Run the Risk (22 page)

Her pale blue eyes stayed direct. “And here I thought we were
quite finished.”

“Not by a long shot. But much as it pains me, now isn’t the
time. So—” He took the tray from her hands and plunked it down on the
counter.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Seriously. What
was
he doing?
“Going on the assumption you’d as soon not see me murdered.”

“Murdered!”

“Shh.” He looked over his shoulder. The men drew nearer. “I
need to find a back way out.”

Her mouth dropped open but almost immediately snapped shut.
“Are you in trouble?”

“Pretty much always.”

“I am
soooo
surprised,” she said
with crisp sarcasm.

Their chitchat would have to be cut short. “It isn’t the cops
coming after me, honey. And just so you don’t think I’m a wimp, there are five
of them. I’ll get in a few hits of my own, but it’s not going to be pretty. I
have about thirty seconds left before—”

“Of all the…” Already turning with his hand held in hers, she
led him toward the back exit but stopped suddenly and instead pushed him through
another door and into a pantry, closing the door behind them.

Reaching up, she pulled a cord and the small room went
dark.

Rowdy crowded closer to her back. “Maybe you didn’t
understand—”

“Shh.” She reached back, accidentally patted his junk, and
jerked her hand away. He heard her audible swallow, then her whispered,
“Sorry.”

Near her ear, he breathed, “Quite all right.”

She turned her face a little to explain softly, “Men were at
the back door.”

Ah. So the detour was to protect him? Nice.

Almost as nice as her breath on his mouth, her scent wrapping
around him, and the innate trust she’d just exhibited.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t enjoy it as much as he’d like
because if they found her with him in a pantry, she’d be in as much trouble as
he was.

Rowdy put his hands on her shoulders, started to ease her back
behind him—and voices sounded outside the door. He and the waitress both held
their breath.

“You see him?”

“Not yet.”

“He’s probably cowering in the johns.”

Rowdy scowled. He did not cower. Okay, so he hunkered down in a
pantry. But that was just good common sense. Not cowering. Hell no.

She reached back and patted him again, this time on the
thigh.

“We’ll check it out, but in case we missed him, I want you
outside the back door, Hicks. Smith, you stay at the front. If either of you see
him, remember, we need him alive, but not necessarily kicking.”

The men laughed.

Rowdy could feel her trembling, and he wrapped his arms around
her. They both waited another thirty seconds. Finally she turned toward him,
and, both hands flat on his chest, she backed him up. “Carefully,” she
whispered. “There are bags on the floor, cans everywhere.”

Rowdy dug out his cell phone, opened it and used it like a
flashlight. He saw a narrow opening behind a shelf.

“Stay there,” she said. “I’ll turn on the light and step out.
If no one is watching, I’ll call the police.”

Rowdy caught her wrist with his free hand. The blue light of
the phone shone on her face, exaggerating her lashes, the shape of that tempting
mouth.

“No police,” he told her.

She paused. “Do I want to know why?”

“’Course you do, but I can’t go into it right now.” Damn, it
was insane, but he wanted to kiss her. And he would. But not yet. “Check the
back door. If there’s only one man there, no problem. I can handle that.”

“Don’t be an idiot.”

“Shh,” he told her with a smile, even though she’d whispered.
She had her head way back to glare up at him, and the differences in their
sizes—her petite and so feminine, him taller and much stronger—turned him on. He
felt like a caveman, but so what? “I swear to you, I’m not a threat.” Not to
her. Not to anyone innocent. “But I do need to go, or others might be hurt.”

She searched his face, gave him a light punch to the shoulder,
and said, “I’ll be right back. Don’t move.”

Praying she wouldn’t betray him, that she wouldn’t go ahead and
call the cops, or worse, give him away to the goons, Rowdy stood beside the
shelving and…waited.

Seconds later she came back. “There are four men now at the
front of the bar. They’re starting to question customers. If anyone saw you duck
back this way—”

“Doubtful.” So only one man remained at the back. Perfect.
Rowdy pulled her farther into the room. “Give me your name.”

That threw her. “I don’t—”

Pulling her to her tiptoes, he pressed a firm kiss to her
mouth. Her lips were soft, warm, and he wanted more than the three seconds he
took. A whole lot more. But that’d have to come later.

When he released her, she stared up at him, softened by the
same things he felt, looking a little dazed.

“I’ll be back to explain everything, you have my word. But I’m
not leaving without your name.”

She shoved a hand into her hair, ruining her bangs, and said,
“Avery Mullins.”

