Obsession and Surrender
Book Seven in The Billionaire’s Temptation Series
By Cali MacKay
Obsession and Surrender
The Billionaire’s Temptation Series
By Cali MacKay
Copyright © 2015 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 persons 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, 2015, edition 1.0
ISBN: 9781940041308
Obsession and Surrender
By Cali MacKay
Chapter 1
“Lilly! Come on, babe…I love you. I swear…you’re the only one for me. I know that now.
I’m sorry…I fucked it all up.”
Lilly Thompson startled awake, her heart pounding inside her chest as adrenaline shot through
her veins like fire. She sat up out of bed, trying to clear her head of the sleep that clung to her, doing
her best not to panic as the racket outside her window continued. It couldn’t be him—could it? Had
Sirius finally found her?
“Lilly! Just…give me another chance…please. You’re the only girl for me.”
Lilly slipped out of bed, keeping to the shadows and walls as she moved to the window so
she could peek outside and see what the hell was going on.
Keane?
She let out a huge breath, the tension and fear around her chest finally easing. With a glance at
the time, she went from scared to pissed off, unlocking the window and raising the sash. “Keane…
what the hell do you think you’re doing? It’s nearly three in the morning.”
“Babe…” Keane, her ex-boyfriend from college, swayed as he looked up at her, his arms
outstretched as if he was reaching up to her bedroom on the second floor. It’d been years since she’d
last seen him, but clearly he’d changed little from the party animal he’d been. “I never should have let
you go. Give me another chance. I still love you, Lilly.”
“You need to go. Now.” She’d been trying to keep a low profile, trying not to draw attention
to herself. What if her stalker was out there? What if Sirius was watching her—watching Keane? She
didn’t know what her stalker was capable of, and Keane might be a cheating dickhead, but she didn’t
want to drag him into this nightmare of hers. Even though he’d broken her heart, the last thing she
wanted was for him to cross paths with her psycho stalker. “I swear if you don’t go, I’m going to call
the cops.”
“Just let me in, baby girl…I’ve missed you.” Bloody hell, he was still gorgeous: tall,
muscular, with thick, dark hair that always misbehaved, blue eyes that were impossible to look away
from, a strong jaw covered in thick stubble. The mere sight of him was enough to do her in, and she
swore, a sexier man couldn’t possibly walk the earth.
“Go. Away.” Coming to her senses, she grabbed her phone, wishing with all her might that
he’d just leave before she was forced to call the cops. She told herself it was for his own good. Her
stalker may not be out there, but if he was, she was worried Keane’s little stunt might escalate things.
She dialed 9-1-1 and quickly gave the operator her information. She might be overreacting, but she
couldn’t take a chance, couldn’t put Keane and herself at risk.
“I still love you, Lilly…I never should have cheated on you…” His words had all her old
hurts springing back to life. His betrayal had left behind a wound that had never fully healed, and it
felt like he’d just torn it back open. Bastard.
“No. You fucking shouldn’t have. Now leave me the hell alone, Keane. The cops are on their
way.” She spotted the taxi waiting for him, and was relieved to know that he hadn’t driven himself in
his current inebriated condition. “Don’t you hear the damn sirens? The cops are going to be here any
minute, Keane. Just go. Please.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you give me another chance. I want you back—and I’m not
taking no for an answer.” The cops skidded to a stop outside her house and cautiously approached
Keane. “Lilly!”
He tried to get free of the cops’ grasp, as if he could still convince her to take him back even
as they hauled him across her lawn and cuffed him. If only he’d put up that much of a fight for their
relationship when it had still mattered. But he hadn’t. Instead, he’d broken her heart when he cheated
on her, like the dog he was.
Lilly gave her statement to the cops and explained that Keane was simply an ex who’d had too
much to drink, hoping they wouldn’t bring him up on charges for disturbing the peace. Knowing it was
likely no more than a drunken mistake, she didn’t want to press any charges, since she didn’t want him
to have any sort of record. The only reason she’d even called the cops was to keep him—and herself
—safe from Sirius.
By the time she headed back up to her room, her head was spinning from the night’s events
and lack of sleep. And then she saw it…a white lily on her pillow, and her curtains catching a breeze
in front of the window she’d left open.
She stifled her scream and spun around, her eyes scanning the room in a panic as she dashed
for the door, dialing 9-1-1 for the second time that night.
Chapter 2
By morning, Keane’s head was pounding like an anvil on the receiving end of a blacksmith’s
hammer. But worse still was the stench of the guy in the cell next to him. It made Keane’s stomach
churn, and he swore, in that moment, that he’d never get that drunk again.
Fuck…Lilly. What the hell had he done?
He groaned at the thought, his memories drifting back, just as a cop approached his cell and
unlocked the door, leaving Keane happy to finally be out of the confined space. “You’re in luck. Your
ex-girlfriend didn’t press charges, and your brother’s here.”
Relief washed over Keane as he spotted Marshall and gave him a hug. “I’m so fucking happy
to see you, man.”
Keane finished up whatever paperwork they needed him to fill out, and then followed his
brother to his car. Marshall was looking just a little worried, but opted for a bit of brotherly concern,
instead of grilling or lecturing him—and for that Keane was eternally grateful, given his already
pounding head. “If there’s something wrong, Keane…you know you can talk to me, right?”
“I just had a bit too much to drink—and decided to do something stupid.” It was all coming
back to him. Showing up on Lilly’s front lawn…begging her to give him another chance…hoping
she’d forgive him, when she had every right and reason not to. At least he hadn’t broken out in song
and tried to serenade her. Then she’d have definitely pressed charges.
With his two brothers finding happiness—Jake with Hannah, and Marshall with Harper—
Keane couldn’t help but think of the only woman he’d ever loved, which was happening with more
and more frequency as of late. Unfortunately for him, he’d been an asshole, far too young and
immature to realize just how special Lilly was and what she truly meant to him.
He’d meant to find a way to reconnect with her, to show her that he’d changed and to see if he
could convince her to give him another chance. Instead, he’d stumbled onto her lawn, drunk after
pining for her, and declared his undying love, begging her to give him another chance.
He’d fucked up, making an utter fool of himself, and in the process, he had no doubt he’d
managed to piss her off and ruin any chance he may have had to prove to her that he’d changed. Not
that he could give up, when losing her haunted his every waking moment, and even his dreams. He’d
have to go back to her and apologize, especially if he had any hope of being with her again.
“Keane…do I need to worry about you?” Given that their father had been a drunk asshole,
Marshall had every right to worry, though Keane wished he wouldn’t. He wasn’t his father. None of
them were. They’d learned from their father’s sins, and managed to turn out to be decent human
beings.
“No…you don’t need to worry. I’ve left most of my partying days behind me. Last night…was
different. I just got a bit carried away.” That may be a bit of an understatement, considering he’d
managed to land his sorry ass in jail. But it was true that he’d become the sort of responsible person
he’d never imagined himself capable of being, especially during his college years when he’d been
dating Lilly. It was really no surprise that she hadn’t wanted anything to do with him after she found
out he’d cheated on her.
“The cops mentioned you were arrested for making a racket at a woman’s house.” Marshall
gave him a sideways glance before turning his attention back to the road as he drove them toward
Keane’s place. “It was Lilly, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah…” Keane couldn’t keep the regret out of his voice. “It’s always the one who got away,
isn’t it?”
“I’m afraid so.”
***
Keane threw back double the dose of ibuprofen to try to squash the pounding in his head and
then slipped into the steaming hot sprays of his shower, hoping it’d help wake him up and wash off
the grime and stench of the cell. He had to go back to Lilly and apologize to her—and he couldn’t put
it off. He knew what she was like, and the longer he let her anger simmer, the worse off he’d be. If he
had any hope of winning her back, he had to make amends as soon as possible.
It didn’t take long for him to finish getting ready and head back to her place. Tension tightened
his chest as he thought of how to best approach things with her, but he came up empty.
She’d always been smart enough to see through his bullshit, which was why she’d been able
to catch him in his web of lies after he’d cheated on her. And maybe that’s what had scared him about
their relationship—that he wouldn’t be able to get away with whatever he wanted, because she’d
actually hold him accountable for his actions.
The funny thing was, losing her was what forced him to grow up and become responsible for
his actions—and it was because of her that he’d cleaned up his act, that he’d become a half decent
human being. Except, last night, he’d totally fucked everything up. He had no doubt that his little stunt
likely solidified in her mind that he was still the same irresponsible asshole he’d always been and
he’d never grow up, never be worthy of her trust.
Climbing the steps to her front door, he rang the bell and waited impatiently, desperate to see
her. Shifting his weight so he could peek through the panel of glass flanking the front door, he saw her
coming down the stairs, his heart immediately racing in response to the mere sight of her. She may
have been pretty in college, but now? Fucking hell…she was stunning, with dark brown hair that was
thick and long, long lean legs, and mesmerizing green eyes.
“Go away, Keane.” She wouldn’t even open the door. “I’m not having this turn into a repeat of
last night.”
“Then let me in. Come on, Lilly…I want to apologize for last night.” He couldn’t believe she
wouldn’t even open the door. “We need to talk. And no offense, but if you want to get rid of me, then
you might as well let me in, since I’m not going anywhere until I’ve had the chance to speak to you
face to face.”
“Do you really want to get arrested again? What the hell’s your problem, Keane?” She shifted
so he couldn’t see her, likely standing right up against the door. “Wasn’t it enough that you broke my
heart and made me feel like a fool?”
“That’s why I’m here. Come on… Just five minutes and then I swear I’ll quit bothering you.”
He had to make her see that he was a different man from the guy he’d been in college. It had been
seven years since they’d dated, and he’d had plenty of time to grow up and think of all the ways he’d
screwed up, all the ways he’d do things differently this time around. Except that Lilly was now
making him fucking crazy. “I swear, I’m not fucking leaving until we talk.”
He heard the door unlock, and then swing open just enough for her to pull him inside, quickly
closing and locking the door behind him. “Say what you have to say, and then you need to go and not
come back here ever again. Am I making myself clear?”
Though she was clearly angry with him, he hadn’t expected to see the unmistakable fear in her
face. He ran his hands down her tense arms, genuinely worried about her. He may have been an ass,
but he’d never in a million years give her any reason to fear him. “Hey…what’s going on? What’s
wrong?”
She shrugged away from his touch and took a step back, her body all but shaking. “I just need
you to leave, so say whatever the hell it is you need to get off your chest and go.”
“What has you so scared? I’ve never seen you like this before.” He tried to close the distance
between them, but she stepped back away from him. “Talk to me, Lilly. Maybe I can help.”
“I don’t see how any of this is your goddamned business.” Anger lit up her green eyes with a
feistiness he dearly missed, even if he was truly worried about her.
“I get that you don’t want anything to do with me—but you don’t scare easily, Lil. So if
something has you looking this upset, then I want to fucking know what the hell’s going on.” He may
have been an ass, but there was no fucking way he’d leave her to deal with this on her own.
“You’re not going to leave me alone, are you?” She shook her head in frustration and glared at
him as she shifted away from the door and into the living room.
“I’m not going anywhere, especially when you’re clearly scared to death of something. Now
tell me what the hell’s going on.” He was feeling fiercely protective of her, even if it’d been years
since he last saw her. And one thing was sure—he was going nowhere until he got to the bottom of
what was happening. She was far too freaked out about something, and given that she wasn’t the sort
prone to drama, whatever had her scared needed to be taken seriously.
Her hands trembled as she held onto herself, as if she could somehow stop her body from
shaking if she just held on tight enough. “What do you want to know, Keane? That I have a stalker?
That the cops can’t really do anything about it because they don’t have enough evidence to figure out
who it is, and the truth of the matter is that they think I’m just some crazy whack job?”
A stalker. Fuck…no wonder she was a wreck. He didn’t know how dangerous the guy was or
what lengths he would go to, but there was no way Keane was taking any chances with her safety.
“Come on. Pack a bag. You’re coming home with me. I’ll keep you safe, and I swear, I’ll do all I can
to get to the bottom of this.”
“Just leave me the hell alone, Keane. You do not get to come in here and tell me what to do.
And you’re crazy if you think I’m going anywhere with you, after all you put me through.” Her tears
spilled over, and though she fought him and tried to push him away as he pulled her into his arms, he
was stronger, and she had little fight in her, clearly exhausted from all she was going through. “I
fucking hate you.”
“I know you do, baby girl. But it’ll be okay. I promise.” He sat them down on the sofa, and
then, as if it would keep all her demons away, he held her to him tightly in his arms, running his hand
over her back as he did what he could to try to soothe her worries. Though they’d dated for just over
a year, he’d never seen her so upset or stressed out.
Eventually, she relaxed in his arms, her tears ceasing and her breathing slowing, leaving him
to wonder if she’d fallen asleep, her exhaustion and fear finally pulling her under. He kissed the top
of her head, and not daring to wake her, he carefully leaned back with her in his arms, her head
resting against his chest.
When he took a deep breath, he caught the familiar scent of her perfume, and his thoughts were
immediately flooded with a wealth of memories from their time together. She’d been so unlike any of
the other women he’d dated, both before her and after, and the truth was, no one even came close to
what they’d had together.
There’d always been something different about Lilly—something special. And it wasn’t just
that she was gorgeous and smart, nor was it just the sizzling chemistry between them and the mind-
blowing sex. She was like magic…mesmerizing and seductive…drawing you in until you were
consumed, unable to look away—even as she looked at you like you were her everything.
That was part of it, Keane mused…that as amazing as Lilly was, she never made it about her,
and would instead give you everything she had.
And he’d gone and fucked it all up.
Well, he’d make amends—and he’d do all he could to win her back, to prove to her that he
was a changed man. He didn’t know how serious this stalker thing was, but he wasn’t taking any
chances—and there was no way he’d screw things up between them again, not now that he’d held her
in his arms once more.
Kissing the top of her head, contentment mingled with a fierce protectiveness for the only
woman he’d ever loved, but exhausted as he was after such a long night, sleep eventually claimed
him, with Lilly still held tight in his arms.
Chapter 3
Lilly startled awake in the darkness, panic like ice in her veins as she got her bearings.
Keane…she should have never opened the damned door. Now, he’d be nearly impossible to get rid
of.
“Hey…are you okay?” His voice sounded drowsy and thick with sleep, as she sat up out of
his arms and leaned over to flick on the light, squinting against the brightness until her eyes adjusted.
“You need to go. Please…I don’t have the energy to deal with you on top of everything else
that’s going on.” Especially when she’d spent the last few months wondering if she was paranoid or
going crazy. She’d been on edge and things had somehow felt off, like she was being watched or
followed. She thought she was losing her mind—and then her stalker escalated things, and it turned
out that she hadn’t been imagining things.
“I know I’ve made mistakes and there’s no denying I’ve been a complete ass in the past—but
that’s not me anymore, and there’s no fucking way I’m going to leave you to deal with this on your
own, Lilly.” He reached out to take her hand, but she slapped it away, knowing that he was like a
snake charmer, and if she wasn’t careful, he’d find a way to charm her panties off.
“You don’t get to touch me and be all sweet and chivalrous, like you weren’t the one who
broke my heart.” He had that certain something about him that made it so women couldn’t help but
stare, couldn’t help but fall at his feet, couldn’t help but end up naked in his bed. So he could say he’d
changed, and maybe he had. But it didn’t mean she trusted him—nor did she trust herself around him.
Not when the air around them was charged as if they were standing in the middle of a lightning storm.
He leaned back against the sofa, his arms stretched out as if he were relaxed and owned the
place. “You’re in danger, and I’m not going anywhere. So you can push me away all you’d like, but it
doesn’t change the fact that I’m not leaving until the police have this guy in custody.”
She shook her head in frustration. “Don’t you get that I’m doing this to keep you safe? I don’t
know how crazy this guy is, and I don’t want to be responsible for putting you in the line of fire or
calling you to his attention.” Keane may have hurt her, but she’d never forgive herself if he came to
harm because of her stalker.
“I can take care of myself, Lilly—and I can take care of you, which is exactly what I’m going
to do. So you can keep trying in vain to fight me on this, or you can tell me what’s going on so we can
try to figure out who’s doing this to you.” This time when he reached out and took her hand, she didn’t
slap it away, suddenly feeling too weary to keep dealing with this on her own.
“If the cops can’t figure it out, then how are you going to manage it?” It was nice of him to
want to help her out—chivalrous even—but not exactly realistic.
“Because I have the will and the means, whereas the cops have limited resources and funds.”
His thumb ran a lazy circle over the back of her hand, and though it was no more than a simple touch,
it was enough to start melting her resolve to push him away. “Your problem is just one of many things
they’re dealing with, so if you think they’re going to get to the bottom of this without there being a
proven threat to your life, you can guess again. They’re just stretched too thin.”
Didn’t he understand that by helping her, he might be putting himself in danger? “I don’t know
what this guy’s capable of, Keane.”
“All the more reason to let me protect you and help you get this resolved before things
escalate—and things like this always escalate, baby girl.” When he cupped her cheek and brushed his
thumb over her skin, her eyes slipped shut before she came to her senses and shrugged away from
him. Luckily, he let it go, and didn’t push things. “I need you to tell me everything you can about this
guy. Do you know his name?”
She tried not to groan, knowing that if Keane knew the truth about how she managed to pick up
a stalker, it would only complicate things between them even further—especially if he managed to get
his hands on one of her books.
When she’d started writing her novels, she’d done so out of a need to tell the stories swirling
around in her head. And when she’d started writing romances, it was because she’d needed to mend
her broken heart and fill the emptiness Keane had left behind. She’d spent years at it, juggling a full-
time job and writing whenever she could, until finally in just the last three years, she was able to
switch to writing full-time. Yet she hadn’t expected that with her increased readership and exposure,
she’d also end up with a psychopath stalking her.
“He goes by Sirius. But other than that, I honestly don’t know much else about him.” She
chewed her bottom lip nervously, avoiding Keane’s bright blue eyes, since he might be a cheating ass,
but he was also damn smart, and trying to keep things from him would be damn hard to accomplish if
she didn’t keep her wits about her.
Keane shifted to sit sideways with his elbow propped on the back of the sofa, so he now
faced her, his gaze intense. “Then start at the beginning. Do you suspect this is someone you know
personally? And when did he first make contact? What did he do?”
“I can’t be sure, but I don’t think I’ve ever met him in person. Or if I did, I wasn’t aware of it.
As for first making contact, it was about six months ago. Through…my website.” She begged and
pleaded with whatever gods might be listening that he wouldn’t ask her why she had a website or
what the web address was.
“What’s the web address?” Clearly the gods had a sick sense of humor.
“I don’t see why that matters.” She let out a frustrated sigh, knowing that she’d probably just
made him suspicious about why she was skirting the issue. “The emails started normal enough—just
wanting to discuss different aspects of my work. I was just trying to be helpful by answering, but he
kept writing back with more questions.”
“And you kept answering them.” His brow furrowed, clearly not happy.
“It’s not like I knew he was a stalker at the time. But then things really started to get weird.
His side of the conversation became really personal, and next thing I knew, he was sending me
pictures of himself with the deer he’d killed and the rifle he’d used to shoot it—though he was careful
to crop out his face.” The mere memory of it had ice flooding through her veins and sent her heart
hammering.
“Fucking hell, Lilly. And he knows where you live?” Keane was pissed off and clearly
worried about her—and the truth was, it had been a cursedly long time since anyone had been
worried about her, and it felt damn good to know she wasn’t alone.
“I swear, I was always careful not to give him any personal information, but he somehow
managed to find me.” She even wrote under a pen name—though she was mortified to think she’d
almost gone on to write under her actual name, but hadn’t because the web address of her real name
was already taken—by a porn star, of all things.
“Except that your website likely has your real name on it somewhere.” He let out an
exasperated sigh, as if already assuming that he was right—which he wasn’t.
“It doesn’t, Keane. My name isn’t mentioned anywhere on the site. I was careful—I swear it.”
Given that she’d been writing for the last six years, she supposed she was half surprised that
something like this hadn’t happened sooner.
He shook her head as if it didn’t matter that she’d been careful not to put her name on the site.
“And what about your personal information when you obtained the web address and site? You’d have
to give them your information for payment and to register the site to your name. Did you pay the extra
fee to keep it private?”
Fuck. Had she? “I don’t know, Keane. It was six years ago.”
“Let me grab my laptop out of my car. I’ll be right back—and in the meantime, if you can pull
up those emails he sent you, that’d be appreciated.” Keane got to his feet, stretching out his muscular
body to his full height of six foot three, and then headed for the door, leaving her to watch his broad
back and that fine ass of his.
It was a damn good thing she’d have a few minutes to recover from having him so close,
though he now had her worried that she hadn’t been quite as careful as she could have been. She
wasn’t quite sure how her stalker had tracked her down, but evidently, there were ways of obtaining
her information that she hadn’t even begun to think about.
Heading over to her workspace, she grabbed her laptop and sat back down on the sofa, just as
Keane came through the front door, taking the time to lock all her dead bolts. Sitting by her side, he
dug his laptop out of a gorgeous leather bag that looked like it cost a small fortune. She hadn’t really
kept up with what Keane was up to over the years, knowing it’d be too easy to want more, but maybe
he’d given up just enough of his partying ways to actually get himself a decent job.
“What’s your web address, baby girl?” He sat back with his laptop perched on his muscular
thighs, his fingers flying over the keys.
“Don’t call me baby girl, Keane.” It was what he’d always called her, back when they were
happy and they made each other laugh, when they couldn’t keep their hands off each other and the sex
was mind-blowing. But that was also before he’d cheated on her with a one-night stand, and ruined
everything they’d had for a cheap thrill. She couldn’t risk him bringing her walls crumbling down,
and that was exactly what would happen if he kept reminding her of what they had between them
before it got all messed up.
He gave her a bit of a pout that only made him look sexier, damn it. “You used to like it when
I called you that.”
“You mean, back before you cheated on me? Yeah…I liked a lot of things back then. But then
you had to go and stick your dick in someone you’d barely known more than a few hours, and
surprise, surprise—I stopped liking a lot of things about you.” Fuck…she didn’t want to be that bitter
ex-girlfriend who couldn’t let go of what had happened, but she was. She could write an amazing
love story—she just couldn’t manage to find a love story of her own.
His eyes locked on hers, as he let out a weary sigh and ran a rough hand through his thick,
dark hair, tousling it so he was even sexier, without even trying. “You have every right to be pissed
off at me, Lilly. I get that. But what happened between us changed me—and I’ve been working damn
hard to become a man worthy of you. A man you might someday trust.”
“And maybe someday I will—but today isn’t it.”
Chapter 4
Keane knew he’d have his work cut out for him when it came to Lilly, but he’d never shied
away from a challenge, and he certainly wasn’t going to now—not when she was the prize. She might
want to push him away, but he wasn’t going anywhere. “I’m happy to wait for that day, Lilly. And in
the meantime, I’ll be right here to remind you of how good we were together—even if I fucked things
up in the end. Now, if I could please have your web address, we can try to figure out where your
vulnerabilities are.”
“I already know I’m vulnerable, Keane. He knows where I live.” Lilly’s voice was laced
with panic, even if she was trying to put on a brave face. “I wasn’t sure if he did or not, but last
night…I left the window open while I was dealing with the cops, and when I got back…he’d left a
lily on my bed.”
“What the hell are you still doing here, Lilly?” Pissed off and ready to fucking murder the
bastard who was stalking her, he barely managed to keep from forcibly packing her bags and stuffing
her into his car.
“Where the hell am I supposed to go? And for how long? I can spend a week or two in a hotel,
but I can’t afford to stay there indefinitely, since I don’t see this ending any time soon. And you know
I don’t really have any family I can turn to. As for friends…I don’t want to put them in danger.” She
wrapped her arms around herself, as if it would somehow keep her safe from all her problems.
He knew she had little to no family—or rather, she had family, but they weren’t close. And
how could she be close to them, when her mother, too young to deal with the responsibility of a child,
had abandoned her with her dad when Lilly was just two? Her father had remarried, but he’d had his
own issues, and before long, he’d abandoned Lilly with her stepmother. Luckily, her stepmom had
been a loving and caring person, who’d been happy to raise her as her own, since she had no other
children. Unfortunately, she’d died several years ago, which meant that Lilly didn’t really have
anyone else in her life other than her friends.
“You’re going to come stay with me.” His home had iron gates and plenty of security—a hell
of a lot more than just the few dead bolts she had on her front door. “We’ll get all this sorted at my
place, where you’ll be safe—and you can stay with me as long as it takes to get this resolved.”
Her eyes went wide and her back went straight. “You’ve lost your damned mind if you think
I’m going home with you. That’s not happening. Not in a million years.”
“It is. Now. Even if I have to toss you over my shoulder and haul you out of here kicking and
screaming. So I suggest you go and pack your bags before I do it for you, because there’s no fucking
way you’re staying here.” When she didn’t budge, he got to his feet and hauled her off the sofa. “Go
and pack, Lilly. This is not up for debate—not when your safety is on the line.”
She glared at him, daggers in her green eyes. “I fucking hate you, Keane.”
“I think we’ve already established that, baby girl.” Hell, she was already mad at him. Might
as well call her what he wanted.
When she stormed off and headed up the stairs, he followed her, not necessarily because he
wanted to see her room, but because he didn’t like the fact that this stalker had been in there. He stood
in the doorway, lingering as she grabbed a small suitcase from a linen closet in the hall, and then
headed into her room to pack.
The space was bright and cheery, done up in whites and the colors of the ocean, reminding
him of a beach cottage. A teal comforter was dotted with piles of white pillows propped against a
distressed white headboard, which matched a dresser and the multiple bookshelves that lined the
walls. He’d always liked that she’d been an avid reader, and clearly that hadn’t changed, if the size of
her book collection was anything to go by.
Wandering into her room, he glanced at the books she was reading—some mysteries, a lot
more romances, some historicals, and some erotica. The mere thought of her lying in bed with a book
in one hand while her other hand slipped under the covers and between her thighs had him going hard.
Stifling a groan, he forced himself to turn his attention to anything that might not look right.
Keane was worried that if Sirius had been in the room, then he may have snuck in some sort of
video camera, which might be feeding back a live feed. Not to mention, how did he get into the room
in the first place? Had he climbed up through her window using the porch to pull himself up—or had
he broken in when she’d been out and had been lying in wait, hidden away, without her knowing that
he was watching her the whole time? “Did you check to see if anything looked different or out of
place after last night? Did anything go missing?”
“The cops searched the house, but he wasn’t here.” Her brow furrowed, worry darkening her
eyes once more as she glanced around the room. “Other than the lily on the bed, I didn’t notice
anything. Why?”
“Think like a stalker, Lilly. If he’s obsessed with you, he might take something of yours, or
find a way to keep tabs on you—a way to watch you.” He didn’t want to scare her, but she wouldn’t
appreciate him trying to coddle her either. She was a strong woman—strong enough to kick his ass to
the curb when he’d fucked up, and strong enough to have been dealing with this stalker on her own
until he stuck his nose in it. “And how did he get into your room? Did he take the risk and climb up or
did he break in at an earlier time and had been here all along?”
This time, she genuinely looked freaked out, her body starting to shake from the visible
tension in her body. “I feel like I’m going to be ill, Keane. Do you really think he’s left a camera in
here so he can watch me—or that he was actually here the whole time?”
“Unfortunately, I do.” There had been cases of strangers living in people’s homes for months
without them realizing it, so it wasn’t a stretch to think he’d slipped in while she was picking up
groceries.
Trying to think the way this perverted asshole might, Keane focused on finding evidence that
may have been left behind, like a video transmitter. He figured he’d likely want to watch her in bed,
and her bookshelves would certainly be the easiest place to get a decent view of her, while keeping
the camera hidden away quite easily.
Shifting for a closer look, Keane focused his attention on the shelves, and anything that might
look off. “They make cameras tiny these days, and they’re readily available. All he’d need to do is fit
the transmitter someplace inconspicuous. The only problem would be transmitting the image, since
it’s unlikely he’s parked in a van outside your house. That means it’d need to have a decent range on
it, though it’s more likely that he’s somehow relaying it—probably using your Wi-Fi.”
“Keane…you’re really starting to scare me.” Worried as she looked, he couldn’t help but pull
her into his arms—and she let him, without any fuss, which spoke to just how upset and frightened she
was by this whole thing.
“It’s why you’re going to stay with me until we can get this sorted. It’s not as if we’re
overreacting, Lilly. Not when he’s sent you pictures of a dead animal he killed, and he’s physically
been in your room.” If there was a camera hidden in the room, he wasn’t spotting it, and at this point,
he wasn’t going to waste any more time looking for it. “Finish packing. I want to get you out of here
now.”
She grabbed the basics, and did a quick dash into the master bath, returning with a small
travel case, which she quickly packed. “I’m still not sure staying at your place is a good idea, but I
can’t stay here so...I appreciate it, Keane. I promise I’ll be out of your hair as soon as I’m able to.”
“Lilly...you can stay with me as long as you’d like. And in the meantime, we’ll try to figure
out who this guy is. If he’s emailed you, or if we’re able to find a camera, then there’s a good chance
we’ll be able to track something back to him.” If the cops couldn’t manage to find the fucking bastard,
then he’d hire Hadley’s security firm. He’d just finished working with her to find the mole in his
brother’s company, and he liked her. She was not only smart and nice, but excellent at her job.
“I’ll grab my laptop on the way out, but other than that, I’m ready. But just so we’re clear,
Keane—this does not mean I’m sleeping with you. And it does not mean you’re forgiven.”
Even after all the years that had passed, he could see how badly his betrayal had hurt her—
and it gutted him.
