Shephard (Mountain Men of Danger Falls #1)

Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

S hephard

My need to protect and keep the woman was growing stronger.

It was all I’d been thinking about for the last couple of hours. I’d added wood to the fire. I’d paced the downstairs. Hell, I’d walked outside to catch a solid breath of crisp air.

Nothing had helped.

Denise’s voice remained with me, her challenging words as well. She was tough, which made the dominant inside of me want nothing more than to command her to surrender. Shit. I was losing all sense of perspective. How long had I been in Danger Falls? A freaking week? It felt like a lot longer.

I’d studied the information on Jameson for a second and third time. The smoking gun was too much of a draw to ignore.

Yet I knew doing anything would cause a further rift between us.

Even with Denise’s irritation toward me, I’d seen the same expression of desire crossing her face as she’d had the first night we’d had sex. Her scent still lingered on my skin. As I pulled my hand to my nose, my thoughts registered how juvenile it was to be sniffing my hand.

My entire body hurt from the extreme tension riding every muscle. The lack of sleep was only one of the reasons I was having a difficult time concentrating. The woman lying in my bed upstairs was the other.

I was freaking pathetic.

Forcing myself to think about something else was proving to be a problem, but one I’d need to overcome if I wanted to be able to make good on my plan with her.

Still, it was going to be one of the toughest things I’d ever had to do.

I had yet to finish an entire drink, which wasn’t like me. Hell, nothing was at this point. I was completely out of character. After powering back the rest of what was in my glass, I shifted to grab the bottle. I had my doubts I’d be able to sleep tonight. Might as well have another drink and think the dilemma through.

If that was possible.

She’d left the jump drive on the table. Sighing, I debated whether or not to get any further involved in the case she was determined to lose herself in. I wasn’t a fan of the FBI, the DEA, or the CIA for that matter. I’d almost been captured by a wayward agent who’d been in way over his head. He’d been on the job for less than three months. He’d thought I was the big, bad wolf and he would get his fifteen minutes of fame.

Russ and the top brass within our secret organization had been required to pull a few strings and dance a little jig to convince the guy I wasn’t public enemy number one. I’d also only been a few steps ahead of the CIA on a couple of occasions, their work in foreign countries more aggressive than in the United States.

However, all three organizations knew how to make life miserable for someone in what they considered an expendable position such as a park ranger. Like the buzzards could track someone on a mountainside.

I snorted and grabbed the drive. I wasn’t giving up on my thought someone had discovered where I was living. Even if the first murder had been two months prior.

There was something to be said about the quietness of a night while most people were asleep. I’d spent so much time in the darkness that I was accustomed to the dim lighting and the lack of interaction with humanity. Being able to sit in the small office where the only sound was the satellite system humming was peaceful.

I’d always accomplished more at night than during most days.

Maybe it was all the muddy foxholes I’d been forced to crawl through in complete blackness. I’d honed my abilities to become completely detached about killing and seeing dead, mutilated bodies. A shrink I’d been sent to prior to being allowed to leave the organization had said it had developed into an unhealthy technique. I’d laughed in his face. Maybe it had, but if I’d dwelled on the blood and gore, I would have gone mad.

I popped in the drive, noticing I’d left the notes I’d taken sprawled across the desk. I was developing bad habits already. Live a little. I snorted as I thought about her advice. Other than engaging in hot sex, I wouldn’t know what the hell that meant.

The drive had huge files and I was remotely surprised the coroner had taken such highly detailed pictures. This wasn’t a high crime area, but you wouldn’t know it by her work. She also had decent notes, although some were nothing more than cruder photos of her handwritten thoughts and data on an old-fashioned spiral-bound notebook. If she hadn’t been able to type them into her computer, that could mean she was getting pushed.

The FBI waited for no man.

Or woman.

It took less than an hour to gather what Maggie had been trying to convey. The murders had been cold, calculated, and every effort had been taken to destroy the victims’ identities. But the coroner had done her job, including taking photographs of the cleaned-up bodies lying dead on the cold stainless steel table. There was no doubt about who they were, men who’d dared cross Boris years before. One had been a CIA agent, the very one I’d had a run-in with.

