I awoke in darkness feeling something cold pressed against my eyes. As I reached up to push it away, a warm hand covered mine and gently eased my fingers aside.

“Leave it be. You’re safe.”

I knew that voice… Rambler? “Where am I? What happened?”

“You were in an accident, lass. You cut your head. I’ve given you a cold compress for the swelling.” The faint accent of the other male voice sounded a lot like Doc.

“We found you on the road to my place, Ella. Were you looking for me? Need my help with a problem?”

I tried to turn my head, but the dull pain there sharpened. I moaned. Ugh, I couldn’t think.

“How did I get here? Rambler, Doc, is that you?” Since I couldn’t see, I needed confirmation. My thoughts were fuzzy, my head swimming in a fog.

“Yes. It’s us,” Rambler confirmed. “I’m surprised you remember the sound of my voice.”

I couldn’t miss the hard edge of his tone, but I did remember him. I couldn’t forget a single thing that had happened between Rambler and me. I’d tried…and failed.

“Easy on her, man. Ella, try to relax and lie still. We’re going to help you,” Doc murmured in soothing tones. “You’ve been in an accident.”

Suddenly, I remembered—just like I recalled the terrible reason I’d been in my Land Cruiser driving way too fast. A flash of terror exploded in my gut. “Did you find a backpack?”

“You mean the one filled with all the money?” Rambler left the question hanging.

Dread gripped me. I winced, then regretted moving at all. The drawl in his tone told me he was just this side of pissed off.

But I had much bigger problems than Rambler and his wounded pride. Worse, my beat-up body was telling me I wasn’t leaving anytime soon. Panic gripped my lungs, knotted my stomach. Staying wasn’t an option. No matter how crappy I felt, I had to leave—now.

Again, I reached for the cloth over my eyes and struggled to sit up. A gentle but strong hand pushed me back.

“You’re not going anywhere just yet.” Rambler’s low voice might have meant to soothe me, but there wasn’t an ounce of calm in his tone. “Care to tell me what you’re doing with all that cash? Are you in trouble?”

“I’m fine,” I lied.

What else could I say? My problems weren’t his. I didn’t want to involve anyone in my danger, especially a man I cared about far more than I should. How could I explain to him that I’d forced distance between us two weeks ago because I refused to drag him into my mess and risk his life?

“Right. And I’m the Easter Bunny,” Rambler scoffed. “We’ll get to the money later. Now that you’re awake, maybe we should take you to the hospital, have you checked over.”

If he did, Niko would find me for sure.

“No. I told you I’m fine. Thanks for everything, but… Look, it’s my money. I didn’t steal it. I just need to get out of here. Will my SUV still run?”

“It’s totaled. And you’re not leaving.” I could almost hear Rambler gnashing his teeth as he spoke in that Alpha voice that sent shivers up my spine. He meant business. “Something is going on with you, and we’re going to get to the bottom of it. Start talking.”

I pressed my lips together mulishly.

He growled. “Who are you running from this time, Ella?”

I heard his unspoken question loud and clear: Why did you run from me?

“We didn’t save you from that wreck just to throw you to the wolves. And we never thought you stole any money.” Doc tried to set me at ease. “Just tell us what’s going on. Maybe we can help.”

I wish. No one could help me. It was years too late for that. And now I was out of options. I reached up to shove the compress aside again. Strong fingers curling around my wrist stopped me.

I grunted in frustration. “Can you take this damn thing off, please? I don’t like not being able to see.”

Someone sighed, probably Doc since the sound was more concerned than irritated.

“All right. Lie back and keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them, lass.”

I nodded carefully. The dull ache in my head told me it would be wise to rest another five minutes before I attempted to flee.

With gentle hands, Doc lifted my head and began to peel away the bandage and compress. “If you feel sick, let me know.”

The second he moved me, a wave of nausea slid through my belly. I swallowed it down. “How long was I out?”