“It kills me that I hurt you, Lilly—but I’m no longer that idiot of a man. And I’m going to do
everything in my power to prove it to you. But first, I need to make sure you’re safe.” She looked at
him as if she was wary of believing him, and that was fine—for now. He’d have plenty of time to gain
her trust once more. Hefting her bags for her, he tilted his chin toward the door. “Grab your laptop.
Make sure the GPS and Wi-Fi are turned off, and then yank the battery if you can. If not, power it
down. Anything else you need or may have forgotten, we can either pick up, or I’ll come back for it
later.”
“Keane…” She paused for a second at the door, as if to say something more, but he knew
what she needed.
“I promise you…it’ll be okay. I’ve got you, Lilly.”
***
Keane took extra care to make sure they weren’t followed to his home, taking quiet roads to
ensure there was no one behind them, and even doing a quick check of his car to make sure that it
hadn’t been tagged with a GPS tracker. He wasn’t sure what this guy, Sirius, was capable of, or how
knowledgeable he was, but Keane was trying to make sure he covered all possibilities.
He waited for the gates outside his home to slide open and then pulled down the long drive,
secretly hoping Lilly liked his home as much as he did. It’d been a bit of a splurge, but he’d figured he
had the money after he and his siblings had inherited a sizeable amount of money, and he also had a
steady income coming in since he’d wisely invested in his brother’s company.
Lilly’s eyes went wide as they pulled in front of the stately manor that looked more like it
belonged in the Scottish Highlands than on the coast of New England. “Wow, Keane…I guess you’ve
done quite well for yourself.”
He may have been an ass when he was younger, but he’d always taken his studies and future
seriously. He was a motivated man—and not just when it came to Lilly. “Did you ever have any
doubt?”
“No, I suppose I didn’t.” She pursed her lips as if in resignation. “You were never a slacker,
just—”
“A cheating ass.” He knew it was what she was thinking, even if she might not say it.
“I was going to say an inconsiderate bastard, but your version works too.” She gave him a
matter-of-fact smile, and hopped out before he had the chance to get her door.
Grabbing her bags, he let them into his home, where they were greeted by his Lab-Border
Collie mix, Juno, who was doing a full body wiggle with excitement. Lilly pet her, and then crouched
down in front of the happy pup so she could give her more attention. “I can’t believe it, Keane—it’s
Juno, isn’t it?”
“It is. She’s got a bit of grey going, but she still has a good amount of puppy in her, even if she
no longer chews on everything in sight.” As soon as he’d been able to move off campus, he’d gone to
the shelter, and had immediately known Juno was his dog. She’d been two at the time, which now put
her at nine years old. Once he and Lilly started dating, Lilly had fallen in love with her.
“I’ve been desperately wanting a dog or cat, but I travel too much throughout the year. It just
doesn’t seem fair to them.” Lilly stood back up and shifted her laptop bag and purse back onto her
shoulder.
If she didn’t have someone at home to watch any pets, it meant that she’d been single—or if
she had been dating anyone, it hadn’t been anything serious or long-term. “Well, Juno’s happy to have
you back—as am I. Come on…your room’s this way.”
He was suddenly wishing he had a one-bedroom home—with no sofa.
“Again…I’m impressed, Keane. This bedroom’s nicer than most of the hotels I’m usually
stuck staying in.” She put her bags down in a corner as he followed suit and set aside her piece of
luggage, Juno happily following them in, and making herself at home. “I suppose you’ve kept busy
these last several years.”
“I have. You remember my brother Marshall, right? Well, he started his own company, so I’ve
been helping him with that.” His entire family had loved Lilly. She and Wyatt, along with their sister,
Paige, were great friends, until he’d gone and fucked things up.
“I saw that Paige’s back home from San Francisco—though I haven’t had a chance to see her
yet.” She bit her lip, as if not quite sure what more to say. After their breakup, his siblings had felt
torn with their loyalties—and he had no doubt it’d also been hard on Lilly, since they’d be a constant
reminder of him. “And Wyatt? Is he still in Dublin?”
“He’s back and forth a lot. Still asks about you, you know.” Wyatt had been the one who’d
introduced them, having met Lilly in several of the classes they shared. But enough about his family.
“You’ve yet to say…what exactly do you do these days?”
It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried to find out with a Google search, but he’d come up empty each
and every time. Come to think of it…she’d never given him her web address, either.
“Why do you want to know?” Her eyes narrowed at him. She was clearly once again avoiding
the subject.
“What is it you don’t want me to know, Lilly?” He refused to think of her doing anything
tawdry, like being a stripper, but something was definitely up. “You might as well spill, since I’m
going to have to go to your website to try to track this stalker of yours anyway.”
“I swear, you’re a pain in the ass, Keane.” Letting out an annoyed huff, she glared at him,
though he swore it only made him want to kiss her, even if that would likely get him slapped. “If you
must know, I’m a writer.”
“A writer?” Now that wasn’t something he expected, given that she’d been an engineering
major. “What kind of writing?”
“The kind you don’t read.”
Chapter 5
Lilly hated that Keane was leaving her frazzled. And it sure as hell didn’t help that having him
in such close proximity was making it hard for her to forget the sort of heat and passion they’d once
shared. She might be keeping him at arm’s length, but how long could she keep that up? And now that
they’d be under the same roof? She didn’t stand a chance.
“What kind of books, baby girl?” He flicked his eyebrows up, looking far too amused for
anything good to come of it. “You know I’m an avid reader. I’ll admit there are a few genres I don’t
normally pick up, though those aren’t many. Have I read your stuff?”
“How the hell would I know? Do I look like a mind-reader or like I’m packing a crystal
ball?” When he reached out for her with a mischievous smile, she sidestepped him, knowing just how
dangerous it’d be to let him get his hands on her.
“Sweet thing…” His smile widened, making her want to slap him silly. “Are you writing
porn?”
“Not porn—erotica.” What the hell…she’d already told him the worst of it, and it seemed
like there was little chance of avoiding it, especially if he was going to help her with her stalker.
“Though I primarily write romances.”
“Babe…I’ve got to say, that makes me want you all the more.” He easily blocked the slap to
his arm, his smile only widening. “So, when do I get to read one of your books?”
“Never.” The last thing she needed was for him to start reading her novels, especially since
they weren’t only explicitly racy, but she also poured her heart and soul into every one of them. All
the heartache he’d caused, all her hopes and dreams, all her desires…they were what fueled her
stories. And though it was all fiction, she still left a piece of herself on each and every page, and the
mere thought of him seeing that left her feeling vulnerable and exposed, especially when he’d broken
her heart.
He must have realized that she was no longer amused, because his smile was replaced by
concern, as he gave her hand a squeeze. “I’m sorry, Lilly…I know I’m the cause of your pain, but…I
need you to know that I meant what I said last night. I still love you and I’m going to do all I can to get
you to forgive me. Not being with you is no longer an option.”
She pulled her hand free and glared at him, her heart hammering inside her chest. “Well, I’m
glad I get a say in all this.”
He just gave her a matter-of-fact shrug, as if he’d already won. “I’d only be lying if I said you
did.”
“Is that so?” How could a single man be so infuriating?
“It is.” He closed the distance between them, and though she held her ground, he was only a
breath away, making it impossible for her body not to react to his proximity. And when his lips curled
into a contented smile, she knew he’d seen the sort of effect he had on her. Curse him. “Get settled,
baby girl. And in the meantime, I’m going to make a few phone calls, so we can try to get to the
bottom of this and find out who’s stalking you.”
And just like that, he walked away, leaving her rattled, frustrated, and desperately wanting
him.
***
“I’m not sure what the police are doing to find your stalker, but I’ve hired a security firm to
help. I’ve worked with them before and they’ll be able to coordinate with the cops on their
investigation and hopefully offer them the manpower and services they’ll need to get to the bottom of
this.” Keane handed her a plate so she could grab a few slices of the pizza he’d ordered in. Even Juno
was expectantly waiting for a piece of crust. “I’ve got beer, wine, hard cider, iced tea, and
lemonade.”
“Hard cider, please.” She flipped open the box, and her heart hitched. Hamburger and onion
pizza was her favorite. When she turned back to Keane, he not only handed her a bottle of cider, but
the bottle of hot sauce as well, which she always had to have with her pizza. “I can’t believe you
remembered.”
“It’s not exactly hard to forget since it’s my favorite, too—hot sauce included.” He set down
his beer and grabbed a couple of slices, before dousing them in hot sauce.
“Since when?” He’d always liked his pizza heavily covered in artery-clogging meats—and he
used to always tease her about her hot sauce habit.
“Since I broke your heart seven years ago.” He looked so forlorn, it was starting to weaken
her defenses.
“Your idea of penance?” She shook her head with a bit of a laugh, though he was still looking
serious.
“No…it was just one more way to keep you in my life after you’d gone.” But before she could
say anything, he grabbed his plate and beer and headed into the great room.
She wanted to groan. Grabbing her food and drink, she followed him. “That’s not fair, you
know. Because you’re making it sound like I was the one who left when you know damn well that
wasn’t the case. You were the one who killed what we had, Keane. Not me.”
“Do you think I don’t know that I fucked up? Well, I do—because every day, I have to live
with the fact that you’re not in my life…that you’re not in my bed. And it fucking sucks, Lilly.” He
cursed under his breath, setting down his plate and beer with just a little too much force before
turning back to face her. “I may have been the one who killed our relationship, but it doesn’t mean I
don’t mourn it.”
Why the hell did she feel like a bitch? She knew she’d been lashing out at him since he
showed back up in her life, her hurt still too raw despite the years. But she supposed she hadn’t
counted on him hurting too. “I don’t know what to do with that, Keane.”
“I know, love.” When he cupped her cheek and brushed his thumb over her skin, she couldn’t
help it when her eyes fluttered shut. And when he sweetly kissed her, catching her lips with his as she
fought an onslaught of memories, she let him, even as tears stung her eyes.
When she finally found the strength to pull away from him, she was grateful that he let her go,
her emotions and years of pent-up anger and hurt just too much for her to contend with. She sat down,
and forced her tears to stop before they had a chance to escape, though her eyes still burned, and she
was sure they were red.
He sat down next to her, and flicked on the TV as she forced herself to eat, still starving even
if she was upset enough to have lost most of her appetite. Luckily, after a few bites, her nerves finally
settled enough that she could enjoy her meal. “This is really good, Keane. And thanks…for all the
help with this mess of mine.”
She was well aware that he was putting himself in potential danger, depending on how
psychotic this guy was. Keane knew it too, yet he’d still insisted on helping her.
“Anytime, Lilly.” He gave her a quick one-armed hug and kissed her temple, before settling
back with his meal and flicking through the menu options until he came to a list of movies.
“I know what you’re doing, Keane.” Of course she did. She wrote romances for a living.
“You’re thinking that if you keep up the small kisses, touches, hugs, that my anger with you will thaw
enough that you can then step it up to longer kisses, longer touches, and eventually it’ll end with me in
your bed, naked.”
“Screaming my name, I hope.” He gave her a wink and tossed the crust to Juno, who caught it
out of the air.
“Real funny.” She gave him a sarcastic glare. Even though she knew what he was doing, she
could already feel it working on her, easing her hurt and anger with him. Bastard. And the fact that he
also seemed to have suffered from their breakup only made her feel guilty for continuing to add to his
hurt by pushing him away. “Well, just so you know, this little ploy of yours isn’t going to work.”
“Baby girl, it already is.” With a seductive smile, he cranked up the charm so he looked
devastatingly gorgeous. “And I, for one, am glad for it, since I hate that we’ve been at such odds. I
know the circumstances for getting back together could be better, but fuck…I’ll take what I can get.”
“No, Keane—let me just stop you there. We are not getting back together. Having my heart
broken by you once was more than enough for me, and I don’t plan on being stupid enough to let it
happen again.” She put up her hand to stop him when he started to protest. “It’s been impossible to
avoid the tabloids—and I’ve seen the slew of women you’ve been with. It’s never the same one more
than twice, so if you think I’m going to just add myself back on that list of women you fuck and
discard, you can guess again.”
“First of all, those women know exactly where we stand right from the start—and believe me,
they’re fine with it. But the reason there’s never been anything long-term with any of them is for the
simple fact that they’re not you. They’re not you, Lilly. You’re the only one I’ve ever loved—and
fuck, you’re the only one I’ll ever love. There will only ever be you.” He shook his head in
frustration. “Don’t you think it’d be easier for me to move on if I could? Well, it’d fucking be a
breeze compared to what I’ve been through. But I can’t move on—and I can’t get over you.”
“That’s some speech, Keane.” She couldn’t let her guard down—and it’d be far too easy to do
just that. Far too easy to let him woo her or make her feel sorry for him. Far too easy to fall for him
again and get her heart broken. She couldn’t leave herself vulnerable like that again, the consequences
far too great.
“And I know what you’re doing—though I get it. You’re scared of getting hurt, scared you’ll
fall for me again, so you’re keeping your walls up and trying to push me away. But this thing between
us is undeniable, and staying away from each other just isn’t an option.” He gave her hand a squeeze,
his touch warm and comforting—and safe, which was something she’d been lacking for a very long
time.
Although her heart may still be at risk, it felt good to know she was no longer dealing with this
scare on her own. Keane may be a lot of things, but she knew he wouldn’t let her come to physical
harm, and that counted for a lot.
“You’re a damned stubborn man, Keane.” There was no point in telling him they couldn’t
have a future together, since she knew it’d just make him all the more determined, and she was having
a hard enough time keeping him at arm’s length already. But she didn’t trust him not to cheat on her
again—and with no trust, there could be no relationship.
“I prefer determined.” He sat back and bumped his shoulder with hers, before picking up his
plate and biting into his pizza. “Pick a movie, love. Or I’ll be tempted to find other ways to keep us
entertained.”
Of that she had no doubt.
Chapter 6
After a quick breakfast, Keane typed in Lilly’s web address, doing his best to suppress a
smile—until she slapped his arm. “What?”
Lilly glared at him. “You’re already smirking and you haven’t even gotten to the site.”
At which point he hit the Enter key.
“Wow, Ms. Piper Skye…that is one sexy website.” Two near naked bodies twined as one
against a charcoal-grey rain-splashed background. Never in a million years would he have imagined
this was Lilly. “And a NY Times bestseller, no less. How the hell did I not know about this?”
“That’s the whole point of a pen name, Keane.” Was that a blush flaming across her cheeks?
Fucking hell, she looked gorgeous. “Right there… If you click over to that page on my site, you’ll
come to my email contact. That service forwards the email on to me, and also allows for readers to
sign up for my newsletter. That’s how he contacted me.”
“Do the forwarded emails retain the sender’s address?” They’d have to find a way to track
this man down.
She let out a deep breath, and shifted at his side, leaning in to see what he was doing. “They
do, though I don’t know of any way to track him down with just his email address.”
He clicked on her contact page, which was pretty basic, and then clicked through the rest of
the pages on her site. Each of her series had a dedicated page, and there had to be over twenty-five
books in total, each cover and title steamier than the one before. When he clicked on her bio page, his
gaze immediately was drawn to the image of her looking sexy and approachable. She looked like she
was smiling just for him, and it had his cock immediately going hard. No wonder Sirius was obsessed
with her, when her sultry look could make anyone feel like they were the only one who mattered to
her.
Skimming through her bio, he was relieved that she kept most things vague. She mentioned that
she lived in a cute town in New England, but it wasn’t really enough for someone to track her down.
And then he saw the links to all her social network profiles, and it got him wondering… “Do you ever
use your phone to log in to these profiles?”
“Yeah…sometimes when I’m out and about or if I’m out of town. Why?” Her brow furrowed
with worry, and he hated that she had to go through any of this.
“Depending on the settings of your phone, your apps, the sites you’re on—you might
inadvertently be giving away your location. Every time you post a picture or update, there’s a good
chance you’ve tagged your location. Even digital cameras use GPS to tag where each photo is taken,
unless you go into the menu and manually turn off that feature. The same with your laptop.” With so
many settings and menu options, it was far too easy to accidentally miss one along the way. “Until we
get all this sorted out, I don’t want you posting anything online.”
“I need to be able to work, Keane. That’s how I do all my promotions—it’s how I keep in
touch with my readers. I can’t just drop off the face of the earth—and I’ve got conventions I need to
go to. Book signings…”
He hadn’t expected her to look quite so panicked. Keane didn’t quite understand everything
that went into her writing career, but he was sure there was quite a bit to it that he hadn’t even thought
about.
“You’ll still get to write—and once we go through all your settings and make sure your laptop
is clean so that Sirius can’t track you here, you’ll be able to go back online, though I’d appreciate you
keeping it to a minimum. As for conventions and signings, hopefully we’ll get this all sorted before
you have to make any public showings.” As crazy as things had been, he never got to see the emails
Sirius had sent her. “Do you have his emails to you?”
“Not all of them, but most—especially once they started to get weird.” Reaching over to
access her keyboard, she leaned into him, her curves brushing against him as her sweet scent filled
his head. He couldn’t help but take a deep breath, his eyes slipping shut for just a moment as he fought
to keep from ravishing her. “Right here in this file.”
He clicked on each email and sent them to his printer, figuring it’d be easier to deal with
them. “I’m going to forward these to Hadley and her security team. Hopefully it won’t take them long
to track down the bastard.”
She got up and went to the printer, returning with the stack of emails. “Here you go. They go
back about three months. Before that, he was getting a little more personal, but he was just coming
across as overly friendly instead of creepy, so I didn’t keep them.”
Keane took the stack she handed him, and started going through them, his anger escalating with
each one he read as she paced the floor, looking nervous. The man was fucked in the head. Of that,
Keane had no doubt. It wasn’t just the intimacy Sirius was projecting toward Lilly; it was his
conviction that they would be together forever, that he was the hero in her love story, that no one else
was right for her but him. And when she stopped returning his emails, things escalated.
Fuck…he wanted to punch something. “I can’t believe you’ve been dealing with this on your
own.”
“I kept hoping that if I ignored him, he’d go away. But he didn’t—he just got worse. And he
got angry.” She wrapped her arms around herself as if to somehow shield herself from the monster
lurking in the shadows.
Needing to comfort her, to protect her, he crossed to her side and pulled her into his arms,
holding her tightly to him. The fact that she didn’t push him away was an indication of just how
worried she was. Yet, holding her close only ignited the fire between them, so it was like trying to
hold back a raging storm. He pulled away just enough to look at her, his heart hammering inside his
chest as he fought back his need for her.
He paused for a moment, his eyes locked on hers as he cupped her face, but then, unable to
resist her, he hauled her to him, capturing her mouth in a kiss, his actions slow and purposeful, unable
to hold back any longer. His kiss deepened as she held onto him, kissing him back, his tongue finding
hers as his body instantly recalled what it was like to have her, to claim her, to have her tight body
wrapped around his hard cock.
She slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her, giving him hope as her body
pressed against his in a remembered familiarity—but only for a moment more. As if coming to her
senses, she turned away from him and pulled out of his arms. “I’m sorry…I can’t do this, Keane. Sex
was never the problem—but trusting you…that’s still an issue.”
“I know I hurt you, but you can’t keep pushing me away when you know we’re meant to be
together.” He pulled her back into his arms, his head bent to hers, breathing in her scent with his arm
tight around her waist, needing her to see that the only way for them to find happiness was with each
other. “It was one mistake, Lilly. And I know it was a big one, but haven’t we suffered enough? I was
an idiot—and I’ve paid dearly for it. But that’s no longer me. I’m loyal—and I’m still in love with
you.”
“Loyal? That’s yet to be proved—and I’ve moved on. I’m sorry, but I’m just not interested.”
Yet there was little conviction in her voice, and he knew she was just being stubborn because he’d
already hurt her once before.
“You know that’s nothing but a lie. You’re not married or engaged—hell, you’re not even
dating anyone.” Which made him damn happy, since the thought of another man touching her made him
fucking insane.
“You don’t know that. I could have a boyfriend, Keane.” Her eyes flamed with frustration and
anger, and though she could certainly have any man she wanted, he doubted there was anyone.
“You don’t, Lil. If there was another man in your life, you’d have turned to him for help, or at
the very least mentioned him when I brought up having you stay with me. But you didn’t do either of
those things—because neither one of us has truly moved on.” He’d dated plenty, but he never had any
interest in his partners beyond satisfying his sexual needs. And even then, he’d never managed to get
much relief or satisfaction, when he couldn’t help but compare every experience to what he’d had
with Lilly.
She let out a frustrated sigh, though she’d yet to fully step out of his arms. “That’s because I
don’t trust men after…what you put me through. I thought we were happy; I thought things were
serious between us. That we might eventually get married and have a family.”
“I wanted that too, Lilly… But I panicked and fucked things up—even though I loved you.”
One fucking mistake that ruined his life.
“You could have just talked to me about it or broken things off, but you didn’t. You betrayed
me—and now you’re asking me to trust you again and I don’t know that I have it in me.” Yet she was
so close, as if she couldn’t bear to pull away, couldn’t truly deny what was between them.
“Stop overthinking it, Lil.” He nuzzled her and bit her lip, his heart hammering against his
chest. “I know I was the one to break you—but I’m now asking you to let me ease your heartache and
make you whole again. Let me put the pieces back together—let me love you. You have my word I
won’t ever hurt you again.”
“Keane…” But then he was kissing her, his tongue bullying its way past her lips as her hands
fisted his shirt and pulled him close.
Their kiss deepened until his head was spinning and he could think of nothing but having her
once again, eager to erase their years apart and make up for lost time. With an arm around her waist
and a hand on her ass, he lifted her up off the ground, her legs wrapping around his waist as he turned
her toward the kitchen table mere feet away, kicking the chair aside.
Desperate to have her, even the bedroom seemed too far away in that moment, and there was
no way he was going to risk giving her even a second to overthink what was between them. Because
he knew he was right—they were meant to be together, even if he’d yet to convince her of it.
With his mouth still hard on hers and his cock pressed against her heat, he let his hands skim
down her body, pausing to cup her breasts and tease her nipples, loving how she arched her back in
response. She made his head spin when she reached between them to stroke his hard length, making
him groan in response, her hands finding their way to the buckle and zipper of his jeans as he
followed suit.
Too impatient, he yanked her jeans off, making sure to take her panties with them, so she was
bare from the waist down, his cock aching at the mere sight of her. Desperately needing to have her,
to taste her, he dropped to his knees, happy to worship before her after years spent wanting her,
reliving in his head what they’d had between them, living off his memories of their time together.
He ran his hands down her legs and pressed her knees back to open her up to him, giving him
full access to all she had to offer. It’d been so long…so long since he tasted her, touched her, it was
all he could do to not ravish her like a man starved of all nourishment.
He nipped at her inner thigh, his stubble rough against her soft skin, each bite eliciting a needy
gasp from her lips as he worked his way to her sweet sex, before running his tongue along her slit.
“You’re so fucking wet for me, Lil.”
“It’s been so long, Keane…” Her hips tilted toward him as he sucked her clit into his mouth
and teased it with his tongue, her taste salty sweet and all her own. He feasted on her, while slipping
two fingers deep inside her, slowly fucking her as she dug her fingers in his hair and pulled her to
him, her legs wrapping around his shoulders. And when he curled his fingers deep inside her, and
pressed another finger to the slick bud of her ass, he knew he had her on the verge of coming, his
name a needy cry on her lips.
Not that he was ready to let her come just yet.
Chapter 7
Lilly cursed Keane to a million hells as he pulled away from her, and yet she couldn’t
remember ever wanting anyone more. On the verge of coming, she was frantic for him to fuck her, and
it may have been a cursedly long time since she’d last been with him, but it was hard to forget just
how good a lover he’d been—and he’d clearly only gotten better during the years they were apart.
She could taste herself on his lips and tongue as he covered her mouth in a bruising kiss, her
hands reaching down between them to stroke his hard cock, everything about them frantic and
frenzied. All logical thought was erased in an inferno of passion as she teetered on the edge of
coming, desperate to have him even as he pushed his hard cock into her, forcing her body to stretch
around his generous length. “Fuck, Lil…I love you.”
Pausing for just a moment, he gave her body a chance to adjust to the intrusion, and then
started fucking her as she held onto him, helpless to do anything but wrap her legs around him and
give in to everything he could offer her. Swallowing her needy moans with his hungry kisses, he
continued to take her, one hand fisting her hair, and his other hand gripping her ass so he could pin her
in place as he drove into her.
He took her rough and hard, claiming her, marking her as his, down to the marrow of her
bones, her orgasm crashing over her, though he didn’t slow—not until he, too, was coming with a
primal grunt, his cock pulsing his hot cum deep inside her as she clung to him.
They stayed there, locked together as their breathing eventually slowed back to normal, his
head bent to hers as he covered her face in tender kisses, making her heart hitch. What the hell had
she just done?
She tried not to panic. Tried to tell herself that it didn’t mean anything, that it was just sex, and
she’d been desperate because the only sex she’d had in years needed batteries or a recharge. Yet how
could she not panic when his cock was still inside her, and his hot cum was slowly slipping out of her
and onto her ass cheeks?
“I love you, Lilly…” He kissed her once more, even as his cock slid free of her body, though
he’d yet to let her go.
Her heart was racing with a sudden panic and it felt like she could barely take a breath. “We
shouldn’t have done that. What the hell was I thinking?”
She tried to push him away, even as he held onto her, trying to calm her as he would a skittish
animal. “Hush, love… It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not, Keane.” She pushed herself off the table, forcing him to give her some room. He
zipped up his jeans as she grabbed her clothes up off the floor and held them to her, suddenly feeling
far too naked. “Could you please turn around?”
He let out a frustrated sigh, but did as she asked so she could quickly get herself dressed,
though each movement only served to remind her that he’d taken her hard—and she’d fucking loved
every moment of it.
“Lil…” He turned back around, but when he took a step toward her, she took a step back,
needing to keep some distance between them.
“I think I should go, Keane. I appreciate your help, but it was a mistake for me to come here.”
She could stay at a hotel until the cops found Sirius. Or hire Hadley herself to find him. But staying
with Keane clearly wasn’t an option when it had taken him less than twenty-four hours to have her
coming in his arms as he fucked her.
“Woman, there’s no fucking way you’re going anywhere—not when you have a psychotic
stalker who’s obsessed with you.” He took a step closer, forcing her to back up to the table. “Was it
really so bad? That you’d rather take your chances with Sirius than be with me?”
“It was fucking amazing, Keane. Is that what you want to hear? That you’re the best lay I’ve
ever had? Well, fine. You are. But it doesn’t change anything.” Damn him. He was infuriating—and
the most stubborn and determined man she’d ever met.
“How can it not change things?” Closing the distance between them, he cupped her cheek, so
she couldn’t help but lean into his touch. “But if you need more time, then I’m happy to give it to you
—as long as you stop trying to push me away.”
Her eyes narrowed as she took him in, fully aware that he was twisting things around to his
benefit. She wasn’t an idiot—and it may have been seven years since they were last together, but she
could still read him like an open book. “Well, stop trying to pick up where we left off, and I won’t
have to keep pushing you away.”
“Is that what you really want, though? Because I honestly don’t think it is.” With a seductive
smile slipping onto his pouty lips, he gave her a smoldering look that played up just how sexy he was,
her body’s reaction to him immediate in a clear betrayal of what her heart and head were saying.
Now that she’d been reminded of what it was like to be on the receiving end of Keane’s attention and
his magnificent cock, her body most certainly wanted a hell of a lot more, especially when she had
more than a few memories to remind her of all he was capable of.
“What I really want is to not get my heart broken again, and to find Sirius so I can get back to
living my life. I have deadlines and books I need to write, and my schedule is too tight to fit in this
sort of nonsense. I don’t have the time or the energy to keep rehashing our past.” Because he’d
already proved that she couldn’t resist him if she let him get too close.
“Well, I hate to tell you this, but I can’t guarantee that it won’t take some time to find Sirius,
depending on how well he’s managed to cover his tracks.” He was right…she knew that, and yet she
couldn’t help but panic on the inside. “I swear I’ll keep you safe, Lilly—but I can’t do that if you
leave.”
“It’s not like I have anywhere else to go—and I do appreciate your help and letting me stay
here. It’s just that…” It was all so overwhelming. Most of her days were spent living inside her own
head, in the worlds she created, in scenarios she got to control. A world that was safe, where she
couldn’t get hurt.
“You don’t need to explain. I know this hasn’t been easy on you.” When he knotted his fingers
with hers and pulled her close, she let him, even if she knew it was dangerous to let him in. “Lil, I
want you to do whatever you need to do to make this place feel like home. And I understand that you
need to work. Just let me know what you need—an office, a desk…there’s a sunroom that looks out
into the woods.”
“Honestly, I can write just about anywhere. I just need a comfortable spot to sit and my
laptop.” Which he still had so he could adjust the settings.
She thought of the manuscript she was currently working on—a manuscript which was likely
still open if he clicked on Word. The thought of him getting his hands on her books and reading her
writing was enough to have her panicking on the inside.
“I’ll finish up with it then. We’ll also need to get you a different phone, on the off chance he’s
somehow accessing it.” The thought of Sirius tracking her via her phone had her wanting to panic…
but he cupped her cheek just as her heart started to race, and surprisingly enough, his touch helped to
keep her calm. “It’ll be okay…I promise.”
For some reason, she actually believed him.
***
“Here you go, love. It should be all set.” Relief washed over Lilly as Keane handed over her
laptop.
