Chapter Five
T he room that Oaks led Shiloh to was small and sparse in its furnishings, but it offered the same rustic quaintness of the rest of the house. She skimmed her gaze over the queen-sized bed, stacked with plump pillows and a deep green comforter that made her yawn just seeing it.
After the whirlwind pace of her day, and all the emotions it brought with it, she wanted nothing more than to crawl under those covers and shut out the world.
But she had work to do. Covering their flight out of New York would take a little skill. Even private flights left trails.
Oaks walked over to the bed and set the laptop he was carrying on the mattress. Then he turned to her. “You should know there’s heavy security on everything here.”
He was telling her in very few words that she was under surveillance. She got it. After all, he didn’t know her and he’d found her in a houseful of Russians.
Meeting his gaze, she tipped her jaw upward. “You trusted me enough to rescue me from that place but now you’re suspicious?”
“Not suspicious—cautious. I know you’re withholding information from me, Shiloh.” He took a step closer to her. Some people—women and men alike—would be intimidated by his size and the threat he could pose. She was surprised to realize she wasn’t afraid of Oaks anymore.
She didn’t have any response to his statement, so she merely stared at him until he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.
As soon as she was alone, she sank onto the bed. From the minute she found herself in too deep with William, she started taking stock of everything around her and hatching plans to escape. She did it when she first arrived in New York City, studying fire exits in the hotel where she stayed. Then later in the four apartment buildings she hopped from as an added measure of safety.
Turning her head, she eyed two tall windows. Both were dressed with simple white blinds translucent enough to allow the late afternoon sunlight to stream in. She stared at the golden light, imagining the tall grasses in the fields tipped with gold too, and her shoulders slumped.
She might be exhausted and her mind spinning like a top, but she had a job to do. Dragging the computer across the mattress, she hunched over it, sitting cross-legged on the bed.
Her hair swung forward, and she hooked the heavy lock behind her ear as she got straight to work.
First, she had to trace their flight. She required a secure connection, and the house’s private satellite internet server was actually better than she could have asked for. The brothers may be watching her, but their level of security protected her from outside attacks.
Her pulse beat faster with every tap on the keys. She paused, listening, her heart throbbing in her ears.
She sliced a glance at the closed door, waiting for someone to burst in. Then she heard a whisper at the window.
She froze, listening harder.
It was only the wind. She relaxed and picked up where she left off.
She’d grown skilled at memorizing things she saw during her time with William. Numbers, letters, snippets of emails she wasn’t meant to see. When they crossed that runway to board the jet, she had fixed the numbers applied to the tail in her memory.
Now, she pulled them out, typing them quickly into a website. After she had it tracked down, she began hacking the system to erase all traces of that flight.
If William was going to kill her, she would make him work for it.
As usual when she worked on any computer system, she lost herself in another world. By the time she was finished, the light in the guest room had changed. The golden glimmer through the blinds had grown gray-blue, and shadows brushed every corner of the space.
How long had she been working? A glance at the clock on the screen revealed it had been hours and it was now late in the evening.
Straightening from her hunched position caused her spine to creak. She hooked her hand around her nape and massaged her stiff neck. Just then, a light rap on the door made her bolt upright.
Before she answered the knock, the door opened and a big male body backed into the room. Once inside, he pivoted, revealing his reason for backing in. He carried a tray of food.
When had she last eaten? The previous night was the last time she had food, and since then, she’d only drunk water. God, what a long day, and judging by the way Oaks eyed her and then the laptop, it wasn’t over.
He moved toward the bed and set the tray down in front of her. The grilled chicken, rice and steamed vegetables looked and smelled so good that her stomach cramped with hunger and her mouth watered.
“Eat.” He waved a hand at the food.
She reached for the mug of steaming coffee, aware of the tremor in her hands. She quickly sipped to mask her physical weaknesses. Early on, she learned that displaying any weakness to William was a bad idea. He was too observant and latched on to any small chink in her armor so he could use it against her.
Oaks stared at her for a beat and then strolled into the en suite bathroom. Over the rim of her mug, she watched him. His worn jeans molded to his backside like they’d been personally tailored to the hard planes.
