Chapter 11

He was undressed and waiting for her in bed.

Propping her hands on her hips, she gave him a blistering stare. "If you think you can just drop that bombshell on me, and we just ignore it and have sex, think again." "Sex is the last thing on my mind." He lied.

Her eyes narrowed as she continued to stare at him.

"Are you coming to bed?"

"I think I should sleep in another room."

"Ryleigh." Her name came out as a sigh. "Please."

"You were friends with the man who tried to kill me."

"And if I could go back and change that, I might."

"Might?"

"Probably. Possibly." he sighed again. "Look, I am not accustomed to explaining myself to anyone."

"Tough." She unwittingly moved over to sit on the edge of the bed. "I am unsure what I should do with that information."

"Whatever you wish." He took her hand in his. "I made us a target-" His fingers gripped hers. "Ever since I decided to leave the gang and end the friendship with Daley, he has been, shall we say?

Displeased. He had this thing inside his head that I rejected him like his old man did. It did not bother him much when I was a nobody, but he contacted me when I started making money and appearing in magazines." A frown touched his brow. "He called the office and demanded to be put through.

He claimed he was an old friend, and I would not mind speaking to him. I reluctantly told my assistant to put him through. I wanted nothing to do with him."

He shrugged. "We spoke about old times, and he wanted to meet. I brushed him off, of course, and that did not sit well with him. He started accusing me of behaving like I was better than he was and warned me to remember where I came from.

I hung up and instructed my assistant not to put through any more calls from him." He took a deep breath and stared at their linked fingers.

"I ran into him at a charity benefit my mother hosted, and he insisted on talking. He apologized for his behavior and wanted us to be friends again. Then he started hinting at some business deals we could do together.

‘We can make much money between us," he said. I told him I already had money and I don't do business with unsavory characters.

That made him as mad as hell, and he told me I should be careful he did not call up some reporters and tell them the truth about my past." He lifted his head to look at her. "I invited him to go right ahead and told him I had nothing to lose."

"I am in love with you. "He held on when she started to withdraw her hand. "That b.s. You sprouted downstairs, and that was just that - b.s. I am in your life, Ryleigh, whether you want to acknowledge it."

Ignoring the insistent pumping of her heart, she glared at him. "You are insane."

"That might be the case." He grinned at her, amber eyes twinkling.

"We entered this thing, understanding that it would be just physical."

"I might have lied about that."

"What?" She blinked at him. "You said we - you said it was just sex, and- You lied?"

He bit back a smile at the fierce look on her exquisite face.

"I would have said anything to make you agree."

"You- you-you-" She ran out of words, and he felt steam pouring from her ears. "Get out."

"No." Tugging at her hand, he did so hard enough for her to fall against him. When she was sprawled against his chest, he used one powerful leg to clamp over both of hers, his arms like steel bands around her waist. With only her upper body to navigate, she lifted her head and glared at him in impotent fury. "I am here to stay."

"Not if I have a damn thing to say about it!" She snapped as she pushed against him. The effort to dislodge him failed and made her more furious. "You are manhandling me." "That's not going to work," he told her calmly. "You are lying to yourself, and we both know it. You are into me."

"You arrogant-" She bit off the words she would say and continued to struggle against him. "I hate you."

He tutted, amusement flickering on his face. She was so close to him that she could see the golden highlights in his amber eyes. "Is this becoming a habit?"

"Let go of me. After you leave here tonight-"

"Tomorrow morning," he interrupted smoothly.

"When you leave here, I will ignore your calls, and you will not set foot in this house again."

"Then I will have to camp out at the office." There was an implacable look on his face. "I was planning on asking you to move in with me-"

"That's not going to happen."

"But I am prepared to be here for the time being until you come to your senses."

"I don't want you." she hissed.

"Really?" Before she could blink, he had her on her back and her nightgown over her head.

"What are you doing?" She screeched.

"Proving to you that what you just said is b.s." He wedged one hand between her thighs before she could clamp them shut. She fought the wave of incredible passion and tried to pretend that she was not affected when he started caressing the swollen and susceptible flesh.

"I hate you." her voice had dropped to a whisper, and she could feel her defense crumbling. She continued to fight him, but it was no competition at all.

Flynn had spent years honing his skills and building his muscles, first from the rigorous manual labor he had been engaged in and then in the well-equipped gym at his place. Aside from that, Ryleigh was petite, and her slender curves were no match for his muscular body.

And she was weakening and fighting him just for form. Her body bucked and shivered when he slipped two fingers into her moisture. A grunt escaped him, and when he bent his head to brush his lips against hers, she was ready, her lips parted to receive his tongue.

"Tell me you hate me now," he whispered thickly. His fingers were driving into her slowly as if to torture her. And his lips were just a breath away from hers.

"Tell me."

"Go to hell." She whispered back, tormented with the yearning for him.

"I am there," he grunted. She cried out in protest when he removed his fingers. His swollen shaft was rubbing the inside of her thigh and sending white-hot flames shimmering through her body.

"What?" He was bursting with need, but what she had said to him stung him to the point of wanting to hurt her. He had fallen in love with her, which was not the plan. His heart had been broken and shattered into pieces, and the last damn thing he wanted was to find himself in this kind of misery again.

