Chapter Nine
Riley had nodded on and off, but Shadow let her rest. When she pushed to sit up on the sofa, he bent down in front of her and held her hands in his.
“How you feeling?”
“Better. I’m sorry for making such a scene,” she said.
He couldn’t help but smile. “You’re allowed to be upset, Riley. Do you think the gossipy housewives on our street could handle what you’ve just been through?”
She chuckled. “I’d pay to see that.”
Shadow sat beside her on the sofa, putting his arm around her so she could rest her head on his chest. “Things are only going to get better. My contract’s been handled, and I’ll be sure to keep future projects far from home.”
“So, no more hitmen waiting to kill me?”
He couldn’t answer her without lying. Boss’s words rang in his head. The mark’s outer circle could still want Riley dead. Until he knew exactly what they were dealing with, he had to keep his woman close. “Let’s hope not.”
She held his hand. “You have a strong heartbeat,” she said.
“I take good care of it,” he said. “Now that I think of it, most of my life my biggest fear was dying of sickness. All that’s changed now.”
“How so?” she asked.
“Because none of that matters anymore. Now I’m only afraid of losing you, Riley.”
She tilted her head to kiss him, slowly, passionately.
“I’ve always been scared to rely on another person. Everyone’s always let me down, hurt me, or put me last. I promised myself I’d never give anyone power over my heart … until you came along.”
He kissed her again, their tongues playing, tender and sweet. It wasn’t a prelude to sex, just unadulterated desire and love for one woman. “You’ve taken care of yourself for so long, but I’m telling you, you don’t need to. I’ll never let anyone hurt you,” he promised.
Once the gym had been closed down at midnight, Shadow drove Riley to his house. Even though he had her little bungalow wired from top to bottom, it didn’t have the security measures he had in place. There was no way he’d leave her in harm’s way now that she was on a massive shit list.
They’d stayed at the gym until late in the evening, had some takeout, and did a lot of talking. Now it was time to get down to business, but first he wanted Riley safe and settled so she could rest.
“I know you wanted a sleepover at your place tonight, but I didn’t think it would be under these circumstances,” said Riley, as they walked up the path to his front door.
No one had ever been in his home besides Boss. No women. No colleagues.
“It’s the best place to be for now,” he said. “Until I figure things out, I don’t want you alone. Or at your bakery.”
Once inside the foyer, she kicked off her shoes, still a little wobbly, so he held her elbow. “I can’t ignore my bakery. I’ll lose all my customers,” she said absently, busy looking around.
“If you want a replay of today, be my guest, but it may not turn out as well for you next time.”
“I can’t believe this is happening. It’s like the witness protection program, only I’m on my own.”
Shadow tilted her chin up. “You’re not alone. You have me. I won’t let anything happen to you. If they come, and they will, I’ll take care of them.”
“Aren’t you scared?”
He smiled. “I was only afraid when I couldn’t get to you in time, when I thought that asshole had killed you. I felt helpless, and I won’t be so sloppy next time.”
“It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known.”
Shadow didn’t want to get Riley upset or to revisit memory lane again, so he thought it best to change the subject. “Do you need to talk more?” The drugs had worn off hours ago, and the food helped stave off the lingering effects.
“I feel like an emotional basket case, but other than that, I’ll live. It was a moment of weakness, but I’m good now.”
“You don’t have to be strong all the time. It’s not healthy,” he said.
“You should take your own advice. How do you deal with your shitty past?”
“I joined the Marine Corps, did my time—it only made things worse. It fucked with my head to the point they wouldn’t let me return after my third tour.”
“But you’re still killing.”
“That’s different. I don’t mind the violence. I appreciate the outlet,” he said. “The gym helps, too.”
He pointed to the living room, inviting her to have a seat.
She shook her head. “I’ve seen this room. I want to see the rest of your house,” she said.
“Right, you’ve peeked in most of my windows, haven’t you?”
Riley shrugged. “You wouldn’t talk to me, so I had no choice. I don’t like mysteries I can’t solve.”
“Okay, go at it.”
She pushed open the door off the main living room, stopping dead in her tracks. “Holy shit!”
Shadow chuckled as he past her, pulling the handgun out of his waistband and dropping it on the counter.
“I thought this would be the kitchen.” She stood in awe as she looked around his vault, the secure room housing his weapons and ammo. He’d been collecting for a long time.
“No way did I expect this, and I imagined a lot of scenarios.” Riley ran her fingertips along the shelving, checking out everything as if doing inventory. “Do you even have a kitchen?”
