Master Unchained (Stealth Guardians Book 2) (7 page)

“You’re not helpless.”

“I wish it were true. But I know my own limitations.”

“You shouldn’t think of it in those terms. Concentrate on what you
can
do. What you’re good at.”

“It looks like somebody doesn’t like what I’m good at.”

When Hamish suddenly put his hand on hers, she shrieked. Instantly, he removed his hand. “I’m sorry.”

Her heart beat into her throat. “No, I’m sorry. I’m just jumpy. I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s my fault,” he said, interrupting her bumbling apology. “I should know better. You’ve been through a lot tonight. You need to rest.”

She knew he was right.

Hamish fell silent during the remainder of the drive, and she didn’t have any words left either. But the silence only led to her mind working overtime. Who had caused this accident? And how had he done it? Had it been on a timer? But if that was the case, how would he have known when exactly she was supposed to speak? After all, Gunn was supposed to speak ahead of her, and anybody who knew Gunn, knew how much he liked the sound of his own voice. He could easily have spoken long enough for the duct to fall on
him
. Had she not been the intended target after all? Was there a target on Gunn’s back, too? Or had somebody lain in wait and manually triggered the duct? It would have been the only way to ensure that it hit the right person, if it was indeed a deliberate act and not an accident.

And Gunn: why had he insisted she speak first? Had he known that something would happen? Was he, in fact, behind it all? Would she ever find out?

When the car suddenly came to a stop, Tessa stared out through the windshield, orienting herself. They were stopped behind her apartment building, making her realize something.

“I never gave you my home address.”

Hamish met her gaze. “I’d be a poor excuse for a bodyguard if I didn’t get all the information on my client before starting my assignment. I was here earlier in the day, checking out your neighborhood and assessing it for any imminent threats.”

Slowly she nodded. “And?”

“It’s a good building, though I wish you had a doorman.”

“Apartments in doorman buildings are expensive.”

“I know. We’ll make do with what we’ve got. In any case, they’d have to get past me to get to you. You’ll be able to sleep safely tonight.”

Was he saying what she thought he was saying?

“You’re staying the entire night?”

“That’s what you hired me for.”

And though intellectually she knew that, reality sank in only just now. Her bodyguard was spending the night in her apartment. Up close and personal.

“I don’t have a guestroom.”

“I’m not planning on sleeping.”

“You’ll be watching over me?” The thought was comforting and frightening at the same time. A stranger in her home. A stranger who’d saved her life once already. Would he have to save it again?

10

Hamish unlocked the apartment door for Tessa, because he’d noticed that her hands were still shaking. He let her enter ahead of him, then followed her and locked and bolted the door behind them.

He’d been here earlier, not just outside the building to check out the neighborhood like he’d told Tessa, but inside her apartment, too. It was standard procedure when taking on a new charge. He’d checked every egress point and searched her apartment for any potential hazards. Entering her apartment unseen had been child’s play—he’d simply cloaked himself and walked through the locked doors. Luckily, demons didn’t have those particular skills. They’d have to break in, and risk being seen by a neighbor. He’d found no evidence so far that a demon had been in Tessa’s apartment.

“We should take care of that abrasion on your knee before it gets infected,” he said to Tessa, as she dropped her handbag onto the coffee table in the living room, which connected to the open-plan kitchen.

When she stared down at her knee, he felt her stiffen visibly as if every mention of what had happened tonight tossed her back into a pit of despair. She turned abruptly, avoiding his gaze.

“I need to take a shower.”

“Let me check the bathroom first.” He stepped past her and opened the door to the bathroom, inspecting it. The window was closed and locked, and there were no places where anybody could hide. The apartment was on the third floor, and there was no fire escape on this side of the building. Nobody would be able to get into the bathroom from the outside. He turned around. “It’s all good. Take your time.”

Tessa forced a smile and disappeared into the bathroom. Hamish heard the lock click shut a moment later. He couldn’t blame her for feeling she needed to lock herself in the bathroom. She was vulnerable right now, and he was a stranger to her. If locking the door made her feel safer, so be it.

