Tricked: A Dark Protectors Novella (6 page)

Ginny studied him. “Once she’s strong, just think about it. If you don’t love her, why stay tied for eternity? The virus really does work.” She smiled. “I need you, Jared. I always have.”

He had to get out of there. Too much was happening inside him…around him. And some of it was an odd guilt to be in the hotel room with another woman not his mate, regardless of the newness of his commitment to Veronica. He wasn’t a guy who felt guilt, damn it. “I’ll be in touch. Theo will be here to check on you soon. I texted him earlier.” Seconds later, he’d shut the door.

Quick steps had him at the elevator, and soon he stood on the snowy street. Dark clouds billowed overhead like burned cotton balls and thunder rolled in the distance. What the hell was going on with the world? Ginny was free, he was mated, and all he could think about was Veronica’s safety. Karma had a brutal sense of humor.

Duty called. He glanced down at his phone and quickly dialed.

“Hello,” Veronica answered.

His chest settled. Her throaty voice somehow calmed his rioting emotions. “How are you feeling?”

“Fantastic,” she burst out, joy in the sound. “I drank two coffees and ate a whole box of donuts. They were delicious.”

He grinned. “The pictures on your mantle showed you were curvy.”

“Yep.” Happiness all but flowed through the line. “I like food, and it’s so good to eat again. I even did a cartwheel.”

Now that was something he’d pay to see. “Just take it easy. You’re still healing.”

“I know.” She cleared her throat. “How was your day?”

He knocked his head back against the frozen bricks. “A little crazy, truth be told.” While he wanted to tell her all of it, they should probably talk in person. If they were going to work together, perhaps even be friends, then honesty mattered. He owed her that.

“Oh. Do you need any help?” she asked.

He paused. She was offering to help him? When was the last time anybody had offered him help? His body warmed, head to toe. “Ah, no.” He wouldn’t mind talking it out, but was an ex-girlfriend something you talked about to your new mate, even if the mating was one of convenience?

“I’d like to be friends, Jared,” Ronni said quietly, as if reading his thoughts.

“Me, too.” He straightened up and headed for his bike. “I’ll protect you. I promise.”

She chuckled. “I think I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

She wasn’t asking for anything from him. For some reason, the thought rankled. “You are not fine, not yet, and we’ll discuss it when I get there.” They could be friends, but he was in charge, damn it. She needed to learn that one tiny fact. He swung a leg over his bike.

“Oh. Well, I sort of have plans. How about we talk tomorrow?”

His head jerked up. “Excuse me?”

“Crap. I have to go. I’ll call you tomorrow.” She clicked off.

He looked down at the silent phone in his hand as if it had appeared out of nowhere. What the fucking hell? Had she just blown him off and then hung up on him? He redialed her number and she didn’t answer.

Fire burst through his chest. His woman needed to learn a couple of things and right now.

He pressed his brother’s number with sharp stabs of his finger. Oh, Chalton’s mate would know where Veronica had gone.

Then he’d have the first of many discussions with his little mate.

Chapter 5

Ronni moved in time with the beat, barely keeping from laughing out loud at the sheer exhilaration of feeling alive. The tempo was fast, which was good since she’d quickly discovered she couldn’t slow dance with another man.

Her skin had flared like she’d been on fire.

Stupid mating allergy.

For now, she moved with Lance, both of them surveying the bar that was closed for the private party. Cops danced around them while many drank at round tables set throughout the place.

So far, she hadn’t gotten a sense of anybody wanting to hurt her.

Her abilities were already sharper, thanks to the mating. Maybe she’d even become psychic? She’d have to ask Jared if that was possible. At this point, she’d believe anything.

The bar was dark with small red lights throughout, but the floor was clean and easy to dance on with her three-inch spiked heels. She paid special attention to Dr. Counts, the medical examiner, who drank quietly in the corner. He was around forty years old, with long blond hair and deep green eyes. Rumor had it he was dating a cop from Boston. Every once in a while, their gazes would meet and awareness would prick her. She wasn’t sure with what…or if it was in her head.

Warning whispered across her arm, raising goose bumps. She turned, and Jared Reese stood in the doorway. Even across the rockin’ bar filled with cops, his displeasure rode the air.

