Risky Obsession (Wolf Security #3)

9. Lacey/Tory

CHAPTER 9

Lacey/Tor y

W hen I awoke, the room was dark, but a faint glow seeped through the pathetic window lace I’d tried to tug into place last night.

I slowly rolled my gaze toward Kane’s side of the bed. He was all broad back and wavy blond hair, and thankfully, he faced away from me. His breathing was shallow and steady, and before he stirred, I slipped out of bed, tiptoed to the bathroom, and locked the door.

Shivering against the freezing cold, I peed, trying to ignore how loud it seemed to be. I was not used to sharing a house with anyone, let alone with a man in a bloody tiny hotel room.

As I took a quick shower, my fingers brushed over the tattoo on my wrist. It was a constant reminder of the darkness in my past. I am not what I have done . . . I am what I have overcome.

I’d had that tattoo inked after I’d come out the safe side of my last undercover work. But had I truly overcome anything if I was forced to lie to a man who seemed to be one of the good guys?

Aria had been very shady about her reasons not to trust Kane, and I hated how quickly I’d taken this job. I’d been working on the mantra of ‘just keep moving’ for so long, that I didn’t stop to analyze the consequences.

“Hey, Tory?” Kane’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “Are you going to be much longer? I need to piss. ”

“Sorry, nearly done.” I turned off the faucet.

“I can find another bathroom if you need more time.”

Damnit, why does he have to be so nice?

“No. No. All good.” I tugged the towel around my body, and still dripping, I opened the door.

He stepped back, and when his eyes scanned up my body, a delicious heatwave cruised through me.

“All yours,” I said, gripping the towel across my chest.

“Thanks.” He pressed his lips together like he was trying not to smile and then closed the door behind him.

“Don’t come out until I say,” I called through the door.

The shower faucet turned on. “Yes, boss.”

Cheeky bastard. I’ll give him boss.

Sharing a bed with Kane last night meant that the barriers between us became very thin. Every time I woke, which was more times than I usually did, I felt the heat of his body. And I could savor his scent, which was so damn divine I wanted to curl closer to him. I hadn’t shared an overnight bed with a man in a decade, and my damn body was reminding me that I was still a single woman.

Sharing a bed with Kane had better be a one-off.

I quickly dried myself, and with one eye on the bathroom door, I dressed in fresh undies, and put on the same jeans and bra as yesterday and a clean T-shirt. I’d packed light for this trip, and figuring that my clothes wouldn’t get too dirty, I’d only brought the minimum.

As it sounded like Kane was still in the shower, I grabbed my phone and sent a quick text to Aria about us planning to look for maps at an antique fair in . . .

“You decent?” Kane called.

“Hang on.” I searched my brain for the name of the town we were going to today but couldn’t recall. I wrote, small town near Carinhall , and sent the text. I returned my phone to the facedown position on the side table, grabbed my jacket, and with my arm in one sleeve, I said, “You can come out, now.”

The steam from the bathroom billowed out as Kane emerged wearing only a towel slung low around his hips. His well-toned abs met with defined V muscles that stole my attention way too much.

Woah, I was not expecting that .

I found it hard to breathe. His physique was impossibly stunning. My heart raced as I tried to focus on anything else.

“So, that was a first.” His tone was laced with humor.

“A shower?” I suggested.

“No, spending a night with another treasure hunter in my bed.”

I chuckled and tried not to cringe at my lies. “It wasn’t your bed.”

“True. It was ours.”

My phone pinged, and I just about launched out of my skin. He scratched the blond hairs on his chest, studying me.

“Will you get some clothes on?” I huffed as I snatched my phone from the side table.

“Is that your boyfriend checking in on you?” he asked.

“If that’s your way of asking if I have a boyfriend, then no, I don’t.” I rolled my gaze to him. He had his back to me, the towel lowered.

Shit.

I snapped my gaze away.

“That’s lucky. A boyfriend may not have approved of our sleeping arrangements. I’m single too. In case you were interested.”

“Ahhh, that’s a no . . . I’m not interested.”

“I mean on me being single. Not interested in me.”

I checked my phone text messages. It was a reply from Aria.

Update received. No news on Hughes. Keep safe.

I replied with a thumbs up.

“Are you dressed yet?” I asked Kane.

“I’m decent enough.”