He wore the same clothes as this morning, so how did he still look so good? She felt worn out, wrung out and grubby even in the borrowed clothes she’d changed into on the plane.
She shuddered inside to think of those itchy feathers on that wedding gown.
She froze, still staring at the open bathroom door where the man who had paid a fortune to free her, had vanished. A second later, she heard the water running. It was too loud to be a sink faucet. It must be the bathtub.
The grip of hunger in her stomach took over, and she forgot about whatever Oaks was doing in favor of food. She picked up her fork and polished off the rice before digging into the chicken.
An herbed crust burst on her tongue with flavor. With a deep sigh of satisfaction, she detected some sweet-smelling notes wafting from the bathroom.
Suddenly, Oaks appeared in the doorway. “Oh good, you’re eating.”
“It’s terrific. Thank you.”
“When you’re finished, I drew you a bath.”
She almost choked on her bite of chicken. She gaped at him for a long heartbeat.
She’d never had any man draw her a bath before, not even William, who considered himself a smooth operator. At one time, she thought so too.
Setting the coffee on the tray, she moved to the edge of the bed, careful not to upset the tray. As she approached, he stepped aside, allowing her to peek into the bathroom.
Light notes of lavender floated to her nose. When she saw the tub, all her muscles stiffened despite the soothing scent.
“You added flower petals. And candles.” Suddenly, that chicken felt like lead in her stomach.
He scrubbed a long finger over his upper lip. “I thought it might help you relax. You’ve had a hell of a day.”
She shook her head, trying to clear it of the alluring bath, the man and the fact that she’d been forced to marry him.
“This is a lousy honeymoon.” A sob threatened, and she shoved it deep down inside. But the lavender swirling through her head broke in and almost made her burst into tears.
Oaks leaned against the vanity. He wasn’t leaving anytime soon.
“What kind of honeymoon would you like?”
Her throat closed. “An over-the-water bungalow in the Caribbean. Not a ranch full of people and horses and…”
“I can see you’ve given this some thought.”
“Well, I had time.”
He nodded. “I have six siblings, so I understand being overwhelmed by too many people.”
She lowered her stare to the tub that swirled with petals and had a light purple tinge to the water. When she swung her gaze back to Oaks, it clung to his manly features…then dropped to his bottom lip.
“I’m sorry for biting you. I’m really a much better kisser.”
Now why had she blurted that out? It wasn’t like she wanted to kiss him .
“I was just mad and scared,” she rambled.
He continued to lean against the vanity, looking rugged and hot. Maybe kissing him wouldn’t be so bad right now.
She stepped up to him. His deep gray eyes lingered on her face. Then he pushed off the vanity and took a step toward her too.
When she edged closer, she caught the manly scent he carried. The pull to close the gap between them took over.
Laying a hand on his chest, she went on tiptoe and brushed a kiss along his jaw. His stubble tickled her skin, and her inner thighs squeezed on a new sensation.
She dropped back. “Thank you for getting me out of there.”
He stared down at her for a heavy heartbeat. A new energy filled the space. The air almost pulsed with it.
Suddenly, he swooped in and crushed his lips against her throat. A small gasp escaped her, and suddenly she was leaning into him to feel that hard muscle. It made her feel safe and secure even as it ignited a new warmth.
When he latched onto her waist and bowed her into him, she bent to his will. The tender suction of his lips on her throat shot shivers through her body. She dug her fingers into his shoulders, then slid them all the way down his muscled spine to the hard planes of his ass.
Oh god. He was so fit. Sexy as hell.
He moved his lips toward her jaw, and she twisted her head, seeking his lips even as he rocked his stiffening cock against her pussy.
Their lips collided. His breaths came faster and heavier. As he yanked her flush against him, there was no stopping her body from rolling into his every inch.
He let out a low noise and went still. A sudden realization of what they were doing struck.
Abruptly, she jerked out of his arms and wrapped her own around her middle. She was so starved for human interaction, she was practically attacking the man. She’d started this.
Heat burned in her cheeks, and she avoided his gaze.
“I’ll leave you to your bath,” he gritted out.