While Doc removed the bandages, Rambler took my hand. The memory of his calloused palms on my body made me tingle.

“Maybe twenty minutes,” Doc explained. “I had to put a couple of stitches in your head.”

“Well, first we had to pull you from your vehicle,” Rambler cut in. “Otherwise, you might have been gator bait.”

I shivered at that possibility. “Thank you.”

“Okay, you can open your eyes now,” Doc instructed.

I lifted my lids a fraction. My vision was blurry, but I managed to blink and focus on the small but functional room. The relief was immediate—until I caught sight of the men.

Rambler and Doc both hovered over me. They looked concerned, and guilt tore through me. The edge of anger on Rambler’s strong face only made me feel worse. I wished he’d look at me the way he had when we’d been together, when he’d laughed with me. When he’d utterly possessed my body and made love to me.

Those days were gone.

Still, I couldn’t stop staring. Rambler was taller than his buddy, and a few years older. He kept his sandy-blond hair from his rugged face with his signature camo-print skullcap. His mustache and beard hugged the angles of his sharp jaw. His piercing stare was more than disconcerting.

The past came rushing back, how my flat tire had led to knowing exactly what this man’s soft beard between my thighs felt like.

It had been a typically hot, sticky Florida day. My tire had blown out and I was stuck on the side of the road, digging around in the back of my car for a jack. I was sweaty, disheveled, and pissed off with the world because no one had stopped to help.

Eight riders had suddenly appeared and pulled over. Each had been wearing hungry grins. But then one man had stepped off a huge bike and whipped off his aviators, his smile wide—stark white teeth against tanned skin—and he’d nearly stolen my breath. Confidence had radiated off his rugged body as he strode toward me on dusty leather boots. He had deep-set hazel eyes that bored into me with such intensity I’d had to look away, but not before I noticed how his black T-shirt strained across his chest and framed his large, muscular tattooed biceps. His big hands had been encased in weathered leather gloves. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on the man anywhere from his lean hips to his long legs, covered in blue jeans that had molded perfectly to every packed inch.

And just like that, Rambler had taken my breath away.

At first, I’d been intimidated by so much raw, masculine muscle and black leather, but after introductions were made, I’d calmed. The bikers had quickly changed my tire, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off Rambler, or ignore the palpable draw that pulsated between us.

When the boys had invited me out with them, something bold and daring had blossomed inside me. I’d brazenly asked Rambler to take me for a ride. Maybe I’d been searching for an escape from the fear, from always looking over my shoulder. Or maybe I’d simply been lonely and needed the strength and sensual power this man exuded. At the time, it hadn’t really mattered. He’d taken me up on my offer, and I’d climbed onto the back of his stunning bike.

Arms wrapped around his steely body, I’d held on for dear life, convinced that any minute I’d fly off the back and scrape my ass raw on the road. Surrounded by hardness—both his body and the firm seat—every bump, slide, and vibration had ignited my clit.

The delicious ache that had hummed over my sex sent heat and demand singing through my body. I’d grown utterly saturated in seconds flat.

At first, I’d rocked imperceptibly, but the faster he drove, the harder I’d ground against the metal seat. Consumed with throbbing vibrations, my need had torqued up unbearably. I’d closed my eyes and rested my head against his shoulder as I’d drowned in the lovely, quivering shockwaves. My hands had slid from his waist and cradled his thick leather belt until the climax rolled over me like a freight train. I cried out and dropped both hands, wrapping them around the solid, thick bar of hot flesh between his thighs.

Lost in my own bliss, I hadn’t remembered him pulling over. I just had a vague recollection of the trees, the lake, and the nearby boathouse. Rambler had somehow swung me around his body until the handlebars were at my back. My feet had rested on the seat behind him, and my legs were spread wide and locked around his hips.

I’d never felt so wanton, passionate, and desperate to feel a man inside me than when he’d ground his hard cock against my still-throbbing cunt. He’d driven me mad as he’d held me so tight I could barely breathe. Then he’d laid claim to my mouth in a feral kiss. My lips—both sets—had been swollen and so sensitive, the conflagration of fire that had built inside had felt as if I was all but combusting. He had me begging.

