game, but had a stellar reputation.
Clearly, any sort of sexual contact with a client or someone involved in the case she was on could
land her in hot water.
Yet he couldn’t help himself. And what the fuck was up with that? He’d been with plenty of
enticing women, and they’d never had this sort of effect on him. Maybe he simply wanted what he
couldn’t have, because he sure as hell wanted Hadley.
And if they didn’t get caught…no harm, no foul.
All he had to do was convince her that she did indeed want him to fuck her again, despite her
job. And he had no doubt, after she’d been unable to resist him earlier, that he could easily talk her
into it.
He rubbed his hand over the cheek she’d slapped, and damn, but that feistiness had him going
hard again. Hadley might have her mind made up, but he was determined to change it—and he always
got his way—and his girl.
Chapter Seven
Once Hadley got back to her hotel room, curiosity got the better of her. Settling down with a
cup of coffee and her laptop, she Googled the Ryker men.
Damn… The number of photos of them in the tabloids and on the daily buzz sites was
dizzying. Gabe with a variety of women—never the same one twice—looking like he was having far
too much fun with women who were clearly all too willing. Pictures of his brothers and their dates,
too, though the most recent pictures of Quinn all had Emma—and no one but Emma—by his side.
Some were taken at events, but there were also candid shots, more private and intimate photos,
clearly taken when the couples didn’t realize they were being photographed.
And all the women were gorgeous.
Hadley knew she wasn’t an ugly duckling, but she’d never felt beautiful. Even though she had
some curves, her build was too athletic to look sexy, and her mouth was just a little too wide and far
too expressive. Her honey brown hair had a tendency to misbehave, and her blue eyes had a distinct
cat-like shape to them, making her feel like they always called too much attention to her face.
She clicked on a few more sites, but was soon overwhelmed by just how much information
was out there on the brothers. And that had her thinking…
Maybe the attacks didn’t originate locally. Maybe they had nothing to do with their business
ventures at all. It was a thought she’d have to let percolate further, but maybe she was onto something,
now that she’d seen just how popular a subject the brothers were. They could have easily picked up a
stalker or two.
Wanting to shift her focus back to the Ryker case, she spread out her papers and got ready to
order room service so she could spend the night working. Having been assigned the case at the last
minute, she still felt poorly acquainted with all the particulars.
A pounding at the door had her setting aside her laptop, wondering who the hell was knocking
on her hotel room door when she’d yet to order. After a quick peek through the peep-hole, she pulled
open her door and cursed. “What the hell are you doing here, Gabe? Tell me you’re not stalking me
now.”
He leaned against the jamb, looking confident and sexy, like her anger and annoyance was of
little consequence. “Sweetheart…I don’t have to stalk a woman to get her into my bed. But if you
must know, I actually live in the penthouse suite. The hotel—”
“Ryker Investments owns the hotel. Doesn’t it?” She had to groan. Could her luck get any
shittier?
So it hadn’t exactly been a complete coincidence that he’d been at the bar last night, since he
actually lived in the hotel. And in all likelihood, since the office manager for Ryker Investments had
booked the hotel for McFee Consulting, it only made sense that they’d have her stay in one of their
hotels.
“Yeah—we own this hotel and another half a dozen just like it.” He ran a rough hand through
his hair and gave her a crooked, sexy smile. “Honestly, I’m not here to harass you. I just wanted you
to join me for dinner at my brother’s house. Morgan’s finally feeling better after the accident, and the
whole family will be there. Great opportunity to interview everyone, and since Emma’s taken charge
of the cooking, the food will be amazing.”
Hadley wanted to stay angry with him, knowing she needed to hold onto her anger if she had
any hope of not giving in to his charms—if one could call them that. And yet his mere proximity was
weakening her resolve—his bright blue eyes, his sexy smile, his hard body… “I can’t. I’ve got work
to do.”
“This would still count as work, sweetheart.” He brushed a stray lock of hair from her face,
making her want to curse the fact that his touch felt electric. “It’ll be a hell of a lot easier to speak
with everyone while they’re all in one spot, instead of trying to track them down individually. Just
think of it as being efficient—and the time you save is time that could be spent tracking down your
leads.”
She hated the fact that he was right. And yet she knew that she couldn’t trust herself around
him. The boat incident was proof enough of that. She was still mortified that she’d given in to her
physical needs, instead of using common sense and staying clear of him.
The mere thought of it had her going wet again, and she swore it was as if she could still feel
his hand gripping her neck as he took her roughly from behind, her body still deliciously sore from
being stretched around his thick cock. And that was exactly why she couldn’t trust herself around him.
Despite every intention to keep things professional, she’d still given in. “I think it’s best if I stay
here.”
“Nonsense. I’ll be back in an hour to pick you up. Casual dress.”
And just like that, he was gone, with no more than a sexy smile over his shoulder.
She showered, and then spent the next forty-five minutes flip-flopping between refusing to go
with Gabe one minute, and then contemplating going the next. It certainly would help to get the entire
Ryker family in one room, not only out of convenience, but to see how they interacted. Though it was
likely someone outside the family who was causing them problems, she still had to rule out the family
itself.
And yet…she was fooling no one. She knew full well that the mere thought of spending time
with Gabe was enough to have her pulse racing, and her clit aching with need.
What the hell was wrong with her? Why the hell couldn’t she just focus on work—work! Not
on Gabe. Not on Gabe fucking her, taking her from behind as he held her to him in his strong arms, his
hand at her throat as her pulse raced against his palm. Crap…she was in so much trouble.
Knowing without a doubt that she’d eventually regret it, she steeled her resolve to keep Gabe
at arm’s length, and quickly got dressed, opting for an aqua knit tunic, a pair of dark skinny jeans, and
soft leather knee-high boots. She barely got the chance to swipe a bit of gloss across her lips when a
knock sounded at the door.
She let Gabe in, doing her best to ignore just how gorgeous he looked in worn jeans and
another sweater—deep red, this time—as it clung perfectly to his muscular form. “I just need to grab
my laptop and notes. Are you sure your family won’t mind me bugging them while they’re trying to
have a family dinner?”
“I called to let them know.” He stepped to her side and ran a finger down her arm as his gaze
wandered over her entire body, his lips kicking up into a lazy smile that made his bright blue eyes
sparkle. “Babe…you look damn good.”
She slapped his hand away with a glare, her heart already racing from something as simple as
his touch. She was in a world of trouble if he could have that sort of effect on her with so little effort.
“That sort of shit needs to end now, Gabe. For fuck’s sake. What’s wrong with you? Or do you
sexually harass everyone you come across during the course of your day?”
“I haven’t fucked everyone I come across. And for the record, I don’t ever mix business with
pleasure.” He bit his bottom lip and pulled her close with a strong arm around her waist. “For you,
however, I’m happy to make an exception.”
“Lucky me.” Damn, he smelled good, and the feel of his hard muscles under her hands and the
beat of his heart left her desperately wanting him, even as she tried to push free of his grip. “Let go of
me, Gabe.”
Her jaw clenched when he brushed her cheek, trying not to let him have any sway over her
body—and failing miserably. Matters only got worse when he tilted her chin up so she was forced to
face him. Her breath caught as he nuzzled her so that it was all she could do not to kiss him. No matter
how hard she tried, she couldn’t help but want him.
His smile kicked up in victory, and she knew she’d been caught. “I’m not convinced that you
really want me to let you go, babe.”
Mustering up what courage she could, she tried to keep her voice steady as she spoke. “Then
you can go to your brother’s house without me. I don’t need this shit in my life, Gabe. It’s hard enough
without you constantly toying with me when I’m trying to do my job.”
With his brow furrowed and his smile now gone, Gabe pulled back enough to be able to look
at her, though he’d yet to let her go. “What’s going on in your life to make things so difficult?”
“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” This time when she struggled to get free of him,
he slowly let her go, though his brow was still furrowed as she turned away from him.
“If there’s something I can do to help, babe…” The genuine concern in his voice threw her.
It had been a long time since anyone had cared. Sure, her mother worried, and her sister
occasionally checked in, but they both had their own problems. To have a guy actually give a shit
about what was bothering her? She couldn’t remember the last time it’d happened. And it only served
to remind her how sweet he’d been to her the first night they’d met.
Still…she couldn’t let him get to her. Not when she had to keep her distance. “Can we please
just go? Or go without me. Either way.”
With his eyes still dark from worry, he brushed her cheek. “We’re not through discussing this,
though I’ll let it go for now.”
With a hand at the small of her back, Gabe escorted her out of her room, and before long, she
was nestled in the comfy leather seat of his SUV, heading away from the center of Portmore. The sun
was just setting as they drove past thick forest dotted with fields and small plots of farmland.
“Morgan tends to like a bit more privacy. He also works for Ryker Investments, figuring out
which projects are worth pursuing and will give us a good return.” Gabe pulled down another road,
narrower and more secluded than the ones they’d been on, so the trees practically formed a canopy
overhead. “Mom lives in Rockport now, so she’s still relatively close, and my sister, Maddie—
Madeline—lives in London and heads up our office there. Usually grabs a suite at the hotel when
she’s around, so don’t be surprised if you run into her at some point. She flew back home when we
had the accident.”
“So the company is a real family affair, other than your mother.” She already knew that their
father had died—or rather, was presumed dead—while all the Ryker siblings had still been relatively
young. He’d been a lobsterman, and his ship had gone down in a storm, the wreckage never found.
From there, the family had moved to South Boston, as their mother struggled to make ends meet with
four young children. They’d certainly come a long way.
“Yeah. And make no mistake, it’s all thanks to Quinn—and his mentor, Pierce Langston, who
helped him get his start. I owe Quinn everything. We all do.” With a glance, he gave her a smile that
reminded her why it was so hard for her to resist him.
“I’m sure you do your share.” Even in the short amount of time that she’d worked with him on
his yacht, it was clear the man was smart, motivated, and efficient.
“We all do, honestly. Our success is recent enough that we still remember what it’s like to
struggle, and know better than to think that anything but hard work will keep us at the top. Not that we
haven’t admittedly had our fair share of luck.” Gabe pulled down a long driveway and towards a
gorgeous stone and wood-shingled home that fit in perfectly with its forested surroundings, and threw
the vehicle in park.
“Anything I should know before heading in?”
“Yeah…Quinn figured out that we’ve slept together.” He blocked the blow to his arm, the
look on Hadley’s face having clued him in to her actions.
“How could you do that to me, Gabe?” She was mortified. How she didn’t outright murder
him, she hadn’t a clue. “How the hell am I supposed to go in there and face him now?”
Any credibility she had was now blown. She’d have to call her boss, tell him that something
personal had come up and she’d need time off—needed off the case. What else could she do?
“Quinn doesn’t care—and he knows damn well it was all my fault. He doesn’t blame you in
the least. And you can’t leave when they’re expecting both of us.” Shifting to face her, he took her
hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “They’re relieved that you’re on the case, babe. This
will be good. I swear it.”
She was screwed. Completely and utterly. “How can you say that, Gabe? You’re messing
with my life and my career, damn it.”
“I’m not. And I’ll make sure you won’t get into trouble. You have my word. No one’s going to
mess with you—or they’ll have me to deal with.” The tension in his voice couldn’t be ignored, though
he was crazy if he thought her boss would listen to anything he had to say.
“It doesn’t work like that. My boss does not like it when people mess with the reputation of
his company. He doesn’t care if you have money—or if you have friends in high places.” Her boss
would fire her on the spot, and wouldn’t care one bit if Gabe was used to getting his way.
“That’s where you’re mistaken, Hadley.” He gave her a cocksure grin, and damn, but that
confidence of his had her heart racing, her clit throbbing, and her body missing him, even as her mind
tried—and failed—to remind her he was completely off-limits. “Come on. I’m starving and want to
see what Emma has in store for dinner.”
Gabe let them in, not bothering to knock, the door already unlocked. Hadley had to wonder if
that was the norm, or if they’d unlocked the door because they were expecting company. Yet with
someone causing the Rykers problems, security needed to be the main priority.
Hadley tried not to feel overwhelmed by meeting the whole family at once, especially when
Gabe grabbed her hand to lead her towards the great room. It left her with the horrible decision to
either struggle to get her hand free from his grasp while his family watched on, or let him hold onto it,
and leave them to wonder what the hell was going on between them. One way or the other, she was
once again screwed, and Gabe was fucking with her—with her life.
Gabe quickly made the introductions as she managed to pry her hand free, masking its escape
behind his back, even if it was likely that everyone had already seen their linked hands. “This is my
mom, Maddie, Morgan, Emma, and you already know Quinn. This is Hadley—Ms. Moore, the
consulting investigator on our case.”
“Thanks for letting me crash your dinner. I promise to make my interviews as brief as
possible.” She managed a smile that she hoped seemed genuine, though she was sure her nerves shone
through. Normally confident when it came to her job, Gabe was throwing her off her game, and it was
pissing her off.
Everyone was friendly, and reassured her that they were happy to have her join them for
dinner. It didn’t take long before some of her unease settled. One thing was sure, there was no doubt
that the Rykers had come from the same gene pool. Dark hair, bright blue or green eyes, everyone
except for Mrs. Ryker was damn tall with an athletic build, and they were all gorgeous—mom
included. Their father must have been the one with the height, because their mom was barely over five
feet tall.
As for Emma, she could see why Quinn had fallen for the striking and curvy brunette—and
there was no doubt whatsoever, that he’d fallen for her, and hard at that. Just like it was clear Emma
was head over heels and completely smitten with Quinn. The way they looked at each other, as if they
couldn’t look away from each other for long, and the little touches, the gentle kisses. She couldn’t
remember the last time she’d seen a couple look so in love.
Had she ever looked that happy? Somehow she doubted it.
Chapter Eight
With the kitchen open to the great room, Gabe watched Hadley work from across the room
while he perched on a bar stool at the kitchen bar. One by one, she met with the members of his
family, jotting down notes in that notepad of hers, her focus intense, though her demeanor was friendly
and relaxed.
“I like her, Gabe.” Emma bumped his shoulder with hers, before setting a plate of appetizers
in front of him—little crostini with fig, warm goat cheese, and a balsamic reduction.
“I like her too.” Gabe popped one of the crostini in his mouth: sweet, savory, and tangy all
mixing into one delicious bite. “Damn, woman…these are good.”
“Just make sure you leave room for dinner. I’ve got a roast coming out of the oven, with
roasted root vegetables, Yorkshire puddings, and gravy made from the pan drippings.”
Gabe grabbed another crostini to stave off his appetite. “Now I really am starving. That
sounds fantastic, Emma.”
“Perfect fare for a cold November night, if you ask me.” Excusing herself, Emma wandered
over to Quinn, who pulled her into a one-armed hug and kissed her temple as she nestled against him,
the two of them looking impossibly happy.
Morgan sat by Gabe’s side, his movements still a little stiff from the accident. “I still can’t
believe we’ve got someone like Hadley as the investigator on our case. Damn…the girl is hot.
Wonder if she has handcuffs.” Morgan’s smile kicked up teasingly as he gave Gabe a sideways
glance.
Taking a deep breath, Gabe tried to push aside his jealousy, knowing Morgan didn’t know
Hadley was off-limits. But she was. She was his and his alone. “She’s mine, Morgan.”
“Yours?” Morgan’s eyes went wide with disbelief. “That was quick work. And a first.
You’ve always been a strict one-date sort of guy. What the hell happened?”
That was a damn good question. “I wish I had an answer for you. How are you feeling these
days?”
“I’m feeling cooped up more than anything, and with Mom and Maddie constantly coming
around to check in on me, there’s no hope of getting any peace. They keep fussing, and though I
appreciate the sentiment, they’re driving me fucking crazy. I just want to work, and be left to my own
devices.” Morgan shook his head, and then after a long moment motioned towards Hadley. “So does
the poor girl know you’ve set her in your sights?”
“I’m sure she’s figured it out by now.”
***
As the evening progressed, Gabe was finding it harder and harder to keep his hands off
Hadley—and she was doing everything in her power to keep her distance. When they finally sat down
to dinner, Gabe made sure to sit next to her, booting Morgan to a different spot, which earned him a
glare from Hadley. Somehow, he managed to behave himself through most of their meal, even
contributing to the conversation, though his mind was focused almost entirely on Hadley.
The sexual tension between them crackled like a lightning storm, and he knew that if he
touched her, it would be electric. As it was, his erection was verging on painful. And damn, but he
couldn’t take it anymore.
With the table offering him cover, Gabe placed his hand on Hadley’s thigh. He felt her stiffen
at his side, but she was in the middle of discussing London with his sister, and couldn’t really smack
his hand away without letting everyone present know what he was up to. She did, however, cover his
hand with hers, doing her best to push it away as he slipped it farther up her leg until he could tease
her warm pussy through the fabric of her jeans. And though he knew she’d likely hate herself—and
him—for it, her body clearly had a mind of its own as her hips shifted against his fingers, though she
did a remarkable job of not letting it show to the rest of the people present.
Simply touching her was enough to have him going almost impossibly hard, and he was more
than a little impatient to have their dinner come to an end so he could get her alone. She might have
more than a few choice words for him at that point, but he didn’t care. He knew she wanted him as
badly as he wanted her, and as long as he got to fuck that tight little body of hers, he’d find a way to
soothe her anger. Hell, he’d fuck it out of her, even if it took all night. It’d be for their mutual
pleasure. He’d make sure of it.
“I’m sorry we can’t stay for dessert, especially since I’m sure you made something amazing,
Emma, but there’s still a lot of information I’d like to go over with Hadley now that she’s had the
chance to interview everyone.” Gabe ignored Hadley’s frustrated glare in his direction, and got to his
feet before giving her his hand.
There were protests from the women in his family, and Emma was kind enough to pack them
some dessert to go. But his brothers? Well, the looks they gave him said they knew damn well what
he was up to.
The moment they were in his car, Hadley spun to face him as he pulled around in the drive and
headed for the road. “What the fuck, Gabe?”
“I was thinking we could go out on the boat—maybe take a quick little trip up to Portsmouth.”
He knew that discussing her anger with him would only stoke it, so he decided a different tactic might
work best.
“Have you lost your mind? Which part of ‘keep this professional’ did you not understand?”
She shook her head and faced forward, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “You’re
unbelievable.”
“I’d keep it professional if you truly wanted me to, but you know that’s not what you want,
sweetheart.” Gabe was already envisioning the next time he’d take her, his cock aching for release,
even as he concentrated on the road.
She tossed another fierce glare in his direction, reminding him of just how mind-blowing
angry sex was with her. “I don’t care where the hell you go, as long as you drop me off at the hotel
first.”
“Now what fun would that be, sweetheart? Though if you prefer to go back to my penthouse,
I’m perfectly fine with that, too.” He didn’t know why the hell he’d invited her back to his place when
he never did that sort of thing, but it seemed that for Hadley, he was willing to break all his rules.
“Why the hell would I want to do that? Don’t you have some supermodel waiting in your bed
already—and if not, I’m sure you could easily arrange it.” She shifted in her seat, and gave him a look
of genuine curiosity and confusion. “I don’t see why you’re even remotely interested in me.”
He had to wonder just how much his past exploits bothered her. He’d thought they were just
having a bit of fun, blowing off some sexual steam. And yet he knew that casual sex wasn’t something
she did often; her responses, the depths of her need, and the tightness of her pussy had made it clear
that she hadn’t been pleasured in a long time. “I’ll have you know that you’re the only woman outside
of family who I’ve ever invited to my home.”
“I suppose that’s easy enough to manage when you live in a hotel. Must be pretty damn
convenient for you.” She scoffed with a shake of her head. “But I don’t get it, Gabe. Why change your
modus operandi with me?”
He pulled into a parking spot at the hotel and killed the engine. “What can I say? I like you,
Hadley, and I’ve yet to get my fill of you.”
“Your fill, huh? And then when you do, you can finally toss me aside like the rest of your
discards? Thanks, but no thanks.” She cursed under her breath, and grabbed her bag, exiting the car as
he followed after her. “I don’t know why I thought my shitty luck with men would suddenly change
just because I finally managed to get rid of that ass of an ex-husband of mine.”
Ex-husband? It hit him like a punch straight to the face, though he didn’t quite know why. She
hadn’t mentioned being married before now, but the thought of her being in love with another man
enough to want to marry him really pissed him the fuck off. And the fact that he even gave a shit only
pissed him off further.
What the hell was wrong with him? The girl was fucking with his head.
“Firstly, none of the women I date are discards, as you so crudely put it. They’re more than
happy to date me and know full well going into it that it’s a brief arrangement. I’ve never misled them
—and I’ve never been anything but honest with you.” When they stepped onto the elevator, he inserted
his key and hit the button for the penthouse. “I like you, Hadley. A lot. But it’s no fucking reason to
hold it against me.”
“Oh, I’m not, babe.” She gave him a sarcastic smile and batted her eyelashes at him while
pressing the button for the third floor. “But if you think it means I’m going to keep sleeping with you
until you’ve ruined my career, you can guess again. Frankly, I don’t care who you fuck or where you
fuck them—as long as you leave me the hell alone.”
“And here I thought we were having fun.” Gabe pulled her to him, wrapping a strong arm
around her waist and holding her firmly to him, ignoring her struggles. “Surely, I wasn’t imagining it
when I made you come, or all the times you kissed me back. Like this…”
Gabe captured her mouth in one kiss after another, his head bent to hers as she momentarily
softened in his arms, before trying to push him away again, finally averting her head when she
couldn’t put any distance between them. “What the hell do you want from me? This is getting
ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous? No, sweetheart—it might be a lot of things, but ridiculous isn’t one of them.”
When the elevator doors slid open on the third floor, he tightened his hold on her and hit the button
that would send the doors closing shut.
“Are you kidding me?” When she shoved him, he decided to let her go, knowing the next stop
the elevator would be making would be his penthouse suite. “You’re a real ass, Gabe.”
“Just come in and have a drink. We can go over all the new information you got from my
family, and I can give you any insight I might have. Fill in the blanks, and answer your questions.”
When the doors slid opened, he grabbed her hand and stepped into his apartment. “Come on,
sweetheart. It’s just work.”
“Fine.” The word was spoken through gritted teeth, though she let him pull her off the
elevator. “But you better behave yourself.”
“I promise, I’ll be good.” In so many ways.
She glared at him as if second-guessing the meaning of his words, but then let it go, her gaze
shifting to take in his home, as Gabe took off his sweater and dropped it onto the sofa, leaving him in
the form-fitting t-shirt he’d been wearing underneath. Her eyes went wide as she looked around—and
frankly, he couldn’t blame her when faced with the large expanse of glass, and the breathtaking view
of Portmore, with the ocean just beyond. Complementing the views were high ceilings, a large stone
fireplace, a chef’s kitchen, and classically contemporary yet comfortable furnishings. Definitely a
long way from the cramped apartment he grew up in.
Gabe rested against the arm of his sofa, as Hadley wandered farther into the great room,
turning slowly to take it all in. “This is…impressive, Gabe. I’ll give you that.”
When she got within arm’s reach, he snagged her, and pulled her close, nestling her between
his legs. He knew there was a good chance he’d piss her off, but he didn’t care as long as he got to
touch her, and feel her body against his.
“Does that mean you like it?” Maybe it was because Hadley was the first woman he’d brought
to his home, but he wanted her approval.
“I think it suits you perfectly—and yes, I like it. But if you don’t let go of me, I’m putting in for
a transfer first thing in the morning.” She looked at him matter-of-factly, with an expression of sheer
stubbornness on her face.
“I need you on the case, Hadley.” Gabe couldn’t let her walk away. No fucking way. “But I
also need you in my bed—more than you know.”
“Well, that’s not happening.” She shook her head and tested his hold on her, her eyes
narrowing at him when he didn’t let her go. “Why me, Gabe? What the hell? It’s not like you can’t get
laid. Just go find someone else. Move on—just like you always do.”
“That bothers you. Doesn’t it?” It made him wonder if it was because it made her feel like she
was one of many, or if there was something more behind it all—like that ex-husband of hers. His jaw
tightened at the thought of someone mistreating her.
“No—it doesn’t. Because you know what? This was only supposed to be a one-off. That’s it.
One night, Gabe. One fucking night.” She bit her lip as her eyes shimmered for a moment, before she
squeezed them shut and got her emotions under control.
“Sweetheart…it kills me to see you upset.” Needing to feel the softness of her skin, he cupped
her cheek, his eyes locked on hers. And then he let her go. “Let me get you that drink.”
As she slipped out of his arms, he felt her absence with a strange pang that he refused to
explore. Needing to distract himself, he strode to the bar and poured himself a whiskey. Maybe his
approach was all wrong. The last few days seemed to have wound her tight. So, maybe he just needed
to get her to relax.
“What can I get you, darling?”
“I’ll have what you’re having.” She ran a hand over the soft leather of his sofa, wandering
over towards him.
“Whiskey?” She nodded, though he couldn’t remember any of his dates ever ordering it. And
damn, but he liked that Hadley was different from them, right down to her choice of drink. He poured
two whiskeys and handed her the glass, his fingers touching hers ever so briefly.
