I take full advantage of how tired she is and pull her through the hotel. Lucky for her she doesn’t fight me. Fifteen minutes and we have a suite with a single bed and a hot meal waiting. An extra hundred and the clerk behind the desk didn’t ask questions about why we smell of smoke or if the rusty red on my hands is paint. I didn’t offer answers. Don’t let anyone tell you they don’t have a price.
“I’m not hungry.” Harmonia lowers her weight onto the sofa and I follow, taking up the space in front of her. The polished oak groans under my weight but holds.
“That’s fine. It will be here when you are.” I answer in a deceptively mild tone. She will eat a complete meal before we leave this hotel. It takes every ounce of self control not to sit her on my lap and feed her every bite of the steak and salad I ordered for her. The baked potato too. It would give me great pleasure to see her accepting my help. And by God she will never know fear again.
One problem at a time. First, I have to get her talking instead of glaring at me.
I kneel in front of her and take a foot in my hand. Blood splatter covers the white of her shoes and her leg. It’s turned brown and flakes off under my touch. I reach for a bottle of water and pull my shirt over my head.
“What are you doing?”
I don’t need to look to know her eyes drift over the ink covering most of my chest and all of my arms.
Soaking it I wash the filth from her beautiful skin. First one leg, then the other.
“Don’t you ever give up?” She tries to move her leg from my grip, but my hand wrapped around her calf keeps her in place.
Her question draws my eyes to hers. “Taking care of you? No.”
The fire in her eyes glimmers with irritation, but I see her melt into the back of the sofa. My little she-devil. All fight and claws but underneath all that she needs me as much as I need her. She’s stunning even looking like she wants to kick me in the balls.
“You’re exhausting, you know that?”
Her chest heaves with heavy breathing, and the banked fury in her eyes is the most exquisite sight. I wonder if she realizes those lashes of hers flutter so sweetly when she’s pissed off?
A humorless grin curls my lip. “If that is all you have to hit me with, I’ll take it. Now sit back and take your shoulders out of your ears.”
She makes a huffing noise and glares at me.
I unlace her shoes, slide it off and start on the other. I can’t remember ever seeing Harmonia in anything as ordinary as a white pair of tennis shoes. This whole cute and sexy college girl vibe she has going on is a front she wants to hide her true self behind. I close my palm around one foot and work every inch until her eyes shutter closed. I pay special attention to the arch of her foot. Small sighs and groans let me know I’m doing at least one thing right in her eyes. I place her left foot on my knee and take the other in hand, working it the same way.
I watch her sink into the cushions, her head falling back. Dark circles cling to the underside of her eyes. A good night’s sleep with me watching over her will help with those.
“This doesn’t mean I’m sleeping with you.”
“Lie back and enjoy, Harmonia.”
I watch her intently. Wealthy elegance is all Harmonia knows. Or used to know. Seeing her hide her beauty behind cut-off shorts, silly t-shirts and dirty shoes makes me want to eliminate everyone who erased her confidence.
“How long have you been with the Savages?”
“Huhu. No talking. Just this.” She points a delicate finger at her feet and my hands.
Little she-devil.
“We are not leaving here until we talk, Harmonia. Is it so painful to share with me?” Using my thumb, I apply pressure and work her arch. “Damn you, Wolfe.”
Her moan is very telling. “What?” I ask in a low tone.
She lifts her head off the back cushion and nails me with a look of indifference. “Don’twhatme. You know what you are doing. It will take more than a fabulous foot massage too…err!”
Her tiny growl has my cock stirring again, and I just got him under control.
“You’re infuriating and persistent. What is left to say, Wolfe? What does it matter? It doesn’t change the past or the future.” Fresh tears shimmer behind her lashes and this time, when she goes to stand up I let her go. It’s that or so help me God I will throw her back in the car and we won’t stop until I either have her in Rio or some fucking snow covered cabin in the middle of Nowhere, Canada. Not a single soul would find us.
I move into the spot she occupied and watch her move to the bed.
“I’m not your enemy, Harmonia. Talk to me. Trust me.” She’s right, I am persistent.