“Thanks. I appreciate it.” She sat down next to him, holding her laptop to her chest, as if it
would somehow protect her from Keane’s charms. And then he pushed his sleeves up, exposing his
strong muscular forearms and the ink that marked his skin, and she swore she felt her heart catch and
her pussy ache for him. She tilted her chin toward his arms. Somehow, she’d missed them earlier
while he’d had her half naked on the table. Must have been the distraction of his hard cock pounding
into her. “Those are new.”
“Got them done a few years back. Along with these…” He pulled his long-sleeved tee up
over his head, exposing enough muscles, skin, and ink to have her gasping as he sat there by her side,
naked from the waist up. His smile kicked up as he watched her and the effect he’d just had on her.
“What do you think, baby girl? Do you like them?”
Fucking hell…the man was smoking hot. His ink extended up his arms, over his broad
shoulders, and down his muscular back, like some tattooed god that most certainly could be the lead
man in any of her books—as if he wasn’t already. “Put your shirt back on, Keane.”
But he didn’t. Instead, he took her laptop from her and set it aside, before grabbing her hand
and reeling her in. And she went, damn it, straddling him as he took control, lifting her onto his lap. It
was as if she couldn’t resist him, like he was some Pied Piper of sex and orgasms, and she couldn’t
help but fall under his spell.
“Babe…” He gripped her hips, his fingers digging into her flesh with a delicious flicker of
pain as he pulled her to him so her pussy rode up the length of his cock, teasing her swollen clit as her
hands rested on his muscular chest, his skin hot under the palm of her hand. “I swear, I won’t ever get
my fill of you. I could have you a million times over and it’d never be enough. You’re all I’ve ever
wanted.”
“And you’re good at telling a girl what she wants to hear.” Lilly slipped her arms around his
neck, rocking her hips against him out of sheer need and desperation, his bare skin hot to the touch as
she resisted the urge to run her fingers over his tattoos and ripped muscles. “I’m not a fool, Keane.”
“You are if you think those are words I’ve ever spoken to anyone but you—just like I’ve
never told anyone but you that I love them.” When he caught her mouth in a hungry kiss, she knew she
was in trouble. If she didn’t climb off his lap, he’d be fucking her again in no time at all.
She broke away from their kiss, determined to put some distance between them, even as he
tightened his hold on her. “This is not happening again, Keane.”
“Are you sure about that?” He nipped at her jaw and her neck even as he spoke, his words
dancing over her skin. “Because from where I’m sitting, you want me just as much as I want you.”
All she could do was try to bite back her moans, her hips riding along his rock-hard length as
if of their own volition. His hands skimmed up her waist to cup her breasts, pinching her nipples to
spur her on, and leaving her head spinning. “Why do you do this to me?”
“Is it wrong that I want to give you pleasure? That I want to make you come so hard you can’t
help but scream out my name?” He leaned in and bit her nipple through the fabric of her shirt, forcing
her to swallow her cries. Already, he had her on the verge of coming, and she was still fully clothed.
“You’re mine, Lilly…you always have been—just like I’ve always been yours. No matter how much
time passes, that will always be the truth between us.”
“Except that there’s another layer of truth that you’re choosing to ignore—which is the whole
reason we split up to begin with.” Coming to her senses, she pulled free of him and hopped off his
lap, so she stood there, doing her best to ignore his hard abs, inked body, and how desperately she
wanted him to just fuck her, to bend her over and ride her hard, to have her screaming out his name.
Getting to his feet, he stalked toward her, looking at her like he was a wild animal and she
was his prey. “I’m not ignoring it, Lil—but that was a long time ago, and I’m not going to let it keep
me from being happy. Not when we finally have a chance to move past it. Because this thing between
us is far from over, and right now, I can’t think past wanting you. And I do want you, baby girl…
desperately.”
He shifted his jeans and briefs down over his hips, and kicked them off so she could do
nothing but stare at his huge erection. With a sultry smile on his lips, he stood before her naked, in all
his glory, wrapping his fist around his cock and stroking himself, all while his gaze roamed over her
body, taking her in, head to toe.
“Are you jerking off to me?” He was unbelievable.
He gave her a cocky shrug. “Well, if you’d rather come over here and suck me off, that’d
work too, babe.”
Chapter 8
Keane knew he was being an ass, but he just couldn’t resist riling Lilly. And turned on as
she’d gotten him, there was no way he wasn’t going to go in search of some relief.
“You have got to be kidding me, Keane. Really? You’re just going to jerk off with me
watching you?” Lilly stood there with her hands on her hips, her long auburn hair tossed over her
shoulder, and an irresistible fire in her eyes, even as he stroked himself, his hips thrusting his cock
through his fist, while he slowly closed the distance between them.
“If either one of us has any hope of getting any work done, then it’s not going to happen if I’m
sporting the raging hard-on you’ve left me with. So you can either come over here and not let a good
erection go to waste, or I’ll literally take matters into my own hands. Up to you, sweetness.” At least
he was being honest with her, though if she didn’t hurry up and figure out what she wanted, the
decision would be made for them.
“And what if I just want to watch as you get yourself off?” She licked her lips as if unable to
help herself, and it made him want to put that pretty little mouth of hers to good use.
“Then sit back and enjoy the show, babe.” Gripping her hip, he backed her up against the sofa,
sitting her down with a gentle push, before kicking her knees apart so he could stand between them,
trying to keep his pace steady. “And by all means, if you want to get yourself off while you watch,
then all the better.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Though she glared at him, he swore she was thinking about
it.
“What I’d like is to fuck you again—and again, and again…” His pace was quickening, and he
swore it took all he had to hold back his orgasm. Somehow, he wasn’t sure that coming all over Lilly
would endear him to her. “What do you say, babe? Don’t suppose you’d like to oblige me?”
She was all but squirming in her seat, and he knew that she was likely wet for him, and aching
to be taken. “You’re too used to getting your way, Keane.”
“If that were the case, then you’d have your lips wrapped around my cock, sucking me off as I
fist your hair. You were always so fucking amazing, Lil…I’ve missed you…and I’m not just talking
about the amazing sex…that amazing mouth of yours.” Though, fuck…she was always his only
thought: his memories of her, of their time together, the only things that had sustained him over their
years apart.
“You know…I write crazy, sexy, over-the-top sex scenes for a living, and never in a million
years would I have written this.” She was clearly aiming for a stern and scolding look, but her skin
was so flushed, and her nipples were so hard against her tee that he couldn’t help but lean in and kiss
her.
“Then maybe we need to push the limits of your imagination.” When he caught her mouth once
more, her fingers wrapped around his cock, their kiss deepening as she stroked him.
Fuck…he wasn’t going to last. Needing her naked, he yanked her tee over her head, pulling
away from her only as long as necessary, not wanting to give her any time to overthink things. A flick
of the clasp, and he added her bra to the growing pile of discarded clothing, before moving on to her
jeans as he wrapped his lips around her pert nipple and sucked on it. A hard yank had them slipping
off past her hips, her panties needing a little more help, so she was finally naked before him.
He had to take a moment just to look at her, to catch his breath and slow his racing heart. She
was so fucking perfect, with her creamy white skin and long dark hair, her full red lips and intelligent
green eyes. “You’re such a vision, Lilly.”
And then, he couldn’t wait a moment longer. Grabbing her hips, he flipped her onto her knees,
her elbows propped against the back of the sofa, knowing she often liked it when he’d take her like
this, riding her rough from behind so she could think of nothing but their bodies coming together, their
coupling all-consuming.
He thought about a condom, but he’d already taken her bare earlier, knowing he was clean
since he’d never gone bare with anyone but her, and trusting that she was also. She could get
pregnant, but he doubted she’d leave that to chance, and frankly, he was fine with that. He meant it
when he said he loved her. He wanted a life with her, wanted to marry her, wanted a family.
Grabbing his cock, he brushed it against her opening, and then buried it inside her, her body
tight around his as he forced her to take all of him, thrust after thrust. He lowered his chest to her
back, wrapping her in his arms so she was pinned to him as he took her, nuzzling her with his mouth at
her ear. “This is what you want…isn’t it, love?”
“Fuck…yes…” The need in her voice was nearly his undoing.
He drove into her, as one hand closed around her throat, gently squeezing as the other hand
slipped down between her legs, her clit slick and swollen as he teased her, already so close to
coming. He knew her as if she were his very soul…knew what she liked, knew what turned her on,
what did her in…and he would happily lay the moon and stars at her feet. “That’s my good girl. I
know you’ve missed me…missed me fucking you, claiming you…because you’re mine, Lilly. You
always have been.”
“I hate you, Keane…even if I still fucking love you.” His heart soared as he bit her neck, his
pace punishing as she came undone in his arms and cried out his name, her body quivering, held tight
in his embrace. And then he was coming along with her, his orgasm like a raging storm as he finally
stilled but for his cock pulsing his hot cum deep inside her, marking her as his once more.
Slowly pulling out of her, he sat down on the sofa next to her, and gathered her up in his arms,
cradling her in his lap, desperate to keep her close. “I love you, Lilly…”
“Why do you do this to me?” Her emotions were riding so close to the surface, and it killed
him that he was the one who’d caused such damage, caused her so much pain.
He ran his hands over her hair and kissed the top of her head as she nestled in his arms. “It’s
because I can’t fucking bear another day without you in my life. So I’ll do whatever it takes to get you
back—even if it means coming across as a jerk. And I get that you need more time to come around,
which is fine—as long as you finally do.”
“And if I don’t?” She pulled away just enough to look at him.
“I’ll give you whatever time you need—but I’m not letting you walk away from me, from us. I
get that you still don’t trust me, that it’ll take time, and that’s fine too.” He stole a sweet and tender
kiss, needing to reinforce the connection between them. “Take all the time you need. And in the
meantime, I promise to make you come so hard and so often, your body will crave me every time we
part, crave my touch, crave all the things I do to you.”
She let out a laugh, shaking her head. “So you expect us to just keep sleeping together until I
learn to trust you.”
“Sleep?” He gave her a shrug and a teasing smile, knowing she’d murder him someday. “I
suppose we can do that too.”
***
Keane couldn’t help but glance over at Lilly as she sat there curled up on the sofa working,
her fingers flying over the keyboard of her laptop as she wrote her next novel. Wrapping up with his
own work, curiosity had gotten the better of him, and before he knew it, he’d downloaded every book
Lilly had up for sale—and there were a lot of them. Over twenty-five titles, that went from racy to
erotic, if the covers, titles, and descriptions were anything to go by. The Billionaire’s Feisty
Submissive. Claimed by Her Werewolf Lover. The Dom Meets His Match. Seducing His Secretary.
The titles went on and on.
He picked her most recent series, which had five books already available, with the sixth book
up for her readers to pre-order. And she wasn’t kidding about her deadlines. Her latest book—the
one she was writing on his sofa—was coming out in just a few months’ time.
She’d probably murder him if she found out he was reading her novels—not that it was going
to stop him. And just a few sentences in, he could see why her novels were so popular. Though it
wasn’t the sort of books he normally read, her writing had its own voice and style, and the pace was
quick, not getting too bogged down with over-describing things or giving readers too much
information they didn’t really need. She was drawing him in with a smart and feisty heroine, and a
guy who…sounded a lot like him, except for the small fact that her hero was a motorcycle-riding
werewolf.
He read on, enjoying how she didn’t just give the woman’s viewpoint, but also the guy’s.
Although some things were clearly a bit far-fetched, given that it was fiction and a bit of escapism,
she had weaved herself a pretty exciting tale.
And then he got to the first sex scene…
Chapter 9
It took Lilly a little while to get back into her novel, but before long, the voices in her head
were chatting away, and the story was flowing onto the pages. She loved it when the story took off
like this, one scene slipping into the next as her characters seduced and teased, flirted and fell in love.
Her hero and heroine got to have amazing sex, and got to overcome the odds to find happiness.
Through them, she got to live vicariously, so she could have her Happily Ever After.
She wasn’t sure when she first felt Keane’s eyes on her as she worked, but each time she
looked up, his gaze had drifted back to whatever he was working on. Truth was, she was just as
guilty, since she couldn’t help but steal glances of him. It’d been far too long since she’d been with
anyone, and Keane was one hell of an incredible lover. The soreness between her legs only made her
want him all the more, like a drug she’d never get enough of.
He’d mentioned keeping things physical until she could learn to trust him, but as tempting as
that was, she knew just how dangerous that could be. She’d already fallen for him all over again, and
it’d be so easy for him to break her heart once more. So in the meantime, she’d best channel all the
sexual energy he’d stirred up into her novel. It was hands down the safer bet.
The words were flying, and for the next couple of hours, she’d barely looked up from her
computer screen—until she felt Keane’s eyes on her again. This time, when she looked up, he didn’t
look away. “What?”
His lips tugged up into a crooked smile that spelled trouble. “Nothing, baby girl…nothing at
all.”
Her eyes narrowed at him as she tried to figure out what the hell he was up to. “Then why are
you grinning like a fool?”
“How’s your writing going?” He flicked his eyebrows up at her, looking sexy, obnoxious, and
clearly up to no good, while absent-mindedly scratching Juno’s head as she lay next to him.
“It’s fine. Why?” Something was up…that cocky look…the shit-eating grin… “What have you
been doing, Keane?”
“Just catching up on a bit of reading.” When his lips twitched and his smile widened, she
knew exactly the sort of reading he’d been doing.
“I can’t believe you. You’re such a shit.” She was furious—and couldn’t help the fierce blush
and heat that crept across her cheeks. Maybe it wasn’t so bad—except that she knew he was a crazy
fast reader. Taking deep breaths, she tried not to hyperventilate and panic.
He bit his lip, looking all cocky as he took her in. “I’m the hero in your books—you’ve based
them on me.”
“What you are is delusional and a royal pain in my ass.” If he got to the sex scenes, she was
doomed. “And I’d appreciate you not reading my books.”
“Why not, love?” He set aside his laptop, and turned his laser gaze on her so there’d be no
hiding or masking any thought or emotion from him. “They’re available for purchase to the public. I
mean…it’s not like these are private journals.”
Except that they sort of were—with a good dose of fiction thrown in. But her heart, her needs,
her wants, were all there at the core of her novels—how she wanted to find love and be happy, how
she wanted someone in her life who’d complete her, someone she could trust and who’d have her
back. And then there was the sex. Her heroines might be far more adventurous and experienced than
she was, but Keane had certainly inspired the majority of the sex scenes in her books.
When she didn’t say anything, he continued, still looking far too mischievous for it to bode
well for her. “Is it because of the amazingly hot sex scenes? Because I’ve got to say…I recognize
some of these moves, babe—and they’re all mine.”
“I’ve had other lovers, Keane—and they’ve been amazing, in case you’re wondering.” Okay,
the reality was that she’d been with two other guys since Keane, and she’d been woefully
disappointed. And then there was the third guy…the guy who haunted her nightmares.
Keane might be a bit of a jerk, but he was nothing like any other man she’d known. And though
she’d been through a lot since their breakup, she couldn’t deny what was between them, and that she
still loved that he took control of her pleasure—and his.
When it came to sex, not only was Keane dominant, which was something she loved and
craved, he also was mind-blowingly, earth-shatteringly amazing. He was surprisingly sweet and
considerate, while still taking charge. He had just enough of an edge to him, and he wasn’t scared of
pushing her to her limits. She wanted someone to tear the clothing from her body and ravish her,
someone who’d fist her hair and slap her ass, someone who’d fuck her until she couldn’t stand
straight—all the while knowing that she was safe and loved. Knowing that he’d also hold her in his
arms and cradle her to him while sweetly kissing the top of her head.
In other words, she wanted the sort of guy she put in her romance novels—and Keane was all
that and then some.
“How many other men, Lilly?” Keane’s jaw tightened, the tension in him visible in every
muscle of his body.
Pushing away the darkness that always lingered in the corners of her mind, she decided to
make light of the situation. It was her turn to get Keane riled up. “How is that any of your business?
And who’s to say my lovers were just men?”
He sat forward, closing the distance between them. “It’s my business because I fucking love
you, Lilly—and you’re mine. You always have been, as far as I’m concerned.”
“Please…it’s not like you haven’t been with dozens of other women. And I stopped being
yours when you cheated on me.” She hated to constantly bring it up, but it was like he was ignoring
that little fact, even though it was the source of all their problems—and so much more.
“The only reason I’ve been with so many women is because they haven’t been you. They were
pointless fucks and nothing more.” He shook his head, and frankly, he looked devastated.
“That’s not my fault, Keane. And you don’t get to hold it against me for trying to move on.” If
he thought it’d been easy on her, he could guess again. It’d been nothing but a fucking nightmare.
“I’m sorry…” He shifted to sit next to her, reaching over and squeezing her hand. “It’s just
that the thought of you with another man—with another woman… The thought of you being intimate
with anyone else—”
She cut him off, furious and hurt. “Now think of what that would be like if I’d been with
someone else while we were still together. You can’t bear to think of me with another person even
though we broke up years ago—but I had to deal with that reality when we were still together, when
you were supposed to love me.”
“I did love you, Lilly…” He cupped her face, his touch warm and so familiar. “I still do, and I
have every day since I first laid eyes on you.”
“I know you want me to move past this, but how the hell am I supposed to do that?” It wasn’t
as though she hadn’t tried to move on with her life. But she couldn’t. Not when she’d never gotten
over Keane.
“You need to forgive me, Lilly.” He bent his forehead to hers, and nuzzled her before brushing
his lips against hers in a kiss. “It’s the only way, love.”
“I don’t know how to…and I don’t know if I can.” As her eyes burned with threatening tears,
she took a deep breath to try to push back the pain that had settled in her chest. How the hell could she
move past everything that happened?
“You can—and you have to. Because my life’s been miserable without you. I can’t fucking
take it anymore.” Keane pulled her into his strong arms, and she couldn’t help but burrow there in his
solid warmth as he stroked her back, trying to comfort her. “Just let go of your anger and give in to
what’s between us… Learn to love me again…to trust me again, Lilly.”
Could she really do that? Could she really let go of her hurt and heartache? Could she really
forgive him and find a new start?
“I’m not sure I have it in me, Keane. But maybe…with time…” It was all she could do for
now. She wanted to trust him, and was desperate to find the sort of happiness they’d once had, but she
just wasn’t sure if that was possible, especially when...
“I’m a patient man, Lilly.” Pulling her from her thoughts, her nightmares, he brushed the hair
from her face, his touch lingering on her skin as he leaned in and kissed her sweetly.
And even that small bit of affection was enough to have her desperately wanting more. She sat
up out of his arms before things ended up with the two of them naked again. “I suppose I should get
back to work.”
“And I’ve got to get back to my reading.” His smile kicked up, making her shake her head.
“You’re a pain in the ass, Keane.” Her gut clenched, though she resigned herself to the reality.
It had seemed inevitable that he’d read her books once he’d found out she was an author. She’d have
done the same.
“But you still love me anyway.” When his smile reached his eyes, they brightened, despite the
vulnerability there, which made her heart hitch.
Damn it…she’d gone and fallen for him again. “I’m not justifying that comment with a
response.”
“Sweetheart, I don’t need you to when I already know it’s true.” He leaned in and quickly
kissed her cheek.
He was unbelievable. How he’d managed to weasel his way back into her good graces was
beyond her—and in such a short time, no less. Yet a bit of the tension, a bit of the pain that had
resided in her heart since his betrayal, finally felt as if it might slip free. She still had a long road
ahead of her, but for the first time in a very long time, she wasn’t filled with bitterness and hurt.
Grabbing her laptop, she got back to her story as Keane grabbed his laptop and settled in at
her side. And when his hand slipped casually onto her thigh, she had no doubt whatsoever that he was
reading her story. “What are you doing?”
He glanced at her over his laptop, giving her a look of innocence that was completely at odds
with the dirty mind he possessed. “Me? Not a thing, baby girl.”
She grabbed his hand and shifted it to his thigh. “You’re distracting me when I’m trying to
write.”
“I could help, you know…” Leaning into her, he pressed kisses along the length of her neck,
scraping his teeth over her pulse so she couldn’t help but let out a needy moan. And when his hand
slipped between her legs, she had to force herself to stand her ground, rather than give in to what was
between them.
“I need to work, Keane.” Pushing him away with a firm hand to his broad chest, Lilly clicked
over to her Internet browser to catch up on the social media and marketing side of her business, since
it required a hell of a lot less focus, given that Keane was seemingly intent on misbehaving. If her
readers ever laid eyes on him, she knew they’d lose it over him. Alpha, smoking hot, tall, muscular,
inked, and gorgeous: he was every girl’s dream, and then some.
It’d been a few days since she’d last gone through her emails, and she was dreading the pile
she’d have to sort through. But it had to be done, and with luck, it wouldn’t take that long, since it was
clear she wouldn’t be able to hold Keane off for long, though what exactly she was doing on that
front, she hadn’t a clue.
And then she saw them…more emails from Sirius.
Chapter 10
“Hey…what’s going on?” Keane’s pulse kicked up with a jolt of adrenaline. When she
handed him her laptop, he took it and had a look. That fucking bastard. There were nearly two dozen
emails from Sirius. Keane started to open them, and it was clear that Sirius was not happy that Lilly
had disappeared. Well, his anger was nothing compared to what Keane was feeling in that moment.
“Un-fucking-believable. I swear, I’m going to murder this bastard if we ever find him. Hopefully this
will give the police and Hadley enough evidence to track this asshole down.”
“Unless they’re untraceable.” She was all but shaking, and he knew this was getting to her.
How could it not when they didn’t know who Sirius was or what he was capable of?
“At least this means he doesn’t know where you are. He’s pissed because he can’t find you—
and that’s a good thing, Lilly.” They just needed to make sure things stayed that way until they put this
guy behind bars.
“But if he does find me, it means he’ll be even more psychotic.” The panic in her voice was
impossible to ignore, and the tension in her body was palpable. He had to do something.
“I want to get these to Hadley. And maybe getting out for a bit will do us some good.” What
he’d rather do was get her out of the country, get her to some private island with sandy beaches, some
place where it would be just the two of them.
“Yeah…maybe getting out for a bit will help calm me—while I still can get out and about.
Once he finds me again, I’m screwed, Keane.” She had every right to be scared, but it pissed him off
that she had to go through any of this.
“I swear, I’ll keep you safe, Lil. We’ll find him.” He brushed the hair from her eyes and,
tilting her chin up, kissed her, relieved when he felt a bit of the tension in her body slip free. He
pulled out his cell and called Hadley to let her know about the emails, and then forwarded them to
her, relieved she was dealing with all of this. “Hadley’s going to let the cops know what’s going on,
and keep us updated. But, she needs your laptop. Do you have your files backed up to the cloud?”
“Yeah…but I’ll need another laptop. I can’t stop writing with my deadlines looming. I’m
already falling behind.” Lilly seemed distracted, as if she was running down the list of things she had
to do.
“We’ll pick one up while we’re out. Then maybe grab some dinner.” Or hop on a plane.
Anything to keep her safe.
About an hour later, Keane was pulling his car down Hadley and Gabe’s driveway and
parking in front of their gorgeous home, the ocean sitting just beyond with the sound of crashing
waves. Keane hadn’t seen Gabe or Hadley for ages, though he knew all the Rykers, having met them
on many occasions, since they ran several charities that Keane and his brothers contributed to. He
liked each and every one of them; they were determined, professional, generous, and smart—and they
weren’t just decent people to know, but had become good friends.
Gabe answered the door and shook Lilly’s hand and then Keane’s before leading the way.
“Hadley’s working on those emails you sent over. You must be Lilly. How are you holding up?”
“It’s been scary, but…Keane’s helping me keep it together.” Lilly tossed Keane a grateful
smile that sent his pulse racing.
Hadley walked out of her office to great them. “So nice to meet you, Lilly. Is that the laptop?”
“It is.” Lilly shifted her laptop bag off her shoulder and handed it over, though Keane could
sense her hesitation, which was completely reasonable given that her entire life was on that machine.
“I appreciate your help with this mess. It’s just getting really freaky.”
Hadley gave Lilly a sympathetic smile. “Believe me, I know how scary this can be. But we’ll
do all we can to track him down and put him away.”
“I appreciate all the help. I’ve been dealing with this on my own since it started, and at first it
wasn’t too bad, but lately…” Lilly shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. “It’s just
gotten so much worse. And I’ve got a convention I’m scheduled to attend at the end of this month. I
can’t miss it—but I can’t go if he’s still on the loose.”
The fear and worry in Lilly’s voice left Keane pissed off that someone was terrorizing her—
and Gabe saw it. “Come on…let’s leave them to it, since I think Hadley’s got questions for Lilly, and
you could probably do with a beer.”
Keane hooked the back of Lilly’s neck and pulled her in for a quick kiss. “I’ll be right here if
you need me. Okay?”
She nodded and then followed Hadley into her office as Keane and Gabe wandered into the
kitchen. Gabe flicked the cap off a bottle of beer and handed it to Keane. “It’s hell when they’re in
danger.”
Keane tilted the bottle toward him in thanks. “You’re not kidding. Knowing this guy’s out
there, stalking her, trying to find her, is making me fucking crazy. The thought of her coming to harm is
doing my head in.”
“I nearly lost Hadley, you know.” Gabe took a long swig and leaned back against the counter,
looking far more serious than Keane could ever remember seeing him. “Some psycho was pissed off
at my family, and Hadley was helping with the investigation. He drugged her…kidnapped her…
Worse day of my fucking life—and the best, when I finally had her safely back in my arms,
unharmed.”
“I can’t even imagine what that must have been like.” The mere thought of something like that
happening to Lilly was enough to make him insane and fiercely protective of her.
“Hopefully it’ll all be over soon, and the two of you will be able to get back to your lives.”
Gabe took another swig of his beer and tilted his head toward Lilly and Hadley. “And in the
meantime, whatever you do, don’t let her out of your sight. Not even for a moment.”
“Easier said than done, when she wants to murder me half the time.” Although Keane did feel
like things between them were starting to turn a corner.
Gabe let out a laugh and shook his head. “Believe me—I’ve been there. I can’t tell you how
many times I pissed off Hadley at the beginning of our relationship.”
“That’s an understatement.” Hadley walked over and bumped Gabe’s shoulder with hers,
giving him a teasing smile, while Lilly settled in at Keane’s side. “We’re done for now, but I’ll be
sure to keep you updated as soon as I have any information.”
“Anything you have on Sirius would help. We don’t know where he lives, what he does for a
living… We don’t even know what he looks like.” That was probably the scariest part. He could
walk right past them, sit next to them at a restaurant, and they wouldn’t even know it.
“We’ll find this guy. You have my word, though…so far, he’s managed to keep his tracks
covered. I hate to say it but he knows what he’s doing.” Hadley gave him an apologetic look.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
***
“Where are we going?” Lilly was looking a little more relaxed now that they’d gotten her a
new laptop, but Keane was still thinking that a day out and about might help her forget some of her
problems.
“Maybe take a walk on the beach…grab some dinner.” Dividing his attention between Lilly
and the road, Keane reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. “Sirius doesn’t know where you are,
love. And we’re going to keep it that way.”
“What if we can’t find him—what if he finds me first? He’s escalating things…and it scares
me.”
He knew she had every right to be scared when they didn’t know how psychotic this guy was.
“I’d lay down my life to protect you, Lilly. I fucking mean it. He’ll have to go through me first
to get to you.” ’Cause he knew all too well that life without Lilly in it was fucking pointless.
She caught him off guard when she leaned over and nestled against his shoulder. It was the
first bit of affection she’d showed him without him initiating it. “That’s what worries me, Keane. I’m
putting you in danger. If he comes after me, you’ll end up in the crossfire. And I can’t deal with that.”
The last thing he needed was for her to start pulling away from him because of Sirius,
especially when things between them were finally on the right path. “We’re both safe for now—and
it’ll stay that way. You hear me? It’s not going to do you any good to worry, and there’s no way I’m
letting you deal with this on your own.”
“That’s not your decision to make…even if I appreciate it.” She let out a ragged breath and sat
back in her seat, as he steered them toward the ocean.
“You’re the most stubborn woman I’ve ever met, Lilly.” Keane pulled into the beach parking
lot, which was empty but for one other vehicle, and threw his car in park before shifting in his seat to
face her. “This will all be over soon, so the last thing I need is for you to try dealing with this on your
own and putting yourself in more danger.”
“But what if it’s not over soon? What if we can’t figure out who he is? I can’t just move in
with you indefinitely, which means I need to find a way to get on with my life.” She reached over and
knotted her fingers with his, making him want to pull her into his arms and never let her go. “And
before you get upset with me, I don’t have a death wish. So unless this gets dragged out indefinitely, I
doubt I’ll be going anywhere until this is over with.”
“You can stay as long as you’d like—you know I’d love nothing more than for you to move in
with me permanently.” He knew he was taking things fast, but it still wasn’t fast enough, as far as he
was concerned. Not when he had seven years to make up for.
“This living arrangement is just temporary, Keane. Besides, it’s hard to forget that taking that
next step was what pushed you over the edge in the first place.” She scoffed with a shake of her head,
pulling her hands free of his. “You went from not being able to get enough of me, to cheating on me
before I’d even unpacked my toothbrush.”
She was right. That was exactly what he’d done. “I’m no longer that person. You’ve got to
know that by now.”
“I want to believe you—you know that. But you can’t blame me for being cautious or for
hesitating to go down that path again.” With a weary sigh, she cupped his cheek and then leaned in for
a hint of a kiss, her soft lips warm against his. “Isn’t it enough that I’m living with you for now? Can’t
we just take it one day at a time?”
“Fine—as long as you move out of the guestroom and into my bed.”
Chapter 11
Lilly swore she’d never met anyone more stubborn and determined. Pushing the car door
open, she stepped out into the brisk ocean air, her head filling with the pungent scent of the salty sea,
as he came around to her side. “You’re a pain in the ass, Keane.”
