Fighting For Her (Wilde Ways Book 5) Read online

  His face burned. What in the hell? Since when did he blush about anything?

  “But you stopped talking before you finished your last sentence.” She stepped toward him. “You were saying you weren’t going to fall prey to some…what? Some killer? Some cheap piece of ass?” Another step. “Some slut?”

  His hands dropped. There had been pain in her words. He didn’t like her pain. Not one bit. “No. That wasn’t what I was going to say.”

  “Really? Because you wouldn’t be the first to say any of those things. The media has been calling me a million names. And so have strangers. Everybody who reads my story on the web or in the papers—they all have opinions they love to share. Everyone thinks they know me. Criminal. Killer. Whore—”

  “Stop it.” He caught her hand. The urge to attack burned through him. But he didn’t want to attack her. He wanted to attack anyone who’d said that shit. Anyone who’d hurt her. Anyone—

  I hurt her. For just a moment, he could see the truth in her eyes. He’d hurt her.

  He hadn’t even thought that was possible.

  He’d been wrong.

  “I wasn’t going to say any of those things.” His hand swallowed hers. He looked down at her fingers. They looked so delicate, so elegant, while his were like frigging bear paws.

  “Then what were you going to say?”

  His gaze lifted. He gazed into her eyes and went with the truth. “I’m not going to fall prey to someone I am guarding. Even if she is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

  Her lips parted, but she didn’t speak.

  He did. Rick found he had plenty to say. “The next time somebody calls you any name…you tell me. I’ll kick the fool’s ass.”

  “Why? Why would you care?”

  “Protecting and defending. That’s my job. That means no one hurts you in any way.” But I was the one who’d hurt her. He’d be more careful.

  “It’s your job for seven days. After that, I’m someone else’s problem.”

  He let go of her hand. Stepped back. Rubbed his chest. Why did it feel all funny? Probably because it had been one long-ass day and he needed to crash. “Why were you coming in here?” Other than to eavesdrop? Because he didn’t buy that she hadn’t wanted to listen to his conversation. He’d be more vigilant in the future.

  “I was just coming to say thanks.”

  He waited.

  “I am a pain in the ass. I get that. No big shocker. And I can be…hard to handle.”

  A quick laugh escaped him. The sound caught him off guard. He didn’t laugh a lot.

  “But I’ll try not to drive you insane. You’re doing your job. You don’t deserve my anger when you’re trying to help me.” A ghost of a smile teased her lips. “I’ll even try to play by your one hundred and one rules.”

  “I only gave you four rules.”

  Her head cocked. “Did you? It seemed like there were an awful lot more.”

  He was smiling. Eric had been so right. The woman was extremely dangerous.

  “Good night, Rick,” Kat said as she turned away.

  He found himself rushing forward and curling his hand around her shoulder. “Wait.”

  She glanced back.

  “Who’d you call?”

  “I don’t know what you—”

  “No lies. Let’s make that rule number five.”

  Her eyes narrowed.

  “Tell me who you called when you vanished for that so-called brownie run. Because if you’re working with someone, I need to know. Right now, you can’t trust anyone but me, princess. Everyone from your old life wants you dead.”

  “Not everyone.” She rolled her shoulders, and his hand fell back. “I called my old nanny, okay? I wanted to make sure she was all right. When all the craziness went down, I didn’t exactly get a chance to check in with her.”

  “Your…nanny?” No way had he expected that response.

  “Yes, Maria is seventy-three, and she doesn’t need to get caught in this nightmare. I gave her the burner phone before the Feds dragged me away. I also gave her five thousand dollars and told her to get her ass on a plane back to Sicily. The phone call was to make sure she’d followed orders.”

  “Had she?”

  “Yes. So I don’t have to worry about Maria.” Her long lashes swept down, concealing her gaze. “The last thing I wanted was for someone to try and hurt her…in order to get to me.”

  “Hurting your nanny would’ve hurt you?”