“Please. Oh, Rambler, that feels so good. I need more.”

“I’ll give you more, baby.” His voice had dropped to a deep rumble, a velvet-sounding baritone that reverberated through me. I’d melted. He’d leaned forward and roughly pulled apart my shirt, sending the buttons flying with an odd-shaped knife he’d held in his hand. Before I’d been able to suck in a gasp, he’d flicked his wrist, and my bra landed in pieces on the ground.

“You owe me a new bra.”

Quick as a flash, he’d slipped a finger down the inside of my jeans, snagged my panties, and lifted the seams clear of the denim. I’d held my breath and watched as he’d carefully slid the blade through the soft silk on both sides and tugged my panties free.

He’d wadded the fabric in a fist and brought it to his nose before he’d drawn in a deep breath. “Now I owe you panties, too.”

The heated gleam that blazed in his eyes had me swallowing back a gasp. An instant later, he’d slurped the hard bud of my nipple into the wet heat of his mouth and sucked hard. I began to howl, the need for more overwhelming me.

At the same time, he’d reached up with one hand and dug his fingers into my hair, grasped a thick section, and pulled. I’d screamed as he bit down on my nipple and lashed it with his tongue.

As he’d broken the suction, an animalistic smile had crawled across his lips. “Fuck, you’re delicious.”

He’d quickly pocketed the knife and gripped my pussy through the soaked crotch of my jeans. Seconds later, he’d latched onto my other nipple, attacking it with equal fervor. A loud groan had escaped my lips as I’d thrust my pussy at him, shocked to discover that I was primed and ready to come again. Rambler then shoved his hips against me hard and ground his cock with the perfect amount of friction against my soft, wet sex.

I’d exploded. Deep, pulsating shockwaves of pleasure had poured outward in a blissful, heated rush. I’d thrown back my head and howled his name.

The huge grin that had suddenly appeared on his face promised more.

I remembered thinking, Oh, my god. He’ll ruin me for anyone else.

That premonition had invaded my brain before he’d stripped away the sodden jeans, pushed me back against the bars, and told me to hold on tight. With wide hands, he’d gripped the insides of my knees, parted my thighs, then paused and taken a moment to admire the wet warmth he’d made of me.

His intention had been clear.

Rambler would not be denied.

I’d held my breath and watched in fascination as he dipped his beautiful head and covered my pussy with his greedy mouth. Then that incredible, ferocious, wildly beautiful man had proceeded to feast. He hadn’t done it with polite interest but a controlled intensity. He’d suckled and devoured my fleshy sex as if I were a succulent peach. He’d coaxed one climax after another from me.

Then before I’d even realized what was happening, he’d lifted me into his arms and headed toward a boathouse. When he’d placed me down on my hands and knees and moved in behind me, kicking my feet apart, I gasped. My heart soared when I heard the soft snick of his zipper and the tearing sound of a wrapper.

“Thrust your ass out and put your head down.”

His command had made me even wetter. When he’d pushed deep and full inside me, I’d braced my palms firmly on the floor, fingers digging into the wood, and wailed.

Gazing at Rambler even now, the recollection of our shared raw passion still reflected in his eyes and set me on fire. I could still feel his calloused hands cupping my hips, hear his strained voice as he told me how sexy I looked while he stroked deep inside me that first night—and all the incredible nights that had followed.

Biting back a moan at the memories, my tunnel clutched and my juices spilled.

Rambler’s nostrils flared. A knowing smirk kicked up one corner of his mouth.

Oh, yes. He knew exactly what I’d been thinking.

I quickly wiped the sensual images from my mind and turned toward Doc. Though not as tall as Rambler, he was just as fit and good-looking with a shocking mop of auburn hair. Pale skin framed vivid green eyes and a friendly smile. His slight accent hinted at his Scottish descent.