And to make matters worse, it was even more intense. What he had felt for Sophia could no way compare to what he was feeling for the woman writhing under him. "Tell me."

Lifting her head and trying to break through the web of desire that was hammering her to shreds, she saw the pain and hurt on his face. He had declared his love for her, and she had paid him back by telling him she hated him, which was far from the truth.

Somehow, he had plunged through the wall she had placed over her emotions and gotten to the heart of her. And he had done it without much effort. She needed him. Dear God, she needed him like she had never needed another person before, which scared her.

"I am afraid." She whispered the thought almost without thinking, her expression anguished. It softened him instantly. He felt the anger and pain, replacing him with a tenderness that defied description.

"Of me?"

She shook her head. "Of what you make me feel." her hands drifted up to cup his face, the bristles from his unshaven jaw tickling her flesh.

Reaching between them, he entered her an inch at a time, his eyes holding hers. The movement and the expression on his face made words redundant.

Placing a hand over hers, he moved slowly; the exquisite torture of being sheathed by her so wholly was making his head spin and his body react alarmingly. Lowering himself even closer to her, he grimaced when the rigidity of her nipples touched his hair-roughened chest.

"There is no need." He brushed his mouth against hers and captured her soft cry. "I will shield you and protect you with my life." he sucked her tongue between his teeth and sent her emotions going crazy.

Wrapping her hands around his neck, she sank into the kiss, her body moving against his, their movements in sync. Tunneling his fingers through the thick strands of her hair, he held her steady while he ravished her mouth. It was not long before the sensations overwhelmed her.

Digging her fingers into his back and the corded muscles of his shoulders, she let go and felt as if she was free, falling from the edge of a cliff. He soon followed behind her, his powerful body surging into hers, shuddering as the intense climax swept through him like a raging storm.

With his heart still thundering inside his chest, he shifted so that he was not putting all his weight on her but was reluctant to pull out just yet.

They did not speak for a few minutes; the only sounds in the room were their labored breathing and the ticking of the bedside clock. Ryleigh had her face buried in the dampness of his chest, one hand around his trim waist.

Tilting his head down, Flynn stared at the top of her tousled head, a gentle expression on his face. He loved her so much that he could not even begin to describe how he felt.

"Want to talk?"

She nodded without saying a word.

"What specifically?"

"Your childhood."

He was afraid of that. The lovemaking between them had been so profound that he would have preferred not bringing the ugliness of his past to spoil it. But he supposed he owed her an explanation. "I thought we already covered everything."

Lifting her head, she studied his face and felt her heart thumping unsteadily. His face was rather hard, with all angles and planes. She realized he was arduous that much, and she supposed he had had to fight furiously to rise above the poverty of his youth.

"Something on my face?" He angled his brows at her, amber eyes glinting.

"Maurice Daley has been wreaking havoc since he was a teenager. I know all of this because I made it my business to know all there is to know about him. I did my research. It is rumored that he killed a man when he was just seventeen." He stared at her for a minute before looking over her left shoulder.

"I heard that too. He never graduated high school, and the man rumor had him killing was his old man." his mouth tightened. "No great loss there; the guy was a maniac and used his wife and kid as a punching bag." His eyes met hers. "I am not excusing what he did."

"It was never proven," she commented.

"No."

"Did you ever-" She shook his head at the look on his face.

"I am sorry."

"For accusing me of aiding and abetting? Or accessory after the fact? Or perhaps it is colluding?"

"Flynn-"

He shook his head. "I apologize." touching her cheek, he let it remain there for a bit, loving the satiny feel of her skin. "You have every right-" he stopped when she touched his lips.

"No." she gasped when he nipped the pad of her finger with his teeth.

"I loathe lawyers." Taking her hand, he turned it over and stared at the palm.

"Pardon?"

Lifting his head, he flashed her a boyish grin that stole her breath. "Present company excluded, of course."

"Of course." She gave a regal nod of her head. "Why do you hate lawyers?"

"They are bloodsuckers, always sprouting negativity and charging a fortune for their ill advice. I have an entire retainer retinue, and sometimes I think I should eliminate many of them."

He circled the marks in her palm, causing her flesh to tingle. "And here I am besotted with one." His eyes pinned her like a moth to a flame and made her unable to breathe.

"You cannot say those things to me." She whispered.

"Why not?"

"Because-" She took a deep breath. "Flynn, this is madness. We are going too fast. A baby is involved, and we have an arrangement-" She rolled her eyes as he lifted his brow. "We should take it slow-"

"No."

"Please just hear me out."

"I am listening." He linked his fingers with hers and gave his full attention.

"Our former people broke us." He smiled at the term. "I have a history of picking the wrong men. Three relationships, and they were total disasters."

"Only three?" he teased.

"The first one was in college, and he used me." She shook her head. "The second was a lawyer, and he cheated on me. He led me to believe it was my fault. Looking back, I think it's true-"

"Bullshit."

"No." She shook her head. "I am not excusing the prick, of course. He was a complete bastard, but I was all about work, and when I was working on an upcoming trial, I was single-minded about it. I decided to concentrate on my career, and that's what I am doing."

