Exposing the Heiress (12 page)

He laughed at her disgruntlement. “Sniper skills, baby. Fast reflexes, superior hand–eye coordination, and the ability to judge distance and wind conditions to hit any target.” He tossed her the ball. “Your serve. Game five is the tiebreaker. Bring it.”

She caught the ball then set it and the paddle down. “I call unfair advantage. I need to even things up.”

“That right? What are you going to do, tie one hand behind my back? I’ll still win.” The words dried up as Lyssie whipped off her T-shirt. Backlit by the sun streaming through the window, her brown hair gleamed as it fell around her bare shoulders. Hunt slowly trailed his gaze down her long throat to her breasts tipped with dark nipples that stiffened into peaks before his eyes.

His mouth dried.

He continued his inspection over her rib cage then down her flat belly to the delicate tattoo peeking over her jeans riding low on her hip bones. His hands itched to mold and shape her alluring lines, while sucking on her—

Hell.
Shifting his hips to accommodate his hardening cock, he forced himself to look up. “That’s cheating.”

She flashed him a kick-ass grin. “What? The big bad sniper is distracted by this?” She skated her fingers up her belly and circled the small mounds of her breasts.

“I won’t be distracted when I have you bent over this table and use this paddle on your ass. Serve.”

…

Alyssa never bounced so much in her life, but it worked. She had two points on Hunt. “Game point, Marine. Ready to admit defeat?”

“Are you gloating?”

She laughed, her entire body humming with happiness. Feeling lighter and braver than she had in years, Alyssa said, “It’s not gloating when you’ve got game.” She tossed up the ball and served.

Hunt jerked his gaze from her breasts and returned the serve a fraction too late. It flew over the side of the table.

“I win!” Alyssa threw up her hands and shimmied. “You lose.”

“Keep on dancing, princess. It’s hot.”

“I win, you have to do what I say. You can’t welch.”

Hunt twisted the paddle in his hand, a sexy glint in his eyes. “I never welch. But we have a problem, sweetheart.” His voice lowered into a silky command and he advanced on her slowly, with sizzling intent glowing in his eyes.

Danger and excitement skittered and popped. “What?”

He stopped two feet from her, between the ping-pong table and the back of the sofa. “You cheated to get your win. Hold this.” He held out his hand.

She dropped her gaze to the paddle. Why didn’t he just set it down? She wrapped her fingers around the handle and reached to put it on the table.

“No. Hold it.” Hunt snapped the order while digging his hand into his pocket and pulling out a wrapped condom. “And keep this in your other hand.”

She took the condom. “Why am I holding these?”

“Cheaters don’t get to ask questions.” He curved his large hands around her breasts and teased her nipples. “Especially cheaters with pretty little tits that distract the hell out of me. Caused me to lose a very important match.”

Every nerve homed in on his hands teasing her nipples. Hot streaks of fire shot down to her core. She clenched her thighs and arched her back. Wait, she won, not him. “So you’re not going to give me my prize?”

“Oh, I’m paying up, but you have a penalty coming for cheating. You will hold onto that paddle and condom, clear?” He stripped off his shirt and pulled off his shoes and socks. Then he stood, undid his pants and stripped them off with his boxers.

Six feet plus of gloriously naked Hunt stood in her rec room. All hers for the moment. Before she could take it all in, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and tugged her against his chest, his hot skin crushing her breasts. Gathering her hair in his hand, he tilted her head back and kissed her.

She shuddered as he invaded her mouth, his tongue hot and aggressive. A harsh ache throbbed deep inside her. Time to get a little control back. Leaving his mouth, she kissed over his jaw, down the column of his throat, vividly conscious of the paddle in her fingers and his hand wrapped around her hair, each slight tug heightening her excitement.

Going to the bullet inked over his heart and kissing it, she then dragged her tongue over his nipple. She loved the taste of him, clean with a slight salty tang. His cock jerked against her stomach. Leaning back, she looked at his erection. The thick head darkened in color and beaded with clear fluid.

Her stomach tightened. Impatience dropped her to her knees. Raising her hands, she frowned, remembering the paddle and condom she clutched. The drop of fluid swelled, his cock bouncing. Alyssa glanced up.

Hunt stared down. Wrapping his hand around his dick, he said, “Lick me. Suck.”