“We can get to work if you’d like—or leave it until morning, since you’ve been at it this all
day.” Gabe wandered over to his fireplace and flicked it on, the flames leaping up from a sea of
iridescent crystals. Though he preferred a nice wood fire, the gas fireplace was more convenient with
his busy schedule.
She took a seat on the sofa, her eyes on him as he wandered over and sat by her side. “Work
is the only reason I’m here, Gabe. Besides, I’d like to go over the information I gathered, since I do
have a few questions.”
“Certainly not the only reason. And work can wait just a little while. I want to hang out here
on the sofa, enjoy our drinks, watch the fire, and get to know each other better.” He took a long sip of
his drink, and shifted sideways, resting his elbow on the back of the sofa. The girl had gotten under
his skin, and something needed to be done about it. And yet, he couldn’t really think past wanting to
be with her again. “You’re beautiful, you know.”
“Gabe… We’re supposed to be keeping things professional.” She looked away from him, her
brow furrowed with worry. “You understand that, right?”
“You won’t lose your job.” He knew it was a valid concern of hers, but damn…it wasn’t like
he was going to shout it from the rooftops. “You’re trying to fight a losing battle, love. Especially
when it’s something we both want. Even your body insists on betraying you. Don’t you think that
means something?”
“What it means is that I shouldn’t be seeing you outside of an office environment where other
people are present, since you insist on blurring the lines.” She threw back her drink and got to her
feet. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go. I’ll see you in the morning, Gabe—at the station. We can finish
going through the information then.”
He snagged her hand to keep her from going, and got to his feet. “Just stay, Hadley…I want to
revisit our first night together, and I can’t do that if you’re always pushing me away. I want to make
things right between us—and I want you. More than anything.”
“Look, I’m not saying I don’t like you—because clearly I do. But I can’t do this. Why can’t
you see that? It’d be one thing if I weren’t on the case, but I am. Besides, I really can’t do the sort of
casual relationship you’re looking for. It was one thing when it was just one night and I was…” Her
words trailed off and ended with a weary sigh, as she turned to look away from him, clearly
struggling with her emotions.
He tilted her chin towards him so she’d be forced to face him, and then cupped her cheek,
running his thumb across her skin as he forced himself to take a deep breath. Forced himself not to go
hunt down the bastard she’d been married to and pummel him for hurting Hadley. “I’m not your ex-
husband, you know. I don’t know what he did to you, but I can tell you that you didn’t deserve it—and
he sure as fuck didn’t deserve you. I have no interest in hurting you, Hadley.”
“You may not want to hurt me, but there’s only one way this thing between us will ever play
out, and that’s with me getting the shit end of the stick.”
Chapter Nine
Hadley didn’t know why she was having such a hard time walking away from Gabe. It should
be a simple matter, even beyond the simple task of putting one foot in front of the other. And yet,
instead of putting some distance between them like any sane woman would do, she found herself
wrapped in his arms and trying increasingly hard not to lean into his touch as he cupped her cheek.
Even harder was not leaning forward to kiss him.
“Babe…” The way he said it, with his voice deep and gravelly, sounding so sweet and laced
with genuine concern… It melted all her defenses, and she didn’t know how long she’d manage to
resist him. “What did that bastard do to you? I’ll fucking destroy him for hurting you like this.”
Hadley could feel Gabe’s power, his anger, all of it contained in the tension within his body
as he just barely held it together. That he would get so upset on her behalf, like some knight in shining
armor, there to defend her and her honor...it just felt so noble, so chivalrous, so loyal. It wasn’t that
she couldn’t take care of herself, but it was damn nice that someone cared enough to want to do it for
her—and it felt damn nice to feel wanted, something she hadn’t felt in a very long time.
It was totally messing with her emotions. Making her feel things, want things, long for things
that she had no right to want or feel—not if she had any hope of walking away from this with her heart
intact. “What happened doesn’t matter, since it’s finally over.”
“It better be. Because the thought of him coming around and fucking with you, hurting you—
touching you. I’d break him, Hadley.” As big a guy as Gabe was, she had no doubt he’d be more than
capable.
“Coming around would take too much effort on his part—and I’ve never been worth the effort
to him. He might be pissed about the divorce finally getting pushed through, but he’s not that sort of
guy. He was never violent. Just a lying, gambling, cheating ass.” And it should serve as a reminder
that she couldn’t be trusted to make wise choices when it came to men.
With his eyes locked on hers, he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, the gesture so
gentle for a guy so big and dominating. “Is the divorce recent then?”
“About twenty-four hours old.” And damn, but she couldn’t help the tears that stung her eyes.
“Fuck…I’m so sorry, babe.” And this time, when he pulled her into his arms, she let him. He
kissed the top of her head as she breathed in his clean scent, letting his warmth envelope her as she
got control of her emotions. When he spoke, there was such an intensity in his voice. It caught her off
guard that he could get so worked up over her—her—while Matt couldn’t even bother to get his act
together when their marriage was on the line. “I’m not him, Hadley. I’m not the guy who hurt you. I
could never be. And I need to get to know you better, because my interest in you? It’s not temporary.
That’s not something I’m used to—and shit, but it’s got to mean something. Because to me, babe?
You’re worth every fucking effort under the sun.”
“Gabe, you’re really sweet, but…this thing between us doesn’t mean anything—it can’t.
Because I refuse to risk everything I’ve worked so hard for, even if I do like you. And we both know
that none of this would be happening if I wasn’t the first woman to push you away or kick you out of
bed in the morning.” She suspected that was part of it for him. The first woman not to give him
everything he wanted and swoon at his feet. The first woman to offer him a bit of a challenge.
“Fuck, Hadley…I like you. A lot. And I want to see this through—no matter what it ends up
being, and no matter what the reason behind it. We’ve only had twenty-four hours together, but
already you’re making me crazy. And it’s nowhere near enough time. Not for either of us.” His gaze
drifted to watch his thumb slowly brush across her lips, before wandering back up to look in her eyes
with an intensity that had her breath catching. “You need to give me a chance, sweetheart, especially
since I can’t take no for an answer. Not when I want you so bad it fucking hurts.”
With his words echoing in her head, he kissed her slowly, but with such passion, she couldn’t
help but give in to him, ignoring all logical thought that told her to keep her distance. His tongue
danced over hers as he fisted her hair, deepening their kiss until she felt a corresponding tug on her
clit, her body still deliciously achy from all the times he’d fucked her.
Twenty-four hours…a mere day and she already felt as though she was in too deep.
Tugging on her hair, he pulled her head back and dragged his teeth down the length of her
neck, before nipping at her pulse where it raced just under her skin, a needy moan escaping her lips
before she could stifle it. Her clit throbbed as he feasted on her neck and cupped her breasts, pinching
her nipples as she went wet for him, her body arching against his in offer. He shouldn’t have such an
effect on her, and yet she found herself helpless to push him away.
“Gabe…I can’t…” And yet she was doing little to make him stop, her body reacting to every
touch, every kiss, the feel of his muscular arms and broad chest only making her want him more.
“You have my word that what we’re doing won’t get in the way of your job or your career.”
When he started shifting her towards his bedroom, she finally got a grip.
“I can’t, Gabe. I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.” And to his credit, Gabe let her.
***
After a restless night, Hadley made the call to her boss that she’d been dreading. Feeling
distraught, Hadley tried her best to keep the emotion from her voice as she answered his questions,
knowing she was not only screwed, since she was still on the Ryker case, but because she’d also
made herself look bad for wanting off the case. “No… I understand it’s short notice and Wilson’s still
ill… Yes, sir… I’ll do my best.”
Hadley hung up and cursed. She couldn’t tell him the real reason she wanted off the case, and
short of quitting or getting herself fired, her options were few and far between. How the hell was she
supposed to continue working with Gabe, when he insisted on getting physical with her—and she
couldn’t help but want him?
Her assigned partner would be ready to work with her in the next day or so. Once she had him
at her side, Gabe would have to behave himself. And in the meantime, she’d just have to try harder
not to succumb to his many charms.
Grabbing a cup of coffee from the kitchenette in her suite, she sat down to check her email,
knowing she had about a half hour to spare before getting ready. She deleted most of what was in her
inbox, but that left her with a handful of work emails—and worse, an email from her ex.
Her gut clenched in knots, and she knew, even before she opened it, the sort of crap she was
in for. She contemplated deleting it outright, but in the end clicked on it. Oh, man… Matt was pissed
about the divorce. Beyond pissed. It wasn’t as though he didn’t know it was coming. And yet she
knew that even for her, it hadn’t felt real until she’d gotten that call from her lawyer.
Matt was blaming her, not only for their problems, but for all his problems too. As if the fact
that she had a job while he’d been unemployed was her fault. As if she was the reason he gambled
and fucked other women. He even had the audacity, after all his ranting, to tell her that he still loved
her and wanted her back. Well, she had to let her past go. She refused to let him drag her back into his
messes, and she was determined to get her new life off the ground—and that meant leaving the bad
parts of her past behind.
By the time she got through with his email, he had not only reminded her why they were
getting divorced, but why she’d remained single these last two years. And though she was completely
pissed off at Matt, her anger would serve her well if she was dealing with Gabe and his distractions.
Feeling fired up, she was determined to keep Gabe from sidetracking her. She had to get to the
bottom of the attacks. That way she could wrap up the case and head back home, where she’d be safe
from Gabe and his all-too-sexy ways.
Hadley took a quick shower, but was still toweling off when there was a knock at her door.
Throwing on a robe, she went to her door but knew better than to open it. It had to be Gabe, since she
hadn’t ordered room service.
More pounding. “Hadley…I know you’re there. Come on. Open up.”
She groaned, knowing he wouldn’t go away until she’d answered the door, and already
regretting it as she turned the knob and let him in. “What do you want? I’m trying to get ready for
work.”
Gabe closed the door as he grabbed the tie of her robe and pulled Hadley to him, earning him
a glare as he slipped an arm around her waist. Mischief lit up his blue eyes, and played upon his lips,
making them kick up into a smile. “I know. Figured we could commute into work. Save the
environment, and all that.”
He ran a slow finger down her neck and along the slope of her shoulder, catching her robe to
expose an expanse of skin. A shiver of need shimmied down her spine and tugged at her clit, leaving
her to wonder how a simple touch from him was enough to get her going. And damn, but he looked
smoking hot in a casual suit, and smelled even better—soap and shampoo, just a hint of some
aftershave and his own unique male scent. The combination went to her head.
“Don’t, Gabe.” But even she could hear the want in her voice, and she found it impossible to
pull away from him.
“Babe…I bet you’re just so fucking ready for me. I can see it in the way your breath catches
and your skin flushes pink…how your voice gets so light, so needy. The way you can’t help but lean
into my touch, my body. I bet if I touched your pussy, I’d find it all creamy and wet with wanting
me…and I fucking love how responsive you are…” He bit her bottom lip, the sliver of pain only
making her want him more. “And yet you insist on fighting what’s between us.”
“Please…” She let out a weary sigh, not quite sure what she was even asking of him. Yet she
had to be strong, even as he nuzzled her, his body so close she couldn’t help but lean against him. But
too much was at risk and she couldn’t keep doing this. “Just let me do my job. Let me get to the
bottom of this. My boss won’t let me off the case, which means this can’t keep happening between
us.”
He pulled away just enough to look at her, his eyes darkening in question. “Wait. What do you
mean he won’t let you off the case? You asked?”
“I had to, Gabe. There was no other choice—for all the good it did.” She tried to slip away,
tried to put some distance between them, but he grabbed the collar of her robe with both hands,
holding her firmly to him.
“Hadley, I’m really not trying to cause you problems, but trying to get off the case just to
avoid me is not happening. I’m telling you that your job won’t be in jeopardy even if we’re caught.”
He cupped her cheek, his eyes locked on hers. “You have my word. There’s no reason for you to
worry.”
She wanted to believe him, and she had no doubt that he thought he could control the outcome
—control her boss. Under normal circumstances, and given the amount of money, power, and
influence Gabe and Ryker Investments could wield, she had no doubt that would be the case. But her
boss was a stubborn and proud man, and wasn’t easily influenced.
“Look…we’ve barely had the chance to get to know each other and frankly, I’m not used to
this sort of thing—and that’s without my job complicating matters.” She couldn’t help but frown. “All
I’m asking is that we hold off until we find the bastard who’s causing you problems. And maybe after
that, I could take a few days off. We could…hang out—if you want.”
“If you need to take things a bit slower, I can try to do that—though I make no promises. Being
around you makes me want to do things to you. Lots of dirty things that’ll have you screaming out my
name. But for you, I can try.” He gave her a sweet, almost chaste kiss, and yet there was still such an
intensity to it, to him, that her heart still couldn’t help but race.
“Well, I appreciate the effort.” And she did.
She liked Gabe, probably more than she had any right to. And after he’d come to her rescue
when they first met, and then later that night, made her feel special—made her feel wanted—pushing
him away was damn hard to do. Clearly. It had been a long time since anyone had made her feel good
about herself, and though she knew she didn’t need a guy to feel special, it was damn nice to be on the
receiving end of some kindness.
“I haven’t eaten yet, but if you’d like to work over breakfast, it might give us a head start on
our day and finding this bastard.” His jaw tightened for just a moment, before the tension slipped free.
Running a gentle hand down her arm, his touch lingered, making her pulse skitter, before he finally
took a step away from her. “If you have no objections to breakfast, I’ll be waiting for you in the
lobby.”
Hadley agreed and saw him to the door. It didn’t take long for her to get ready, but as she was
doing so, she couldn’t help but notice how relieved she was at the thought that she’d no longer have to
push Gabe away. Or at least, she told herself she was. He’d actually behave himself—or at the very
least try to, which was a huge step in the right direction, and what she wanted…right?
Obviously, she wanted him, but she had to act like a responsible adult, not a sex-crazed, horny
teenager. And it wasn’t as though hooking up with Gabe would ever result in anything long-term.
Despite their quick hook up, she was a long-term relationship sort of gal, and after perusing the
tabloids, one thing was clear—Gabe was not a long-term type of guy.
And yet…she chastised herself when she picked out a professional yet sexy outfit, knowing
she’d be with Gabe. Given the cooler November temperatures, she opted for her knee-high boots
once more, and then paired them with a smoky gray tweed pencil skirt and a pale pink sweater with a
scoop neckline, her hair tied back in a sleek ponytail. She was still comfortable, but looked put
together—which she deemed an accomplishment, given the fact that she was living out of a suitcase.
Home was only an hour and a half away, and she had every intention of heading home for the
weekend to do laundry, refresh her wardrobe, and water her plants.
She caught Gabe watching her from across the lobby as she stepped off the elevator and
walked towards him, his gaze smoldering as he took her in from head to toe. He got to his feet as she
approached, taking her by the elbow and leaning in to kiss her cheek sweetly, his voice but a whisper
in her ear, his head bent to hers. “Babe…you’re playing dirty. You know that, right? How the hell am
I supposed to keep myself from pinning you against the wall and fucking you senseless when you look
like a naughty librarian?”
“Naughty?” The word danced across her lips as she spoke it on a hushed breath. “I assure
you, I’m not.”
“Sweetheart, everything about you is naughty, from your fuckable lips, to your perfectly pert
tits—not to mention an ass that won’t quit. You’re the very definition.” He slipped a hand down her
waist to the flare of her hips, grabbing her possessively and pulling her to him, his words only
flaming the fire he insisted on lighting within her. “And when you dress like this…fuck, Hadley. It’s
just not right to tease me like this.”
His words left her dizzy, as if she couldn’t quite catch her breath. “Mr. Ryker…you’re
touching me.”
“Mr. Ryker, is it? Fuck…I like that even more. And just so you know, I’ll be doing a lot more
than touching you before long.” With his head still bent to hers, he tightened his hold on her, his entire
body coiled tight with tension—and then he was releasing her, her heart still pounding from it all.
“Come on. I’m starving, and if I don’t get fed, I’m going to look to satisfy my other hungers.”
She believed it, especially when he was looking at her like he could devour her head to toe.
So much for behaving himself.
It didn’t take long to find herself in his sexy little sports car, hugging the curves of the road by
the ocean side as he drove them out of town. Yet despite the winding road, his gaze kept drifting to
her legs, where her skirt had ridden up from sitting. “Shouldn’t your eyes be on the road?”
“Probably, though I’ll be damned if I can look away from those fine legs of yours. You did
this on purpose, didn’t you? The moment I agree to try to behave myself, you’re making it nearly
impossible for me to do so.” He shook his head as he tsk, tsk’d her, his eyes alight with such
intensity, it made her heart race. “Naughty indeed. And you must know what happens to naughty
girls…they get their asses spanked red.”
She tried not to blush at the thought, desperate to keep her voice steady as she spoke, even as
she felt herself go wet with the thought. Damn him. “Firstly, my wardrobe’s limited since I’m living
out of a suitcase, and secondly, I’m not…naughty. It’s not my fault your mind’s always in the gutter.”
Not that hers was any better since meeting Gabe.
“I could take you shopping…buy you all sorts of things…” With his eyes staying mostly on
the road, he ran a finger along the bare skin of her leg, before inching her skirt higher, reminding her
of his wandering hands when they were having dinner at his brother’s dinner party. “I could even help
you get undressed.”
“Gabe…you’re supposed to be behaving yourself.” Yet his hand was wandering farther up her
thigh, even as she halfheartedly tried to push it away. And damn, but she knew just how wet he’d find
her if she didn’t put a stop to him.
“I don’t know that I’m capable of that, darling.” His fingers ran up the delicate skin of her
inner thighs, urging them farther apart and making it nearly impossible for her not to shift in her seat to
give him more access. He glanced at her with a sexy smile, before turning his eyes back to the road.
“And look at you, trying to be so good—trying to deny what you truly want. You do realize that no
one but the two of us would know… It could be our little secret.”
“You said you’d try to behave…” Her pulse raced even as her hips shifted towards his hand,
hoping he’d stop since she wasn’t strong enough to deny him.
“That was before you tried to seduce me.”
“I did not—” She gasped as his fingers pushed aside the thin lace of her panties and slipped
into her slick, needy warmth.
“Oh…babe…” His fingers dipped into her as his palm pressed against her clit and she let out
a needy moan that completely betrayed her.
“Don’t say it, Gabe.” She bit her bottom lip to keep another moan from escaping, her body
shifting and shimmying at his touch, desperate for more.
“You’re so wet.” Damn it, he said it anyway, the erotic tone and need in his voice only
making matters worse. Still driving, his fingers slipped in and out of her, coaxing her closer and
closer towards her orgasm, all thoughts of pushing him away long gone. He stroked her clit while
finger-fucking her, slipping in and out of her oh-so-easily, curling his fingers as he entered her until
she was so incredibly close. “Maybe I should leave you like this, on the verge of coming all day long.
Desperate for me. Maybe then you won’t be so eager to push me away.”
“Fuck, Gabe…don’t you dare.” She was teetering on the edge, and knew that her day would
be pure torment if he left her like this.
“And here I thought you wanted me to keep my distance.”
Chapter Ten
Gabe couldn’t help but tease Hadley. His poor girl was trying to be so good, was trying to
keep him at arm’s length, was trying to keep it professional. But how could they step away from what
they’d started the first night they met? Clearly, he couldn’t—and neither could she.
She was riding that edge, and though he could have easily pushed her over it, he kept pulling
back and changing things up so that she wouldn’t come. “Gabe…you’re killing me…please…”
“If I let you come, you’re no longer allowed to push me away. We’ll keep things professional
in public, but when it’s just the two of us, I’m going to have you, anytime, anywhere, any way I can.
’Cause I know you crave it, babe. I know how badly you want me…how you long for me to touch you,
fuck you, make you come… And don’t tell me you’re worried about your job, because I’m
guaranteeing it’s safe. Without a doubt.” He’d make damn sure of it. Her boss might value his
reputation, but everyone had a price and an instinct for survival, and Gabe had enough money and
influence to keep her job safe—and if the guy wanted to play hardball, then there were yet other
alternatives.
“Gabe…”
“Or you could just get yourself off…let me watch. I think I’d like that. I think I’d like to watch
as you slip your own hand down between your legs…watch as your slender fingers disappear into
that slick, warm pussy of yours…watch as you get yourself off while thinking of me fucking you.
Because I know, babe…that’s exactly where your thoughts would be.” Fuck, the woman—his woman
—was doing him in. His cock ached for her, ached to be buried in that tight little body of hers.
“What’s it going to be, sweet girl? Do you agree to pursue this thing between us discreetly or do you
let me watch as you get yourself off?”
“You’re such a bastard.” Yet there was no room for anger in her voice when there was so
much need. Of course, she could easily tell him to go fuck himself and do neither, though he highly
doubted she would.
Too distracted to be driving, and curious to see how she’d choose, he pulled over into a small
spot designated for scenic viewing. He continued to stroke and finger her, torturously slow now as
her hips pushed towards his hand and she bit her bottom lip, curses and needy moans escaping her
lips.
Now that he could give her his undivided attention, he noticed how flushed her skin was, how
her slender legs had fallen to the side to give him full access, how her head was tossed back with her
eyes closed, as if she were searching out that orgasm, desperate for a release he was keeping just out
of reach. “I might be a bastard, but it doesn’t stop you from wanting me, does it? And don’t try to deny
it, sweetheart. Not when you’re so wet. Now answer me…what’s it to be?”
“Just let me come, Gabe. Please…” That was all he needed to hear. Increasing his pace and
the pressure against her clit, he hit that soft bundle of nerves deep inside her, knowing it’d push her
over.
“Sweetheart, I’ll take that as a yes to what’s behind door number one. You’re mine for a
discreet affair.” And then before she could protest or pull away, he had her coming, screaming out as
she came, her body quivering as her orgasm tore through her, their deal done.
“See? That wasn’t so hard, now was it? And just think…there’s plenty more fun to be had.”
He slowly, deliberately, licked his fingers clean of her juices, as his eyes held hers captive, her taste
so fucking sweet. She was his. And he’d be having another taste of her as soon as he managed to get
her alone.
Hadley struggled to right her skirt into place, while tossing him a glare, her skin flushed and
her breathing still heavy when she spoke. “You know that’s not a binding agreement.”
“Maybe not, but if it’s what you need to do to set your mind at ease about the fact that I’m
going to fuck you from one mind-blowing orgasm to the next, feel free to blame me if it’ll help your
conscience. Because I know you want me, Hadley. And I am going to have you, every way
imaginable.” Gabe couldn’t fucking wait.
Hadley was still pissed off at him by the time they pulled into the parking lot of the diner, a
gorgeous view of the ocean just beyond. It was a beautiful day for November in New England, but it
was still cold and the wind whipping in off the water was brutal. “Come on, babe. It’s freezing out
here.”
“I’m not happy with you, Gabe. You said you’d behave. But barely an hour later and you’ve
got your hands between my legs.” She whispered the last part as they approached the diner, even
though there was no one there to overhear them.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, wrapping an arm around her waist with one hand
and brushing her cheek with the other. “Not just between your legs, sweetheart, but deep inside you,
stroking you, fucking you, making you come…and I’ll be doing it all again soon. So I suggest you
wrap that pretty little head of yours around it, because I don’t want to waste precious time arguing
with you, when it could be spent with my cock buried in you. Are we clear?”
“Yeah. Crystal.” The glare she gave him would have most men backing off. But he wasn’t
most men.
Though he was desperate to kiss her, he figured he should stick to his end of the bargain of
being discreet. Letting her go, he held the door open for her. “After you, Ms. Moore.”
Her eyebrow perked up in question over her glare, but just for a minute, before stepping into
the warmth of the diner. He was immediately hit with the familiar smell of coffee, bacon, and maple
syrup. They settled into one of the old-fashioned booths, and were handed menus.
“Thanks, Lois.” There were only a handful of waitresses who worked the diner, but Lois
seemed to never leave the place.
“You just missed your brother and his girlfriend not a half hour ago.” She held up the pot of
coffee in question. Both he and Hadley nodded and flipped over their mugs. “Specials are on the
board.” And then Lois was off to do her thing, giving them time to decide on what they’d have.
“I’m starving.” Hadley glanced at the specials before turning to the main menu, while
absentmindedly doctoring her coffee with three packets of sugar and four creamers.
“Work up an appetite, did you?” He couldn’t help but smile, not bothered at all by yet another
one of her glares. “Did you want some coffee with that?”
“Ha ha. Like I haven’t heard that one before. Just mind your own damn business and drink
your own coffee, Mr. Ryker.” She set aside the menu and looked at him, her gaze intense. “I’m
curious to know more about you and your brothers, with regards to being the subject of so many
tabloids and social blogs.”
Gabe’s jaw clenched. He hated that the paparazzi seemed to pop up when he least expected
them. “You saw the pictures, didn’t you? Well, you can’t believe everything you see or read, and I
refuse to stop living my life just so they won’t bother me.”