"You are saying that you have no time for me?"

"Yes. No." She sighed. "I don't know. You are growing on me-"

"Like mold?"

She sent him a wry look. "I look forward to seeing you and do not hate you. Far from it.

But I am so damned afraid."

"Of what exactly?"

"Of being hurt again. I am telling myself I am a fool to venture down this road again."

"You are not willing to take my word for it?" His deep voice had a quiet inflection that sent emotions quivering through her. He was so strong, so manly, the aura of power clinging to him like a cloak.

She felt safe and secure with him, and she had never been the type of woman to play a damsel in distress. She had always been independent and fierce about it. But with him, she felt like shedding all that and letting go.

"I don't know how." She whispered.

"Let me show you," he whispered back. Pushing her backward, he felt himself already stirring to life. "I am not going anywhere."

*****

"Come in. Sit." Flynn nodded to the chair in front of the desk and continued to go over the contract, leafing through the pages quickly.

The man seated on the padded chair did not mind the wait. He was being paid a hefty sum of money to do his employer's bidding, and Flynn Zimmermann had his complete loyalty.

"Thanks for coming at such short notice." Putting away the heavy document, Flynn eyed the unobtrusive-looking man thoughtfully. Bert Chambers was a former FBI agent who had dedicated his life to his career for over forty years.

Flynn had met him more than ten years ago when he was still with the bureau and had offered him a job. Bert had taken up the offer when he retired. Flynn used him for delicate jobs because he knew the man was very discreet."Maurice Daley."

"Ah. Like a bad penny." Bert nodded his balding spate, light blue eyes curious. "What do you need?"

"He went after what's mine. I made the mistake of confronting him, and in effect, I tipped my hand."

"Now you think he might come gunning for you and yours."

"Yes." Picking up the paperweight, Flynn rolled it between his palms, his expression brooding. He had left Ryleigh's place without them coming to any form of agreement. He had asked her to move in with him, and she had flat-out refused.

"I am not ready."

He had tried to argue that it was the best plan, and he did not like her living alone, but she insisted that she needed time.

"I need someone guarded."

"The young lady."

Flynn nodded.

"And I need a tail put on Daley. I stirred him up, and he was bound to strike back. I want to know everything there is to know about his movements."

"Consider it done."

"I want you on the job, Bert."

"Of course. I will get right on it. I will also get my best man to guard the lady."

Scribbling down the information, Flynn passed it to him. "I spend nights at her place because she is unwilling to come by me yet. It's frustrating as hell, but I have to live with it for now."

"I understand. Anything else?"

"She is pregnant."The man stared at him in surprise. "Congratulations."

"I would ask you to keep it to yourself."

Flynn nodded. "Thanks, Bert."

"How often do you want reports?"

"As soon as they become available."

*****

"How are you?"

"Great." Ryleigh picked at her sandwich uninterestedly.

"I can always order something else if that is not your liking."

"What?" Lifting her head, she looked at him in confusion.

"Should I be annoyed that you are here with me in the flesh and absent otherwise?" Michael asked in an exasperated voice. "You were the one who asked for this luncheon date, remember?"

"I am sorry." With a sigh, she pushed the plate away and gave him her attention. "My mind is elsewhere."

"I would never have guessed."

She laughed softly. "I have a lot going on."

"Of course you do. Some asshole tried to kill you a few days ago. We still haven't found any trace of who they are, by the way."

"We know who they are, but it's just that we cannot prove it." She paused for a minute.

"I am in a relationship."

"I see."

"You don't seem surprised."

"Darling, a blind man could tell the guy is completely into you. He was practically jumping out of his skin at the hospital."

"He went to threaten Maurice Daley."

"Good for him."

Ryleigh sighed at the approval in his voice.

"It's not good. Far from it. The man is a maniac, and there is something else."

"Flynn had him beaten within an inch of his life?" He asked hopefully.

"No. They were friends."

Michael did a double-take. "Come again?"

"They were also in a gang together when they were teenagers."

She laughed as her friend goggled at her.

"I need details." he finally said, and she told him the gist of it.

"Now they are on different sides of the fence. Flynn Zimmermann is a respectable businessman with a shit load of money, and Daley is a gangster who probably resents the hell out of his former friend." He shook his head as he sipped his drink. Around them, the sounds of utensils clinking and muted conversations could be heard.

The restaurant was trendy, and they had only gotten a table because the owner was known to both of them. "Ironically, the woman bent on bringing his not-so-illustrious career to a screeching halt is involved with his former best friend. Fate has a way of being very contrary."

"He wants me to move in with him."

"I am assuming you are referring to Zimmermann."

"Very funny."

"What did you tell him?"

"I am not ready. You know my track record."

"You are carrying the man's heir." He pointed out.

"I am supposed to be a surrogate."

"That ship has sailed. What will you do?"

"I don't know." She picked up her glass and drank water thirstily. "It's all so complicated."

"It doesn't have to be. He is hot."

She cast him a glance that had him grinning. "He is, however. How is the sex?"

"None of your business."

"That good, huh?" He sighed languidly. "I say go for it."