“No.” Anya paused, her gaze on Carl. “Carl, if you turn Heath in for assault and battery, I’ll call the dean of the college right now and give him a full account of you sleeping with a student. Then I’ll let him know about this stalking issue. You’ve stalked a woman, another professor, across the country. The college won’t let that slide. You know it.” Her voice quivered, but she held her ground.
Carl’s bloodshot eyes widened. “You’re joking.”
She shook her head. “I’m really not.”
Heath tried to make sense of the conversation. The little redhead was defending him? Why? Hadn’t she just seen the real him? She didn’t owe him anything, damn it.
Her ex gaped, and then his gaze hardened. “Go for it. I have witnesses as well, and I’ll say your statements are retaliation for my turning in your boyfriend here. I’ll have the dean convinced in a minute that you invited me here.”
Oh, the man needed another beating. Heath breathed out. “Ryker? Get Anya out of here, please.”
Ryker studied him and then turned toward Anya. “We need to go.”
She shook her head, her gaze remaining on Carl. “You know what? Something tells me that student wasn’t the first you’ve slept with.”
Carl flashed bloody teeth. “Of course she was.”
“No.” Anya arched a fine eyebrow. “You just went pale. That’s a sure sign.” She turned toward Heath but kept her distance. “Carl is already in trouble, but I could certainly add to it. In fact, maybe I should call the dean right now.”
“You have no right,” Carl snapped. “You said you cared about me. You’re so alone, you’ve forgotten what that means.”
Stupid psychologist. Anger ripped through Heath again, and he turned for Carl.
Ryker stepped toward him. “Knock it off. You beat him. Walk away before we all get caught up in a shit-storm.”
It was too late to worry about that.
Anya stood taller. “I mean it, Carl. We’re even—blood for blood right now. You call the police, and I’ll take you down.” Her eyes blazed a stunning green, and pink tinged her cheeks in the cold. The woman was magnificent, facing down a jerk. “I’ll lead the investigation into your past myself instead of staying out of it.” Her smile showed she thought he’d get nailed anyway.
“You’re committing extortion,” Carl snapped.
Anya nodded. “That’s a fair characterization.” She shivered in the cold air.
Heath shook blood off his hand. Then he moved toward her. They needed to get out of the alley.
Her eyes widened, and she took a step back.
He paused. She’d just backed away from him? He’d scared her. He was the thing in the darkness that instinct told her to run from. That quickly, she ripped out his heart.
CHAPTER
20
Anya’s knees wobbled. She hadn’t meant to back away. Yet when Heath had turned, so much anger had still crossed his expression that she’d just reacted. Plus, he’d been spraying blood a little. Anyone would back away from flinging blood. She was wearing her good coat. “I’m not afraid of you,” she whispered for them both, not caring who was around them.
The green in his eyes seemed to burn brighter. “I know.”
Yet he didn’t. She could tell from the tense line of his long body that he didn’t believe her. How she’d fix that, she had no clue. But for now, she still needed answers. “Carl? Last chance to tell me how you found me.”
“Or what?” Carl tilted his head to the side in the way he had during their relationship that had made her think he was so much smarter than he really was.
Not this time. She stepped to the side at only about five feet from Carl. Then she drew a small handgun from her purse and pointed it at his head. “Or I shoot you.”
He blinked.
Heath sucked in air. “Where the hell did you get a gun?”
Not exactly the supportive remark she would’ve appreciated. “Doesn’t matter. Carl, I’d really like to shoot you.” She lowered her aim to his groin. “In the balls.”
Carl pressed back against the building. “You wouldn’t.”
The man didn’t sound so sure this time, did he? Anya steadied her aim. “Oh, I would. Believe me. I’d really enjoy it.” To think she’d actually dated this dipshit. He’d seemed so intellectual, and he’d come from a law-enforcement family, just like she had. Man, she’d been fooled.
Heath studied her and then shrugged. “Your call, darlin’.” He stepped out of the way.