“I don’t care about the pictures themselves. But what I do wonder is if the attacks have less to
do with business rivals and more to do with someone’s unhealthy fascination with your family. Good-
looking brothers…everything from money to women…might be enough to push someone towards
jealousy or obsession.” She took a long sip of her coffee and then added, “These tabloids reach a
large number of readers. If the attacks are related to that instead of your business dealings, then it
could be anyone. Any hate mail—or fan mail, even?”
“Great. Just what I want to hear. And no, no mail of that nature, that I’m aware of, though
Nancy, our office manager, tends to handle all of that.” They paused to place their order, both of them
ending up with the lumberjack special. “You know that’s a ton of food, right?”
“And…?” She looked at him as if waiting for him to say something more—something that
would piss her off.
Well, he wasn’t that stupid, now was he?
“It was just a friendly warning, Ms. Moore. I meant nothing by it.” And if she could finish a
lumberjack special at the Greasy Spoon, then he might just have to marry this girl.
Except that he did not just think that. No way. Not even as a joke. Clearly, he’d gone off the
deep end—and he absolutely refused to think that there might be some sort of subliminal message
hidden in there.
Pushing all insane thoughts from his mind, he continued. “Nancy might be weeding out any
mail that isn’t business-related. We can ask her once we’re through here.”
“It might be nothing, but it’s worth looking into. Detective Murphy should be ready for me
tomorrow, so I’m hoping that I’ll be able to start interviewing the suspects. Capaldi was the one
mentioned in the file as the primary suspect. Anything you can tell me?” She picked up her mug and
wrapped her slender hands around it, though her gaze was focused on him, as if she were taking in
every nuance, every change in his facial features.
She was analyzing him and his answers, and he was realizing that she was quite different
when she was in work mode. He doubted she missed a thing. “Yeah, we’ve had run-ins on more than
one occasion, since we often times bid against each other for projects. Capaldi also owns a restaurant
across the street from Emma’s, which is why we thought he might be responsible for the fire,
especially since he and Quinn got into a fistfight just days earlier.”
Her brows pulled together in question, making her look so serious, her blue eyes alight with
curiosity. “What was the fight about?”
“Emma. Capaldi’s crude and vulgar on the best of days, and Quinn has little tolerance for
disrespect or threats, idle or otherwise, especially when it comes to the woman he loves.” And there
was no doubt that Quinn had fallen hard and fast for Emma, something Gabe hadn’t seen coming. “If I
had to finger someone for this, it’d be Capaldi, especially when he’s rumored to have ties to the mob.
Even if he didn’t do it himself, he could have easily had someone else take care of the matter for him.
Not that we have any proof.”
“I’m going to try to get my hands on any surveillance video from traffic cameras and
businesses within the area of Emma’s restaurant on the night of the fire. The perpetrators didn’t just
fall in from the sky. They’ll have to show up somewhere.”
If only it were that easy. He shook his head no, hating to disappoint her. “That might be the
case if there was an abundance of security cameras, but this is still a relatively small town, and few
have bothered. Even with the tourists, we don’t get much trouble, and thieves aren’t usually going to
break in to try to steal brass mermaid coat hooks or stuffed toy lobsters.”
“Funny—but I see your point.” Hadley sat back as Lois approached with their plates of food.
“Hope you kids are hungry.” Lois slid their plates in front of them, laden with stacks of
pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, home fries, and biscuits. It was Gabe’s norm and he’d have no
problem finishing it. But Hadley? He couldn’t imagine she’d manage to eat all of it.
And yet…she didn’t quite finish it, but damn, the girl made a huge dent. “I’m done. It was
great, but I don’t think I could eat another bite.”
“I’m shocked you finished even a third of what you ate. We can finish up here, and then we
can either go to my office to run through past business deals and companies we outbid, or go back to
the station and check to see if there’s any video footage.” Truth was, he was hoping she’d choose to
go back to his office. Certainly, he wanted to catch the asshole messing with his family, but his need
for Hadley had yet to subside, and he was desperate to get her alone, especially after watching her
come undone at his hand not even an hour earlier.
“I don’t want to bother Detective Murphy with tracking down the video, since he’s still
wrapping up his other case. It can wait until tomorrow.” Hadley’s phone rang, but after a quick
glance, she dismissed the call, her body suddenly tense, her brow furrowed, and her breathing
unsteady.
“Was that him? Your ex?” Gabe didn’t even need her to answer to know he was right. Fuck.
He wanted to punch the guy.
“Even if it was, that’s none of your concern.” She avoided his gaze and started digging around
in her bag, no doubt trying to avoid him with a mundane distraction.
“That’s where you’d be mistaken, Hadley. If he’s bothering you—if he wants you back—then
you need to tell me.” So he could fucking murder the bastard. “I’m not going to let him harass you.”
She tossed enough money on the table to cover both their meals as well as a generous tip, only
infuriating him further. “Again—how is my personal life any of your concern?”
“Like hell it isn’t.”
Chapter Eleven
“Put your damn money away.” Gabe stuffed Hadley’s money into her bag, tossed a hundred
onto the table, and then, grabbing her by the arm, hauled her to her feet and out of the diner, ignoring
her curses and protests. He half wondered if someone would call the cops on them, but he didn’t care.
He wanted the privacy to get this sorted, and as hot-headed as they both were, he didn’t want them
hashing it out in the middle of the diner.
Hadley’s face was flushed and red, and if looks could kill they’d be getting him a body bag.
“You’re a real ass. You know that, right?”
“So you keep saying.” He was half-surprised when she got into the passenger seat of his car
without much protest, but not so surprised when she slammed the door hard enough to practically take
it off its hinges. He got in behind the wheel, but didn’t bother starting the car, not wanting to drive
while distracted. “Listen to me, babe; if I’m the one making you come on a regular basis—and don’t
try telling me that I’m not—then I’m allowed to know if your ex-husband is harassing you. And to that
extent, you’re damn right that your personal life is my business.”
Gabe was frustrated that she was closing him out of her life, especially when he only wanted
to protect her, and he was annoyed with himself for actually caring. And he did care, damn it, though
why, he hadn’t a clue. The woman was driving him fucking crazy—and suddenly the whole thing was
looking all too familiar.
Quinn…Quinn and Emma.
Fuck.
This was turning into a repeat of Quinn acting crazy because he’d fallen for Emma and she
was pushing him away—except this time he was the one requiring a fucking straightjacket.
He could tell himself that Hadley was nothing more than a fling but he was already breaking
far too many of his own rules when it came to her, and he’d grown far too attached. What he needed
was to either take control of the matter or walk away—and right now, as bad as he wanted her,
walking away just wasn’t an option.
She spun in her seat to look at him, her anger pouring off her in waves. “Why the hell do you
care, Gabe? It’s not like you’ll even remember my name once this case is done, and if I can’t be
bothered to worry about my ex, then why should you?”
“Because I’ll be damned if I’ll have him coming around, trying to get in your pants or trying to
hurt you. You’re mine, Hadley—for as long as we’re doing this. There’s no way I’m fucking sharing
you with the bastard.” The thought itself was enough to make him want to find the guy and put his fist
through the man’s face.
“Yours?” She shook her head and laughed, though there was little humor in it. “I don’t ever
remember having that conversation.”
The woman was going to drive him to drink. “Are you fucking anyone else?”
With an exasperated sigh, she threw up her hands in frustration. “You know I’m not, Gabe.”
“Well, neither am I—nor do I want to be.” Fuck…how the hell had that even happened? He
gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. “You’re mine, Hadley… It has to be that
way, because the thought of you with another man makes me fucking crazy.”
“Yeah…that’s not going to work for me, because, one: I’m not supposed to be fucking you in
the first place, and two: you’re insane. I’m only in the area while the investigation is ongoing, not to
mention, I’m not making any sort of commitment when I’m just your flavor of the week.” She let out a
sigh, and grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze to quell some of his frustration. “I like you, Gabe, but
you’re not exactly a safe bet when it comes to boyfriend material, and I have a real crappy track
record.”
He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her close, nuzzling her, before capturing her mouth
in a kiss. “I won’t hurt you, babe. I swear it. And I’ve been nothing but loyal since this started.”
“Which was only a few days ago, Gabe.” She let out a weary sigh and stole a small kiss, her
lips lingering against his. “You can’t tell me you want something serious—something long-term. I like
you far too much, and I’ll only end up wanting more than you can give me.”
“What if I could give you more than I’ve ever given anyone else?” Hell, he’d already gone
there, breaking rule after rule. At this point, he needed to see this through. And he hated to admit it,
but he still needed her. Desperately. He didn’t know how or why she’d gotten under his skin, but she
had, and he was far from having his fill of her. “I want you, Hadley—more than I’ve ever wanted
anyone. And I’m serious about this—about you—and I refuse to let you dismiss what’s between us as
just another fling. Because we both know it’s not.”
“No, I suppose it isn’t. But, Gabe…it still doesn’t mean that this won’t end with me getting the
shit end of the stick. I’m sacrificing my career—and possibly even my heart—and for what? For
something that’ll end in just a few weeks when I’m done with the case, and forced to go back home?”
She looked away, her gaze falling on their linked hands. “It’s too big a risk.”
“And it’s one worth taking, damn it.” He cupped her face in both his hands, brushing his thumb
across her lips, watching the effect it had on her as her lids fluttered shut and her breath caught. He
was absolutely desperate—desperate to make her see sense, desperate to make her realize what she
meant to him. And fuck…but she did. At this point, she was everything. “Hadley…I can’t take no for
an answer, so for fuck’s sake just say yes—to whatever this is.”
Her eyes opened as she took him in, the worry in her eyes subsiding to resignation. “Yes—but
please, don’t fuck with me, Gabe. I don’t need another broken heart.”
Outright panic would normally be Gabe’s normal response to talk of any sort of commitment
—and yet all he could feel was relief that she’d said yes.
And that meant he was screwed. Royally.
***
Gabe dropped Hadley off at the police station so she could check in with her partner and
finish investigating the leads she was tracking, while he got back to his own work, feeling as if he had
a ton to catch up on. He spent the day answering emails and phone calls, pushing through papers that
needed to be approved or sent through to their lawyers, and working on the projects they had coming
down the pike. Everything had to be perfectly choreographed, or one missed permit, one missed
signature, one missed inspection, could delay a project for weeks.
Yet, busy as he was, his concentration was shattered and unfocused. He knew what the
problem was, but refused to actually acknowledge it, knowing he was already on one hell of a
slippery slope where Hadley was concerned. Instead of giving his work his undivided attention, he’d
instead spent the day looking at the clock, counting down the hours until he could go see her again.
Whatever he had going on with Hadley was unlike anything he’d experienced before now. He
was already trying to find a way to get her to stick around, knowing that she’d be leaving once she
wrapped up the case. And though he could try to fight what was happening between them, he was
curious to see how it would all play out.
A knock on his open door had him looking up. Quinn walked in and took a seat across from
Gabe’s desk. “How are things going with Hadley and the investigation?”
Gabe finished signing the papers he was working on, and sat back in his seat. “Hadley was
thinking that with the amount of exposure we get in the tabloids, we may have caught someone’s
attention in a way that may not be healthy. I’ve got Nancy pulling together any mail we may have
received that looks questionable—anything that might veer towards the extreme.”
“Does that mean she hasn’t called her boss and asked to be moved to a different assignment?”
Quinn’s brows perked up in question, his lips curled in a sarcastic smile.
Wondering just how much Quinn knew, Gabe gave him a shrug. “We’ve managed to find a
compromise that should work for everyone involved.”
“A compromise, huh?” Quinn cursed under his breath, in humor and disbelief. “You’re
unbelievable, though I won’t give you a hard time, since I know you won’t let it interfere with her
investigation and…well, I think she could be good for you.”
Gabe balked, feeling defensive, despite thinking the same thing. “Good for me? What the hell
is that supposed to mean?”
When Quinn smirked, Gabe couldn’t help but glare at him. “It means that it’s nice to see you
taking an interest in a woman beyond dinner and dipping your wick.”
“You’re real funny. But just remember—you were no different than me before meeting
Emma.” Meeting Emma had been life-changing for his brother, and quick as it had all happened, Gabe
found he was still adjusting to the idea that his brother had actually found true love. Maybe Gabe was
still cynical that it could actually happen to him, though he was finally starting to come around to the
idea that there was more to life than being a bachelor. He could now see the happiness that could be
found when one finally met that special someone.
“I’m a better man—and far happier—for it. Speaking of which, I want your opinion on
something—Morgan’s too, if you’re around on Saturday.” Quinn shifted in his seat, an underlying
tension in his shoulders.
“Everything okay?” They were a pretty tight-knit family and if there was something wrong,
they rallied. No judgment.
Getting to his feet, Quinn gave him a smile Gabe didn’t quite understand. “Yeah. Better than
okay. Saturday at noon—we’ll meet at my place.”
It was all a bit odd, but he tried not to think about it. Quinn would tell him what was going on
when he was ready. “Yeah…sounds fine.”
With Hadley still invading his thoughts, he wrapped up for the day, and stopped by Nancy’s
desk. “Were you able to find anything?”
“I don’t quite know what you’re looking for but I did my best to sort through anything that
might be relevant.” Nancy had been with Ryker Investments from the start, and was more like an aunt
to them than an office manager. She did an amazing job wrangling everything they needed to keep
their company running like a well-oiled machine, and Gabe had no doubt they’d be lost without her.
“Here you go, dear. If there’s anything else…”
“I’ll be sure to let you know. Thanks.” Gabe took the file she handed him and peeked at the
letters she’d printed out while heading for the elevator. Though he already had plans to see Hadley
for dinner, he was happy to have a more valid excuse for seeing her than simply wanting to get his
hands on that sweet body of hers.
What he hadn’t expected was to see her rushing across the hotel lobby, an overnight bag slung
over her shoulder. “Gabe…I’ve got to cancel. Sorry…I’ll be back in time for work tomorrow.”
“Hey.” Running a hand down her arm, he stopped her from taking off, genuinely worried.
“What’s happened?”
“Family stuff…my sister…I doubt it’s anything. Probably the same old drama, though I really
need to check in with them...just in case it’s something more serious.” She waved him away, though
there was still worry in her eyes. “I’m sorry, but I’ve really got to run. She’ll be waiting for me.”
“I’m coming with you—even if I have to wait for you in the car. You’re upset, and I don’t
want you driving.” There was no way he was letting her out of his sight when she looked downright
shaken. She may be doing a half decent job of masking it, but after years of reading people during
business transactions, he wasn’t fooled by her nonchalance. Whatever had happened was more
serious than she was letting on.
She gave his hand a squeeze, her body brushing against his so it took all he had to not wrap
his arms around her and hold her close. “That’s really sweet of you, Gabe, but my family is crazy. I
wouldn’t subject my worst enemy to this.”
“Hadley…you know there’s no way in hell that I’m letting you go alone.” No fucking way.
“Just give me two minutes to grab a bag, and we’ll be on our way.”
They got on the road quickly enough, but Boston traffic and the evening commute slowed them
down as they tried to make their way to the southern part of the state. Gabe was glad she’d let him
drive, given how antsy she was. He didn’t know what had happened with Hadley’s sister, Abby, but
it was clear Hadley was not only upset but frustrated and angry.
Gabe didn’t think she’d want to talk about what was going on, so instead, he did his best to
distract her with small talk, at first, and then work. “Those emails and letters you wanted are in a file
in my briefcase, if you want to have a look.”
“Yeah, I’d love to. I need to get my mind off things—and it’s either work or sex, and since
you’re driving…” Despite the shrug and smile she gave him, despite her words, he could still see the
stiff tension in her movements and the anxiety in her eyes.
Seeing her upset was driving him crazy. Maybe a bit of flirting and humor would work to
distract her. “Babe, I’m happy to pull over if you want me to fuck your worries away. Just say the
word.”
She reached around behind his seat, and after a moment of digging around, she pulled the
folder with the letters into her lap, though her gaze flicked over at him. “Are we really doing this
then? The whole discreet sex thing? Because if I did actually agree to that, I’m sure I could argue that
I was under duress.”
“If you’re trying to say that you don’t want me fucking you, then I’m calling you out as a liar—
and not only that, but I’m going to paddle your ass red for not being honest with me.” The mere
thought of her plump ass draped over his lap as his hand stung from marking her pale skin with his
handprint had him going rock hard.
He glanced over to gauge her reaction, wondering whether or not she’d enjoy herself. Her
cheeks had flushed red and he had no doubt that she was wet from the mere thought of it.
Her eyes narrowed at him, her breathing shallow and her nipples visibly hard under her
sweater. “You wouldn’t…”
“Tell me you wouldn’t enjoy it, sweetheart, and I won’t bring it up again. But I’ll know if
you’re lying to me, and that’ll only get you in more trouble.” Fuck, he wanted her. He’d never dated
anyone long enough to really experiment, even though he knew what he liked. And if he had to hazard
a guess, he’d say Hadley would be more than willing if she decided to quit pushing him away.
“The way I see it, I don’t need to give you an answer, because I’m not having this
conversation.” She opened the file and quickly gave the papers a preliminary glance, though it was
clear she was just trying to avoid their conversation.
“You may not want to discuss it, darling, but you’re an open book, and once we deal with
whatever crisis has turned up, I’m going to have you, Hadley. Every which way possible.” His mind
was already imagining each and every scenario, knowing that there was little chance she could deny
him for long. “I think you’d like that…wouldn’t you, sweetheart?”
“Have you gone through these letters yet?”
He barked out a laugh. “Fine, we can focus on work—for now. And to answer your question,
no, I didn’t have a chance to go through them. Was hoping to do that over dinner—though this works
too.”
As she started to go through the letters, she separated them into piles, shuffling them around.
Though his focus was on the road, the snags in traffic allowed him the chance to glance over at her,
and take her in. He loved watching her work—her intense focus, the intelligence in her eyes, her
determination. In a lot of ways, she was a lot like him. Nothing ever distracted him from work—until
he’d met Hadley. After that, he was damned if he could focus on anything but her.
She wasn’t anything like the women he normally dated, which was probably why she’d
managed to keep his interest—that and the fact that she kept trying to push him away. He loved that
she was so determined to stand her ground, and yet, when all was said and done, she just couldn’t
resist him. And though that was a huge stroke to his ego, it was more about that indefinable—and
undeniable—connection to her.
“There’s some interesting stuff here.” Her brow furrowed as she looked through a handful of
the letters she’d set aside. “Some of it seems rather personal, though, especially if it was sent directly
to your company’s general email address.”
“Sometimes emails addressed to someone specific get caught in the company spam folder.
Why? What do you have there?” She now had him curious as to the sort of letters she’d come across.
“If it’s coming to our company email though, it’ll likely be work-related. We all have email accounts
elsewhere for personal stuff.”
“Yeah…you’d think that, though it’s my experience that people get used to working from one
email address and don’t bother using secondary addresses all that much. And with the amount of work
you guys put in, I could see it becoming a matter of convenience to just use the company email.” She
hadn’t even bothered to look up from what she was reading. “So, you wanted to know what I have
here? Well…” She finally glanced over at him, her blue eyes steady as she looked at him. “I think
your brother might be in trouble.”
Chapter Twelve
Hadley silently reread the letter as Gabe swore and slammed his fist against the steering
wheel. Perhaps she’d been wrong to say anything before looking into it more. “I could be mistaken,
Gabe. It’s just that…something feels off about this.”
“What email address was it sent to? Was it sent to Quinn or Morgan?” Gabe tossed a glance
in her direction, his brow furrowed and his jaw clenched as he maneuvered them through traffic, their
speed finally starting to pick up.
“Morgan. Though the email it’s coming from is generic. No way to really guess who sent it.”
Hadley thought back to the family dinner, trying to recall whether or not Morgan had seemed nervous.
He’d certainly been quiet enough, though Gabe had said his brother was a loner, kept to himself.
“Fuck…” Gabe shook his head, fury knotted in every movement. Hadley knew they were a
tight-knit family and protective of each other. “What’s the letter say?”
“We should wait, Gabe. Wait until we’ve had a chance to pull over.” The last thing they
needed to do was get into an accident, especially when she still had her sister’s mess to deal with.
Hadley didn’t have all the details on what exactly had gone wrong this time, but she didn’t need them
if it involved her sister, Abby, and her latest asshole boyfriend.
Gabe glared at her, looking more than a little annoyed and frustrated. “Just read the damn
thing, Hadley.”
She knew his anger wasn’t with her, and knowing she’d be just as pissed off if their roles
were reversed, she didn’t argue with him. “You know it’s not safe for you to come. I’ll manage until
I can find out more, but if they find out who you are, there’ll be no way to keep you from harm.
Please, Morgan—don’t. It’s not worth the risk.”
“What the fuck has he gotten himself into? And what the fuck does that all mean, anyway?”
The worry in his voice had her reaching out to take his hand, though she knew she was likely of little
comfort.
Did this mean “they” had found out who Morgan was, and the attacks were the result? It was
hard to know, with so little to go on.
“We can sort it out once we have a chance to speak to him. It might be nothing, Gabe.” And
she wasn’t just saying that to ease his worries. “Let’s not jump to conclusions, yeah?”
“Yeah…”
Gabe said very little after that, making her wish there was something more she could do to
distract him from his thoughts and worries—not to mention her own problems. It was amazing how
rapidly their day had turned to shit. The only sound breaking the silence was the GPS squawking out
the directions.
Once Gabe finally pulled up outside her sister’s cookie-cutter ranch, he shifted in his seat to
face her, his brow still furrowed with worry and anger. “I’m sorry I wasn’t better company.”
Leaning forward, Hadley nuzzled him, his stubble rough against her skin. She breathed in his
now familiar scent as she cupped his face in her hands and kissed him, needing to ease some of his
worries.
And fuck…she was falling for him, and she didn’t care if everything else went to hell. “I
know we both have more important things to worry about, but…tell me again, Gabe. Tell me that we
can do this and it won’t screw everything up.”
“I swear, Hadley, I won’t let anything happen to you.” Gabe seemed so serious now—and so
determined. The underlying humor that had always been there when he dealt with her seemed to have
dissipated in the face of their problems. And yet the fact that they were helping each other get through
their crappy day was something she hadn’t expected. Suddenly her little one-night-stand-turned-fling
felt like it was turning into so much more.
Except that Gabe wasn’t the sort of guy who did relationships, and she’d only just reclaimed
her single status.
She must have done a crap job of masking her thoughts, causing Gabe to curse under his
breath. “Fuck…I’m an ass for dumping all this on you when you’re dealing with your own problems.”
“This is my job, Gabe, so don’t you dare feel bad about it. My problems are nothing
compared to what you and your family are dealing with. This is no more than my sister running into
trouble after dating the wrong guy, yet again.” Not that she’d been any better, which only made her
question if it was wise to be growing attached to Gabe. He was definitely different than every other
guy she’d dated, but that didn’t mean the curse had been miraculously lifted.
“It doesn’t mean this isn’t difficult for you, babe.” He pulled her close and kissed her, his lips
lingering on hers. “I don’t want to be just another inconsiderate asshole.”
“Well, I appreciate it—and though you can be pushy, you’ve never been a jerk.” It was the
truth, and damn, but it made her heart skitter and skip a beat to think that maybe—just maybe—she’d
escape the curse. “You don’t have to come in if you don’t want to deal with the drama—and believe
me when I tell you, there will be drama.”
Gabe slipped her hand in his and brought it to his lips, reminding her that he was fully capable
of being a patient and considerate man. “I don’t scare easily, babe. And I want to be there for you,
especially when you don’t really know what you’re walking into.”
Suddenly feeling overwhelmed with emotions for the man before her, she fisted her hands in
his shirt and pulled him close, kissing him hard as her tongue darted against his, her breathing heavy.
Finally managing to pull away, she let her breathing slow back to normal before speaking again.
“Thanks for this, Gabe.”
“Come on then.” Gabe followed her up the steps of the front porch and waited by her side as
she knocked on the front door.
Hadley could hear yelling, making her wonder if Abby’s boyfriend was still around. Already
dreading what was to come, she pounded on the door, ready to read her sister the riot act and let
Abby clean up her own mess for once, despite the long drive to get there. She didn’t need to deal with
some asshole, on top of her sister’s drama.
The door was finally yanked open, but what she saw was like a sucker punch to the gut. “What
the hell is going on, Abby? And why the hell is Matt here?” The last person she wanted to see was
her ex-husband.
Abby was still yelling at Matt over her shoulder. “Hadley’s all you ever talk about, so here
she is! Never mind that she kicked you to the curb, and I was the one who took you in.”
Gabe stiffened at Hadley’s side, before taking her hand in his, protectively. Hadley thought
about leaving, but something still didn’t feel right—until all the pieces fell into place. “Oh…no way!
Are you kidding me? You’re fucking him? You’re fucking Matt? That’s a really low blow to be
screwing my ex-husband—even for you, Abby. And here I was rushing down here because I thought
you were in trouble again.”
Hadley’s sister was prone to making bad choices, and always managed to get herself in
trouble, but this was pretty fucking low, even for her.
Abby held onto the door, giving Hadley a pissed-off look, of all things. What the hell? “Well,
you can have him. It’s not like he cares about me. It’s always ‘Hadley, Hadley, Hadley…’ and I’m
sick and tired of it.”
