Page 3 of Burned

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River was confident in his belief that Van and Niles would come after me. I didn’t know them other than knowing they were bad men. My only concern was when. “When can I leave? I want to get settled before I start.”

“I need to make a few calls.” River pushed from the table, taking his empty plate with him. “Why don’t you take a bath while I clean up?”

A bath sounded good. My muscles were tight and overworked from the stress I had carried since River had rescued me. I rose to my feet and headed toward the hallway where the bathroom was. When I closed the door to the bathroom behind me, I still didn't trust River. I reached for the lock, but something inside discouraged me from turning it. I wasn’t an adventurous person, but for some reason leaving the door unlocked while I took a bath left me hoping that River would enter.

I turned on the water and tested it with my finger before removing all of my clothes. The tub was larger than the one at my apartment, with four jets on each side and two at the head. Carefully climbing into the pool of warmth, I turned on the jets and leaned back. Every jet gently pulsed against my body in perfect rhythm, causing my body to relax. Warmth bubbled inside me as I thought about what River said. Hopefully, if everything went as planned, I would be heading to Chicago within the next couple of days. I still couldn’t believe what River said about Axe. Even though we hadn’t been together long, I knew he was a good man. Somehow, I had to find a way to contact him and tell him that I was okay.

Letting my mind drift away from Axe to something else, I began thinking about Chicago. I wondered what the apartment that Saxton, Marsh, and Peters provided for their junior partners would be like. As long as I did well within the first five years, I could become a managing partner and shareholder. The possibilities for advancement were endless. I could even become a senior partner one day.

Enveloped in a blanket of bubbles, my tranquility of silence and happy thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. “Kenzi, may I come in?” River’s voice sounded on the other side.

The bubbles from the jet covered my body, and it was impossible for River to see my naked form unless I turned them off. So, without hesitating, I said, “Come in.” Hopefully, he would bring good news about leaving here and going to Chicago.

My eyes were on the door as it slowly opened. River stood in the doorway with a smile on his face. It wasn’t a good news kind of smile. Something carnal filled his smile, a burning need, like a hunger.

Breaking the connection that drew me deeper inside his blue orbs, I sunk a little lower beneath the water. “What is so important that it couldn’t wait until I finished my bath?”

“I have good news,” River began walking toward me and took a seat on the toilet. “We can leave for Chicago tomorrow morning.”

The thought of being naked didn’t cross my mind until it was too late. I reached across the tub and wrapped my arms around River’s shoulders. Water dripped from my naked body onto his shirt and jeans, leaving an imprint of water on his clothes where I pressed my body close to his. When the reality of my state of nakedness sunk in, I pulled my arms from around River’s neck and quickly covered my breasts. The embarrassment was overwhelming, and I was certain that River could feel just how self-conscious I was. Before I could sink back into the warm water, River’s lips were on mine, sending a bolt of heat through my body.

~2~

River

When Kenzi pressed her naked body against me, she sparked a feeling inside me I thought was lost forever. Men like me didn’t deserve to feel like I did with Kenzi. My mind was consumed with all that was happening. Without considering Kenzi's feelings, I lifted her from the tub and gently placed her across my lap. I would die before I let anything happen to this beautiful woman.

It didn’t matter that I was soaked from head to toe. The warmth of Kenzi’s naked body against mine and the swell of her perfect breasts pressed to my chest while my mouth devoured hers were my only concerns.

Our connection was short-lived; Kenzi pulled away from my embrace. “I can’t do this, River. I love Axe and can’t betray what we have together.”

I wanted to tell her the truth that Axe had betrayed what they had long ago, but instead, I said nothing and released her. My eyes were on her as she wrapped a towel around her naked body. For the moment, I allowed things to remain where they were. Soon, Kenzi would learn the truth about Axe and would be back in my arms. I rose to my feet and headed toward the bathroom door. Before I closed the door behind me, I turned to Kenzi and said, “No one is as they seem. Unfortunately, betrayal is all they know.”

How could a man as powerful as I am be brought to his knees by the beauty of one woman?