He’d either found his way into the country or had hired assassins, like he’d done before to handle his dirty work. They’d never survived after the operation.

I sat back in my chair, fighting the exhaustion. What I didn’t like was the obvious. Danger Falls? Boris had been tipped off, and in my mind, there was a single person who could have found out my possible whereabouts.

I toyed with the trackpad, shifting from one picture to the other. The sudden subtle ring on my phone forced me to look at my watch. I’d been at this for over two hours. Seeing the encrypted name on the screen forced me to suck in my breath.

Calls in the middle of the night were never good.

“Your father was working for a highly effective and extremely dangerous group of men in Philadelphia. He was considered their enforcer. The family was killed in a major building explosion, the people working for them scattering. Law enforcement didn’t bother looking for them, which is an indication the family was targeted for elimination for the powers that be. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Mafia?”

“Not mafia. More powerful. I’ll ask you again. Do you understand we haven’t had this conversation?”

The group was even more powerful? Then they had political clout. Which was why it had been entirely possible for Boris to make an educated guess about where I might land. Family always came first. Right? Even he’d made certain his wife had been protected.

Until I’d killed her accidentally while she’d been trying to defend him.

That’s why the man was really pissed, eager to seek revenge. She’d been his entire world outside of war and slaughter.

“Oh, I get it.” My father had been allowed to walk away, saved from the horrific event. The powers that be had been members of whatever task team had been established by a particular law enforcement agency. Likely the mission had been mandated by the mayor or even the governor. It wasn’t unheard of to this day, although tougher to make happen given modern technology and security methods.

So Pops had been allowed to build another life.

“Rich?”

He laughed. “Richer than sin. They still are. And they’re still dangerous.”

Now I knew where my father had gotten the money, keeping it locked away until he was certain no one cared where he’d fled to. Smart man.

“It’s a subject that’s off limits. Do not contact me again about it.”

I’d pulled in my one favor with the man. There would be no others.

I held the phone in my hand for a few seconds, debating contacting the man in question. Not yet. There was no reason to confront him. He wasn’t a part of this, although his past could always come back to haunt him just like it had with me.

I shifted my attention back to the limited files I’d created on Boris. Part of my mercenary training included memorizing as many details on a target as possible. Coordinates were sent but immediately deleted and that was only if the target changed destinations mid mission.

However, my collection of notes had felt necessary. It was short and included only the missions where I believed additional trouble would occur in the future. Boris was on that list. If only I’d gotten off the shot before almost being detained by the KGB. Hindsight and wishful thinking also weren’t a part of my training.

The revenge was underway, the people of Danger Falls in actual danger themselves if Boris took a liking to the area. I couldn’t allow that to happen.

But he wanted one thing, which was why he was risking it all on coming into the United States.

My head on a silver platter.

I pulled up the last known photograph taken of Boris using a long-range camera lens taken from a building a couple hundred yards away. While it was a clear shot, it had been taken on a snowy day in Moscow, which distorted the photograph to some degree. But not what he was doing.

He adored what he called a shooting gallery. He’d line up his enemies after beating them with a bullwhip and allow his soldiers to shoot until they ran out of bullets. I closed my eyes, rubbing them with my thumb and two fingers. I had a horrific headache, not only from lack of sleep, but also because my mind was filled with data I’d collected from all the years of chasing targets. One after another. Finding the perfect hunting ground had become my only objective and joy.

I quickly glanced at the screen once again, wincing from the bright light. I had the brightness all the way up, which was the way I usually liked it. Not tonight. Tonight I needed the darkness even if that’s when the demons came out to play.

The ache only intensified as my mind shifted to another time period altogether. The fucker had managed to corner me with no way out. It had just been him and me and the fucker had almost beaten me at my own game.

Whoosh.

The harshness of the whip as it struck my chest sucked the breath out of me. I stumbled backwards. When my back hit the concrete block wall, all my senses were jarred. He’d come from the shadows, beating me at my own game of cat and mouse.

“Did you really think I would succumb that easily?” His Russian accent was heavily pronounced by his overindulgence in wine, whiskey, and cigars.

