The Heir (7 page)

Jessica blatantly checked him out then turned
away, as if she found him lacking, but she didn't fool him.

If he hadn't been paying close attention, he
probably wouldn't have noticed the spark of desire in her eyes. I
had come and gone within the blink of an eye but it had been there,
he was sure of it just as sure as the rush of satisfaction that
coursed through his veins.

"Why were you following me?" She asked the
other man.

Nick took a step closer to where she stood
but came to a halt she switched her blade to her other hand and
pointed it at him.

"One more step and you'll leave here with a
ruined shirt."

Never taking her eyes off the man on the
ground, she pulled out another knife from her back pocket.
Switching it open, she aimed one at him and one at the other
guy.

Admiration up another notch, he took a step
back and held his hands out like before. The doubt that he might
have the wrong girl slowly began to fade in his mind.

It was her.

It had to be.

"Answer the question" She told the man and
nudged his leg with her foot.

"Ms. Jessica, please lower your weapon. James
Robertson contracted us as your bodyguards." He explained.

"What?!"

Shocked, she took a step back. The guy
pointed at himself and up with one hand, silently asking for
permission to get up. She nodded and took another step back but
didn't lower her weapons.

“Your parents hired us to protect you." He
repeated.

And that's what Nick had been waiting for;
confirmation. All his plans had been based on a big 'IF' but not
anymore. No longer did he need to beat his nose against the wall
that blocked her scent from him; the bodyguard's words had cured
him of all his doubts and confirmed her identity.

The man had just sealed her fate. Jessica,
her name was Jessica and she was the girl he'd been waiting for.
She was his.

"Do you have some sort of job
identification?" Jessica asked the supposed bodyguard. He nodded
and reached into his pocket. Jessica raised her knife,
threateningly, “do it slowly and give him your cards"

Nick raised an eyebrow at her demanding tone
but took the steps necessary to get the cards. When they were in
his possession he retreated to his previous spot. Jessica slowly
walked towards him, weapons at the ready, switching her gaze back
and forth from one guy to the other.

Jessica stopped a foot away from him. He held
the cards up for her and turned them over as she asked him to. They
looked like the real deal. On a sigh she switch closed her knives
and went to get her back-pack from behind the dumpster.

Crouched on the ground, she glanced behind
her to make sure no one was watching, before putting her blades
away. She was in the process of pulling up the leg of her jeans to
sheathe the knife back on to the leg strap when a hand suddenly
landed on her shoulder.

It took a herculean effort of her part to not
give away her surprise, with the flick of her wrist she re-opened
her knife and whipped around to face whoever was behind her. She
had a pretty good idea of who the hand belonged to. The guy who'd
managed to sneak up behind her the last time they'd met.

The guy was good.

"Crap! You need a bell around your neck or
something. Hasn't anyone told you it’s dangerous to sneak up on
someone who's armed?"

He smirked but didn't answer her and her
scowl grew thunderous. She sheathed her knife at her calf and the
other went into a side pocket of her backpack. All along she
grumbled under her breath about light footed idiots and fools with
no sense. When she looked back up it was to find the guy watching
her with a raised eyebrow.

"What?” Jessica asked, “you think I walk
around with knives in my back pockets?" She shook her head and
righted her jeans.

It never occurred to her that maybe he was
just surprised to see a girl with so many weapons. Picking up her
backpack she got up and side stepped around him to check on the guy
she'd knocked out.

The conscious bodyguard was crouching beside
his fallen partner and lightly slapping his face trying to wake him
up. She pushed him aside, checked the prone man’s pulse, opened her
backpack and pulled out an alcohol wipe. She ripped the packet open
with her teeth and waved the wipe under his nose. He regained
consciousness slowly and Jessica told them to consider themselves
fired.

They didn't argue.

Jessica got up, dusted her knees, slipped her
backpack on and turned to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"Ho-" She was going to say home, but it
wasn't her home-not really. "I’m going to deal with this whole
bodyguard issue."