I felt safer here with them both…but I’d left Rambler for a reason. I couldn’t afford to linger now.

I tore my gaze away and pushed up to my elbows. Though stiff and sore, I didn’t feel foggy anymore.

“I didn’t say to get up,” Doc groused.

“I have to. Besides, I’m feeling much better now.”

“That might be, but you took a nasty bump to the head. Lie back and rest. I insist.” He guided me back down.

With an impatient sigh, I relented.

In a possessive show of force, Rambler moved in alongside his friend, compelling me to look at them both. My mind warred between gratitude that they’d saved me again and resentment. My only window of escape had closed. A burst of panic and fear exploded within me. My plane had departed without me. Still, there might be time for me to arrange another, but I couldn’t do it here.

Rising to my feet, I sent them a tight smile. “Thank you both, but I—”

Rambler and Doc both reached for me as I wobbled. Together, they eased me back down to the bed.

Rambler didn’t let go. “Whoa. You’re not going anywhere yet, girl.”

“But I feel fine. Honest.”

“Great. Then you can give me some answers,” he snapped. “You owe me that much.”

Guilt pelted me from all angles. I couldn’t avoid the conversation anymore, but they wanted answers I couldn’t give them.

“He wants what’s best for you, as I do. You will stay in that bed and rest,” Doc growled.

Taking orders from Rambler was one thing, but when Doc started putting in his two cents, my temper ignited.

“I don’t need you to watch over me. I said I’m fine,” I snapped indignantly.

“Is that right?” Rambler was suddenly in my face. His warm breath drifted across my mouth.

Goose bumps exploded across my flesh at his firm, commanding tone.

“We’re not going to force you to stay. I’m sure you’ll run off the minute you get the chance, just like before.” Rambler’s smile was arctic. “But you can either talk or I can call the cops and report the accident before we take you to the hospital and get you checked out.”

“Good idea. I’ll grab her backpack full of cash,” Doc volunteered. “We’ll let the cops figure out what the hell to do with it. Not our problem.”

Their words cut like dual knives. Their ultimatum left me no choice. I had to say something. Guilt helped my decision along. Fate or divine intervention had made our paths cross again for a reason.

“Look, the money in that bag belongs to me. It’s my life’s savings. I’d like to stay…but I can’t.”

I’d already put them in enough danger.

Anger lined Rambler’s face, but it was the pain in his eyes that crushed me.

I looked away. “Let me pay you for your trouble.”

Both men bristled at my offer.

Rambler leaned in with a growl. “I don’t want your money. I want answers, baby.”

I bit my lip to hold in tears. “I’m sorry you have to keep coming to my rescue, but I have to leave, get as far away as I can before—” When I realized what I’d nearly admitted, I fell mute.

“The Russians find you? It’s too late for that.” Rambler shook his head. “We’ve already had a little visit from two of them. How do they know you?”

Niko’s goons found me again?

The panicked sensation of stepping off into an abyss swamped me. Oh, god. Oh, god. Now what?

My last thought before I sank beneath the wave of welcoming blackness was that I’d tried so hard to spare Rambler this terrible danger. And just like my mission today, I’d failed.

* * *

It was dark when I woke up again, this time alone.

What else could I possibly expect? I’d walked away from the man I’d fallen in love with without explanation. Yes, I’d done it to save his life but he didn’t know that. I couldn’t even afford to spend time lamenting my situation. But I did anyway.

The last time Rambler and I were supposed to hook up at the Regency Cinema in Stuart, we’d laughed that we were finally planning a real date. All we’d done so far was spend our time in bed.

I’d arrived a half an hour early, waiting for Rambler in the parking lot while enjoying a frozen custard. When he’d texted that he was on his way, I’d checked out the two cars beside me. They’d both been empty. I’d grinned as I’d slipped off my panties from under my dress, just in case he’d planned to do naughty things to me inside the theater.

