Illicit Temptation (Astoria Royals #3)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Trace

T he sound of a lock clicking bolts me up in bed, a violent memory assaulting me of Faolan Malone. He locked me up for disobeying his direct order to gun down Syrian women and children he claimed were terrorists hiding in a shipping container. I knew these emaciated women and lice-ridden kids were hostages, not terrorists in the brutal civil war that destroyed a once beautiful country.

I hit Malone with my gun so hard he fell to the ground, stole his comm, and called off the airstrike myself. Only, Faolan wasn’t a man who went down easily. He attacked me from behind and locked me in there with the hostages, letting the airstrike go on as planned.

Trapped in that thing, the walls closed in, and the unbearable head trauma brought me close to fashioning my shirt into a noose to end the pain.

Ian, my sergeant, stole the keys and unlocked the doors, but with only moments to spare. I shoved everything open to let all the hostages go. I don’t leave people behind, but they wouldn’t leave. That piercing in the sky told me the airstrike was coming and seconds later the container was obliterated. My entire body is covered with scars from the shrapnel. My tatts camouflage most of the wounds.

The worst scar? Guilt that Ian didn’t make it. He died that day with the hostages. Because of me. Because of Malone.

The simple clicking of the bedroom door now separating me from Shea dredged up my trauma all over again. It paralyzed me in the past but pulled back to that moment, I realize her locking me in only means one thing. Shea intends to leave this house without me .

Not. Happening.

I push past the crippling torment and fly out of bed. With just a squeeze of the door’s lever, I know it’s locked.

Fury floods my veins.

I hadn’t yet done a thorough examination of the home’s layout, including adequate crawl space in the ceilings. Nothing’s ever happened here to Shea, Lachlan made a point to inform me.

I storm over to one of the bedroom windows and shove the navy silk panels aside. A quick flash of the reflection in the sparkling plate-glass windows reminds me I’m naked and the staff tending to the property will see me.

I throw on a pair of running shorts. With sneakers on my feet, I climb from that window and balance on the ledge until I hop onto the roof. Scurrying across, not seeing a patch of black ice, I slip and nearly fall right off.

Jesus, I need to get a hold of myself. But what did she expect me to do, stay locked in the damn bedroom?

Keeping better track of my steps, I reach the edge. I look down and swear in relief, seeing the balcony to Shea’s bedroom. Carefully, I lower onto it and thankfully, the curtains to the double French doors are pulled aside.

Shea stands in the middle of her bedroom watching me in horror, her jaw dropped.

After jiggling the door levers, I politely knock. “Open this door, princess.”

Her ashen face of fear turns stern and bold, her eyes narrowing. Playing with me, she folds her arms and shakes her head.

I should remind her it’s fucking frigid out here, especially with the ocean’s icy wind whipping against my skin, but I don’t want her to open the door out of fucking sympathy. She has to learn to obey me when I give her a command.

Smiling, I step back and kick at just the right place to send enough force and loosen the bolt that keeps the doors locked. It slips out of place, something I can easily fix, or just replace the lock and make sure I have a damn key.

The double doors fly wide open and Shea yelps. She tears off for the door to the hallway, but I’m quicker. I grab her from behind and throw her onto the large unmade bed.

With our confrontation heating up, I calm myself. This is an opportunity for me. She must be terrified of what I’ll do to her. I can bargain my leniency for an absolute oath to never do this again.

Her scent of lilacs and oranges hardens my cock so fast, I’m already leaking precum. I rub my aching dick between her luscious thighs. The warmth and the heat there have me losing my fucking mind.

“You better have a good reason for locking me in the bedroom, princess,” I sneer, our noses nearly touching.

Her breathing breaks like sharp waves. “I... I was going out for a run. I thought you wouldn’t let me go.”

“Now you listen to me, princess.” I bring my lips to the shell of her ear. “Do something like that again, something wildly inappropriate, then I’ll be forced to return the volley with something even more wildly unprofessional.” With my cock nudged firmly between her legs, I feel her clit throb. “Fuck, princess, I think you want me to punish you with my cock.”