I glared at him, my eyes fully adjusted to the bare hint of moonlight inside the dark corridor. He’d already used the whip to snatch my assault rifle, tossing it aside as if a joke.

“What’s wrong, Boris? Aren’t you happy to see me?” I knew how much he loathed being challenged and reacted exactly like I knew he would. He reared back, ready to strike me again.

I was able to catch my breath, immediately reaching for my knife. As I tossed it, the pain from the harsh strike was enough to alter my aim. The knife went into his shoulder, easily cutting tendon but not enough to cut him down.

This time his reaction was swift and agonizing.

Strike after strike of the thin leather he wielded, sending me crashing to the hard cement floor as pain tore through me. Sweat was stinging my eyes, blood saturating my shirt. He’d attempted to break me.

That would never happen.

A single roar was one of few indications I wasn’t unconscious and I didn’t think about my actions, reaching for and grabbing the long strand of the whip before it struck again.

“A friend of yours?”

Fuck.

The goddamn images were appearing when I wasn’t asleep. I’d almost lost my life that day, barely limping away. By that point, the authorities had arrived, their shrill sirens echoing in the night. I’d barely escaped.

“Are you okay?”

Denise.

“He’s a real monster.” I hadn’t expected to hear her voice until morning. The soft lilt swept through me and I sucked in my breath briefly. I did my best not to make a single sound while blowing it out. “You’re supposed to be asleep.” I rubbed my face, my breathing still labored. I was sweating like a goddamn pig.

“I woke up in a strange bed. I don’t sleep well when I don’t know exactly where I am.”

She wasn’t moving any closer and I’d yet to turn around. It didn’t matter we were oil and water. We were drawn to each other in an inexplicable way. “You’re safe. That’s all you need to know.”

“Nowhere is totally safe, Shephard. You of all people should know that.”

“I guess you’re right. Try and get some rest at least.”

Why did her scent need to float into my nostrils? And why was the bulge between my legs extremely painful?

She remained quiet, but I sensed she was moving closer. “How many men did you kill in your previous life?” The woman not only had the nerve to sit on the edge of my desk, she also had found a tee shirt of mine from my things, now wearing that and nothing else. While oversized on her, the thin material couldn’t hide her voluptuous body or the way her nipples were pressed against the front from the way she was sitting.

“Enough I won’t be going to heaven at the end of my life.”

“You can always be redeemed.”

“Not possible.”

She folded her arms. “Talk to me, Shephard. You know exactly what’s going on. Don’t you? This has something to do with your previous clandestine missions. Why come after you here and now? Why did this start before you arrived?”

When I said nothing, she twisted and picked up my laptop, shoving the screen in front of me. “This man is the killer. Yes? But he’s after you.”

“Yes. His name is Boris Ivanoff. I was handed the mission to stop the butcher. He was attempting to takeover a small country, torturing and killing all those loyal to the current president of the country.”

“He’s alive?”

“The powers that be decided it was best he land in a Russian prison, which is what happened.”

“Now, he wants revenge.”

“Exactly.”

“When did you know?”

I took the laptop from her hands, shoving it further away on the desk. “The paralyzing drug was one of his favorite tools. I didn’t know for certain until I read the report provided by the coroner.”

Her nod wasn’t subtle, but full of anger. She tried to get up, her attempt to walk away unacceptable. I grabbed her arm.

“Don’t do this, Denise.”

“Why did you keep this from me? Why? You knew something wasn’t right when you saved my freaking life twice. Twice? The sheriff certainly didn’t seem to care I was almost killed. You knew something horrible was happening, but you kept it to yourself. Just… let me alone. You won’t tell me the truth about anything.”

“Because I can’t. Because it’s classified. Because people I care about like you could die if my past life or my identity as the Killer is discovered. I refuse to allow that to happen to you. Don’t you get it?”

Her mouth twisted and my cock was aching all over again. “Killer?”

“Yeah, I had solid numbers.”

“You care about me?”

The cat was out of the bag now. There was no turning back. “I do. That’s why we can’t do this.”

“What can’t we do?” She placed her hand on my chest, giving me a hard look.