When his eyes lit up with humor, she knew his mind had gone straight into the gutter. At least
he still had a sense of humor, even with everything that was going on. “Babe…just wait until we get
home.”
“I swear, you have a one-track mind.” With Keane at her side, they walked toward the beach,
the loose sand giving way under foot until they got closer to the water, where it hardened, making it
easier to walk on. “Just so we’re clear, I’m not sleeping in your bed.”
“Sounds perfect, since I have little intention of getting any sleep.” He grabbed her hand and
pulled her to him so she now found herself pressed against his muscular form, her body’s reaction to
him immediate. And it seemed that she only wanted him more now that she’d been reminded of all he
was capable of. “Maybe we should skip the walk and order in dinner. Get home so we can start on
the evening’s entertainment.”
“And what exactly would that entertainment be?” She was aiming for stern and slightly
sarcastic—but that was damn hard to do when he was nipping at her neck, not to mention grabbing her
ass with both hands and hauling her against his massive erection.
“Well, once I have you tied to my bed, who knows what sort of fun I’ll dream up.” He pulled
away just enough to look at her, before catching her mouth in a greedy kiss that rocketed right through
her, her clit throbbing in rhythm to her heartbeat as her nipples went hard against his chest.
She thought about pushing him away, but her brain and body clearly had different plans,
because she wasn’t managing anything more than needy moans as she kissed him back, her fingers
tangling in his hair and tugging him to her, desperate for more. It’d been years since she felt this alive,
and yet it’d only taken a mere day or two with Keane back in her life to remind her of all she’d been
missing out on.
Somehow she managed to pull away, her breathing still heavy and every nerve in her body
electrified. Was she really going to give in to what was between them? Was she really going to trust
him with her heart again? She thought of pushing him away, but instead she held on, burrowing herself
in his warmth. “Would it be okay if we take a bit of a walk to help clear my head, and then grab a
quick bite to eat before we head back? I still have to set up my laptop, and I’m woefully behind on my
work. Speaking of which—I must be keeping you from your own projects.”
“I’ve got a flexible schedule, and can work from home, most days. Besides, I’m part investor,
and it’s my brother’s company. He’s not going to give me a hard time when it comes to keeping you
safe.” With her still tucked in at his side, he started walking along the length of the beach.
“What kind of company is it again?” She couldn’t recall him mentioning any of the details.
“Now that might require a bit of show-and-tell.” He pressed a kiss to her temple, leaving her
to wonder how the hell he’d managed to weaken her defenses to such a point that they were now
cozying up to each other.
“Just so we’re clear—that little bit about tying me to your bed is not happening.” Even though
the mere thought of it had her going wet. But she knew how mischievous Keane could be and she’d be
completely at his mercy if she was bound.
“Would you rather be tied to the kitchen table? Or hung? The latter might take a bit more time
and effort to set up, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.” When she swatted at his chest, he held
her tight and laughed, quickly stealing a kiss. “What? Don’t think I’ve forgotten that you love it when I
take control.”
“Maybe I’ve changed. You don’t know that.” It made her crazy that he was so confident when
it came to her—her likes, her dislikes, everything about her—especially when the more she gave in to
him, the more she felt like she was on shaky ground that might give way out from under her at any
moment.
He stopped and pulled her to him, holding her tightly to him as he bent his head to hers and
caught her lip between his teeth. “And I’d be willing to bet that simply talking about it already has
you so wet and ready for me. Am I right? Or would you rather I check?”
“I didn’t think it possible, but you’ve become even more obnoxious as you’ve gotten older.”
Yet she couldn’t keep a straight face when he was smiling at her like that, all sex and mischief.
“Obnoxious? Well, that just earned you a spanking.” Catching her at her waist, he hauled her
up onto his shoulder as her laughter mixed with her curses, and his hand connected with her ass just
enough for it to sting.
“Ow! You’re such a bastard.” Yet she was loving every moment of it, even if she had no plans
on telling him that.
“Just wait until we get home…” Still giving her ass the occasional slap for good measure, he
carried her back to his car. By the time he finally put her down, she couldn’t help but laugh and
playfully smack his chest as he pulled her into his arms from behind and kissed her cheek. “You’ll be
cursing me every time you sit—and secretly hoping I’ll do it all over again.”
“Ha! You wouldn’t dare.” She wasn’t sure how he’d managed it, but somehow, he’d gotten
her to forget her problems, even if it was just for a short while—and he’d gotten her to laugh,
something she couldn’t remember doing in a very long time.
“Baby girl…you didn’t just dare me, did you?” He nipped at her ear, and then spun her around
in his arms so they were face to face, his mouth catching hers in a teasing kiss. “You’re in so much
trouble.”
She could only hope so.
***
By the time they got back to Keane’s home after a quick bite at a local diner, Lilly was so
desperate for him, it was all she could do to keep her hands off him. Instead, she focused her attention
on Juno, giving the wiggly dog a good scratch. Not that she could avoid Keane for long when he was
so determined.
“Come here, love.” As he pulled her to him, her heart quickened its pace until it felt like it
might jump out of her chest. It was one thing for the passion between them to take over and for them to
end up naked, but this was now feeling like a more conscious decision to go down that road, even if
he’d been teasing her for most of the day. Taking her in, he cupped her cheek, his brow furrowing.
“What has you looking so worried, all of a sudden?”
“Do I really need to answer that when I have a psychotic stalker?” It was still true, even if it
wasn’t what she’d been thinking of at that moment. “You saw those emails. He’s freaking out because
he doesn’t know where I am. And I’m swamped with work.”
“Work can wait until the morning, and Sirius doesn’t know where you are—and it’s going to
stay that way. You can’t keep worrying about this, or it’s going to do you in. But…I think I have just
the thing to help you relax.”
“If it involves getting me naked, Keane, you can guess again.” Yet when he started heading
toward the back of the house, her hand in his, she followed him, not quite ready to push him away just
yet.
“It does involve us stripping down, but not in the way you think. Busy as we’ve been, I never
gave you the full tour of the house, which means you don’t know about this…” Keane opened the
French doors and allowed her to step through. “What do you think?”
“Wow. That view is amazing. And the pool, the room…” On one side, a wall of glass
overlooked the ocean, whereas on the other side was a gorgeous view of the woods and gardens. The
pool ran nearly the length of the room, its waters shimmering an inviting aqua blue, lit from within so
the water glowed. A wood and glass ceiling let in the setting sun, while a spa butted up against the
pool, with a massive stone fireplace and seating area just beyond. “What exactly do you do for a
living again?”
With a laugh, Keane sidled up behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her
close, his erection pressing against her ass as he kissed and nipped at her neck. “I’ve made some
wise investments, is all. And just think…you could go for a swim every day if you moved in with
me.”
It was a damn tempting thought. And even more tempting was Keane as he shrugged out of his
shirt and kicked off his jeans and boxers.
She just had to laugh. “I swear, Keane, I’ve never seen anyone shed their clothes faster and
more frequently than you do.”
“That’s ’cause I refuse to waste any time when it comes to getting the two of us naked.” He
was already yanking her tee up over her head and flicking her bra off. “Off with the rest.”
“I’m glad I have a say in all this.” Not that she’d attempted to stop him.
Once again, she realized that if she didn’t put an end to what they were doing, she was making
a conscious effort to be with him, to risk having her heart broken again—yet she was tired of being
alone, tired of lying to herself about her feelings for Keane. And in some ways, she wondered if he
was the only one who could truly heal her.
“Would you rather go for a swim while dressed?” His hands skimmed over her ribs to skim
her breasts, his thumbs teasing her nipples as her back arched into him, silencing all her protests in a
needy whimper. “There’s my good girl. Finish getting undressed for me.”
She did as he asked, kicking off her shoes, before shifting her jeans down over her hips, along
with her panties, and stepping out of them once they hit the floor. Though it was relatively warm in the
room, despite the high ceilings, her skin still pebbled as a shiver worked through her spine.
“There. Happy?” With her hands on her hips, she aimed for cocky, but there was no hiding
just how much she wanted him, his lips curling in a cocky smile.
“I’ll be happier once you’re on your knees, Lilly.”
Chapter 12
Keane didn’t think it was possible for him to get any harder than he already was—until he
saw Lilly kneel before him on the cold, hard tile, her fingers wrapping around his hard length.
“Fucking hell, you’re gorgeous.”
“Is this what you want?” As she let her fingers slip down his shaft, she ran her tongue up to the
tip, flicking at the seam before she took him in her mouth, sucking him as her mouth slipped farther
and farther down his cock.
“Fuck, yes…”
And then she was pulling away with a smirk. “Well, that’s just too bad.”
Before he had a chance to grab her, she darted out of reach and with a teasing wave at the
edge of the pool, dove backward into the water, leaving him there alone, turned on, and shaking his
head with a smile.
If she wanted to play games, then he was happy to oblige her.
Keane dove in after her, and after just a few strokes, caught her, his arm tight around her waist
as he pulled her to him, eliciting squeals of laughter—and fucking hell, it was a sound he’d missed
almost as much as he’d missed her crying out his name when she came. “You’re in so much trouble,
babe.”
When she slipped her arms around his neck and smiled at him, it sent his heart thundering
inside his chest, her body warm and soft against his, with his cock trapped between them. And then
she bit his lip, the flicker of pain only adding to how badly he wanted her. “Is that so?”
Fucking hell, he loved her more than life itself. He’d half wondered if the new reality between
them would live up to what he’d built in his head over the years. And the truth was, he’d gotten it
wrong. It was so much better—and this was just the start of it. “I think you need your memory
refreshed—though I suspect you’re misbehaving because you desperately want to be punished.”
When she rocked her hips along his length, he shifted her onto his cock, swallowing her needy
moans in a hungry kiss as he filled her, her body stretched tight around his hard length. With his mouth
hungry on hers, she wrapped her legs around his waist as he gripped her ass in both his hands, lifting
her up along his cock as she rocked her hips, the feel of her fucking amazing. And she may have
misbehaved, but there’d be plenty of time later to do a thorough job of doling out her punishment,
knowing she’d enjoy every moment of it.
The warm water splashed around them to the rhythm of their fucking, as he broke away from
their kiss, to bite and suck at her nipples, the water salty on his tongue. Her back arched as he flicked
and teased her hardening nipple, her fingers knotting in his hair as their pace quickened.
He could tell she was getting close, but he wanted her to be desperate for him by the time she
did come. Tightening his grip on her ass, he pinned her against him to keep her from moving. “Not yet,
Lilly. You’re not to come until I let you. Am I making myself clear?”
She tugged on his hair and bucked her hips in response, and he swore, it nearly had him
coming then and there, especially when she was being so defiant. He loved her feistiness—just like
she loved it when he tried his best to wrangle it.
“And what if I come? Huh? What then?” The water dripped down over her skin, as her
intelligent green eyes caught the reflection of the blue water, her hips grinding against him so her clit
rubbed against the base of his cock.
It killed him to do it, especially when he was so close to coming himself, but he lifted her up
off his cock and spun her around, thrusting into her from behind as he held her to him with her back
pressed against his chest, her wrists trapped tight in his grip, and his mouth at her ear. “Now…where
were we?”
Each thrust was hard and intense, but with a long pause in between, as he struggled to hold
onto some semblance of control while riding that razor’s edge, the energy of his building orgasm
raging inside him. When she tried to pull her arms free, he knew she was desperate to slip her hand
between her legs so she could come. “Please, Keane…I promise I’ll be good…”
“You’ve been such a bad girl, Lil…” He pounded into her again while shifting both her wrists
into one hand so he could slip his other down between her legs, teasing her just enough to make her
crazy but without actually giving her any sort of release. “Is this what you want?”
“No. And you damn well know it.” She dropped her head back on his shoulder as he bit her
neck and raked his teeth over her racing pulse, her needy whimpers filling his head as they echoed in
the cavernous room, spurring him on. “Come on…this is just mean, Keane…”
His lips curled into a smile, thoroughly enjoying himself. “If you think I’m going to let you
come before I’ve spanked your ass red, then you can guess again. I, however…” Another hard thrust,
and he was done for, shooting his cum deep inside her as he held her tightly to him, his breathing
ragged and his heart racing. “I fucking love you, Lilly.”
“And that’s clearly evident by the amazing orgasm you just gave me. Not.” She glared at him,
though there wasn’t any real anger in her eyes.
He had to laugh. “Babe, do you truly have any doubt that your amazing orgasm isn’t on the
horizon? You know that I’ll eventually let you come—but first I want to get you thoroughly worked
up. After all, isn’t that what Slater did to Emmy in Riding the Bad Boy Biker?”
She pulled out of his arms with another glare, though this time he thought she might actually
murder him. “You’re such a bastard, Keane. I told you not to read my books.”
“And I never agreed to that, since I have every intention of reading every single one, because
they’re damn good, Lilly. I’m really enjoying them.” Reading her books and seeing her stories and
characters come to life made him feel close to her in a way he hadn’t anticipated and could have
never imagined. He could tell she wrote from the heart, that she poured her soul into every story. But
the last thing he wanted was to stress her out. “Come here, love…I hate it when you’re mad at me.”
When he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, her body floated up against his, and though
she let him hold her close, she still wasn’t looking too happy with him. “It’s not so much that I’m mad
at you, but rather…that it leaves me feeling vulnerable. Even though there are a lot of people reading
my books, they’re all strangers—but you…you already broke my heart once. It leaves me feeling too
exposed, Keane.”
He cupped her cheek and brushed his lips against hers in a hint of kiss, before stealing one
more. “I can understand that—I really can. But I promise, I won’t break your heart—and though you
may feel vulnerable because I’m reading your stories, I feel closer to you as a result. And…I hate to
say it, but I can see why Sirius has become obsessed with you. Your writing makes it so we’re
transported into your story, so we become the characters on the page. I have no doubt that he
envisions you as the heroine, and him as the hero—when we all know, without a shadow of a doubt,
that I’m the hero in all your stories.”
When she laughed and playfully swatted at him, he was relieved that his moment of levity had
worked.
“Maybe just a little.”
“Just a little? Well, I guess I’ll just have to work harder to inspire you.” With her still in his
arms, he walked them to the edge of the pool and sat her down on the edge before hopping out
himself. “Come on then…I do believe I owe you several spankings and a few orgasms.”
“No spankings, and several orgasms.” She let him wrap her up in a massive towel, though she
probably didn’t realize that he’d also cocooned her, so her arms were trapped under the soft fabric,
and she was now at his mercy.
Before she realized the trouble she was in, he tossed her over his shoulder and, ignoring her
curses and kicking, carried her toward his bedroom. “Baby girl, you don’t need to pretend with me. I
know all the dirty, kinky things you love—and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Especially since his
own preferences weren’t exactly vanilla.
“Maybe I’ve changed. You don’t know that.” She glared at him as he put her down in the
center of his room, though he kept his grip on the towel so she couldn’t get free just yet.
“A tiger doesn’t change its stripes, and who we are sexually certainly evolves, but unless
there’s been some sort of traumatic event, I don’t think most people’s preferences or kinks tend to
fade, though I suppose I could be completely off base.” He reached over and grabbed a roll of
bondage tape out of the dresser drawer, and then carefully grabbed her wrists while freeing her from
her towel. “Am I mistaken?”
She tried to yank her hands free of his grip, but he was already binding them together while
ignoring her glare. “Well, you sure as hell are taking a lot for granted.”
He thought a shadow darkened her eyes, but only for a moment. “Do you want me to stop,
Lil?”
“No…never.” Her answer was spoken on an exhaled breath, a blush creeping across her
cheeks.
He brushed the back of his fingers against her soft cheek, her skin hot to the touch. “Is your
safe word the same, baby girl?”
Wrapping his arm around her waist, he lifted her off her feet and carried her back toward the
bed, his cock already starting to go hard again as it brushed against her curves.
She let out a frustrated huff as he sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her to him. “Yes
—though I’m surprised you remember it.”
“Just like you were surprised that I remembered your favorite pizza.” He shook his head.
“Don’t you get it? I love you—and I know you better than I know myself. You’ve been my every
thought, my every dream, and losing you was my every fucking nightmare. So don’t act surprised that
you’re more familiar to me than the air I breathe, than my own heart, my own soul—because you’re
my everything. You’re all that’s ever mattered, Lil.”
Chapter 13
Fuck. Keane was killing her. Lilly’s heart was thawing faster than a snowball in a hot frying
pan, and it was making her an emotional mess. He cupped her cheek, running his thumb over her lips
as his blue eyes darkened with worry. “Are you okay, Lil?”
Truth was, she needed whatever release he was offering her, from mind-blowing orgasms and
amazing sex, to spankings and anything else he wanted. She needed all of it, especially if she had any
hope of letting go of her past hurts and heartaches. “Yeah, I’m fine. But I’m horny as hell, thanks to
your little stunt in the pool and I’m starting to freeze my ass off, so if you don’t plan on doing
something to remedy the situation, then I’d appreciate you untying me so I can take care of things
myself.”
His eyes narrowed as if trying to read her, her mood, what she was up for—and then he was
undoing her wrists. “Let’s get you warmed up then. We’ve got all night to tackle the rest.”
Getting to his feet, he pulled back the covers on his bed, before scooping her into his arms,
and setting her down against a pile of plush down pillows. He sidled up next to her and pulled the
covers over them, his body warm and comforting as he nestled himself between her legs, covering her
body with his so the chill receded. “A little better?”
She shimmied deeper in his arms, loving the feel of being surrounded by his muscular form.
“Yeah…much better.”
And then he started covering her in kisses, sweet and soft—her forehead, her cheeks, her
neck, her shoulders—as her body arched up under him, offering herself to him. Her hips rocked
against his hard length as she wrapped her legs around his, pulling him to her, desperate for some
relief.
He bit her shoulder and then pulled back just enough to look at her. “Babe…you’re being bad
—though I think you’ve warmed up quite nicely.”
Tossing back the covers, he knelt back as she ran her hands down his ripped abs to his hard
length. She looked him over, her heart hitching at the sight of him, stroking his cock, the skin silky soft
over hard steel. And fuck…but he had an amazing cock, both the girth and length generous—a cock
perfect for her romance novels, just like the rest of him. He was just so gorgeous…the ink, the broad
shoulders, the ripped abs, and those amazing blue eyes. “Keane…please.”
He grabbed her hand and removed it from his erection, though it looked like it took every bit
of willpower for him to do so. “On your hands and knees, facing the headboard—not my cock. At
least not yet.”
The mere implication of his words had her sex going wet as she did what he asked. She felt
him shift behind her, his hand running down her spine, applying pressure as he got to her shoulders so
that she’d lower her chest to the mattress, forcing her ass high up in the air. Turning her head to the
side, she rested her cheek on the pillow while trying to catch a glimpse of him, anticipating what
would come next, even as she felt her wetness slip onto her thighs.
He leaned forward so that his mouth was at her ear, his warm breath sending a shiver of need
through her. “Tell me, Lilly…is this what you want…what you’ve been craving all the years that
we’ve been apart? And please don’t lie to me. You’re already in enough trouble as is.”
She couldn’t help but let out a groan, but because he was so right. How many times had she
played through memories just like this? How many times had she gotten herself off thinking about
Keane doing this—this very thing…taking control, dominating her, giving her pleasure like no other
person was capable of? And yet admitting it always felt so difficult. “Why are you asking when you
know it’s true, Keane?”
Her cry escaped her lips before she could hold it back, his hand falling fast and hard against
her ass, while his lips, his words, drifted over her, tickling her ear, yet another sensation to the
pleasure and blossoming pain. “You’re so cheeky, babe. Do you really think it a wise idea?”
The next slap fell on the other cheek, flaming hot pain that melted into pleasure, and had her
clit aching for release. This…this was what she needed…for him to take control, to push her limits, to
overwhelm her so she could finally let go of years of pent-up, overwrought emotions in a blissful
release—and she needed it to be him. No one else could soothe her pain. But she needed more. “Is
that it? After seven years, I was thinking you’d make up for lost time.”
He shook his head with a laugh, while running his hand over her ass and slipping it down
between her legs. Plunging his fingers deep inside her, he pulled a lusty moan from her lips, though
she was still desperate for so much more. “Rest assured, Lil, I’m only just getting started.”
Leaving her empty once more, his hand fell against her ass repeatedly, the pain and pleasure
from one slap building upon the one before it, until she was crying out, her eyes watering as she
teetered on the verge of coming. And then he was behind her, thrusting into her so he was buried deep
inside her, the feel of it overwhelming—and exactly what she so desperately needed.
He pounded each thrust into her so she felt it deep in her bones and the far reaches of her soul,
until there was nothing else between them but the joining of their hearts. And just like that, all the hurt,
all the heartache, was healed over—the pain she’d held onto all those years now gone. It left her
feeling completely overwhelmed by her emotions, by what was between them, her tears slipping
down her cheek.
Sliding his hand along her back, he gathered up her hair and wrapped it around his fist, pulling
her onto her knees and back to him, as he wrapped her in his embrace, her back against his chest.
With one hand across her chest to pinch her nipples, his other dipped between her legs to tease her
swollen clit, his thrusts continuing to drive into her, his pace quickening, as he kissed the tears from
her cheeks. “I love you, Lilly…I’ll always love you. Now, come for me…I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
And just like that, he pushed her over the edge, her orgasm crashing through her as she
shattered in his arms, his name on her lips as he came with a final thrust, their bodies still but for their
heavy breathing and his cock pulsing deep inside her.
“Fuck…I love you, Keane. I don’t want to, but I do.” The realization of just how true her
statement was had her tears spilling over uncontrollably, even as she cursed herself for being an
emotional wreck.
Cradling her against him, he kissed her tears away, solidifying his hold on her heart. “No
tears, baby girl… Being in love with me isn’t that bad, is it?”
She couldn’t help but laugh a little, even as she swiped at her tears. “It better not be, this time
around. Or I swear, I’ll cut out your spleen and feed it to Juno.”
“Well, lucky for me, Juno’s on a strict diet of kibble and pizza crusts.”
***
Lilly sat at the breakfast bar in Keane’s kitchen, her hands wrapped around her mug of hot
coffee as she watched him cook her breakfast wearing little more than a pair of sweats, the muscles in
his back shifting under his skin and ink with each movement. “I didn’t realize that you could now
cook. You should have led with that. Might have worked to your advantage.”
“Now you tell me.” He gave her a crooked smile over his shoulder and got back to whisking
something in a bowl. “Jake got his culinary degree, so with a chef in the family, I was bound to pick
up some pointers.”
Lilly remembered Jake, one of Keane’s older brothers, and yet another gorgeous Foley man.
The entire family had been blessed with striking good looks. But holed up with Keane in his house,
especially now that things were better between them, it was easy to forget that there was still a world
out there chugging along. “I’ll need to spend a good part of the day working once I get my laptop set
up, so if you have any place you need to be, or if there’s stuff you need to do, don’t worry about me. I
have plenty to keep me busy.”
“You’re my only priority, Lil. Everything else can wait until we’ve found Sirius and know
he’s no longer a threat.” He turned away from what he was doing and leaned across the counter to
kiss her, his lips lingering as his kiss turned into a smile. “Until then, I promise to do everything I can
to keep you from getting bored.”
“Keane…I can’t just stay here indefinitely. I’ve got to head back to my place, eventually, and
I’ve got a convention coming up that I can’t miss.” She’d committed to the book signing over a year
and a half ago, and had promised her readers she’d be there. She couldn’t just back out of it now.
He came around the counter to her side, as his brow furrowed and his eyes darkened, giving
her a look she was all too familiar with. “Then you better hope we’ve found Sirius by then, or you’re
not going. It’s not up for debate.”
“I’m not trying to be stubborn about this, Keane. I know it’s dangerous and that Sirius will be
able to find me, but…I can’t live my life being scared. That’s something I refuse to do.” It wasn’t a
conversation she was ready to have with Keane. Needing a distraction for both of them, she shifted in
her seat to face him and wrapped her legs around his to pull him in close, loving the feel of his body
against hers, especially when she could feel him going hard against her aching clit. “Besides, this
signing’s overseas. I doubt he’d go to such lengths.”
“He’s obsessed with you, Lilly. So if you think something as simple as a plane ticket is going
to keep him away from you, you can guess again. And you might be willing to take chances with your
life, but I’m not.” His fierce intensity, especially when she was the focus of it and he was concerned
for her and her safety, made her realize why she’d never gotten over him. “Tell your readers you have
some personal stuff you’re dealing with and need to stay low-key for a short while. I’m sure they’d
understand.”
“They would—these ladies are nothing short of amazing. It’s just that I don’t want to
disappoint anyone.” She then had a thought, her smile kicking up as she pressed a kiss to his muscular
chest, his skin warm below her lips. “I just had the best idea. What if I get a few bodyguards for the
event? Young, sexy, built…preferably shirtless. My readers would love that.”
“No way, Lilly.” But he was laughing and shaking his head. “But I’ll tell you what... If you
don’t give me a hard time about this, and Sirius is locked up by then, I promise to personally escort
you to the event, and even go shirtless for you and your readers. But only if it’s safe.”
“Get Wyatt to join you, and you’ve got a deal.” Two sexy Foley brothers? Her readers would
be crazy happy—if it happened.
Keane gave her an apologetic look and stole a kiss. “I’d do it in a heartbeat, but you know
Wyatt’s in Ireland, love.”
“Which is why it’s a perfect scenario. It’s the Romance Readers Bash—and it’s in Dublin.”
Better yet… “What if we head over to Dublin anyway? I haven’t seen Wyatt in ages, and if Sirius
doesn’t know where I currently am, it’s another safeguard against him finding me. Besides, the event
is still a month away, so it’s not like anyone would automatically think I’ve headed over there.”
“Yeah…maybe. Getting away for a bit might be a good thing.” He looked like he was mulling
over all the pros and cons, and though she’d usually be stubborn about letting anyone have any say in
what she wanted to do, she knew he was just trying to keep her safe, and so far, he’d gone above and
beyond. “Let’s check with Hadley to see how things are coming along. Then we can see where we
stand and what our options are.”
It then occurred to her that it might be asking a lot of him to just drop everything and leave the
country with her indefinitely. “I feel like I’ve hijacked your life, Keane.”
She was sure this was not what he had in mind when he first showed up on her front lawn.
Most guys would have bailed at the first sign of any sort of complication. Instead, Keane was bending
over backward and going completely out of his way to make sure she was safe and taken care of.
She just hoped he didn’t suddenly find himself in too deep, since the last thing she needed was
for him to suddenly panic and bail on her, especially now that she’d fallen for him again—not that
she’d ever gotten over him.
“You’re my everything, Lil. You haven’t hijacked my life—you’ve made it worth living.”
Chapter 14
Keane cursed under his breath, though he was grateful Hadley had come in person to give him
the news. “If he’s some sort of computer genius who’s able to mask his identity and location, then
you’d think he’d be known to the authorities. Right?”
“I’m working my FBI connections, but they don’t see this as an imminent threat, which means
that this is low on their priority list, especially since tracking him is going to be difficult. But I’m
pulling strings and working with my own specialists.” Hadley let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m sorry this
is taking so long. But…every time we manage to track him, to uncover some info on him, it turns out
to be just another cover. I’ve just never seen anything so elaborate. Every email, every account and
profile we’ve been able to track leads nowhere in the end. Fake addresses, fake Socials, fake bank
accounts. He’s like a chameleon—or a ghost.”
Keane knew Hadley and her team were doing all they could, and at least Lilly was safe for
now. They’d find Sirius before he got to her, and that was all that mattered. “I understand it hasn’t
been easy, but spare no expense, Hadley. Do whatever it takes to bring this to an end.”
“I know. But it’s not a matter of money, or this would be done.” Hadley looked around.
“Where’s Lilly? Is she here?”
“Yeah… She’s been holed up in my office for the last few days, trying to catch up on her
writing.” Luckily, she’d been too busy with her work to give in to her worries about what was going
on. And when she wasn’t working, he was happy to distract her in his own way.
Hadley got to her feet and Keane escorted her to the door. “I’ll lean on a few more people to
try to get some answers, but in the meantime, just keep doing what you’re doing—stay low-key, and
stay safe.”
“I’m trying—but if he’s as smart as you say, it’s just a matter of time before he finds us, which
means we need him behind bars.” Luckily, he’d never been officially arrested or processed for his
drunken visit to Lilly’s, since she hadn’t wanted to press charges. And since he didn’t have any sort
of record, they’d been happy to just let him sober up in the cell without putting him into their system,
especially since he and his family were always doing charitable work in the area.
Also, since he’d been drunk, he’d taken a taxi and paid cash, so there wasn’t any record there,
nor would Sirius be able to track his license plate. Granted, there was a chance Sirius had been
watching Lilly the day after and may have seen Keane’s car, but given the sort of emails Lilly had
received afterwards, it was doubtful Sirius had been there.
Keane could tell Hadley was just as frustrated as he was that Sirius was still evading capture.
“You have my word, we’re doing all we can. I’ll be in touch.”
Locking the door behind Hadley, Keane mulled over their situation on his way to the office
where Lilly was working. He knocked quietly and then let himself in, though she barely looked up
from her laptop, other than to hold up her finger for a quick moment, asking him to wait. And then her
fingers were back to flying over the keys as he sat down on the other side of the sofa where she was
lounging sideways, pulling her feet into his lap.
He couldn’t help but look at her as she worked, her brow furrowed in concentration and her
lips moving ever so slightly as if finding the words that would breathe life into her story. He’d never
imagined her as a writer, given her technical background, and yet having read several of her books by
now, he couldn’t see her as anything else, her words pulling him in and painting a vivid picture filled
with passion and emotion.