Carl sputtered. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am.” She inhaled and carefully exhaled. “Sure, I might get in trouble. But since you stalked me across state lines, I think I can convince a prosecutor that I was just protecting myself. You know?” Maybe she could. Her finger tightened on the trigger. Perhaps she should just shoot above his head? “Last chance.”
“Fine,” Carl spat. “I tracked the GPS on your phone. I’ve always tracked you that way.”
Heath closed his eyes and shook his head. “Shit.”
Anya slowly lowered her hand. “We’ll have to fix that.” Her heart pattered wildly. Um, what now? Should she just leave? Or should she wait for Carl to decide not to call the police? She bit her lip.
Heath must’ve caught her uncertainty. “Let’s get out of here.” He glared at Carl. “This is a one-shot deal. Come near her again, and I’ll end you.” He strode forward and grasped Anya’s arm, gently turning her toward the street. “Let’s go.”
She stumbled next to him, her knees still shaking, while everyone else followed. The altercation had been bloody, and yet with Heath at her side her body felt alive in a way it never had. Awake and tingly. “This is weird,” she murmured.
“Where did you get the gun?” he asked quietly.
“From me,” Zara said from behind them, accepting the gun when Anya handed it back.
“Great,” Heath said as they reached the vehicles, his gaze scanning the empty street. His shoulders appeared to be drawn back, and he didn’t meet her eyes. While he seemed to be on high alert, there was a tension—almost a sadness—that all but rolled from him. Something in him—in it—touched her. “You can drive with Ryker if you want,” he said.
Anya turned and faced him squarely. What was it deep inside her that wanted to soothe him? “I’m riding with you. We need to talk.” Without waiting for an answer, she reached for the door of the Jeep. The guy had gone nutso to defend her, and something about that electrified her entire body. She was crazy.
He beat her to the door, holding it open until she’d jumped inside.
“We’ll settle up with the waitress,” Ryker called out by the diner door. “Denver is with us.”
Heath nodded, crossed to the other side, got in, and ignited the engine.
What should she say? The man only sat at the other end of the seat from her, but the distance felt immense. A sense of safety wrapped around her just from his nearness, and she wanted more. Her body definitely wanted more, and she had to fight herself to keep from scrambling right into his lap.
He drove down the lonely street, and snow began to fall on the windshield. “Sorry you had to see that.”
She studied his strong and capable hands on the steering wheel. His knuckles were bruised, and one had split. The idea of those hands touching her, really touching her, caught her breath in her throat. “This is my fault, not yours.” She was an educated, intellectual woman. Violence wasn’t a part of her life. Yet there was something so primitive about Heath losing it to protect her, to defend her, that ignited her. Why was that? Were baser feelings like that a preview for a disaster? Or for something deep and inexplicable? God, she wanted him. Now. Without thinking and rationalization. “I should’ve gotten a new phone.” She had to concentrate on the conversation.
Heath nodded. “We can get rid of the GPS tracking on it. No need for a new phone.”
“Oh.” There was so much she didn’t know about the world—a place that Heath seemed to navigate easily.
Why that turned her on, she’d never understand. The adrenaline still coursing through her made it difficult to concentrate on anything but burning it off. The best way would be with his strong body. What was going on with her? “You kind of lost your mind back there.”
“Yeah.” He sighed as he made a left turn. “My temper is usually much better controlled, but I have definite triggers. I’ll do better next time.”
How could she explain how much she wanted to reach over and soothe his hurts? She was so tired of not following her feelings. If they got her into trouble again, did it really matter? Would a night with Heath be worth it? Probably. Or she’d get her heart broken. Yet after losing Loretta, did that matter? “I’m sorry I backed away from you,” she said softly, her hands in her lap. “It was just a moment, you know?”
“Yeah. I get that.” He flipped on the windshield wipers as the snow increased in force.
Was there a way she could help him? “Have you talked to anybody about, well, triggers?”