“If I wanted that ass hat, then I wouldn’t have divorced him, Abby. And for you to leave me a
message, sobbing your eyes out, is downright manipulative. You knew I’d come—especially after
your last asshole boyfriend knocked you around.” Why Hadley bothered to drag her ass over there,
she hadn’t a clue. She should have known better.
“The only reason you came down here is because you always have to be the one to save the
day.”
Matt shifted around Abby, his gaze settling on Gabe, who was still standing by Hadley’s side,
his body stiff as if his muscles were coiled tight and ready to attack. “Who the fuck’s this? The ink on
our divorce isn’t even dry, Hadley.”
“Said the dickhead fucking my sister.” Hadley shook her head. She’d seen enough. More than
enough. “You know what? On second thought, you guys are perfect for each other.”
“I still love you, Hadley.” Matt grabbed her arm as she turned to go, and yanked her to him,
his grip tight as she struggled to get free of him.
And damn, but that was one hell of a mistake.
Gabe pulled her free and grabbed Matt’s arm with a quick move Hadley had only seen in
movies. He pinned Matt against the wall with a rough shove, as he twisted Matt’s arm painfully
behind his back. “You don’t touch her. Are we clear?”
“Fuck off. She’s my wife.” Matt was big, but Gabe was just as big and he wasn’t budging.
“Ex-wife. And she’s mine, now.” Gabe shoved Matt again as he got in Matt’s face and
growled, “Mine. Do you hear me? Touch her again, and I’ll put you in the fucking hospital.”
“Hadley! Don’t do this.” Matt tried looking over his shoulder at her, but Gabe had yet to let
him go.
Gabe caught her gaze and tilted his head towards the street. “Get in the car, babe. We’re done
here.”
And they were. There was little she had to say to her sister or her ex. “I’m through—with both
of you. Don’t call me again, Abby—from now on, your messes are your own to clean up. The two of
you deserve each other.”
“You can’t go, Hadley. I’m pregnant.”
Abby’s words were like a knife to her gut. Hadley ran for the car, desperate to get out of
there. She was such a goddamned fool. And to think that she’d dropped everything to come help her
sister, worried that she’d gotten herself into trouble.
Hadley barely remembered getting to the car, barely registered Gabe getting in next to her, nor
him steering them towards the highway. She felt broken and betrayed, and though she managed to keep
her tears from falling, the lump in her throat kept her from speaking.
As if sensing that she was barely holding it together, Gabe didn’t say anything, but instead
took her hand and held it tight. Traffic had died down by the time they got to Boston, though the last
thing she’d been expecting was for Gabe to pull off the highway.
When she finally managed to speak, her voice sounded rough and broken. “Where are we
going?”
“You’ve had a long day, and I’m going to take care of you.” He glanced over at her and
cupped her face for a moment. “And before you say anything, I’m not taking no for an answer.”
Truth was, she didn’t have the energy to argue with him. She felt like her soul had been ripped
from her body and then someone—her sister and ex, to be exact—had filled her empty shell with
poison, inky black and heart-wrenching.
“I meant what I said to your ex, Hadley. You’re mine, now. Mine. And I take care of my
own.”
Chapter Thirteen
Gabe had never come that close to losing control, but between Hadley’s sister, and her ex,
he’d barely held it together. To betray her like that…it was unforgivable. Every family had their
difficulties, but this went well beyond that.
Pulling up in front of an elegant apartment building, Gabe gave the valet the keys, grabbed
their things, and then helped Hadley out of the car. Seeing her so upset, so distraught, left him furious
that someone would hurt her like that. It also left him fiercely protective of her—something he’d
never felt for anyone other than his family.
This was the apartment he kept for the times he was working in the city, and though it wasn’t
exactly home, it was close enough. It didn’t take long to get up to his loft, keeping her tucked against
his side the whole time, desperate to soothe her and distract her from her problems.
The moment he closed the door behind them and set aside their bags, Hadley slipped her arms
around his waist and rested her head against his chest. “Thank you…I don’t know what I would have
done if you weren’t there.”
Gabe didn’t want to think about it. Especially now that he had a face to go with her ex’s name.
The thought of Matt touching Hadley—the thought of him actually trying to get her back—made him
fucking crazy.
He tilted her head back so she’d look at him, so she’d know he was serious. “I want to be
there for you, babe…no matter what you’re going through. You can count on me, okay?”
“You don’t have to do this. You’re not responsible for my happiness—even if I think you’re
the sweetest, most honorable man I’ve ever met.”
“I don’t have to, but I want to. I may have my own code of honor, but just so we’re clear, I’m
not a sweet man, Hadley. Far from it. And…” Fuck. “I’ve gotten to care about you—and it fucking
pisses me off to see you upset. I don’t know your sister or your ex, but they’re assholes, and if that
bastard of an ex-husband of yours shows up again—if he touches you again—I’m going to fucking kill
him.”
Seeing Matt manhandle her when it was clear she was upset and desperate to get away from
him had been more than enough to push Gabe over the edge. Though he could easily take care of
himself in a fight, having grown up in a rough neighborhood, he usually avoided trouble. Yet when it
came to Hadley…he’d never felt so protective before, and he was starting to think he’d lay it all on
the line for her.
Hearing Matt confess that he still loved Hadley had set something off deep inside Gabe,
something that made him realize that, despite not knowing Hadley all that long, his feelings for her
had turned into something more serious.
Gabe had been telling himself that this thing with Hadley wasn’t anything more than a brief
fling while she was in town—until Matt had touched her and declared his love for her. It was then
that Gabe realized that the thought of Hadley with someone else, rather than by his side, in his arms,
was enough to make him feel like he was drowning and couldn’t take a breath, like his very soul was
consumed with fire.
Hadley’s brow furrowed as she shook her head. “I don’t know where this is all coming from
with Matt. The divorce dragged on for two years. Maybe having it finally go through sent him into a
panic. But I swear, Gabe, I have no interest in getting back together with him, especially now that…”
Her voice cracked, as he pulled her close, though she managed to continue. “I still can’t believe my
sister slept with him and is now pregnant. This is a new low, even for her—and you know it means
that I’ll never truly be free of Matt. Every Christmas, or family event, I’m going to be forced to deal
with him—not to mention their betrayal.”
Her tears finally spilled over, making him angry on her behalf. Cupping her face in his hands,
he brushed her tears away, her skin smooth and hot to the touch. “They’re not worth your tears, babe.
They don’t deserve you. Neither of them.”
“Then why does it hurt so much?” She closed her eyes and, with her head against his chest,
softly wept.
He scooped her into his arms and carried her to his bed, laying her down, before settling in at
her side and holding her close. This was new territory for him, having not ever been in a relationship
before, but he figured she needed to know she wasn’t alone. And he needed her to know she was
important to him, and the rest of it didn’t matter.
He ran his hand down her back and rested his cheek on her head, breathing in the already
familiar scent of her shampoo. Truth was, it didn’t take her long to settle and her tears to stop, as if
she’d forced herself to be strong—as if she’d realized Matt and Abby weren’t worth the pain.
She shifted in his arms and pressed her warm lips to his neck. “Tell me again, Gabe.”
He wasn’t sure what she wanted to hear, but he knew what he wanted to tell her. “You’re
mine, Hadley. I know things have been a bit crazy between us, and it hasn’t been long, but I’m serious
about you. Mine, babe. And I swear, I don’t think I’ll ever get my fill of you. I want you—you and you
alone, until I can think of nothing else.”
Gabe was starting to think that the Ryker men took awhile to fall for a woman, but when they
did, they fell hard and fast. Not that he was anything like Quinn—and yet he knew just how easily he
could go down that road if Hadley was by his side.
Trailing kisses along his jawline, Hadley nipped at his ear, sending a jolt of need through his
core, as she reached down to stroke him. “I just want to forget them…I don’t want to think of anything
else but you.”
“Well, I sure as hell can help you with that.” And there was no way he was going to take
things slow and sweet. What she needed was a distraction. Something intense. Something that would
ground her in that very moment and would keep her focused, so her mind wouldn’t wander to her
problems.
Gabe rolled her onto her back, capturing her mouth in a bruising kiss, breaking away just long
enough to yank off his t-shirt. Cupping her breasts, he stroked her nipples and slid his tongue over
hers as their kisses deepened and he swallowed her needy moans.
Slipping his hands up over her waist, he snagged her t-shirt and pulled it up over her head,
before setting her breasts free, her bra tossed aside. Lowering his head, he feasted on her perfect
breasts, sucking and biting one nipple and then the next as she tangled her fingers in his hair, her back
arching to offer herself to him. But he didn’t just want her; he needed her and everything she had to
offer. She’d become the blood in his veins, the air in his lungs, his very soul—she was the one thing
that sustained him.
Pulling his worn leather belt free of his jeans, he wrapped the strap around her wrists, taking
care to leave enough slack to not cut off her circulation, but not so loose that she’d be able to get free.
Her eyes went wide for a moment, but then she leaned forward and bit his bottom lip, following it up
with a kiss that left him ready to ravage her. He raised her arms above her head and wrapped her
fingers around the spindled headboard, before binding her arms to the bed.
“I want you at my mercy, babe. But if you have a problem with this—with what I’m about to
do to you—then just tell me. We can always stop—or change things up.” Gabe didn’t think she’d
mind him tying her up, but he needed to make sure. He wanted to distract her from her worries, not
add to them.
Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, her chest rising and falling as her breath quickened. “Is
it bad that I really want you, Gabe—no matter what you have in mind? I want to forget my past and
start new—and I don’t want to overthink anything or let a single experience pass me by.”
Cupping her face, he ran his thumb over her lip, his heart tight as it ran wild. “Fuck no—it’s
not bad. Because I want you, Hadley. Like I’ve never wanted anyone before.”
It was a confession he’d never have made in a million years. But that was before Hadley,
when the women he’d been with were nothing more than a bit of fun.
And fuck, but his woman was gorgeous, especially when she was spread out below him, her
perfect breasts and pert nipples just begging to be teased, tasted, feasted upon. But first…he ran a
slow finger down between her breasts to her jeans, flicking the button undone, before grabbing the
waistband and yanking them off her, making sure to grab whatever little piece of lace she had on as
panties.
“I want to taste you, Gabe…please…” Hadley licked her lips and bit her bottom lip, making
her absolutely irresistible.
“You’re a sight, babe. And in just a moment I’m going to fuck that pretty little mouth of yours,
since you asked so nicely.” He was already unzipping his jeans and shrugging out of them, the thought
of her sucking his cock making him so hard, he ached.
She pulled at her bindings before turning those blue eyes on him. “I want my hands free so I
can touch you…stroke you.”
“I suppose we can reach a compromise, since I’m in no position to deny you anything when
you look at me like that.” Gabe undid the strap where it tied to the bed, but left her hands bound
together. Using his belt, he reeled her towards him as he stood, forcing her to follow after him. “Will
this do?”
She dropped to her knees before him, without him ever asking, and her willingness nearly did
him in, his attachment to Hadley only growing. “May I?”
“Fuck, Hadley…yeah…” She was messing with his head—with his heart, even if he refused
to admit it.
He watched as she brought her bound hands to his hard length and wrapped them around his
girth, sliding them towards the base as she ran her pink tongue up to the head of his cock and along the
crease, before encircling him with her full lips. She slowly sucked him, working his length into her
mouth, keeping her eyes on his, as her tongue danced along the silken skin of his cock and her needy
little moans urged him on. It was so fucking good, and yet the thought of her developing those skills on
another—on Matt—was enough to make him want to claim her as his own and find a way to erase all
the men she’d been with before him.
He brushed the hair from her eyes and then tangled his fingers in her thick locks before
tightening his hold to control her pace and just how much of him she’d take. His hips rocked into her
mouth, her throat loosening around him to take him in, the sight of her with his cock disappearing past
her lips just too fucking perfect. “That’s it, babe. You all right?”
Given his size, he’d be an ass not to ask—and yet she only sucked him harder in response, her
needy hum vibrating against his cock as a groan escaped him. He loved that she was so willing, that
she seemed to truly enjoy sucking him off, which only made her mind-blowingly sexy.
Desperate to make it last, he tightened his hold on her hair to control her pace, slowly fucking
her sweet mouth as her eyes slipped closed, her long lashes dark against her flushed cheeks. “That’s
right, sweetheart. Fucking perfect…nice and deep.”
As she took him deeper with each stroke, sucking him, teasing him with her tongue, he found it
impossible not to quicken his pace. Pleasure coursed through him to his core as his climax neared, the
sight of her on her knees before him, with her pretty lips and bound hands wrapped around his cock,
almost too much to bear without him coming then and there. Each thrust picked up in its intensity, his
hips rocking towards her, forcing her to take all of him, as he neared that tipping point.
“Babe…I’m going to come.” He loosened his hold so she could pull away if she wanted, but
she only quickened her pace in response, taking him fully as she let out needy little moans that
vibrated around his cock. And then he was coming with a grunt, his release rocketing through him like
hot lightning. His eyes locked on her as he watched her take him, swallowing all he had to give her,
his breath and heart hitching at the sight of her. “Fuck…I think I’m in love.”
He pulled free of her, and watched her lick her red lips, as if savoring his taste. He felt dizzy
with having just come, dizzy from his words and whether or not there was anything to them, and dizzy
from still desperately wanting her. Reaching down, he scooped her into his arms and laid her down
on the mattress before binding her to the bed once more, his mouth hard on hers in a kiss, tasting
himself on her lips.
“Gabe…” Her brow furrowed, but fearing she’d wanted to discuss the asinine thing he’d
mumbled in a moment of feels-too-fucking-good ecstasy, he decided to distract her.
“Hush, sweetheart.” He needed to have her, taste her, needed to feel her quiver in his arms
with her orgasm, needed to hear her cry out, his name on her lips.
Nestling between her legs, he lowered himself to her, pausing to steal a heated kiss, his tongue
dueling with hers. Cupping her breast, he rolled her nipple between his thumb and finger as she
struggled against her bindings. He trailed kisses and nips down the length of her long neck, before
pulling her other nipple into his mouth to suckle at it, eliciting a needy moan from Hadley’s lips as
she wrapped her legs around his waist, thrusting her hips towards him in search of some relief.
“I bet you’re so wet for me. And I can’t fucking wait to feast on you and your sweet pussy.”
He nibbled at her waist, the flare of her hip, and then at her inner thigh, his stubble rough against her
delicate skin. Hooking her legs, he spread her wide and pushed her knees back towards her, tilting
her hips to give him complete access to what he craved. To what was his.
She bit her bottom lip as he looked at her, her body stretched out in front of him, taut from
struggling against her bindings. He breathed in her scent, letting it fill his head, before he slowly ran
his tongue along her slick folds to tease her clit. He was already hard for her again, his need spurring
him on as he thrust his stiffened tongue in and out of her, before finally letting it soften to flick and
circle her clit.
Muttering his name on needy breaths, Hadley wrapped her fingers around the bed frame, her
hips tilting towards him in an undulating, demanding rhythm. He then thrust two fingers deep inside
her and pressed his thumb to the bud of her ass, as he sucked on her swollen clit, teasing it with his
tongue as he fucked her with his fingers using long, hard strokes.
“Gabe…faster…” He obliged her, and then she was losing it, coming undone for him, her
head thrown back as her body tensed. “Fuck, that’s it…I’m coming…”
Her body tightened and quivered in his arms as he lapped at her juices, her taste salty-sweet,
her scent filling his head. He wanted her desperately, like he’d wanted no one before. And fuck, but
he wanted her skin to skin. It’d be a first for him, and it was a huge leap of faith. It’d be too easy for
someone to try to get pregnant on him, given his wealth—not to mention the health risks. But with
Hadley? He wanted to feel everything—and he trusted her. Completely.
Kissing his way across the curves of her belly as she caught her breath, he couldn’t quite
believe he was going to go down this road. And yet now, he could think of nothing else. “Babe…I
want you so fucking bad—and I want you bare, just like this.”
Hadley sat up best she could with her hands still bound to the bed, leaning forward to cover
his mouth in a bruising kiss that made him want to take her, then and there. When she pulled away to
give him the answer he was waiting for, their mouths and bodies parted only long enough for her to
get her words out. “I’m clean and on the Pill, but Gabe…”
He knew what his sexual history was like, and why she should worry—except that she had no
reason to be. “You’d be my first, Hadley—skin to skin. I’ve always been safe.”
She pulled away to look at him in question. “Really? You’ve never?”
“No, babe…but I want it to be you.”
Chapter Fourteen
Hadley couldn’t quite believe what Gabe was saying, especially when he’d been with so
many women. And yet, he’d said from the start that he’d never had a long-term relationship, so
perhaps it wasn’t really a stretch that he hadn’t experienced that sort of level of intimacy with anyone
else before.
The thought had her heart racing—that he’d actually take this next step with her. She liked
him, a lot, but this all had her wondering where the hell it was going. She wasn’t supposed to be
involved with him in any way at all, and she was now, not only involved, but falling for him. Hard
and fast. This had quickly become so much more than just a fling.
“Fuck, I want you, Gabe, but I’m going to get my heart broken. Because if anyone can really
hurt me—despite everything else with Matt and Abby—it’d be you.” She shook her head, but when
she looked at him, at the fierce, indecipherable emotions in those blue eyes of his, she felt her heart
hitch, and knew she was already a goner. “Fuck…”
“Hadley—I swear I won’t hurt you. I know my past likely sets off all sorts of warnings, but
I’m different when I’m with you. You’ve changed me—for the better. And there’s no fucking way I’m
letting you scare yourself off. I can’t let you walk away from me when we’ve only just gotten started.
It’s just me and you. No one else—you have my word.” Gabe shifted farther up her body, still nestled
between her legs, cupping the back of her neck and kissing her, his head bent to hers, everything about
him intense. “I won’t let you go, babe…I can’t. You’re mine.”
And then he was pushing into her, burying his cock deep as her body was forced to stretch
around his girth, taking her, claiming her as his own as she surrendered her heart to him. Her hips
rose up to meet him, as she struggled against her bonds, desperately wanting to hold him, to pull him
close. He bit her neck as he slowly pulled out of her, only to push into her hard and deep once more,
his thrusts quick and forceful, his retreat teasing her as he slowly pulled out again. Hard and fast, then
teasingly slow. Again and again. He kept up that pace, the tension inside her building once more; each
thrust, each nip, pushing her closer to her release. Feeling him, skin to skin, knowing what that meant,
only heightened everything she was feeling, emotionally, physically, and made her love him all the
more.
And fuck, but she did love him, even if it was a new love, a love like a spring bud, so delicate
and fragile that there was a good chance it might not make it. And yet if it did survive, it could easily
grow into something beautiful, something that could last.
“Hadley…I need you to come for me, ’cause fuck…this is too good. You’re so tight, so wet
for me, and you feel fucking amazing. I’m not going to last, babe.” His pace had now quickened, each
thrust pounding her into the mattress as her orgasm barreled towards her, building like a coming
storm, her nerve-endings tingling as the energy consumed her.
“I’m so close, Gabe.” Grabbing her leg, he tilted her hips and opened her up further to him,
and that was it. She could take no more and her orgasm crashed over her, his lips hard on hers as he
swallowed her cries, and he joined her with a grunt, his body tense as he filled her with his hot cum,
his cock pulsing deep inside her.
With his forehead pressed against hers, he breathed heavily, his kiss suddenly so tender it
made her heart ache. After all that had already happened that day, her emotions were raw and so
close to the surface, there was no way she could hide them from him. The way she felt about him left
her feeling vulnerable and exposed, and it was suddenly all too much.
“Untie me, Gabe. Untie me…” Her eyes were stinging as she looked away from him, not
wanting him to see her so emotional, lest he realize that she’d gone and fallen in love with him like a
fool.
His fingers made quick work of her bindings, even though he’d yet to pull out of her, their
bodies still linked as one, his cock barely softening inside her, even though he’d just come. “Babe…
what’s wrong?”
He got her hands free, and gently rubbed them as she pushed him off her, unlinking them,
suddenly feeling panicked. She tried to leave the bed, but he held onto her. “I need to go, Gabe.”
His brow furrowed, though it was clear she’d be going nowhere. With a firm touch, he
gathered her back into his arms, laid them both back down, and held her tightly to him despite her
struggles to get free. “You’re going nowhere, Hadley. You’ve had a rough day and you’ve worked
yourself into a panic.”
“You can’t keep me here if I want to go.” He was going to see her cry, and it was the last thing
she wanted. But it was all too much. And she couldn’t feel this way about him. It was too soon, too
new, too dangerous. Gabe wasn’t the sort of man she should fall in love with—not if she wanted to
keep her heart from being torn to tatters.
“I can keep you here, and I will, love.” He tipped her chin up, forcing her gaze to his, even
though she tried to look away and pull out of his grasp. “Look at me, Hadley.” His tone was stern yet
tender, and she found herself obeying him. “I need you to tell me what’s happening in that pretty little
head of yours. ’Cause I think you’re getting yourself worked up needlessly.”
“Maybe I am, but you know what? It doesn’t matter. None of this does, because in a week or
two, I’ll be long gone and you’ll have moved on to your next one-night stand.” She tried to pull away,
but he held on tight, her frustration and fears finally setting her tears loose.
“Hey, babe…don’t cry. I’m not going anywhere—and I have no interest in pursuing anyone
but you.” He nuzzled her and brushed her lips in a sweet kiss, and another, before kissing her tears
away, causing her heart to hitch. “I’ve fallen for you, Hadley. And I refuse to let you go. You’re mine,
babe.”
“I’d like to believe you, Gabe…” Hadley broke off, longing in her voice. But how could she
believe him? It couldn’t be real…
“What do you need from me? Do you need me to say it? ’Cause I will.” Gabe cupped her face
in both his hands, his eyes locked on hers, and took a deep breath. “Fuck…I’m falling in love with
you, Hadley. And the thought of losing you, the thought of you with anyone else, the thought that you
might leave me, is fucking unbearable. You don’t need to say anything, but you do not get to leave—
not when I can’t get you out of my fucking head and out of my heart.”
“It’s too soon—you barely know me.”
“I know all I need, babe. I may not know all the tiny details of your life, but I know how I feel
about you. And fuck, but I know you feel the same way too.” He kissed her again, his touch intense
and yet tender, as if he was coiled tight with the same tension that held her. “Tell me you’re mine,
Hadley. I don’t need you to feel the same way about me yet, but I do need to know you’re mine. That
you won’t go back to your ex, that you won’t walk away from what we have.”
She wanted to deny it all. To pretend none of it mattered, knowing that admitting any of it
would only leave her more vulnerable. And yet he demanded the truth of her, and she didn’t have it in
her to lie. “I’m yours, Gabe—though I’m worried it’ll be my undoing.”
“I protect my own, Hadley. I’m fiercely loyal—and I will make you happy.”
“And what about you? You can’t tell me that I’m the one who’ll fulfill your every need, when
you’ve gone through dozens of other women and they’ve never managed it. I can’t make you happy,
Gabe. Not long-term.” And then he’d leave.
He brushed his lips against hers. “But you already do, babe. You make me happy—and I’ll be
even happier once you stop trying to push me away. ’Cause I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart.
You’re in my head, my heart. Your scent, your taste, the way you feel in my arms when you come…
I’m never letting you go.”
***
Hadley awoke the next morning tangled in Gabe’s arms, feeling content and happy, despite
Matt and Abby—and despite some lingering doubts about whether or not she and Gabe might actually
have something real. She desperately wanted to trust him—wanted to believe that Gabe was exactly
what she needed to kick-start her new life, but after a lifetime of betrayals, she still had her doubts
that she’d be allowed to find happiness in life. In the meantime, all she could do is give it her best
shot. Gabe was worth that, at the very least.
Though their shower certainly could have been speedier, Hadley had absolutely no
complaints, especially since she could tell that orgasming in the shower was going to become her
favorite way to start the day. They grabbed a quick breakfast, and before long were heading back to
Portmore in Gabe’s sports car, though the closer they got, the more her worries about work and her
relationship with Gabe niggled at her thoughts.
“This needs to stay professional, Gabe. You promised—you said we’d be discreet.” She
couldn’t risk her job, her career, all because they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
“I promise to behave myself, even if I want you naked and on your knees, sucking my cock.”
Gabe’s eyebrows flicked up teasingly, and she felt herself go wet. Damn him. “As for Morgan, we
need to get to the bottom of this. I need to know what trouble he’s gotten himself—and the rest of us—
into. We might not survive another attack.”
It was still pretty early in the morning when they got into Portmore, and though Hadley wanted
to check in at the police station to see if her partner was ready for her, finding out more about that
email to Morgan was imperative. “You need to let me question him—preferably without you present.
You realize that, right?”
“He’s my brother, Hadley, and I need to get to the bottom of this.” Gabe headed towards the
outskirts of town and pulled down Morgan’s driveway, before throwing the car into park. “Besides,
I’ll be able to tell if he’s hiding anything or lying. I don’t mean you any disrespect, babe, and I don’t
mean to be stepping on your toes, but fuck…I nearly died, and I want answers.”