  Her lashes flew up. “I am not a heartless bitch, thanks so much for asking. Maria raised me after my mother died. I was twelve when I buried my mother, and Maria was there for me after that. She was the closest person to me when I was a teen, so I wanted to make sure she was safe.”

  His gaze swept her face. “Huh.”

  “Huh? I’m kind of pouring my heart out to you, sharing all that I can, and you ‘huh’ me? Not cool.” She marched for her bedroom.

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Wilde Securities found the burner phone already. It wasn’t in Sicily, so your nanny didn’t take it there. You are lying to me, and it’s important for me to know that you lie so well, you can do it without even a flicker of your expression. I’m impressed. You’re world class.”

  Her shoulders stiffened. “You have no idea.”

  He was learning. Fast. “I’m guessing Maria never existed?”

  She didn’t look back. “My mother died when I was twelve. That part was absolutely true. I’m sure that’s public record. Someone had to raise me after that.”

  “Your father.”

  A brittle laugh and a quick glance over her shoulder. “Like he had time. He was far too busy destroying the world to worry about me.” A pause. “Good night, Rick.”

  “Good night, princess.”

  She spun toward him. “I’m not—”

  “Good night, Kat.” Softer.

  She nodded.

  “If you need me,” Rick told her, “I’ll be in the room right next to you.”

  “Why would I need you? How could anyone possibly find me here?” Her hand lifted and curled around the pearls she wore on her neck. “Besides, with big, bad you here, I’m sure that no one would dare try to get inside this place.”

  He stalked toward her. “You like mocking me?”

  “No. But it’s either that or burst into tears, and I’ve already cried plenty. I don’t want to cry anymore. I just get headaches when I cry. And I’m an ugly crier. Really, really ugly.”

  He stiffened. Rick realized he didn’t want to see her tears. Not because she was an ugly crier—he didn’t think anything about her ever could be ugly—but because he didn’t want to see her pain.

  She reached for her doorknob. “The games can resume tomorrow. And maybe when we meet again, I’ll have some rules for you.”

  “I look forward to hearing them.”

  She opened the door, but didn’t go inside. Instead, Kat played with the pearls again. “You shouldn’t. You shouldn’t look forward to them at all.”

  Chapter Four

  Kat held her breath as she flipped the lock on the front door. She’d already disengaged the security system—talk about a piece of cake. She’d watched Rick when he typed in the code, so now she had easy access to the control panel. She’d waited a few hours, giving herself a little while to sleep and recharge, but now she was on her way out of the farmhouse and out of the sexy bodyguard’s life.

  It was still an hour until dawn arrived. She’d sneak out under the cover of darkness and be long gone by the time Rick woke up.

  After casting one quick glance over her shoulder, she opened the front door and stepped outside. The air was surprisingly brisk, and a shiver skated over her as the cold seemed to sink into her bones. She pulled the door shut, her gaze already darting toward the garage. She’d get the sports car, crank that baby up, and speed out of here before—

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  Jesus! She whirled. Her eyes locked on the big, shadow
y form that was sprawled on one of the front porch chairs.

  “Little early for a walk, don’t you think?” Rick added, voice rasping.

  Her heart was about to jump right out of her chest.

  “But then, you’re not going for a walk.” He rose. Reached that towering, intimidating height and stalked toward her. “You actually thought you were going to sneak away on my watch.”

  The alarm had been set. He’d set it before going outside? Was this whole little scene a trap? Because it sure felt like one to her.

  Rick stopped when he was less than a foot away from Kat. “What was the plan?”

  Why waste time on a lie? “Get in the sports car. Get my ass out of here.”

  “You don’t have keys.”

  “I don’t need them.” She’d learned to hotwire pretty much any ride out there when she’d just been a teen. No, some sweet, matronly nanny named Maria hadn’t been looking out for her. Her father’s guards had gotten her babysitting duty. They’d taught her lots of tricks she shouldn’t know.

  Hotwire a car in less than ten seconds? Check.

  Break a man’s arm in twelve different places with barely a flick of her hand? Check.

  Shoot a target dead center from fifty yards away? Check again.