“Sorry about that.” Lilly set aside her laptop on the end table, and gave him a smile, sitting
forward to steal a kiss. “I just had to get the rest of that down. If I don’t, there’s a good chance the
details will escape me, and it ends up making me crazy.”
“Hadley stopped by.” Keane hadn’t wanted to interrupt Lilly’s work—nor worry her, for that
matter, if there was bad news. And though he didn’t have any good news, it could be a lot worse.
“They’re still trying to find Sirius, but he hasn’t made it easy, though I don’t think he’s found us yet.”
“No…I don’t think he has, if his latest emails are anything to go by. He’s crazy, Keane.” She
shifted her legs around and snuggled against his side, as he wrapped his arms protectively around her
shoulders. “He thinks he’s Jax and I’m Erin, and that we’re fated to be together like in my story.”
“Damn fucking right he’s crazy, since we all know that I’m Jax to your Erin.” He gave her a
crooked smile, hoping his joke would help lighten the mood. They were already wound pretty tight
about Sirius, and he didn’t want it to get any worse.
“I suppose I should be glad that we can still laugh about this.” She shook her head, returning
his smile with a weary exhale. “So if you’re my Jax, does that mean you’ve got some sort of sex
playroom tucked away in this massive home of yours?”
“Would you like me to have one?” He had some stuff in his bedroom, but nothing so formal as
a playroom, since he never brought women back to his house. “It wouldn’t be a stretch, given that I
work for one of the premier sex toy manufacturers.”
That got her attention, her eyes going wide. “Your brother—Marshall, no less—started a sex
toy company? There’s no way…I can’t believe it. Which one?”
“Marshall’s not as innocent or straitlaced as you might think, love. He started Clio. Have you
heard of them?” He suspected she probably had if she used sex toys.
“Are you kidding?” She shook her head with a grin. “My Clio practically changed my life.
And afterwards, nothing else would do—well, except for you, I suppose.”
“You suppose?” He laughed, loving that she was now comfortable enough with him to be
busting his chops. “Maybe we need to take this back to the bedroom so I can eliminate any traces of
doubt.”
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she slipped her leg over his thighs and straddled his lap,
his cock immediately going hard as she rocked her hips along his length. Fucking hell, he’d never stop
wanting her.
He gripped her hips, kissing her with a hunger that’d never be satisfied, his tongue dancing
over hers as she knotted her fingers in his hair. He loved the feel of her in his arms, the weight of her
against his cock as her full breasts pressed against him—and loved that he finally had her back in his
life.
Lilly pulled away just enough to bite his lip with a mischievous smile, her gaze taking him in.
“I still can’t believe you somehow managed to finagle your way back into my good graces.”
“Which is exactly where I plan on staying. I’m never letting you go, Lil.” He’d marry her in a
heartbeat if he didn’t think she’d murder him for even thinking it.
When Juno growled and barked as if it was the one and only thing she’d been born to do,
Keane immediately thought of Sirius. He quickly shifted Lilly off his lap. “Stay here and lock the door
behind me. Don’t come out until I tell you it’s safe—and if need be, call the cops. Okay? The address
is 1070 Ocean Park Place.”
“Don’t go, Keane—or let me come with you.” She held onto him, worry lining her face as he
forced her to let go.
“I’ll be careful, okay? It’s probably nothing, but you need to stay here so I can focus on what’s
going on without worrying about you being in danger.” Reluctantly she nodded, though whether or not
she’d stay put was still doubtful.
Stepping out into the hall, he stole a final kiss, and then, once he heard the door lock behind
him, he headed toward Juno’s barking. He found her standing in a chair so she could bark and growl
out the window, her hackles up. Petting her, he tried to spot what had set her off. “What is it, girl?
What do you see out there?”
It wasn’t as if she never barked. With his home surrounded by a good number of trees, there
was plenty of wildlife to tease Juno and get her riled up. But he wasn’t going to take any chances and
ignore her when Sirius was still on the loose. He had security cameras around the house and at the
gates of his home, but that still left a lot of ground uncovered.
Well, fuck it. If someone was out there threatening all he cared for, he’d be damned if he was
going to stand idly by. Grabbing a baseball bat from the closet, he headed for the front door with Juno
on his heels. Stepping out onto the front porch, he locked the door behind him, and headed down the
stairs, though there was nothing obvious. No glimpse of anyone or any movement in the tree line,
nothing out of sorts or out of place. Juno did, however, dart just past him toward a tree, letting out a
random bark as if trying to call forth whatever it was that had her on the hunt.
Keane moved toward the tree line Juno was most interested in—and then he saw it. Crouching
down, he picked it up. It wasn’t much. Just a silver piece of paper—a gum wrapper. It could have
easily been carried in on the wind or by some bird or squirrel, and yet it looked as if it had just been
tossed there, still too new and shiny to have been left exposed to the elements. It could mean nothing
at all, and yet he didn’t like it one bit.
He stood and wandered through the woods a bit, taking the time to run along the perimeter of
his fence line, though there were no other signs of anyone having trespassed onto his property. Yet he
was now looking at his property from a different perspective. Suddenly, he could see all the ways
someone might be able to get past the fence—gaps where the ground was uneven, allowing enough
space for someone to potentially slip under the fence, overhanging branches from trees on the outside
the perimeter that could be climbed. It meant they were nowhere near as safe as he thought them to be.
Fuck.
Not wanting to leave Lilly any longer than was necessary, he headed back to the house, and
was greeted by her leaping into his arms. Bloody hell, nothing had ever felt as good as having her
back once more. “Are you okay, Lil?”
She nodded and leaned in to steal a kiss. “I was just so worried about you. You took so long,
and I didn’t know if I should call the cops or not. What happened?”
“I walked the fence to make sure it was secure, and though it looked fine, it wouldn’t stop
anyone from getting in if they were truly determined. And…I found this. It could have just blown in on
the wind, but it doesn’t look weathered, so I somehow doubt it.” He held up the gum wrapper, though
he was a bit surprised to see her eyes go wide and the color drain from her face. “Hey…what’s
wrong?”
“Please tell me that’s not a wrapper from cinnamon gum.” The panic and tremble in her voice
had him going on the alert, every muscle coiled tight and ready to attack—ready to protect her.
Holding the wrapper up to his nose, he took a deep breath, his head filling with the spicy
scent. “You need to tell me what’s going on—it’s cinnamon.”
She bit her bottom lip as her eyes went wide. “I think I know who Sirius is.”
Chapter 15
Lilly didn’t want to think about it—and she sure as hell didn’t want to have to explain it all to
Keane. It left her feeling embarrassed and stupid, vulnerable and broken—which was why she’d done
all she could to try to forget that part of her life. “His name’s Dylan. I dated him for a short while
after we split up. He had this habit of always chewing cinnamon gum.”
“How long were you together?” Keane’s jaw tightened, and she knew he wasn’t happy—not
that she needed him to give her a hard time about it when she already felt like crap.
“Long enough for me to fuck him, if that’s what you’re after.” Her hurt and frustration had her
lashing out. Sleeping with Dylan had been one of the biggest mistakes of her life—all in an attempt to
forget Keane, and to try to get over her broken heart.
“That’s fucking brilliant.” Keane started to pace the room, vibrating with jealousy and anger.
“So the guy who’s stalking you might be someone you’ve known all along, instead of a deranged
fan?”
“Yeah—if it’s him, which sort of feels like a long shot, since I haven’t seen nor heard from
him in seven years.” Why would he show up now all of a sudden?
“Seven?” Keane’s eyes widened incredulously. “Had my side of the bed even had a chance to
cool down before you let this asshole in?”
“Except that you were already keeping your cock warm elsewhere while I was in bed waiting
for you, so don’t you dare start with me, Keane.” When tears stung her eyes, she let out a stream of
curses under her breath.
He added a few curses of his own when he saw how upset she was, pulling her into his arms.
“It just makes me crazy to think of you with this guy.”
She sucked in a ragged breath, knowing she’d have to come clean about the sort of
relationship it’d been. “Keane…if it is Dylan…” The shudder raced through her body before she was
able to stop it, and she knew it hadn’t gone unnoticed.
Keane pulled back and cupped her face in his hands, his gaze taking her in as his eyes
darkened. “What the fuck did he do to you, Lil?”
“He was…rough—and not in a fun way. Of course, it didn’t start out that way. He’d been
sexy and sweet at the beginning. But then he started to get jealous and controlling. Wanted to
constantly know where I was, where I was going, who I’d been with, even if I was just going to class
or hanging out with friends.” And then things had gotten scary—scary enough that she didn’t want to
tell Keane, knowing he’d lose it. “I broke things off. Except that he refused to go. He kept begging me
to take him back, and freaking out when I didn’t. I should have called the cops, but I was too young
and stupid to realize how out of control he’d gotten.”
“What did he do, Lil?” This time, Keane’s voice was laced, not only with anger, but with
dread, clearly anticipating the worst—and he wouldn’t be wrong.
“He said he’d go in the morning, once and for all, if he could just hold me in his arms for one
more night. Of course, I refused to let him stay, which ended up just pissing him off.” She pushed the
memories from her mind with another shudder.
Keane brushed his thumbs across her cheeks and bent his head to hers, his body vibrating with
suppressed anger. “Did he fucking hurt you? Tell me what he did, Lil.”
Her tears spilled over, her voice cracking as she spoke. “Yeah, he did, but…I can’t relive all
that again. I’ve locked it all away, and did all I could to move past it.”
Keane looked ready to put his fist through a wall, ready to hunt down Dylan and murder with
him with his bare hands—and she loved him for it. “It’s my fucking fault. You know that, don’t you?”
“It’d be easy to blame you, Keane—and maybe I did for a while. But the truth is that Dylan’s
the only one at fault here. He’s the one who…” She let her words die on a choked sob she couldn’t
contain, her arms wrapping around Keane’s neck as he scooped her into his arms and sat down with
her in his lap, holding her tightly to him as he tried to soothe her with comforting words murmured
against her skin.
He kissed the top of her head, kissed her forehead and the tears on her cheeks, covering her in
sweet kisses, his mouth catching hers in a whisper, pushing her tears away until it was just the two of
them once more. He broke away from their kiss, though it was just enough for him to get the words
out, his stubble rough against the delicate skin of her face. “I swear, Lil…I won’t ever let him touch
you again. I’ll fucking murder him with my bare hands if he comes near you again, tear him limb from
limb.”
“I tried to press charges, you know. But…the cops didn’t want to pursue the assault charges
because his dad was a police officer in a neighboring town, so they let him off with a warning. And…
the rape…they said there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute, since we’d been in a relationship, and
he was claiming it was consensual.” Maybe things had changed in the last seven years. It certainly felt
like the police and the courts were more willing to prosecute rape cases, but when someone was well
connected, it still seemed like there were few willing to put their careers on the line once it involved
influential people who weren’t afraid to retaliate.
“Fuck, Lilly…” Keane was beyond furious, looking like a man ready to unleash his fury on
his mortal enemy—and worst of all, he looked heartbroken. “I need to get you someplace safe,
somewhere where he won’t be able to touch you. And I need him to fucking pay for what he’s done.
Need to find him…”
“We should tell Hadley. It’d give her another direction to look in, though…honestly, Keane,
the sort of computer knowledge she’s been talking about doesn’t sound like Dylan. None of it does,
which is why I hadn’t thought to mention him.” Especially since she hadn’t wanted to tell Keane what
had happened.
“What’s his last name?” He was already pulling out his phone and texting Hadley the details.
“It’s West—Dylan West.”
***
It didn’t take long for Hadley to get back to them, and by the sounds of it, Keane wasn’t happy.
“It has to be him… Yeah, I understand. It just doesn’t make sense. Fuck… Okay, thanks…”
“It’s not him, is it?” Lilly slipped her hand into Keane’s, needing that physical connection to
reassure her that everything would be all right.
“He’s been locked up for the last two years after he got into a bar fight and nearly killed a guy
who looked at him the wrong way.” Keane shook his head. “Who the fuck were you dating, Lilly?”
“Well, clearly, I have horrible taste in men.” She pulled her hand free of his, annoyed at his
implication that she somehow should have known better than to date Dylan, when the truth was, he’d
done a damn fine job of masking his temper until it was too late.
“Lil…that’s not what I meant.” When she pinned him with an incredulous stare, he relented.
“Okay…maybe I did mean it. But only because I’m so fucking frustrated and pissed off at myself that I
let this happen to you—that I didn’t even fucking know about it, and you’d gone through this all on
your own.”
“I wasn’t completely alone. Wyatt…I couldn’t bear to see you after it happened, but I was so
fucking scared Dylan would come back, so…I called your brother.” She couldn’t help but cringe,
knowing Keane was going to be furious—and he was. “Before you go getting angry with him, I made
him promise not to tell you. It’s not his fault.”
“Are you fucking kidding me, Lil? Wyatt knew that you were beaten and raped and he didn’t
bother to fucking tell me? And you don’t want me to be angry with him?” He shook his head and
started to pace, every movement, every muscle, tense. “He’s just lucky that he’s in Dublin right about
now.”
“It was my decision to keep this from you, Keane—not your brother’s. And don’t you think
that maybe he agreed to it because he knew how you’d react?” Because right about now, Keane
looked capable of murder, as he stalked the room like a wild animal caged.
“How else am I supposed to fucking react?”
It’s not that she couldn’t understand his anger, but things were different between them when it
happened.
“I couldn’t tell you, Keane—and frankly, I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want you to look
at me like I was damaged, like I was some sort of idiot for getting myself into that sort of situation.
And I couldn’t risk you going after Dylan and getting yourself in trouble.”
“The only one in trouble is that fucking asshole for laying a finger on you—and I’ll be sure he
fucking pays for it.”
Chapter 16
Keane had never been so fucking angry before—and he’d never been so devastated. He was
such a fucking asshole. If he hadn’t cheated on Lilly, they’d have still been together—and that fucking
animal wouldn’t have touched her. The fact that Wyatt knew all these years and never told him…that
only added to the torrent of emotions he was feeling.
“Don’t you dare, Keane.” Lilly fisted his shirt in her small hands, all but shaking him. “I need
you here with me—and not locked up in jail because you went off to exact revenge.”
“And what about Wyatt? Are you trying to tell me that he was more level-headed than I am?”
He couldn’t fucking believe his brother sat idly by and did nothing—and if he did, then the two of
them were going to have problems far bigger than the fact that Wyatt didn’t tell him about Lilly being
assaulted.
“I made him give me his word not to pursue it while I still had him on the phone, before he’d
even come over. And in his defense, I don’t think he quite realized what he was agreeing to—” She
let out a weary sigh that all but killed him. “Nor the severity of what had happened. So don’t be angry
with him, Keane. He only did what I asked.”
“Which was to keep this from me.” He wanted to shake her until she saw sense. Didn’t she
fucking understand that he would have been there for her? “You should have called me—not my
brother, Lil.”
“How could I? Are you fucking kidding me?” Her eyes shimmered with threatening tears, but
when he tried to pull her into his arms, she batted him away. “You broke my heart, Keane—you broke
me. And at the time, my heart was a gaping hole of a raw wound—and that was under the best of
circumstances. Do you know what it would have done to me to have to face you after what Dylan put
me through? It would have killed me. And don’t think it was easy for me to face Wyatt either, for that
matter—or anyone else.”
Fuck. He wanted to hurt the bastard, and he wanted to put his fist through a wall. Wanted to
fucking go on a rampage as his rage stormed inside him. “I don’t even know what to say, Lilly. I know
I fucked up by cheating on you—but this…I never could have imagined that my mistake had cost you
so much.”
Was it any wonder that she’d pushed him away all those years, why she’d avoided him at all
costs, why she hated him for what he’d done? He didn’t even know how to fucking deal with the
emotional cluster-fuck that was brewing inside him.
“I don’t blame you for what happened to me, Keane.” But when her tears finally spilled over,
he fucking hated himself for all she’d had to endure because of his failures, even if he knew Dylan
was the one responsible for the abuse.
This time, when he pulled her into his arms and kissed her tears away, she let him, even if it
felt like he could barely take a breath through his anger. He needed more, needed to vent his
frustration and find a way back to what they had, needed the intimacy between them. Yet how could
he take her after what she’d been through? He then thought of all the times in the last few days that
he’d taken her rough and hard, and it fucking did him in. He was such a fucking asshole.
Despite all of it, they had bigger problems that required their immediate attention. Finding a
way through all this would have to wait until he got her someplace safe, because if the stalker wasn’t
Dylan, then they were back to not knowing who was after her. She was still in danger. “We need to
get you out of here. Even if that wasn’t Dylan out in the woods, I don’t know that I can keep you safe
here.”
“Are you still thinking we should go to Dublin for a bit? Or maybe someplace completely new
would be best.” When her eyes clouded over, he knew she was now avoiding Dublin because of
Wyatt and what happened to her—and it fucking pissed him off that she had to maneuver through her
life to avoid her hurts and heartaches.
“We’re going to Dublin to see Wyatt.” Especially since he and his brother had some
unfinished business to attend to—and Wyatt had a whole lot of explaining to do.
“Keane…I know that look. This is not Wyatt’s fault, so don’t go blaming him for not telling
you what happened.” Her glare wasn’t swaying him any. Not in the foul mood he was in.
“That’s between me and my brother—now go pack your things. We’re leaving first thing.” As
soon as he could get a plane readied. “Do you have your passport?”
“At my house—though I’m not going anywhere unless you promise me that you won’t harass
Wyatt over what happened.” With her arms now crossed in front of her chest, she was certainly
looking determined—not that it mattered.
“Like I said, that’s between me and Wyatt. And you are going whether it’s under your own
steam or trussed like a Christmas fucking goose.” She was making him absolutely bat-shit crazy, like
a madman pushed completely over the edge.
“Oh, yeah…security at the airport would just love that one. So guess again.” Her smug look
made him want to ravish her into submission, made him want to fuck her until she agreed to anything
he asked of her—and yet he couldn’t after all she’d been through, and it fucking pissed him the hell
off. “Promise me, Keane. Promise me to leave this alone when it comes to Wyatt. The last thing I
want to do is to dredge this all up again, so that he’s back to looking at me the way you’re now
looking at me—like you pity me, like I’m damaged and broken, like you can’t bear to look at me,
’cause it makes you think of what Dylan did to me. But that’s why I need you to let this go. It’s bad
enough to have you looking at me like that—I don’t need it from Wyatt too.”
He twined his fingers with hers, desperate to erase the pain she was going through. “That’s
not how I’m looking at you, Lil. But if you think I don’t blame myself for what happened, then you’re
mistaken.”
“And you’re lying. Because I can see that you want to fuck me and put me over your knee, but
then you remember that some asshole fucking raped and beat me, and you’re thinking twice about
wanting me.” Even the mere mention of her abuse as she spat out the words was enough to have his
heart breaking all over again.
“How am I supposed to pin you to the wall and take you rough—how the fuck am I supposed
to tie you up and slap your ass until you can’t fucking sit, knowing what that bastard put you through?”
He sunk to his knees before her, broken, feeling like he’d failed her yet again. But then she held him to
her, trying to soothe his hurt as his arms wrapped around her, and he swore to himself that he’d never
let her go.
“You have to, Keane…” She ran her fingers through his hair and cupped his cheek as he
looked up at her, her touch reminding her that this was about her—not him, not his hate, nor his pain.
Hers. And he needed to do right by her. “The way I keep Dylan from winning is by keeping control
over that part of my life. If I lose the things that give me pleasure and make me feel whole because of
him, then that means he’s won. It means he has control over me—and I’m not going to let that
fucking happen.”
Turning in to her touch, he pressed a kiss into the palm of her hand, and then stood up and
scooped her into his arms, cradling her to him as he carried her to his room. She shifted out of his
arms and to her feet, nuzzling him as she stole one kiss and then another, even as his head swam with
thoughts of her being abused at the hands of that monster. But he had to do this…had to find his way
back to what they had mere hours ago. Because there was no way he could let that fucking bastard
come between them.
Knotting his fingers in her hair, he pulled her head back, his jaw tense as he fought through his
emotions. “Strip down naked, and get on your knees, Lilly.”
Taking a step back, she did as he asked, removing one piece of clothing after the other as he
yanked his tee up over his head and then unzipped his jeans, shifting them down over his hips and
kicking them off so that they both stood there naked. He didn’t have to say another word as Lilly
stroked his hard length while lowering herself to her knees, her eyes locked on his, though it left him
wondering if it was so she could see that it was him and she was safe, rather than the man who’d
abused her.
Fuck…he still couldn’t get his thoughts straight, couldn’t stop that fucking bastard from
invading his thoughts, even if Keane knew she needed this. But then she was running her tongue up his
length and along his slit with a flick, her lips wrapping around his cock, so he could do nothing but
fist her hair and thrust forward so she’d take more of him with each pass.
She sucked him hard, her tongue swirling and teasing as her hands worked his shaft and
stroked the soft spot behind his balls, forcing him to try to contain the building energy of his orgasm.
Tightening his fist in her hair, he pulled her back to show her he was the one in control, setting the
pace he wanted as he fucked her greedy mouth. “That’s it, babe…take all of it…just like that.”
Fucking hell…it was near impossible to hold back, his pace quickening as he forced her to
take all of him, which she did eagerly, as if urging him on with her needy moans, the vibrations
enough to push him over the edge. With a primal grunt, the energy of his orgasm broke free, his cock
pulsing as he shot his cum down her throat, loving how she hungrily swallowed it, her eyes still
locked on his.
He loosened the fist he had knotted in her hair so she could pull back, his cock slipping free of
her red bee-stung lips as he ran his fingers down her cheek. As she stood, she slowly trailed kisses
over his abs and up his chest and neck, until his mouth was hungry on hers—but only for a moment.
With his hands rough on her hips, he spun her around and shifted her onto the bed, landing a
hard slap across her ass before he could give it too much thought. Now was not the time to start
overthinking things. He just needed to run on pure instinct and primal desire, or his thoughts would
start to get in the way.
Kneeling on the bed by her side, he let his fingers dance over her skin as he covered her back
in kisses, trailing them up her spine and over her shoulders. Raking his teeth over her neck, his hand
drifted down her plump ass cheeks and over her slick sex, dipping in just enough to tease her, loving
how she pushed back against his hand, in search of more. “Tell me what you want, love. Tell me that
you want this…that you’re mine…”
Rocking back toward his touch, his fingers slipped inside her, her sweet cunt dripping wet for
him. “I want you to fuck me, Keane…and I want you to make me forget that I once wasn’t yours.”
“Babe…you’ve always been mine. Even if you didn’t know it.”
Chapter 17
Lilly couldn’t help but shift her ass back against Keane’s hand, desperate for him to make her
come, over and over again, to make her come until she could think of no one but him, could think of
nothing but what was between them, her demons banished to the hell they came from. And if anyone
could make her forget what she’d gone through, it was Keane. He was such an intense force, all-
consuming…and it forced her to focus on him, on them, on what he was doing to her—not on the parts
of her that still felt broken.
The slap against her ass had her biting back a cry of surprise, even as the searing pain
bloomed into pleasure, pulling her from her thoughts and back to the present, while pushing Dylan
into the shadows. Her pussy gushed in response to the pleasure and pain, leaving her desperate for
anything and everything that Keane could offer her.
“It’s not enough, though, is it?” He pushed two fingers into her slick heat, pulling them out to
smear her wetness against the bud of her ass before plunging his fingers deep inside her once more.
He slowly finger-fucked her as her hips writhed against him in search of relief, when he pressed his
thumb against her ass, forcing it past the tight ring of muscle—and she swore, it was nearly enough to
have her coming. Nearly…
“More, Keane.” She could hear the desperation in her own voice, but didn’t care.
“Sweetness…” He pulled free of her body and leaned over her to access the drawer in his
nightstand, even as he bit her earlobe, his words sending a shiver of need straight through to her core
so that her clit ached, swollen and heavy. “I decide what you get and when. I decide if you’ll be
allowed to come. I decide if I’m going to fuck that sweet cunt of yours or if I’ll fuck your ass—if I
decide to fuck them at all. Maybe I’ll just leave you teetering on that edge, desperate for me to touch
you. Because you’re mine, and no one else’s, Lilly—and I’ll be the one to decide. I’m the one in
control of your pleasure.”
His words nearly did her in—and she knew how screwed up that must seem, given what
Dylan had done to her. And yet, for her, it was exactly what she needed. She needed to be able to let
herself go, and trust that the person she was with only had her best interests in mind. She needed to
replace that fear with pleasure, so that she could let go of what happened to her and move past it.
Others may have different ways of coping or overcoming that sort of trauma and violation, but
this was what she needed. She needed Keane to push her over the edge, needed him to overwhelm her
so there was no room for anything but him and her, and what was between them—total trust.
The lube was cold and wet against her ass, making her body tense in anticipation. She knew
what was to come, since Keane had gone there before, years earlier: the lure of the forbidden, the
pinch of pain, the overwhelming fullness, the heightened sensitivity to each touch as if every nerve
was electrified. The anticipation always left her both on edge and excited.
“To start with…” It wasn’t his cock pressing against her ass. The tapered end of a plug—or
was it a vibe?—was slowly pushed past her opening until it was seated firmly, the shaft filling her,
leaving her feeling overwhelmed so she couldn’t keep her heart from racing. He pressed one kiss
after another along the slope of her shoulder, so that a shiver rippled over her skin. “Just relax, love.”
She did as he asked, letting go of the tension in her muscles, allowing her body to adjust to the
intrusion. But instead of taking her from behind, he lay back against the pillows, and pulled her to him
so she could straddle him, gripping his cock so he could position himself perfectly as she slowly
lowered herself onto his thick erection.
“Fuck, Keane…I’m going to come.” She could barely take a breath, overwhelmed by the
feeling of fullness, and by the position she was in, her swollen clit brushing against his body. She was
teetering on the edge—an edge Keane pushed her over when he sat up and caught her nipple between
his teeth and sucked it into his mouth.
Her orgasm crashed over her, leaving her crying out and trembling in his arms as he held her
to him, thrusting up into her, to milk every last wave of pleasure from her body. “Babe…that was too
quick—especially since I’m nowhere near done with you.”
Cupping her ass in his strong hands, he shifted her along the length of his cock, thrusting up
into her, as he left her feeling overwhelmed once more, especially after having just come, her clit too
sensitive. She just felt so full, so tight, the plug and his huge cock vying for what little space there was
—and it heightened everything, her skin pebbling in waves as one sensation after another electrified
her body. He swallowed her gasps and moans with his demanding kisses, so she could think of
nothing but holding onto him as he fucked her from one orgasm to the next, the energy inside her
already building.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and held onto him, needing him more than the air she
breathed. How she’d managed all these years without him, she didn’t know, and though he’d fucked
up and broken her heart, having him back in her life meant everything.
“You have me on the edge of coming again, Lil…” When he removed the plug, she nearly
came again. But before she had the chance, he was slipping her off his cock, and rolling her onto her
back. “All of you, baby girl…I want every part of you to know me intimately, to know that you belong
to me and no one else.”
Running his hands up her legs, he shifted her knees toward her, so her hips tilted up, opening
her up to him as he added more lube. With his eyes locked on hers, he pushed his cock against her
slick ass, slowly easing himself into her, little by little, forcing her to take more of him with each
thrust, her body stretched tight around his hard cock. The feeling was intense, although the pinch of
pain quickly mellowed into a pleasure that had her gushing for him.
Lowering himself to her with his elbows propped on either side of her head, he slowly started
to move as he kissed her lips, her cheeks, her forehead, covering her in sweet and gentle kisses as he
fucked her ass. The discomfort subsided as her body relaxed and adjusted to the intrusion. But with
the base of his cock grinding against her swollen clit, she was on the edge of coming once again.
His pace started to quicken as her legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him deeper into her,
his mouth now hard on hers as he swallowed her cries and her orgasm tore through her, her body
quivering in his arms as he joined her. He let out a primal grunt as he came, finally slowing with a
few punctuated thrusts as his cum filled her and she rode through the tremors of her orgasm, her
breathing heavy under the weight of him.
“Fucking hell…I love you, Lil.” He slowly pulled out of her, the feeling once more
overwhelming until their bodies were finally unlinked and she was left only with the welcome
soreness of the intrusion and his cum spilling out her ass.
And when he gathered her tenderly in his arms and cradled her to him, it left her overwhelmed
once more, though this time it was with the feeling that she was finally safe, that she had finally
returned to her heart’s home.
“I love you too, Keane.”
***
Lilly couldn’t believe Keane already had them on a plane to Dublin. He’d thought it best they
get out of town until Sirius could be found, though she half suspected he’d have her hopping across
the globe before long, if it meant staying one step ahead of her stalker. After picking up her passport
and dropping Juno off at Marshall’s place, where she’d be spoiled rotten, Keane had made sure they
weren’t being followed, and then had them on a private jet, refusing to even think about taking a
public flight.
They hadn’t spoken about Dylan since she first confessed what had happened to her, and that
suited her just fine, though she was worried about what might happen when they finally met up with
Wyatt. She knew Keane was furious with his brother for keeping her secret, but the truth was, she was
immensely grateful that he had. Wyatt had been there for her when she was desperate, even if she
knew that it hadn’t been easy for him to stand idly by.
They were flying over the western part of Ireland when Keane got a call from Hadley.
Something was up. Lilly tried to figure out what was going on by listening to the one-sided
conversation, and by the sound of it, they may have finally caught a bit of a break in the case, albeit a
small one. Keane hung up the phone and shifted to face her, knotting his fingers with hers. “Turns out
Dylan might currently be in prison, though Hadley is looking into the possibility that he may still be
behind your stalking, somehow orchestrating it all from his cell.”