Hadley reached out and took his hand, twining her fingers with his as he shifted to face her.
The thought of him dying or being severely injured was like a knot wrapped around her heart, only
heightening her already raw emotions. “I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you, Gabe. Which
is why I need to focus on my job. Please.”
“You can question him—but I’m going to be right there by your side, babe. Come on.”
Morgan answered the door, his eyes going wide for a moment. “Hey, what’s going on?
Everything okay?”
They got settled in the living room—except for Gabe, who was now pacing. She did her best
to ignore him and focus on her work, but he was setting her on edge. “As you’re well aware, I’ve
been trying to figure out who’s behind the attacks on your family, and I need to know if you were
pursuing any business deals that didn’t pan out or went sour and may have resulted in you being
threatened, or if you know if anyone who might wish to do you harm.”
Like his brothers, Morgan was tall and well-muscled, not to mention damn good-looking. Yet
the most noticeable difference with Morgan was that he was quietly intense. With his brow furrowed,
he ran a hand across his stubbled chin, his deep green eyes darkening with worry. “There are always
deals that don’t work out, but that’s just business. It happens all the time. But no actual threats, other
than the attacks.”
Hadley pulled out the printed email, but before she had a chance to say anything, Gabe took it
from her and slapped it on the coffee table in front of his brother. “And what about this, Morgan?
What the hell aren’t you telling us?”
Morgan looked at the email, his entire demeanor changing in a heartbeat—and he was pissed.
“Where the fuck did you get my personal email?”
With both Morgan and Gabe’s tempers flaring, Hadley wondered if the two of them would go
at it, the tension between them palpable.
“It got caught in the company spam folder, so don’t go looking at me like I hacked into your
account.” Gabe glared at his younger brother, anger and frustration pouring off him in waves. “Who’s
it from, Morgan? And what the hell are they talking about?”
Morgan scowled at his brother, his jaw clenched. “I don’t see how that’s any of your
business. It has nothing to do with the attacks—and nothing to do with Ryker Investments.”
“Like hell it doesn’t.” Gabe looked ready to pummel Morgan—except that his little brother
was just as big as he was, and was no longer so little.
Not wanting things to escalate, Hadley sent Gabe away to pace off his ramped-up energy.
“Morgan…if there’s even the slightest chance this could be the root of the attacks, then you need to
tell us. We don’t know if or when they’ll attack again, but given that things seem to be escalating, we
need to get this resolved as soon as possible.”
“I swear, Morgan…if there’s something you’re not telling me, I’m going to be pissed.” With a
steely stare, Gabe locked eyes with his brother, as if trying to read him.
The Ryker brothers were an intense bunch, and that was exactly what she’d experienced
firsthand with Gabe. He was so focused, so determined…it had taken her aback to be on the receiving
end of it. And maybe that was why she’d fallen for Gabe so hard—she’d never had anyone look at her
as if she were the only thing that mattered, as if she was truly important to them. Even when things had
been good with Matt, he’d never looked at her with such all-consuming intensity.
“Morgan…” Hadley slid the email towards him, still hoping for more information to go on.
“I’m not sure who the email is referencing, but if there’s someone threatening you, we need to know.
Did you ever speak to the other party involved about some sort of deal or investment?”
“I speak to a lot of people about deals and investments. It’s my job. That’s what I do. I figure
out whether or not an investment is viable and worth the risk, and I calculate the return we can expect.
Some deals aren’t worth the risk, but everyone knows that going into it.” He shook his head, his jaw
clenched tight as he ran a rough hand down his face. “You know that, Gabe. But it doesn’t matter
because that letter has nothing to do with the business or the attacks. Nothing.”
Gabe closed the distance between them and, picking up the email, shook it at his brother, his
anger yet to dissipate. “So what exactly is this referencing then? Because it sounds to me like you’re
in trouble.”
“That’s none of your concern.” Morgan swiped the email from Gabe’s hands, with a glare.
“This is my own personal business—not yours. I’m through discussing it, and I don’t mean to be rude,
but I’ve got to get back to work.”
“If I find out you’re lying…”
“Yeah—because I’m exactly the sort of guy who’d put our family at risk to begin with, and
then lie about it so I can make matters worse.” Morgan’s body tensed as he glared at Gabe. “You’re a
fucking asshole.”
“After nearly ending up dead in a ditch? Yeah—you fucking bet I’m an asshole when the
person who’s attacking our family is still out there.” Gabe caught Hadley’s attention. “Do you have
anything else you need to ask him?”
Hadley got to her feet. “No…I think that’s it.”
By the time they got to the car, Gabe was cursing under his breath, though he quickly went
quiet when he covered her mouth in a hard kiss, pinning her against his car. “I know you’ve got work,
but fuck…I need you, Hadley.”
“Gabe…you said…” But he silenced her with another kiss, his tongue finding hers as he
pressed his hard length against her, the feel of it automatically making her go wet, knowing just what
sort of pleasure he was capable of giving her. “You know I want you…”
“Perfect. ’Cause I’m taking you back to my place and fucking you until your knees buckle and
you scream my name.” Gabe’s large hands gripped her hips as he nuzzled her and she softened against
his hard body, her breath hitching.
Moving to her neck, he nipped along its length, making her back arch against him with a needy
moan. “Gabe…we need to get to the bottom of this, and you can’t keep distracting me.”
Cupping her face in his hand, Gabe stole one last kiss, his lips lingering. “Let’s get back,
babe…I promise, I won’t steal too much of your time—and then we can find the bastard who’s after
my family.”
“I need to swing by the police station. Check in with Detective Murphy to see if he’s ready to
work together and pick up any new information or leads that may have come in from their computer
experts.” At least she’d be working, because if there was another attack, she’d feel personally
responsible for letting herself get sidetracked when she should be focused solely on solving the case.
“We need to get to the bottom of this, Gabe. So no more distractions. Please. Especially since we’re
back to square one, now that the email isn’t related.”
“You really think it has nothing to do with the attacks?” Gabe opened her car door for her,
something Matt had never bothered to do. Not that Gabe and Matt were even close to being in the
same league.
“No…I don’t think he’d lie once he’d been found out. Not with his family at risk. But I swear
we’ll figure it out, Gabe.” She just had to stay focused on work—not sex. And as intense as things had
been between them, putting some distance between Gabe and herself might be a good thing. Just until
she could sort out her feelings—especially after he’d told her that he was falling for her. Because
when he was close by? She couldn’t think of anything but getting naked and all the fun stuff that went
with that state of undress.
Gabe steered them towards town, his brow drawn in thought. He was always so serious, so
intense, that being anywhere near him made her heart race. “I know you’re busy, but I want to see you
when you’re done for the day.”
“That’s fine, though I might still be working, depending on whether there’s any new
information I need to go over. I’m waiting for the surveillance footage to come in, and going through
hours of footage can be tedious.” Hadley’s phone buzzed just then. She looked at the screen, and
dismissed the call, cursing under her breath. Matt had yet to give up calling her.
“What’s going on, babe?” Gabe glanced in her direction, before turning his eyes back to the
road.
“It’s nothing.” The last thing she needed was Gabe going on the warpath, since she had no
doubt he’d track down her ex and pummel him for harassing her. Best to try to distract him if at all
possible. “I’ve been thinking about the attacks, and what I find odd is that there haven’t been any
demands made. It’s not as though the attacks are accomplishing something in particular, like
destroying evidence, for example, which makes me think this is some sort of retaliation. Once I’m
done at the station, I want to sit down with you again to focus on people who might be holding a
grudge.”
Gabe’s fingers tightened around the steering wheel until his knuckles went white, though when
he spoke his voice was calm. “Was that Matt?”
“Does it matter?” The last thing she wanted to do is discuss her ex when it only reminded her
of the fiasco of the night before. She still felt betrayed and was in no mood to re-hash things.
“Yeah—it does matter.” Gabe reached over and cupped the back of her neck, pulling her
close. “You matter, Hadley, and I’m not going to let him hassle you. Does he know you’re working in
Portmore?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. My mom knows and I think my sister does, which means there’s a good
chance Matt knows too.” Suppressing a groan, she tried not to think of him showing up. She could
only imagine what Gabe would do if they ran into Matt. It’d be a nightmare. “He’s having a baby with
my sister, and we’ve been separated for years. He doesn’t want me back—not really. And I sure as
hell don’t want him back. The only reason he’s showing any interest now is because the divorce
finally went through. It’s like craving sugar as soon as you decide you’re on a diet.”
“Whether it’s because of the recent divorce or not, it makes no difference. He does want you,
and I don’t like that he could just show up at your door.” Gabe shook his head in frustration, his eyes
still on the road as he maneuvered through traffic and headed for the hotel. “I want you to stay with
me while you’re in town—that way he won’t have easy access to you.”
“Gabe…he’s not violent, and I’m capable of taking care of myself. Besides, we’re supposed
to be discreet and staying with you is only asking for trouble. I can’t afford to lose my job.
Remember?” It wasn’t as though the Ryker brothers weren’t regularly featured in the tabloids. If her
boss caught wind of her affair, she’d be toast.
“He may not be violent, but he’s insistent and he has no problem touching you, which is a
mistake whether you’re mine or not. And you are mine, babe, have no doubt about that. So, you’re just
going to have to get used to me wanting to protect you.”
Chapter Fifteen
“I don’t know what Morgan’s up to, but something’s going on, Quinn.” Gabe took a long sip of
his beer and gave one of Quinn’s many dogs a big scratch behind the ears, hoping it’d help improve
his mood.
Hadley had left for the police station and would join him for dinner to go over any new
information she’d gathered. But that bastard of an ex-husband was irritating him to no end, as was the
fact that they still didn’t know who was behind the attacks. Gabe knew he was distracting Hadley, and
yet every time he swore he’d behave himself, he found her impossible to resist.
“If he says it has nothing to do with the attacks, then I believe him.” Quinn propped his beer
bottle on his leg with a shrug. “He’s allowed to have his secrets. Doesn’t mean I care for it, but he’s
an adult. He’d never put any of us at risk—and it’s not like we don’t get into our fair share of trouble.
Speaking of which…what’s going on with you and Hadley?”
Gabe shrugged, and took another long sip of beer, refusing to tell his brother that he’d actually
let the L-word slip past his lips, even if it hadn’t been an outright declaration. “I like her. Not much
else to it.”
“And you’re a fucking liar.” Quinn laughed with a shake of his head. “The fact that you didn’t
kick her out of your bed after the first night tells me there’s more to it, even if you’re in denial.”
“I’m not in denial, Quinn. I like her—a lot. I have no problem admitting it.” Though it sounded
damn awkward to say it aloud. Awkward—and yet freeing.
“Well, it may be a fucking first for you, but I, for one, am happy to see you finally find
someone.” Quinn gave him a shit-eating grin, and raised his beer. “It’s about time, Gabe. And trust me
when I tell you, there’s nothing quite like having the right woman in your life.”
“I swear, you’re a lovesick fool, Quinn.” Gabe had to laugh, still astounded that Quinn had
fallen so hard for Emma.
Quinn ran a rough hand across his stubble as a smile crept across his lips. “I’m going to ask
Emma to marry me, Gabe.”
“No fucking way.” He shouldn’t be surprised, and yet he was. With a smile and a laugh he got
to his feet, Quinn following suit, and gave his brother a hug. “Congrats, man. I’m really happy for
you.”
“Thanks.” Quinn gave him a huge smile, and Gabe swore his brother had never looked
happier.
“So do you think she’ll actually agree to marry your sorry ass?” Gabe couldn’t resist teasing
Quinn, even though he was truly pleased his brother had found his special someone.
“Damn right she will. And don’t forget Saturday—which happens to be tomorrow, since you
have your head stuck up your ass these days. You’re helping me pick out a ring.”
Now it all made sense. “I was wondering about that.”
“We fall hard, Gabe. It takes us awhile to come around, but when we do…we fall damn hard
—and it’s for keeps.”
***
Gabe couldn’t stop thinking about Quinn and the fact that he’d soon be getting engaged—and
then married. He knew it’d eventually happen, but he hadn’t figured on it being so soon. And fuck…
but it had him thinking of Hadley. It was true that he’d never felt so strongly about any of the other
women he’d dated, and yet it suddenly felt as if he was traipsing down the same road Quinn was on.
Not that it had to be that way, but he was wondering just how wise it was to fall for her, especially
when she’d be gone once her job came to an end.
It might be easy enough to convince her to stay longer. Maybe offer her a job working the
security end for Ryker Investments. But did he really want to go there? Up until now, he’d taken full
advantage of his money and looks to date and fuck a bevy of gorgeous women. It’d been damn fun—
and he was not a commitment sort of guy. So then what the hell was he thinking? Why the hell was he
telling her that he was falling in love with her?
And fuck, but maybe it was a mistake to think of this thing he had going with Hadley as
anything but a bit of fun, even though he knew he was already far more attached to her than was wise.
Seeing her with her ex only reinforced what he was feeling for her, but was he really ready for
something serious? His heart was saying yes, but his mind was telling him to run.
He supposed he should just enjoy what was left of their time together and not overthink it,
especially since he couldn’t remember ever having more fun in the sack. Hadley was something—so
receptive and willing. He hated it when sex felt like it was nothing more than a quick release for all
parties involved, especially since it never left him feeling fully satisfied. But with Hadley? The sex
was mind-blowing, and he sure as hell couldn’t get enough of her.
Pulling out his cellphone, he checked the time—yet again—wondering when she’d wrap up
with work and come over. It was starting to get late, and he was growing impatient. He wanted her,
needed her, and he hated that she wasn’t with him, in his arms, her naked body pressed against his as
he took her again and again, until they were both sated.
He hated that her absence bothered him, that he was fucking obsessed with her. He thought
about the way she chewed her lip when she got nervous, the way her thick hair curled at her shoulders
in a lazy wave, the way her eyes brightened when he misbehaved, the little sounds and needy moans
she made when he fucked her. The mere thought had his cock going hard, as his lips kicked up in an
unconscious smile.
He’d gone and fallen for her from the very moment she kicked him out of her bed. And never
mind that he could be sleeping with a different woman every night. Instead, he’d rather have Hadley
in his arms, holding her close, and wanting her to stay with him while she was in town. He told
himself it was to keep her safe. To keep her from running into her ex. But he knew it was just the
excuse he needed to get full access to her. Thoughts of fucking her on every horizontal and vertical
surface in his apartment invaded his mind, causing his already engorged cock to press painfully
against his zipper. He had to stop thinking about her.
When his intercom buzzed, he let out a sigh of relief and punched in the code that would allow
Hadley to take the elevator up to his floor. She was barely two steps into the room when he tangled
his fingers in her hair and cupped her face, pulling her to him in a deep kiss, his mouth hard on hers as
he made up for their hours apart, his heart thundering against his chest.
“Fuck, I want you, babe.” He was ready to have her, to take her, right there, pressed against
the wall or bent over the arm of his sofa, too impatient to bother making it all the way to his bed.
He lifted her up off her feet so she could wrap her legs around his waist, his hard cock
pressing against her in search of relief, as her words were spoken between kisses. “I want you too…
but I’m starving, Gabe.”
With a groan, he stole one last kiss, and then let her legs slide down to the floor, already
missing the feel of her body in his arms. She’d certainly had a long day and he’d be a real jerk if he
fucked her when she was so hungry. “Come on then…I know just the place. It’s up in Portsmouth, but
I’ll call ahead so we can get right in. Maybe even have a real date? It’s a big enough city that we
shouldn’t get noticed.”
“Sounds perfect, as long as there’s food involved, since I didn’t have the chance to grab
lunch.” She went up onto her toes, grasped his shirt and pulled him down to her so she could bite his
lower lip. “Not that I won’t want you to fuck me senseless once we get back.”
“Babe…” His cock throbbed, her words pushing his need for her beyond his limits. He loved
that she wanted him—wanted him to take her—just as badly as he wanted her—and she had no
problem saying it. It was a total turn-on. “You’ll be lucky if we make it home before the fucking
commences.”
She nestled up to him, her mood shifting towards something more serious. “I missed you,
Gabe. I think I’ve gotten used to having you around as I work.”
Shit. He was so screwed. “I missed you too, sweetheart.”
***
“Do you really think you’ll be able to track down the driver even though you couldn’t get a
view of the license plate?” Gabe wasn’t convinced it’d be that easy. But the fact that they finally had
video of someone spotted in the vicinity of Emma’s restaurant shortly after the fire was set was a
good start.
“I’ve got facial recognition software I can run it through. If we’re lucky, the image will be
clear enough, and he’ll be in the system. If you come with me to the station in the morning, I’d also
like you to take a look, on the off chance you recognize the guy. There was another guy on foot too,
though we didn’t get a great capture of his face to be able to use the software. He is damn tall,
though.” Hadley was devouring her steak and fries, and damn, but Gabe liked to see a woman with a
healthy appetite. “We’ll catch him, Gabe. I promise.”
He stole a fry off her plate, laughing when she glared at him. “It was one fry!”
“You’re just damn lucky you’re cute. ’Cause I never share my fries. They’re like salty hot
morsels of golden deep fried goodness.” Her eyes sparkled as she smiled at him and popped another
fry past those lush lips of hers.
“Cute? That’s it? Not manly, or damn fucking hot? I get cute? Like I’m some fuzzy little
Golden Retriever puppy.” He shook his head with a mock look of dismay. “What’s the world coming
to? I hope you realize that you’ve turned my entire world upside down.”
Her eyebrows perked up in question as she stopped eating and gave him her undivided
attention, her lips quirked with humor. “Yeah? How’s that?”
“Well, to start, you kicked me out of your goddamned bed.” He shook his head, still not quite
believing it.
Clearly unable to help herself, she burst out laughing, hiding behind the back of her hand for a
moment, her smile infectious, especially when it made her eyes light up and sparkle. “That really
bothers you, doesn’t it?”
“Damn right it does—and it’ll be the last time that happens, babe. You’re mine now and I’m
not going anywhere—especially not at the crack of dawn before I’ve even had the chance to get
properly dressed, let alone had the chance to fuck you again. You know there’s no better way to wake
up in the morning.” And that was exactly what he’d be doing when he woke up with her in his arms
tomorrow.
“I won’t argue with you there.” She popped another fry in her mouth and then slid her plate
towards him. “’Cause you’re so cute.”
“Babe…keep that up and I’m going to have to spank your ass red.” Wouldn’t that be a sight to
see her bare ass twitching, draped over his lap? It wasn’t a need he ever really got to fulfill, given the
short length of most of his relationships, though he couldn’t deny it was a total fucking turn-on for him.
“Promises, promises…” Her eyes were alive with mischief and anticipation, and he swore
he’d never been so hard.
The fact that she was not only up for that sort of thing, but truly seemed as if she liked the
forbidden allure of it, was enough to do him in. “Come on, then. There’s someplace special I’d like to
go before we head back to my place.”
Special indeed. And he’d get to see just how adventurous his sweet girl could be.
Chapter Sixteen
“Gabe…” With her hands wrapped around Gabe’s hard biceps so she could keep him close,
Hadley tried to keep her voice down in the exclusive boutique, not wanting to be overheard by the
sales lady. “I really don’t know…I’m not sure I…Fuck.”
“Babe, don’t tell me you’re shy.” The humor in Gabe’s voice had her glaring at him, even if
there was no heat behind it.
“Damn right I am, when I’ll be on the receiving end of most of this stuff.” Hadley looked at the
array of sex toys on display that made it impossible to keep her imagination from roaming. Gabe had
taken her to a pretty little sex toy shop designed to appeal to women, with its pale pink, black, and
white décor, not to mention the elegant exterior that reminded her of an exclusive Parisian boutique.
She wasn’t quite sure what to think about it all. Being single as long as she’d been and with a
healthy sexual appetite, it wasn’t that she hadn’t used the occasional toy. Yet the variety in front of
her, and the thought of using them with Gabe present…well, that was a completely different story.
He wrapped a firm arm around her waist and pulled her tightly to his hard body, his head bent
to hers as he whispered in her ear, “You won’t be so shy once I’ve had you over my knee,
sweetheart.”
His breath was warm against her skin, sending a shiver of need down her spine, his words
leaving her wet, aching and ready for whatever he had to offer. And yet, she needed an answer to
something that was nagging at her. “Gabe…have you done this sort of thing before? Because I haven’t
—not to say that I’m not interested, because I am. It’s just that…”
He kissed her forehead sweetly, his lips lingering. “No, love. Though I’ve been to a handful
of discreet clubs and know what I like, you’ll be the only one I’ve actually experimented with. I’ve
never been with anyone I was comfortable enough or cared enough about to explore these sorts of
options. Until you.”
“I’m glad for that.” Somehow, it set her mind at ease to know this was something between just
the two of them, something they hadn’t previously shared or experienced with another, especially
when she thought of this as an act even more intimate than sex since it not only involved sex, but also
baring one’s true nature, with all pretenses and prejudgments cast aside. And above all, it was about
trust—something she was learning to do again, after Matt’s betrayals.
Her stomach knotted with excitement and anticipation as Gabe started to select items, pausing
after each one so she could veto it if it wasn’t something she was interested in trying. From Velcro
cuffs and a flogger, to a rabbit vibrator and a soft leather collar—and that was just the start of it.
The items piled up until she lost count, and though she could have stopped him at any point,
she surprised herself by simply nodding to each item Gabe selected, the speed of her heartbeats
increasing with each one. The sales lady offered suggestions as they shopped, though she also gave
them ample privacy to discuss things.
By the time they finished and their bill was totaled, Hadley nearly choked on the amount as
Gabe quieted her protests with a kiss before they even made it past her lips, and slid his credit card
across the counter.
Was she really going to do this? When she’d decided she wanted a new start in life after her
crappy marriage and drawn-out divorce, it was doubtful this was what she had in mind. And yet,
she’d never felt so excited, so alive—and so very happy.
Still holding onto Gabe’s arm, she kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Gabe. For everything.”
There was so much more that she was feeling, that she wanted to say, and yet, she didn’t even
know where to start, and verbalizing her emotions at this point in their fledgling relationship could
have Gabe running for the hills. She couldn’t lose sight that this was new for him too, and probably
not something he was used to, especially when he’d always kept women at arm’s length.
“Anytime, babe. Anything for you.”
Elegant black damask bags in hand, they stepped out into the cold night with Hadley tucked in
at Gabe’s side for warmth and comfort as they wove through the evening crowds. It didn’t take long
for him to drive them back to Portmore, but by the time she stepped off the elevator and into Gabe’s
home, her nerves were getting the best of her.
“Don’t panic, babe. You look like you’re ready to bolt, when it’s still just you and me.
Nothing’s changed, and nothing’s different, despite what’s in the bags.” Gabe set the bags aside and
cupped her face in both his hands, pulling her to him for a sweet, lingering kiss. “You’re all that
matters, Hadley. We don’t need to do anything different if you don’t want to. That decision is entirely
yours to make, and if you want me to stop at any point, you just say so, without giving it a second
thought. This is as much for you as it is for me, and it’s only fun if we’re both truly having a good
time.”
Taking a deep breath, she let herself melt against his body, against his touch, as the tension
inside her eased. “I swear, you always know the right thing to say. I do want to do this and I don’t
want to overthink it.”
“We wouldn’t want that, now would we?” Tangling his fingers in her hair, he tugged on it,
forcing her head back so he’d have easy access to her neck. He ran his tongue up its length and then
sank his teeth in, feasting on her as she moaned in desperation and felt herself go wet for him. He
continued nipping along her neck, each bite sending a shiver down her neck and straight to her clit, as
she reached down to stroke his steel hard cock through his worn jeans. “Sweetheart, I’m going to fuck
you until you don’t remember anyone’s name but mine. Would you like that?”
“Fuck, yes…” Any doubts, any worries, disappeared the moment he started touching her. And
she knew that she would do anything and everything he wanted, because she now realized she could
trust him the way she’d trusted no other.
What they had might be brand spanking new, and it may even be fleeting—though she sure as
hell hoped not—but it was unlike anything else she’d experienced and she refused to let worry or fear
keep her from living her life to the fullest. She may not have been able to trust Matt farther than she
could throw him, but Gabe was different, and she had no doubts that she could trust him.
With his kisses barely slowing, Gabe stripped her naked right there in the great room in front
of the wide expanse of windows, his large hands warm against her skin, before scooping her up into
his strong arms, his muscles flexing against her naked body. He made her feel so tiny, so taken care
of, as if everything he did was calculated with her pleasure, her needs, her safety in mind.
Still holding her in his arms, he paused only long enough to dip down to grab the bags, and
then he was headed towards his bedroom, as she kissed his neck and nipped at his ear. “I want you,
Gabe…so fucking bad.”
“And you’ll have me, babe—but not before I fulfill my promise to you.” He put her down on
her feet, sat on the edge of the bed, and then before she fully realized what his words meant or what
he was doing, she found herself draped over his lap, and a stinging blow landing across her ass.
“Fuck!” Pain and pleasure mixed in the searing heat that flamed her delicate skin.