Yeah, that suited her. She looked like an Avery. Rowdy kissed
her one more time. “You’re a lifesaver, Avery. Thank you.”

He started to head out, but she grabbed him by the waistband.
“Hold on.”

Stepping out ahead of him, she gave a casual glance around,
gave him a subtle nod, and retrieved the tray of drinks.

He saw her push through the metal doors and disappear from
sight. Wasting no more time, Rowdy went through the rest of the kitchen to the
back door. Along the way he snagged a hand towel, an apron and a knife.

Making no noise at all, he peeked out and found a guy staring
back at him.

Grinning at the guy’s surprise, Rowdy slugged him hard. He was
a big man with big fists, and when he hit a guy point-blank, the dude felt
it.

Content with the way the goon crumpled, Rowdy bent to gag him
with the hand towel while checking the area, but saw no one watching him. He
used the apron to tie the guy’s hands behind his back. Salvaging what he could
of the night, he dragged his victim to his car and shoved him into the trunk.
Satisfaction filled him; it looked as if he’d get his information after all.

Seconds later, he got behind the wheel and drove away
unscathed.

Well, unscathed except for that kiss.

Avery Mullins. He had a feeling he wouldn’t be content until he
got a better taste of her, and more. Much, much more.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

W
EARING
UNSNAPPED
JEANS
and nothing else, Logan left
his door ajar when he went into his room to turn down the bed. The icy shower
had revived him a little, but it wasn’t enough to temper the sharp, edgy
lust.

He needed Pepper to appease that particular ache.

He was just about to go after her when he heard her come in.
Voice mellow, she asked Dash, “Where is he?” He didn’t hear his brother reply,
so presumably he’d only given a nod of his head.

Taut with anticipation, Logan stood at the foot of the bed; she
didn’t keep him waiting.

She stepped in, closed the door and devoured him with her gaze.
Nothing more. She didn’t say anything, didn’t do anything other than provoke him
with her obvious interest in his body.

Her silent, mysterious gaze was so tactile, he felt
stroked.

Did it give her satisfaction to leave him unsure of her
intent?

Screw it. He knew what he wanted, so he’d make the first move
and she could deal with it—or not.

Watching her, he took the box of condoms and set them on the
nightstand at his side of the bed.

Her mouth curled into a sensual smile.

“Take off the T-shirt,” he told her.

Without hesitation, she pushed away from the door and did just
that. She grasped the hem and tugged it—slowly—up and over her head to drop it
on the floor. Wearing only miniscule panties, she went to the bed, crawled on
her knees across it, and stopped in front of him.

“Your turn.” She gave a brief caress to his chest. “Lose the
jeans.”

With her so close, he picked up the light scents of her shampoo
and lotion, along with the scents of sunshine and fresh air. Together, on her,
they were enough to take out his knees.

He shed the jeans without reserve and, once naked, reached for
her hips. When she didn’t protest, he slowly moved his hands over her ass, her
hips and thighs, relishing the feel of her. He had big hands, and they covered
so much of her silky skin. That turned him on, too, seeing his darker, rougher
hands on her sweet, pale flesh.

It amazed him, how incredibly sexy she was, but what he felt
was so much more than physical attraction.

Keeping iron control, he smoothed his hands to her narrow
waist, up to her breasts. Lush, full, firm…her nipples drew tight.

Damn.
It took all his concentration
not to lower her to the mattress right now.

Pepper tipped her head back, arching her spine and pressing her
breasts toward him—an invitation he couldn’t ignore.

He teased her nipples, first kissing lightly, licking and then
drawing on her.

While she remained so accepting, he slid his hands into her
panties and dragged them down her thighs.

Gaze warmed with lust, she put her arms around him and
whispered, “I’ve been thinking of fucking you all day.”

Her phrasing hit him like a cold slap, but he tamped down any
reaction. Keeping one hand curved on her derriere to hold her still, he pressed
his other hand between her legs.

As he searched over her, a vibrating sound of appreciation
removed the taunt from her expression.

“Already wet?”

“I…” She swallowed, drew in deeper breaths. “I told you I’d
been thinking of this.”

“Of me.” He wanted her clear on that. What they had was
special, whether she’d admit it yet or not. Keeping her gaze captured in his, he
opened her and slowly pressed a finger deep.

