Dare to Believe

“No buts, kitten.” He lifted his head and looked down at her, a mixture of tenderness and command on his face. “Go to sleep.”

She licked her lips. Suddenly, things seemed a little more intense than she’d planned on. “I wasn’t planning on staying the night.”

“I wasn’t planning on making love to you tonight, either.” Suddenly serious, he said, “Stay with me.”

Her breath caught in her throat at his expression. “Don’t leave me before morning.” Before she could reply, he leaned down and kissed her with a tenderness that left her breathless. “Please.”

She only hesitated a moment. With a soft sigh she cuddled up against him, burying her face in his chest. Closing her eyes she willed her body to sleep. It didn’t take long for the combination of wine, warmth and incredible sex to gently lull her to sleep.

She didn’t see the relief that crossed his face or the tenderness as he watched her sleeping in his arms.

“Mine.”

Jaden Blackthorn strolled down the hallway, looking neither left nor right. He’d been summoned here before, and he didn’t like it one little bit.

Snagging the hybrid hadn’t been easy, but he’d known it wouldn’t be. He’d been strong, absurdly so, and that unique power of his had made things a little…touchy…at one point, but he’d pulled off the job.

Now the Deranged Darling wanted something more from him. Hell, at this point he was considering paying her room and board since she had him practically living in the mansion. The only thing that made it bearable was her fashionable Rodeo Drive ass was stuck in East Bumblefuck, Nebraska.

He desperately wished the Malmayne house was a ranch. He’d love to see her get cow shit all over her Pradas.

He reached the doorway at the end of the hall and pushed it open. He was singularly unimpressed by the rich surroundings of cherry wood, velvets and silks. Nothing here meant a damn to him other than it proved they could afford to pay him. This house belonged to Lord Cullen Malmayne and was as cold as the man himself. The home Jaden shared with Duncan was a great deal warmer.

Then again, an iceberg was warmer than this place. He couldn’t wait to get out of here and go home.

Malmayne the elder was speaking to his daughter, trying once again to get her crazy ass to see reason.

Jaden held back his sigh and waited.

“Shane is here and could easily fulfill the contract, Kaitlynn.”

“I don’t want Shane. I want Leo,” a husky, feminine voice pouted.

If it wasn’t for the fact that the voice belonged to one of the most spoiled women Jaden had ever met it would have sent shivers of lust down his spine. Instead he shuddered and turned to look at the tall, elegant blonde. Her white gold hair was done up in a simple French twist a la Grace Kelly. She’d worn a pale shade of pink today, complementing her fair skin, the silky material clinging to her understated curves.

High heels in a matching shade were strapped on her dainty feet, emphasizing the long length of her legs.

Gray eyes stared at her father with a forlorn expression, her luscious mouth tilted down at the edges.

Jaden hid another shudder. That mouth held teeth sharper than his, and that was saying something.

Malmayne the elder sighed. “I will see if we can negotiate with Leo, my dear, but he’s turned down all other overtures. Perhaps, if Leo refuses, we should reconsider Shane?”

Jaden tuned them out, waiting silently and with the stillness only those of his kind could accomplish.

He’d heard this argument before, and knew Cullen Malmayne would once again lose. He opened his senses to the surrounding area, listening to the heartbeats of all those around him, counting them out until he’d found even the two “hidden” guards Malmayne the elder thought protected him. Jaden hid his knowledge of the watchers, keeping his face bored.

“Mr. Blackthorn. Thank you for coming.”

Jaden blinked and turned his darkest, most penetrating stare towards the blonde. “Ms. Malmayne.”

He nearly allowed his grin to escape at her moue of distaste. “Would you like to have a seat, Mr.

Blackthorn?”

“No, thank you, Ms. Malmayne. I prefer to stand.”

There was a moment of confusion on her face before she blinked and gave him her false, sweet smile.

“Mr. Blackthorn, I have another job for you.”

Jaden nodded. “I kind of figured, hon, otherwise you wouldn’t have called.” He smirked, allowing his teeth to flash at her.

He watched her back straighten with outrage before she shook it off. Her expression was saccharine sweet. Crap. Now what? Last time she looked like that she had me kidnap someone. She handed him a piece of paper. “I want you to make the ransom demand on the Dunne family.”

Jaden’s smirk faded into a snarl he quickly wiped off his face. He took the piece of paper reluctantly.

The whole set-up stunk to high heaven and he was already beginning to regret taking orders from the high- brow bitch. Hell, if Duncan had been home…

But Duncan wasn’t home, and Cullen, the old sap, couldn’t deny his daughter anything she wanted.

Clothes, cars, jewelry. People.

And they had the balls to call him a vampire. It made an honest-to-god bloodsucker cringe.

With a sigh Jaden turned to find a phone.

“Don’t call from here, you idiot! Find some anonymous phone.”

Jaden turned back, his eyes flashing red with his irritation. “How about I go down to the local Wal-Mart and use the payphone there, sweet cheeks? Got a calling card I could use?”

“Don’t call me that!” Jaden loved that rasping note of irritation in her voice. It took that smooth, sweet voice of hers and turned it into a verbal Brillo pad. “Do as I tell you or I’ll let Jeremy West know what your weakness is. Doesn’t he have a rowan tree on his property?”

Jaden paled. “You bitch.” If Jeremy found his weakness, Jaden was a goner. And until he could figure out how to shut her mouth permanently he had to do what she said. If only Duncan would pick up his damn messages.

“I know.” She stared down at her perfect manicure, that sweet, sweet smile on her face, and Jaden had to forcibly keep his hands to himself. “It would be a shame if Jeremy found out how to destroy you completely, wouldn’t it?”

With a growl, he glided out of the room and shut the door in her pampered face.

I hate that bitch. He looked down at the number on the paper and headed straight for her private room, misting through the lock easily. He picked up her private phone and placed the call he’d been ordered to make, all the while wishing Duncan would get back soon.

There was a freight train running outside her room. Which was odd, since her apartment wasn’t anywhere near train tracks. Ruby groaned and pulled a pillow over her head.

Or tried to, anyway. Something else was on the pillow. “Get off, Cliona,” she muttered, batting her hand at her cat.

There was a snort, followed by “ow” in a deep masculine voice.

Ruby’s eyes flew open. Staring at her and holding his nose was Leo.

“Um.” The events of the night before rushed through her head, bringing heat to her cheeks. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” If she hadn’t seen the happiness beginning to flirt around his mouth she would have been mortified. As it was, she was merely horribly embarrassed.

“Did I hurt you?” She reached out with one hand and stroked the bridge of his nose.

He took her hand in his and kissed her palm, heat, humor and tenderness making his eyes shine in the morning light. They even looked a different color, startlingly light and bright. “I’m fine, kitten.” With a groan he rolled over and stretched, a whole body stretch that involved flinging his arms over his head, his incredible chest bowing up off the bed. She bet if she looked under the covers she would see his toes curling. And he called her kitten. Right now, he reminded her of a sleek jungle cat, all muscle and sinew and man.