“Babe…I so wish you could see how gorgeous you look with that fine ass of yours high up in
the air and my handprint red against your milky white skin. It’s like fucking art.” Another blow landed
on the opposite cheek and had her cursing under her breath, even as she felt her wetness slip onto her
thighs, pain and pleasure mingling as her clit throbbed in time to her heartbeat. “There…now they
match.”
He ran a gentle hand over her still stinging skin, caringly soothing the spots, before slapping
her skin again, soothing and then slapping, over and over, until her ass was twitching in anticipation,
part of her desperately wanting the next blow to fall, while the other part had her holding her breath
and cursing him.
“You’re such a sight, sweetheart. Have you been enjoying yourself? I can tell you that my hand
stings like the devil, so I can only imagine what your ass must feel like.” He rubbed a gentle hand
over her flaming hot skin and blew on it, the feel of it like a million pin pricks—and yet every blow
had only left her more turned on than she’d ever been before. “Are you going to answer me, love? Or
should I check for myself?”
“Gabe…” She tried to squirm away, but he held her down firmly as his fingers slipped down
the curve of her ass and brushed against her folds, knowing full well that he’d find her dripping wet,
her need overwhelming.
“Sweetheart…I can’t tell you how much it fucking turns me on that you’re so wet because I
spanked you. And you are wet…downright dripping with need.” With a furious blush heating her
cheeks, his fingers dipped in just a little deeper, brushing against her clit so she couldn’t help but
moan. “And your clit’s so swollen…I bet it wouldn’t take much to make you come—though I’m not
going to do that just yet. And you’re not to come until I allow it. Are we clear?”
Of course he wouldn’t let her come. Because that would be too easy, especially when he had
an entire arsenal at his disposal. “Please, Gabe…”
His fingers dipped into her slick heat teasingly, but only for a moment, before slapping her ass
hard. She cried out as her eyes watered and she nearly came. “Stand up for me, darling.”
Taking her hands in his, he helped her to her feet so she stood naked before him, while he sat
there still completely dressed. He rubbed a careful hand over her ass cheeks, the sting of each blow
magnified as he touched her. And damn, but she wanted him desperately. Wanted to feel his huge
glorious cock as he claimed her as his own. Wanted to feel him stretch her body around his girth as he
took her roughly, her orgasms shaking her to her core.
“Come on, babe…onto the bed. The night’s only just beginning and I plan to make you come
enough times to make up for all the years someone should have been treating you right.”
It was a funny thing for him to say after paddling her ass red, and yet it was still completely
true. He did treat her right, making sure he gave her everything she wanted, everything she desired,
strengthening their trust in each other. And so she did as he asked of her, knowing that it only
empowered her, since he was doing it all to make her happy.
“You’re still wearing too many clothes, Gabe.” She knelt on the bed by his side and ran her
hands down his hard abs to his belt, catching his lips in a teasing kiss as her hands tried to free him of
his clothes, and stroke his hard cock. “I want you—I want this.”
He groaned into her mouth when she squeezed his length through his jeans. He grabbed her
and flipped her onto all fours as she let out a needy moan in protest. “Stay there. Eyes forward.”
He was driving her crazy, and her throbbing clit and tingling ass weren’t helping matters.
“Gabe…you’re killing me. I just want you to fuck me. Please.”
“I fucking love it that you want me, babe…that you actually want me bad enough to ask and
beg.” Her heart rate spiked as he rustled around behind her, though she didn’t turn around to look,
even though she was desperate to know what he was getting out of the bags. “Look at you,
sweetheart…so fucking obedient. You’re so good. I might have to reward you for that later.”
She felt the bed dip behind her as he joined her once more, his hand running down her spine
as she felt his now naked thighs brush against her. There were more indecipherable noises, and then
he was slipping his fingers between her thighs and spreading some sort of slippery balm over her
slick folds and deep inside her, her back arching to give him easier access. She bit back a moan, not
only from his touch against her aching clit, but because the balm was both cool and hot at the same
time, and it had started to tingle, heightening her need and leaving her even more sensitive than she
already was.
“Gabe…you’re killing me with that stuff. Fuck…I might come right on the spot without you
ever touching me.” Her body pulsed and tightened as if milking an invisible cock, desperate to be
filled—and then he slipped his balmed finger against the bud of her ass and pressed against it,
slipping past the tight opening with ease, the balm once again overwhelming her as it heightened
every sensation. She was teetering on the edge, desperately trying to rein in her orgasm, though she
didn’t know how successful she’d be if he kept this up.
“Do you want to come, babe?” He slowly worked his finger in and out of her ass, and then,
with his free hand, brushed the head of his cock against her swollen clit.
“Yes…please, Gabe. I can’t…I can’t…” Her head hung low as beads of sweat broke out over
her skin. She did her best to hold on and not come—when he sank his cock deep inside her with a
single hard thrust, and her orgasm ripped free, rolling through her like lightning, her cries rising over
her gasping breaths.
“Fuck, Hadley…you’re so gorgeous when you come undone for me.” With his finger still
slowly working her ass, he ran his other hand along her spine, eliciting a shiver from her, as the
remaining energy of her orgasm worked its way through her.
He pulled slowly out of her, so just the head of his cock remained inside her, and then thrust
hard again, the balm working its magic so she was already building towards another orgasm. And
then he was pulling his finger out of her ass—only to replace it with something colder, well-lubed,
and if she had to guess, larger, once he’d inserted it fully.
“Easy, sweetheart…just relax for me.” She did as he asked, and the slick plug slipped easily
into place. “There’s my girl. You all right?”
She nodded as another shiver ran down her spine, leaving her skin pebbled with goose bumps,
as she was once more overwhelmed by myriad sensations. “Gabe…”
“Nearly there, sweetheart.” When he leaned forward, his thrusts pushed his cock and the plug
deeper, filling her so completely and leaving her on the verge of coming once more. With both his
cock buried deep and the plug in her ass, she’d never felt so full, so tight, her breath catching as her
heart raced. He nuzzled her and trailed kisses over her skin before tying a silk blindfold over her
eyes.
The blindfold’s effect on her was immediate, and she at once felt slightly disoriented and yet
more aware of everything else she was feeling—not just physically, but emotionally. Because what
Gabe was doing to her went far beyond the physical act, requiring complete trust. He was teaching
her to trust again after being betrayed—getting her to trust again when she hadn’t been able to in a
long time. He wasn’t just fulfilling her sexual needs, but was also healing her emotional wounds so
she could start that new life she’d been wanting.
Still draped across her back, Gabe started to move inside her, his thrusts slow and precise,
intense and determined, grinding his hips against hers as he fucked her, his girth and the plug
competing for space. With his lips at her ear, he whispered sweet words of encouragement and words
so naughty, that it amped up her desire even more, as his hand cradled her neck against him, his
fingers tightening only enough to remind her of their presence.
It was all so intense: the feeling of being so completely full, the weight of his body, the coiled
strength in his movements. His pace started to pick up, and it was more than she could take, her
orgasm racing through her like a shot of electricity that had built up to its release, his name escaping
her lips as her eyes fluttered closed, her senses on overload, her emotions overwhelming her.
“Gabe…I’m so in love with you.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Babe…” With Hadley’s words echoing through his head and wrapping around his heart,
Gabe pulled his cock free of her warm, tight body, her absence immediately felt, though he was far
from through with her. “I want to look at you when you tell me that you love me.”
He lay down on his back and then took her hand and shifted her to him, so she could straddle
him, her blindfold still in place. With one hand on her hips, he guided her down onto his hard length,
her body so tight around him, especially with the plug vying for space. How he’d not come a dozen
times already was beyond him—and yet this is how he wanted to come, being able to watch her as
she rode him, every expression visible.
With her hands on his chest, she started to move, her hips shifting and rocking up and down
his length as she bit her bottom lip, the red silk still blinding her, her skin pale in contrast. “Tell me
again, babe…tell me…”
Her pace quickened, and though it took her a moment more, she said the words he needed to
hear. “I’m in love with you, Gabe.”
He was building towards a mind-blowing orgasm, and he could tell that she, too, wasn’t far
off again, despite having just come. Sitting up, he wrapped his arm around her waist, knowing the
position would add to the friction against her clit. But there was one more thing. He reached down
and cupped her ass, finding the small button on the plug. The vibrations were immediate, as was her
gasp. He was so fucking close. “How’s that feel, sweetheart?”
“Gabe…” His name was nothing more than a gasp as she rode him hard, her hips thrusting and
rocking against him, the intensity of their evening reaching its zenith.
He couldn’t have imagined ever meeting anyone like Hadley, nor could he have imagined
falling for anyone at all. And yet he had. He’d fallen fast and hard, and he now knew there was no
turning back from what they had.
“Fuck, Gabe…I’m coming.” She quivered in his arms and cried out as he joined her, the
intensity of his release jetting into her, triggering her earth-shattering orgasm.
“I love you, Hadley…with all that I am, I fucking love you.”
***
“Stay in bed, babe. It’s the weekend and it’s barely past eight in the morning.” Not to mention
Gabe wanted to fuck Hadley until noon—and never mind that they’d fucked into the wee hours of the
morning. He tightened his hold on her when she tried to slip away to answer her ringing cell. “You’re
mine, lover.”
“Lover, huh? I think I like that—though I still need to get that since no one usually calls me
this early unless it’s work or an emergency.” She stole a kiss and slipped away from him as her
cellphone continued ringing, leaving him to watch her naked body traipse across his room. “Crap…
it’s my sister.”
“Don’t do it, Hadley. Not after the stunt she pulled.” Hadley was too sweet for her own good,
and he was relieved to see her dismiss the call, even if she took the phone with her and put it on his
nightstand. Lifting the covers up, he pulled her back into bed, and nestled her close—when her phone
rang again. “Let it go to voicemail, and if you’re really worried, you can always listen to her
message. If it’s important, she’ll say so.”
He wanted to fucking murder Abby and Matt for upsetting Hadley, and if this was just another
one of her sister’s melodramas, he and Abby were going to have words. He refused to let Abby
manipulate and guilt Hadley into feeling bad about a situation that had nothing to do with her.
When the phone rang yet again and Hadley cursed, Gabe knew it was hopeless. She answered
her cell, and though she was curt with her sister, it was clear there was something more going on—
and it involved Matt. By the time she hung up, Hadley was looking torn.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Just because they were now a couple—and he’d be damned if
they weren’t a couple after confessing their love—he knew it didn’t necessarily mean she’d want to
share everything.
“It’s Matt. He’s in the hospital after getting beat up.” Her voice broke and then her tears came.
“Babe…” He gathered her up in his arms and held her to him as she wept for a man she had
once loved. “Will he be okay? What happened?”
“They managed to stabilize him, so he should recover, though the next twenty-four hours are
critical. Abby said he went on a bender after I left and wouldn’t return his calls. He got into a fight
with a group of guys at some bar.” She swiped at her tears. “I know he’s an ass, but he wasn’t always
like this.”
“Of course not, love.” Especially since he didn’t see Hadley as the sort to fall for someone so
irresponsible and thoughtless. “I can come with you if you’d like to go see him.”
“I know I should go to the hospital, but I don’t know if I can bear it. And…I know it’s selfish
to say, but I feel like I’m never going to escape my past—escape what he did to me—if I keep letting
him pull me back into another mess of his. It’s always something with him, with my sister, and I’m
tired of them trying to drag me into their problems. This divorce was supposed to be a new start—a
new life.” She pulled away, and though she looked a bit more calm and in control of her emotions,
she was still clearly upset. “Matt and Abby can blame me if they want, but I know it’s not my fault.
Am I a horrible person for not going to see him?”
“Fuck no, babe.” Gabe didn’t have to meet up with his brothers until later in the day, and
yet…he still didn’t want to leave her when she was upset. Quinn would have his hide if he canceled
on him—not to mention it’d be another chance to grill Morgan over that email—but maybe she could
come with him. “Listen…I’m supposed to hook up with my brothers later, but….”
“Go. I don’t want you worrying about me. Besides, I’ve got work to do. Speaking of which, I
still need you to have a look at that suspect, and if I can get you a decent image, maybe you can have
your brothers take a peek too.”
He’d rest a hell of a lot easier once they had this asshole caught and behind bars, especially
since Hadley was inadvertently at risk just by being with him and on the investigation. “Let’s head to
the station then and get that snapshot of this asshole. I want to see the face of the man who’s been
threatening my family.”
They left with plenty of time to swing by the station and make it to Quinn’s. Though Portmore
was a fairly quiet town, the station still seemed well staffed for the weekend. Even her partner,
Detective Murphy, was there, his face lighting up the moment he saw Hadley—only to have his gaze
turn suspicious when he saw that Gabe was with her. “Mr. Ryker—not that it’s a surprise to see you
with Ms. Moore.”
Before Gabe had a chance to say anything, Hadley put an end to what would have been a
pissing match had she let them get started. The way Murphy gave Hadley the once-over when she
wasn’t looking, with his gaze lingering on her curves, it was clear Murphy had the hots for Hadley,
and Gabe sure as hell wasn’t happy about it. “I’d like to show Mr. Ryker the tape of our suspect, and
also get a snapshot of the suspect to show to his brothers, on the off chance they recognize him.”
Mr. Fucking Ryker indeed. Gabe hated that they had to keep their relationship a secret, when
he wanted the world to know that she was his—just as he was hers. And he especially wanted all the
men to stop fucking undressing her with their eyes.
It was all he could do to not throttle Murphy then and there. And not being able to touch her,
or rest his hand on the small of her back, to not be able to pull her close and kiss her, to not be able to
openly stake his claim, was pissing him off. Like some inalienable right had been taken away from
him.
Fucking hell, what was his world coming to?
“The cleaned-up snapshots just came in.” Murphy pulled a file off his desk and started
flipping through the papers, finally finding the one he needed. “I had our tech department enhance the
image of the suspect in the vehicle. As for the man on foot, there wasn’t really much to enhance,
though we determined that he’s approximately six three and two hundred pounds, based on his build.”
Hadley took the image from him, and after a quick glance handed it to Gabe—who swore.
“No… He can’t be responsible for the fire—and certainly not for running me and my brother off the
road. It’s got to be the other guy then.”
“Who is he, Gabe?” Worry and concern had her brow furrowed.
“That’s Jake—Emma’s sous chef.” Emma was not going to be happy about this—and fuck,
Quinn was about to propose to her. She’d be furious if they implicated Jake, when he wasn’t just her
sous chef but her best friend. “I’m sure he’ll have a good reason for being at the restaurant. Maybe
he’d forgotten something and went back to get it.”
“I’ll still have to speak with him.” She gave him an apologetic look that made him want to
pull her close.
“Yeah, of course. I know you’re just doing your job. But…I don’t suppose you’d wait to
speak with Jake until I’ve had a chance to contact Quinn? Emma’s going to be really upset and I want
to give Quinn a heads-up.” Emma was loyal to her friends, and one thing was certain—she was not
going to be happy that Jake was coming under scrutiny.
“Sure, we can put off questioning him for a few hours, if you’d like to give your brother a
heads-up, and in the meantime, we can try finding more information on this other suspect.” She
glanced at Murphy, who clearly wasn’t happy that Gabe was getting special treatment. Not that Gabe
gave a fuck about Murphy. “And it’s not as though we’d be arresting Jake—just asking him if he’d
been at the restaurant that night. At the time, he’d said he’d had no alibi, but…if he was indeed there,
we’ll have to find out why he lied about it.”
Gabe wanted to groan. He’d met Jake and really liked the man. To think he could somehow be
involved in the attacks… No, he couldn’t see it. And yet, that was right around the time Emma was
getting serious about Quinn, and Jake was still pining for her. “Yeah. Of course. If anything,
questioning Jake might eliminate him as a suspect.”
Hadley turned to Murphy as she got ready to go. “Do you mind if I get a copy of this photo?
I’d like to have it on me, so I can question Jake.”
“Alone? Don’t you think I should be with you? Or is Mr. Ryker now acting as your partner?”
Murphy wasn’t happy. “Excuse us, Mr. Ryker. I’d like to speak to my partner in private.”
Gabe glared at Murphy before he had the chance to catch himself. But then Hadley gave him a
pleading look. “I’ll be waiting outside.”
Gabe did wait, but it sure as hell wasn’t patiently. More than once he’d nearly gone back up
the steps to the police station, since the conversation had passed his definition of brief ages ago. By
the time Hadley finally walked out of the police station, he was no longer just annoyed but worried,
especially when he laid eyes on her. She was upset and pissed off—and he was going to fucking kill
the bastard responsible.
He grabbed her arm when she walked past him, heading towards his car. “What happened,
Hadley—and don’t tell me it’s nothing.”
“I’m not discussing this here. Please, Gabe. Just don’t.” Her eyes slipped shut for a long
moment, yet to truly look him in the eyes, and it was fucking pissing him off.
“Babe. Look at me.” She did and he was hit with the full force of her glare. “I’m not the
enemy here and I’m not looking for a fight. But if that ass is giving you shit just because he wants to
fuck you, and he knows you’re mine, then he and I are going to have words.”
“I can fight my own battles, Gabe, and the last thing I need is an ex-husband in the hospital and
a boyfriend in jail for assaulting a police officer. Now could you please unlock the car? I’m not
discussing any of this on the sidewalk outside the station where he can watch our every move.” Her
gaze shifted towards the station, and he suddenly had no doubt Murphy was there watching them. “I
can’t lose my job, Gabe. You may have money to burn, but I’ve got bills to pay and can’t afford to
ruin my career.”
“Get in the car, then—though this conversation is far from over.” The moment they were
belted in, he drove the car down a few blocks so they’d be out of sight and pulled over. “What did he
say to upset you? Because if he’s harassing you, then I need to know, Hadley. He can’t get away with
that shit.”
“He can and he will, because I can’t let it get out that we’re sleeping together.” She let out a
sigh, and grabbed his hand. “Not while you’re a client and this is an active investigation. It’s
completely unprofessional of me, and anything he said to me, he had every right to say.”
“Come work for me then.” Fuck, he was starting to sound like Quinn when it came to Emma.
Anything to make things right between them. “I’ll fucking quadruple your salary.”
She shook her head no, though she did give him a small smile, easing some of the tension that
had settled around his heart. “You’re too sweet, Gabe—and far too generous—but I can’t accept that
sort of offer. It’s not just about the money, but my career. Relationships—hell, even marriages—don’t
always last, and though I swear, I do love you, there aren’t any guarantees, and I can’t let my
livelihood be dependent on this relationship.”
By the gods, she was an infuriating woman. He cupped her face in both his hands and kissed
her, again and again, knowing it’d never be enough. With his forehead pressed to hers, he tried to
slow his breathing and his racing pulse. “I swear, Hadley, your job, your career, all of it would be
safe, no matter what happened between us.”
“I know you mean well, but I can’t have my career be based on the fact that we’re sleeping
together.” She let out a weary sigh and pressed her lips to his in a lingering kiss. “I’ve worked too
hard to have my success not be based on my efforts.”
“You’re being stubborn, babe—but I’ll let it go for now, since this nonsense of being apart
will all be over once you solve the case.” And not a moment too soon. “But I swear, if that ass upsets
you again, he and I are going to discuss the matter, and by discuss the matter, I mean his face is going
to meet my fucking fist.”
She burst out laughing. “I swear, I’ve never met anyone quite like you, Gabe.”
“Yeah, well, remember that the next time you’re thinking of kicking me out of your bed.”
Chapter Eighteen
“Don’t worry about me. Go hang out with your brothers. I’ve got to question Jake, and I’d like
to see if there’s any footage of the other guy. I’ll meet up with you when you’re done. Just call me,
yeah?” Hadley didn’t like the idea that Jake could be involved in the attacks, but she had to look into
every lead, and hopefully she’d be able to find a different image of the other man so they’d have more
to go on.
“Are you sure you won’t come with me? I don’t want your sister calling and upsetting you,
especially if you’re on your own.” Gabe’s phone buzzed. He took it out, looked at it, and then
answered. “Hey, Quinn. I was just about to head over. What’s up?” Gabe listened—and then cursed
like she’d never heard anyone curse before.
Hadley’s heart sank, leaving her to wonder if there’d been another attack—if someone had
been hurt. And it’d be her fault if they had. It was her job to catch whoever the hell was threatening
the Ryker clan, and instead of focusing on the investigation alone, she’d been too busy getting laid.
She’d never forgive herself if someone had been injured because of her selfishness and her
inadequacies.
Gabe hung up as the color drained from his face. “Babe…”
“Were they hurt? Was there another attack?” She couldn’t get a breath in with her panic, her
lungs burning.
“No, no…everyone’s fine. But…fuck, Hadley. I’m so sorry.” He cupped the back of her neck
and pulled her to him, his lips hard on hers in a panicked kiss.
Gabe was always so calm and in control, she swore she’d never seen him look this upset and
worried before. “Gabe, what the hell’s going on? You’re freaking me out.”
“Last night, when we were leaving that shop…the paparazzi—or any idiot with a cellphone
camera—must have spotted us. They took pictures of us together, and then followed us back to my
place. There’s another hotel down the road, but with a telephoto lens—or maybe they used one of the
scenic tour helicopters, and paid them to fly up towards my place so they could get their shot.” He ran
his hand through his hair so it stood on end, his brow drawn with worry. “The headlines, the articles,
the pictures…. Fuck, babe. They’re not good.”
It all made sense now. Murphy had referenced her actions affecting how people look at her,
how they treat her, but she thought it was regarding not hauling Jake in immediately. And if Murphy
knew, then there was a good chance the article was visible enough for someone back at McFee to find
out.
She felt like she was going to be ill as panic set in. “I’ve got to go. I can’t be seen with you,
Gabe.”
Tears stung her eyes as she grabbed for the door, but Gabe pulled her back into her seat.
“You’re panicking, sweetheart. And though I know you have every reason to, it’s not going to help
matters. We’ll figure this out—together.”
She pulled free of his grip, her anger flaring up. “There’s nothing to figure out, Gabe. Don’t
you get it? My entire career is on the line. No one else will hire me. Not when I was so
unprofessional. Years of building up my reputation, and I’ve managed to blow everything in a matter
of a few days.”
“I’ll sort this out for you—talk to your boss and make sure your job is safe. But you’re not
going anywhere.” Gabe threw the car in drive, pissing her off.
“You don’t get it. He doesn’t care about your money. If anything, he’ll fire my ass just to spite
you.” She knew her boss, and he didn’t like it when others thought they could get the upper hand. And
given that he was the owner, there was little anyone could do to force his hand. “Just please take me
back to the hotel. I’ve got to see the article and contact my boss. I need to try to catch this before it
blows up.”
“We’ll manage it together, Hadley.” He drove them to the hotel, relenting when she insisted
on using her room, rather than his place with all the windows. The last thing she needed was to have
more pictures surface.
Pulling out her laptop, Hadley opened her email and was immediately forced to fight back her
tears. “Shit. Human resources just emailed me. I’m being asked to come into work, or to make contact
immediately.”
Everything was going up in flames around her. She was screwed. And the worst part was that
she was the one in the wrong. She’d acted unprofessionally, and it was now exploding in her face—
just like she knew it would.
“Let me deal with this, Hadley.” Gabe grabbed her hands and held onto her, though his touch
only sent her further into a panic.
“Let go, Gabe. I can’t do this now. I have to go deal with my fucking mess of a life—and
you’ll only make matters worse.” Maybe if she…what? What the hell could she say or do that would
excuse her actions? The answer was nothing. If it had been the one night when she still didn’t know
who Gabe was, then it might be excused, but by the time those photos were taken, she knew full well
who Gabe was. “I need to see the article, the pictures.”
“Babe…I don’t know that you want to do that.” He held onto his laptop, but after a fierce
glare, he turned it so she could have a look.
The images, the headline, the bylines… Pictures of her tucked in at Gabe’s side with his arms
around her, the bags from the sex shop clearly on display and identified as such by the photographers,
for any readers who might not recognize the sort of shop they’d been to. Pictures of them kissing. And
worse still, pictures of him stripping her naked, his mouth at her neck, his hands on her bare skin as
blacked-out areas covered her nakedness enough to allow the photo to be displayed publicly.
The tears rolled down her cheeks. Everyone would see these. Her boss, her mother, her
sister…every time an employer did a search on her, this is what they’d find. “I’m so fucked, Gabe.”
Maybe if she just solved the case…if she could prove that her relationship with Gabe didn’t
interfere with her work, then she might be able to save her job, even if she couldn’t save her
reputation.
“Hadley…let me help you.” Gabe ran a gentle hand down her arm, but she couldn’t bear his
touch. Not with everything that was going on. “I won’t let you push me away. No fucking way. I love
you, damn it. And I might be fucking new at this sort of thing, but there’s no way I’m letting you deal
with this on your own. It’s not happening.”
“Don’t you get it? Your presence will only make things worse, Gabe. And I can’t deal with
you when I’m trying to deal with everything else. I do love you—but I need you to leave. I can’t be
with you until I get this all sorted.” A fresh wave of tears fell as her heart shattered, but she had to do
this.
