Stripped Defenseless (16 page)

“I
don’t want this,” she mumbled as he unbuckled his belt. “I don’t want you,” she
said a second time more for herself than for him.

His
eyes devoured her as she clung tightly to the small white washcloth.

“It’s
not that simple.” He unbuttoned his jeans and yanked them and his underwear to
the floor. His cock was hard and erect, reminding her of the times it had
filled her up and satisfied her unlike any other man ever had.

She
gulped down a knot in her throat. “I despise you, Kade.”

“As
you should, Ava.” He peeled off his socks and stepped into the water. “But I
can’t let that stop me.”

After
she pulled her legs into her chest, she dunked her head under the water and
attempted to hold her breath. It was silly and childish, but what else could
she do to distract her from the overwhelming urge to straddle his lap and ride
him until she came?

He
spread her knees apart and wedged his body between them. Oh God. This was too
much. Losing control of her senses was not something she could handle. She
brought her head above water and gasped for air.

Just
as his tongue slid into her mouth.

Bite,
bite, bite.
But she
couldn’t gather the nerve. He tasted too good, so familiar and enticing all at
once.

Her
body was pinned against the tub as his mouth possessed hers. His lips were both
soft and powerful. His tongue tousled back and forth with hers, each fighting
for the upper hand.

Only
Ava didn’t know what the prize was.

With
her last bit of self-control, she clenched her mouth shut, forcing him out. “I
can’t.”

He
ignored her by moving on to her neck where he kissed and licked her sensitive
skin. His erection rubbed against her thigh.

“Stop,”
she said but closed her eyes, almost hoping he’d continue and dive into her
without warning, without protection, without fear. “Stop,” she said again while
spreading her legs for his entry and tilting her neck for his mouth.

But
suddenly both were vacant. A cool breeze swept across her damp neck as she
heard the bath water swish. She opened her eyes to see him leaning against the
other side of the tub. He stared at her with a narrowed gaze that matched the
color of the water between them. A translucent blue she could have plunged
headfirst into and swam in the passion that exuded from him.

He
didn’t say a word, but Ava knew he wanted her and would probably be in her if
she hadn’t opened her big mouth. It was for the best. The last thing she wanted
was to get pregnant by a man who made his living kidnapping people...kidnapping
her. What a vivid story she could tell her grandchildren. Ha!

She
combed back a drenched lock of hair and avoided his intense stare. “Did you do
all of this?” she asked, hoping to break the tension. He didn’t respond so she
elaborated. “Did you remodel this room?”

“Yep.”
His deep voice echoed off the walls and fluttered in her belly. He was playing
with her. Probably having a grand time of it, too.

“So
you have a hobby outside of ruining people’s lives?”
There. That should put
a damper on his mood.

A
wicked grin curved his lips. “Turn around and come here.”

“I
may be your prisoner, but I’m not your servant.”

“Fine,”
he said, losing his smile. He reached forward and grabbed her waist, spinning
her around as easily as a rag doll.

Annoyed
he had that power, she gripped the sides of the tub and attempted to take back
control.

His
mouth touched her ear, and she quickly twisted her head to witness his next
move.

“I’ll
be your servant then,” he whispered and kissed her cheek.

Unwanted
goose bumps rose on her skin. “I don’t want you to do anything but let me go.”
But curiosity made her sit there and wait for whatever he had in mind.

From
the corner of her eye, she watched as he squirted shampoo into his palm and
rubbed his hands together. He scooped up her wet hair and lathered the suds
into her scalp.

Ava
faced forward and let his large hands work magic. Hoping he didn’t notice how
much she was enjoying his touch, she closed her eyes and began to relax.

His
fingers massaged her scalp, working out the tension and titillating her senses.

He
brought two fingers up to sweep some bubbles off her forehead and then tilted
her head against his stone hard chest. Repositioning, she scooted her butt back
and sat in between his solid thighs. If he wanted to give her pleasure, then
she would let him. But that’s as far as she was going.

Slowly,
his hands curved down her jaw line and settled gently upon her neck, where his
thumbs began kneading the tight muscles at her hairline.

“Is
this all right?” he asked in a soothing voice as his thumb worked out a kink.

When
she didn’t answer, he moved his hands over her shoulders, inward toward her
collarbone, and down to the tops of her breasts where he lingered for a moment,
teasing her. Making her wish he’d move on and give his attention to her
sensitive nipples that were aching for his touch. Just an inch and he could cup
her heavy swollen breasts.

Instead,
he reached for the portable showerhead. “Time to rinse.”

Attempting
to clear her overexcited mind, Ava braced her hands on his legs and sat up. His
muscles flexed at her fingertips, and she couldn’t help but take in the image.
Dark hairs sparsely covered his powerfully chiseled thighs. There was no doubt
his body was a perfectly sculpted machine. A beautiful sight she wouldn’t have
minded kissing and licking on the way up to his hardened cock.

Ava
ran her hands up to his knees and back down again.

“You
okay?” he asked, and she swiveled her head to see him smiling.

Damn
him. He had to know the effect he had on her.

The
warm water squirted onto her back so she tilted her head, letting him rinse the
shampoo from her hair. When he finished, he lowered the showerhead into the
bath and let the water rush against her abdomen.

“What
are you doing?” She tensed.

He
answered by grabbing her by the waist and gathering her against him. He lowered
the pelting liquid in between her legs, against the inside of her thigh and
then against her clit.

“Oh,
God.” She started at the instant pleasure and widened her legs for more.