“Yep. My brothers and a shrink a few years back. Ryker all but forced me there, but I’m glad he did. I’m usually better than this.” His greenish-brown eyes caught her gaze. “I’m worried about you, Anya. Everything about you is soft and sweet and smart, and I want to put you somewhere safe now. It eats at me that I can’t.”
Yet he could. There was no doubt he was bigger, stronger, and meaner . . . and he could probably easily secure her safety against her will. The fact that he wouldn’t do that warmed her chilled body. Heat flushed through her, and she crossed her legs. “I like you, too,” she said. Yeah, she’d just opened herself up. Perhaps she was crazy.
His upper lip quirked. “You’re dangerous, lady.”
She blinked. Was that a dimple in his right cheek? Her pants were suddenly too restrictive. “Huh?”
“Ah, sweetness, the real kind, is more dangerous than an armed weapon to a guy like me.” He rubbed a hand through his ruffled hair, turning back to the road. “Temper or not, I’m not completely un-self-aware.”
She’d noticed that about him. He’d been incredibly violent with Carl, and yet she wasn’t afraid of him. Not one inch of her feared him, and wasn’t that interesting. “Who are you?” she whispered, her instincts humming right along with her body.
He breathed out and shook his head. “Hell if I know. Sometimes I think I didn’t even exist until I found Ryker and Denver.” He lifted his hand to show her the long scar down his palm. “We cut ourselves when I was eleven, mingled blood, and became family.” His brows drew down. “I don’t think I was really me until that moment, you know?”
She was more than a little intrigued. She’d felt adrift since her father had died and left her alone. Nobody really knew her. Not until Loretta had gathered her close. How sad and scared those three boys must’ve been to have needed each other so badly. More than ever, she wanted to ease him. Why was that? They’d only just met, and yet something in him called to her. “I began to find parts of me I’d forgotten existed when Loretta and I reconnected, so I think I understand.” Her chest ached, and she absently rubbed it. They had needed more time together.
“I promise we’ll find the guy who killed her.” He reached across the seat and gently took her hand. His thumb brushed along her knuckles.
Warmth and power burst across her skin. She ran her finger along his blood brother scar. “I know.” While she sensed a land mine, she couldn’t help herself. “Where did you guys all meet up?”
His body didn’t stiffen, and he didn’t draw away. Yet a tension—one she could feel—rolled through the Jeep. “At a boys home.” He released her to press a button above the mirror, and the garage door to their building slid open. “We didn’t come up with a plan tonight or check out the decoy offices, so we’ll do so tomorrow morning. You and I have to go public soon, or we’ll miss the window to catch this guy.”
This time. The words went unspoken, but she could feel them. The killer would go after somebody very soon, whether it was her or not. There was a chance—a small one—that the killer would actually get her. If that happened, she’d see Loretta again. But what about this life? The Jeep stopped, and she unbuckled her belt to jump out. Had she really lived? As she walked around the vehicle, she was struck again by Heath’s size. He could crush her in a second, and he had way too many secrets.
He gently took her arm and led her toward the door.
Gentle. He was always so gentle with her. The same way Ryker was with Zara while still being on full alert.
Tension still cascaded from Heath, probably from the fight.
Adrenaline rolled inside her, too, sparking in her veins.
God, she was tired of thinking. Tired of being scared. So tired of being alone. For a while, she didn’t have to be. Heath had been upfront with his offer of taking them to another level. That level would probably be explosive. Would he let her know him? Really know him? “I don’t want to leave this life without really living,” she murmured.
He opened the door and escorted her to the stairs. “I get that.”
She climbed two stairs and turned to stand in front of him, stopping his progress. Two steps up and she could meet him eye to eye. She pushed her shoulders back and tried to look confident. “I’m done analyzing everything to death. At least for tonight.”
His eyes darkened. “All right.”
Courage. She could do this. “You’re attracted to me.”
One of his dark eyebrows rose. Fire flared, hot and bright, in those stunning eyes.
She swallowed. Her knees still felt weak. “I’m attracted to you, too.”