I hadn’t seen a reason why I couldn’t have my cake and eat it, too.

Since Rambler had come into my life, I’d been deliriously happy. The man was dazzling, amazing. I’d been so utterly miserable for so long, and each moment I’d spent with him had brought me back to the living.

When I’d heard the familiar sound of his bike, I’d looked up and watched him glide into the parking lot. He’d pulled into an empty space a couple of rows away. He hadn’t seen me yet, so I’d decided to saunter over to where he’d parked, let him get a good view of my dress as I headed his way.

But as I’d started in his direction, I’d noticed two of Niko’s men sitting on a park bench, watching me with those somehow menacingly blank expressions.

The bottom had dropped out of my world.

A voice in my head had told me that if I truly cared about Rambler, I had to save his life. Walk away and set him free.

My heart had screamed out a mournful no!

Ultimately, I didn’t have a choice.

When I’d turned and peered at him as he sat astride his bike, phone in hand, I’d been so swamped with the searing pain of loss I couldn’t breathe.

My phone had dinged and I’d glanced down at the message Rambler had sent.

Where are you? I’m here in the parking lot. Are you inside? I can’t wait to taste your lips, baby girl.

Crushed, I shoved my phone back in my purse. There had been no point in answering his text. I had to leave, get out of town. Out of the state. I’d done this before, and I didn’t understand why I felt so bereft this time. Our relationship—while amazing—had been brief and based on passion and sex.

Or at least that’s what I told myself.

But I’d known with each tear that had spilled down my cheeks while I drove away that I was lying to myself. The love we had shared had been both fierce and fragile, and I had shattered it into a million pieces, along with my heart. Hoarse, ugly sounds had wrenched from my throat. I could feel the joy that had burned so bright inside me melt away, replaced by my old friends terror and uncertainty.

Even as I’d absently wiped my nose, I hadn’t been able to take my eyes off him, reflected in my rearview mirror. I’d tried to will him to look up so I could see his beautiful face one last time. As if he’d heard me, he’d raised his head and scanned the parking lot. I committed each angle and plane to memory and added that singular moment to the collection of time I’d shared with him, each second now branded in my brain. That would be all I’d have left of him…of us.

When I’d pulled out of the theater parking lot, I’d felt as if I’d left a part of myself behind.

Niko’s goons had simply lifted their heads and smiled at me.

In hindsight, I should have paid more attention to that. But then, I’d been upset. Until then, I’d foolishly thought I’d managed to escape my former life. The peace and happiness I’d found in Florida had been nothing but smoke and mirrors. I’d stupidly let my guard down, grown careless, and had let Rambler deep inside my body and my heart.

I sat up in bed and exhaled a heavy sigh.

We’ve already had a little visit from two of them…

Even remembering Rambler’s words sent a surge of panic ripping through me. I clutched the sheets as my heart rate tripled. The signs had no doubt been there this whole time. The bastard probably knew exactly where I’d been all along. But how? How had Niko found me? He couldn’t have traced my car. I’d bought it on eBay the week before I ran. I’d abandoned his precious Lamborghini in a parking lot at the local mall the day I skipped town. I thought I’d taken every precaution before heading south from Brighton Beach, New York. Obviously, I’d missed something.

Had he somehow planted a tracking device inside me?

Now you’re just being paranoid, my subconscious chided.

Nothing made sense. I didn’t know why his goons hadn’t tried to snatch me that day at the theater. Maybe Niko had simply ordered them to find and observe me so he could come and kill me himself. That sounded like something he’d do—with pleasure.

I honestly thought he would when I left Stuart for the Okeechobee airport earlier. The flight I’d booked under an alias was the last string holding me to the States. When I’d noticed the big black Caddy following me, I panicked and turned down another road—the one that led to Rambler’s house. If I could have kept from panicking and crashing, I might now be on a flight and long gone from danger.