She
figured her reaction must have ignited something in him because he dropped the
device, slammed the faucet off, and lifted her chin for a deep kiss. Two of his
fingers parted her folds and massaged her sensitive nub. His other hand left
her chin, moved down to cup her wet swollen breast, and stroked her pebbled
nipple.

Overwhelmed
with ecstasy and adrenaline, Ava fell against him as if she were his puppet and
his arms were the strings keeping her alive and thriving. At that moment, she
would have allowed him to do anything he desired. He could have her, and she
didn’t give a damn about the consequences.

 Her
back slid against his damp, muscled chest as he stroked firm circles against
her clit. She reached around and caressed his strong jaw, sucking eagerly on
his tongue while it slipped in and out of her mouth. His erection hardened
against her ass, showing her how much he wanted her.

She
attempted to pivot on her butt and let him in bare and unprotected, but his arm
held her in place as he massaged her breast and teased her nipple. Below, his
two fingers dipped deep into her, milking
that
spot.

Wanting
more, she clenched down on his fingers, causing her pussy to quake, her womb to
heat. His tongued darted in her mouth, echoing the stroking movement of his
fingers.

Ava
moaned into his mouth, and he pulled his lips away, watching her with leaden
eyes. His breath was as ragged as hers, his cheeks ruddy. She bit down on her
lip and fully allowed her stimulated pussy to have its way. The wave rippled
through her center. Stinging. Coursing. Freeing her.

His
nostrils flared as she whimpered and bucked against his touch.

“Kade.”
Her body grew limp, and she slumped against him in the warm water, satiated and
relaxed.

Several
minutes of silence passed before she looked up into his eyes.
God, what was
the expression on his face?
He was grinning, and he seemed both amused and
proud at the same time. Suddenly her orgasm hadn’t seemed worth it. What had
she been thinking?

Nothing,
apparently.

“Have
you forgiven me yet?” His grin twisted into a satisfied smirk.

Pompous
ass.

Not
being able to get away from him fast enough, Ava slipped out of his grasp and
pushed off him. “Not even a little,” she said, feeling her face warm.

His
smile faded. “Come on, Ava. Don’t be mad. I just wanted to make you feel good,
and I think I did.”

Why
had she given into him so easily? How had she forgotten how he had deceived her
for his own benefit?

She
prepared to reach across and slap his smug face or at least cut him down to
size with some choice words, but she was startled by the alarm sounding from
the speaker.

“Shit,”
he muttered and quickly climbed from the tub.

“What’s
going on? Is he here?”

Without
answering, he pulled on his jeans, not bothering with the underwear. “Here.” He
grabbed a robe off the door hook and handed it to her as she stood. “Put this
on.”

* * * * *

Poppy
drove her car into the gas station where Zack’s oversized SUV was parked. She’d
stayed at least two cars back for most of the journey, but the road ahead
entered into a mountainous region and she was sure her beat up hatchback
wouldn’t hold out for much longer, especially in the snow.

It
was time to get creative.

Through
the window of the convenience store, she could see Zack talking to the man
behind the counter, paying for the gas and then taking a key attached to a
wooden stick. The bathroom key. This was the perfect moment.

With
the briefcase tightly clenched in hand, Zack exited the building and walked
around the corner to where she assumed the men’s room was. She didn’t have much
time, unless Zack was the type to sit on the toilet and grunt it out. Eww...not
a nice visual.

With
haste, she slid on a skirt she had stashed on the floor of the front seat of
her car. Thank God she’d dropped it after the last laundry day. She hadn’t had
time to go home for clothes after Zack made his mad dash from the club. With
that money.

The
glorious sight of all those crisp green dollars was still imprinted in her
mind. Oh, the wonderful things it could do for her.

She
tightened Jarred’s coat around her bare upper body. His awful body odor still
lingered in the lining, making Poppy want to gag. What had she ever seen in him
anyway? With the briefcase in her possession, she’d never have to ask herself
that question again.

A
grey-haired gentleman in overalls and a scowl watched her as she slipped from
her car and made her way to the SUV. She flashed him a boob and his mouth
dropped. That should keep him speechless for a while.

Both
back doors were locked, but the front driver’s side wasn’t.
Idiot.
He
hadn’t even removed the keys from the ignition. Anyone could have stolen the
damn thing. Unfortunately, Poppy wasn’t a car thief. She had her sights on the
real deal.

She
climbed into the SUV and lunged into the back just as Zack turned the corner
and began heading toward her. Luckily, the tint was so dark, she was sure he
didn’t see a thing.

The
inside of the vehicle was enormous with a third row of seats perfect for her to
hide out. She scrambled over and lay flat against the soft leather, waiting for
him to take her to the next destination.

* * * * *

When
a large man almost identical to Kade walked in the front door, Ava let out a
breath. Again, relieved it wasn’t Zack but curious to know who the man was. His
eyes were a mysterious dark brown, and his hair hung shaggily onto his
forehead, but other than those obvious differences, he could have been Kade’s
twin.

The
two shook hands and muttered greetings. It was apparent they weren’t the best
of friends.

Ava
hung near the bathroom door, mostly out of sight, as she listened to them talk.

Kade
invited the man in, calling him Jax, only glancing in Ava’s direction once as
he sat at the table with the stranger.

“So
what are you doing here?” Kade asked with a sharp bite in his voice.

“I
just came to warn you. Moreno’s on your tail, and he wants the target like you
wouldn’t believe.”

Ava’s
body stiffened when she heard Zack’s name come out of the stranger’s mouth.

“And?”
Kade asked coolly.

“And
he knows where you are so I suggest you follow through and give her over to
him...or me.”