“It’s in the back of the house,” he said. “Look, I don’t like leaving you alone right now, but I need to meet with Killer of Kings and find out where we stand.”
“I can handle myself. I’m a big girl.” Riley smiled, mischief in her eyes. “Besides, I’ll be busy exploring for a while.”
“Leave me a shred of privacy, please.” He cupped her face, kissing her softly on the lips. “Don’t leave the house, baby. Take a shower, get some sleep. I’ll be back before you wake up.”
Before Shadow left the house, he turned on the exterior security system. If Riley sensed anything suspicious, he told her to call his cell right away. Chains was waiting for him in an abandoned parking lot half an hour away. Shadow was made of questions, and demanded answers.
When he arrived on location, he backed into a parking spot, maintaining a good view of the area. The distant street lights gave a faint glow to the dark parking lot. When he saw the interior lights of a car flick on, he got out of his truck, palming the weapons under his jacket.
“Can you explain what the fuck happened today?” he asked as he approached.
Chains cracked his neck to each side, leaning against the hood of his car. “None of us knew that shit was on to her.” The passenger side of the car opened, and El Diablo stepped out.
“What the fuck is he doing here?”
Chains put up a hand to stop Shadow from pulling out his Glock. “When El Diablo saw you take off, he followed. The contract was worth a shitload of money, and he thought you had another lead. My job was to tail him.”
Shadow had wondered why the fuck Chains and El Diablo were on his ass when he arrived at the bakery, but he’d only had Riley on his mind at the time. If they’d gotten in his way, he wouldn’t have hesitated to take them both out.
“Well the mark is dead, so only I’ll be getting paid.”
El Diablo ran a hand through his black hair. He had an elaborate tattoo on the right side of his face near his eye. The bastard hadn’t said a word.
“What’s he doing here? Boss hire him?”
“I don’t work for anyone,” said El Diablo. “But I came this far, so I don’t want to leave empty handed.”
“You’re far from home. It’s a long flight back to Colombia,” said Shadow.
El Diablo narrowed his eyes, his body mostly covered in darkness. “I haven’t been back there in over ten years. This is where I play now.”
“Great. Just what we need, another psychopath loose on the streets.”
“Watch it, gringo.”
Shadow was fluent in Spanish among several other languages. And this asshole didn’t intimidate him. “Do you expect us to call you El Diablo? Give us a real name or I’ll have to make one up. How about Fred?”
“Fuck off.”
Chains exhaled. “Let’s not do this right now. All I want is hard liquor and pussy. I didn’t sign on to play babysitter to you two fuckers.”
“Boss said something about the mark’s inner circle looking for revenge. Do we have numbers? How much do they know?”
“They’ll be going after the girl again. She has ties to Killer of Kings, and they have her pic and info from the brush at the restaurant.”
“How?”
“He wasn’t worth a fortune for nothing. As soon as his phone went missing, he had his men pull the security camera footage in the restaurant.”
“Well, he’s pushing daisies, so what are we dealing with?”
“Boss wants things cleaned up. There’s a pretty penny for every kill loyal to the mark. There’re at least a dozen that we know of.”
“That’s why I’m here.” El Diablo winked. “I need to clean up your mess.”
“Listen, Fred, I wasn’t asking you.”
“Do you hear this asshole?” El Diablo asked Chains. “Tell him how many men I’ve killed.”
“Let’s not start a fucking pissing contest, ladies.” Chains scrubbed his hands over his face. “Just call him Xavier. It’s his given name.”
“Motherfucker.” Xavier whirled around, a handgun outstretched in his hand. “Why’d you tell him my name?”
“I’m not crazy about calling you El Diablo either. Save it for someone who gives a shit,” said Chains. “Now, Boss is sending us encrypted files, so check your emails. Shadow, keep your woman on a tight leash. They’ll be looking for her, and they won’t ask questions first.”
“They should be after me, not her. I’m the one who killed their boss. I don’t want her in danger.”
“Too late for that, big boy.” Chains opened the driver’s side door. “We’ll all be sleeping with one eye open until this shit’s cleaned up.”
Shadow watched as the car drove off, leaving him alone in the darkness. He wanted to end this, but couldn’t do it on his own. There was a network that needed to be exposed—one by one. He planned to get things started tonight, knocking a couple threats off their list. He knew where two of the mark’s bodyguards were staying from his previous intel. Since he was no longer required to play nice and keep his distance, it was time to pay a visit.
He broke into the secure lobby, pistol whipped the lobby guard, and rode the elevator up to their suite on the twenty-second floor. As he walked down the long, quiet hallway, he attached a silencer to his handgun. The shotgun over his shoulder was a last resort.