“No fucking way, Hadley.” He pulled her into his arms and held her close, ignoring her
struggles to get free. “You can’t do this to us, babe… Please.”
The pain in his voice had her choking back a sob—and yet she still had to force herself to
push him away. “I just need some time to sort out this mess. And I can’t do that if you’re around.”
“Hadley…don’t. This will fucking kill me.” He cupped her face in his hands and pulled her to
him, his lips hard on hers as he reminded her of why it’d been so hard for her to resist him.
And yet she had to. Maybe if she solved the case—did her job the way she should have from
the start, without letting him distract her—then they might be able to get back to what they had.
And if they couldn’t? Then she didn’t know if she’d ever recover from her broken heart.
***
Hadley’s only saving grace was that it was a weekend. She’d contacted human resources, and
after a brief call was told that she’d need to come in to the office on Monday. They didn’t say much,
but one thing was clear. She was screwed.
Knowing that her only chance at saving her career would be to make headway on the case,
Hadley tracked Jake down at Emma’s restaurant, the Old Port Bistro, with Murphy at her side—and
her phone constantly buzzing in her pocket as Gabe attempted to reach her yet again. At least Murphy
seemed to be on his best behavior. He hadn’t mentioned or hinted at the tabloids, in all likelihood
because it was clear that she was upset and had been crying, her puffy eyes impossible to disguise.
With a gentle hand on Hadley’s arm and a worried look, Emma let them use her office, clearly
concerned for not only Jake but Hadley too, though she said little. With Jake taking a seat at Emma’s
desk, Hadley started to question him, not wanting Murphy to take the lead. Somehow, she managed to
keep her voice steady. “On October sixteenth, the night of the fire at the original location of the Old
Port Bistro, you were seen driving away from the Old Port at approximately two forty-two in the
morning.”
Hadley slid the photo of him across the desk. They hadn’t been able to get a snap of the
license plate because of the camera angle, but it was clearly him in the photo.
Jake gave her a shrug. “I hadn’t been at the Old Port, but rather visiting a friend who works at
a bar just down the street from there. I hung out even after they’d closed the bar, which is why it was
after hours. You can check with her with if you’d like. Her name’s Jo—Jo…Yardley, I think. Works
over at the Portmore Tap.”
“When first questioned, you’d said you had no alibi. Why lie? And why didn’t you come
forward, Mr. Foley?” Murphy wasn’t looking happy, though Hadley had a feeling Jake’s alibi would
check out once they’d looked into it.
Jake ran a hand over his chin. “I hadn’t been at the restaurant, so I didn’t see why it mattered.
But truth be told, I also didn’t want Emma to find out I’d been with Jo. Jo and I have an
understanding, which suits us both fine should the need arise. But at the time, I was in love with
Emma, and was hoping I still had a chance with her. Just figured if she knew about Jo, it’d ruin what
little chance I had.”
It was a long shot, but she had nothing to lose by asking, and chefs and bartenders tended to
know everyone in town. “Don’t suppose you know this guy?”
Emma handed him the picture of the other man they’d caught on surveillance. “Yeah, I do
know him, though I’ve never spoken to him beyond asking for a beer. He’s a bartender for Vince
Capaldi but at a bar that’s secretly owned under a different name. Friend of mine worked there for a
short while, and had mentioned that it was a front for some of Capaldi’s less legitimate affairs. The
place you’re looking for is called the Iron. I know you looked at Capaldi and came up empty, but if I
were you, I’d dig deeper. He’s got a beef with both Emma and the Rykers, and after Quinn punched
him, the man was looking to settle the score.”
They thanked Jake, and headed for Murphy’s car, since he’d insisted on driving. “Capaldi had
an alibi…but he’s also not the sort to do his own dirty work. With luck, the guy we’re looking for
will be working.”
It didn’t take them long to get there—nor for them to spot their suspect. Murphy showed him
his badge. “If you could answer a few questions we’d appreciate it, starting with your name.”
He gave them a cocky shrug, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “Name’s Zane
Zimmerman.”
Hadley slid the photo they had of him across the bar. “Can you tell me what you were doing
on the night of October sixteenth?”
“Same as every night, I suspect. Working here. Why? Is it now illegal for someone to walk
home?” He leaned against the counter, and slid the picture back to Hadley.
“You were only a block from the Old Port Bistro right around the time it caught fire, and given
that your boss and the owner aren’t particularly fond of each other, I want to know if you had anything
to do with it?” Hadley watched his every move.
“My boss can fight his own battles, lady. I had nothing to do with that fire, and frankly, I’ve
got to get back to work. So either arrest me, buy a drink, or leave.”
They left, knowing they didn’t have enough to haul him in. Hadley seat-belted herself in, with
a final look at the Iron. “I know he’s involved—I just need to find the evidence. At least now I have a
name to go on.”
“We’ll have to look at him again, though I’m afraid you’re on your own until Monday. I’m not
really on the schedule for this weekend, but we can dig deeper first thing Monday morning.”
If Hadley was still on the case by then. She nodded, though she was already determined to
look into it on her own.
“I’m going to keep working on this. I want it resolved so I can get back home.” And deal with
whatever disaster was waiting for her there.
“Hadley, I know it’s not my place to say anything, but the Ryker brothers have a reputation
around here, and it’s not a good one if you’re a woman. Those pictures—I’m assuming you know
about them by now?” He waited for some sort of acknowledgement. She nodded as her eyes started to
burn, no doubt red once more. “It’s not a good road to be on. You deserve better than that.”
“I appreciate your concern.” She could have said a lot more, could have told him it wasn’t his
business, but she didn’t want to get into it with him. He dropped her off at her hotel, but before she
got the chance to deal with finding more information on Capaldi’s barman, Gabe tracked her down as
she entered the foyer of the hotel.
He grabbed her arm, ignoring her protests, and pulled her onto the elevator, inserting his key
for his apartment suite. “I’m not doing this, Gabe. Let go of me.”
But he did nothing of the sort, remaining silent, his gaze hard and his jaw clenched as he
looked straight ahead. The doors of the elevator slid open and he hauled her into his apartment and to
his room, practically lifting her off her feet as she cursed him. “Gabe, I swear, if you don’t let me go,
I’m going to—”
“You’re going to what, babe? Ignore my calls? Refuse to let me help you?” He picked her up
as if she weighed nothing and plopped her on his bed, straddling her as he pulled her arms up and tied
her to his headboard with the soft Velcro cuffs they’d bought, her struggles futile and her hands too far
apart to get herself free. “There. That’s better.”
His anger seemed to have vanished now that he had her tied up, and the sweet, sexy smile he
was giving her was enough to push her rage over the edge. “What the fuck, Gabe? Get these things off
me, or I swear, when I do finally get free, I’m going to fucking murder you.”
He’d gone and lost his mind. Of that she had no doubt. It’s not that she was worried for her
safety, because she wasn’t. She knew Gabe wouldn’t hurt her. But this was crazy, and she was
beyond pissed off, her anger and frustration threatening to drown her.
“I’ll let you go once I get everything sorted out with your job and I get you to see sense and
stop pushing me away.” Gabe then kissed her forehead with a lingering press of his lips against her
skin. It was such a sweet and gentle gesture, that she couldn’t believe her anger with him was
thawing. Damn him! “And I’ve got to say, babe, the only way you could be any more gorgeous right
now would be if you were naked. It’s a tempting thought, don’t you think?”
“Don’t you dare, Gabe!” Being handcuffed was bad enough. She sure as hell didn’t need to be
naked on top of it all. At least not under these circumstances. “And here I was thinking that I trust
you.”
His eyes narrowed and his face turned dead serious. “Babe…I know you’re angry with me,
but are you really saying that you don’t trust me?”
“You’ve handcuffed me to your bed, Gabe—and not in some ‘Ooo! I’ve got handcuffs!’- fun,
sexy way, either.”
“It could be fun and sexy if you wanted it to be—but you’ve yet to answer me, Hadley. And I
want an answer now. Do you trust me? Because if you don’t—despite the fact that I did indeed
handcuff you to my bed—then you’re free to go. Just tell me that you don’t trust me and you can go—
walk right on the fuck out of here.”
She wanted to groan, and rant, and be furious. And yet she knew that despite everything she
did still trust him. “I fucking hate you right now.”
“It’s a thin line between love and hate, babe, and right about now, I’ll take what I can get.
However, you’ve yet to answer my question.” Cupping her face in his hand, he ran a thumb across her
lips, and damn but it took all she had not to suck his thumb into her mouth. “I want an answer,
sweetheart, and I want it now, or I’m going to assume this is all just a ploy to get your ass spanked
again, since we both know just how much you enjoyed it the first time around.”
“You’re such a bastard, Gabe.” When he perked his brow in question, she screamed. “Fine. I
trust you. Happy?”
“I’ll be happier once I get this mess sorted and can come back here and tend to your needs
properly. In the meantime, babe…” He stole a long, lingering kiss, his tongue finding hers as he
worked his magic, leaving her desperately wanting him, her anger but a distant memory. “I love you,
Hadley. Now be a good girl for me, and I’ll make sure to reward you generously when I get back.”
“I’m not sleeping with you, Gabe.” She glared at him, but her anger was no more than a ploy
to disguise just how much she wanted him—and she was fooling no one.
“Liar, liar, babe…and for that, I’ll have to think of a suitable punishment while I’m gone.”
Chapter Nineteen
“Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice.” Gabe shook Charles McFee’s hand,
quickly sizing up the man. In his fifties, handsome enough, wearing an ironed dress shirt despite it
being a weekend, his clothes all designer.
“Well, I can’t say that having one of my best employees turn up naked on the front page of a
tabloid while screwing one of my clients is exactly the sort of reputation I’ve spent years cultivating.”
McFee’s eyes narrowed at Gabe. “I get wanting to have your dick sucked, but you’ve dragged my
company into this mess, and I’m not happy about it.”
Gabe’s jaw clenched at McFee’s crudeness, as if Hadley was nothing more than a common
whore, instead of the woman he loved. “Having my relationship with Hadley turn up in the papers
was unfortunate, but none of it was her fault. So, disrespect her again, and we’re going to have
problems that go far beyond the tabloids.”
“Is that so? And what are you going to do about it, Mr. Ryker? She’s my employee until her
dismissal is finalized, and you may have money, but I’ve got enough of my own and don’t respond
well to threats or bribes.”
“Maybe not, but I have a feeling you’re a smart man, not to mention you’re approaching
retirement age, and don’t have any children who are interested in pursuing this line of work.” Having
done his homework, Gabe settled back in his seat, his confidence in play the way it was every time he
conducted business. “The way I see it, this is going to go one of two ways. You’ll either sell me your
company and make yourself a sizable profit to retire on, or I’m going to make your life miserable and
run your company into the ground—and make no mistake, McFee, I yield enough power and influence
to manage it. The choice is yours.”
***
“Babe…” Fuck, his woman was gorgeous. And she was his—his and his alone. Now to make
good use of all that anger.
“I fucking hate you, Gabe.” Hadley’s blue eyes were filled with a fury like he’d never seen
before—and damn, but it made him smile.
“You’re so sexy when you’re angry—not to mention tied up. Mind you, the chance of me
setting you loose before I’ve had the chance to turn your mood around is nonexistent.” Gabe knelt by
her side and ran his hands up her thighs, before nestling himself between her legs, his hard-on trapped
between them, aching to have her. He trailed kisses over her skin, feasting on her neck and nipping his
way to her ear as she did her best to ignore him. “Did you miss me, babe?”
Turning away, she refused to even look at him, though it only gave him easier access to her
neck, each kiss, each nip, having a greater effect on her, now that her skin and muscles were pulled
tight. His hips thrust against her heat, and though it was clear she wanted to ignore him, her body was
betraying her as her hips shifted ever so slightly against him.
“I bet you missed me, and I bet if I were to check, I’d find you soaking wet and ready for me.”
He pulled himself off her, and stripped down to nothing, before turning his attention to her. “Babe,
you’re wearing far too many clothes, but don’t you go worrying that pretty little head of yours. I’ll
have that resolved momentarily. And I know you’re angry with me, but I’m going to make it up to you
now. Unless, of course, you’d rather I don’t—in which case, you need to let me know.”
“I still hate you for this.” And yet that wasn’t a no—just as he suspected.
It didn’t take long for him to get her mostly naked, his cock rock hard, glistening with pre-cum
in anticipation. Though he’d unbuttoned her shirt and left it open, there was no hope for her bra, and
after a few strategic tugs, he had it torn from her body. “That’s better, don’t you think?”
This time, when he nestled himself between her legs, he had easy access to everything she had
to offer. He ran his fingers against her slick folds, finding her so wet and turned on, it took all he had
not to sink his hard cock into her with a single thrust.
“Fuck, sweetheart…you’re so wet. And it’s all for me, isn’t it?” He continued to finger her,
teasing her as a blush crept over her skin. “Tell me you love this…tell me you love being at my
mercy, that it turns you on to no end. Come on, babe…say it.”
His fingers ran a circle at her clit before dipping into her with ease, first one finger, and then a
second, as he applied pressure to her clit with the palm of his hand. A needy moan escaped her, and
then he could wait no more, needing to taste her, needing to feel her quiver and come in his arms.
Slipping between her legs, he licked at her slick folds and sucked on her clit, as he thrust into
her slow and deep with his fingers, curling them against the soft spot of nerves. Her breathing was
heavy, and her hips now rocked up to meet his every thrust, her legs wrapping around his body to pull
him close. And he knew that if her hands hadn’t been bound, she’d have knotted her fingers in his hair.
He loved that he already knew so many of her little secrets, all the little details about her, and
yet he knew he’d never tire of exploring all the things he’d yet to find out.
Knowing that she was on the verge of coming, he held her clit between his teeth and flicked it
hard with his tongue while thrusting into her hard and deep, pushing her over the edge as she melted
in his arms, crying out his name as she quivered with her release. He held her in his arms until she
came back to herself, the sound of her heartbeat thundering away as he nestled himself against her
breasts.
“Fuck, Gabe…why is it that I can’t push you away?” She looked down at him, her breathing
still heavy and her skin flushed a beautiful pink. And damn but she was a beautiful sight.
“You can’t push me away because we’re meant to be together.” With one kiss, one touch
following the next, he worked his way over her body in a trail of kisses that fell upon her skin like
lost stars. “You’re my everything, Hadley. I may not have truly known it before now—or at the least
been willing to admit it—but fuck, I don’t think I’d survive it if you left me.”
And maybe now that he’d gotten everything sorted with McFee, she wouldn’t have to go
anywhere, though that was a discussion that could wait until he’d had his fill of her—for the moment
at least.
“Gabe, I do love you, but…” She closed her eyes and looked away from him, still clearly
upset at the thought of losing her job.
“Hush, babe. There’s no need to worry. I’ve taken care of everything, and right now, I want
your focus here, on us. I’m far from through with you for the evening.” He lowered his head to hers
and kissed her, breathing in her scent as he nuzzled her close.
“Fuck…I need you, Gabe, more than ever…” She strained against her bonds to get closer to
him, her lips on his as she leaned up to kiss him, her firm breasts pressed against his chest.
“Please…”
“Tell me what you want, sweetheart. I want to hear you say it…” Kneeling before her, he
hooked one of her legs onto his shoulder, opening her up to him, so he could rub the swollen head of
his cock against her slick heat, teasing her opening and her clit until her hips were writhing in
desperation.
“Gabe…please…” She whimpered and moaned in need. “I can’t take it. I need you to fuck
me… Do whatever you want with me, as long as you fuck me.” She hadn’t been able to look at him
while speaking those words, but he didn’t mind, knowing just how hard it must be for her.
“Oh, babe…I will. I’m going to fuck you every which way I know how…until you don’t
remember anything that came before me. Until everything starts and ends with us.” With her leg on his
shoulder, he nipped at the delicate skin on the inside of her knee, her inner thigh.
Her skin was soft and warm, so delicate, that each nip, each kiss, pulled one gasp after
another from her parted lips. He’d never wanted someone with such all-consuming need, but he knew
she was his everything. Unable to hold back any longer, he finally thrust forward, sinking into her
fully, her body tight around his rock hard cock, as he angled her hips perfectly to hit her g-spot.
Fuck, that felt good.
“You’re mine, Hadley. Mine to love, mine to fuck, mine to care for…” Mine to grow old
with. Because he was fucked if he could imagine his life without her in it. He continued to pound into
her, as if each thrust would leave his mark on her, as if each thrust would mark her as his and no one
else’s, as if each thrust would claim her heart. “Tell me, babe…I need to hear you say it.”
“I’m yours, Gabe…yours and yours alone.” Her breathing was shallow, and he knew she was
on the verge of coming once more.
Gabe pulled free of her, ignoring her protests as he flipped her onto all fours, giving him a
perfect view of her plump ass. Not wanting to waste a single moment, he buried himself once more on
a contented sigh, the pressure of his orgasm starting to build deep inside him. Leaning forward, he
draped himself over her, her back to his chest and his face by hers so he could nuzzle her.
Supporting himself on one hand, he gripped her hip to bury himself deeper with each thrust,
harder, letting his hand wander up to cup a breast and pinch her nipple before continuing on to grip
her neck. She was so tight, so wet, and he could taste the salt on her skin, could smell her familiar
scent as it mingled with the smell of sex in the air.
Her body tightened around him with each thrust, milking him towards his orgasm, as he
pushed her towards her own—not that he’d be coming just yet.
Her body quivered and tensed in his arms, and she cried out as she came, his name on his lips
as he pushed her over the edge. And though his own release was so fucking close, he wanted
something more.
“We’re not done just yet, babe.” Pulling out of her, he undid the cuffs that had bound her and
tossed aside what was left of her clothing, before grabbing the lube from his nightstand and making
sure he was slick and ready. He pressed a slick finger against the bud of her ass and gently pushed it
in, a needy cry escaping her as her back arched in response. His cock throbbed in anticipation, though
he needed to be patient, needed to ready her. “Do you like that, sweetheart? Do you want to feel all of
me?”
“Fuck, Gabe…” Her breathing was heavy as he worked his finger in and out of her ass with
ease, eventually adding a second finger and more lube to help stretch her.
“You’ve yet to answer me, Hadley, and I don’t like to be left waiting.”
A shiver worked its way down her spine as she shifted back against him, her head hung low
and her breathing heavy. “Yes…I want all of you. In every possible way.”
“Babe, I’m so fucking in love with you.” He pulled his fingers free and guided the slick head
of his cock against her ass, applying just enough pressure to force the tip past the tight ring of muscle.
“Try to relax for me, babe…push out…that’s it…”
It was so fucking good, her body so tight around his…it set every nerve in his body alight.
And then he was gently, slowly, pushing in farther, as she rolled her hips back towards him, easing
herself farther down his cock, and blowing his mind. “Tell me again, Hadley.”
“I fucking want you—all of you.” Her breathing was so shallow and her voice was so
wanton… “I’m yours, Gabe.”
“Just as I’m yours, Hadley.”
He started to move now in earnest, rolling his hips in long, slow thrusts, his pace gradually
starting to build when he could barely hold back. Slipping his hand up her spine, he fisted her hair
and gently pulled her head back to him, the intensity on her face a thing of beauty. “That’s it,
sweetheart…I want to see you when you come undone for me. Touch yourself, babe. I want you to
come again for me.”
Unable to keep his pace slow, his thrusts increased until he was fucking her with deep hard
thrusts while her fingers worked over her slick clit, faster and faster, spurring him on, until he was
pounding into her, and she was coming, quivering in his arms like never before. Her orgasm triggered
his, his hot cum spurting into her heated depths, marking her as his in the ultimate way, and leaving
them both linked as one in a spent heap of pleasure.
They lay there for several minutes with their bodies pressed together and still linked in the
most intimate of ways, Gabe’s head spinning with all that such an act meant. And damn, but he’d
never felt closer to anyone in all his life.
“Babe…” His breathing was ragged and heavy, his heart pounding against his chest. “Are you
all right?” She let out a little moan as he gently pulled his cock free of her, and gathered her in his
arms, his heart hammering against his ribs.
“Fuck, Gabe…I love you. I don’t want to, because I know you’ll break my heart, but I do. I
love you.” There was so much emotion in her voice, it had him worried. She pulled his arms tightly
around her body, and he tightened his hold on her, knowing it was what she needed.
“I swear, I won’t hurt you, babe. You’re my everything, my all, and I’m going nowhere. I want
us to be happy—together. Nothing matters if I don’t have you in my arms.” He knew of his reputation;
the tabloids had certainly played up the fact that Hadley was just one of many—his most recent—and
that she’d soon be joining the ranks of the discarded. But that was no longer who he was. She’d
changed him—for the better.
“You can’t say that. Not when my entire life is so uncertain. I may not even have a job come
Monday morning, and I still need to find out who’s behind the attacks.” She let out a weary sigh as he
kissed the top of her head, making him wish that he could figure out some way to ease her fears.
He had been thinking to keep the purchase of McFee Consulting a secret, so she wouldn’t
think her job was dependent on their relationship, but worried as she was, telling her might ease her
fears about losing her job. “Your job’s safe, Hadley. You don’t need to worry about that anymore.”
“How can you say that? Human resources already wants to speak with me, and after the
tabloids, I’ll never find another job in this industry. I’ll be stuck trying to find lost puppies and track
cheating spouses.” She shook her head as if the thought was too much to bear.
“Well, then it’s a good thing you won’t be looking for a new job. You get to keep your job—
and even get a raise. The only prerequisite is that you sleep with your new boss—me.” He loved the
look of shock on her face, and couldn’t help but want to kiss her, his lips lingering on hers with a
smile.
“You can’t buy McFee out, Gabe.” She shook her head no, propping herself up on his chest so
she could give him a look that said he’d lost his mind. “You’re insane. You know that, right?”
“It’s already a done deal, babe. The lawyers have the contracts, and by the close of the month,
McFee Consulting will be mine. Given the amount of properties we have, and the amount of business
we do, it’s a good investment and probably a wise move to have our own security company and
investigators.” It was nothing but the truth, and the attacks only proved that. “This way, you can report
directly to me, Ms. Moore, since I think you should head up the investigations end of the firm.”
“How could you do this without even talking to me about, Gabe? It’s my job, my career, and
you just assume that I’ll want to take on a position that was earned because I’m fucking you, rather
than my own skills. And you know that’s exactly how everyone will see it.” She shook her head and
started to pull away, but he held onto her, refusing to let her go anywhere. “Do your brothers even
know about this? Because I can’t imagine they’d go along with it.”
“Firstly, I don’t give a rat’s ass what people think of me, and neither should you. I wouldn’t
hire you if I didn’t believe you were capable of the job. As for my brothers, I’m the one who
purchased McFee—not Ryker Investments.” Gabe didn’t want to have to answer to anyone for his
decisions, even if his brothers knew better than to question him or his motives. “Besides, my brothers
respect my judgment—not to mention Quinn recently purchased and overhauled an entire restaurant
just to get Emma back after they’d split up, so he’s certainly in no position to judge.”
“What is it with you guys? I’ve never seen anything like it.” She shook her head in disbelief,
but the start of a smile was creeping onto those lush lips of hers.
“That’s because you’ve never had to deal with men who have enough money to no longer give
it much thought.” Gabe shifted her so she’d straddle him, already wanting her once more. “We’re not
frivolous with it, having grown up with so little, but we work damn hard. So if there’s something
that’s going to make us happy, then we know better than to pass it up—and your happiness is what’s
important to me, babe.”
With his cock trapped between him and her slick heat, she shifted her hips up against his hard
length, teasing him without taking him. “How the hell can you be ready to fuck me again? I swear
you’re unbelievable, Gabe.”
“It’s you, babe…I can’t stop wanting you.” He didn’t think his yearning for her would ever
stop, not even when he was buried deep inside her, holding her in his arms. “I swear, I’ll never get
my fill of you.”
She stopped rocking her hips, her mood now serious. “Gabe…I do love you, but once I finish
with the case, I’m still going to have to head back home. Your reality is not mine, even if I love you
like I’ve never loved anyone before.”
“Then move in with me.” He’d officially lost his fucking mind. But he didn’t care. She was all
that mattered. He knew she was scared, especially after the tabloids had spun their stories. “Because
if you think this is over in any way, you’re gravely mistaken.”
Chapter Twenty
Hadley fought back her tears, her heart breaking. “This isn’t easy for me, Gabe. I do love you,
but after a lifetime of never being with a woman for longer than a single night, how long do you really
think it’ll take before you get bored of me? I can’t turn my entire life upside down on the slim hope
that you’ll suddenly change your ways.”
“Are you saying you’re going to believe the tabloids instead of what I’m telling you?” Gabe
scowled at her, and looked away in disgust.
She cupped his face in her hands, fighting back her tears. “Gabe, it’s not the tabloids. I want to
believe you, but how can I? And it’s not like I’m in the most stable of places either, since my divorce
only just went through.”
“Do you think any of that really fucking matters? Well, it doesn’t, Hadley. I know my past, and
don’t need you to remind me of it, especially when I’ve completely changed—and that’s because of
you. You made me a better man, but if you don’t see that, then what’s the fucking point?” Gabe
shrugged free of her grasp, shifting his body out from under hers, looking at her with such hurt and
anger, it gutted her. “I guess I expected more from you.”