The guttural demand stripped her down to basic need to please this man, make him burn with the same fire licking between her thighs, soaking her panties. She leaned in and dragged her tongue over his cockhead, wrenching a groan from him. Then she opened her mouth over him. The feel of his thick member sliding over her tongue and against the roof of her mouth made her moan. At the same time, she dragged the edge of the paddle up the inside of Hunt’s thigh, guiding with her other hand. Once she reached his heavy ball sack, she first teased him with her knuckles, then followed that with the sponged side of the paddle, all while sucking him.

“Lyssie.” Hunt dug his fingers into her scalp, thrusting in and out of her mouth. “Jesus.” After a couple more pumps, he pulled out. “Enough.”

She sat back and frowned.

“Give me the paddle.” He held out his hand. “Then put the condom on me.”

Her stomach flipped. His cock bobbed in front of her face, his chest gleamed with a fine sheen of sweat and his eyes deepened to flame blue.

Did she trust him? Easy answer—she did right down to her heart, so she handed him the paddle. She ripped open the condom and slid it over the rigid length of his straining erection. She’d barely secured it before Hunt pulled her up on her feet.

“Undo your jeans, push them and your panties to your knees.”

Her heart slammed against her ribs. She ripped open her pants and shoved them and her panties to her knees.

Hunt’s gaze followed, his jaw clenching as he slid his hand between her thighs. “You’re drenched.” His fingers eased around her clit, circling, then glided to her entrance. A second later, he took his hand away, leaving her wanting. Before she could complain, he tugged her against him and kissed her hard, then helped her to the table. Getting behind her, he dragged the paddle over her nipples while kissing a searing wet line down the curve from her neck to her shoulder.

Alyssa tilted her head, moaning at the sensations of his damp mouth and the titillating paddle. His hard dick branded her back as he pressed against her. Working his way back to her ear, he said, “How many points did you beat me by from cheating?”

Her entire body was on fire, her skin sensitized. He scraped the paddle over her belly. Turned it sideways and slid it between her thighs. She shuddered and writhed. With Hunt there were no rules, just this clean, freeing trust. “Uh, three?”

“That’s right.” He licked the delicate shell of her ear. “Bend over the table, Lyssie.” He moved the paddle and guided her down until the cool surface pressed against her stomach, breasts and cheek. “Three swats for three points.” He moved her hair to the side and dragged the paddle down her spine.

She fisted her hands, shocked at the heat streaking through her.

“So goddamned beautiful.” He scraped the sponge part over her ass while his fingers slid deep inside her.

Wet sounds filled the room as he pumped into her most intimate place. “Oh…”

The paddle came down on her ass with a soft thud. Barely more than a tap, but it reverberated through her, amplifying the feel of his fingers inside her.

Another light smack and she cried out, pushing back for more. He pressed in and out, but it wasn’t enough. Desperation climbed in her.

A third gentle swap and her back arched. “Hunt.” She clawed the table, swamped by frenzied desire twisting through her. Sweat coated her body and her vision grayed. Spots danced. Everything tightened impossibly…

Hunt leaned over her, kissing her shoulder. “Let go, baby. Come.”

His gentle command ignited her orgasm. Everything unraveled in wild pleasure and sensation. She barely felt herself being picked up and moved.

…

She was so fucking gorgeous, but what sucked the breath from Hunt’s lungs was Lyssie’s pure surrender.
To him
, the man who’d killed so many, whose very name scared the piss out of brutal terrorists. Yet she trusted him so completely that when he lifted her, she wrapped her arms around his neck. The scent of her nearly dropped him to his knees. He battled the driving urge to put her on the ground, spread her thighs, and fuck her.

Lyssie was more than that to him, so much more. She’d just surrendered to him like no one else. His throat ached as he looked down at her flushed face. After laying her on the couch, he stripped off her shoes and pants, leaving her naked as he knelt between her legs. Her thighs fell open, revealing her swollen slick folds.

Christ. He wasn’t going to be able to control himself. His cock ached, his balls squeezed. She did this to him, ripped away years of rigid control.

“Hunt, come here.” She held out both her hands.

Undone by her, he gathered her hands in his, raised them over her head, and thrust into her body. “I can’t hold back, Lyssie. I want to be gentle.” Her walls closed around his cock, making his back burn with the need to slam into her.

She kissed his shoulder, then said, “This, Hunt. This is what I want. You…” She met his slow thrust, her fingers clenching around his. “Real. With you I’m not a prissy-ass cover girl.”

“And I’m not a monster.”

“Never. You’re the man who never holds back who he is with me. That’s what I want.”