“This. Us. Everything. I will protect you and yes, I’ll find a way to eliminate the enemy, but I won’t allow you to become a victim of my past.”

“You seem to forget that I’m a big girl. I really can take care of myself.”

She honestly either had no idea what she was doing to me, or she was trying to use her feminine wiles. I wasn’t certain which, but my mind was instantly stripped of anything decent. I allowed my gaze to fall down her long legs to her toes, which were just touching the floor. Her lighter laugh was unexpected.

Pepper appeared as if on command, finding herself a little corner to curl into after she yawned. The two of them had made themselves right at home. Naturally.

“What are we going to do now?” she asked.

“We’re doing nothing. I’ll handle it.”

“Nope.”

“What?” I asked as I returned my attention to the screen. She was sitting way too close, uncomfortably so. “You little thief, you.” I was trying to change the subject.

“Fascinating. You have a look of horror on your face. I’m sorry I took something from your room. It was rude of me, but sleeping in the jean skirt was confining. Did I frighten you?”

“Nothing about you could ever do that. I just… You should know sneaking up on people isn’t in your best interest.”

“You mean because they could learn truths that people are hiding.” Her smile was full of irony.

I felt my nostrils flare. “Be careful, sweetheart.”

“You are so grumpy. I bet you’re tense.”

“I’m fine.”

“Nope. Let me see.” She hopped off the desk, moving behind me. Before I could object, she was squeezing my shoulders with her long fingers. “I know you’re one muscular man, but your shoulders are like boulders. You never relax, do you?”

“I don’t have a reason to.”

“Jesus. You need a hobby. Learning to hike or kayak or even whitewater rafting would be good for you. Maybe you’ll lose some of the grumpiness you have going on.”

Her touch was both comforting and quickly becoming an aphrodisiac. I still had my fingers on the keyboard, but couldn’t move them. She had strong fingers herself, working the knots in my muscles like a pro. “I work out.”

“I’m not talking about hanging up that boxing bag and using it to take out your aggressions, although that’s probably good for you. I’m talking about fun. You know, outdoor fun? Have you ever had it?”

I made a plethora of noises around her from snorts to grunts. Right now, I was snorting like some pig in heat. “Highly overrated.”

“Uh-huh. Maybe I’ll make you come rafting with me. I’ll be gentle. Promise.” She continued kneading my shoulders, seconds later moving down my arms.

She managed to send a series of chills down my spine. No woman had ever done that before. “Maybe I’ll take you up on that one day.”

“Sure you will. You’ll find an excuse.” Her voice was breathless, but I knew it had nothing to do with limited exertion. “Just close your eyes and relax. You might think you’re the big man in charge, but sometimes it’s okay to have a woman’s intervention.”

Intervention. Is that what she was calling this?

She was also shoving away the inevitable. In truth, that was fine by me. At least we had tonight.

She didn’t stop nor did her fingers seem to get tired. Slowly, she was starting to help me relax.

“You’ve never had anyone care about you this way. Have you?” She whispered the question in my ear as she was forced to lean over to work on my forearms.

“I wasn’t interested before.”

“And now?” She dared brush both index fingers down the top of my hands, running the tip down my middle fingers. “Does this bother you? Being close? Letting go?”

Her question wasn’t one that needed to be answered with words. I turned my hands over, allowing her to slide her fingers down my lifeline. When I curled mine around hers, her breath skipped a beat. It didn’t take much to drag her into my lap, the swift move pushing the tee shirt up past her hips.

She giggled nervously and the desk lamp allowed me to see the blushing pink forming on both cheeks. While the color looked good on her, it was far too pastel for her strong personality or the filthy desire that I knew continued to tickle her fabulous mind. She didn’t allow the hint of embarrassment to stop her, slowly sliding her palms up my chest and over my shoulders.

Even the way she toyed with my shaggy hair was sexy.

“Very little bothers me,” I explained.

“Except assholes and monsters?”

“Always.” I rubbed my fingers down her arm, instantly creating goosebumps.

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” She leaned her head down beseechingly slowly until our lips were almost touching. Her eyelids were half closed, her long lashes able to skim across her shimmering cheeks.