When he arrived at the room, he heard activity inside, despite the late hour. He prepared himself, picked the lock, then burst into the suite. He aimed at the first man attempting to get out of his chair, shooting him in the chest. As he moved in closer, he added another bullet to the man’s head as he continued to scan the suite. After a clean sweep, he kicked open the bedroom door. Two naked whores screamed, struggling to get off the bed. The asshole tried to reach for a gun on the bedside table. Shadow shook his head.
“I need names.”
“You’ll kill me anyway, so fuck you.”
“Wrong answer.” Shadow shot him between the eyes, a spray of blood coloring the white sheets. He holstered his weapon and rummaged through the drawers for something he could use. It would have been a waste of time to interrogate the shit.
When he stood back up, one of the women cried out. “Please, we’ll do anything…”
He briefly glanced in their direction. “Not interested.”
As Shadow drove back home, he punched the dashboard, shaking out his fist afterward. He’d worked so hard to keep his home life and work separate. Just when it looked like he’d get a chance at a real life with Riley, the worlds became blurred. Now he had to worry about assassins showing up on his street or at Riley’s bakery. It was bullshit, and seemed he just couldn’t get a break in his fucked-up life.
The closer he got to his neighborhood, the more at ease he felt because he was closer to her. All he could think about was fucking her, claiming her again and again. He needed her. Tonight, he’d keep his hands to himself, no matter how difficult. The poor little thing been through a lot and needed to rest her body and mind. He wanted to make things better for her—and he would.
****
The first night Riley arrived at Shadow’s, she’d showered—the longest shower she’d ever had. It was a symbolic cleansing, allowing all the blood and death and fear to go down the drain. She thought she’d moved on from the nightmares of her past, but it all came rushing back to the surface as soon as she was forced to use her blade again.
That was four days ago.
Riley prided herself on being resilient. She’d had to be all her life. After a day or two she was level headed and felt in charge of her emotions once again. But Shadow continued to keep his distance. At first, she appreciated the fact, knowing he’d put his needs aside for her wellbeing. But four days, four days, of watching him walk around in just his jogging pants was a cruel and unusual punishment. Her body was ripe and wanton, memories of their one night together plaguing her thoughts.
Shadow had pull-up bars set up in his bedroom. She was forced to watch him do sets of pull-ups followed by a long series of push-ups several times a day. All she could think about was sex, and licking those glistening muscles. Why was he still holding back? Was he not attracted to her anymore? Did he judge her for killing that man?
Riley finished showering, only slipping on a pair of red lace panties. She’d had enough of waiting for Shadow to make a move. Her desperation combined with being cooped up for four days straight was driving her crazy. She walked into his bedroom, her breasts swaying as she moved. The cool air made her nipples tighten into firm buds. He glanced up at her from where he lounged on the bed with a stack of files. He’d been obsessed with finding all the people that wanted her dead.
He stared, his tongue wetting his lower lip, but the bastard didn’t react. Her confidence took a hit, and she wondered where things were going between them. They’d gotten so close the past few days, sharing intimate details about their lives, and she swore they were soul mates. The emotional intimacy had made her want him even more. She was so confused now.
Riley quickly tugged on her clothes, giving up on seducing Shadow.
“I want to go to my bakery,” she said, her words clipped.
“I already told you that’s not possible. Not yet.”
She frowned. “I just want to stop by and take a quick look. I only remember how it looked that day, and I can’t get the images out of my head. I want to see it without blood and a dead body on the floor.”
“I don’t know.”
“Listen, I haven’t left your house in days. I need fresh air. You’ll be with me, so I’ll be safe … right?”
He sat up on the edge of the bed. “If we’re going to go, it’s best to go now before it gets late. It’ll have to be quick.”
Riley nodded, surprised she’d gotten him to agree so quickly.
Before they left the house, Shadow strapped his body with weapons. Her pussy ached watching his hard body shift, his attention focused. He was danger personified, a skilled killer—and it made her hotter than hell. Unfortunately, she couldn’t even give herself away for free. His sweet words and cold actions didn’t mesh.
They drove in silence, tension thick in the air. She wished things were the way they used to be. She missed baking, missed not being independent. She missed Shadow’s affection most of all. They stopped at a pharmacy and then headed to the plaza.
He parked in front of the bakery. At least it was in one piece, and no broken windows. Shadow came around to her side of the car and opened the door, helping her out. He held her hand as they walked to the entrance. Shadow was on edge, continually scanning the area.
