Navy SEALs Complete Series: 3 Books + 3 Novellas (Tempting Navy SEALs) (106 page)

Turning away from the door, she walked halfway across the room before she realized she had left her shoes in the damned limo. They were a favorite pair too.

She paced to the couch, pulled the slender strap of her clutch purse from over her head, and lifted the cell phone from it.

She glanced around before moving into the bathroom, standing inside the doorway and reaching in to turn on the water in the porcelain sink before hitting the speed dial.

“Son of a bitch, I knew this was a bad idea.” Daniel answered on the first ring. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She kept her voice low and hoped any listening devices Ian might have in the room couldn’t pick her voice up over the flow of water beside her. “Who was it?”

“We’re working on it.”

“We?” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “God, he’s going to have a cow if you mean who I think you do.”

“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, dammit,” Daniel cursed. “We’re tracking down the boats. We’ve narrowed them to one rental agency but they weren’t listed as rented. We should have more info soon.”

“Get it fast. He’s in a killing mood. This could get ugly.”

“Any fatalities?”

“None. His head bodyguard is unconscious though. The wound to his head didn’t look pretty. Head to steering wheel, I suspect.”

“He needs to accept the hand reaching out to help,” Daniel growled. “Broach the subject, Kira. He’s going to need it.”

Her laughter was low and bitter as she kept her eyes on the door. Ian wouldn’t accept the risk to
his
friends and she knew it. He considered this his battle because Diego was
his
father.

“Won’t happen. Tell your gift horses he sent them a message though. Killer Secrets. And let me tell you, he was serious.”

Daniel’s curse sizzled over the secure line.

“My thoughts too . . .” She flipped the phone quickly, disconnecting the call and shoving the phone back into her purse as the doorknob twisted.

Sliding in front of the sink, she bent and splashed water over her face, her heart racing in her chest at the close call. If Ian caught her on the phone he’d likely tie her to his bed for the remainder of this operation, because he would know damned good and well what she was doing on it.

Eyes still closed, she turned off the water, gripped the hand towel on the silver rack and pulled it free. Covering her face with it, she quickly dried off, then opened her eyes and didn’t bother restraining her gasp.

Diego stood in the doorway, black rage flickering in his gaze as he stared back at her.

“Does he know who did this?” His voice was low, filled with death.

This was the Diego Fuentes she had investigated, the one she had worked to break, in several different missions, and failed.

She shook her head slowly. She didn’t have to fake the flash of fear she felt, especially when she saw the butt of the weapon sticking from above the band of his pants.

“You fear me.” There was an edge of satisfaction in his voice and a flash of smug amusement in his gaze. “I think I am too used to dealing with Ian. He knows no such fear.”

“You’re his father. Why would he fear you?” She cleared her throat, wondering if he was susceptible to a bit of flattery.

“Yes.” He looked away for a moment, but when his gaze returned to her it was as flat as it had been before. “I am his father, and I still do not know what happened. You will tell me.”

She shook her head, swallowing tightly, as she let in the memory of the limo flying and crashing into the rocky outcropping across the road. Fear had nearly immobilized her, but not fear for herself, fear for Ian.

Diego’s lips tightened again at the flash of emotion she allowed him to see.

“I don’t know what happened.” God help her and Diego both if she told him anything Ian didn’t want him to know. “One minute we were driving down the coast, the next we were flying in that limo.”

He inhaled slowly, his nostrils widening as his expression turned savage. She could have sworn pain flashed in his eyes.

“That is unfortunate,” he finally expressed. “I would know who to kill for this action against my son.”

“You and me both.” She gave him delicate snort as she moved past him back into the sitting room. The tiny bathroom was much too small for comfort when dealing with Diego. “It wasn’t exactly a party out there.”

“Do you know he would be angry should I retaliate for his sake?” Diego bit out. “He denies me even the smallest pleasures now. Bah. His arrogance. It will get him killed.”

And he was telling her this why? Kira stared back at him hesitantly. Diego wasn’t known for his compassion or trusting nature. Quite the opposite. So why was he talking to her?

“Maybe he’s trying to protect you?” She put several feet between them, though how that would help if he pulled that gun she didn’t know.

