Page 68 of Abducted

“But I do. It’s scary for me having you out pounding the streets and shooting people in the feet.”

“It’s a very reliable method.” His eyes sparked with humor.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You didn’t have to shoot Tanner.”

His smile faltered, and his gaze shifted. She pinched his pec and he laughed.

“Ouch. You have sharp little fingers.”

“Cal.” Her voice reverberated with warning.

“I had every reason to get the truth out of him.”

She glared at him. It hadn’t been easy watching someone close to her get hurt. But regardless, Tanner had a sordid past and had hurt a lot of people. She couldn’t let that go.

“He’s fine.” Cal waved the air between them. “You don’t understand my methods, babe. I could have done a lot worse, but the moment I realized he could be telling the truth, I backed off.”

She lowered her gaze. A shot in the foot to Cal was as trifling as a punch to the face to anyone else. For someone like Tanner, it was next in line to death. But everything Cal was doing was to protect her and get this whole nightmare over with. What did she know about getting information out of people? And Tanner could be a self-righteous prick. If Cal had approached him in any other way, he would have been obnoxious and confrontational.

Tanner always got what he wanted, no matter the cost. If he hadn’t seen to it himself, Grace or Marcel had gotten the results he had desired. As a result, Tanner had never failed at anything in his life. Her parents had raised her very differently. Her father had made sure she’d worked for every accomplishment. Money had always come easy, but he never let her forget the effort it took to make it and the value that it had.

“What’s the matter, Lana?” Cal’s knuckle lifted her chin.

She shook her head. “Nothing. I know you wouldn’t set out to hurt someone for no reason.” She combed her hair back with her fingers. “I just wish you didn’t have to, that we weren’t in this situation at all.”

The corner of his mouth lifted salaciously. “I kinda like this situation.” His fingers slipped into the waistband of her pants at the small of her back. Pleasure erupted in her belly. His mouth pressed a kiss to hers. Her lips prickled with the need for more. He groaned and pulled away.

“God, Lana. If you only knew what you do to me.” His voice was haggard. “Just so you know, I’m very grateful fate brought you into my life.”

Her cheeks tingled. She looped her arms around his neck and examined the gold flecks in his green eyes.

“Just so you know,” she mimicked his playful words, “there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than here with you.”

His smile widened to spark his eyes with mischief. “Is that so?”

“Mmm-hmm…” She pressed her lips to his. His lips were warm and smooth against hers. His mouth inched open to welcome her, and his tongue came out to flick hers. Her insides tightened until her toes curled into the balls of her feet.

“Good to know.” He breathed softly against her lips. His arm slid under her butt, lifting her over top of him and settling her legs around his hips. Rufus whined from his spot on the floor. Lana threw her head back and giggled.

“Rufus, you’re killing the mood.” His tone was playful, but he got up from the bed and ushered Rufus into the hall.

“Smooth.”

“How much you wanna bet he waits right there?”

She squealed with laughter as he tumbled on top of her.

***

Hours later, Lanalay sated and plastered against Cal’s naked chest. After a delicious round of lovemaking, they had made some sandwiches, let out Rufus for the night, taken a shower, and crawled into bed. He’d shaved his beard, too, and she couldn’t stop running her fingers over the satiny skin of his jaw. She drifted off to sleep to the soft sound of rain pattering against the windows and Cal’s even, slumberous breathing.

Brrring, brrring!

The alarm system shrieked in warning. She bolted into a sitting position. “Cal!”

Her heart leapt into her throat. Cal was already off the bed, yanking on pants and a shirt. Rufus jumped from his spot on the floor, a deep, menacing growl sounding in his throat.

“What’s going on?” She climbed off the bed. The chilly air in the room intensified the goose bumps on her skin. Her arms crossed over her chest. She was butt naked. Cal didn’t turn on a light.

---