Once inside, he locked the door and pulled down the sun shades.
“Okay, make it quick.”
He stood near the entrance as she wandered around, checking for damage and cleanliness. Everything looked in order. In fact, it was a hell of a lot cleaner than she left it. Boss really was thorough. Riley expected to feel a repeat of that traumatic day, but it was gone. She just wanted to move on.
“Shadow?”
He was by her side within seconds. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Well, nothing’s wrong here. There’s obviously something wrong with us.”
He leaned back, both hands resting on the edge of the counter. “What do you mean?”
“Maybe I’m wrong, but I thought you wanted me to be your woman. Has something changed?” She didn’t want to be played, to be just another number to him. It would break her heart. She’d let him in, and allowed herself to fall in love.
“You are my woman.”
She exhaled, the weight of the world slipping off her shoulders. “Then I don’t understand why you’ve been avoiding me. Are you not attracted to me?”
The corners of his eyes crinkled. “What are you talking about, baby?”
“You. Me. You realize you haven’t even kissed me in days. I feel like you can’t stand the sight of me.” There. She’d put it all out there. He either wasn’t attracted to her or had the willpower of a god.
He hooked his fingers around the side of her waist, pulling her close. “You’ve been through a lot, way too much. I didn’t want to push you. I care more about you than sex.”
She smiled. “That’s good to hear, Shadow, but I promise I’m over it.”
“I know you’re just trying to be strong.”
“No, I’m tired of being rejected by you. The other stuff I can handle, but feeling like my love is one-sided is another thing.”
“Love? I thought Riley Church didn’t do love.” He cupped her cheek, caressing her with his thumb.
“You’re impossible,” she said.
His scruff was growing in, his eyes tired but hungry. He’d been holding back, she could see that now, and she loved him even more because of fit.
“Do you want me to kiss you?” he asked.
“I want a hell of a lot more than a kiss, but only if you want to. I’m tired of being tolerated by men.”
He scoffed. “Tolerated? You’ve been driving me crazy, teasing every chance you get. You make it hard to be a gentleman.”
“So you are attracted to me?”
“My cock’s been stiff all week. I thought I’d lose it this morning when you came in the room with no shirt on. I was seconds away from ripping those panties off you.”
Her pussy became slick, the rhythmic throb almost unbearable. She squeezed her thighs together in a poor attempt to relieve the ache. “I need you, Shadow,” she whispered.
“I’m here, baby. Tell me what you want.” He tugged her flush to his body, his erection proof he wasn’t lying to her.
“I want you to love me.”
“Already done.”
“Then, I want you to fuck me.”
“Are you sure about that? I’ve been pent up all week, so I may be a bit rough.” He slid his hand past the waistband of her pants, squeezing her ass.
“Right now, I could use a lot of that.” She closed her eyes as he nuzzled her neck. His hands were everywhere. She savored his touch, the one she’d been craving all week.
“Take off your clothes, Riley. I want you naked.”
He leaned away, waiting for her to comply. “Someone could peek in the windows,” she said, taking his hand. She led him to the tiny room she affectionately called her staff room. It was where she took a break or nap, and only consisted of an old tweed sofa and an end table.
Shadow’s presence seemed too big in the room, the scent of his masculine cologne intoxicating. She began to strip, too eager to have his body pressed to hers, skin to skin. The first time they’d had sex, it was dark out and happened fast. It had been unexpected, unlike today. She wanted this, demanded this, and with the light of day, there were no secrets.
Once she unfastened her bra, his jaw twitched.
“Keep going, baby girl.” He briefly ran his hands over the hard, diagonal bulge in his dark jeans.
She slipped out of her pants and, this time, tossed the red undies.
He hadn’t moved, hadn’t spoken.
Riley had a lot of curves, and she worried about Shadow’s impression of her figure. She felt awkward standing only a few feet from him, completely nude. He wore all black, including a jacket concealing a lot of heat.
“I’m going to fuck you so hard. Come here.” He used a crooked finger to beckon her closer. Shadow dropped down to one knee, holding her hips. He buried his face in her tits before sucking on her nipple. She cried out, liquid heat escaping between her legs. “I love these big, juicy tits.”
“Oh God…”
He cupped her pussy as he alternated his attention between both breasts. His mouth and tongue were magical, his scruff scraping her sensitive skin. “You’re mine, Riley. Only mine. I want to claim every inch of you.”
“Yes,” she murmured, hardly capable of speech. “Take me, all of me.”