“Gabe…” Fuck. What the hell was she supposed to say? Was she making a mistake? If she
was doing this to try to keep her heart safe, then why did it hurt so much?
He got to his feet and started rifling through their clothes, tossing them on the bed towards her.
“Get dressed and go if you can’t deal with my past. And never mind that you went into this knowing
fully aware of my past, and aren’t even taking into consideration the type of man I am now. I guess I
just expected—hoped—that what we had was important enough to the both of us to make this work.”
Suddenly, the full reality of not having Gabe in her life hit her like a nuclear bomb, leaving
her to wonder if it was already too late. Her eyes burned and stung as she crossed to his side,
desperately wanting him to hold her in his arms and tell her it’d be all right.
“Gabe…I do love you, but…what we have is fucking scary. I’ve never loved anyone the way
I love you, and that means that you could shatter my heart beyond repair.” It was nothing but the truth.
Matt’s betrayals had been heartbreaking, but only Gabe could crush her. “How the hell can I not
worry?”
“Don’t you think I’m not putting my heart on the line too? Well, I fucking am, Hadley. You’re
different than anyone else I’ve dated, and yet you keep expecting me to treat you like the rest of them.
But I never have—not from the very start. And yet, that’s all you expect from me. You push me away,
time and again, even though I’ve proved myself to you, proved what you mean to me. Not that it
fucking matters.” The anger and hurt in his eyes, the emotional distance he’d already put between
them, had her tears overflowing.
She knew she’d judged him on his past rather than his actions with her, which had been
nothing but loyal and caring. Hell, he’d even gone as far as buying the place where she worked, for
what was likely a small fortune, all because she’d been worried about losing her job. And instead of
listening to her heart, instead of trusting that he wouldn’t hurt her, she’d let her fears, her past
experiences with Matt come between them and ruin what they had. She was the only one responsible
for Gabe shutting himself away from her—no one else. Her shattered heart was no one’s fault but her
own.
She needed to get out of there before she totally broke down and became an absolute mess.
Grabbing her clothes, she quickly threw them on, desperately hoping he’d stop her and hold her close,
that he’d tell her it would be okay. He’d once given her that sort of reassurance, and she’d been a fool
not to believe him. And now? Now that she could see exactly what he meant to her, there was no hope
of him soothing her fears.
And so she walked out of there without him ever stopping her, without him uttering another
word, tears streaming down her face, her heart shattered and the pain of her heartache unbearable.
***
Back in her hotel room, Hadley buried herself in her work, knowing that if she didn’t distract
herself, she’d be on her way back up to Gabe’s suite when it was clear she’d fucked things up
between them. She told herself it was likely for the best. It’d been bound to happen eventually, and
maybe now she could still escape the worst of it.
Except that she was beyond heartbroken, the ache so painful, she felt as if it might kill her.
Worse still, she could still feel him—the erotic soreness from him taking her over and over
again, a constant reminder of him and what they’d had just hours earlier.
How could he go from loving her so deeply to letting her walk out of his life?
Well, it didn’t matter. It couldn’t. Not when he no longer wanted her. Because if he had
wanted her, he’d have stopped her from leaving.
Wiping her tears away, she forced herself to focus on the attacks, wanting to put an end to
them so at the very least, something good could come out of her messy stay in Portmore, a small
consolation for her broken heart.
Looking at Capaldi once more, she pulled out the financials they’d been able to obtain via a
court order. There was a lot there, and far too many transactions to figure out which might be payment
for the attacks, if Capaldi wasn’t doing the dirty work himself. The dates of the attacks…if she could
find corresponding funds withdrawn from Capaldi’s accounts, that might be enough to get the
authorization to dig deeper. Except that Capaldi likely kept plenty of cash sitting around, so there may
not be any withdrawal on the books. However…Zane might very well deposit the money he received
from Capaldi.
Crap…they hadn’t gotten his financials, and it was doubtful a judge would give them that sort
of access without there being any real proof pointing in Zane’s direction. Maybe Murphy could speak
to the judge? She called, but got his voicemail. Better than nothing, she supposed, and left him a
message explaining her idea about the funds and asking if there was any way to get the judge to grant
them a warrant to get to Zane’s financial records.
And in the meantime, she might try talking to Zane again. She’d be safe enough in public at the
bar, and frankly, she could use a stiff drink or two to help her numb the pain of her heartache. A quick
glance in the mirror confirmed that she looked like hell, but she didn’t care. It’s not as though she’d
be seeing Gabe again.
Luckily, it didn’t take her long to get to the Iron. Even better, Zane was working, so she’d be
able to grab a seat at the bar, have her drink, and grill him with questions, while she was at it.
Loud music drifted over from the dance floor and pool tables, but luckily, she could still
manage to carry on a conversation. “If Capaldi paid you for the attacks, then there’s going to be
evidence, and trust me when I tell you, you don’t want to go down for this. Attempted murder,
arson…those are long sentences, and you know the Ryker brothers will make sure the judge throws
the book at you. Whereas, if you cooperate, we can get the man truly responsible for the attacks.”
“I’d rather not end up as fish food, lady.” Zane slid her drink in front of her and took her
money.
“What if we could manage to get you into witness protection? Maybe set you up with a nice
new life. It’d be well worth it to get away from Capaldi, since you know it’s only a matter of time
before he turns to you for something else. Something dirtier—something you won’t want to do, but by
then he’ll have you backed into a corner.” She wasn’t sure she was managing to convince him of
anything, though he might eventually come around now that the seed had been planted. It might take a
whole lot of string-pulling to get him into any type of protection program, but maybe Gabe’s
connections could help.
“Is there anything else, lady? ’Cause I have work to do and I don’t need you talking my ear
off.” Zane leaned against the counter, annoyed.
“No, I suppose that’s it for now.” Hadley checked her phone to see if Gabe had called.
Nothing. Damn him. And it was like tearing open a new wound, her heartache returning with a
vengeance.
She downed her drink in a few sips and mulled over any other way to persuade Zane, since
he’d given her precious little to bring in front of a judge. If she couldn’t come up with more evidence,
she was screwed—not that she could think straight or focus when her life was a train wreck.
Grabbing her bag, Hadley got up to go—when her head spun violently from a dizzy spell. She
staggered back into her seat, and shook her head, trying to clear it, as Zane started to walk down the
length of the bar so he could come around to her side and get her. Fuck…she looked at her drink and
then back at him, a hard look on his face. Before her wits deserted her entirely, she managed to grab
her phone and hit Gabe’s number, praying he’d answer before she completely blacked out.
“Gabe…help…” Had she actually gotten the words out?
And then Zane was at her side, an arm around her waist as he snagged her phone away from
her and took her into the back room, just as the world around her went black and she passed out.
Chapter Twenty-One
Gabe paced the floor of his living room, feeling like a goddamned fool. How could he have
let Hadley walk out the door—out of his life—like that, without so much as an attempt to stop her?
His fear and pride—that’s how. Fear that he’d actually gone and fallen in love with someone who
could break his heart, and pride that she couldn’t see how good he was for her.
The hours apart were fucking killing him. Furious with himself, he couldn’t stand to be away
from her any longer. He headed down to her room and knocked on the door, desperate to see her, to
beg her to stay.
Fuck…nothing. He called out to her, but she wasn’t there. Gone.
Had she left Portmore? Gone to see her ex? The thought nearly killed him.
And then his phone rang, the pain in his heart easing to see it was her, his relief
overwhelming. “Babe…”
“Gabe…help…”
“Hadley? What’s going on, babe? Hadley? Hadley…?” Gabe gripped his phone, his concern
increasing when there was no response from her.
Fuck. What the hell just happened? Panic knifed his chest as his fears consumed him.
She’d left over three hours ago. Three hours he’d spent kicking himself for letting her leave.
Three hours she should have spent in his arms, though why she’d want to when he was a fucking
asshole, he didn’t know.
Gabe pounded on Hadley’s door, not sure if she was there, but wondering if she was in
trouble. Had she heard him knocking but couldn’t get to the door, so she’d tried to call?
He tried to break the door down, but it was a fire door and it wasn’t budging. He called down
to the front desk, and quickly explained the situation. The manager was there minutes later to let Gabe
in.
Nothing. Where the hell was she? He looked around at her room. Her laptop was out, and she
had notes spread across the bed, which meant there was a good chance she’d been working. A cold
dread came over him at the thought that she may have been following up on a lead and had gotten
herself into trouble.
Gabe dialed the police station and explained the situation, but with so little to go on, there
was little they could do. “Let me speak with Detective Murphy.”
Voicemail. Fuck!
He looked at her notes—pages of them—but the last pages were filled with notes on Capaldi,
and a guy named Zane Zimmerman. Had she stumbled across information on the attacks and put
herself in danger?
He never should have let her go. He’d let her walk out when she was clearly upset and trying
to make amends. He’d let her leave, when he should have fought for her, should have held her close
and eased her fears.
He was such a fucking ass.
Instead of admitting that he was just as scared as she was that they might fuck up what they had
between them and he’d be left with a heartbreak that would never heal, he’d let their fears and doubts
come between them, even as she tried to make her way back to him.
Yet his fear of getting his heart broken was nothing compared to what he was going through
now. And if he screwed this up beyond repair, if something happened to her, it would be his undoing.
Where the hell was she and what kind of trouble was she in? The thought that someone would
harm her left him furious, though he was just as angry with himself for being a fool, and pushing her
away. If anything happened to her, he’d never forgive himself.
He needed to track her down—but how? Morgan…he could track a fucking snowflake in a
blizzard, and if anyone could find her, it’d be him. It wasn’t his only skill, but it was a damn good one
to have.
He called Morgan to make sure he was home, and then headed over there, breaking the speed
limit and praying that he didn’t get pulled over—a delay he didn’t need. He killed the engine, not
even bothering with a greeting when Morgan met him on the doorstep. “I need your help.”
“What’s going on? Everyone okay?” Morgan stepped aside to let him in.
“No…I think Hadley’s in trouble, and I need help finding her.” Could they track her phone if it
was turned off?
“What the hell happened?” Morgan was already heading to his laptop, his mood serious.
“What happened is that I managed to fuck things up between us, and I think she took off to
follow up on the attacks.” There’d been a ton of background noise during Hadley’s phone call and her
voice had been slurred, but he swore she’d asked for help. “She called me and it sounded like she
was in trouble, but when I tried to call her back, her phone was turned off.”
“And you don’t think she just accidentally butt-dialed you, and then didn’t want to talk to you
after you’d been a jerk?” Morgan looked at him like he’d lost his mind, though he was already zipping
around on his laptop, pulling up one program after another.
“No…something’s wrong. I think she was following up on some lead.” He pulled her
notebook out of his laptop bag. “Here are her notes, if it helps any.”
“If things are escalating, then we need to let Quinn and Maddie know.” Picking up the
notebook, Morgan quickly flipped through her notes, heading to the most recent. He glanced at the last
few pages, his gaze going from one page to the next and back. “This guy here…Zane Zimmerman…I
swear I know that name, Gabe. I think he may have contacted us about an investment opportunity, but
you know how it is… We get so many requests and offers, and so few are worth pursuing. The only
reason the name sounds vaguely familiar is because it’s not the sort of name you hear every day—you
know, with the two z’s.”
“What do you know about him? Anything, Morgan…I’ve got to find her before she comes to
harm.” Each second that ticked by was a second where Hadley wasn’t safe. The thought was
unbearable; his gut knotted with worry, his entire being consumed by anger.
“Honestly, he seemed rather desperate. If I’m remembering right, he’d sunk everything he had
into this venture of his. Don’t even remember what it was, just that it wasn’t right for us—and the guy
had a criminal past.” As a steadfast rule, Ryker Investments avoided getting involved with ex-cons.
Morgan continued typing away. “Let me see what info I can pull up on the guy. I should have our
emails around here somewhere. Seemed like a normal guy at the time, though, despite his past.”
“Based on Hadley’s notes, she has him somehow connected to Capaldi. Maybe this guy turned
to Capaldi for funding when he couldn’t get it from us.” And there was a good chance Capaldi would
leverage the guy’s needs and desperation to get him to attack the Rykers. “Can you find an address for
him?”
“I doubt he’d be stupid enough to take her to his house. But…” Morgan tapped away furiously,
jumping from one program to the next. “Right here—132 River Run Road. He rents some sort of
workshop or warehouse there, and by the looks of it, it’s rather remote.”
Gabe was already heading for the door. “Do me a favor and call the cops. Make sure they
meet me there.”
“Have you lost your mind? You can’t just go running in there, when you don’t know what’s
going down.” Morgan was on his feet and heading to the hall closet.
“She’s in danger, and I can’t just do nothing and hope the cops make it to her on time. For
fuck’s sake, Morgan—I love her, and I fucked up.” He had to get her back. Had to have her safely
back in his arms. And he’d fucking murder anyone who harmed a hair on her head.
Morgan pulled a gun from the safe in the closet, gave it a quick once-over and then holstered
it. “I’m coming with you, and we’ll call the cops as soon as we’re on the road.”
“Since when the fuck do you have a gun?” That was a conversation for a different time, but
now he knew there was more to that email of Morgan’s. It might not have anything to do with the
attacks, but something was up with his brother, and it wasn’t good.
“Do you want to discuss this now or do you want to go save your girlfriend so you can
apologize to her for being a dick?”
“Fucking smartass.”
Morgan called the cops as Gabe sped through the streets of Portmore to the outskirts of town,
each moment an eternity as he tried to get to Hadley before he was too late. What the hell did the guy
even want with her? Or was it not so much his agenda, but Capaldi’s? Gabe could easily see Capaldi
offering up the funding this guy needed in exchange for harassing Gabe’s family.
Morgan argued with the cops when they gave him a hard time about Hadley not missing for a
long enough period of time—and Morgan gave them hell, threatening to rain down on their heads
every lawyer in Massachusetts if they didn’t get some cops out there to check it out. “They’re on their
way, and they got in touch with her partner, who said he got a message about her checking into Zane.
They’d been at his place of work earlier, so they’ve got squad cars heading there too. We’ll find her,
Gabe.”
She had to be okay…had to be. Fuck, Gabe didn’t even know what that guy, Zane, had been in
jail for. Did he have a violent past? Rape? Murder? They knew nothing about him, and Hadley was
likely at his mercy.
Or worse still—in Capaldi’s clutches. “I’m going to fucking tear him limb from limb if he’s
hurt her.”
“It hasn’t been that long, right? She’ll be okay. You have to believe that.”
They pulled up to the address just as the cops arrived—and just in time to keep Gabe from
storming in there. It took two officers and his brother to hold him back, with logic prevailing that the
cops were spending valuable time with him when they should be trying to get to Hadley.
Gabe shrugged free of their grasps, cursing under his breath. “I swear if she’s been hurt,
Morgan….”
“She’ll be fine, yeah?” Morgan tilted towards the building with his head, though he’d yet to
loosen his hold on Gabe. “Look—they’re already going in. They’re wasting no time, and I swear,
Gabe, they’ll get her out of there safely.”
All Gabe could do was watch and hope that Hadley would soon be in his arms and their
nightmare would be over. He lost count of the minutes that passed, though every single one felt like a
lifetime.
There was a sudden bit of movement and commotion, when Gabe spotted the cops hauling
some guy out in handcuffs and calling the EMTs over for a stretcher.
Did that mean she was hurt? This time there was no holding him back, even as they grabbed at
him to keep him from going to Hadley.
Fuck…there she was… Dead? Or just unconscious?
But then they were pulling Gabe out of there, as he fought them, his struggles finally slowing
as he watched the EMTs tend to her, slipping an oxygen mask over her face, and moving her limp
body to the stretcher.
At least she was alive. For now.
***
Gabe waited for her at the hospital, each moment an absolute fucking eternity as the medical
staff tended to her, leaving him in the dark as to her condition. And each infuriatingly long moment
was a moment that left him to contemplate just how badly he’d fucked things up between them.
It was close to two hours before the doctor who’d treated Hadley came by to give Gabe his
findings, having already spoken with the cops privately. “Ms. Moore’s still unconscious, and likely
will be for several more hours. She was drugged with what appears to be a large dose of Rohypnol,
which is also known as the date rape drug.”
Gabe’s heart sank as his anger boiled deep inside him, his words spoken through clenched
teeth at the thought of someone violating her. “Did he fucking touch her? Because I swear, I’ll fucking
kill that bastard.”
“Though she’s recently had intercourse, it didn’t appear to be forced.” A weight lifted off
Gabe’s chest as the doctor alleviated his fears. “If you’d like to stay with her, the police have okayed
it.”
Gabe turned to his brother and pulled him into a hug. “I can’t thank you enough for finding her,
Morgan. I owe you everything.”
“That’s what family’s for, right?”
Detective Murphy approached just then. “You’ll be glad to know that Zane Zimmerman
confessed to the attacks—the fire, running the two of you off the road, drugging and kidnapping
Hadley. He’s claiming he worked on his own, but we think that by the time we’re through, we’ll have
enough evidence to implicate Capaldi. With luck, that should be the end of the attacks, since
Zimmerman will be in prison until his arraignment, and Capaldi will be under too much scrutiny to
continue harassing your family. And…I’m sorry about Hadley getting hurt.”
“I appreciate you looking into this.” Though Gabe was relieved that the attacks would be
coming to an end, he was itching to get to Hadley’s side, and was done with talking. “If the two of you
could excuse me.”
He didn’t wait for an answer, but rather took off down the hall to where they were keeping
Hadley. She was all that mattered, and he had to see her. Had to hold her.
She was his all. He’d just been too stupid to see it.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Hadley slowly broke free of the darkness as sleep tried to pull her back into its inky depths
and back into her nightmares. Her lids felt so heavy, it was an effort just to keep them from slipping
shut. Flickers of her memory returned, and her fear was enough to force her awake. She’d been
drugged…had called Gabe…and then nothing. What the hell had happened to her? What had Zane
done to her while she’d been unconscious?
She focused on the dark room, thankful for the dim light that had been left on in the corner of
the room. And then she saw him…Gabe, asleep at her bedside, his arm draped across her lap as if
holding onto her to keep her from leaving. Though she was unsure of what they now had, her heart
still ached for him, and she was so incredibly relieved to see him there.
Her arm felt heavy, but she managed to lift it and run her fingers through Gabe’s thick dark
hair, wondering if this would be the last time she got to touch him like this, so intimately.
Gabe stirred awake, his gaze immediately focusing on her, his worried features easing with
relief. “Babe…”
That one word was enough to have her tears flowing over with such a wealth of emotions she
couldn’t quite decipher them all. But then he was sitting by her side, and pulling her into his arms, his
hold on her so tight, it pushed everything else away, so she could think of nothing but the safety of his
arms.
He kissed the top of her head and held her until her tears were spent. “You had me so
worried, babe…and I was such a fucking ass.” He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her
sweetly, his lips lingering against hers as he spoke. “I need you to forgive me—and I need you to take
me back. I’m so sorry that I fucked up.”
“Gabe…I love you. More than anything, I love you. But…” She let out a weary sigh, and had
to fight back another wave of tears. “If this is just because you’re scared that I was hurt or injured,
then this isn’t going to work.”
She’d happily have him back under any circumstances, but what was the point if it was a
temporary fix and he didn’t truly love her?
“Fuck, Hadley…I love you, and that has nothing to do with what just happened. I knew I’d
fucked up before your phone call, and almost losing you only reinforced what I already knew—that
you’re my everything, and I need you in my life, in my arms, and in my fucking bed. There could be no
other, babe. Not ever.” His body was so tense with his conviction that she couldn’t help but believe
him.
“I love you too, Gabe—but you can’t give up on us if I worry or have doubts. Those hours
when I thought it was over between us…it felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest, and I
swear, I don’t think I’d survive going through that again—not when I fall more in love with you with
each passing day.”
“Never again, babe. I’m yours—and I’m never leaving your side.”
***
It had been a month since the police arrested Zane, and Hadley was relieved to give Gabe the
latest news. “Zane Zimmerman has agreed to a plea deal and will turn over evidence against Capaldi,
who’s also been charged with the attacks against your family. Best of all, I don’t think you’ll have to
worry about any retaliation from his mob associates, since Capaldi was fairly low on the totem pole,
and it doesn’t sound like they’re too thrilled about the cops looking in their direction because of his
personal vendetta.”
That had been a huge concern of Hadley’s. The last thing she wanted was for the mob to come
after her and the Rykers in retaliation for Capaldi’s arrest.
Gabe pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “I am so fucking relieved that
nightmare’s finally over. And that means you’re officially off the case. I know you love what you do,
babe, but I swear the thought of you putting yourself in harm’s way again is enough to make me
fucking insane. Are you sure you don’t want to think of a change in career? You could become a
potter or something? Maybe a gardener? You know…something safe that won’t have me worrying
myself gray.”
A laugh escaped her as she shook her head and looked up at his handsome face and keen blue
eyes. “You just bought McFee, Gabe. And I’m not exactly the pottery and gardening type.”
“No? Are you sure?” He perked his eyebrows in question as if he’d somehow convince her if
he kept asking. “I know…maybe this will change your mind.”
Gabe shrugged into his winter coat, and then helped her into her down parka. It was now
December, and winter in New England could be downright brutal, especially right on the coast. But
she’d been living with Gabe for a month now, and couldn’t be happier, cold weather and all.
“Where are we going?” Hadley looked at him over her shoulder, as he scooped her hair and
freed it from under her coat, the gesture so sweet and caring, it warmed her from the inside out.
“Patience, sweetheart.”
Gabe drove them through Portmore to the outskirts of town, and towards a little inlet. Flurries
danced on the wind as they approached a gorgeous post and beam home that overlooked the Atlantic
Ocean.
“Come on, babe.” He grabbed her hand and led her up the steps and onto the porch.
“Who lives here?” She hadn’t been expecting to visit anyone—and then Gabe slipped the key
into the door, and pushed it open, grabbing her hand and pulling her in.
Twining his fingers with hers, he led her towards the great room, where there was a massive
stone fireplace with huge wooden beam arches soaring above, and the most breathtaking view of the
stormy ocean. The place was gorgeous—and rather empty.
“So…if you don’t like pottery or gardening, what about interior design?” He slipped his arms
around her waist while standing behind her, and pressed his lips to her neck before releasing her. “Or
maybe…you’d rather be my wife?”
She spun to face him, the shock of his words catching her off guard and sending her heart
racing. And there he was, on bended knee with a sparkling diamond ring in his hand. “Gabe…”
“Babe…I love you.” Fuck, her man was gorgeous, and sweet, and she was so head over heels
in love with him, her heart could barely stand it. “Will you marry me? Move in with me here? Maybe
start a family?”
“Yes. Yes to everything. I love you so much, Gabe. I can’t think of anything I’d like more.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Gabe stepped aside to let Morgan in, his brother’s visit unexpected. “Hey…what’s going on?”
“Fuck, Gabe…I think I need your help—and maybe Hadley’s. I don’t know.” Morgan
wandered to the great room, where Gabe had a roaring fire going in the massive fireplace. Gabe and
Hadley had moved into their new place only a week earlier, but it already felt like home.
“What’s going on?” They sat down, but Gabe was seriously worried since Morgan never
asked anyone for help. “Sorry to say, Hadley’s not here. She’s out shopping for wedding dresses with
Emma.” There had been two engagements in the Ryker family, since Emma had also accepted Quinn’s
proposal.
“It’s about that email you guys found…” Morgan let out a weary sigh. “Do you remember my
friend, Zoe?”
“Yeah, of course. You guys were best friends through high school.” Gabe remembered her all
right. The girl had been different, but gorgeous in a way he hadn’t quite understood at the time. There
had just been something compelling about her, something a bit wild—and that something had been
strictly off-limits since it’d been clear from the start that Morgan had been in love with her. The one
Ryker not to put off falling in love—only to have his love rejected.
“Through most of college, too.” Morgan sat back and ran his hand down his face. “Fuck,
Gabe. She was in a bit of a situation and was looking to get out of it, but…I guess I didn’t realize how
bad it was. I asked her to stay so she could help me with something—something I needed more
information on…information on Dad’s death. And now…fuck, man…she’s in deep—because of me.
And there’s more. You’re not going to fucking believe this, but…Dad…he’s not dead.”
THE END
I hope you enjoyed this book featuring the Ryker family. Morgan’s story, the third book in The
Billionaire’s Temptation series, will be released in August of 2014. For updates on new releases,
please
Document Outline
- Copyright
- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Three
- Chapter Four
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Six
- Chapter Seven
- Chapter Eight
- Chapter Nine
- Chapter Ten
- Chapter Eleven
- Chapter Twelve
- Chapter Thirteen
- Chapter Fourteen
- Chapter Fifteen
- Chapter Sixteen
- Chapter Seventeen
- Chapter Eighteen
- Chapter Nineteen
- Chapter Twenty
- Chapter Twenty-One
- Chapter Twenty-Two
- Chapter Twenty-Three
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