with bruising intensity, and then pinned me back down. He leaned over me with

one hand gripping the headboard while the other curved over my hip, and then

he began to ride me, fast and hard. He found my sweet spot, hitting it over and

over, leaving my body helpless to do anything but climb to the inevitable peak.

The world detonated around me. I came, screaming his name, and felt him

follow me over, as my name fell from his lips like a curse.

CHAPTER 24

A fter a shower, where Kayden and I decided to practice our water-

conservation skills, he proved he was the man of my dreams. The

alluring aroma of freshly brewed coffee drew me down the hall to the kitchen as

I finger-combed my wet hair back.

He met me with a kiss and a full cup.

Definitely a keeper.

“Today’s breakfast special is yogurt or eggs.”

My stomach rumbled as I took a sip of coffee.

He grinned. “Both it is.”

He turned back to the kitchen, and I wandered over to the table. A laptop, the

screen imitating an etch-a-sketch, sat next to my gun. “Have you heard anything

from anyone yet?”

I set my cup down, unable to look away from the Sig. It was stupid to be scared. It was a tool. Like any tool, the handler’s hand determined its actions.

Tito’s lifeless eyes under the neat little hole in his skull mocked me.

“Wolf and Rabbit were on their way about twenty minutes ago.”

“Did they find something?” I turned away from the table and headed to the

kitchen where the smell of fried eggs painted the air.

“So they said.” Kayden looked up from the stovetop as I stepped in and

began opening drawers. “Need something?”

Too many things to mention, but I wasn’t ready yet to pick up that

conversational gambit. “Yeah, need to clean my gun. Is there a soft cloth around

here?”

“Fourth drawer over. Cabinet in the corner has a cleaning rod, bore brush, cleaning solvent, and oil.”

A fully stocked kitchen. Sweet. “Thanks.”

I gathered what I needed and headed back to the dining room. After lining my supplies on the table, I sat down, ejected the magazine, cleared the chamber,

and meticulously field stripped my gun. “They tell you what they found?”

“Nope, unsecured line.”

I removed the Sig’s slide, pulling it free of the frame before gently removing

the recoil spring guide, and then the barrel. Step by step, I reclaimed my gun as I

cleaned each part. By the time Kayden brought out a small plate of scrambled eggs and a yogurt, my coffee cup was almost empty. I pulled back the reattached

slide until the final click sounded. Satisfied everything was as back to normal as

possible, I reinserted the magazine, chambered a round, and de-cocked the gun

before setting it aside.

“Happy now?” Kayden pushed the bottle of cleaning solution away to make

room for his plate of eggs and took the seat next to me.

Mouth full, I nodded.

“Good.”

Neither of us said anything more as we enjoyed our breakfast. Instead of the

expected awkwardness of sharing this moment with a man who had seen me in

all my naked glory, a comforting sort of peace settled inside me, blunting the ragged edges of yesterday. For a brief, shiny moment, I could almost see what life might be like when this whole nightmare was finished. If I wasn’t doing twenty-five to life in a ten-by-two cell. “What happens after we stop Ellery?”

He finished his bite before looking at me. “What do you mean?”

“Once your team stops him and retrieves the information, what happens

next?” I started in on my yogurt, thinking I might be able to work my way up to