She was sitting directly on my cock, my shaft throbbing to the point I could feel it in my pulse in my neck.

“I’m sure you will,” I breathed.

“Oh, I will. And my, what a big boy you are.”

She had no idea what kind of fire she was playing with. It could easily consume both of us. The little vixen continued toying with me, lightly brushing her lips back and forth across mine. When I tried to bite down on her lower lip, she pulled back.

“Such a naughty boy.”

“You think you know me, huh?” I didn’t recognize my voice any longer.

“Uh-huh. I know what makes you tick.” She proved her point by shifting back and forth across my lap.

“You are a very bad girl.”

“Yep. That’s the girl you met. And you’re a very cocky son of a bitch.”

“Maybe you do know me.”

“What if I can’t get enough?” she whispered, her voice a husky whisper.

I’d had enough, cupping the back of her head and crushing my lips around hers. She had the most luscious lips of any woman I’d ever kissed. Plus, the way she felt in my arms was everything I craved.

And nothing I should need.

The thought was nothing but an irritation. I swept my tongue inside, tasting peppermint from toothpaste. It was strangely attractive, especially mixing with the whiskey still on my breath. I pressed my other hand down her back, not only keeping her right where I wanted, but also forcing her heated body even closer.

As she managed to suck on my tongue, I tangled my fingers in her hair. The strands were silky, smooth to the touch. I’d never been much of a kisser, but this was perfect. Too perfect.

She was lightly scratching my neck, shifting her fingernails up and down the back. The way she continued wiggling her hips almost drove me crazy. I hadn’t felt such a tightness in my chest in a long time. There was absolutely nothing like the taste or feel of her. But I was going to go insane if I didn’t shove my dick into her sweet pussy soon.

I allowed her to pull our lips apart, enjoying every second of the way she continued breathing heavily. When she tenderly touched my cheek, I almost pushed her all the way off. She was searching for answers that I couldn’t give her.

A barrage of additional questions would be next. My body tensed just thinking about it. Only they didn’t come. She slowly pulled away, standing in the tiny space in front of me. With a strange look on her face, she grabbed the hem of the tee shirt, pulling it all the way off. There was no rush this time, no toss of the material in her effort to lunge onto my lap.

She was quiet, reserved, and allowing me to know that at least for this moment in time, she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

Her lips were quivering, which was almost entirely different. The small fraction of a decent man left inside of me knew I should stop this right here. Right now. But the darkest part of me, the very entity that had managed to keep me alive and mostly sane wouldn’t tolerate the thought of allowing her to walk away.

Certainly not tonight.

Perhaps never.

I ran my hands along the outside of her thighs, every muscle tensing all over again from the feel of her soft skin. She was heavenly in every regard. Her breasts fit perfectly in my hands. The sadist wanted to squeeze them, to cause her just enough pain I would be inundated with her soft cries.

Nothing was stopping me. Not my mind. Not my soul.

I jerked her closer until she was forced to straddle my legs. “You’re wet,” I commented and dipped a single finger on the outside of her swollen folds.

“Very.”

Her scent was all encompassing. I couldn’t control my breathing or the guttural sounds that left my throat. With my roughness returning, I rubbed my palms up her stomach, toying with her breasts.

Just the way her breath skipped was inviting. Even her half-closed eyelids were seductive. Everything about her was.

I did as I wanted, fingering her already taut nipples as she watched my every move.

“Do you want something?” she cooed. Why was she even daring to ask?

“Yes. Everything.”

The corners of her mouth were upturned and she dragged her tongue across her lips. “Then take it.”

Her approval wasn’t what I’d needed, at least in my warped mind. But I did admit it added credence to what I hungered to do to her. Ruin her in every way, defile her as no man had ever done before. Yes, I truly was a sadist.

I pinched and twisted her nipples, waiting for her sharp cries, which didn’t come at first. She was holding onto me, placing her hands on my shoulders and swaying. Not screaming. I pulled and plucked, my breathing skipping.

She finally threw back her head, allowing a single, short moan to escape her luscious lips. It wasn’t enough. Nothing would be enough with her. I needed more. Much more. And I would take it.

After that, I doubted there would be any going back.