Page 24 of Claiming Veronica

Chapter 14

Veronica

Iwasn’t supposed to be here.

The rational part of me screamed to leave. Victor had been dangerous, and just because I couldn’t find any traces of him didn’t mean this was a great idea. But the pull of getting some information was stronger than my fear. I couldn’t leave it alone.

The warehouse loomed in the dark, a cavernous space that seemed more empty than anything else. There were some boxes against the edges of the space, but I could hardly see in the darkness. Back here, there weren’t many windows.

I stepped further inside, heart pounding in my chest, my palms slick with sweat as I adjusted my grip on my bag. The feeling of being watched had intensified.

Swallowing hard, I willed myself not to freak out. I knew that feeling—the burn of unseen eyes prickling my skin. What I hadn’t admitted was that I recognized the feeling. I knew who it was and I wasn’t so sure that I didn’t like it. I shook it off, determined to focus. The feeling made me angry, not because I was sure that Eli was here watching me, but because I liked it.

There had to be a light switch somewhere. I fumbled with my phone, trying to find the flashlight, when I heard the unmistakable sound of footfalls in the darkness. Turning to return to the door, a low chuckle rumbled in the dark, sending goosebumps over my skin. Pausing on my heel, I tried again to see through the inky shadows, but it wasn’t possible with the weak light that I had. The space must be really big.

“Looking for something?”

Every nerve ending stood at attention, and instead of being nervous, I was angry.

“This isn’t funny, asshole!”

“Isn’t it?” A voice whispered, then hands ghosted up my arms, startling me so much that I dropped my phone.

Screaming, I tried to jolt away as my pulse skyrocketed. “Worried, Veronica?” Even as I struggled, he pulled me against his stronger frame. I wasn’t worried because I knew who it was as soon as he touched me, but I wouldn’t admit that out loud. His scent gave him away. That smoky bergamot and cedar lingered aroundthe edges of my patio sometimes after I had opened the door. I knew that smell.

“No,” I ground out. Let me go.” The sensation of being unable to see heightened everything else: his calloused fingers on my skin, his heat against me, and the danger of something unknown. Slickness pooled between my thighs, and I had to bite my lip to hold back a groan. The struggle was a joke, and I knew that we both knew it.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” Clamping my body to his, he leaned into me, and my knees went weak. “I could touch you anyway I wanted right now, Ronnie. I could touch you all over — make you feel good.” One hand edged up to cup my breast.

My breath hitched, and my legs wobbled beneath me as Eli’s presence suffocated the air around me. I fumbled, desperate for something, anything to put between us. I couldn’t seriously beachingfor this. That was twisted, right? Fucked up. It was like he knew what I dreamt of in the dark when I slid my fingers into my pussy.

“Would you like that, Veronica?” He twisted my nipple, the edge of pain so sharp that I almost cried out, but there was a delicious naughtiness to the way he soothed his fingers over it, sliding under the fabric and around the nipple again. “You would, wouldn’t you? Secretly, you likeplaying these games with me.” Again, his low chuckle sounded, and his hand moved lower down my abdomen.

I ached for him to touch me, all the while knowing I should move away. Shaking my head, I forced the word out. “No. I don’t like games.” The words were a lie. I liked this game very much, but I pushed off him, expecting him to restrain me. I was surprised when I ended up stumbling away to the floor as he let me go completely.

My fingers scrambled over the dirty floor, brushing past broken glass, nails, and something rough. My heart lurched when I felt the cold, jagged metal edge beneath my hand. I wasn’t sure if I grabbed it to protect myself because I was afraid or because I was angry because of what he had made me feel, but it was in my hand.

My hand shook as I turned and lifted the scrap toward him like a shield. “Stay back,” I warned, the words barely audible over the blood rushing in my ears.

“Veronica.” His voice slid through the air like velvet, smooth and dark. “Don’t be silly.”

He was taller than I expected, bulky and muscled like a god. Eli was one of those geneticallybeautiful men, freakishly so. I’d seen him yesterday up close, but he’d not been standing, and he’d had the bandana on. Now, he was unmasked. His cold and unreadable eyes were fixed on me, watching me with a strange intensity that made me want to shrink under his gaze. There was no mistaking that this man was a predator of the most dangerous kind, but he was beautiful with dark hair and tempting tattoos.

“You’ve been looking for me.” The words were a flat fact. No more messing around. “And here I am.” He held his hand out in supplication, but I knew it was an empty gesture. It was hard to forget those hands had just been on my breasts. I wouldn’t admit that I wished they still were.

“I wasn’t—” My voice wavered. “I wasn’t looking for you — exactly.” I tried to deny it, but he didn’t seem to buy what I was trying to sell.

“No? Seems like you were.” He stepped closer, just enough that I could see the edge of his smile, a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes. “Victor’s dead. Why are you bothering little goddess? You shouldn’t be digging around.” Goddess? Was that a compliment?

The way he said it, so final, like a warning cloaked in indifference, sent a spike of fear through me. I swallowed, stepping back, pressing against the cold metal of a supportbeam. He didn’t follow, but his eyes tracked every movement.

“I’m not afraid of you,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

He tilted his head slightly, that small smile lingering on his lips as though amused by my defiance. “You should be.” The phrase echoed in the air for a moment, hanging there.

My heart pounded in my chest, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. He was right. I should be terrified of him. Everything I’d uncovered told me Eli was dangerous and unpredictable, but instead, I found myself embarrassingly aroused.

“I came here to find out more about Victor,” I said, forcing the words out. “I don’t care about you.”

---