Page 21 of Working for the Enemy

I drop him like the pile of trash he is. The man hits the ground, wheezing, before scrambling backward on his hands and knees. I watch as he drads his unconscious partner out the side access door and disappears into the afternoon heat.

The silence that follows is deafening.The adrenaline coursing through my veins slowly begins to ebb, replaced instantly by an overwhelming, crushing wave of relief.

I turn around.

Marlowe is still standing against the racks, the wrench slipping from her fingers and hitting the floor with a dull clang. Her shoulders are trembling, tears brimming in her eyes as she stares at me.

"Kane..." she whispers.

In two strides, I’m in front of her. I pull her flush against my chest, wrapping my arms around her so tightly she can barely breathe. She buries her face in the crook of my neck, her small hands clutching the back of my shirt, sobbing softly as the fear finally leaves her body.

"I've got you," I breathe, my hands moving feverishly over her body, checking her arms, her face, her waist, searching for any sign of a scratch. "Are you hurt? Did they touch you?"

"No," she chokes out, shaking her head against my neck. "No, you... you got here in time. You saved me."

I press my lips hard against her hair, my chest heaving as I hold my woman close. The threat is gone. Neutralized.

I look down at her, cupping her tear-stained face in my hands, wiping away the moisture with my thumbs. She looks up at me, no shields, no deflective humor, no fake sunshine—just pure, unadulterated trust.

There's no going back. She's my world now, and I'm never letting her go.

11

MARLOWE

The hum of the engine does nothing to settle the vibration running through my whole body. I’m shaking, but it isn’t from fear, horror, or even shock. It’s from the raw, overwhelming rush of adrenaline, and the terrifyingly intense turn-on of watching Kane take control. Seeing him protect me, seeing that lethal display of power… it did something to me that I’m almost embarrassed to admit.

Kane keeps one hand tight on the wheel, his knuckles white, his dark eyes flicking over to me every few seconds with intense concern. "You’re trembling, Marlowe," he says, his voice low and tight with restrained worry. "Did he touch you? Are you hurt?"

I shake my head, drawing a ragged breath as I look over at him. "No. I'm not hurt, Kane. I promise."

"Then what is it?" he asks, his jaw working as he searches my face. "Talk to me."

"The only thing I feel right now is grateful, and..." I trailing off, biting my lip.

His eyes narrow slightly, his voice dropping an octave. "...And?"

"...And incredibly turned on," I confess, the word slipping out in a breathless rush.

A low growl rumbles deep in Kane’s chest. Without a word, his hand leaves the steering wheel and slides up my thigh, the heat of his palm seeping straight through my clothes. I catch his hand and press it harder against my core, letting him feel the aching warmth already blooming there, letting him feel exactly what his display back there did to me. His breath hitches, his fingers flexing against me as he pushes the pedal down.

By the time he pulls up to the cabin, the tension inside the truck is suffocating. The second he turns the engine off, we're out of the vehicle. We barely make it through the front door before his hands are on me. Kane scoops me up in his arms and carries me to his room, bridal style.

He tosses me on the bed and I squeal, but it turns into a moan when he pounces on top of me and sucks my neck, gliding his hands up my legs and coaxing them to spread apart, making room for him to settle between them. We’re both still fully clothed, but it’s like we can’t separate long enough to strip down.

“Gotta get you naked, Marlowe. I want to see what’s mine,” he growls.

Kane reluctantly pushes himself off of me and I scramble to the edge of the bed until we’re standing in front of each other. We take turns stripping each other of our clothes until we’re both naked, just staring at one another.

“Marlowe… You’re fucking gorgeous.”

Heat rises in my cheeks and I have to look away from him. Kane guides my face back towards him with two fingers under my chin.

“Don’t hide from me, angel. I see you. And I want you more than you can possibly know.”

His attention is overwhelming and for some reason, I feel stupid tears prick my eyes. Kane closes the gap between us and leads us in a deep kiss, wiping away my tears with his thumb. He walks us backward until my knees hit the bed. Then he gently lays me down before standing back and admiring me.

"Goddamn, Marlowe. Love seeing you like this laid out for me. So beautiful. Fuck. So beautiful." His eyes roam over my body and I should feel exposed, but instead, I feel…cherished. It's unlike anything I've ever experienced.