He drew back slightly. “Anya—”
“You already made the offer.” She planted both hands on his broad shoulders. “Life can end very quickly. We both know that.”
He stiffened and very slightly shook his head. Something that looked suspiciously like panic lit his eyes. “Anya—”
“Wait,” she burst out as she curled her fingers over his shoulders and dug in. “I know all the reasons we shouldn’t.” What if he no longer wanted her? She hadn’t quite considered that. He’d called her dangerous. What if that didn’t mean desirable? Heat climbed into her face. “I’m just saying, since we’re pretending to be engaged, maybe we should act like it.” Okay, that was lame.
“Anya, listen. I want you so badly I ache, but I’m not the guy for you,” he said calmly.
“Enough of that crap,” she snapped. “I don’t want to hear how dangerous you are or how you’re not good enough. It’s all just so stupid.”
His chin lifted enough to give her pause. “I’m not talking about worth, darlin’. I’m saying that I’m not a permanent type of guy and probably won’t ever be. The more I get to know you, the more I see a picket fence and a happily-ever-after.”
She rolled her eyes.
His hardened.
“I’m not asking for forever, you idiot. I just want to burn off some of the energy from tonight.” Her tone remained perfectly exasperated, even as she kind of lied. Oh, she knew they didn’t have forever, but she also knew herself. One night, and her heart would get involved. It probably already was after he’d defended her so violently in the alley. But the idea of a touch from him, a night with him, was worth it. It had to be. “No strings, Heath.”
His jaw tightened. His gaze probed deep. The second he made a decision, one to protect her for her own good, she saw it clearly.
So she moved into him. Her mouth slid against his, and she sighed at the contact. Closer. She wanted to get closer. Pressing against him, she kissed him. His lips were firm, and he tasted somehow of chocolate.
He stiffened even more.
It took her a second to realize he wasn’t kissing her back. His body all but vibrated beneath her palms, but he didn’t move. She drew back, explosive heat filling her cheeks. Well, crap. “I’m sorry.” She released him and began to turn away.
A low growl from him was all the warning she got. He grabbed her, hard, and slammed his mouth over hers. One arm
banded around her waist, and the other cupped her head. The strength in his mouth overpowered her, and she opened hers. He took advantage, sweeping his tongue inside.
Sparks flew throughout her body, and she kissed him, becoming lost. Her nipples hardened, and her sex pounded instantly. When her lungs had all but burst, he let her breathe. She panted, her eyes opening wide to look at his face.
Holy crap. His eyes had turned a dark green, and lust was stamped hard across his strong face. His hold remained implacable, and he looked as unmovable as granite and as wild as the wind.
What had she just unleashed?
CHAPTER
21
Heath studied her and tried to yank back control on his raging libido. Her soft lips had nearly pushed him over the edge, but he’d been able to keep his mind. Yet the moment hurt had flared in her soft green eyes, he’d been lost. Drawn in so quickly he hadn’t had time to stop himself—even if he had wanted to do so.
Desire darkened her eyes to the color of a lake bed beneath a winter sky, and a pretty pink filled her smooth face. Her upper lip curved. “So you do want me.”
“With everything I am.” He’d always give her the truth. She was sweet and kind . . . and she had a fairness to her that appealed to the better part of him. Even her obvious intelligence spurred him to be better. To want more. “But it’s a mistake.” Didn’t mean he wouldn’t make it, though.
Her smile widened, and she planted her hands on his chest. His heart thundered against them. “I appreciate the warning, but it doesn’t have to be a mistake. We’re both adults, and you’ve properly warned me about your penchant for taking off.”
Her humor caught him off guard and ratcheted up his lust to a near painful level. Humor was a challenge, as was getting her out of her very smart head. A part of him—one he wasn’t sure about—wanted to claim her on a level that wasn’t funny. It was absolute, and that should concern him. There was no road map for what she brought out in him, and he liked to navigate. He needed to know his path. He tilted his head. “Be careful, baby.” It was fair to warn her, right?