I needed the damn FBI to swoop in and protect me, protect us all. If they could capture and prosecute Niko, I could stop looking over my shoulder, and Rambler and Doc wouldn’t be in imminent danger. Sure, they and their biker friends were rough and street-smart, but they were nice guys—definitely no match against Niko and his Russian mob connections.

“And here I thought I’d been so clever,” I whispered on a sad sigh.

Instead of continuing to rehash the whole mess over and over, I rolled out of bed and tiptoed to the bathroom. Staying upright was harder than I’d imagined. My head swam. My stomach protested.

Too bad. If I wanted the man I loved to live, I had to leave. Unfortunately, I was in no condition to walk, run, or drive anywhere, especially since I didn’t even have a damn car. I had no clothes except the bra and panties I was wearing. My stash of cash was…somewhere, probably being guarded by Rambler and Doc.

I wanted to scream in frustration.

As I headed out of the bathroom, feeling defeated and lost, the bedroom door suddenly opened. Rambler, Doc, Sparks, and Dozer strolled in.

“Hold up a fucking goddamn minute,” Rambler bellowed as he turned and tried to shove the men back out the door. “All of you, get lost. Ella’s not dressed.”

Dozer gave a snort. “Too late. I’ve already filed all that…mmm, yeah to memory. Ms. Ella, you are one fine-looking woman.”

My cheeks blazed.

Rambler scowled and slapped Dozer upside the head, then turned to face me. “We have news.”

About what?

Dozer and Sparks stood gaping at me like a couple of hungry wolves.

Doc rolled his eyes, pushed past a snarling Rambler, and helped me back into bed. “There, Ella. Just ignore them. I do. Oh, and don’t pay any attention to Rambler, either. He’s gone a bit screwy. Damn knucklehead seems to have gone a bit daft since buying a Knucklehead.”

“What are you talking about?” I’d been so focused on Rambler’s possessive mien that I hadn’t been paying attention to anything else.

“He’s snarling about us seeing you all but naked. He forgets I’m a medical Corpsman and that all of us have seen plenty of female soldiers in their skivvies before.”

My eyes went wide. “You’re in the military?”

“We’re all combat vets, active and retired from various branches. Me, I was a combat medic for the Marine Corps. It was my job to keep those Leathernecks alive.”

“But…aren’t you a biker?” The question sounded lame, even to my ears.

“We enjoy the freedom of riding. In fact, we’ve fought hard to preserve all our freedoms,” Doc assured. “But we’re much more than just bikers. Trust me.”

I stared at all of them one by one. Like most people, I’d only seen what I wanted to.

Dozer sent me a wide smile. “Army grunt here, ma’am. I kick in doors and knock down walls. Hence the handle.”

“The what?”

“The handle. Nickname. Like bulldozer. You didn’t think Dozer was my real name, did you?”

Actually I had. “What is it then?”

“Maurice. I prefer Dozer.”

I could see why. He did not look like a Maurice. “Of course.”

Rambler still stood, silently watching me as if wanting to pounce.

I looked directly at him. “And what about you?”

When he didn’t reply right away, Sparks edged closer to the bed. “He’s a recon Marine. Attached to MARSOC. Very elite, very deadly, and very secret.”

“Recon Marine?”

“He’s a Marine, one of the Leathernecks that Doc was referring to, except he was into some next-level shit—”

Rambler cleared his throat loudly. “That’s enough, Sparks.”

It wasn’t at all. I wanted to know more about Rambler, especially his past. Or maybe I didn’t. What good would it do me?

“What about you?” I asked the guy Rambler had tried to silence.

“I’m an electronics geek—a glorified hacker. I was a spark chaser for the Navy. My official title was electronic warfare tech. Now I’m just Sparks. It’s shorter and fits better on my vest.”

“Wow…” There was so much more to them all than met the eye.

“Which brings us to these, Ella.” Sparks held up something small in one hand. It looked like something metal. In his other was a flash drive. “This is the news Rambler mentioned.”

“What are those?”