At her suggestion, his gaze sharpened.

“Do you think this is true?” He frowned as though he hadn’t considered that thought. As though the suggestion suddenly filled him with hope.

“Well.” Kira licked her lips nervously. “He doesn’t let me have any fun either. He even took my guns. Said it was for my own protection.”

God, she was playing games with the master here. Ian was right, she had lost her mind.

Diego lifted his hand and stroked his jaw, his sharp eyes watching her like a cobra watches its prey.

“You like to live on the dark side, do you not, Ms. Porter?”

She wagged her brows. “Darth Vader was my hero.”

His lips twitched as he wagged his brow in turn. “You are a very naughty little girl.”

“Well, I used to try hard.” She rolled her eyes mockingly. “As I said, Ian seems to think I should let him have all the fun. He’s protecting me.”

“And you do not like protection.”

“Not used to it.” She shrugged as she took a seat on the couch and curled her legs to the side as though she were talking to a normal lover’s father rather than one of the most notorious drug lords in the world. A man that could kill her as easily as he could smile at her.

“Neither am I used to this protection,” he said thoughtfully. “It would indicate more than a mere job, am I not correct? Perhaps a bit of feeling?”

Kira frowned as though confused. “You’re his father, correct?”

A smile split his face then. “Yes. I am his father. He would try to protect me. I did not consider this.”

Kira spread her hands and stared back at him questioningly. “What else could it be?” Besides an attempt to make certain that the man he was there to destroy didn’t destroy other lives first.

“My son, he has chosen well for his woman.” He nodded sharply, opening his lips to say more only to turn in surprise as the door slammed open.

Ian stood framed in the doorway. His overly long dark blond hair was mussed around his face, his expression cold and stony. Deep lines bracketed his mouth and his eyes glowed with fury.

“Is Deke okay?” Kira came quickly to her feet as she watched him warily.

The look on his face wasn’t the least comfortable.

“Deke’s awake. The doctor is still with him but he’ll be okay.”

“Ah, this is very good.” Diego smiled. “I was telling your woman, you are a man of loyalty. A man to be proud of.”

Kira would have winced if the situation weren’t as dangerous as she could sense it becoming.

“At least he isn’t lecturing you on your rants in
Society
again,” Ian said as he stalked into the room, his eyes never leaving Diego. “Are you finished regaling her with my sterling qualities yet?” Savagery echoed in his voice.

Diego breathed out roughly. “I am finished. I will await your report in my office. Hopefully, you will arrive soon.”

“Don’t bet on it.”

Kira could feel the torment echoing from Ian’s pores. It wasn’t in his face, it didn’t show in his eyes, but she felt it. She knew it. It wrapped around her and had her heart clenching in response.

“Will I get a report, Ian?” Irritation was thick in Diego’s voice now.

“When I know, you’ll know. Until then, do me a favor and give me a while to get a drink and a shower. Being tossed around in my favorite limo isn’t my preferred sport.”

She heard the deliberate restraint in Ian’s voice then. Violence shimmered in the air around him, glittered in his eyes, and tightened his facial features. His voice was a gritty growl now though, the broken quality to it thicker.

“We will get you another limo. I will make certain it arrives quickly.” Diego moved quickly for the door, his expression placating, filled with hope. “Take your time, Ian. Rest. Sleep. I will take care of things. I am rather good at that. And I promise to have no fun in my efforts.”

He wouldn’t kill, in other words.

Ian’s back was turned to Diego; the other man couldn’t see the flash of dark rage in his son’s face or the gleam of pain in his eyes.

“No bloodshed, pop,” Ian ordered roughly.

Diego smiled and nodded toward Ian’s back as Kira glanced to him.

“No bloodshed, son. I promise this. Find me when you are finished. I will make certain all is well until then.”

Ian nodded.

Diego lifted his hand in farewell to Kira with an almost thankful smile before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. She shuddered once the room was secure again. It was like watching an alligator cuddle a baby. One just knew the child would become a snack within seconds, but the sheer shock of the vision was freezing.

As the door clicked closed Ian turned and stalked to it, securely locked it then moved to the locked bureau drawer. The hardware drawer. God, she would love to get her hands on some of those electronic toys he was holding in that drawer.

