AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His hands shaking slightly, he propped himself up so he could sign.“Rhiannon, I...”
The words evaporated as a sharp knock sounded at the door, shattering the intimate bubble around them.
Pierce tensed, years of instincts kicking in as he rolled to his feet in one fluid motion, automatically reaching for a gun he didn’t have. Rhiannon sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest, eyes wide.
Ethan’s terse voice floated through the door. “Downstairs. Now. We have company.”
Everything inside Pierce went calm and still at the news when, just a week ago, it would have sent him into a panic. He grabbed clothes from the duffle bag, pulling on his pants with quick, efficient movements. He was in battle mode, he realized. For the first time in years, he was ready to fight instead of run.
Rhiannon scrambled out of bed, sheet still clutched to her chest. “What’s going on?” she whispered, fear edging into her voice.
He cupped her face in his hands, stroking his thumbs over her cheekbones.
If only they had more time.
He leaned in, pressing his lips to her forehead in a tender kiss before pulling back to sign,“I don’t know. But I need you to get dressed and stay behind me.”
She nodded, dropping the sheet to reach for her clothes with shaking hands. Pierce tried not to let his gaze linger on her naked body, knowing he needed to stay focused, but it was an effort. He wanted nothing more than to pull her back into bed, to lose himself in her warmth and forget the danger that lurked outside their door.
But he couldn’t.
He had a long overdue job to do.
If he wanted any shot at a life with Rhiannon, he had to destroy Tectra-X.
He grabbed his shirt off the floor and shrugged into it as he moved to the window, peering through a gap in the curtains. A dark blue SUV was parked at the curb, but he couldn’t see any movement on the street.
If this was an attack, wouldn’t Ethan have sounded more concerned? Instead, he’d sounded almost… bored. And maybe a little annoyed.
Pierce turned from the window as Rhiannon finished dressing, her hands still trembling slightly as she buttoned her jeans. He crossed to her in two long strides and pulled her into his arms, needing to feel her warmth and softness one more time before they faced whatever waited downstairs.
She melted into his embrace, her arms snaking around his waist as she pressed her face into his chest. He could feel the tension thrumming through her body, the rapid beat of her heart against his.
After a long moment, he reluctantly released her and signed, “Stay close to me, okay?”
She nodded, determination settling over her delicate features. “Always.”
Together, they made their way out of the bedroom and down the stairs, Pierce keeping Rhiannon slightly behind him, ready to shield her at the first sign of a threat. Muted voices driftedfrom the living room, and he frowned, straining to make out the words. One voice in particular sounded strangely familiar...
They found Ethan waiting on the landing at the bottom of the stairs, arms crossed over his broad chest. His face was carefully blank, but there was a tightness around his eyes that set Pierce’s every nerve on edge. He glanced past Ethan into the living room and froze, shock punching through him like a fist.
Rylan, Zak, Cal, and one of Ash Rawlings’ female deputies—he couldn’t remember her name—stood in the center of the room, surrounded by Ethan’s men.
“About time,” Ethan muttered.
“Aw, leave them alone,” one of Ethan’s men said with a smirk. “They had a good time last night.”
“Yeah, keeping us all awake,” Gage muttered.
Rylan’s gaze snapped to them, and Pierce watched the realization dawn in the other man’s eyes—realization that was quickly replaced by a protective fury.
Rylan took a step toward them, his high-tech prosthetic hand clenching into a fist like he was considering putting it through Pierce’s skull. “What the fuck, Pierce? You fucked my sister?”
Pierce pulled her protectively—and, yeah, possessively—into his side, meeting Rylan’s furious glare with a steely one of his own. She was his. Rylan was just going to have to get used to that fact.
But Rhiannon ducked out of his arms. Her chin lifted in defiance as she poked at her brother’s chest.
“Excuse me? Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, we slept together. Because we’re both consenting adults who care about each other. I don’t need your permission or approval, Rylan.”