“How the hell can they allow him to do that?” The fact that Dylan was still tormenting her
after all these years was infuriating, especially when he was doing it from the confines of prison. She
didn’t know if he’d somehow managed to finagle special privileges, but it wouldn’t surprise her.
“Hadley’s looking into who he might have regular contact with, and whether or not there’s a
way to trace his Internet activity. With some luck, it’ll give her enough information to track down
who’s acting on his behalf—if Dylan’s actually the one behind all this.” Keane looked as frustrated as
she felt, and just below the surface, she could still see his anger bubbling and brewing, like a
poisonous mixture of hate and revenge. For him, her attack and rape had just happened.
“I’m okay, you know. I wasn’t always, but now…I think of it less and less.” She’d had to try
to push it out of her mind or it’d end up consuming her, defining her, and she refused to let Dylan
make her feel like a victim for the rest of her life.
Keane’s eyes clouded over and he looked away, focusing his attention on their linked hands.
“Is that why the guys in your stories are always so protective of the women they’re in love with?”
“I suppose so, although…they are romances. It wouldn’t be very romantic if the hero of the
story didn’t care enough about the heroine not to want to keep her from harm.” She gave him a bit of a
shrug, and nestled herself against his side, so he’d have to wrap his arms around her.
“I should have been there, Lilly. I should have been there to keep you safe. And you have my
word, I won’t fail you again. Not ever.”
She hoped he was right.
Chapter 18
Keane watched as Wyatt pulled Lilly into a hug that lifted her a foot off the ground, so that his
anger with his brother was now also stoked by jealousy. He’d always wondered if Wyatt secretly had
a crush on Lilly, though he’d at least had the decency not to pursue the matter, even after their
breakup. And maybe that was another reason why it pissed Keane off to no end that Lilly had turned
to his brother after Dylan’s attack.
Wyatt finally put Lilly down, kissing the top of her head, before turning to him. Keane gave his
brother a big hug, since it’d been a good six months since he’d last seen him—and then he took a step
back and landed a fist to his brother’s face, even as Lilly tried to pull him away. “You’re a fucking
bastard, Wyatt. You should have fucking told me.”
“Bleeding hell.” Wyatt touched his cheek where the punch had landed, though his focus was
on Lilly, as if asking for confirmation on the reason behind the punch. All she could do was nod. “I
couldn’t tell you—you know that, right?”
Lilly yanked on Keane’s hand and stepped between them. “I already told you, Wyatt had no
choice, so if you want to be angry with someone, be angry with me.”
“I’ll fucking be angry with whomever I want—so if you think you’re off the hook, Wy, you can
fucking guess again.” Keane had every right to be pissed off.
“Well, if you’re done smashing your fist into my face, how about I get us a whiskey?” Wyatt
grabbed Lilly’s bag before Keane had a chance to, and padded barefoot into the loft he’d recently
purchased in the heart of Dublin. He set her bag just inside a guest bedroom, and then turned to Lilly,
clearly ready to stir up trouble, if his grin was anything to go by. “Here’s your room, love. Keane…
You can take the one across the hall.”
“Real fucking funny.” Keane dropped his bag next to Lilly’s, giving his brother a look of
triumph, although he knew Wyatt was just busting his chops, like brothers always do. “Where’s that
whiskey you promised us?”
“Impatient bastard.” Wyatt gave him a cocky smile while slinging his arm around Lilly,
heading toward the living room with her tucked at his side.
Lilly poked Wyatt in the ribs with a shake of her head, and slipped free to go to Keane’s side,
letting him pull her into his arms as he sat them down on the sofa. “I’m not getting in the middle of you
guys trying to push each other’s buttons. Thanks, but no thanks.”
At least Wyatt’s antics seemed to have alleviated some of the tension in the room, and if
Keane knew his brother, he was sure it’d been a calculated move on his brother’s part. Wyatt had
always been quick to pick up on a situation and defuse it. And it helped that his humor seemed to have
eased Lilly’s tension. Although Wyatt was a good friend of hers, Keane was sure it couldn’t be easy
for her to see him again, given that he knew everything she’d gone through. It couldn’t be easy for her,
and yet, Wyatt’s humor and good nature seemed to help keep her darkness at bay, and for that, Keane
was grateful.
Wyatt handed him a whiskey, and then popped the top off a bottle of cider for Lilly. Looked
like his brother hadn’t forgotten what she liked either. Luckily, Keane knew whose bed she’d be
sleeping in, and was able to set aside Wyatt’s teasing, knowing it wasn’t anything more serious.
“So, what’s going on? Not that I’m not happy to see you guys. It’s just rather unexpected.”
Wyatt sat down in the leather club chair next to them, stretching out his long legs in front of him. He
might be younger than Keane by a year, but he was a good two inches taller. And that was saying
something, given that Keane himself was several inches over six feet.
“Lilly has a stalker—and we think Dylan West is somehow involved.” Keane told him
everything—Lilly being an author, the emails, the escalation, Sirius leaving her flowers on her
pillow. “I just figured it might be best if we took off for a bit.”
“That fucking asshole…I’m going to fucking kill him.” Wyatt’s hands clenched into fists, and
he looked ready for murder.
“Get in line. That bastard is mine.” Keane pulled Lilly close, worried about her. “Although
our first priority is to keep Lilly safe. We keep her safe, find that fucking demented asshole, and put
an end to this.”
Lilly sat up out of Keane’s arms, dividing her scolding glare between him and Wyatt. “And
who the hell’s going to keep the two of you safe if you go after this guy? We don’t even know who he
is—because he’s not Dylan—and that means that we don’t know what he’s capable of. I refuse to
have the two of you putting yourselves in danger because you want revenge—especially when that
revenge is mine, not yours. Do you hear me? And it’ll be my decision whether or not to exact it. I
won’t have you guys doing something stupid or putting yourselves in danger because of it.”
“Baby girl…” When he went to grab her hand, she slapped it away, making him smile, her
feistiness just one of the many things he loved about her.
“No. Don’t you ‘baby girl’ me, Keane.” Lilly shook her head, splitting her glare between
Keane and Wyatt. “The two of you are to behave yourselves. It’s bad enough trouble has a way of
finding us without you guys going and looking for it.”
Keane had no intention of making promises he couldn’t keep, especially not to Lilly. His lies
and betrayal had fucked up their relationship once, and though he had no intention of screwing up
again, that didn’t mean he’d stand idly by and let someone harass her, especially if the man who’d
assaulted her was involved.
Luckily Wyatt saved him by changing the subject. “So…you write bodice rippers now?”
Keane supposed he was relieved that Wyatt hadn’t known about her career either. Not that he
was really jealous. Just crazy about Lilly.
Lilly’s eyebrows perked up and her lips pursed in subdued humor. “Contemporary and
paranormal romances—not bodice rippers.”
“Now, that’s not terribly accurate. Is it, babe?” Addressing Wyatt, he said, “Try outrageously
hot and explicit romances—which you are not to read.”
“Hey…now that’s not fair.” Wyatt leaned back with a teasing smile for Lilly, and took a long
sip of his whiskey. “How long are you guys staying in town?”
“As long as it takes to lock up this asshole and eliminate any other threats.” Because if Dylan
was the one behind Lilly being stalked, then he needed to be held accountable and it needed to come
to a stop. Keane needed to know Lilly would be safe.
“Well, your timing for a visit couldn’t be any more perfect. The club is opening this
weekend.” Wyatt was all but vibrating with excitement about his project—something he’d been
working on diligently for the last year.
“I’m fucking proud of you, Wyatt. You’ve busted your ass to get this done.” And he’d done it
alone, too.
“It hasn’t been without its problems, but it feels good to finally have it completed.” There was
more worry in his voice than Keane was expecting to hear, and it left him wondering just what sort of
problems Wyatt had encountered. “It looks fucking amazing.”
Lilly gave Wyatt a smile while settling against Keane’s side. “So…what kind of club is this?”
Keane just had to shake his head with a smile. “The sort of club you write about in your
books.”
Her jaw dropped open and she spun to face Wyatt with a sly grin. “You dirty dog.”
“Guilty as charged, love.”
***
Keane knew he couldn’t keep Lilly locked up inside until they’d caught Sirius, but being out
and about as they walked around Dublin with the bustling crowds of people had him on edge. Sirius
could walk right by them—could be following them—and they wouldn’t know it, since they still
didn’t have any clue as to who he was or what he looked like.
Without having to say a word to Wyatt, his brother flanked Lilly’s other side, so she was
protected as Keane kept her tucked in close. They might be taking up a fair bit of the sidewalk
walking three abreast, not to mention looking rather formidable given his and Wyatt’s height and
build, but he didn’t care, if it kept her safe. “Where are we heading, Wyatt? Are you taking us to the
club for a sneak peek before we grab dinner?”
“Nah…I want you to see it in all its glory when it’s hopping with people this weekend. We’ll
just grab a bite and head out for a pint. It is Dublin, after all.” Wyatt had lived in the city for a few
years now, and he steered them through the streets like a native.
Maybe it was the amount of people zipping past them or the unfamiliarity of his surroundings,
but Keane was starting to feel tense, his gaze wandering over the crowds and glancing over his
shoulder. He’d feel a hell of a lot less tense if Wyatt would just sit them down somewhere for a bite.
“Everything okay?” Lilly looked up at him, worry darkening her green eyes in the fading light
of the setting sun, as the sky behind her streaked in coral and sapphire.
He leaned over and kissed her, not wanting her to worry or ruin her evening. “It’s nothing,
love. Just keeping an eye out, is all.”
“This is it—hands down, my favorite place to grab a bite. The food is to die for, though it’s
more comfort than gourmet.” Wyatt held the door open for them, allowing Lilly to enter first—which
gave him the opportunity to catch Keane’s attention, a questioning and worried look on his face, as if
asking if there was an imminent threat.
Keane shrugged in response, because the truth was, he hadn’t a clue if Sirius had somehow
managed to follow them to Dublin. The thought of something happening to Lilly again, the thought that
he might not be able to keep her safe, was messing with his head. As if understanding exactly what he
was going through, Wyatt put a hand on Keane’s shoulder, and then followed behind Lilly as they
were seated at a table in the front of the restaurant with a great view of the bustling city as night fell.
Of course, Wyatt was already on a first-name basis with the pretty waitress, turning on the
charm and shamelessly flirting with her. Once she had gone to get them their drinks, and they’d been
left with menus to browse, Keane couldn’t help but shake his head at his brother. “You’re hopeless.”
Wyatt balked in protest. “What? Maire’s pretty; I’m single. Sexy. Rich. In demand…”
“And you’ll never change.” Keane pulled Lilly close, happy that they were seated in a booth
—and even happier that she was his once more. He’d found his one, his true love, and scary as it was
to have her be his everything, he knew all too well what life was like without her, and it wasn’t a life
worth living.
“I might change—if I find the right girl.” Wyatt gave Lilly his most dazzling smile, though
Keane knew he was doing it just to push his buttons.
Maire returned with their drinks, and though she was still smiling at Wyatt, her focus had also
shifted to Lilly, looking at her for a moment, and then looking back at her again, practically staring,
though it was clear she was trying not to. “Bleedin’ Nora… It is you. I can’t believe it. Piper Skye…I
swear, I’m your biggest fan and I’ve read every single one of your books a dozen times. Those men of
yours…sweet mother of jeezus.”
While Lilly and the waitress chatted away happily, Wyatt caught Keane’s attention, his eyes
wide in disbelief and a grin on his face. All Keane could do was laugh with a shake of his head.
“Believe it or not, they’re fantastic reads, and it makes no difference that they’re romances.”
Maire pulled out her phone. “Would you mind if I got a picture of us together? My friends…
they won’t believe it. They’re going to be so jealous.”
When Lilly nodded, Wyatt was handed the phone as the two women stood together, and
smiled for the camera. Maire then took their order, still beaming with excitement, before leaving them
to take care of her other customers.
“So…” Wyatt was still looking shocked with dismay and humor, his brows up and a smile
teasing his lips. “You’re not just an author, but a famous author of steamy romances.”
Lilly sat back and gave Wyatt a teasing smile. “Far from famous—and far more than just
steamy.”
Wyatt burst out laughing and shot Keane a jealous look. “Damn, girl!”
Chapter 19
Lilly had spent the last week locked away in Wyatt’s office, writing like a crazy fiend. But
with her book finally done, she couldn’t be happier as she sent it off to her editor. Now she could go
to the opening of Wyatt’s club, and not have to worry about her deadlines, though she still had to
catch up on her emails and social media.
Dragging her laptop over to where Keane was hanging out with Wyatt, she plopped herself
down next to him, her brain fried from the intense focus of the last week. “I’ve been using the new
email you set up for me for most stuff, but I still need to access the accounts I use for my readers.”
“And your stalker.” Keane let out a sigh. “Let me double-check with Hadley, to see if she can
route you through an untraceable network, just to be on the safe side.”
It didn’t take long for Hadley to send him access to a secure network which would filter her
location. Keane finished up and handed her back her laptop as she gave him a peck on his cheek.
“You’re the best.”
“Let me know if Sirius has sent you anything else. I’m still worried he’s going to show up and
do something crazy.” Keane cupped the back of her neck and pulled her close, his head bent to hers as
he stole a kiss and made her pulse race, even if Wyatt was right there to witness it.
“I still can’t believe you have a stalker, Lilly. But we’re going to do everything we can to
keep you safe.” Wyatt’s determination and protectiveness was so much like Keane’s, she couldn’t
help but feel loved—and protected. “I swear it.”
“I might write fiction, but you guys are the real thing—totally hero-worthy. And I really
appreciate everything you’ve done for me.” She couldn’t imagine trying to deal with all of this on her
own—especially when the police didn’t seem vested in finding Sirius. She’d have been stuck dealing
with it all by herself, with no one to turn to and no one to help her.
And then she logged in to one of her social media accounts. “Fuck…”
When Keane reached over, she handed him her laptop, his cursing immediate. “No… This is a
problem, Lilly. We need to pack up. Get going. Now.”
She’d been tagged in a post—Maire had posted the picture of the two of them online and
tagged her in it, their location there for everyone to see. “I’ll ask her to take it down. I’m sure she
would, Keane.”
“Except that it was posted online over five days ago.” Keane shook his head and handed her
back her laptop. “We can’t stay. It’s too dangerous and I refuse to let that fucking maniac get his hands
on you.”
“But…” She felt defeated once more, like she’d never escape this nightmare. “Wait—what
about the people who’ve viewed it? Can Hadley find out if one of them is Sirius? Maybe it’ll help her
figure out who it is—or if he’s even seen it.”
“Maybe—but we’re still going. I’m not taking any chances, Lil. Not when it comes to you.”
Keane cupped her cheek and kissed her. “I’m sorry. I know this can’t be easy on you, but we’ll figure
this out. We’ll find him.”
“Where will we go this time, Keane—and the time after that? I can’t just keep running. And
you should be here for Wyatt’s opening.” The last thing she wanted was to interfere with Keane’s life
any more than she already had. “I can’t have you on the run, abandoning your life.”
“This isn’t up for discussion. No fucking way.” Keane looked ready to shake her until she
came around to his way of thinking—and when that failed, he looked ready to tie her up in a neat little
bundle and kidnap her off to some private island in the middle of nowhere.
“Keane…I know you care—and I know you’re worried. But we don’t know if he’s seen the
post, and frankly, we can’t just keep running.” Squeezing his hand, she pleaded with him, not wanting
to argue, especially when she knew he was just trying to protect her. “Can’t we just wait to see what
Hadley has to say? She’s got to be close to finding Sirius.”
“Any emails from him?” Keane didn’t look like he was going to budge an inch, and she knew
damn well what he was trying to do by having her check email. He just wanted to prove to her that
Sirius was insane and that he was tracking her, that Dublin was no longer safe.
She shook her head, trying to stay calm. “You’re not going to scare me.”
He let out a deep breath, anger and frustration lining his face. “Then that’s a fucking problem,
Lilly. Because you should be scared. Fucking terrified.”
His words unleashed a tsunami of emotion, tears stinging her eyes as everything she’d been
trying to hold onto, trying to hold back, just got to be too much. “Fine. You want to hear that I’m
scared—well, I am. Of course it’d be easy for me to lock myself away, to run, after what he put me
through. But I refuse to let fear dictate and rule my life—and I won’t let them win. Not Sirius, and not
Dylan.”
By the time her tears spilled over, her entire body was shaking. Keane set aside her laptop
and pulled her into his arms, sitting back with her cradled against him as he held her tight. Wyatt
quietly excused himself, clearly wanting to give them some privacy, and for that she was grateful. The
last thing she wanted was for him to see her when she was such a mess, especially when he knew
what Dylan had done to her.
“Lilly…I get it. I really do.” He kissed the top of her head, and ran a gentle hand down her
back, his touch soothing her. “But this is different. This has been escalating, and I can’t take that sort
of risk.”
“Please…just check in with Hadley. And if need be, we can leave in the morning—after
Wyatt’s opening. I just want one more night of freedom, of not having to worry, before we’re on the
run again.” It was a big night for Wyatt, and she didn’t want to ruin it for him.
“Lilly…” He let out a sigh, but when she looked up at him and wiped her tears away, she saw
him relent. “I’ll check in with Hadley again and update her on the latest, and then get everything ready
for us to go in the morning. But if it’s not safe to go to the club tonight, then we’re staying in.”
“I can live with that.”
***
“It might not be safe for me to go out, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay with me, Keane.
This is a big night for Wyatt, and you have to be there for him, especially after he spent the last year
preparing for this day.” Lilly desperately wanted to go with him, but it just wasn’t going to happen.
Hadley called to say it was too risky, though she was sure she was quickly closing in on Sirius.
“I refuse to leave you here just to go to a club, Lil. That’s fucking insane.” Keane shook his
head in frustration as he ran his hands up her arms to cup her face, bending his head to hers to steal a
kiss. “And this might be a big night for Wyatt, but he understands. The last thing he’d want is to risk
something happening to you.”
“I just hate this. I feel like I’m ruining this for him.” She breathed in Keane’s masculine scent,
already so familiar once more, as a pulse of need shot straight to her core.
“You’re far more important—and Wyatt knows that. He wouldn’t want you sitting here alone
—nor would he want to put you in danger. And I promise, I won’t let you get bored.” He bit her
bottom lip and kissed her, his tongue finding hers as his body pressed her against the back of the sofa,
making it impossible for her to ignore his hard length. Wyatt had left hours earlier to make sure
everything was ready at the club for the opening, even though it had all been set up and ready to go for
days, not wanting to leave anything until the last minute.
“You never let me get bored—but that’s not the issue.” She ran her hands down his back as
she trailed kisses and bites down his neck, his stubble rough against her skin, his scent stronger from
his sexy aftershave so she could think of nothing but him taking her, stripping her naked and fucking
her.
“This will all be over soon—and then it’ll just be the two of us. We’ll be free to do what we
want, free to be happy, although if you think we’re not going to live together once this is over, you can
guess again. Once we’re back, it’s going to be me, you, and the pup—one big happy family.” As he
spoke, he trailed his hands down her back to cup her ass, his hard length pressing against her heat,
making her hips rock against him in response.
She bit back the needy moan that wanted to escape, her hips still shifting in search of some
relief. “Keep that up, and you’ll have me agreeing to anything you want if you promise to fuck me.”
“Really?” He pulled back enough to look at her and cup her cheek, his mood shifting from
seductive to serious. “So if I asked you to marry me, you’d say yes?”
That was the last thing she’d expected him to say. “Keane…you can’t be serious. It’s only
been a few weeks.”
“No—it’s been years. Because for the time that we were apart, you’ve been my only thought,
you’ve been my constant—and I know that you’re my only one. There’s no one else—there never will
be.” He shifted and pulled out a gorgeous diamond ring, sparkling like a million stars as it caught the
light. “Not exactly what I had planned, but I love you, Lilly. Marry me…”
A panic settled around her heart. Things were just so crazy right now, and it’d been mere
weeks since he’d showed up on her lawn. “I love you, Keane—you know that. But things have been
so shaky between us. I’m not saying no—I’m just asking for a little more time.”
“Fuck, Lil…I love you with all my heart.”
His clear disappointment at her request was killing her, but she had to stay strong.
“And I love you, Keane. There’s never been anyone but you. But things are crazy right now.”
She held onto him when he tried to pull away, desperate to make things right between them again.
“Keane…don’t push me away…please…”
As he pulled out of her grasp, her tears spilled over, leaving her to wonder if she’d made a
huge mistake, if she should have just said yes. “You’re the one pushing me away, Lilly—not the other
way around. And I get it—things are fucking insane. But if you truly love me, I don’t see how giving
this more time will make any difference.”
“I’m not pushing you away—I’m just asking you to hold off until I’m not being stalked, until
we’ve had the chance to just be together without being on the run, or wondering if there’s an imminent
threat to my life.” Again, she thought of just agreeing to marry him—and yet it should be a happy
moment, and not something drowned out by worry or fear of losing the other person.
“You know…I fucked up years ago because I was scared to commit, and things felt so serious.
And now, I’ve fucked up because I want to commit.” He shook his head with a laugh that held no
humor.
The pain in her heart felt like it might kill her. “It’s not like that, Keane, and you know it.”
“I guess I’ll just keep my fingers crossed that you won’t turn me down the next time I ask.”
Chapter 20
Keane thought Lilly would be happy—he thought she’d fucking say yes. His timing might not
be perfect, but once she’d gotten over their past and had forgiven him, things had been amazing
between them, even if it’d been just a few weeks since they’d gotten back together. And now, seeing
the hurt in her eyes, seeing the worry there, was doing him in. “I need to get a bit of fresh air and
we’ve yet to have dinner. It’s getting late, and we could probably do with a bite. I’ll run out to the
chipper down the road. Will fish and chips do or would you prefer something else?”
“Let me come with you.” She chewed her bottom lip and took a step closer, before hesitating,
things between them suddenly awkward—and he fucking hated it.
“I just need a few minutes to clear my head, Lil. And you’ll be safer here.” Closing the
distance between them, he ran his hand down her arm and gave her a quick kiss. “I swear, I won’t be
more than half an hour, depending on how quick they can get our food together.”
“I do love you, you know…” Her eyes shimmered, making him feel like shit for upsetting her.
Fucking hell. Why did everything have to be so complicated? Wasn’t it enough that she was all he
could think of? That she was his very heart?
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, his words but a whisper against her lips. “I know,
baby girl. I love you, too. Nothing will ever change that.”
He meant it, meant every word, even if he was frustrated that she hadn’t said yes to his
proposal. And the truth was, it was his fault for rushing things when he knew how skittish she’d been
to even start dating him again.
“Don’t go just yet…” There was such need in her voice…it immediately had him going hard.
And when she reached down to stroke him through his jeans, he had but a single thought.
He kissed her and kissed her again, his words spoken against her lips. “I’m going to keep
asking you, Lil…I’ll give you more time, but I’ll keep asking, again and again, until you finally agree
to marry me.”
“Good. Because I will eventually say yes, Keane—and then you’ll be stuck with me.” She
pulled her top up over her head and flicked her bra off, before shimmying her jeans over her hips,
catching the sides of her lacy panties with her thumbs and shifting them down so she could kick them
off. “You’re wearing far too many clothes. You need to remedy that, or I’ll do it for you.”
Fucking hell…there’d be no taking things slow or gentle as worked up as Keane was with
everything that had happened. He got rid of his t-shirt and jeans, before quickly discarding anything
else that remained.
Grabbing her hips, he spun her around and pinned her against the sofa, fisting her hair as he
pulled her head back and to the side so he could feast on her neck. His cock slipped between her
plump ass cheeks and into her sweet cunt with a hard upward thrust, so she gasped and thrust back at
him, giving herself over to what was between them. He fucking loved that about her…that she’d never
been indifferent or halfhearted when it came to sex between them.
“Is this what you want?” With her body tight around his cock, he pounded the next thrust into
her, and then the next, his pace focused and intense, his need for her ever-consuming.
Raking his teeth down her neck, he bit her shoulder as she pushed back into him, taking him
even deeper as she gave him the answer he was looking for even as he continued to take her. “I’ll
always want this, Keane…I’ll always want you…your touch, your kiss, everything…you’ve always
been my very heart. My everything.”
“Just like you know you’ve always been mine.” His pace quickened, spurred on by her words,
by his insatiable need for her, his love for her.
He pinched her nipple, tugging and teasing it, before slipping his hand down between her legs
to her slick clit as his other hand gently grasped her throat, pulling her back to him. The energy built
inside him as his thrusts quickened, her hips rocking back to meet his, taking him deep, until she was
crying out and quivering in his arms, as her orgasm raced through her. But he didn’t slow, continuing
to take her hard as he rode that fine edge until she finally tipped him over. He came with a primal cry,
the energy lashing his body as his cock pulsed, shooting his cum deep inside her until he finally
stilled, his breath coming heavy against her hot skin as he held her to him.
“Fuck, Lilly…you’re always so amazing.” Their coupling had soothed his jagged edges,
though he still wanted more—a lifetime of more. As he pulled out of her, he kissed her cheek with a
smile. “Is it too soon for me to ask again—or do I need to make you come a few more times, so
you’re delirious from all the orgasms?”
“If you’re expecting me to say no to more orgasms, you’ll be disappointed.” She turned to face
him, worry still clouding her eyes. “And I will say yes, Keane…I just can’t do it right now. I’m
sorry.”
He brushed his hand down her cheek and, cupping her neck, he pulled her in close, kissing her
soft and sweet. “I won’t give up, Lilly…not ever.”
She looked up at him, managing a smile. “I wouldn’t expect you to. Now, go get us those fish
and chips—with lots of malt vinegar. I’ve worked up an appetite and I’m starving.”
He stole another kiss—longer, harder—and then got dressed as she gathered her clothes up off
the floor and tossed on her tee to quickly cover her up since it was just long enough. “I’ll be right
back—half hour at the most, I hope.”
“Perfect—just enough time for me to hop in the shower.” Holding her clothes to her chest, she
turned to go with a smile over her shoulder when he stopped her.
“I’ll lock the door from the outside, but just do me a favor and set the security system behind
me. I don’t want to take any chances.” He shrugged into his jacket and headed toward the door.
She gave him a final kiss and followed after him. Once he stepped outside, he locked the door
behind him, and then waited to hear the beep of the security system. Good.
The street was bustling with people getting ready to go out and start their weekend, and though
Keane loved the energy of living in a city, he found that he preferred the quieter life he’d carved out
for himself in Portmore—not that the quaint seaside town didn’t have plenty going on. He just hoped
that once they got back, Lilly would consider moving in with him.
He was waiting for his order to be filled at the local hole-in-the-wall chipper when his phone
buzzed. Hadley. “Hey...please tell me you have some good news for me. Really? A name? Thank
fuck.” Ash Sullivan. That fucking bastard. Keane grabbed his food and handed the guy the money. “Do
we know where this asshole is?”
“Yeah…Keane, it’s not good. He’s in Ireland—probably Dublin.”
Chapter 21
Whoever had renovated Wyatt’s place had done an amazing job when it came to picking out
the shower fixtures. Once she’d rinsed the shampoo out of her hair, Lilly let the hot water pound onto
her shoulders and back, hoping Keane would hurry up and get back so he could join her while she
was still naked.
She couldn’t help but linger. Long, hot showers were definitely a favorite of hers, and they did
wonders for helping her with her stories. It seemed like showers and driving around town helped to
clear her head so the ideas flowed—and if she was having any problems with her stories, that’s when
she usually figured things out.
Although she’d just finished the manuscript she’d been working on, she was already figuring
out the storyline for the next novel in her series. Her hero would be a bad boy biker and the heroine
would be a far too serious and determined law student working her way through school at the local
bar. They could get into all sorts of fun and trouble.
She heard the shower door open behind her, and turned to face Keane with a smile. “I was
hoping you’d join me.”
Except that it wasn’t Keane. Lilly’s smile died even as her survival instincts kicked in.
Tall and far too strong, the intruder grabbed her as she screamed and tried to fight him off. He
pulled her to him as she struggled to get away from him, her footing slippery in the shower. He held
her naked body against him as she screamed herself raw and tried to slip out of his grasp, elbowing
him so he’d let her go.
She couldn’t let this happen. Not again. She fought him with all her might, panic and
adrenaline flooding her veins, her memories of Dylan mixing with the present, as her fear overtook
her while spurring her on to keep fighting.
With her struggles, she barely felt the pinch to her neck. But she did feel the burn of something
entering her system…and then…the darkness…closing in…her body going limp as she was
swallowed by the darkness…
***
Lilly’s head swam against the inky blackness as she fought to free herself of the sleep that
wanted to pull her back under. She came to with a startled start, her heart galloping inside her chest
with a surge of adrenaline, remembering that she had to fight. She fought to get free, her struggles
futile as her head continued to swim, even as she realized that her hands were somehow bound with
some form of restraints. Her eyes popped open, plunging her back into her nightmare as she realized
that she was no longer in Wyatt’s loft—and she was no longer safe.
“You’re awake… That makes me so very happy.” The man, her captor—Sirius—gave her a
smile, though his eyes held a glint of crazy excitement that did nothing to reassure her that all would
be well. He was sitting next to her on the edge of the mattress, her handcuffed hands preventing her
from getting away, though as she struggled, the blanket he’d covered her with shifted enough to reveal
that she was still naked. “I’m sorry that we’ve gotten off to such a rocky start. I did try to get in touch
with you after you stopped answering my emails, but that didn’t seem to work. None of that matters
now that we’re no longer apart. And…I’m sure that with time you’ll see that this is a good thing, that
we’re perfect together. As I’m sure you know by now, I’m your biggest fan.”