My thoughts of taking Kenzi were left on the other side of the door as I stepped into the hallway. The terse conversation I had with Gretta was front and center, and the main reason for my decision to take Kenzi to Chicago. After Gretta told me about the visitors who came to the house, I knew they were getting too close. I didn’t know for sure if it was Davian Cross and Axe Riley, but it had to be, given her description of them. Even though Gretta didn’t know where I had taken Kenzi, Cross was a resourceful man. I had no choice but to take her away from Atlanta to ensure her safety.

The jet was scheduled to take off at 4:00 a.m. When I told Kenzi that we would leave for Chicago tomorrow morning, I should have mentioned early morning. Leaving before the sun came up was the only way I could ensure that we could safely get to the airport. My pilot wasn’t thrilled with the early departure, but when I mentioned a bonus for his compliance, he buckled.

As I walked to the living area, I considered what I could do to occupy our time until we had to leave for the airport—the first being taking Kenzi on every flat surface in the shelter, claiming her as mine. Ten years ago, I would have done just that, but with Kenzi, it was different. She deserved so much more. When I took her for the first time, it would be slow, tender, and with passion. It would be on her terms. I wanted her to give herself to me willingly and fully—satisfying my every need.

Enraptured with the possibilities, my carnal thoughts were halted when Kenzi appeared fully dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. Her hair was still wet and piled high on top of her head in a messy bun. She wore no make-up, which displayed her natural beauty. My eyes stayed on her as she made her way to the couch. Taking a seat next to me, she tucked her legs under her ass and crossed her arms at her chest. “What did you mean, no one is as they seem?”

“That is something you have to figure out yourself,” I answered. “Get some rest. Our flight leaves in eight hours.”

~

Two hours later, the motive behind Van and Niles taking Kenzi came out. Van’s text was loud and clear. Only two people would have given him my cell number. I knew it couldn’t have been Gretta. The only other person was my secretary. Based on the text, somehow, he found out I had her, and he wanted her back. Van was delusional if, for one moment, he thought I would give her up. His threats had no merit. Axe Riley meant nothing to me, and soon he would mean nothing to Kenzi.Who was I to impede a business deal, even if it meant that someone would get hurt?

The minutes ticked; nevertheless, I hadn’t been able to close my eyes. Instead of torturing myself with what I learned and the ass I had been for keeping the truth from Kenzi, I pushed from the bed and pulled my jeans on. My goal was simple. Now more than ever, I had to protect Kenzi. In less than two hours, we would be up in the air and on our way to Chicago. But before I took her away from the safety of the shelter, I wanted to make damn sure that the perimeter was secure.

After pulling on my boots, I grabbed my night vision goggles and my 9mm from my backpack. No way in hell was I leaving the shelter without being armed. Even though no one knew about my safe haven, I wasn’t about to take any chances. Call it a protective instinct, but I couldn’t venture outside before checking on Kenzi. Placing my gun inside the waistband of my jeans, I walked down the short hallway to Kenzi’s room. Quietly, I turned the knob to her door and pushed it open. The light coming from the kitchen was enough to see that she was fast asleep. The queen-sized bed engulfed her form as she laid on her side with one long, sexy leg uncovered. Normally, I would have taken advantage of her position and slipped in behind her, but I was trying hard not to be that man with her. She deserved to be treated with respect. Like a precious gem.

The cool night air was just what I needed as I left Kenzi to sleep and headed up the steps leading out. As I pushed open the heavy door, the thick air met me. Fog had settled in, making it impossible to see any further than my stretched-out hand. The night goggles were useless with the thick fog, so I had no other option but to blindly check the perimeter.

I carefully closed the metal door to the shelter and ambled away, taking calculated steps while listening for any sounds. My military training kicked in as I looked around. With every step, Davian Cross pricked my thoughts. He was an intelligent man. Fog wouldn’t have made a difference to him when it came to finding Kenzi. I was certain that he had the equipment and the know-how to find her, even if the shelter was hidden away so no one would find it.

Confident that we were safe, and no one had breached the traps I had set as a safeguard against uninvited guests, I headed back to the shelter to wake up Kenzi. Things were becoming too risky and the sooner we left, the better.