Every nerve lit on fire. Keeping hold of her hands, he pushed up on his elbows and surged into Lyssie, so deep she gasped. Then she was right there with him, meeting every thrust, going wild beneath him as they both held nothing back.

She cried out, coming hard. Hunt claimed her mouth as he buried his cock balls-deep in her and released in fiery bliss. What started as a sexy bet between them had shifted into something Hunt couldn’t even name.

Chapter Thirteen

Hunt eyed the waiter coming into the private room of the exclusive Jinx restaurant in Malibu. He and Cooper had cleared three waiters to work the room, and there were Jinx bouncers checking on them in the kitchens and private hallway. This place took the security of their high-end patrons seriously. Cooper hovered outside the opened doors leading to the deck overlooking the ocean. They had Lyssie covered, but Hunt couldn’t shake his uneasiness.

Madden wasn’t predictable and that made him tenser than usual. Setting up Maxine by having her arrested showed just how dangerous the prick was.

Lyssie refused to let him control how she lived. She’d offered to not come to the birthday party to not be a distraction or put anyone else in danger, but Maxine had had none of that. Lyssie’s friend had a bloodthirsty revenge vibe going on after her arrest and wanted Madden destroyed while she had a front row seat. Hunt liked her.

A server came in with a dome-covered plate. “Miss Brooks, where would you like this?”

“I’ll take it, thank you.” Lyssie stood up.

What was she doing? Automatically, he cupped her elbow and rose with her. She looked drop-dead gorgeous with streaks of silver shimmering in her curling dark hair that matched her sheath dress. The dress ended mid-thigh, leaving her wickedly long legs bare down to some killer shoes. She managed those four-inch-plus heels with skill, probably had had lots of practice, but he still had the compulsion to keep his hand on her in case she stumbled.

Alyssa took the plate and looked around the table filled with laughing and drinking people, including the birthday girl, Maxine. The rest of the guests consisted of Maxine’s mom, brother, his girlfriend and a slew of relatives and friends. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back. Please keep eating.” She turned to him. “You too. I’ll be safe, I’m just taking this to Cooper.”

Oh hell, this he had to see. Hunt eased the heavy dish from her hands. “What’s in here?”

“I didn’t know what he liked, so I ordered three selections, a beef, fish and chicken. Hope he likes something in there.” She reached for the plate.

Shifting it to one hand, he put his palm on her back. “Let’s go ask him.” He led her past the two long tables out into the cool air scented with the ocean and the burning torches.

“What’s up?” Cooper asked.

Alyssa jumped.

Hunt wrapped his fingers around her hip to steady her. “Easy. It’s just Coop.” The other man moved swiftly, but Hunt had seen him glide up next to them.

“Oh, sorry.” She pressed a hand over her chest. “I didn’t see you.”

“Lucky you,” Coop muttered, staying back in the shadows.

Hunt stiffened, old regrets skidding into his chest. The torchlight flickered over Coop’s tall, rangy frame. He had on black camo pants, a T-shirt, and a windbreaker to cover his gun. The scar running from his jaw to his eye, mixed with that dead look in his hard gaze, usually had people avoiding him.

Lyssie took the covered plate from Hunt and held it out to Coop. “You scared the server when he tried to get your order.”

Coop stilled, his attention flicking down to the serving tray then up. “I told him no. Can’t help it if the word no scares the dude.”

“Probably it was the ‘Get the fuck away from me’ that did the trick.”

Hunt choked on a laugh.

Coop tilted his head. “You were listening.”

“Half the room heard it.” She balanced the plate and lifted the lid. “If this doesn’t work, I can order something else. They make a great rib eye taco. Would you rather have that?” She shifted slightly, clearly anxious to make Coop happy in spite of her tough-girl attitude.

He raised his eyebrows, but one side of his lean face didn’t quite match the other. Nerve damage.

Lyssie held up the plate. “I didn’t tell the server it was for you so he probably didn’t spit in it.”

Coop glanced at Hunt, half his face pulled up in a grin. “Fine, but no damn waiter better bring me fancy ass cake, especially if it’s chocolate.” He took the plate gently, as if afraid to touch Alyssa.

She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. “I’ll bring you the cake myself and you’ll thank me for it.”

That was his girl. When he introduced her to Coop, there’d been the usual flicker of surprise and sympathy on her face, then it was gone. She started talking away to Coop, somehow getting him to tell her he’d flown choppers in the Marines and she was all over that, trying to talk him into teaching her how to fly a helicopter. Coop scoffed at her.