Knowing he couldn’t do anything productive until he got word back from his fellow guardians, he marched into the kitchen, took off his jacket, and opened the refrigerator. There were enough supplies to whip up a simple meal. Since Tessa hadn’t had a chance to eat anything at the event, she would probably be hungry. And the forlorn look she’d given him told him she needed comfort. At least he could give her that in the form of food, since his touch earlier had clearly rattled her—although he’d meant it to be reassuring.

Hamish found white wine, cream, some tomatoes and onions in the fridge, as well as pasta and olive oil in one of the hanging cabinets, and went to work. He was no stranger to cooking. After all, at the compound, where he lived with several other Stealth Guardians assigned to Baltimore, everybody fended for themselves when it came to food. Though he had to admit, ever since Aiden had bonded with a human, the lovely Dr. Leila Cruikshank, the quality of the food at the compound had improved vastly.

He’d spent many evenings gathered around the dining table with the other guardians, devouring Leila’s delicious dinners. He’d learned a thing or two from her, and hoped that what he was throwing together for Tessa was edible. And would soothe her nerves a little.

While the pasta and the sauce boiled, he walked to the bathroom door and listened. The water was still running. He held his breath, listening more intently. There was another sound, too. He couldn’t be one hundred percent certain, but his sensitive hearing picked up sobbing. He cursed under his breath, wishing he could walk in there and comfort her, but doing so would only frighten her more. Clearly she’d kept it together in his presence, not wanting to appear weak, but the moment she was alone, she broke like a twig in the wind.

Frustrated that he couldn’t do anything for his charge, he walked back into the kitchen and set two places on the kitchen island. Then he checked his cell phone and sent a message to Enya.

Anything yet?

A few seconds later, she texted back.
Manus and I just got to the location. Keep you posted.

He put the cell phone back in his pocket and tasted the pasta, then drained it and poured it into the pot with the sauce. He covered it with a lid, then leaned against the island and waited.

The minutes ticked by, but finally the bathroom door opened. Slowly he turned around and watched Tessa walk into the living room. She wore a long, fluffy white bathrobe. At her neckline he saw something lavender-colored peek through—a negligee. Her feet were bare. She’d combed her hair, but it was still damp. Her face looked flushed from the hot shower, and if she’d indeed cried, she’d hidden the fact well, maybe by splashing cold water around her eyes.

“I made us dinner. You must be hungry,” he said, pointing to the place settings, before he turned back to the stove, grabbed the pot and serving spoons, and placed the dish on a pot holder on the island.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I didn’t just do it for you. I’m hungry, too,” he deflected, although he could have easily gone without dinner.

“Thank you.” She approached and sat down on one of the barstools.

“I hope you like pasta with tomato sauce. There wasn’t really much else in your fridge.”

She pasted a smile on her lips and lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. “Pasta sounds great.”

He served them both, then took the seat next to her. Tessa started eating quietly, and he did the same.

“Do you do this often?” she suddenly asked.

“Do what?”

“Cook dinner for your clients?”

“Not really.” In general, his clients, or rather his charges, didn’t even know he was there.

“Hmm.” She fell silent again.

He wanted to bridge the silence with something, but was afraid that any mention of the incident at the center would upset her again. Searching for a safe topic of conversation, he went through the obvious subjects in his mind. The weather—nothing to talk about there. It was neither too warm, nor too cold. Current events—not a safe topic considering Tessa was running for mayor and the current events included riots and demonstrations, events fraught with danger. Her appearance—women liked compliments, but he was staying far away from that minefield, particularly since it was nighttime, they were alone, and Tessa was dressed rather enticingly. She might interpret his words as a come-on, which was not his intention.

This left precisely nothing to talk about. Nothing but the food.

“I hope the pasta isn’t too hard. I like it al dente.”

“Me, too.” Her voice was barely audible. She continued eating until her plate was empty. When she pushed it aside and turned to hop off the barstool, Hamish glanced at her. His eyes caught a splash of red on her white robe.

“Oh, some sauce splattered onto your bathrobe.” He took his napkin and stood up. “Let me get some water.” He was at the sink, wetting his napkin, when he heard a sob behind him.