Breath catching, she said, “Logan…that feels so good.” Her eyes
sank shut and, as he worked his fingers in and out of her, she bit her bottom
lip. “God, I missed sex so much. Maybe more than anything else—”

To silence her, to keep her from reducing their time together
to nothing more than physical release, Logan kissed her hard. She accepted that
with enthusiasm, kissing him back, sucking at his tongue, and clamping her
internal muscles around his now slick fingers.

When he knew she was close, he pulled free and eased her to her
back on the bed.

He skimmed her panties off the rest of the way, stroked his
hands over her body, down to her knees—and parted her legs.

Body flushed, lips parted, she lay there, waiting to see what
he’d do.

Giving herself to him.

It wasn’t everything he wanted, but for right now, it was
enough. He bent and kissed the inside of her knee, up her tender inner thigh,
over her taut belly. Her hands tightened in the bedcovers—but she didn’t resist
him.

“You smell so fucking good.” He brushed his nose over her
curls.

She made a sound of excitement.

Settling on the bed between her legs, Logan used his thumbs to
part her swollen lips, drew his tongue over her, up to her clitoris. She went
still, held on a precipice of sharp pleasure.

And he covered her with his mouth.

They groaned together.

She tasted even better than she smelled, and the small, rough
sounds she made, the way she moved under him, all worked against his
restraint.

He wanted it to last, so when he felt her tightening, he
changed tactics, licking into her instead. She groaned a complaint, then lifted
her hips up to him when he returned to teasing her in just the right spot.

Again when she neared a climax, he eased off.

One small fist clenched in the sheets. “Damn you.”

He smiled and bit her gently. “Trust me.”

“Stop teasing.”

He hoped to tease her for the rest of his life, but he said
only, “It’ll be better if you wait.”

“I don’t want to—
Ah.
”

This time she clamped her hands into his hair to keep him close
as he worked her with his tongue. Her hold was tight enough to sting, but he
didn’t mind; he liked knowing he’d gotten her to that point of desperate
need.

Wanting to feel her release, he pressed three fingers into her,
nice and deep, and the orgasm rolled over her. She squeezed his fingers tight,
bathing them in silky wetness. She let him go to snatch a pillow over her face,
trying to muffle her harsh cries. Her strong thighs tensed even more, her heels
digging into the mattress at either side of his shoulders. It went on and on
until she sank boneless onto the bed.

So overwhelmed he could barely draw breath, Logan sat up and
grabbed for a condom. When he turned back to her, she had her eyes closed, her
legs still sprawled.

He touched her knee. “Pepper.”

She drew one more big breath, let it out slowly, and opened her
eyes. Three seconds ticked by and then… “That was worth the wait.”

He trailed his fingers up and down her thigh. “I’m glad.”

“If you’re waiting for an invite, you got it the minute I
stepped into the room.”

A half smile hid his deeper thoughts. Truthfully, he didn’t
want to rush it, because he knew she’d want to leave him again afterward. But
telling her that would be too emasculating, so he lowered himself over her
without comment.

“Mmm,” she said. “So you
were
waiting for another invitation.”

He kissed the side of the neck, her jaw. “I like how you taste,
Pepper.” He drew on the soft skin of her throat, put a damp love bite to her
shoulder. “And I love seeing you like this.” In his bed, soft and accepting.

The mention of love threw her for a second, then she teased,
“Well-sated, you mean?”

He kissed her jaw again, the top of her cheekbone, the bridge
of her nose and her forehead. “Not yet, honey.” Guiding his cock to her, he sank
deep, to be held in snug, slippery warmth. Emotion caught in his chest, stilling
him, forcing him to take a moment to regroup.

A little breathless, she agreed, “Not yet.”

And that did it for him. He held her head and took her mouth in
a deep, tongue-thrusting kiss. Locking her tight to him, he started the rhythm
they both needed. Never in his life had he felt so connected to a woman. Less
than two minutes later, she hugged him hard and cried out as another climax
rippled through her.

His heart thundering, he put his face in her neck and gave in
to his own release.

Minutes later, when his heartbeat finally slowed and his breath
evened out, it struck Logan that she still held him. Every so often he felt the
soft brush of her mouth on his shoulder.

The gentle touch leveled him as nothing else could. Hell, a
sucker punch to the chin couldn’t have left him reeling the same way. He lifted
up to his elbows to see her face, but the second her gaze met his, he knew.

She would leave him again.

He saw the regret in her eyes, felt the way she emotionally
withdrew. Was it pride that pulled her away, even when she wanted to stay? Or
did she not feel the same things?

Persuasive arguments formed alongside his hurt—a hurt he buried
under irritation. “Damn it, Pepper, this is ridiculous. You know you want—”

His cell phone rang. Given her dark frown, the interruption had
probably stopped him from saying too much.