Rambler squeezed past Sparks and dropped a solemn expression my way. “The first one is a tracking device. We found it in the lining of your backpack.”

“Oh, my god.” I felt the blood drain from my face. All this time, my freedom from Niko had been nothing but an illusion. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Sparks reached down and gently patted my hand. “I take it the backpack wasn’t yours?”

“No, my ex-boyfriend’s. I didn’t know it had a bug. I didn’t even stop to think… How could I have been so stupid?”

Sparks held up the drive. “You’re not. Luckily, you inadvertently snagged something rather special. Let’s just say this little baby here contains enough intel to put your ex and his buddies away for a long, long time. We’re talking extortion, weapons, drugs, sex trafficking, and the list goes on and on.”

“Oh…” Horror spread through me. Niko had been guilty of all that? “I had no idea.”

“Which is probably the only reason you’re still alive,” Rambler added dryly.

“If you want your ex to go away, you have to call him, Ella,” Sparks chimed back in.

“What?” Just the thought of speaking to Niko again had me trembling. “Why would I do that?”

Rambler took my hand. “Don’t be afraid. We’ll end this on our terms, not Nikolai Rusanov’s.” He spat the name with fury. “You’re going to call and invite him here to collect his property.”

I could feel the terror rising.

“But he thinks I-I’m his p-property,” I said, pleading with Rambler. “He won’t leave without me.”

His stare was fierce. “I’ll show him how wrong he is. I’ll deal with that asshole.”

“But Niko’s with the mob. The Russian mob. He’s too powerful for you to fight.”

Rambler darted a look to his friends before they all began to chuckle. “Baby, you have no idea what we’re capable of.”

The confidence on his face was mirrored by the other men in the room. It filled me with something that I hadn’t experienced in years—hope. Butterflies swirled in my belly as I pulled him down and into a tight hug.

After a minute, he eased away and looked at me solemnly. “It’s time to clear the air. You ran out on me without so much as a good-bye, Ella. What guarantee do I have that you won’t do it again?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Doc, Dozer, and Sparks discreetly leave the room. Alone with Rambler, I had nowhere to look but at him.

I swallowed. “I—I thought… I mean, I found out I was being followed that night at the theater. I worried they would kill us both. So I left. They watched me go. And it hurt so bad. My only consolation was that they didn’t know about you, about us.”

“Why didn’t you tell me someone was after you? I would have kept you safe.”

I lowered my head and sighed. “I didn’t believe anyone could help me. This mess is huge. I couldn’t turn to you without putting your life in danger. But I did, anyway. I’m so sorry. I was trying to protect you. I thought if I was gone, they’d leave you alone.”

“I can handle myself and take care of you. Did you think all the time we spent together was just for fun, some kind of game?”

“You never said how you felt. I just assumed it was a fling and—”

“That’s where you assumed wrong, dammit. It wasn’t a fling. It wasn’t just sex, not for me.”

My mouth went dry. I swallowed down the lump of emotion lodged in my throat. “I thought I-I was the only one.”

He caressed my cheek with those rough fingertips. “Only one what?”

“The only one falling in love.”

His face both softened and turned fiercer. “Kiss me, Ella, and I’ll prove you’re not alone.”

My heart was ready to burst with happiness again. “Oh, Rambler…”

He clasped my hair in his fists as fire blazed in his eyes. “Fuck, I’ve missed you.”

“You have no idea how much I’ve missed you, too.”

“Then show me.”

He stripped off what little I wore and picked me up as though I weighed no more than a feather. I wrapped my legs about his waist and found his sinful mouth with mine. His tongue traced the crease of my lips. The soft hairs of his beard tickled my chin. I instinctively opened, inviting his hungry sweep inside. I clung to him. My body was aching, throbbing, and wet as he rubbed and prodded my soft belly with his hard cock covered in stifling jeans.

“Please,” I whispered.

“Mmm… I want you, baby. I’ve missed everything about you.”