"Alright, I'll follow you."

"What are you, my stalker? Need I remind you
what I do to unwelcomed company?" She waved her hand towards the
two men.

"No you don't have to remind me. I just want
to make sure you get there safely. You seem to attract danger
wherever you go"

"I don't need a babysit-"

Her words trailed off when she suddenly heard
a noise by the entrance of the ally. She was getting really tired
of people trying to sneak up on her. Reaching back for the knife
she'd stashed in the side pocket, she pushed him behind her and
switched open her blade. Whoever it was, they were in for a
surprise.

"It's okay, it just-"

"Be quiet!” Jessica snapped.

Nick sighed, placed his hands on her
shoulders and spoke over her head. “Axel it's all right, come on
out"

At his command another man stepped into the
ally and she shrugged his hands off her. Jessica felt her cheeks
redden with embarrassment due to the stunt she'd just pulled-trying
to protect someone who obviously didn't need it.

In an attempt to hide her blush, she
concentrated on closing her knife and putting it away. The task
took more effort than was needed and she only looked at him when
she resigned herself to the fact that the color wouldn't be leaving
her cheeks anytime soon.

"I take it he's with you?" She asked him over
her shoulder.

Her only answer was a smirk. She really hated
that smirk. Not only because it meant that he was enjoy himself at
her expense but because it did something to her insides. That
realization had her hackles rising. Glaring at him, she stood up
straight; blush forgotten, and stuck out her chin.

"I'm out of here." She told him and turned to
leave but his hand on her wrist stopped her.

"Not without me." He informed her.

Jessica shook her head, “I don’t think
so,”

"Humor me"

"No, and besides, I don't even know you" she
argued.

"That was your choice. If I recall correctly
you turned down my invitation for lunch last time." He pointed
out.

"That's right my choice.” Jessica countered,
“Just like it’s my choice to decline your gallant offer."

"It wasn't an offer. I'm not asking, I'm
telling you. I'm following you home"

Jessica glared at him. "Fine, you can follow
me" until I lose you. She added to herself.

"Axel, drive the car around to where she
parked her bike." He told his friend and eyed her suspiciously. "I
don't trust her to wait for us."

Jessica rolled her eyes and walked away and
he fell into step beside her. When they reached her bike, Jessica
picked up her helmet and was about to put it on when he jerked it
from her hands. He set it back on the bike and stepped up to her
until they were inches apart; until Jessica could feel the heat
radiating from his body.

He leaned down until his lips were only a
hairs breadth away from her ear. His warm breath fanned her neck,
sending shivers up and down her spine. It took all of her will
power-and then some- to keep from leaning into him.

"Don't even think about losing me" He
murmured and flicked her earlobe with his tongue, drawing a shocked
gasp out of her.

Before she could retaliate, he wrapped an arm
around her waist, pulling her close until she was flush against him
and sucked her earlobe into his mouth .He nibbled lightly on it
even as she tried to push him away but it was like trying to push a
brick wall.

Ignoring her protest, he released her earlobe
and trailed soft kisses down her jawline. Her brain screamed at her
to fight him but her limbs had turned to jelly and soon she forgot
all about pushing him away.

Holding on to his shoulders for support, a
moan escaped her lips and she unconsciously tilted her head back,
wanting his lips on her neck. Mindless of nothing but his touch
Jessica closed her eyes. Ignoring the fact that they were standing
out in the street and reveling in the rush of new sensations his
touch was wringing out of her.

They were sensations that made her shudder
and weak in the knees.

Lost in a newly discovered world of sensory
pleasure she was unprepared, when he suddenly grabbed her by the
shoulders, spun her around and as she turned, rob her of her back
pack.

Stunned, she stumbled away from him; he
stretched a hand out to steady her but she slapped it away. He
stared down at her and in his cold eyes she saw the truth. They
showed no evidence that he'd been moved by the embrace.

