“Bob Jones here.”
“Bob, it’s Lana.”
“Are you in San Antonio yet?” I could hear the smile in his Texas drawl. “Did you get my email?”
“Yes to both. You got my file.”
“Sure did. I checked it over to be sure it was the right one.” He paused, and I held my breath. “Not much in there, but it’s definitely yours.”
I stared at Adam’s back, my heart sinking a bit. “How soon can I get the file from you?”
“I can meet you first thing in the morning.”
I told him where we were staying and scheduled a meeting in the lobby at nine a.m., but before he could hang up, I blurted out. “Can you check something else for me?”
“Sure thing. What do you need?”
“Can you tell me the date I entered the system?”
I heard papers shuffling and Bob hummed a little. “Seems that someone’s been through these. There’s nothing here referencing when you entered the system. There’s transfer papers to foster homes. The first transfer I see shows October 12,1988.”
Adam turned toward me, and I dropped my gaze to the carpet, listening to pages turning on the other end of the line. “This is supposed to be a sealed file, but there aren’t any medical records here either. I see some school records…”
“Thanks, Bob. I’ll go through it in depth tomorrow. See you then.”
I hung up the phone and tossed it onto my duffel. Adam sat in the other chair. “Everything okay? We’re getting the file in the morning?”
“Yeah.” I lifted my eyes to meet his. “What’s left of it.”
He frowned. “What?”
“If Nero is as well connected as Sebastian led me to believe, I should’ve expected this.”
His shoulders tensed. “They got to your case file.”
“Sounds like it.” My chest felt tight. All my medical records, any potential report written about my parents or the reasons behind surrendering me to the state, were in the hands of some faceless entity. I felt violated all over again.
“Once they had my name it probably wasn’t too difficult. With someone on the inside they could grab what they needed and no one would be the wiser.”
Adam got up and stood behind me. His strong hands rubbed the back of my neck and shoulders. “I’m sorry, Lana.”
I sighed and rested my head back against him. Closing my eyes, I let out a breath, struggling to let go of the emotion and think. And then it came to me. My fingers flew to the laptop keyboard.
“Got an idea?” Adam asked.
“Maybe.” I got on the
“Did you find something?”
“The archives on the website don’t go back far enough.” I groaned and glanced at the clock. “The library is probably closed by now, too.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “After we get the file from Bob, I’ll go to the library. They should have the old papers archived. With some of the records missing, this might be my only chance at answers.”
He kissed the top of my head. “We’ll hunt down the info in the morning. Are you hungry?” Until he mentioned it, I hadn’t been, but now my stomach grumbled in answer, making him smile. “How’s pizza sound?”
Papa John’s delivered a large all-meat pizza and Adam found “Three Amigos” on television. We ate while watching TV on the bed, and a feeling of peace settled over me. This could be my life. I’d have to fight for it, but I’d never wanted anything more.
Adam put the empty pizza box on the table. I watched the way his body moved and wet my lips. I’d never felt very lucky in my life, but the moment he turned back and smiled at me, I was the luckiest woman on earth. Part of me still didn’t feel worthy, but I stuffed a sock in her mouth.
Adam laid down facing me. “Feel better?”
I nodded, chuckling. “I always thought I could eat like a truck driver and never gain an ounce because I had a high metabolism.”
He shrugged a shoulder with a crooked smile that made my breath catch. “It’s a perk of being a shifter.” He searched my eyes, his rough finger tracing my jaw. “How are you holding up? Tomorrow’s going to be a big day.”
I couldn’t help nuzzling into his touch. “I’m ready. I need to know, and with any luck, it’ll help us figure out how to get Nero out of my life.” I kissed his lips softly. “I don’t want to run anymore.”
He bent to kiss me, and my heart jumped in my chest. His muscles tensed under my fingers as I slid my hands up his chest. He hummed into my mouth as our tongues swirled, and his arms clasped me tight against him. The musky, male scent of his skin made my stomach clench with desire. Feeling him pressed against me made all the rest of the world fade away.
Maybe that was what happened when you were in love. I’d had relationships before, but this was the first time I’d ever said “I love you.” It was the first time I’d ever been with someone who made it past my defenses and into my heart.
Without breaking the kiss, he walked me back toward the bed, my fingers making quick work of the button and zipper of his jeans. When I felt the mattress against the back of my calves, I stopped walking and pulled him back onto the sheets with me. His hands slipped under my shirt, cupping my breasts and teasing my nipples until I was aching for him to rip my clothes off. I broke the kiss long enough to yank his shirt over his head before our lips fused back together. His skin felt hot and slick, and I wanted him.
He was mine.
I pushed him over, rolling on top of him without coming up for air. He growled into the kiss as I straddled his waist, my hips writhing against the hard bulge fighting to break free of his boxer shorts. Waves of pleasure shot through my body until I was wet and aching for him to slide into me, but I wanted to savor every second. This kind of passion was new to me. I’d never really initiated intimacy or yearned for it like I did with Adam. His attention empowered me, and I was hungry for more.
Finally I broke the kiss and sat up, staring down at Adam as I worked my hips against him. As slowly as I could, I unbuttoned my shirt, drinking in the hunger in his stare. My pulse raced seeing him watching my every move and feeling his urgent response between my legs. When my shirt fell away, I slid my hands up my body, my fingers reaching for the front clasp of my bra.
“You’re so sexy, Lana.” Desire filled his gaze, heating my skin.
I smiled as I tossed my bra across the room.
I moved down his body, tugging his jeans free and dropping them to the floor before wriggling out of my own. The slick silk of my black panties was the only barrier left between us. I knew if I took them off now it’d be too easy to lose control. This time, I wanted to enjoy the passion that burned between us until we were both about to combust.
Okay, so I wanted him to beg me to take him.
Looking down at Adam’s perfectly chiseled body, not to mention his amazing green eyes and dangerous sexy smile, made me hot and anxious to feel him deep inside of me. But right now my attention was being drawn to the fine line of dark hair running down below his navel. I wet my lips.
My pulse raced as I laid back over him, moaning as my breasts met the heat of his chest. His kisses were hot and hard, demanding. Our tongues danced, and I rocked my hips against him until he moaned into the kiss, his teeth pressing against my lips. We couldn’t get close enough.
Breathless, I kissed my way down his neck, nipping at his shoulder as I made my way lower. Adam’s fingers tangled in my hair, and I felt his breath catch as I licked his nipple slowly before kissing my way downward. I looked up at him, and his gaze locked with mine as I slowly took him into my mouth. Adam’s hands clenched my