“You’re...” She chokes out.

“Oh...” I huff out a laugh. “Can’t wait to hear you finish that sentence. I’m what?”

“You’re...heavy. Get off me.”

“Not until I know you got the message. Have I done or said anything to make you think I’m unreasonable?”

“Besides dumping my boyfriend in your brother’s trunk?”

“That was him. I’m talking about you.” I push harder and give her one last glorious feel of my cock and then sit back. I expected she’ll start kicking her feet, my cock and balls in the line of fire.

“You’re impossible,” she grunts, just lying there.

Fuck, does she want me back on top of her?

“And it’s only my third day. I’m just getting started. And if this is what I’m up against, being locked in my room—”

“I’m sorry. You’re right. That was...wrong of me.” She twists around to get out from under me, giving me a view of her ass that I can’t pass up.

I yank her toward me again. “Don’t underestimate my love of a challenging situation.” I need to stay sharp and keep my fists ready, given the line of work I’m headed for. “This job isn’t much of a challenge if I keep you locked up.”

She shrugs from my hold.

When she faces me, my gut twists, Christ she’s beautiful. I take in her running outfit and all that dark hair piled on her head, messy since we’ve been wrestling. Every heartbeat draws me in closer, all I want to do is kiss her.

God, what am I doing? What does she have me doing?

“You want to run?” I lift off her bed in a move that challenges my abs, but I vault perfectly on the carpet. “Give me a few minutes to get dressed.”

Nervous, she says, “The way you wear those suits it seems you’ll need more than a few minutes.”

“Thanks for noticing. Hope I won’t let you down since I run in sweats, sneakers, and a sweatshirt.” I pat my taut abs, her eyes following every ridge of tight muscle. “It’s quality stuff, though. I won’t embarrass you, princess.”

Her eyes roll adorably. “Please stop calling me that. It was cute the first hundred times.”

“What shall I call you? ”

Her lips part, and I brace myself for something wickedly filthy to come out of her mouth. “Shea is fine.”

“Just Shea? Not Shea-Lynne?”

“My brothers call me that, and it always feels like I’m trouble.”

“When you’re in trouble with me, I’ll call you Shea-Lynne. If you don’t like it, don’t get into trouble. That will be the minimal punishment.”

“And the maximum?”

“Want to test me, Shea-Lynne?”

She roughly exhales. “You coming on this run or not?”

Are you stopping to blow me , slams against the back of my teeth, a comment so appallingly inappropriate she’ll find my gun and shoot me.

“Will you give me time to change, or will you lock me inside my room again and take off?”

“Clearly, a locked door can’t stop you.” She hops up and fixes her hair.

“Nothing...” I grip her jaw again. “Nothing will stop me from keeping you safe.”

She stares at me. “Are you bringing your gun?”

“Aye.” I tap my leg. “Ankle holster. Now, keys to my bedroom?”

She draws a shaky breath and goes into the closet. A moment later, she’s fidgeting with a ring.

I snatch it from her. “Give me that.”

“Hey!” She tries to grab it back. “You don’t need all the keys.”

“Yes, I do. I’ll be managing the locks while I’m here.” And making copies in case she steals them back. “I’ll also be changing my door handle. I will not be locked inside that room again. If you did it to keep me prisoner, someone else who wants to hurt you will also do it.”

After a second, she nods. “I have a guy who—”

“ I’m that guy now. I’ll replace it. ”

The idea of another man in this bedroom drives me fucking nuts.

FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER , we’re running, and I take note of the route she jogs on. Trust is a part of this job. I’d rather protect a mature woman with a brain in her head than a twenty-something spoiled celebrity who will hang off a cliff for a selfie to get likes on Instagram.

The crisp ocean air in my lungs cleanses my soul and the exhilaration fuels me to go for ten miles if Shea needs it. Only, she stops and doubles over.

Fear courses through me and I push away the initial horrific thought that she’s been shot. I might be the only person with a gun in this entire town.

“Shea, what’s wrong?” I rub her upper back.

She doesn’t answer, but the sound guts me.

Wheezing.