She watched him go. His broad shoulders seemed to fill the entire doorframe, the lines of his back strong and rigid.
And his muscled backside she knew the feel of now.
She stepped forward and shut the door behind him.
Closing the door on her thoughts was much, much harder.
* * * * *
Oaks’s boots thumped on the hardwood floors, drowning out the sound of the water that he’d run in the tub for Shiloh. His new wife.
Christ. This whole day had been a shit show, starting with too many boxes of shoes and ending with him sporting a hard-on.
The faster he got away from Shiloh and those big gray-blue eyes that seemed to cling to him in some unspoken plea, the better. He knew her type, had experienced the charms of women like that before. They knew exactly how to get what they wanted from a man with a single look.
He didn’t have a hero complex, not at all. But the way she looked just now—fragile and vulnerable as hell—made him want to save her from whatever darkness hunted her.
When he reached Carson’s private office, he didn’t bother to knock. The space was one of the smallest in the house, but his oldest brother liked the confined quarters. Only a lamp burned on his desk, casting his face in a small glow.
At his entrance, his brother looked up from the computer screen. “Shut the door.”
Oaks had already beat him too it. Closing doors was automatic when you had six siblings. There was always someone ready to eavesdrop on a phone conversation or a scolding from their father back when the bastard was alive.
Without waiting for an invitation, he took a seat in the chair, with the desk between him and his brother.
Carson’s expression gave nothing away about what he was reading, but Oaks already knew.
“What did you dig up on her?”
Carson quirked a brow. “She’s your wife. Shouldn’t you already know everything?”
He shook his head. “Jackass. You know how this whole thing went down. What do you have?”
“Looks like your wife is a brilliant programmer.”
And he’d just left her alone with a laptop.
“She worked for a Forbes 500 tech company and, up until about six months ago, dated the founder and CEO. Then she disappeared.”
“I was right. She knows something.”
Carson gave a single nod. “This isn’t just a scorned girlfriend or a simple stalker problem.”
“No. She was being sold to Russians. I don’t know a lot, but I know of that group. I know what the tattoos they have mean, what they stand for and what they’ve done.” He tapped his toes inside his boot, his nerves invisible on the surface.
“You think her ex knows he was funding a terrorist attack?” asked Carson.
“Undeniably. She had something to hand to the CIA, after all.”
“We need her to talk. If she’s contacted the CIA, there’s already an international investigation underway.”
When he left Shiloh standing in the bathroom looking lost and alone, he couldn’t imagine her dealing with terrorists or the Russian mafia. A ball of ice formed in his chest.
“We need to take them down,” he gritted out.
Carson narrowed his eyes at Oaks. “That’s the SEAL talking. Black Heart Security doesn’t take down terrorist groups or the bratva .”
He tapped a finger on his knee. “True, but we protect women who know things about that stuff.”
“You’ve got it. So what’s next?”
“I get her to talk.”
“Be her friend?”
“Be her bodyguard,” Oaks qualified. He shifted to stand. “I know my role.”
“Do you?” Carson leaned back in his chair.
He looked at him. “To be clear: I married her to keep her from being transported to Russia, never to be seen again.”
“Of course.”
“And it’s in name only. Not even that—I didn’t use my own name.”
But did it matter what name was signed on that document? Whether or not the link was real, he wasn’t going to cast her off so easily. He’d taken on the duty of protecting Shiloh. He’d see it through.
Carson cocked a brow. “You’re awful defensive, bro.”
“Just keeping it real, bro . I’m going to check on her. Let me know if you find out anything more.” Before his brother could respond, Oaks strode out of the office.
If he knew anything about women, he hadn’t given Shiloh nearly enough time to soak in the bath. He knew she was finished eating though. He could sneak into the room, grab the tray and leave.
When he passed his sister’s bedroom door, he threw out his hearing, an old habit he picked up back in Willow’s teen years. When he caught her with a boy in her room, he’d ripped it off the hinges to get inside, only to find them listening to music and doing homework.
He didn’t apologize then and he wouldn’t now if he found out some guy was mistreating Willow, even if she was of age now.
He reached the guest room and cracked open the door. He peeked inside and then walked in.
A feminine gasp ripped through the room, and he swung at the sound.