Logan eased away from her and stretched out a hand to snag it
off the dresser. In case she had thoughts of leaving before they talked, he held
her ankle with his free hand.

She came up to her elbows. “My brother?”

“I assume so.” He flipped open the phone. “What’s up?”

“I’m sitting here with one of the traffickers.”

Logan straightened. “You’re okay?”

“He’s an ugly fucker—more so now that we’ve finished our
chat—but yeah, no problem.”

He relaxed and gave Pepper a nod, smoothed his hand over her
calf. “Your sister is here with me.”

Rowdy’s voice dropped to a whisper. “That’s your way of saying
I shouldn’t scare her?”

“Pretty much.”

Rowdy snorted. “Feel free to edit things however you want, but
don’t make the mistake of keeping anything from her.”

No, he wouldn’t do that. Pepper had proven more resourceful
than any woman he knew. She could handle the truth—and she deserved nothing
less. “I wouldn’t.”

“No names, and nothing incriminating, got that?”

So the guy was listening to him? “Understood. Tell me what
happened.”

“I was set to meet with a
friend
at
a local bar, but instead, five bozos came in looking for me. I managed to get
one of them—”

“How exactly did you do that?” Visions of Rowdy maiming
someone, totally screwing the case, got his temples throbbing.

“He was stationed by the back exit, waiting for me. But I’m a
faster, harder puncher than him.”

“He was alone?”

“Yeah. The other guys were going through the rest of the bar,
asking questions, looking under tables, doing God knows what.”

A muffled protest ensued, followed by a thump. It got quiet
again.

Logan choked back his annoyance. “So you punched him, and he
decided to spill his guts to you, huh? He didn’t call out to the other four
guys?”

Pepper jerked upright. “
Other four
guys?
What are you talking about? Rowdy’s okay?”

“He’s bragging,” Logan told her, making sure Rowdy heard. “I’d
say he’s still in one piece.”

Rowdy laughed. “Before he came to enough to start squawking, I
stuffed him in my trunk and drove to a secure location to…question him.”

The muffled complaints escalated again.

Logan blew out a breath. “Care to tell me where this secure
location is?”

“No.”

Pepper leaned against his back and twined her arms around his
throat. He felt the cushion of her breasts, and her warm breath on his ear.

It maddened him.

Cutting to the chase, Logan said, “How bad is he hurt, and what
does he know?”

“He’s alive, but not real happy. He says he’s a top guy for the
trafficker—and the guy who took a bullet to the noggin was a negotiator. Seems
old Morton had planned to buy several young girls.”

His guts cramped. “How young?”

“Seventeen, eighteen. Thereabouts.”

Bastard.
“He’d have used them at
the club?”

“The idiot is unsure about that. All he knows is that Morton
wanted a shipment, made a deal, but then tried to renege when it came time for
final arrangements.”

“He didn’t want the girls after all?”

“Oh, he wanted them. He just didn’t want to pay the asking
price.” As if coming to grips with the reality of human trafficking, Rowdy took
several slow breaths.

Logan heard a thump, a groan and another thump. He didn’t need
to be a psychic to know what happened. “Rowdy, listen to me.” He infused
authority into his tone. “You need to get a handle on that temper. He’s scum,
and he deserves it, but if you kill him I can’t help you.”

On alert, Pepper leaned back. She left her hands on his
shoulders, idly caressing him.

“Help me what?”

“Stay clear of this.” Logan stood to put some space between
himself and Pepper’s luscious naked body. She didn’t know the ugliness of the
conversation or the fine line her brother walked right now. He needed his wits
to talk Rowdy off the ledge before he did irreparable harm. “I know you’d like
to kill him.”

“With my bare hands,” Rowdy said in a gravelly rasp. He
breathed too fast, too low. “Do you know that he talks about women, about
girls,
like they’re fucking property?”

“I know.” He hadn’t dealt much in human trafficking, but there
were other things just as revolting. The ones responsible seldom put any value
on human life, and they almost never felt any real remorse. “I don’t blame you
for roughing him up—”

“Good.” A few more solid punches and a few more groans. “I’m
only giving him a little of what he deserves.”

“I’d have done the same.” Logan locked his jaw. “But you have
to stop.”

Silence.

It wasn’t concern for the trafficker that kept Logan pacing,
but Rowdy didn’t seem to be in the mood to listen, so he redirected his
attention. “Tell me what you’ve found out so far.”