“Are you asthmatic?” I ask her.

She nods and pats her pockets. “I...forgot...my inhaler. With all the—”

I pull her into my chest, wanting to get her warm. “It’s my fault. I interrupted your routine.”

“Humping me...definitely interrupted my routine,” she says, gasping but maintains that wicked sense of humor I love.

“Do you need an ambulance?” I ask her, taking out my phone.

The color drains from her face. “No. Just...my inhaler.”

We’re just over a mile from her house. It’s so early, there’s no one around. I’ll carjack the next person who drives by if I have to. Or just hotwire one sitting on the street. Checking my Uber app, there’s no one available for an hour. Not surprised for East Hampton where everyone has their own car or a driver.

The smell of baked bread hits me, and I spin around. “ There’s a bakery. Come on. We’ll get you some tea. I’ll run top speed to the house and come back with the car and your spray. Where is it?”

She shudders looking at me. “Just...bring the car.”

“Just tell me where it is.” I push loose strands of hair from her face, dying every minute she’s struggling to breathe.

Breath control was part of my training, I’m fucking sensitive to how awful it can be. I’ll take any amount of pain over gasping for air.

Closing her eyes, she says, “In...my nightstand. Next to a...toy.”

“What kind of toy?” The question started innocent, but the look in her eyes blindsides me. “Toy, as in...sexual toy?”

“Yes. Happy?”

“Oh, very happy. I’d rather you get yourself off with a toy than give your cunt to a douchebag for meaningless pleasure.” Especially when she has me.

Bodyguard with Benefits . Until I claim her physically as my wife.

We start walking toward the bakery, me gently holding her frame against my body for warmth.

“I’d love to use that toy on you when you’re feeling better,” I profess boldly to distract her from the difficulty of breathing. Asthma can get worse if the sufferer is anxious. “Hold you down and tease you with little to no mercy. Make you beg me to let you come. I’ll edge you for hours and I won’t fucking stop. And when I do let you climax, you’ll come so hard, you’ll be sobbing for me to stop, the pleasure too intense.”

“Holy...shit. I told you...I can’t breathe. Now...I’m having a...heart attack.”

I smile. “What a way to go, huh?”

Inside the café, I sit her down and squeeze her shoulders for support: I’m here . I walk up to the counter and consider asking the woman working here to borrow her car. But by the time I convince her, I’ll already be home and won’t have to worry about being pulled over for grand theft larceny.

“Tea, please. No milk. Just lemon.” I reach into a zipped-up inner pocket where I keep twenties. There’s nothing worse than being stranded with no money.

“Caffeinated or decaf?” she asks, plugging in a teapot, and looking over my shoulder.

I think about what I see Shea drink at home. Lots of healthy teas with Chinese writing. “Herbal?”

“Just decaf black pekoe.”

“That will work.” Ugh.

“Here you go.” She glances at Shea again. “No charge.”

I freeze, wondering if people in this town know Shea comes from a connected mob family. And are afraid of her.

I drop a twenty on the counter. “My friend is having difficulty breathing. I’m running home for the car to pick her up. Is it okay if she stays here where it’s warm?”

“Of course.” The woman nods with a tight jaw.

I push the twenty at her. “In case she needs more tea or wants something else while I’m gone.”

“Oh... Okay.”

Spotting a pen, I snag it. On a menu, I jot down my mobile. “If she gets worse, please call 911, than me.”

“Sure.”

“Thank you.” I bring the tea to Shea. “Drink this slowly. Take shallow breaths through your nose.”

“How do you know what to do?”

“Some guys I bunked with in the ID had asthma. And weren’t allowed to take their inhalers with them. They had to tough it out.”

“God...how awful. Are you...calling a cab for us? ”

I scoff. “I’ll be at the house by the time a cab lulls his way here to come get us.” I’ve noticed people don’t move too quickly in this town. “I’ll be back at the house in ten minutes. I left money at the counter. If you want anything else, I got it covered.”

Not thinking, I press my lips on her forehead, her scent crippling me.

Outside, I take off like I’m back in basic training trying to obliterate someone’s record.