He'd been playing with her.

A flood of humiliation, threatened to pull
her under and only her pride kept her from lashing out at him.
There was nothing she could say or do. They both knew she'd enjoyed
their interlude.

"I'm a lot smarter than your useless body
guards" He told her, dangling the backpack just out of her reach.
"You can have this back when we get to your house." He informed
her, "and don't worry. I won't peek" He assured her over his
shoulder as he walked away.

Embarrassed, surprised, confused, shocked,
hurt, angry -those emotions and more raged through her like a fire
through a forest. Devouring all the earlier emotions he-and no
other-had managed to wring out of her.

She stood there, burning inside, and watched
him get into the car that was blocking her exit. She couldn't
believe it. She didn't know who she should direct her anger
towards- at him for playing with her or at herself for falling for
it. The only thing she was sure of was that she would never let him
know just how much his teasing had hurt her.

Deep down she'd harbored a spark of hope.
Hope that all those looks he'd been sending her way meant that he
was attracted to her. That spark of hope had been ruthlessly
extinguished with his callous treatment.

She was such an idiot. When was she going to
learn?

If her own parents didn't want her how could
anyone else want her?

Jessica took a deep breath and steeled her
back and pushed her fears away. She was determined to never let
anyone see just how much they could hurt her.

Jessica strapped her helmet on and jumped on
her bike. After turning it on, she waited for him to move the car
so she could back up and once on the road she hit the gas and led
him to her house.

If she didn't need her backpack so much,
she'd tell the jerk to keep it and stuff it. Unfortunately for her,
everything in it held a lot of sentimental value.

For now she was going to have to play by his
rules but as soon as she had the chance, she was getting her
revenge.

During the drive back to the Robertson's
house, she drove extra careful. Making sure she stayed close to
jerk face at all times. If she hit a yellow light, instead of
rushing through it she would slam on the breaks so the red light
wouldn't separate them.

It was the drive from hell.

Once at the Robertson’s she parked her bike
in the driveway and they parked in front of the house. Jessica
hopped off her bike and strode purposely towards the car. Looking
like he had no care in the world, he climbed out of the passenger
seat with her backpack slung over one shoulder,. He shut the door
and leaned against it. Feet spread apart and arms crossed across
his chest.

The sight of his biceps almost made her
stumble. The memory of those arms wrapped around her sent chills
down her arms. For a few seconds she’d felt protected, cherished
but it had been a lie. The reason for his callous overture was
currently hanging over his shoulder.

With chin raised and she kept walking towards
him and when she was a few feet from him she stuck out her hand.
Silently asking for what was hers.

Instead of handing it over, he grabbed her
hand and pulled her closer. The move was so unexpected-and fast-she
stumbled when he let go of her hand. With lightning fast reflexes
she stuck her hands out in an attempt to halt her down fall.

Her hands landed on his chest and for Jessica
it was the perfect opening. Taking the necessary steps to stand
between his legs, she slowly moved her hands down his chest and a
burst of satisfaction coursed through her when she felt his abdomen
tighten. To Jessica, revenge was best served hot, very hot.

"Thanks" She murmured in a throaty voice.

Walking her fingers over his washboard abs
she felt a shock of heat all the way down to her core every time
her finger tips touched him.

"You’re welcome.” He answered her
distractedly; all of his attention was on her fingers as they made
their made their way up towards his shirt collar. Suddenly, he
grabbed her questing hand and held it against him. "Got out with
me." he added silkily.

"I'm not sure my parents would be okay with
that,”

She bit her bottom lip before licking it
slowly and almost smiled when she saw his Adams apple bob up and
down.

"From what I've seen, you don't really care
much about what your parents say."

"What gave you that idea?"

"I think it’s the fact that you fired the
bodyguards they hired for you. Say yes." He added silkily. He
dropped his hands to her waist and pulled her closer. Close enough
for her to feel the hard length of his desire.