Lyssie had started torturing him, asking if he was afraid she’d be better than him at flying.

Jesus, Hunt had nearly split a gut laughing at Coop’s expression. Most people were afraid of him, or at least wary. Not her. As Alyssa started inside, Hunt scanned the deck. No one was out here yet since they were just finishing dinner. “Any trouble?”

“No, and nothing from the men watching Madden.”

He nodded and caught up with Lyssie before she got to the table, stopping her. Curious, he said, “You haven’t asked about Coop’s face.”

She looked up. “If I want to know, I’ll ask him. I have enough people discussing me like they have a right to dissect and judge my life, to amuse themselves with my personal heartbreaks. I won’t do that to your friend. His scars are his story to tell if he chooses.”

Transfixed by the passion coloring her skin and making her eyes glow, he touched her cheek. “That’s what you’re doing with your photography, videos and Streets of Valor website, letting people tell their own stories of their scars.”

She leaned into his hand. “I hope so.” They walked back to their seats.

“Alyssa,” Maxine called out. “My mom doesn’t believe that story about the two reporters who snuck into the party on campus.”

Hunt looked over at Alyssa. “College?”

She nodded and turned to Maxine’s mom across the table. “It’s true. They were from RevealPop. They looked young, dressed down and got into a frat party Maxine dragged me to. No idea how they knew I was there. But they cornered me outside.”

Hunt stiffened. “Were you alone?”

“Yeah. It was hot and smelled like beer in the house, so I went outside and they started taking pictures.”

Maxine’s mom pushed her plate back and leaned across the table. “It really happened? Maxine chased them off?”

Alyssa laughed. “With pepper spray. She kicked off her shoes and chased them, shouting specific threats to their manly parts. A bunch of guys saw her, and started chasing the reporters too. One of them got their camera and erased the pictures.” She shook her head then said to her assistant, “You idiot, you could have been hurt.”

Her mom nodded. “Maxine, why didn’t you call campus security?”

“I wanted to test my pepper spray. The way one guy was crying, I think it worked.”

Hunt half listened while watching the servers clear the tables. He loved that Lyssie was having fun, but that edge kept riding him. What would Madden do?

“After that,” cut in Jeff, Maxine’s brother, “a group of us guys walked the girls to and from their dorm. I hadn’t realized who Alyssa was, but after that I got up to speed. Maxine should have come and gotten me.”

Maxine frowned at him. “What for?”

“To save your ass. The usual. Just like I had to bail you out of jail this week.” He sighed heavily.

Alyssa stiffened next to him.

Hunt glanced over. “Give it up, princess. He’s not taking your money for getting his sister out of jail.” Lyssie and Jeff had gone at it yesterday about that. Hunt had learned something—this family cared about Alyssa, not her money and fame.

Jeff laughed. “Alyssa doesn’t like to lose.”

Hunt grinned at her. “Nope, and she cheats to win.” Then he grunted when she elbowed him.

Leaning across the table, she said to Jeff, “It’s my fault Maxine got arrested.”

“You put that shit in her car and called the cops?”

Lyssie opened her mouth to argue when her phone began frantically buzzing on the table. She picked it up, thumbed the screen, and paled.

Adrenaline slammed through him. “What?”

“Nate. He sent me a link to RevealPop.”

…

Don’t do it.
She didn’t want to click the link. The last text Nate sent had been Maxine getting arrested followed up by the vile threats in the phone call.

Hunt slid his warm hand beneath her hair to cup her nape. “Here, let me—”

“No.” She had to do this, had to be strong enough. Maxine was here, Eli and his family safe. What else could happen?

“Alyssa.”

Her assistant’s eyes darted down to her phone then back up. “Is this you on RevealPop?”

A roar filled her ears, turning all the voices around her into white noise. What had Nate done? He had Maxine’s cell number. Had he texted her the same link? Her hands shook as she cradled her phone and hit the link.

Others around the table were pulling out their phones, probably loading RevealPop.

Finally the image materialized and the room tilted sickeningly. Nausea erupted in her stomach.
No, no, no.
There was no denying the picture of Alyssa at seventeen, her hair scraped back in a ponytail, her face puffy, tired from the delivery, and in her arms was Eli. Her baby boy. That was the one single picture she had before she gave him up.

Gave him away forever.