  Use a knife to inflict maximum pain on your prey—

  Unfortunately, check. The memories swirled around her, and she had to swallow back the lump in her throat.

  “Hotwiring, hmm? I’ll remember that you have hidden talents.” He sighed. A long and frustrated sound. The same sound her soul was making. Then he said, “Kat, if you’re going to run every time you think my back is turned, I’ll have to haul out the cuffs again.”

  To be clear…“I didn’t think your back was turned. I thought you were asleep.” There was a distinct difference between the two things.

  A rough laugh broke from him. The laugh made her shoulders stiffen. His laugh was all rusty and growly, and for some reason, she liked it.

  Weird. Crazy.

  “You need to get back inside,” Rick told her, voice almost kind. Almost. For him, anyway. “Because you’re not going anywhere without me.”

  He stared at her.

  She glared at him. “You are going to make my life very difficult.”

  “I’m going to keep you alive. And you’re welcome. Even though you quite obviously have some kind of death wish going on…”

  “I don’t.”

  “No? Leaving your only protection under the cover of darkness? Running out without a plan in place? Without a safe haven waiting? Yeah, that screams…I don’t take risks.”

  They faced off. Her hands were balled into fists on her hips.

  His arms were crossed over that giant chest of his.

  “You are pissing me off,” she snapped.

  “And you’re going to drive me crazy. But I guess we have to learn to live with each other, hmm? So how about getting that sweet ass back inside. You’re shivering, and I don’t want you catching a cold.”

  He didn’t want her catching a cold? Like that was what she was worried about. Note to self. The new security guy likes lurking in the dark. Be aware. “I don’t want to have to hurt you.”

  “Princess…really? You think you can?”

  She knew she could. “I’m getting out of here.”

  He laughed. “Nope. Not happening. It’s not—”

  She launched at him, moving fast, and her attack must have caught him by surprise because he stumbled back even as his hands came up and—

  Whoosh. She felt the air pulse around her right before the wood on the side of the farmhouse exploded. For a moment, Kat froze. She tried to process what was happening. That sound…the wood…

  Her head swiveled toward the wood. She looked at the angle. A bullet. It hadn’t been an explosion. It had been a bullet slamming into the wood and sending fragments of the wooden wall splintering. OhmyGod. That spot…if she hadn’t just shoved Rick back…that spot would have been…the bullet would’ve gone through his head before it hit the house.

  While she was processing that very scary thought, Rick grabbed her. He scooped her into his arms, hunched his shoulders around her, and hauled ass back into the farmhouse. She didn’t even have a chance to scream because in the next instant, they were inside. He kicked the door shut. Locked it. Ran toward the back of the place. Put her down in the kitchen, behind the big, wooden bar.

  “Dammit to hell,” Rick snarled. “Someone shot at us!”

  He started to lunge up, but Kat grabbed his arm. “No, someone shot at you! That bullet lodged into the wood where your head would have been, not mine.”

  His dark eyes narrowed.

  “So don’t get any ideas about playing hero. Keep your butt in here with me! Stay covered. Stay low and—”

  “I’m not the hero, princess. I’m just the guy who needs to kick some ass.” He pulled away.

  She grabbed for him again. “I know you have other agents out there! Let them handle this!” He was a target. What part of that was Rick not getting? The bullet had been meant for him! Him, not her.

  He looked down at her hand. Looked back up at her. “Didn’t realize you cared so much.”

  She…didn’t. Didn’t, of course.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be right back.” His eyes were hard and so incredibly dark. “While I’m gone, you keep your sexy ass down, understand me? You stay here until I get back.”

  He leaned forward, and she thought he was going to kiss her. Thought he was going to put that gorgeous mouth of his on hers, and she tensed, scared and excited and a million other things.

  But he turned away.

  No.

  She grabbed him right back. And Kat pressed her mouth to his.

  She felt shock surge through him. Hard to miss it with the sudden stiffening of his body. So he was shocked. So what? His lips parted beneath hers. A growl broke from him, and the sound sent a shiver over her whole body. His tongue swept into her mouth, and desire exploded within her.

