Page 42 of Preying Heart
“I won’t sell him my baby.”
“Then we’ll figure out how to counter him. We have nine months.”
“Not good enough,” she says. “You have contacts in law enforcement. Why can’t you bring him down? You say he’s associated with sex traffickers and he funds Operation Persephone. That means he’s acquainted with the Greasleys. I might even know him. Another thing. How does he know about my pregnancy when I haven’t told anyone but Gavin and my brother?”
“Either one of them could have spoken.”
“Yes, and therefore it narrows down the possibilities for Big Dude’s identity, doesn’t it? What if it’s still Gavin? He wants to keep my away from him while I’m pregnant, and then he and his wife arrange to adopt the baby after I give birth.”
Her face pales and she slaps her forehead, wobbling back and sinking onto the bed.
“What is it? You realized something?”
“Yes. If it’s Gavin, then he plans on killing me after I give up the baby. There’s no way he wants the entire world to know he’s been screwing his foster sister.”
“But he told you to get rid of it. He wouldn’t have known you’d decide to keep it.”
“He might know more of my background than I knew myself. Slade told me I would have been aborted if he hadn’t begged my mom to keep me.”
“That’s just too coincidental,” I argue, and my brain is starting to hurt from all of the gymnastics. “Bottom line. We figure out who Big Dude is and take him down so he can’t hurt you or the baby. Then we go from there. Which is why I offered to teach you survival skills.”
“Give me a computer and internet access, and I promise I won’t run away once I learn survival skills.”
How did she do that? Turn it around on me? I just lost the negotiation because the one thing I fear is her running away. But I can delay.
“Computer first, and then we’ll see how you do with your outdoor skills.”
“I won!” She tilts her face up at me, smiling gleefully. “Heath Ruger. You’re just one big cuddly teddy bear.”
“You’ll change your mind on the obstacle course.” I make claws with my hands and trap her on the bed beneath me, propping my weight with my hands and knees.
“No, I don’t think I shall.” Her arms wrap around me, pulling me down to close the gap.
And that’s when I figure out she has me by the balls and I’m entirely powerless to resist her will. How did she end up in control? My head hurts and I can’t think straight anyway. Not when I’m kissing her and losing myself in her caresses and moans.
ChapterFifteen
Remi
How can a man so hard and rough be so tender and considerate?
This time for sure, I was the one who initiated. He was crouched over me playfully, trying to scare me into joining his survival bootcamp, but all I wanted was him to cover me. I wanted the assurance of his protection and the security of knowing he’d defend me. And frankly, it doesn’t bother me to trade sex for benefits.
It’s the story of my life.
And yet, being kissed and touched by Heath feels different. It’s not that he’s tentative or shy. Oh no, the man takes lustily and clearly enjoys the physical. His hands know where to touch, and he is definitely aroused and grinding himself against me as our lips and tongues spar and wrestle.
But … when I move to touch and feel the spear jutting against me, he stiffens and takes several breaths before pushing himself aside and onto his back. He doesn’t want what I’m offering. That much is clear.
One arm rests on his forehead, and the other hand covers his crotch. He closes his eyes as if concentrating on a difficult math problem.
I stay still. I’m well trained. When a man is in a quandary, I know better than to prod and nag. Besides, I have no right to his feelings or an explanation. Heath and Lucy obviously have an arrangement. They are at least friends with benefits, and they could be more. It’s only their personalities that are at constant odds. They can’t stand each other, but I’m betting they can’t keep their hands off each other either.
Where do I fit in? I’m just the goose with the golden egg. The hostage in this strange extortion scheme, and if I don’t figure out who’s behind this, I’m the big loser.
“You okay?” Heath asks as he shifts his weight onto his side, facing me. I figure he’s got his erection under control and wants to talk.
“Yes. Why are we always ending up like this?” I place my hand on his shoulder and gaze into those granite-gray eyes of his. “I can’t seem to keep my hands off you.”