Scrolling the screen, she saw the headline.
Breaking news! Alyssa Brooks had a baby at seventeen! Gave him up for adoption!
Nausea boiled in her stomach as she saw a second picture, the one Nate had shown her on his phone. That headline read,
Is Alyssa stalking the family who adopted him?
A quick scan said the family had been forced to flee their home from harassment and were now hiding in an unknown location.

Her phone slid from her nerveless fingers, clattering to the table. Everyone stared at her, even the servers had pulled out their phones. Nate. He’d done this. Not only had he exposed her secret, but he twisted everything to make it seem like she was stalking her son.

“Fuck.” Hunt snarled low and mean. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. “Lyssie, you have to breathe.” Tucking his fingers beneath her chin, he tilted her head back. “Eyes on me. You’re holding your breath.”

She was? “Eli,” she croaked out. Icy chills broke out on her arms, making her tremble. “What if his parents believe it?”

“Stop it,” he said. “Pull it together. We have to get you out of here.” Hunt pulled back, slid off his sports coat and wrapped it around her. “Stay here for a second.”

Grabbing his arm, her gaze caught on his shoulder holster with the ugly-looking gun tucked into it. She shook it off. “Where are you going?”

“I have to talk to Coop. This is going to unleash more media and batshit crazies on you. It just takes one person to tweet that they saw Alyssa Brooks at Jinx and the media will descend.”

She forced herself to let go of him, struggling to control the sick panic flooding her. “Okay.”

Hunt vanished out on the deck.

The stony silence pounded at her side from all the guests at the tables. She didn’t know where to look, what to say. Her deepest pain was displayed on RevealPop for everyone to discuss over coffee or a beer.

Maxine dropped into Hunt’s empty seat and took her hand. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a baby? Was this after you lost your mom?”

The betrayal in her friend’s eyes was like the betrayal she’d seen in Erin’s. How many people was Alyssa going to hurt? “I didn’t tell anyone until Nate. Then he threatened him.”

Anger chased out the look of betrayal in Maxine. “That slimy bastard. Swear to God, I’m going to neuter him with kitchen shears.”

“Not if I get to him first.” Hunt returned, reached down, and cupped Alyssa’s elbow. “We’re going through the kitchen. Cooper’s bringing the car around back.”

Maxine stood up and hugged her. “I’m a phone call or text away.”

“That helps, thank you.” Releasing her, she added, “I want you all to stay and celebrate. It’s your favorite cake, chocolate raspberry.” The restaurant already had her credit card, so that wouldn’t be a problem.

Maxine compressed her lips, her expression mutinous. “I’m not—”

“Yes, you are.” Leaning into Hunt’s hand on her back, she lifted her chin. “Nate won’t break me. He won’t.” Determination gave her the strength she needed right now. She said to her friend, “You and I will be fine. We’ll talk tomorrow and I’ll explain. Tonight, you party.”

“We have a couple guys here keeping watch. You’ll be safe, but you don’t go home, Maxine, understood? Stay at Jeff’s,” said Hunt. His hand on her back tightened. “Let’s roll.”

They headed down a back hallway, with two Jinx security guys flanking them so that Alyssa was in the center. Grateful, she let them guide her, keeping her shielded at the same time. They passed through a hot kitchen bursting with energy, cooking sounds and chatter, and stopped at a thick door.

“Stay here.” Hunt went out the door, she assumed to check the alley, then a minute later ducked back in. “Let’s go.” The two guys followed them out into a wide alleyway. It was completely dark, but wall-mounted lights spilled down pools of illumination. Hunt’s Jeep idled less than a dozen feet away with Cooper in the driver’s seat.

She wanted to go home and crawl into her bed, or better yet go back to Sonoma and hide there. She’d meant it that she’d be okay, but tonight, she just needed—

A loud roaring noise startled her. Lights flooded the alleyway, coming right at them.

“Go.” Hunt shoved her toward the car.

Alyssa’s heel caught in the uneven asphalt. She stumbled, windmilling her arms, struggling to keep from falling. The dizzy sensation of nothing being there to stop her descent further threw off her balance. She began to tumble. The roar grew. Lights brightened.

Hunt’s hands clamped around her waist, catching her before she slammed into the ground. Alyssa jerked her head to the right.

“Oh.” Two headlights came barreling at them. Not a car but two motorcycles.

“Shit. RevealPop,” one of the security guys said.

They were barreling down on them, their helmet-mounted cameras running. They were known for their trick riding while filming, so fast and nimble that they got their footage and were gone before anyone could stop them.