She stumbled.

Lance reached for her arm.

Jared’s lips peeled back. Adrenaline flashed through her veins. “I’m okay.” She moved away from Lance and toward Jared out of pure instinct. She reached him in seconds. “What are you doing here?”

He grasped her bicep, his face an implacable mask. But those eyes burned. Hot and furious, they swept her short red dress and wild hair. “I told you to stay home.”

Confusion clouded her vision for the briefest of moments. “Huh?”

“Dr. Alexander?” Lieutenant Smalt moved toward her, his gait graceful, his gaze on Jared’s face.

“Yes, Lieutenant?” Ronni asked, forcing a smile as her former boss moved closer. She’d always thought he was tall, but next to Jared, he seemed almost minute. And skinny. At about sixty, he had silver hair and intelligent brown eyes, and right now they took in everything about the vampire next to her.

“Is everything all right?” Smalt asked.

Her smile almost faltered. “Of course. Lieutenant Smalt, this is Jared Reese. My, ah, boyfriend.” Calling Jared a boyfriend was like calling a jaguar a kitty cat.

The lieutenant held out a hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Jared shook it, keeping hold of her with his other hand. “Congratulations on the retirement,” he said smoothly.

So he’d spent a little time investigating her evening, now had he? She was going to kill Olivia.

“Thank you,” Smalt said, looking from one to the other. “It’s nice to see you feeling better, Veronica. We’ve been so worried.” His stance was relaxed, but his gaze didn’t soften.

Yeah. The man could sense a predator when one was near. Ronni leaned into Jared to defuse the situation. “I just needed rest. The illness really took a toll. I’m better now.”

“I checked the status of your case, and they still haven’t identified the poison,” Smalt said. “Any updates I haven’t seen?”

Jared stiffened to rock next to her.

“No.” Ronni swallowed. They’d decided to keep the possible connection to Walt’s murder quiet until they solved it. “No leads, and if I continue to get better, no autopsy on the heart.”

“Well, that’s good news.” Smalt waved across the room at a retired group gesturing for his attention. He slapped Jared on the back. “Nice to meet you. Take good care of our doctor here.”

“I plan on it,” Jared returned.

Ronni fought a shiver. When Smalt moved, she tried to edge away from Jared.

He didn’t let her. “Let’s talk outside.” Without waiting for an answer, he drew her out the door and into the billowing snow. He glared at the storm. “Not here.”

She ducked against the wind. “I’ll meet you later. Right now, I have work to do.” Turning, she tried to open the door. He slapped one hand against it and wrapped the other around her waist from behind. Heat flashed down her back.

“No.” His hold was unbreakable.

She kicked back, nailing his shin. His inward hiss of breath made her smile. “Listen, Vamp. I have a job to do, and I don’t need your help. Go do whatever you do and I’ll catch up to you later.” Why was her breath panting out?

“You don’t need my help,” he muttered, his breath brushing her hair. “All right, Veronica. Your choice. Either you come with me now and explain what the fuck is going on, or I toss your ass over my shoulder and you come with me now and explain what the fuck is going on.”

Her temper stirred. “You make a move and every cop in that place will be out here.”

“Every
human
cop. If I need to kick the snot out of them all, I will. Same result.” The hard muscles behind her vibrated with a tension that sped up her heart.

He could probably do it, too. Damn it. His hands on her were messing with her concentration. “Fine.” She pivoted right into him. “Make this quick.”

“Where’s your coat?” he snapped, fury darkening his high cheekbones.

She shivered, and not from the cold. “I didn’t bring one.” It would just get in the way.

His jaw turned to rock. “You didn’t bring one.” He straightened, more than towering over her. “You’ve been deathly ill and you didn’t bring a jacket.”

She rolled her eyes, trying to appear nonchalant when she kind of wanted to run screaming from his anger. No way would she let him know that, however. “I’m fine. Went from taxi to bar and planned on right back to taxi. The dress is warm.”

“There’s nothing warm about that dress.” He jerked his leather jacket off and slapped it over her shoulders. A vein bulged in his neck, and the cords looked like they were made of raw steel.

“I’m fine.” She pushed against him, the need to flee intensifying.