Her eyes stung with tears and her body trembled with the tension of her fear, even as she tried
to stay calm. Where the hell was she? It appeared she was in the bedroom of an older home. A
cottage maybe? But how long had she been out—and what the fuck had he done to her while she’d
been unconscious?
Now, however, was not the time to lose her wits and start panicking. She had to stay calm…
had to convince him that he’d made a mistake—and she had to get the hell out of there.
Keane… Her heart ached at the mere thought of him. He’d be so worried about her…or had
he come home when Sirius was still there and Sirius had hurt him to get away with her? The thought
of Keane coming to harm nearly did her in as she tried her best to hold it together.
“If you’re a fan of my writing, then why are you doing this to me? Please…just let me go. I
promise not to press charges if you just return me safely.” At this point, she’d tell him anything if it
meant she could get away from him.
The scary part was that he looked so…normal. Tall, lean, handsome enough, albeit with a
somewhat forgettable face, grey eyes and sandy brown hair. He couldn’t have been much older than
she was. He looked like he could be any guy—not some psychotic stalker.
“I can’t let you go. Not when we finally have a chance to be together. Don’t you see that we’re
meant to be, Piper—or should I say Lilly?” Taking a deep breath, as if fighting to stay in control of
his actions, Sirius brushed her hair from her face, his touch lingering as she tried to pull away, a
shiver of repulsion and fear racing through her. “In a way, this is perfect. It’s just like Jax and Erin.
At first, she wants nothing to do with him, but eventually she realizes that he’s the only one for her.
Their love is meant to be. And just like that, I know you’ll come around, even if it takes time. I’ll
make you love me, Lilly.”
“Did Dylan put you up to this?” He had to be the one behind this whole thing. It wasn’t like
there were a whole lot of guys who browsed the romance shelves. “Is that why you’ve taken me? So
he can get some sort of sick and twisted pleasure by living vicariously through you?”
“No, Lilly… Not at all. Don’t you see that all this…all I’ve done…is because I love you—and
I need you to give our love a chance. Dylan was never worthy of you. He told me what he did…
bragged about it, bragged about how he’d fucked you, made you scream, and how you were now a
famous author.” His jaw tightened with a visible anger. “But he wasn’t worthy… Nothing more than a
dumb fucking criminal I got stuck sharing a cell with.”
So he’d been in prison already. That couldn’t be good. And though Sirius knew Dylan, at least
Dylan hadn’t sent him to find her. Clearly, the guy was delusional if he thought they were like the
characters in her books, but the fact that he didn’t like Dylan and what he’d done to her, at the very
least, left her feeling hopeful that she wouldn’t have to go through the same nightmare Dylan put her
through. “Is that how you found out about my books? Through Dylan?”
“I’d like to think it was fate, Princess.” Princess… Jax’s nickname for Erin. Fuck…he really
had gone off the deep end. Yet, maybe she could figure out a way to use it to her advantage—and at
least Dylan wasn’t directly involved, by some small miracle. “But yes…it was through him that I got
to know you. The more Dylan spoke of you, the more curious I got. Once I managed to get my hands
on your books…I finally felt whole, like I’d found what I’d been looking for my entire life. It was as
if you were speaking directly to me. I was Jax—and you were my gorgeous Erin.”
“But you can’t be Jax. Because Jax would never kidnap Erin. He’d never hurt her—he’d
never want her to be scared of him. He’d protect her and keep her safe.” She thought of Keane once
more, her heart hammering inside her chest. How long had she been drugged for? And where the hell
was she? Keane must know by now that she was missing. He must be looking for her, but how the hell
would he find her?
Sirius shook his head, his lips pursed together. “All this is exactly for that reason, Lilly. I am
protecting you. I’m keeping you safe from those men you’ve been with. Those men who don’t—”
“Let me stop you right there, because you’re the one who’s taken me against my will, and
handcuffed me to the bed naked. And if you care about someone, that’s not what you do. You don’t
kidnap them and scare them to death. You don’t stalk them.” She might still be scared, but she was
pissed off too. And she had every right to that anger. “You need to uncuff me. Now. And you need to
let me go.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”
Chapter 22
Keane set their food down on the kitchen counter, surprised Lilly wasn’t already waiting for
him, though he knew his girl certainly liked her hot showers. She would happily stay under the
pounding spray until the water ran cold.
He called out to her, as he started heading toward their room. “Lil…I’m back. Food’s getting
cold.”
She wasn’t in the room, but he could still hear the shower running, so he knocked on the
bathroom door. “Hey, baby girl…wrap it up in there.”
Nothing. He didn’t bother waiting, barging into the bathroom and finding it empty as panic
gripped him. “Fuck!”
There was water all over the floor and the bath mats were a mess. There’d either been a
struggle or someone had dragged her, disrupting the mats. Not that it mattered. She was gone.
He didn’t waste any time looking around the loft, knowing that he wouldn’t find her. Sirius
already had her. But how? How the fuck did he get to her? Did he pick the lock? Override the security
code? Not that it mattered. That fucking bastard had kidnapped her and stolen her away. She was on
her own, scared and vulnerable, and at a madman’s mercy.
He tried calling her phone—and heard it ring over by the nightstand. What the fuck was the
Irish version of 9-1-1? Would the cops even take her abduction seriously or would they make him
wait a given amount of time before bothering to look for her?
9-9-9. That was the number he needed. He called and gave them the information he had:
Wyatt’s address, told them about Lilly missing, how she had a stalker who’d followed them over
from the States, how they’d come here to try to escape him—and he gave them Sirius’s name. They
were sending someone to take a statement, but it already felt like too much time had passed. Fuck.
Pacing the floor, his nerves jagged and raw, he hung up with the police and got ready to call
Wyatt—when he thought twice about it. Wyatt had a lot on his plate, and at this point, Keane still had
to wait for the cops to show up. There was little Wyatt could do to help at the moment, so Keane
would leave it for a little while, at any rate.
Hadley…hopefully she could find something out. He placed the call, trying not to fucking lose
it, trying not to put his fist through a wall. She answered the phone immediately, and listened to him as
he told her everything he knew in a panicked ramble. “I know…stay calm. Easier said than done.
Yeah, I’ll have the cops call you. I appreciate it…I can have a car waiting for you at the airport.”
Hadley was going to fly in to help hands-on, while her team tried to circle in on Sirius’s
location. Maybe see if he’d rented any vehicles, or homes, or if he’d booked a room somewhere.
With him being overseas, he might make mistakes, might have less options available to him, since he
was away from what was familiar.
Keane tried to think of what he could do next, and was at a loss, his mind racing and refusing
to settle. He felt so helpless, and it was killing him. He didn’t even know where to start looking for
her. Didn’t even know how the fuck that bastard had managed to take her away. Sirius’s information
—he quickly jotted down everything he knew about the fucking bastard, so the cops would have it. He
couldn’t afford any delays, couldn’t afford any mistakes.
By the time the two cops showed up, he was climbing the fucking walls with worry. There
were two of them, a man and woman, both looking serious. The woman made the introductions and
seemed to be the one in charge. “Name’s Burke, and this is Ward. May we come in?”
He let them in and showed the cops to the living room. Ward wandered about the room, while
Burke took a seat and urged him to do the same, since he was pacing the floor. “I’d gone down the
road to get us fish and chips and when I returned, she was gone. They took longer than I’d hoped to
get the food cooked, but even then, she was only left alone for about forty minutes.”
“And you said she has a stalker? And there’s a good chance he—is it a man?—managed to
track you here from overseas?” Burke pulled out her notepad and jotted down some notes, glancing
over at her partner, as he checked the windows and then continued wandering around the room.
“She’s a well-known author, and though she writes under a pen name, the guy found out her
real name and where she lives. He was in her home, and it was too risky for her to stay there, so she
moved in with me. But when he eventually tracked her to my place, we decided to come here to
Dublin to stay with my brother.” He ran a rough hand through his hair, wondering what he could have
done differently to keep her safe.
“And your relationship—you’re a couple?” When he nodded, she continued. “Have you been
together long?”
“Yes—and no. We’d been together in the past, and recently got back together. But I’m not the
one you need to be looking at. Her stalker is obsessed with her. His name’s Ash Sullivan, although he
also goes by the name Sirius. He’s some sort of computer whiz and has managed to cover his tracks
fairly well.”
Keane handed the cop Hadley’s business card and the paper with the info he’d jotted down on
Sirius. He then forced himself to take a deep breath, trying to calm himself so he could keep a clear
head, so he could focus on the task. “I’ve been working with a security company to try to track him
down—that’s everything I have on him so far. The security company might have more details, but
hopefully this will be enough to get you started. And spare no expense. I’ll pay for whatever you
need, whatever it takes, to make sure we find Lilly safe and sound.”
Burke had him run through the details of the evening, and he explained how he’d returned to
find the shower still running, the rugs messed up, and Lilly gone. While they talked, Ward went
through the rest of the home and then returned to join them. “There doesn’t appear to be any visible
point of entry. You said the security system was turned on?”
Bastard… He must have found a way to override it. “Yeah, I know for a fact that it was turned
on, because I waited to hear the beep of the alarm setting. But the guy’s good with computers, some
sort of hacker…”
“It could be simpler than that. The front door is fine, but the back door has plenty of glass
surrounding it—and the security keypad is visible from certain angles. No dead bolts on the back
door either. If this guy’s been watching the house, then there’s a good chance he saw one of you punch
in the code when you used that door, and then just picked the lock open.”
“Fucking hell…” Something so stupidly simple. They hadn’t even thought of it, and since
Wyatt’s car was usually parked back there, it was definitely an entrance that got a bit of use. “You
need to help me find her. She’s in danger. You have to do something.”
“We’re going to do all we can.”
***
After several attempts to contact Wyatt, Keane opted to just go to the club to let his brother
know what was going on, especially since he was going to fucking lose it if he was forced to just wait
at the loft alone. He should have never left Lilly alone. Not for a goddamned fucking minute. And he
should have done more…gotten her a security detail…some sort of panic button…a GPS tracker.
Fuck!
Luckily, Keane knew one of the managers at the front of the club, and was immediately told to
go through and that Wyatt could be found in his office at the back of the club and up the stairs. In the
state Keane was in, he barely noticed the thumping of the music or the scantily clad attendees as he
found his way to the stairs and took them up to Wyatt’s office. He quickly knocked, and then went to
let himself in, too impatient to wait, but found it locked. He pounded again, fighting the urge to kick
the door in, just to try to vent some of his anger—when it opened.
Wyatt stepped out into the hall, and pulled the door closed behind him. Keane immediately
knew that something was most definitely wrong despite the tense smile on Wyatt’s face, which was
fooling no one. “Hey. Glad you could make it. I’m just wrapping up some business, but I can meet you
guys downstairs in the executive lounge. Where’s Lilly? Is she downstairs?”
“No. Sirius has her. He’s fucking taken her, Wyatt. I spoke with the police and they’re going
to check security cameras and try to find him, find where he’s taken her, but fuck…I can’t just sit there
and do nothing.” It was killing him. The thought of losing Lilly was doing him in, though worse still
was imagining what that fucking bastard might be doing to her.
“Fuck, Keane…” Wyatt shook his head and glanced over his shoulder at his office. “Go home,
and as soon as I’m able, I’ll head over.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Something was definitely up. “What the hell’s going on,
Wyatt?”
“Fuck, I’m sorry—but I can’t talk right now. Just go back to the loft. I swear, I’ll be there
shortly. I just can’t…” The way Wyatt’s gaze kept shifting only added to the worry, stress, and anger
raging through him.
Keane didn’t know what the fuck was going on, and at this point, if Wyatt didn’t want to tell
him, then he didn’t care. Lilly was his priority. “I’ll be at your place—or fucking wandering the
streets looking for Lilly—not that you can be bothered right now.”
“Keane.”
But he’d already turned around and was jogging down the stairs, even as his brother continued
to call out to him.
Lilly…she was all that mattered.
Chapter 23
“I need to go to the bathroom. You need to uncuff me. Now, damn it.” Lilly knew she should
be scared, but instead she was incensed.
“You know, Princess…the thing I like most about your characters is that the women are
always so feisty. I wondered if you would be too—if they were just a reflection of you—and now I
see that I was right.” Sirius ran a finger down her cheek as his eyes went wide with excitement.
“What? And you think you’re up to the challenge of being one of my heroes?” She threw her
head back and laughed. “Not even close. Only a coward kidnaps a woman, stalks her, threatens her
—doesn’t let her go to the goddamned fucking bathroom.”
When she glared at him, holding his gaze and refusing to show any fear, he looked away.
“Fine—you can go to the bathroom.”
Sirius stood and pulled the key out of the back pocket of his jeans, and then straddled her as
he unlocked one handcuff and then the other, though it left her pinned and struggling under his weight.
“Get off me.”
He grabbed her face, squeezing her cheeks hard enough for the soft flesh to dig into her teeth.
“Princess…let me make something clear. You are not the one in control here. I am. And I may be in
love with you, but I’m not an idiot. Far from it. So it’d be in your best interest not to piss me off or try
anything stupid. You won’t like the consequences.”
Furious, she shifted her head and bit down on the fleshy part of his hand between his thumb
and forefinger, sinking her teeth in as hard as she could. He screamed out and yanked his hand away,
but as he did so, he shifted off her just enough for her to sit up and head-butt him with all her might,
aiming for his nose. The pain from the collision nearly had her blacking out, stars and white light
shooting across her vision, along with a pain she’d never felt before.
But she had to act now, had to get away while she could. Shoving him as hard as she could,
she fisted the loose cuff, the other side still attached to her wrist, and swiped at his face, ripping a
gash open across his cheek with the metal.
And then he punched her, his fist catching the side of her head so it snapped to the side, her
vision going black and her head swimming. The next punch landed in her gut, doubling her over as she
gasped for breath and nearly vomited, her ribs feeling like they were broken into pieces. Her head
was still reeling when he cuffed her back to the bed.
“You forget—I met your ex while I was in prison, and managed to make it out of there in one
piece. So if you think I don’t know how to take care of myself, you can guess again.” He touched his
fingers to the gash on his face and then glared at her, his eyes narrowing with anger. “I was hoping we
could go about this the nice way, but now I see that I was mistaken. So we’ll try a different method.”
“You’re fucking insane.” The metal cuffs cut into her wrists as she futilely struggled against
them in her frustration. “Keane’s going to rip you to pieces when he gets here.”
“The only way he’ll find us is if I let him. But trust me, Princess—you don’t want him to come
sniffing around. Not if you have any feelings for him. It’ll be much safer for him if he just stays away
and forgets about you. If not, I’m liable to make you watch while I gut him open like a fish.” The
menace in his voice sent a chill down her spine, because she had no doubt Sirius was crazy enough to
hurt Keane.
“Please…don’t do this. Just let me go.” She hated having to plead with him, but she had to get
free before he did something to Keane or hurt her far worse than he already had. The thought of Keane
coming to harm because of her left her feeling shattered.
“Why would I do that when the fun hasn’t even started?” Propping himself up with a hand on
either side of her, he lowered his body to hers as he shifted between her legs, forcing her to fight back
her panic as she felt his arousal through his jeans, pressing against her core.
She was still naked below the blanket he’d tossed over her, and with her struggles, it had
shifted so it barely covered her, her situation even more precarious than before. When he leaned in to
kiss her, she turned her face away, repulsed at the thought of sharing something so intimate and loving
with someone who was terrorizing her. But she had to pull it together. She couldn’t panic, or let her
fears and emotions get the better of her.
Fighting him hadn’t worked, and she knew she needed to try a different tactic before things got
a hell of a lot worse. “I don’t even know your real name… How do you expect me to feel comfortable
around you when you haven’t told me anything about you?”
He looked at her with a curious smile, his mood shifting to something just a little more
amiable. And if she could just keep that up, if she could get him to lower his defenses, then maybe it’d
buy her enough time for Keane and Wyatt to find her. “I suppose it can’t hurt to tell you now. My real
name is Ash. What else did you want to know, Princess?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know anything about you.” And maybe if she got him to open up to her,
he’d be kinder. She had no doubt which direction things were heading in, but if she could get him to
slow down, she might be able to keep him at bay. And just maybe, she’d get lucky and find a way out
of there, especially if he intended on harming Keane. “Where did you grow up? What do you like to
do?” When not stalking poor women.
He pursed his lips in thought, as if wondering if she really cared. “I grew up in California, but
ended up heading east to New York for college. As for what I like to do, I suppose I’ve always been
a bit of a loner. Like to fix things and take things apart. Computers, primarily. And of course, I love
reading your books.”
She didn’t dare ask how he ended up in prison. And frankly, she wasn’t sure if she could deal
with it if he’d been locked up for something violent. It would undermine any courage she might be
able to summon. “What about your family? Any brothers or sisters?”
He scowled at her as he sat back, kneeling between her legs, and leaving her grateful for the
distance he’d just put between them. “There’s nothing there that you need to know about. Am I making
myself clear?”
“Yeah…of course. Believe me—I get it.” It wasn’t as if she’d had an amazing family life,
save for her stepmom, but she was also happy to exaggerate her situation if it got him to somehow
relate to her. “Being abandoned by one parent, and then the other, wasn’t exactly my idea of a fun
childhood. It sucked to know no one cared enough to give a shit.”
He must have seen the truth in her eyes, because his anger with her dissipated and his
shoulders relaxed. “I didn’t realize… You feel so alone with that sort of thing, you know?”
“Yeah, I do know. You grow up holding onto your secrets, not wanting your friends, your
classmates to know that your life is nothing like the perfect life they’re lucky enough to have.” Lilly
let out a sigh, not really wanting to discuss her crappy childhood. Her stepmom had done the best she
could—and she’d truly loved her like her own—but there was always the feeling that she hadn’t been
good enough, and that’s why her own flesh and blood had left her behind.
“Don’t you see, Lilly? We’re meant to be together—and I’m sorry I hit you. That was
inexcusable.” He ran his hand down her cheek as she tried not to cringe at his touch.
But when his hand continued down her neck and over her chest, she had to force herself not to
scream. He hooked the blanket with his fingers, pulling it down as his hand trailed between her
breasts, until she was fully exposed from the waist up. “Please, don’t, Ash…not after what Dylan put
me through…”
“I’m nothing like Dylan, Princess. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to make the most of the
time we have together.” Ash cupped her breast and pinched her nipple as he trailed kisses down her
neck, her tears escaping as she struggled to get away from his touch and shake him loose.
“I fucking hate you—and if you touch me against my will, then you’re exactly like Dylan.”
She had to find a way to stop him, had to find a way to keep him from raping her, because she swore
she wouldn’t survive it. Maybe if… “Where the hell is the romance? What happened to being wooed?
To getting to know each other first?”
He wiped her tears, looking like he was mulling over her words. “I hate to see you crying,
Lilly…and you may hate me now, but I promise you, you’ll come around. I’ll make sure of it—and
then…maybe then we’ll have time for a bit of romance. Once you no longer have the will to fight.”
Chapter 24
Keane was climbing the walls of the loft, the holes in the wall bearing the evidence of his
frustration and helplessness. He couldn’t stand to think of what Lilly might be going through, and the
thought of that fucking head-case touching her was doing him in. He was a fucking mess, furious and
ready to tear the bastard to pieces with his bare hands. If only he could find him.
The cops still didn’t have anything, though they reassured him that they had a few leads they
were tracking down, and Hadley was en route while her team coordinated with the Dublin police. He
grabbed his laptop and a stiff whiskey, and sat down to see what more he could find out about this
guy, his hands all but shaking with the tension of his anger and worry.
By the time Wyatt walked in a half hour later, Keane was on his third whiskey, and had found
little to make him feel better about Lilly being with Ash Sullivan. The guy had a troubling history of
stalking and assault, and Keane was damned if he knew where to find the bastard.
Wyatt dropped his keys on the counter as Keane stood to get another drink. Wyatt’s eyes
shifted to the new holes in his wall, but he was smart enough not to say anything. “Hey—any news on
Lilly?”
“Now you fucking care?” Keane was pissed off at Wyatt, even if he knew Wyatt probably had
a lot going on with the club opening. And that would have been fine if it was just him who’d needed
him. But it wasn’t. It was Lilly.
“Fuck, Keane… You know Lilly means the world to me and I’m worried to death for her. But
I swear, I couldn’t get away—and believe me when I tell you that I would have if I could. But…there
have been some…complications with the club.” If Keane hadn’t been so pissed off, he might have
noticed for more than a second that Wyatt was looking truly stressed out and worried about what was
happening, and that really wasn’t like his calm and collected brother.
“I get it, Wyatt. Something’s up with your business. But for fuck’s sake…this is Lilly’s life.
Her well-being. That fucking psychopath stole her out of the goddamned shower, and I don’t know
where the hell she is. I don’t know what the fuck he’s doing to her.” He paced the floor, resisting the
urge to put his fist through the wall again.
“Fuck…I’m sorry, Keane. I can’t even imagine…” Wyatt hung his head with a shake, looking
distraught. “What did the Gardaí say—the cops—have they called? What can I do to help?”
“They’re following a few leads, and Hadley’s on the way to help them with their
investigation. She’s going straight to their precinct, and will call once she knows more, but at this
point…it feels like there’s nothing else to be done. Nothing I can do to save her.” Guilt wracked his
soul and tore his heart to shreds. “I was supposed to keep her safe—and I fucking failed her, Wyatt. I
never should have left her alone. Not even for a fucking moment.”
Wyatt put a hand on Keane’s shoulder, keeping him from pacing, though it did little to comfort
him. “We’re going to find her, Keane. And she’ll be okay. He won’t harm her.”
“You don’t fucking know that—and the truth is, there’s a good chance he’ll do just that.” The
thought of her having to relive her nightmare of abuse was fucking doing his head and heart in.
The moment Keane’s phone rang, he grabbed it. Burke, the cop leading the investigation. “Tell
me you have good news… Well, that’s something anyway. And Hadley’s there with you? I know it
might be nothing, but all the same, I’m coming with you. I need to be there when you find her. I swear,
I won’t get in your way, but I can’t just sit here and do nothing. I appreciate it.” He grabbed a piece of
paper and pen, and quickly jotted down the address she’d given him, before hanging up and turning to
Wyatt. “I need you to drive me. I don’t know where this is and I’ve had more than my share of
whiskey.”
“Yeah, of course.” Wyatt looked at the address and frowned. “This is about an hour and a half
away—maybe longer, given the winding roads. But I’ll do everything I can to make good time, and at
least there won’t be much traffic heading out of the city this late at night.”
“I appreciate it. The cops and Hadley are already on their way, and I believe they’re sending
in someone more local to that area to get to Lilly sooner.” Though it still wasn’t fast enough. Not
when every moment was a moment too late. At least Wyatt was a fast driver, and already had them
speeding out of the city.
Not that Sirius would make it easy on them. Hadley called Keane to let him know that they
now had several more addresses rented under Sirius’s name, and he could be keeping Lilly at any one
of those locations, although they were already in the process of sending out men to check out each
address, and speak to the owners of the properties.
Keane’s mind raced to try to figure out a way to narrow things down. And then he hit on a
thought. “Call each of the owners and find out which properties he actually went and picked up the
keys for. He may have rented them, on the off chance we figured out his identity. It’d force us to
search a wider area and slow us down, but would he bother to pick up the keys to each place if he
only intended on using one of them?”
Hadley agreed—it was a good thought, and might be enough to give them an edge. She’d call
back as soon as she had more, but in the meantime, she told him to stay put. He agreed, but it was
going to kill him to just sit and wait.
Wyatt pulled into an empty parking lot and killed the engine. “We’re one step closer, Keane…
She’ll be okay.”
“To go through that sort of violation, that sort of abuse again? No…she won’t be fine. And it’s
fucking killing me.” But Keane couldn’t talk about it, his nerves already too raw to deal with it.
“What’s going on with the club?”
Wyatt let out a frustrated sigh as his body tensed and he pounded the steering wheel. “You
already have enough on your plate, Keane. The last thing you need is for me to heap my shit on it too.”
Just because Keane was worried about Lilly didn’t mean that Wyatt wasn’t also dealing with
his fair share of issues. Wyatt was always level-headed and didn’t stress about much, so the fact that
he was clearly dealing with something pretty major left Keane feeling like a shit for going off on him.
“I’m here if you need to talk. You know that, right?”
“I do—and I appreciate it. But…” Wyatt shook his head with frustration. “The less you get
mixed up in this, the better.”
“Fuck, man…what the hell is going on?” Now he was worried—for an entirely different
reason than Lilly. Wyatt was only a year younger than him, but they were a close-knit family, and if
something was going on, Keane wanted to know.
“Don’t worry about it…I’ve got it under control.” Except that it was clear that Wyatt was
lying.
Before Keane could question him any further, his phone rang.
Chapter 25
What Ash put her through was horrible, and yet Lilly knew things could have been so much
worse. Her talk about romance, of him wooing her, of him being no different than Dylan, seemed to
have slowed him down just enough to spare her the worst of it—for now. But she knew that if she
didn’t get away soon, it’d be impossible to keep him away. “Please…I need to go to the bathroom.
It’s been hours. And I need clothes. It’s cold and damp in this old cottage, and the blanket isn’t
enough.”
“I’m happy to keep you warm, Princess.” When he slipped an arm around her waist and
pulled her close to kiss her cheek, his naked body pressed against hers, it was all she could do not to
pull away, not to cringe. She needed to lull him into thinking he was winning her over so that he’d let
down his guard.
“I’m also starving. I never got to have dinner tonight.” She was hoping he’d go out to get her
something, giving her the chance to try to get away, though she doubted there was anything open in the
middle of the night. Still…maybe he didn’t know that. Or maybe he’d uncuff her so she could eat
something he already had. He had her locked in a bedroom, and she hadn’t seen anything she could
really use as a weapon. But if she could make it to the kitchen and to the knives, she might stand a
chance.
Keane…fuck…the mere thought of him made her heart ache. She so desperately needed him,
especially after the way they’d left things. It killed her that they’d argued just beforehand, even if
they’d managed to patch things up between them. And it was her fault…she should have said yes to
his proposal. Should have let him take her to some remote island where it was just the two of them.
She had to find a way out of this nightmare. Had to find a way back to the only man she’d ever loved.
Ash stood up, tossed on his jeans, and then grabbed a bag tucked away in a corner of the
room, pulling one of his t-shirts out of it. “Let me make myself clear…I’m trusting you to behave
yourself. If you don’t, you will regret the consequences. Do you understand?”
Lilly nodded, trying her best to look meek and compliant. “Please…the handcuffs are cutting
into my skin and my arms hurt. I promise to behave.”
Sitting by her side, he undid the handcuffs, and rubbed her hands and arms gently, working the
blood back into them. Her muscles tingled and burned, until he finally stopped and turned to the job of
getting her dressed. He slipped the t-shirt over her head and then helped her to her feet, a bit of relief
flooding her chest to finally have some clothes on, even if it was just a t-shirt and nothing else.
Luckily, it was fairly long on her, and covered her up enough so she didn’t feel completely exposed.
“There’s some food in the kitchen, though I suppose you should use the bathroom first.” He
escorted her out of the room, and down the hall to the next door on the left. “I’ll be right here waiting
for you. Just don’t take too long.”
She slipped inside and closed the door behind her, her gaze immediately scanning the room.
The door was an older style that didn’t have the lock built into the handle, but rather used a key,
which was missing—and the window was far too narrow for her to climb out of. Before he came
looking for her, she quickly went to the bathroom, and then continued her search, looking in the
medicine cabinet and under the sink for something she might be able to use.
Nothing. Not unless she hoped to strangle him with toilet paper. She went to flush, and then
paused. The inside of the toilet… Having bought an older home that needed some fixes along the
way, she knew that there was a slender metal rod used as part of the flushing mechanism. It seemed
like a long shot, but maybe she could use it as a weapon…try to stab him with it.
But then Ash knocked and opened the door a crack, as she quickly flushed the toilet and
washed her hands, hoping he wouldn’t get suspicious and ruin any chances she might have of
escaping. She’d have to find something else as a weapon. If she could keep his guard lowered, then
maybe she’d stand a chance once they got to the kitchen.
“Come on, Princess. Let’s get you something to eat.” The kitchen was at the end of the hall and
had a small set of table and chairs—and a back door, though she couldn’t tell if it was locked or not.
“I could cook us something, if you’d like. Just like in my books.” Again, she tried to play up
the fantasy aspect of it, hoping it would keep him thinking that she was compliant. Because she knew
he was strong and smart, even if he was clearly delusional. “I’m actually a pretty good cook.”
Anything to get her hands on a knife.
“I bet you’re good at most things you set your mind to.” Ash’s hungry gaze told her exactly the
sort of skills he was thinking of, and it had little to do with cooking.
She thought of Keane again, and knew he must be frantic, knew he must be looking for her, but
Ash had been pretty hard to find before, and she didn’t know how well he’d hidden his tracks. Keane
might be on his way, but she couldn’t count on him getting to her in time. This wasn’t like one of her
stories where the hero got to smash down the door and save the day—this was more like those
suspense books where all sorts of horrible things happened and the guy was always too late to save
the girl.
Any hope of being saved rested on her shoulders at the moment, even if Keane was on his
way. Because, until he burst through that door with the cavalry, she was on her own.
“Which story did you have in mind? Although you already know my favorite.” Ash closed the
distance between them, backing her up against the counter, as he leaned in and kissed her, her heart
racing as she tried not to panic and freak out.
Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she managed to pull away without it feeling too
abrupt. “How about you grab a seat and I’ll make us a quick bite? Do you mind if I look around to see
what there is to work with?”
He reluctantly stepped back and leaned against the kitchen table. “I picked up some basics.
Let me know if you need anything in particular.”
There was a small fridge and after going through the limited contents, she pulled out some
cold cuts and then found some bread. She looked in the drawers, spotting a knife, but shifted away
from it to get down some plates, knowing he was still watching her every move.
“I hope sandwiches are okay.” She layered the meat and cheese on the bread, and then went
back to the fridge for some lettuce and tomatoes. “Could you grab us something to drink? Wine would
be lovely, though anything will do.”
And just maybe, while he was distracted with the drinks, she could grab the knife—and then
what? She didn’t really know. But it was now or never. Him or her. And frankly, she’d rather be
dead than let him rape her repeatedly, which is exactly what would happen if she didn’t get away. It
was already impossible for her to shake off the feel of his hands on her body, couldn’t forget the
things he’d done to her, the things he’d made her do… So, she’d do whatever she could to get free of
him, even if she died trying.
She opened one drawer, grabbed something—to throw him off in case he was looking—and
then moved to the drawer with the knife, grabbing it with a shaky hand.
“Are you okay, Princess?”
Chapter 26
As a punch of adrenaline raced through him, Keane quickly jotted down the address and
handed it to Wyatt. “We’ll meet you there. No, I’m sorry…I can’t do that, so you better hope that you
get someone there before me, because there’s no fucking way I’m waiting.”
Wyatt was already pulling off the next exit on the highway and turning them around as Keane
hung up. “That town’s not far from here—just on the outskirts of Dublin. We’ll be there in no time,
Keane. Fifteen—twenty minutes.”
Keane punched the address into the GPS, trying to clear his head and slow his racing thoughts.
He didn’t want to think of what condition he might find her in, didn’t want to think of what the bastard
might have done to her. So he forced himself to focus on just murdering the fucker and getting her out
safe. And he fucking swore, he’d never let her out of his sight again.
Fifteen minutes felt like an eternity, but finally, Wyatt pulled them to a stop, with a house just
off in the distance. “What’s your plan?”
Fuck…he didn’t have any sort of weapon, but he didn’t care. He’d tear the fucker to pieces
with his bare hands. “My plan is to get Lilly the fuck out of there any way I can.”
He was marching straight to the house when Wyatt fell in step by his side, handing him a tire
iron, while his brother held something similar in his hand. Wyatt would have his back. They’d find
Lilly and get her home safe.
Coming down the road, Keane could see there were lights on toward the side and back of the
house, and figured that would be their best bet. They quietly approached the home and peeked in the
window, though they couldn’t see past the curtains in one room. However, the other part of the home
had not only a window, but a back door, the top half made of glass. A thin lace covered the window,
obstructing his view of the kitchen—but not entirely, allowing him mere glimpses of…blood and…
was that Lilly?
Fuck. Fighting his panic, his fury, Keane smashed the glass on the door, and reached in to
unlock it, pushing it open the moment his hand was free of the glass. With three steps, he closed the
distance between them, dropping to his knees by Lilly’s side, pulling her limp, bloody body into his
arms and moving her away from Sirius, leaving Wyatt to deal with the bastard. “I’ve got you, baby
girl… It’s okay… Are you hurt?”
But she couldn’t answer him, her body trembling and shaking with the shock of it all.
Carefully, he pried her fingers open from around the handle of the sharp knife, and set it aside,
holding her to him to try to steady her, while Wyatt checked on Ash.
“He’s still alive, but…just barely.” Wyatt grabbed the kitchen towel hanging off the bottom
cabinet and pressed it to the stab wounds—not that Keane cared if the bastard lived or died.
Digging his phone out of his pocket while still holding Lilly to him, Keane called Burke and
let her know that they’d found Lilly, but they’d need an ambulance for Sirius. It couldn’t have been
longer than five minutes before the place was swarming with police and EMTs.
He told himself that Lilly was safe now, that he had her back in his arms, that everything
would be okay. And yet...he knew it was nothing but a lie he was telling himself to avoid the truth.
Nothing was okay, and it wouldn’t be. How could it, when he’d failed her…again.
***
The police and the doctors all insisted that they speak and examine Lilly without Keane
present, and it was making him fucking crazy. He kept replaying it all over in his mind, and with each
pass, more of the details materialized like a dream—or a nightmare—turning into reality. Like the fact
that she was naked, except for a bloody t-shirt. Or the fact that she had bruising to her face and marks
on her wrists.
He didn’t know what Sirius had done to her, but he couldn’t keep himself from thinking of
what she’d endured in the past, and couldn’t help but wonder if she’d been forced to relive her
nightmare. Could she come back from something like that twice? Or had she been forced to endure
something even worse?
Wyatt put a hand on his shoulder, though it did little to comfort him. “She’ll be okay, Keane.
She’s strong—and she’s a fighter. But I know what you’re thinking, and you can’t go there, man. It’ll
make you crazy—and the truth is you don’t know what happened.”
“I know enough to have no doubt that she was put through fucking hell—and now they won’t
even let me see her, won’t let me be with her. And I swear, I’m going to fucking lose it.” When Keane
spotted Hadley, he walked over to her, desperate for some information. “They haven’t told me
anything.”
Hadley gave him a sympathetic look that likely didn’t bode well for his sanity. “The police
and doctors have examined her and collected their evidence, and they got her cleaned up. But things
are a bit complicated because she stabbed Ash Sullivan. Obviously, it was in self-defense, and she
was in fear for her life, but it still means they need to conduct a thorough investigation.”
“Well, what the fuck was she supposed to do?” He wanted to punch something in frustration.
“She’s just lucky she was able to get her hands on that knife. And who the fuck knows what she went
through before that—not that I know anything. No one’s telling me a fucking thing and they won’t let
me see her.”
“The doctors are just wrapping up now, but Keane… I’m sorry…she doesn’t want to see
anyone right now.” Hadley grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. “This sort of thing…it can take
time. But if she knows you’re here for her, it’ll help.”
“No fucking way, Hadley. I can’t. I have to see her.” He was going fucking crazy. “Just do me
a favor...give her this, and then ask her again. I promise I won’t linger, but I need to see her.” Keane
handed Hadley the engagement ring he’d bought Lilly.
“I’ll see what I can do.”
He sat back down and prepared to wait—for an eternity if need be. Because he wasn’t going
anywhere. Not until he’d had a chance to see her.
“Keane…was that what I think it was?” Wyatt gave him a questioning look filled with
disbelief.
“Don’t fucking look at me like that, Wyatt. Having spent years living with my mistake, I know
what I want, what I need, and that’s Lilly.” Except that Lilly was now pushing him away again, and
this time, he might lose her for good. Not that he could blame her for not wanting him around when
he’d failed to protect her.
“Then don’t let her get away, Keane. Do what you need to do to make sure you’re both happy
—just be there for her. And she’ll come around.”
Keane sure as hell hoped so.
Chapter 27
Lilly’s hands shook as she held the engagement ring between her fingertips, ignoring the tears
that slipped down her cheeks. It was clear Keane had given the ring a lot of thought, and it suited her
style perfectly, with a cushion cut diamond that felt both modern and vintage in style—and was most
certainly romantic.
Yet how could she say yes when she felt so utterly broken and damaged? She didn’t think
she’d ever be able to scrub her brain free of all that blood—nor would she be able to ever forget the
feel of Ash touching her. And Keane deserved someone who was whole, someone who wasn’t
carrying a world of nightmares in her soul.
Hadley tilted her head toward it. “It’s a pretty ring.”
“He asked me yesterday—or was it a few days ago—but that was before…” Lilly took a deep
breath and let out on a ragged sigh. “I told him there was too much going on for me to say yes…and
now…I don’t think I’ll ever be ready.”
“I don’t know everything you went through, but from what I’ve seen, I can tell you that you’ve
got a patient man on your hands and he loves you. He’s desperate to see you—and frankly, I don’t
think he’s going anywhere.” Hadley sat on the edge of the bed so they were eye to eye. “I went
through something similar, you know. Not exactly the same, but…I have an idea as to what you’re
going through, and a good man by your side can make all the difference. You don’t want to do this
alone if you don’t have to, Lilly.”
After Dylan, there had been no one in Lilly’s life. She hadn’t had to face anyone after what she
went through. And in a way, that was easier than having to look at their worry, their hurt, their pity.
Even when she’d finally broke down and told Wyatt, she’d seen the way he’d looked at her. But to
have to face it daily with Keane…she just didn’t know if she could bear it—and she didn’t know if
she could bear his touch.
The diamond caught the light as it shifted in her fingers. “I’m not sure I can see him. I don’t
even know what to say to him, what to tell him.” Another wave of tears fell, her heart shattering at the
thought of losing him again.
“I don’t know that you need to say anything at all at the moment—and I think he gets that.”
Hadley tucked her long brown hair behind her ear and bit her bottom lip as she slowly got to her feet.
“Should I tell him he can come in? Just for a moment?”
She swiped at her tears and tried to be brave, knowing Keane wouldn’t leave until he got to
see her. “Yeah…I guess so.”
All she had was a minute to compose herself and pull herself together—which was
impossible to do when her tears wouldn’t stop—before Keane walked into the hospital room. He
didn’t even pause. Just pulled her into his arms and held her tight, his warmth and strength enveloping
her in his protection. “I’ve got you, baby girl…”
She choked back the sob that escaped, nestling deeper into his embrace as he tightened his
hold on her, shutting the rest of the world out so there was no one but the two of them once more. He
murmured words of comfort, his cheek bent to her head, and let her cry until she was spent.
For once, words failed her. She didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know what to do.
But Keane…he seemed to understand, seemed to know that she was broken and couldn’t pick
up the pieces. At least not yet. “Let’s get you out of here…get you home… The police already gave
their okay, and know where you’ll be if they need you.”
Just like her, he had on scrubs, instead of his t-shirt, no doubt because she’d covered him in
blood back at the cottage. “Keane…is he…is Sirius…Ash…is he dead? Did I kill him?” As much as
she hated him, and as much as she wanted her nightmare to be over, she couldn’t deal with the thought
of actually taking another life, even in self-defense.
“No, love. He’s in surgery, but they think he’s going to make it—not that he deserves to live.”
Keane let out a sigh of frustration. “You did what you had to do, Lilly. Don’t go second-guessing
yourself. It was self-defense. Plain and simple.”
“I know.” Ash’s intentions had been clear from the start, and she knew how things would have
played out had she not stopped him. It was bad enough that he’d had his hands, his mouth, all over
her, that he’d touched her, forced her...
Keane must have seen it in her face, in her eyes, and he certainly felt the shudder that raced
through her body and got the shakes starting again. “Fuck, Lilly… Let’s get you home.”
She knew he wanted to ask her, wanted to find out what Sirius had done to her. And she knew
he was likely assuming the worse, though there was a good chance the cops or Hadley gave him an
update on her status once they’d examined her. But she couldn’t bring herself to talk about it.
Not yet—if ever.
***
Lilly must have fallen asleep during the ride to Wyatt’s because she finally awoke in the guest
room with only a vague recollection of Keane carrying her to bed. She wasn’t sure what time it was
—or what day, for that matter—but she was finally safe, even if it still felt like she might be pulled
back into her nightmare at any moment.
As soon as Keane felt her stir awake, he tightened his hold on her and kissed the top of her
head. It appeared that he’d stayed by her side the whole time. “I’m right here, love. You’re safe.”
For now…until some other sadistic fuck got their hands on her. She knew it was the wrong
attitude to have, but everything was still too raw for her to be optimistic. And then there was Keane…
she didn’t know what to do or how to feel, didn’t know what to say.
“The ring…” She couldn’t remember what had happened to it, and would feel horrible if
she’d lost it.
“I’ve got it. No worries, Lil.” He shifted her in his arms so he could look at her, but holding
his gaze felt like an impossible feat. “It’ll be here when you’re ready. And there’s no rush… We’ll
take things one day at a time…together.”
“What if I can’t move past this, Keane?” And then she said the words she feared the most.
“What if I can’t bear for you to touch me again?”
“Lilly…I don’t know what he did to you…” The tension, the hurt, the anger in his voice was
her undoing, sending the tears slipping down her cheeks once more. “But we’ve got all the time in the
world. We can figure this out together, take things slow…you can set the pace. Whatever you need,
I’ll be here for you—always.”
She knew that—and yet hearing him say it somehow made all the difference in the world. The
tension in her chest slipped free just enough so she could finally take a deep breath. Maybe…just
maybe she’d manage to pull through this. Maybe it’d be different than what she’d gone through after
Dylan. At least Ash hadn’t had the chance to rape her, though he’d done more than enough and she’d
never been more scared in all her life.
But this time, she had Keane at her side…so maybe…maybe things would be different this
time around. When she looked up at him, he cupped her cheek and wiped her tears away. “Tell me
again, Keane…”
“I love you, Lilly. We’ll get through this, and I’ll be at your side every step of the way. Don’t
ever forget how strong you are. You’re a survivor. Don’t ever let him take that away from you.”
Chapter 28
It’d been a few weeks since Lilly’s ordeal came to an end, although with the cops still in the
process of wrapping up the investigation, Keane would have to wait a little while longer before he
could take her home. And once Ash was put on trial for his crimes, there was a good chance she
would have to come back to Dublin to testify.
Keane was still desperately worried about her and the nights were always the hardest when
her nightmares would come, but…she seemed better. Little by little. She’d even started writing again.
And luckily, Hadley was able to pull a few strings to keep the attack out of the media.
Yet there was more on his mind than just Lilly. Wyatt was still looking stressed—and wasn’t
saying a word about it, which was unlike him. Something was up, and he needed to get to the bottom
of it before he and Lilly headed back home. Not that he was seeing a whole lot of his brother as of
late.
Lilly set aside her laptop, and teasingly poked his thigh with her foot where they were sitting
on the sofa, with her lounging sideways as she worked, and him on the other end as he answered
emails. “Hey…don’t suppose you want to get out of here for a bit?”
He’d been trying to give her a bit of space, letting her know that he was close by, but letting
her do her own thing and trying not to crowd her. He knew she needed him to take things slow, and
they’d been doing just that. That said, over the last week, she seemed to be increasing the physical
contact between them—and for that he was eternally grateful.
“Whatever you’d like to do, love. It’s nearly dinner time, and I don’t know that we have many
days left before they give us the okay to get out of here.” Abandoning his work, he gathered up her
feet and put them in his lap, giving them a gentle squeeze. When she let out a little moan, he continued
to massage her feet, first one and then the other, happy that he could give her some pleasure that didn’t
put her walls up. She sat back a bit and lowered herself on the sofa, getting more comfortable as her
eyes slipped closed and she bit her bottom lip. “That feels so good, Keane…”
He didn’t say anything, not wanting to distract her, but rather shifted to face her. Letting his
hands move from her feet to her bare calves, he continued to apply pressure to her muscles, working
away the tension as she once more got used to his touch. Though they’d been sleeping in the same bed,
with her cradled against him, this was the first time she seemed to be enjoying something other than
just his embrace. It was a small step, but after two weeks of not being able to make love to her, he
was just happy that they were at least making progress.
Lilly was wearing just a pair of comfy boxers and a tank, allowing Keane’s hands to wander
with little obstructing his way as his hands massaged their way up to her thighs. Yet he paid close
attention, judging her every reaction to make sure he didn’t push things too far. Though he now knew
she’d managed to avoid being raped, she’d yet to tell him what happened, and if he was being honest
with himself, it killed him not to know what she’d endured—though maybe it was for the best.
He forced himself to push those thoughts from his head, needing instead to focus on her and
what was between them, on the here and now. She stiffened just a little, but as he continued to work
the tension out of her muscles, it seemed as if she relaxed once more—or rather, the tension shifted to
something he was more familiar with.
Her hips started to rock toward him ever so slightly, her rhythm matching his as if urging him
on, silently asking him for more. After all she’d been through, he knew words still failed her, even at
the best of times. And so he’d follow her lead, slowly taking more and then holding back to judge her
reaction.
His hands slipped farther up her thighs, so his fingers danced past her sex in a tease, her
breath catching in response. “Tell me, Lil… Is this what you want?”
Sucking in a deep breath, she nodded, her words just a whisper. “Yeah…it is. And…I think
it’s what I need if I have any hope of moving past what happened.”
When he stroked her clit through the thin fabric of her boxers, her head fell back with a gasp
and her hips rocked against his hand as his cock strained against his jeans in response, desperate to
be set free. Yet he did his best to ignore his own needs. This wasn’t about him—it was about her.
And she was the only thing that mattered.
Slipping her boxers out of the way, he let his fingers tease her opening, and fuck…he was
relieved to find her wet for him, and so ready. Slowly, he dragged his fingers along her slit to her
swollen clit, circling it, teasing it, before slipping back down toward her ass, barely dipping his
fingers into her heat. “Do you want more, Lil?”
“Desperately.”
It was all he needed to hear.
He slid two fingers deep inside her, curling them to hit her G-spot as he pulled them back out
and then slowly thrust them into her again, while he used his other hand to tease her clit. As her
breathing grew erratic, he increased his pace, her juices covering his hand, so when he pressed a
finger to the bud of her ass, it slipped right in. That was all it took to have her crying out as her
orgasm raced through her, her body quivering as he pulled forth one wave of pleasure after the other,
until she finally stilled and he pulled his fingers free of her, gathering her up in his arms.
“Lil…are you okay?” He was still worried he might trigger something for her, and it’d push
back any progress they’d made.
She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss to his lips, their heads still
bent together as she spoke. “I love you, Keane.”
“And I love you…with all my heart, Lil.” When he looked at her in question, she nodded, no
words needed between them.
As he scooped her up in his arms, she held onto him, her head nestled against the crook of his
shoulder, trailing kisses over the stubbled skin of his neck. He knew he still had to take things slow,
needed to be aware enough to pick up on her cues, but fuck…he wanted her something fierce and it
wasn’t going to be easy to not lose himself in her.
Lowering her onto the bed, he stole a quick kiss and then stripped himself naked before
turning his attention to Lilly, who was slowly pulling her tank up over her head to free her gorgeous
breasts. She then shimmied her boxers down past her hips, so she was lying there naked, though he
could tell she was still looking nervous.
He knelt by her side, ready to take things slow, when she pulled him to her and kissed him as
if her life depended on it. His tongue found hers in a heated dance, his hands drifting down her back
to cup her ass as she stroked his cock, making it so he could think of little else but fucking her,
claiming her as his once more. Because the last few weeks, the distance he felt between them had left
him wondering if she’d ever come back to him, or if she’d just walk away from what they had—not
that he’d have ever let her go.
“Fuck, Lilly…I’ve missed you so much.” He brushed his lips against hers, and then covered
her warm skin in soft kisses, breathing in her scent, anchoring himself in the moment as if it might all
slip away with one wrong move.
“I’ve missed you too.” She continued to stroke him, and he swore he’d come just like that if
she kept it up.
Before he could protest that he had other things in mind, she pushed him back so he could lie
back against the pillows, and then straddled him, letting the slick lips of her sweet cunt glide back and
forth along his shaft as she kissed him once more. With a tilt of her hips, she caught the head of his
cock at her opening, pausing for a second before she slowly slipped her taut body down his hard
shaft, her eyes locked on his, as if needing to see that it was him, and no one else.
With her body wrapped tightly around his, and the last two weeks they’d spent avoiding any
real physical contact, he didn’t know how long he’d last as her hips tilted and rocked along his length
while he thrust up into her, desperate for more. “You feel so fucking good, Lil…I’ve missed this…
missed having you in my arms…missed the way your body feels when it’s wrapped around me…
missed fucking you.”
“And you’ve been so patient with me, Keane. But…it’s time I took this back. I can’t be
scared, can’t live in the past… Because if I do, if I don’t push him out of my head and take back my
life, then he wins. Even if he’s not here, he’ll still have control over me, Keane. And I’m not going to
let that fucking happen.”
Chapter 29
Lilly focused on Keane, on the way his muscular body felt wrapped protectively around her,
the way his huge cock stretched her body tight, filling her, taking her, reminding her that it was just the
two of them—and that it was him and no one else.
Gripping her hips, his fingers dug into her soft flesh, the flicker of pain keeping her focused on
the present and urging her on so her pace quickened, her clit aching and heavy as she teetered on the
edge of coming again. When he broke away from their kiss to bite her nipple and suck it into his
mouth, she could take no more, her orgasm crashing over her as she cried out in Keane’s arms, her
body quivering and shaking as he held her close, letting her ride out the last waves of pleasure until
she finally stilled.
He kissed her, and then kissed her again, his head bent to hers. “Tell me you’re okay, love.”
“I’m always okay when I’m with you.” And it was the truth. No matter what they’d been
through, Keane always found a way to make things okay, to make her feel safe. And that was why she
had to push herself, had to find her way back to normal. “But I want more, Keane. I want it to be the
way it’s always been between us.”
“Lil…” He brushed the hair from her face, worry darkening his eyes. “We’ve got all the time
in the world.”
“I need to do this—and I’m in a good place right now. I want you—the way it’s always been
with us.” Getting up on her knees, she let him slip free of her body as she shifted onto her hands and
knees next to him, taking a deep breath to try to slow her racing heart. “I want you hard and rough,
Keane.”
“Fuck, Lilly…I love you.” He knelt behind her and pressed a trail of kisses down her spine
before grabbing her hips and pulling her to him, entering her with one hard thrust, leaving her crying
out in response—and making her feel whole once more.
Fisting her hair, he pulled her back to him, her back arching to meet him as he kissed her,
burying himself to the hilt with each punctuated thrust, claiming her as his once more. He fucked her,
holding her to him so she was trapped in his arms, forcing her to take his full length as his hand
closed over her throat, squeezing just enough to have her teetering on the edge once more as he took
her rough, fucking her so she could think of nothing but him.
He let her drop forward onto all fours, his pace quickening as he lowered himself to her, his
chest pressed against her back so he could reach around to stroke her clit, making her head spin with
her overwhelming need for him. She was so close to coming again, and she could tell, hard as he was
riding her, that he was close too.
Her legs trembled as he teased and fucked her, his name on her lips as he once more pushed
her over the edge, crying out as he joined her. With a few more hard thrusts, he emptied himself,
pumping his hot cum deep inside her, his breathing heavy as he murmured his words against her skin.
“You’re mine, Lilly… No one else can lay a claim on you. Am I making myself clear? Mine. They
have no hold on you.”
And in that moment, it was as if he’d exorcised all her demons, so she was finally at peace,
the tension and anger and hate replaced with a calm she couldn’t remember ever feeling. He pulled
out of her, his cum slipping onto her thighs and marking her as his and his alone, as he laid back and
gathered her up in his arms.
“I need one more thing, Keane.” She hadn’t expected it, but she knew it was exactly what she
needed, what she wanted—what she’d always wanted. “I need you to ask me again.”
“Lilly…we don’t need to rush it. I’m not going anywhere. You know that.” He brushed his
fingers against her cheek and kissed her.
“I know that—and I also know, now more than I ever have—that this is what I want.” She
thought of how she’d pushed him away when they’d been at the hospital, and regretted it, even if it’d
been because she hated the thought of saddling him with her when she was so broken. “I’m sorry I
tried to send you away, Keane. You just deserved someone who wasn’t so messed up. And I didn’t
know if I could…”
“Hush, baby girl. That’s all behind us now, and there’s no one else I could ever want, no one
else I could ever love. You’re my everything.” Shifting her in his arms, he reached into the drawer of
the nightstand and returned with the engagement ring. “Lilly Annabelle Thompson…would you do me
the great honor of becoming my wife?”
She nodded, blinking back tears as he slipped the ring onto her finger, and wrapped her arms
around his neck, finally feeling whole. “There’s nothing I want more.”
Chapter 30
Keane cupped Lilly’s face in his hands and caught her mouth in a kiss, her lips soft and warm
against his, and just a little bitter from the pint of Guinness and blackcurrant that she’d been drinking.
The pub was noisy and bustling with people, but now that they no longer had to worry about Ash, it
was nice that they could just relax and get out and about to see the city. They only had a week or two
left in Dublin, and though Keane would be happy to get back home, he figured they might as well
make the most of the time they had left.
“Where do you want to go next, Lil?” They’d already been on a tour of the city and to the
museums, and done a bit of window-shopping.
“I’m up for anything as long as it’s with you.” She gave him a smile that lit up her eyes and
then draped her arms over his shoulders to play with his hair, her body pressed against his, making
him wish they were in a less public place.
Although it hadn’t been long since things came to an end with Sirius, Keane was relieved that
Lilly seemed to now be happy and content. He wasn’t sure how she’d managed to leave behind what
the bastard had done to her, but her nightmares seemed to have finally subsided, and the darkness that
had shadowed her eyes had faded. Every now and then, he’d find her staring off into space, and he
worried that she was remembering what that fucker had done to her. And yet, something as simple as
his touch would have her coming back to him.
“If you leave our evening plans up to me, I’ll have you back at the house, naked, with your ass
up in the air.” Keane threw back the rest of his whiskey, eager to get going if it meant he’d get to have
Lilly once more.
She gave him a smile, and then kissed him sweetly. “Keane…thank you.”
“For what, love?” He tilted his head to look at her, his heart thudding at a faster beat, not sure
where her head was at.
“For making me happy and not treating me like I’m broken, for not looking at me with pity. I
know you worry and care about me, but you’ve managed to look past what was done to me, and still
see me. I’ve always loved you. But for that, I love you even more.”
***
“Tell me again, Lil…how exactly did I get roped into this?” Keane had to shake his head as
he and Wyatt stood by Lilly’s side—bare-chested, wearing nothing but ass-hugging jeans, their tats
and six-packs on full display—as she sat at a long table with her books piled in neat stacks, waiting
to be signed.
“It’s ’cause you boys are damn sexy—and you promised me. Or did you forget? Besides…
look at Wyatt. He’s loving every minute of all the attention he’s getting.” Lilly gave them a teasing
smile over her shoulder and then turned back to the wide-eyed, excited women as they swarmed
around the convention center, waiting in line to have Lilly sign their books and take a picture with her
—before they turned to have their pictures taken with Keane and Wyatt.
Wyatt leaned toward him, though with the noise level in the hall, there was no reason to
whisper. “Did you have any idea about all of this—about Lilly? Or rather, Piper… It’s kind of
insane.”
Lilly wasn’t the only author there, but rather one of nearly a hundred, though Keane was damn
proud to see that she and her books were so well received. Yet he knew exactly what Wyatt was
referring to. The excitement level of the readers was unlike anything he’d ever seen before, and then
there was the creativity and preparation some of them had gone to. It was impressive to see the
autograph books they’d created, with pages of each author along with all their novels. Not to mention
the dedication of the readers to stand in the long lines for each author, and lug around dozens of books
for hours on end.
“No…I didn’t have a clue. But now that I’ve seen it, I completely understand why she hadn’t
wanted to disappoint her readers by canceling her appearance.” Not that it would have been worth the
risk—although in the end, her stalker had gotten to her anyway. It was a failure Keane would have to
live with the rest of his life.
And yet, they were happy, despite her ordeal. Truly happy. They’d be leaving for Portmore in
just a few days, and she’d be moving in with him. A fresh start, and a new life, their problems nothing
but a distant and faded memory. And he couldn’t fucking wait.
A little while later, Lilly turned around to face them, getting to her feet with a stretch and a
smile. “We’re done, so you boys can put your shirts back on. I owe you drinks and dinner, so just pick
the place.”
Keane slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss. “Drinks and dinner are
fine, but I’ll be collecting my payment later tonight.”
“I’d love to join you guys, but I’ve got to get to the club for the night.” The mere mention of
his club had Wyatt’s mood turning somber as worry, once again, darkened his eyes.
Well, Keane had had enough. He grabbed his brother’s arm when he went to turn away.
“That’s it, Wyatt—you need to tell me what the fuck is going on with the club. Let me help you.”
Wyatt let out a sigh with a shake of his head. “I’m dealing with it. Okay? My club—my
problem…even if I appreciate your concern. I just—”
“Don’t want to get me involved.” Fuck…that couldn’t be good.
Lilly ran a hand down Wyatt’s arm, her worry palpable. “You need to tell us what’s going on.
Let us help.”
“I wish I could—I really do. But, you guys have had enough to deal with, and there’s no
fucking way I’m dragging the two of you into my mess.” Wyatt took a step back, looking pissed off
and agitated. “I refuse to put you guys in danger.”
“Wyatt…what the fuck have you gotten yourself into?”
THE END
*** I hope you enjoyed Obsession and Surrender. Wyatt’s story,
, the
next book in The Billionaire’s Temptation, will be available in October 2015 and is currently
available for pre-order. For updates,
please sign up for my newsletter
always, reviews are greatly appreciated, if you’re so inclined. — Best, Cali ***
Book Series by Cali MacKay
The Billionaire’s Temptation Series
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
(available for pre-order)
The Mermaid Isle Series
1.
2.
3.
The Highland Heart Series
1.
2.
3.
Also available as a boxset (The Highland Heart
The Pirate and the Feisty Maid Series
Part One, Two and Three only available as a boxset
Jack—A Grim Reaper Romance (prequel- For One Last Kiss
Document Outline
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 14
- Chapter 15
- Chapter 16
- Chapter 17
- Chapter 18
- Chapter 19
- Chapter 20
- Chapter 21
- Chapter 22
- Chapter 23
- Chapter 24
- Chapter 25
- Chapter 26
- Chapter 27
- Chapter 28
- Chapter 29
- Chapter 30
Wyszukiwarka
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