I swept my gaze to him. He had jeans on and was in the process of tugging the zipper together.

“Enjoying the view?” He smirked.

Damn his arrogance.

“Hardly.” I huffed.

He folded his arms across his chest, making his muscles ripple in the process.

“Kane! Will you put a shirt on?”

Grinning, he pulled a T-shirt from his duffle bag. “What do you think about spending another night here?”

“What? Why?” I tried to keep the surprise out of my voice.

“A few reasons.” He tugged on the shirt, thankfully hiding his body from me. “If the antique fair is as big as some of the ones I’ve been to in Europe, then we’ll need all day, possibly all weekend. We can leave our stuff here, and not have to worry about checking into a new place tonight. If there is another place to choose from tonight.”

“Hmmm.” I swept my gaze to the bed.

“Don’t worry.” He raised his hands. “I promise not to touch you.”

I couldn’t stop the smile sweeping across my lips.

“Unless you want me to?” He wriggled his brows.

I folded my arms and faced him. “Just so you know, that doesn’t work for me.”

“What?”

I flicked my hand at him. “Your direct approach and cockiness with your body.”

I tried to keep my expression a mask of indifference.

“Huh.” He lifted his duffle from the floor and plonked it onto the bed.

“Huh, what?” I snatched my phone from the side table and strode to the chair which had my bag hooked to the back of it.

Kane chuckled a low rumble that suited him. “Okay. You’re the boss. No touchy, no flirty, no pointed comments.”

His tone was teasing, and his eyes held a glint of mischief.

I straightened my back and gave him a serious look. “Good.”

“But where’s the fun in that? I thought you’d appreciate the direct approach. But duly noted. From now on, it’s all cryptic comments and innuendoes from me.”

Rolling my eyes, I zipped up my jacket and pulled my bag across my chest. “Let’s go. I need coffee.”

Kane slipped on a well-worn leather jacket that looked like it was made for a movie star and his damn clothing added another distraction. He was becoming more interesting by the hour.

After we committed to another night with the elderly man at reception, we stepped out of the inn into the frigid morning air, and hunching my shoulders against the cold, I raced to our car. “I’ll drive,” I said as I aimed for the driver’s side door. That was one way to keep my attention off him. I climbed in and shoved the key into the ignition.

“Fine with me,” he said as he slipped into the passenger seat. “Gives me a chance to check out my spectacular scenery.”

He smiled at me like a Hollywood superstar posing for a photographer .

I refrained from commenting as I yanked on my seatbelt and silently winced at the pain in my ribs which I’d forgotten all about. As I pulled onto the main road, my thoughts drifted to my previous boyfriend, a dangerous criminal who had left me with scars both visible and invisible. Kane was everything Axel wasn’t—charming, witty, and, most importantly, not a threat to my life.

And yet Aria had warned me to be careful around him.

The weight of Aria’s warning pressed heavily upon me as I drove down the main street and headed out of town with Kane giving directions to the ancient German town where the antique fair awaited. The morning sun peeked over the horizon, casting a golden glow that glistened on the damp cobblestone streets.

Kane checked his fancy watch. “We’re going to be way too early for the fair, but we can either find somewhere for coffee along the way, or park the car near the antique fair and walk to a coffee shop?”

“I vote for option B,” I said. “Tell me which way to go.”

“Roger that.”

“Why do you say that? Roger that?”

“Sorry, habit from my Navy days.”

My jaw dropped.

“Ha, didn’t Aria tell you I was in the Navy?”

“No, she didn’t.”

Why didn’t she? Is there something in his military career that raised a red flag?

He pointed ahead to an intersection. “Turn left up there.”

My mind was in a spin as I pondered the extra information on Kane. I’d met my share of men in law enforcement and many of them came from military backgrounds that they liked to brag about.

But I’d never met a man like Kane. He was both charming and cloaked in mystery that lingered around him like a shroud. His military career added another dimension that I never anticipated.

Kane was unusually quiet with his gaze fixed on the passing landscape as I navigated through the winding roads. The scenery outside shifted from quaint villages to lush forests.

Does he regret telling me about his time in the Navy?

I tightened my fingers around the steering wheel, trying to focus on the road ahead as I maneuvered through narrow streets .

What’s going through his mind?

“Okay, here we are. Friedrichenshein .” He pointed at the sign announcing our arrival. “Take the next left.”