A second later, his nose was a whisper from hers. “Put on the coat, Veronica. God help me. Do it now.” His voice sounded like he’d swallowed shards of glass with a side of raw gravel.

She slid her arms into the sleeves and tried not to tremble. “You are so bossy.”

“You have no idea. Can you ride in that thing?” He glanced down at her bare legs.

Obviously he wasn’t going to back down, and she sure as heck didn’t want him beating up a bunch of cops. So she’d go with him and then try to get back before the party ended. She pulled the skirt up to the tops of her thighs. “Sure.”

Did he just growl? She frowned into his face but couldn’t read his expression.

“Good.” He led her to the bike and helped her straddle it behind him. “Hold on. I’ll get us there quickly.”

She wrapped her arms around his firm body and leaned in, inhaling his musky scent. With the leather around her, she was surrounded by the smell and feel of raw male. Her nipples hardened beneath the dress. Damn it. She should’ve worn a bra.

He fired up the engine and drove quickly over very icy roads, getting them back to her apartment in record time. Okay. The guy could control a motorcycle, even in a snowstorm.

She jumped off and all but stomped up the stairs and into her apartment before whirling on him. “We need to get one thing stra—”

His mouth was on hers, his huge body driving her back into the far wall. His kiss was carnal, to the edge of being primal, hard and fast, taking more than giving. Her knees weakened, and she grasped his forearms for support.

He gave no quarter, going deeper, sliding his tongue inside her mouth. Her rapidly healing heart beat quick and wild in her chest. His mouth opened wider over hers, devouring her as if he had no intention of ever stopping. As if he had every right to plunder like the pirate he’d once claimed to be.

A shudder went through her entire body, branding her inside out.

He released her as suddenly as he’d kissed her, wrapping one hand around her neck.

Her pulse beat wildly against his fingers, and she could only stare at those midnight dark eyes. Hunger. Raw and untamed, hunger glinted there with a determination that stole any words she might’ve said.

She drew in a shaky breath. Her dress caught against her aching breasts, and she almost groaned at the painful need. Her panties wetted, dampening her thighs.

His nostrils flared, and he lowered his chin in an oddly threatening way.

Another tremble slid up her spine.

“I agree,” he rumbled, his breath brushing her forehead.

She blinked. “Agree?”

“That we need to get some things straight.” His hand tightened just enough to enforce his point.

Her mind finally caught back up to reality. Her back straightened with a snap. “Which would be?” It was difficult to sound defiant with his hand wrapped around her neck, but she gave it her best shot, glaring at him.

His head lifted imperceptibly. “Brave little thing, aren’t you?” he mused thoughtfully.

Her knees wobbled. “You don’t scare me.”

His lip curved. “Liar,” he whispered. “But that’s not all I do to you, now is it?”

She narrowed her gaze. “Yep. That’s all.”

“Ah, baby.” He leaned in, brushing her ear with his mouth.

Desire ripped through her, wearing claws. She bit back a moan.

“I can smell you,” he whispered, his breath hot.

“Bullshit,” she whispered, trying to keep some semblance of control and not rub against him for any sort of relief.

He slid a leg between hers, pressing his muscled thigh against her pounding clit. Electricity arched through her body.

Her knees gave.

“I can feel how wet you are.” He chuckled, the sound low and male. “I could probably make you come like this.”

She breathed out, her body primed and ready. Who was this guy? He was a far cry from the man who’d so gently had sex with her the other night. “Not a chance,” she gasped.

For answer, he palmed her breast.

A moan spilled out of her against her will.

“No chance, huh?” he murmured, tweaking her nipple.

She leaned her head against the wall, burning for him. “God.” Giving in to what she wanted, she slid a hand inside his shirt, feeling the shocking ridges and hollows of those abs. How was he even real? Her other hand went to the hard line of his dick beneath his jeans.

He growled low. “You’re playing.”

“I’m not.” She frantically jerked his shirt up. “Not at all.” It was too good to be alive. Too good to feel like this. “More, Jared. More now.”

He didn’t wait for another request. One swift movement had her dress over her head and her panties snapped in two.

She fumbled with his zipper, yanking it down and freeing him. Shit, he was huge.

He grasped her butt and lifted her, impaling her with one hard push against the wall.