as bad as he wanted her and was holding nothing back. The realization was frightening to his sense of survival. He was getting too attached. She was making him want things he’d never imagined for himself. Never imagined he deserved.
Stability. A little happiness and just maybe . . . a shot at a normal life.
Banishing those thoughts, he focused all his attention on the here and now. On the beautiful woman underneath him. After withdrawing his finger, he hovered at her entrance for a fraction of a moment. He wanted to remember everything about this moment.
As he rocked into her, Sophie arched her back. Her inner walls were so tight he couldn’t hold back the growl of possession he felt for her. Each time he stroked into her, her fingers tightened against him. In seconds they found their rhythm.
Part of him wondered if the reason she’d wanted to sleep with him was that she needed to remind herself she was alive after the past few days, but he truly didn’t care. He hadn’t felt connected to anyone like this in—ever. And this wasn’t just anyone. Sophie was his. Being with her now brought back so many damn memories. A flood of them hit him all at once.
When she raked her fingers down his back and ordered him to go faster, he nipped at her bottom lip. As he increased his movements, he palmed her breasts, and before he realized she was even close she surged into orgasm. Her inner walls clenched around him with a fierce intensity as the rush of her climax hit.
Just as suddenly, he found his release too. The thought that he’d given her this pleasure was a bigger turn- on than anything she could have physically done to him. He’d always been able to last as long as he needed. He controlled his body. His body didn’t control him. Not tonight. Not with Sophie. She totally owned him.
They both rode out the waves of their release together until he was spent and her legs loosely relaxed their hold on him. Catching himself on his forearms, he slowly withdrew from her and rolled onto his side. Still facing her, he kept a protective hand across her stomach. She looked at him almost in a daze as a satisfied smile played across her lips.
His heartbeat jumped at her sultry expression. Unable to stop himself, he leaned over and kissed her, still wanting to taste every inch of her. He gently feathered kisses over her face before pulling away and discarding the condom.
Words eluded him, but she didn’t seem to want to talk either. Stretching out on his back, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tugged her until she was nestled into the crook of his arm, her head on his chest. Sleeping this close to someone was a foreign experience, but tonight he needed to feel her. Wanted to wake up to Sophie’s face. Hell, he’d sleep inside her if he could.
Chapter 16
Eyes only: data that shouldn’t be discussed without explicit permission.
Ronald sat across the dining room table from his wife as they ate in silence. Again. He didn’t know why they even bothered having their meals together anymore. They didn’t talk and when they did, they fought. Rather, she yelled at him.
He cleared his throat. “The casserole is delicious.”
“It was Holly’s favorite,” Margaret snapped before taking a healthy gulp of her martini.
His fork fell onto the plate with a clatter. “Damn it, Margaret, we can’t keep living like this.”
It was as if he’d flipped a switch. She threw her fork down onto the table. “You never should have let her go!”
“How many times are we going to have this same argument?” Pushing away from the table, he stood. He was unwilling to fight back this time. It wouldn’t matter what he said. He couldn’t win. Hell, there was no winner. He just wanted his daughter back.
He took his plate with him into the kitchen and dumped the majority of his food in the trash. As he contemplated whether he’d be making it a scotch or vodka night, the designated cell phone Vargas had instructed him to always have on him buzzed in his pocket.
What little food he had in his stomach roiled. “Hello, Miguel.”
“Where are you?”
He wasn’t sure why the man asked, when Ronald had no doubt he knew. He was sure someone was watching the house. “I’m at home.” He leaned against the kitchen counter and bit back a sigh. They’d been virtual prisoners the past few months, too afraid to go anywhere for fear Miguel would think they were talking to the police or involving outsiders. After receiving that bloody ear in the mail, he was too terrified to even think about it.
“Have you heard from your friend tonight?”
This was going to be tricky, but he’d rehearsed what he’d say. “She called and wanted to set up a meeting, but she never showed.”
“And you haven’t heard from her since?”
“No.”
“What about her assistant? Is she asking questions?”
Ronald silently prayed he could get through this and be convincing. “No, she thinks Sophie is out sick. Just like everyone else in the office.”
“So she hasn’t come to see you about anything lately?”
“What are you talking about? Why do you want to know about everyone in my office all of a sudden?”
Instead of answering, Miguel veered in another direction. “The meeting has been moved to Thursday.”
“I thought you said this weekend.”
Miguel ignored him. “You will be at the hangar at exactly noon—”
“I’m not doing anything else until I speak to my daughter.” Ronald fisted the phone tightly against his ear, trying to calm his shaking hand.
Again, Miguel continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “After you sign the necessary documents—”
Months of repressed anger and worry trumped the rising bile in his throat. “Either I speak to my daughter now or this ends right here. In fact, she better be with you on Thursday or I’m not only
“You might want to think before you speak any further, Mr. Weller. I hold your daughter’s life in my hands.”
“And I have something you want. I have nothing left to lose.” After having a gun shoved in his face and nearly losing someone he cared about, he’d hit his breaking point today. His marriage was all but over if he didn’t get his daughter back. It was sad that it took a stranger to convince him of what he needed to do. He needed to start pushing back.
“Stay close to your phone,” Miguel said, before disconnecting.
“Margaret, get in here,” he called out.
His wife appeared in the entrance but didn’t make any further movements toward him. “What do you want?”
“Hold on.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the door frame, her face a mask of fury.
When the phone buzzed in his hand, he prayed he was doing the right thing. He answered and immediately put it on speaker.
“Hello?”
“You have thirty seconds,” Miguel said.
“Daddy?” Holly’s voice came over the line, and sharp tears stung his eyes.
He grasped the phone in his hand as if it were a lifeline. “I’m here, baby. This is almost over, I promise. You’re going to be home soon.”
His wife flew across the room to stand next to him. “Holly? Sweetie, are you all right?”
