“Now what?”
“Now we wait for the DNA results on the charred bodies in the car. If Maldonado is still alive, you go into hiding as we agreed.”
His tone was stern. Sterner than necessary.
“Of course I’ll go. I gave you my word. I don’t go back on my word.” She’d put enough people at risk already. If it came down to that, she’d go into hiding. Testify and face the consequences, whatever those might be. Time to grow up. “For what it’s worth, though, I saw Maldonado getting into the car.” The second Jack had started tearing into Maldonado’s men, the big boss had decided to cut his losses and had bolted.
“So did I,” Jack stated, “but we are not taking any more risks.”
There was something in the air. A heaviness. The realization that however it played today, whether she had to go into hiding or this nightmare was over, her time with Jack was up. And she so didn’t want to give him up.
She pushed that thought aside. Didn’t want to go there.
“You were right. It was stupid not to go into hiding in the first place. I almost got you killed. And the Bowens. Max’s skull is split, for Christ’s sake.” And it could have been so much worse. Aside from the three bodies in the car, there had been no casualties, just property damage. The crowd had been a bit behind and away from the big stationary cart full of explosives for the final presentation at the square. Five minutes later, it would have been packed with revelers. She didn’t want to ponder on how many would have lost their lives because of her stubbornness.
“Don’t worry about Max. He’s hardheaded.”
“The Diablos were so important to Jonah, and I stood him up so many times in that last year. I didn’t want to let Tate down by bailing on her again and dumping the restaurant on her. Instead I put everyone in jeopardy. Maldonado was probably at Rosita’s and at the house.”
Jack tightened his embrace. “You did what you thought was the right thing to do.”
She turned around to face him. “I was wrong and stubborn and unnecessarily difficult. Sorry I gave you such a hard time. I didn’t mean to.”
“Oh yes, you meant it,” he said smirking, the laugh lines around his eyes softening his otherwise harsh demeanor.
“Okay, sometimes I did,” she conceded. “It’s ingrained in me to defy authority types.”
“Let’s get out of the water,” he said, hoisting her up.
He took her to bed after drying her. Wrapped her in a fluffy quilt and engulfed her in his arms. She snuggled against him, burying her face in his neck. Her hair was going to be a mess when she woke up, but she didn’t care.
She must have fallen asleep for a while. How long, she didn’t know.
When she woke up, she propped herself on her elbow and studied him. Even sleeping he looked…severe. Alert. Bone-deep weariness marring his expression.
She caressed his face, the dark stubble raspy under her fingertips.
“What are you doing?” he asked, not opening his eyes.
“Soothing you.”
His inquisitive eyes opened this time. “I already told you once I don’t need soothing.”
“Yes you do,” she said, smoothing the worry lines from his forehead. “You also need to be taken care of. You deserve it.”
The way his muscles tensed at her words showed his disagreement, but she didn’t care. She nuzzled his scars, kissed them, feeling the tension rolling off him.
“You want me to fuck you?” he asked.
She snorted softly. “You’re such a romantic.”
“Do you?” he insisted.
She lifted her gaze to his and nodded.
“Open your legs for me. I want to eat you out first.”
She did, slowly, enjoying the way he was staring at her, his huge cock twitching.
By the time he lifted his head from her crotch, she was gooey and shivering in the aftermath of her second orgasm. As he placed his mouth on her * again, she grabbed his hair and pulled. “No more. You promised to fuck me.” She wanted to come with him, not alone.
“How do you want it?”
His question threw her off. “You taking requests now?”
His lips tilted into a slow smile. God, the bastard was handsome. Even while growling at her as he’d done wearing the Diablos outfit, he’d been gorgeous. Gloriously naked with his mouth shiny from her juices, his hard cock leaking precum, asking her how she wanted him? Just out of this world.
“Wiseass.”
“Thanks, I do my best.”
In spite of his visibly throbbing erection, he didn’t charge at her. “Your call.”
Elle knew very well what she wanted. “I want to ride you.”
Never breaking eye contact, he lay on the bed and she straddled him.
“Wow, I get to be on top. Be still my heart,” she joked, which earned her a spank. “I thought now that we’re on your home turf, you’d go all macho and try using some of your heavy-duty hardware on me.”