  She’d initially grabbed him and kissed him to stop the crazy guy from running right back into gunfire. But now…

  Now all she could think about was his mouth. The way his kiss made her feel. The way need surged through her whole body. A wild, reckless hunger that she hadn’t experienced in so very long.

  He pulled her against him, hauling her onto his lap as they crouched behind the counter, and her legs locked around his hips. His mouth was frantic on hers, and the man sure knew how to use his lips and tongue. No sloppy, slamming kiss. Just pure, white-hot perfection. Her legs curled around his hips as she straddled him, and there was no missing the hard, ever-growing length of his cock as it shoved against her. She rubbed against him, and this time, she was the one to growl. Or maybe it was more of a moan. Or—

  “Rick!” A bellow that came from the front of the house. “Rick, are you hit?”

  Um…

  Rick tore his mouth from hers. He stared at her, breath panting, eyes even darker than before. His eyes blazed with a savage desire.

  Her heart pounded in her chest. She licked her lips. Tasted him. And wanted more.

  Problem. Big problem.

  Footsteps raced toward them. She was still on top of Rick, and, yep, still straddling him. His hands were clamped around her hips, holding her in place.

  “Rick, damn, man, tell me that you weren’t shot!” The kitchen door flew open.

  “He wasn’t shot,” Kat managed to say. Her voice was a wee bit high and breathy.

  Her head turned. The footsteps were right beside them now, and so was the guy. Not quite as big as Rick. Tall, tattooed, and wearing an absolutely shocked expression, the man gaped at them. His dark brows climbed as he took in Kat, Rick, and their current position.

  She needed to say something. “He was trying to run back into the line of fire.” Her hands were on Rick’s shoulders now. Such big, wide shoulders. Yum. She thought that so often around him. She had to get her shit together. The man was not an ice cre
am that she was going to eat. Kat cleared her throat. “So I distracted him.”

  The newcomer nodded. “Looks like you did one hell of a job.”

  She gave him a smile. She had thought that she’d done a pretty good job. Go, me!

  “You distracted me?” Rick seemed to be choking.

  Uh, oh. Her gaze darted back to him. Someone sure looked pissed. “I distracted you, but I really enjoyed it. Far more than I expected.”

  His gaze widened. “What?”

  “You’re an amazing kisser, Rick. Didn’t expect that. Won’t be forgetting it anytime soon.”

  He shook his head. Stared at her as if she was mad. “We’re being shot at!”

  The tattooed guy coughed. “The shooter is gone. High-tailed it out on an ATV. We’ve got agents tracking him, but he’s got a big head start on us.”

  “He got away.” Rick squeezed his eyes shut. His hold on Kat tightened. “He got away because I was making out with the princess.”

  He didn’t need to sound so disgusted. “You can let go now,” she told him, aware that a bite of frost had entered her tone.

  He let go. She rose. So did he. He towered over her. Glared. The man loved his glares.

  She gave him her sunniest smile in response. “You’re welcome. I saved your ass from a lethal shot. Then I distracted you and kept you from running into a bullet. You owe me so much right now.” Her heart was still double-timing it. Her fingers were also shaking, so she balled them into fists and propped them on her hips.

  Rick’s jaw locked. It took him a moment, but he gritted, “I’m not the target. You are. You didn’t do anything but stop me from apprehending one of the many people who want you dead.”

  Yes, there was a rather long line of folks, but… “That bullet was aimed at you, not me.” Why did she have to keep reminding him of that?

  “You sure about that? Did you stop to consider that maybe the shooter just had shitty aim?”

  “The mob doesn’t usually hire shitty shooters. They hire professionals.”

  Tattooed and gorgeous cleared his throat.

  Kat and Rick both looked at him.

  “Ah, yeah, um, all signs are that it was a single shooter. He was waiting on the ridge.”

  “I was on the porch at least thirty minutes while I waited on her to come out,” Rick snapped. “If I was the target, he could’ve hit me at any time. The guy was gunning for her.”