“What are you doing ?” Shiloh wrapped her arms around herself.
He gave her a once-over, taking in the fluffy white guest robe bundled around her body and her hair damp and brushed smooth on her shoulders.
“Sorry, I thought you’d still be in the bath. I figured you could use a long, relaxing soak.”
“I do. I did. I mean…” she sputtered, “I soaked long enough.”
“I came to get your tray.” He eyed her cheeks, pink from the bath or maybe him walking in on her. Just because she was shrewd didn’t mean she wasn’t a modest woman, and he’d just violated her privacy.
Her eyes were heavy-lidded with exhaustion. He guessed her adrenaline had finally faded and now she was left swaying on her feet.
He gripped the tray and walked it to the door, leaving it just outside to take care of later. Right now, he had a ward to take care of. He was trained to stay with her, make sure she was calm enough to sleep while assuring her that he would keep her safe.
He drifted to the bedside table and switched on a lamp. It cast a rosy glow over the bed. Typically, his inner caretaker only came out for his kid sister, but it kicked in now.
He grasped the comforter and drew it down to expose crisp white sheets. “Get in.”
She swallowed, her throat working. “Is that an order?”
He scraped his fingers through his hair. “Christ, Shiloh. No. I didn’t phrase that well. You’re tired. I thought you should lie down.”
Her shoulders drooped. “Sorry—I’m edgy.”
“Understandable. If you’d like to get in bed, I’ll stay with you a spell.”
“I…I…” Her pretty mouth twisted, but she didn’t issue a single sound. This woman was in control like no other…but she was also in emotional turmoil.
Fuck.
What now? Vets, he knew. He didn’t do well with emotional women.
He could hear Carson in his head, telling him there was no time like the present to gain experience.
Oaks stepped forward. His hands hovered near her arms, but he was afraid to touch her.
When she let out a deep, roughened breath that sounded too much like a sob, he tossed his reservations out the window, stepped up and wrapped his arms around her.
Tugging her against his chest, he turned for the bed and eased her down on it. She crumpled onto her side and curled up into a ball.
Unsure how to proceed, he patted her shoulder.
“Shiloh?”
She took another shuddering breath. Her stare was fixed on some far-off point as if she was watching a movie play in her mind.
“It’s going to be okay. You’re safe. Just rest.” He started to climb off the bed, but she reached out and snagged his shirt front. Her slim fingers twisted the cloth.
His heart pinched hard. Easing himself down beside her, he stretched out on the mattress with Shiloh in his arms.
Her body was long and lithe against his, despite the thick terrycloth robe.
“I don’t break down.” Her voice was small and her cheeks dry.
“Crying isn’t a weakness. It’s a release.”
She tipped her head up to meet his gaze. “Is that what you tell all the people you protect?”
“As a bodyguard, it hasn’t come up much. It’s a therapy thing.”
“I see.” She fell silent for a moment, her breaths coming more evenly. She still felt immensely fragile in his hold, but he’d seen her strength back in that compound and he saw it now.
“I’ve never cuddled with my ward before.”
“Ever…kissed one?” Her voice came out as a smoky murmur.
Holding back a groan, he ran his tongue over his sore bottom lip. “Since a lot of my wards are men, no.”
She made a soft humming noise in her throat, tipped her face up and brushed her lips over his. His blood jolted as desire sparked inside him, but he remained completely still as she skimmed her mouth over his once…then twice.
Fuck—he couldn’t let this happen. No contract existed between them, but a marriage certificate with a fake name and probably a falsified license.
As she applied soft pressure to his lips, he couldn’t hold back and returned the caress. He didn’t claim her the way he would another woman. Shiloh wasn’t just any other woman.
There was an echo of their lusty encounter in the bathroom, but her mood had shifted. He felt her succumbing to the kiss in a new way.
His stiffening cock molded to his fly, and he had to force himself not to roll her underneath him and satisfy her the way a beautiful woman like her deserved.
Slowly, he drew back. Her eyes were bluer than ever, as if some of the stormy gray clouds had blown away.
But it was still glaringly clear that Shiloh had secrets she didn’t yet trust him with.