He growled as he stood back up. Shadow’s breathing was heavy as he shrugged out of his jacket. She nearly orgasmed when he stood there in just a fitted t-shirt and loaded holsters. His arms were hard, and thick with muscle, the black tattoos reaching his elbows. She wanted to order him to hurry up and fuck her, but kept her mouth shut.
He carefully set both harnesses on the small end table before lifting off his shirt. His chest was chiseled perfection, his abs like a fucking washboard. He reached in his back pocket, pulling out a small box of condoms and tube of lube. He winked and set them down. If he thought she needed added moisture, he was in for a surprise.
“So you were prepared after all,” she said, remembering their quick trip to the pharmacy.
“A guy can hope.”
She wrapped her fingers around his belt, giving a tug. He might have the patience of a saint, but she was running on short supply.
He kissed her, first soft and tentative, then crushing and demanding. He moved forward until she dropped down on the sofa. Shadow braced himself over her, continuing to kiss her lips. The passion between them was off the charts, like two lovers finding each other after a lifetime apart. She couldn’t get enough of him.
When he leaned back up, one knee resting on the edge of the sofa, he spread her knees wide. “So fucking pretty,” he said. He painted a line with his finger from her navel down to her clit. Her entire body trembled, jolting when he slid two fingers into her cunt. She bucked up to capture more of his fingers. He smiled wickedly. “Patience, baby. Let me play.”
“I want your cock,” she blurted, beyond caring what she sounded like.
“And you’ll get it,” he said, his voice silky smooth. “It’s all yours.” He trailed one of his moistened fingers lower, drawing a circle around her tight asshole. “What about here, Riley? Has a man taken you here?”
She shook her head. Riley was surprised how good it felt to be touched in such a naughty area, like the tickle of a feather. Her sex life didn’t consist of anything kinky. In fact, Shadow had opened up a whole new world to her that she was eager to explore. She loved his confidence and ability to take control of any situation. And she trusted him not to hurt her.
“Don’t move.” He got up and left the room. She could see from the opened door that he was rooting around her baking station. He came back with one of her smooth rolling pins, one she used for small tarts. “What’s this?”
“A rolling pin.” It was a simple acrylic rolling pin, not the old-fashioned kind he probably expected, made of wood with fancy big handles.
He shrugged. “It’ll do. I’ll buy you another for the bakery. This one’s going to get very dirty.”
She watched in rapt fascination as he drizzled some of the lube he bought on the smooth, rounded end. In all the years she’d been baking, she never saw her supplies as sex toys. She felt filthy and wanton, eager for more of Shadow’s games.
“Hold your legs open for me, nice and wide.” He sat on the end of the couch, leaning over to kiss her clit. She gasped, sinking into the sofa, desperate for more. “You like that?”
“Yes, please don’t stop.”
He bent over again, lapping at her pussy, teasing and tasting. His rough stubble scraped her sensitive skin, the mix of pain and pleasure driving her wild. The sounds he made were feral, a man barely holding onto his humanity. He assaulted her with his talented mouth, bringing her close but never letting her leap off the edge.
“Watch this, baby.” He sat up and replaced his mouth with the lubed rolling pin, swirling it around her entrance. She braced herself up on her elbows to get a full view. He began to push in—slowly, methodically. It began to fill her, disappearing as it entered her cunt. “Oh yeah. So fucking beautiful.”
Shadow fucked her with the rolling pin in a slow, teasing rhythm. He used the thumb of his free hand to tease her throbbing clit.
“I’m going to come,” she said.
“Good girl. Let me see you come all over this toy. Get it nice and dirty, baby.” He moved his thumb in distracting circles, bringing her higher and higher. She grabbed the sofa with both hands as her orgasm railroaded to the surface, forcing her to buck and cry out as waves of pleasure rushed through her.
When she finally settled, opening her eyes, Shadow was unfastening his belt. He kicked off his pants, his cock nearly tearing through his boxer briefs. When he released his erection, she stared, her mouth salivating. The man was hung like a horse, far more impressive than the rolling pin or any man she’d ever dated. He’d be able to fill her to overflowing, and the mere thought nearly made her come again.
“I want your ass, Riley. I want to fill you so full of my cock, I’ll be branded on you for life.” He grabbed one of the throw pillows and tucked it under her ass, lifting her up higher. He groaned as he slipped a condom over his massive cock, then slathered it with lube. “Such a tight little asshole. You’ll feel amazing squeezing my dick. Do you want this, baby?” Shadow slipped a lubed finger into her nether hole, a firestorm of new sensation sparking to life. She was anxious and excited to try this new forbidden pleasure.
“Yes, give it to me.”