Page 42 of Chasing Hope

‘What? I’m not a fool to come to war without backup.’

Genuinely horrified, Ethan stared at her so-called backup. ‘Unless your friends have come prepared with arms and ammunition, I don’t see how they could assist you when a roomful of armed thugs rain down on you like a ton of bricks.’ His voice vibrated with restrained fury. ‘For fuck’s sake, Hope. Where are your bloody brains?’ A flash of hurt came and went in her eyes. She blinked once and the fire was back in them.

The temperature in the air between them rose to a smoulder. Hope’s shoulders stiffened and she took one angry step closing the distance between them. She boxed him against the container. The heat radiating from her body all but burnt his skin. Ethan’s pulse kicked up in speed.

‘Fuck me.’ Ethan closed his eyes on a sigh.

‘Ordinarily, I would have. It’s hard to resist a bad boy who’s a good man. Alas, this is neither the place nor the time.’

Ethan growled and snatched back his hood. What the hell was he supposed to do now? Jesus Christ, this was all too much. His nerves were already fried with the enormity of this expedition. When he had said she would be the death of him, he hoped he didn’t throw out his consent to the universe to make it happen.

‘Hope, I’m warning you—’

Hope hissed like a poisonous snake, her tone dripping venom. She jabbed a finger at his chest. ‘You are officially no longer my boss. And you have no say in my business,’ she said. Ethan peered over her shoulder to look at Mahika and Anjana. They stood motionless a few feet away. While Mahika appeared as if star-struck, Anjana looked like she wanted his head on a platter.

‘What are they wearing?’ Ethan's eyes widened as they darted between Hope and her friends. All three of them mimicked his dressing. Black joggers and a jacket. Except for one prominent difference – “Team Masked Man” was printed in white across their chests, and below that was a masked figure seated on an iron throne.

Scared stiff, Ethan didn’t know if he should laugh or scream. Breath whooshed out of his lungs as he controlled his emotions. Ethan tore his gaze away from Mahika’s smitten face. Anjana, on the other hand, was a tough nut to crack. Her eyes narrowed as they zoomed in on him.

Great. Simply great.

Frustration coiled his nerves.

‘Do they know who I am?’ Hope gave him a blistering look. A lesser man would have crumbled under the fire of her stare.

‘I’m not stupid.’

‘You are here with your friends.’ Ethan raised a haughty brow. It was incredible on how many levels she pissed him off.

‘Fine. I’m notthatstupid.’ Ethan let his smile slip. His dimples slashed his cheeks while his dark eyes sparkled with mischief. ‘Besides, if Mahika knew who you were, it would have been all over Instagram by now. Can’t blame her. Her stomach is too tiny to hold in much.’ Ethan risked another look at the midget. She placed a palm on her heart and pretended to swoon, falling on Anjana’s side. The latter growled and shoved her aside while she shot Ethan a sweltering look that shrivelled his balls. A shudder raked up his spine. Holy shit the woman was scary.

Scared to death for their safety, Ethan had to come up with a good enough excuse to make them leave. For starters, he needed to find out how in the hell she knew he'd be here tonight.

The buzz of activities in the docks had quietened. And the air surrounding them had developed a sudden chill. The coast guard whistled, signifying the end of his shift.

Hope captured his gaze in an unshakable grip. ‘My source gave me rock-solid confirmation that Himesh’s men were seen at the border. And money exchanged hands, permitting their tanker to pass without a security check.’ Cognizant of the fact that she answered his question without him speaking, Ethan accredited it to the weirdness of the night.

Lacking the ability to hold off any longer, Ethan fisted his fingers in her hair and pulled her closer. He took a shaky breath as the heady scent of roses moved over his skin in delicious wavelets. ‘Hope, there is a reason why I didn’t tell you about tonight. This is too dangerous for you to intervene. I—’

‘I love you.’ Her voice was an echo of a whisper. Heavy emotions got a hold of his breath. ‘Ethan, I love you even more than I am annoyed by you – which is a lot. My biggest love wasGame of Thronesand then you breezed right ahead.’ A startled laugh escaped him. She cupped his face and kissed the corner of his mouth.

Ethan’s heart rollicked with a startling sensation. For the first time in a long time, he prayed. He prayed that he could give this enigma everything she hoped for. Everything that would make her happy. He prayed he had a lifetime to show her just how much he loved her. How much she meant to him.

Ethan grazed the pad of his thumb along her ripe lower lip. A gleam of deviltry crept into his eyes. ‘Our relationship is like a walk in a park – a Jurassic Park.’

Hope’s forehead puckered. ‘Is that how you profess your love to me?’

‘And who said I love you?’

‘Puhlease. What’s not to love? Besides, it’s written all over your face.’ Ethan hauled her to him and buried his face in her neck as laughter spurted out of his chest. Hope wrapped her arms around his neck and melted into the embrace. A beat later, Ethan inhaled a deep breath and blew it out slowly.

Lifting his head, he gazed deep into her eyes. He drew closer and touched her lips ever so gently. Dark clouds glided across the night skies, sheltering the sheen of the full moon. He kissed her softly, savouring the exquisite friction of her lips against his. Her breathy sighs enchanted him. He dragged his lips from her mouth to her cheek, planting a kiss on her soft skin. Hope sighed and her body went lax in his arms. Her hand drifted down his chest and stilled on his speeding heart. ‘Hope Pereira, when I met you, I finally found myself. You are the love of my life, my inspiration, my strength. You touched my soul long before I knew what your touch felt like. You were always mine, Hope. It’s always been you.’

Chapter Twenty-Five

Hope blinked up at him, the mist in her eyes slowly clearing. Ethan smiled, toying with a lock of her hair. Hope’s brows bumped together in a scowl. ‘Did you mean all that? Or were you just getting back at me for all the misery I caused you?’ Hope knew in her heart that there was no reason to doubt him. The connection they shared emotionally and physically was unlike any she’d experienced before. Their eyes met and a heartbeat later, Ethan leaned into her, carrying in wake his mystical scent. Her eyes fluttered closed and she glided her hands into his dark hair, feeling the smooth strands slip through her fingers. His heat enfolded her like a trench coat in winter. Hope’s heartbeat tiptoed like a ballet dancer. His lips skimmed over her ear, his voice a silken whisper. ‘I’ll let you mull over that a little longer. Why should you have all the fun?’

Hope gasped and pulled back to glare at him. ‘Ethan I—’

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