He whirled around and saw tears streaming down her face. “Tessa, what’s wrong?”

She pointed to the red spot on her bathrobe and sobbed. “Everything. Everything is wrong. I almost died tonight.”

He dropped the napkin in the sink and rushed to her, pulling her off the barstool and into his arms without thinking. She clung to him then, shaking, so he lifted her up and carried her to the couch, sitting down with her in his lap.

“I’m sorry, lass,” he cooed and stroked his hand over her hair. “I’m sorry you had to experience that.”

“If you hadn’t been there—”

“But I was there,” he interrupted her, refusing to let her finish that thought. “And I’m here now. Nothing is gonna happen from now on. I promise.”

“How can you be so sure?” she asked through her tears.

“Because I won’t let it happen.” He drew her closer to underscore his promise.

Maybe he shouldn’t have, because now he felt her body more intensely. He smelled the sweet scent of her freshly washed skin, felt the warmth of her breath brush against his neck and her hands clawing into his shirt as if her life depended on it.

“Lass,” he murmured and couldn’t stop himself from pressing a kiss into her hair.

Instead, he should lift her off his lap and stick his head in the freezer to stop himself from doing something stupid. Anything to distract himself from the delectable woman in his arms. But no distraction was forthcoming. And with every second, his willpower to stop this madness waned. When she lifted her head and looked at him with her tearstained eyes, he couldn’t resist wiping the moisture away with his thumb. But what was meant as a gentle, soothing gesture, one he’d often used on his friends’ children when they’d gotten into scrapes, was anything but innocent now.

“Hamish?”

Had she just whispered his name, or was he hallucinating?

He blamed his long abstinence from women for what he was about to do. Blamed
rasen
and all it entailed. He even blamed Cinead for having chosen him to protect Tessa. But he couldn’t blame her, because all she was looking for was a place to feel safe. She would be safe in his arms. But would he be safe in hers?

Despite the fact that the answer to this question eluded him, he dipped his face to hers and brushed his lips against hers. Gently, softly at first. But when she inhaled sharply, everything primal in him took over, and he captured her lips like a wolf captured the helpless deer caught in a trap. He knew what he was doing was wrong. But it didn’t stop him from pressing his mouth to hers and dipping his tongue between her parted lips, exploring her. And God, she tasted good. Sweet, innocent, yet not inexperienced. She responded to his kiss, not only by swiping her tongue against his and angling her head to invite him in, but also by putting her arms around his neck and holding him close.

He sensed her need—the need to forget. And he couldn’t deny her this little pleasure. And just like Tessa, he wanted to forget and experience a few moments of abandon. A few moments of pure lust. Because that was all this could be: lust between two adults who needed to
feel
instead of think.

The way she kissed him back, the way she held him, made him want more. Hunger grew inside him, and while his hands had been idle until now, they couldn’t remain so. Without thinking where this might lead, he felt for the belt of her robe and tore it open. He slid his hand inside, gliding against the silken fabric of her negligee. From beneath it, her body’s heat radiated as if he’d dipped his hand into a vat of boiling liquid. He knew he’d get burned, but he didn’t care, because the reward was worth it.

The longer he kissed her and the more intense the kiss became, the more his need to feel her naked skin under his palm grew. He slid his hand higher up, to just under her breast, and felt her gasp into his mouth. But she didn’t push him away, didn’t pull back her head to stop the kiss, so he moved higher, until he held her breast in the palm of his hand. He loved the weight of it, the roundness and firmness. He squeezed it and felt her shift on his lap, making him aware of that part of his anatomy which he’d been so ardently ignoring, but couldn’t ignore any longer—for the damn thing was growing at an alarming speed.

He ripped his mouth from hers. He should stop now while he still could, but just then she shifted again, and so did the strap of her negligee. As he lifted his hand from her breast, the fabric slid away, revealing one hard nipple surrounded by creamy skin. Too tempting to ignore. He stroked over the hard bud and felt her shudder in his arms. She moaned, her eyes closed, her head falling back.