He indicated to a road off the main highway.

The old town was all cobblestone alleys and stone and timber homes adorned with flower boxes. It was like stepping back in time and nothing like any city I had ever been to before. I had lived in Australia all my life, and only two places, Sydney and Rosebud. My only ventures overseas were a work trip to New Zealand to apprehend a criminal offender, and a one-week time-out I treated myself to in Bali for my twenty-fifth birthday, six years ago.

The anticipation of exploring these ancient streets rippled through me. Especially with Kane at my side.

Because he was an expert on historical things . . . I told myself.

The bustling town was a maze of hilly streets lined with old-looking buildings and an overwhelming array of antique and old wares shops, cafés, and pubs.

I found a parking space along the street. As we strolled toward a nearby cafe, it seemed that every shop owner was busy bringing their goods outside to display on temporary tables lined up along the footpath.

“Everyone is still setting up.” Kane’s gaze drifted to a large copper urn that a man with a fierce scowl was positioning on a table. “Good idea to have some coffee first.”

“And some food,” I added. “I’m hungry now.”

We agreed on the first café we came across and a bell tinkled overhead as we entered through the heavy glass door. The fresh scent of pastries wafted in the air as we strolled to the front counter, which was overloaded with dozens of delicious-looking treats.

Kane’s eyes sparkled as he surveyed the display. “These look so good. Let’s get one of everything,” he joked, flashing me a grin.

“Don’t tempt me.” I chuckled. “I have a real sweet tooth.”

“My weakness too.”

He gave the young woman behind the counter a smile that I imagined opened many doors for him. “Do you speak English?”

“English, German, French, excited three-year-old, grumpy old man. I speak every language. And failing that, just point at what you want.” Her obviously well-practiced monologue ended with her looking like she was going to fall into Kane’s eyes.

He chuckled, demonstrating just how charming he could be. “Amazing. I’ll have a double shot espresso and one of those apple strudels.” His smile grew bigger as he wriggled his brows at me. “What about you?”

“A latte for me, and I’ll try the cherry strudel.”

“Actually, can I add a second cherry strudel to that order for me?” he asked the woman.

“Of course. Take a seat. I’ll bring your order over.” She dabbed at her hair, and I wondered if she hand-delivered the meals for everyone or just Kane.

We settled into a table at the front window of the café. As we waited for our coffee and pastries, people walked past the shop, and they looked to be a mixture of locals and tourists. It seemed that every third person came into the café, and I wondered if our coffees were ever going to be made.

“You okay?” Kane asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“You seem fidgety.”

“Need my caffeine.”

“Right. Mental note to ensure Tory is caffeinated before any serious discussions.”

I nearly died on the inside. Maybe using Tory as my fake name wasn’t such a good idea. My best friend, Tory Parmenter, had loved coffee, cats, and crystals, in that order. I’d been trying to forget about her and my involvement in her death for nearly a decade.

What the hell was I thinking?

Kane draped his fingers over the back of my left hand. “You sure it’s just the coffee that’s bothering you?”

I cleared my throat and slipped my hand out from beneath his. “Yeah. Just . . . I remembered an old friend of mine, that’s all.”

“Oh, what about her? Or him?”

Shit.

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”

The waitress arrived with steaming coffee mugs, saving me from Mr. Nice Guy.

“So, how long were you in the Navy?” I asked, determined to dominate the conversation .

“Four and a half years.”

“Wow, I have so many questions.”

He reached for his apple strudel and as steam wafted up from the flaky pastry, he said, “Ask me anything.”

“Oh. Okay.” I cupped my hands around the warm mug. “Why did you leave the Navy?”

“Pops was dying. I needed to be with him.” He dipped his strudel into a swirl of cream on the side of his plate and bit off the corner.

My heart clenched. Mr. Nice Guy strikes again.

“What did you do in the Navy?”

His eyes darkened and a shadow passed over his features before he took a sip of his coffee to collect himself. “I was part of a special ops unit. We did recon, rescue missions, and sometimes recovery operations.”

“Sounds intense.” My mind raced with this new information. Kane wasn’t just handsome, fit, sincere, and funny. He was brave. And the man nibbling on his apple strudel opposite me was obviously much smarter than he let on.

That meant I needed to be much more guarded, or I would be in one hell of a mess.