“Room is secure,” he said, his voice carefully controlled.

His body was carefully controlled. His voice, his actions, everything about him was restrained.

“Is Deke really okay?” Kira asked.

“Deke’s fine.” His fingers went to the buttons of his shirt. Kira’s heart went to her throat.

Oh yeah. Adrenaline. She could see the dominant arousal in the flush beginning to mantle his cheekbones now, in the hard definition of muscles that he revealed as he shed his shirt.

Hard body. That was what he was. Corded muscles gleamed beneath richly tanned flesh. They rippled with power, flexed with force at each movement.

“What were you and Diego discussing?” Predatory awareness filled his voice. He watched her like a wolf watching the poor little rabbit destined to be its next meal.

“You,” she answered. “He seemed a bit upset that you wouldn’t let him wreak blood and death in retaliation for today.”

“And you told him what?” His hands dropped to his belt. Kira’s eyes followed. She had to swallow, hard, because her mouth was watering at the sight of that bulge beneath the dark slacks. He was hard. Aroused. Intent.

“Um.” She swallowed again, nervously, because she had a feeling he was not going to like this. “I told him you might be trying to protect him too.”

His lips flattened. “And you based that on what?”

“Well.” She pursed her lips carefully. “I might have told him that you wouldn’t let me have any fun either because you wanted to protect me. It seemed to go with the image.” She clasped her hands behind her back as she watched him, waiting for the explosion. When none was forthcoming she
tried to explain. “You know, that whole SEAL persona thing. You can take the boy out of the military, blah blah—”

“Take your clothes off.”

She had known it was coming, but when he delivered the order, the response that fired inside her body took her by surprise. It was hard, a fiery wave of intense heat that rushed through her erogenous zones and cascaded through her womb with white-hot intensity.

“I don’t think so.” Amusement fired inside her along with the arousal though. “I’m not an outlet for all that adrenaline, Ian. At least not yet. We need to talk.”

Talking was the last thing he needed to do. Ian let his gaze rove over her body. The white slacks and cream-colored top were smudged with dirt. Her hair was tangled around her face in sexy disarray and reminded him of the feel of it beneath his hands, the warm rough silky sensation that his palms seemed to itch for.

“I don’t want to talk, Kira.” He advanced on her instead. Perhaps he shouldn’t have ordered her to get undressed. Each time he had taken her, other than that first time, he had been quick and rough. He hadn’t taken the time to enjoy the feel of her flesh that morning or the night before. Not really.

He hadn’t tasted her. Hadn’t listened to her scream in pleasure as she came apart in his arms. That was criminal, he decided. Not giving her the full range of pleasure that she needed. Each caress, each lick and kiss, designed to drive her higher.

“Ian,” she protested as he stopped in front of her, the dark ring of blue around her gray eyes darkening as the centers became stormy. “There are things we need to discuss.”

“Such as?” He ran his fingers beneath the thin strap of her shirt, feeling the pure silk texture and deciding her hair and her skin were softer.

“Such as Diego.” Regret flashed in her eyes.

“Diego is the last thing we need to discuss,” he told her, pushing back the bleak anger that threatened to build inside him again. The pain. He didn’t understand the pain any
more than he understood the hunger and need converging inside him for Kira.

He ran his fingers beneath the strap of her blouse until he came to the rounded scoop of the neckline. Heat flowed from her flesh to his fingers, mesmerizing him with the impact it had on his senses.

He had never experienced anything like Kira before and he wondered if the effect she had on him was weakness or strength?

“You can’t hide from it forever,” she whispered, her voice strained.

Strained because she was breathing harder, her breasts rising and falling sharply, drawing his gaze to the presence of the tight, hard nipples beneath the silk.

“I’m not trying to hide anything, Kira. I just want to pleasure you. Pleasure both of us.”

There was a well of emotion brewing inside him. Ian could feel it. He couldn’t make sense of it, and he wanted nothing to do with it. He had forced himself to push back his emotions as a boy. Forced himself not to want or to need, until Kira. Damn her, she made him want and need things he was certain would never be a part of his life.